By Adaeze Onuora, Abakaliki
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and it's affiliate bodies in Ebonyi State, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest over economic hardship in the country
The peaceful protest which started at Abakaliki township stadium took the protesters along major streets in the capital city.
The protesters who were chanting various solidarity songs, carried placards with different inscriptions such as " Tinubu end poverty in Nigeria, " we say no to high cost of living, Tinubu end hunger now in Nigeria, we say no to hunger, among others
Heavy Security presence were seen around the town to ensure hoodlums do not hijack the peaceful protest .
While speaking to Journalists during the protest, Professor Oguguo Egwu , the Chairman of the NLC in Ebonyi State, the importance of fair treatment for Nigerian workers and called on the government to prioritize the well-being of its citizens.
He stated,"We cannot continue to tolerate the exploitation and mistreatment of workers and Nigerian citizens in our country. It is time for the government to listen to our demands and take action to improve the living conditions of workers across Nigeria."
It is obvious that the Nigerian people are dying, they are suffering and smiling. It is obvious that despite the hardship they face on daily basis they still continue to move.
“It is obvious that the pain is too much and we are here to use every legal means to tell the world that indeed we are pained, that indeed we are suffering and indeed we can not continue to be made slaves against the world.
“We must make our voices heard. We are here not against anybody, we are here not against the government of Ebonyi state, we are here because we are hungry and hunger must end in the land. Hunger must go in land.
“We are here because we are in the municipality, find out from those in the villages you will see very dry pockets of sad people. Starvation has become the order of the land of Nigerians, starvation has become a burden among the Nigerian, starvation has become a burden against workers.
“A worker can not afford a three square meal, a worker can not feed himself not to talk of his family, a typical Nigerian worker cannot afford to take himself to work and yet we call ourselves Nigerians.
“We have children we can not take them to school, we have children we cannot even afford to feed them a sarchet of water is sold for more than 50 naira, a liter of fuel is more than 700 naira as at today, a kilogram of cooking gas is more than 1,400 naira, a bag if cement is more than 10,000 naira, how do we survive?
“A typical Abakaliki rice is sold for more than 30,000 naira for a bushel, what is the minimum wage 30,000, will it be used for rice alone?
“We should not continue to remain in silence, we shall continue to speak out, we shall continue to let the ruling class know that the period of hostility is over and Nigeria must be good in Jesus name,” he said.
On his part, the chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities, EBSU chapter, Prof. Ikechukwu Igwenyi noted that University lecturers as of today find it difficult to pay their rent and other expenses.
“Today we are still paid with the salary structure of 2009, you can imagine that as it is today a lecturer can not pay his house rent, he can not buy a bag of rice and then fuel his or her car. it is hard on us which is why as an affiliate of NLC we have come to support what they have come to do.
