The Federal Government has failed to convince the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve its planned nationwide protest.
A late meeting between the Bola Tinubu Administration and the Organised Labour on Monday night to avert today’s nationwide protest ended in a deadlock at State House, Abuja.
A government delegation led by George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, met with the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other labour leaders on Monday night.
After the sit-down, Joe Ajaero NLC president, said the union would embark on a peaceful rally to express its grievances over the deteriorating economic crisis and high cost of living in the country.
Speaking with journalists, Ajaero said it was the responsibility of both parties to ensure the protest was peaceful.
He asked the Federal Government to provide security to members of the union as part of the fundamental rights of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution.
He said members of the union would march to the National and State Assemblies across the country to submit the demands to the lawmakers and government officials.
Said the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, after the meeting with government representatives on the eve of the protest: “The rally goes on and it is part of their constitutional responsibility to ensure that the rally is peaceful. That’s all.
“We have demands we must present, so maybe by tomorrow when we present those demands, a copy of it will get to the press”.
Before the NLC announced its nationwide protest, residents of Kano, Niger, Oyo, Edo, Lagos, Sokoto, Borno and Osun, among other states, had taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest economic hardship.
The leadership of the NLC said the union’s two-day nationwide protest would take place on February 27 and 28.
