Revealed: Labour leaders complain bitterly over one hour battle to gain access to NASS
……Senate wades into labour protests
…..asks for one week to report progress
By Haruna Salami
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress have agreed to give the National Assembly (NASS) one week within which to intervene in the negotiation with the Federal Government to avert a total nationwide strike.
This was after the representatives of the National Assembly addressed the workers who stormed to the NASS to deliver their demands to the two chambers.
The labour leaders who struggled to gain access into the National Assembly complained bitterly that for over one hour, the security agents at the gate denied them access to the National Assembly to come and present their complaints to their representatives.
Senator Ali Ndume expressed regrets that the problem of the poor is the poor, adding “none of those police sergeants and corporals from poor families who have failed to help their fellow workers have no child of a senator among them”.
Senator Ali Ndume, Chief Whip of the Senate, who addressed the workers on behalf of the leadership pleaded with the workers to trust their elected representatives to meet with the executive and report progress in one week.
Earlier, the NLC President, Joseph Ajaero had presented the labour’s demands to Senator Ndume for onward delivery to the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The labour demands include:
“Fuel price increase and naira devaluation killing local industries and jobs
“End high cost of transportation, give us CNG buses
“Let the poor breathe. Stop reckless price increases; pay living wage, support informal workers.
“Education is our right, stop the increase in school fees!!
“Pay university workers 8 months salary arrears.
“Nigerians are suffocating. Tinubu, let Nigerians breathe!
Tinubu, listen to Nigerians, not IMF & World Bank!!!
“Stop subsidizing the rich. It’s time to tax the rich and support the poor. Stop fuel price increase, naira devaluation, insecurity and poverty.
“Don’t suffocate the poor. End fuel price increase, fix local refineries!!!
“Stop naira devaluation support local manufacturing
“Education is our right, stop the increase in school fees!!
End corruption now, recover the loots, jail culprits, poor Nigerians must breathe.
No money for fuel, no money for transport, give us CNG buses.
