Anambra State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday held a peaceful march, to protest the hardship on Nigerians, caused by the removal of fuel subsidy by the President Bola Tinubu-led government.
Various bodies that make up the union gathered at the state office of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), from where the protest kicked off.
The protesters who carried placards with various inscription marched to Ekwueme Square Awka, a short distance from the NULGE office, before they dispersed.
Inscriptions on some of the placards read; End fuel price increase; fix our local refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna; no to jumbo pay for politicians; stop naira devaluation; we cannot bear the suffering any more; pay university workers their salaries, 8,000 palliative to households insult to Nigerians, among others.
THE RAZOR reports that only a few workers joined the protest, just as the leaders of the various union were also reluctant to hold the protest.
A union leader who spoke under the cover of anonymity said: “The protest is majorly against the federal government, so there is no need for us to go around picketing state workers since Governor Chukwuma Soludo has been consistent in the payment of salaries and other benefits.”
But State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Humphrey Emeka Nwafor, who addressed the protesters said: “The hardship Nigerians are passing through under this present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is too much.
“Other Nigerians should equally add their voices against the current economy status of the country. We demand that the FG should pay the 8-months salary of University workers.
“The FG should not allow private companies to determine the price increase of petroleum products for Nigerians, when we have our regulatory agency. We are not accepting the N8,000 palliative.
“As I speak, the cost of living here in Anambra State is very high. The current house rent in Awka is higher than other state capitals of the Federation while workers monthly salaries remain the same.
“We called on President Tinubu to reverse all the anti-people policies he has put in place for the sake of the poor masses.”
“This protest match is a warning to the Federal Government to do what is right to save Nigerians from hardship.”
