National Protest: We Won't Be Blackmailed, NLC Replies DSS
● TUC kicks over unilateral issuance of national protest dates ● FG committed to October agreement signed with labour, says Onyejeocha
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said the organised labour would not allow itself to be blackmailed by the Department of State Security Services (DSS) into abandoning its peaceful protest against the high cost of living in the country.
In a statement signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the labour movement described as wild, the allegations made by the DSS that the two-day national protest billed to hold on February 27 and 28 would be hijacked by some elements to foment trouble.
NLC had in response to alleged federal government's foot dragging in the implementation of agreement with labour, resolved that it would embark on a two -day national protest beginning from February 27.
However, responding to the DSS statement, NLC stated: "We are concerned by the unsolicited advice of the DSS to shelve our planned protest against the unprecedented high cost of living in spite of the indescribable suffering in the land, spiralling inflation, deepening poverty and the Naira at an exchange rate of N1,900 to the dollar.
"According to the Service, the planned protest should be shelved ‘in the interest of peace and public order,' pre-supposing that the action is intended to be violent and disruptive even when we have a history of peaceful protests.
"More worrying is the new role the service has assigned to itself, the chief spokesperson of the government. It is common knowledge that all levels of government are striving to ameliorate the prevailing economic condition and as such, should be given a benefit of the doubt.
“So far, appropriate authorities are working assiduously with a spectrum of stakeholders to fashion out modalities to address the current difficulties.
"We are equally worried that although the ‘service is aware that some elements are planning to use the opportunity of the protest to foment crisis and by extension, widespread violence', and yet have not executed the arrest of these elements,” it stated.
However, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has expressed displeasure that the NLC unilaterally announced national protest dates, saying that the issue was a matter of mutual concern.
The TUC in a statement signed and made available to THISDAY by its Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, said both centres issued a joint statement with a 14- day ultimatum to the federal government, adding that the ultimatum ought to have expired today.
It said that the right thing to do was for both leaderships to review the situation and agree on the way forward preceding convening the respective NEC meetings.
“We cannot be seen to undermine the process of synergy and collaboration between both centres that predates the current leadership of both congresses.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we fully understand that NLC is an independent labour centre that has the right to take independent decision, it is pertinent that when such decisions are taken unilaterally, there is need to go ahead and implement unilaterally.
“We wish to postulate that both centres have demonstrated severally that we both have the capacity to go solo,” it said, stressing that the leadership has the right to defend the sanctity of its congress.
Meanwhile, the federal government has said that very substantial progress has been made in the October, 2023 agreement signed with organised labour on the implementation of palliatives to cushion the effects of removal of fuel subsidy.