NLC Cross River chapter defies Police warning, hit streets; Government promises minimum wage increase; NLC suspends protest
The Cross River State union of the Nigerian Labour Congress yesterday defied the State Police Command’s earlier warning of protesting within their secretariat as they joined in the nationwide protest over the rising cost of living, hunger, diminishing purchasing power of Nigerians among others.
The protest started from the NLC Secretariat at Marian road to Murtala Mohammed Highway, down to the House of Assembly, en route to the Governor’s Office and ended at 11-11 Cultural Complex in Calabar.
Comrade Gregory Olayi, State Chairman of NLC, Cross River State Council dwelt on salient issues civil servants and the masses are facing on a daily bases and the need to embark on a peaceful protest.
“We are out today as directed by the National Nigeria Labour Congress to go out and protest against the hardship in the country and that is what we did. We have moved from all nooks and crannies of this state; we went to the House of Assembly and governor’s Office, met with the deputy Governor, and informed them of what we are passing through.
“The workers in Cross River State can no longer eat, fuel their cars or motorcycles to their offices.
“There are a lot of other issues and tomorrow we are going to continue”.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended the protest meant to end on Wednesday
The labour body announced the decision in a communique issued after a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which reviewed the execution of the first day of the protest.
NLC said the protest achieved an overwhelming success and attained the key objectives of the two-day protest on the first day.
The communique, which was signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and Acting General Secretary, Ismail Bello, however, directed that there should be simultaneous press conferences across all the states of the federation by the state councils of the Congress, including the national headquarters.
Also Read: NLC nationwide protest kicks off Tuesday in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna others over economic hardship
Addressing the angry protesters, the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Hon. Peter Odey who represented the Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu commended them for the peacefull disposition of the protest.
And while commending them, he said, “Do not allow hoodlum to hijack this peaceful protest.
“As a government, we know that this is not only happening in Cross River State, it’s happening across the nation. We all know that there is hunger in the land. The government knows and we promised to run the people’s first government. So, if the people are hungry, there is no way.
“The Governor is absent because he is attending a Labour Committee at Abuja that is why he is not here.
“We will try our best to increase the minimum wage for workers and we know that the present money given to workers is not enough to measure up with the level of things in our economy.
“As prices of goods and commodities have gone up, salaries also need to go up. That is the problem and we have taken note of the problem.
“The government of Sen. Bassey Otu will take care of the plights of workers in Cross River State. I assure all workers in Cross River State that the situation is not going to remain the same.
“I am joining you to tell the committee in Abuja to tell the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of your plight so that everyone will remain happy.
By: Archibong Emmanuel
(Snr. Reporter)
