NLC Warns of Further Protests if Food Scarcity, Hunger Persist
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that the federal government may not be able to quench the orgy of protests and looting of food trucks and warehouses across the country, unless something was done to arrest the worsening socioeconomic situation confronting the masses.
In the same vein, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), said that the health sector has been hard-hit by pressures from the current harsh economic situation in the country.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 11 Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) in Abuja yesterday, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, lamented that the government's harsh economic policies have impoverished the people and stripped them of those values that make them human beings.
He said: "Our people have been reduced to beggars with an everincreasing number relying on waste dumps for their daily meals. Food has become so scarce that Nigerians have become scavengers and resort to raiding food trucks and warehouses for food.
"If those in government cannot see the danger in what is happening, we see it and must ensure that government fulfills its duties to the people. We are increasingly going hungry in our father’s land and cannot continue in this destitution.
"The greatest unifier and mobiliser of a people is hunger so it insults common sense when those in government assume that somebody is sponsoring people who are protesting because of hunger. If anybody is arousing the people, it is those in government whose policies have impoverished the people and stripped them of those values that make them human beings.
"The looting of food trucks and warehouse is what you get when this happens. Unless something is done, this may unfortunately escalate. We pray it does not.Those who therefore think that they can stop us from this divine mission with their threats and violence should think twice. We cannot be cowed. We cannot surrender our natural mandate to powers and agents of poverty and emasculation.
"We are not after anybody’s job but we must insist that the instruments of governance must be used for the greater good of the people and not to wreck their lives. We must insist that any political calculation that does not put the lives of Nigerians first fails abysmally and is totally unacceptable.
"The people of Nigeria must have to survive first so that Nigeria can survive before we begin to talk about 2027.We must all work together to build power with which we can use for successful engagement with those who are in charge of the various corridors of power in our dear nation. Nigerians look up to us and we must not fail them."