A former President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, (TUC) Mr Peter Esele has raised the alarm that the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) may not be able to control the labour-threatened protest and strike, if they were not prevented.
He spoke on Sunday during ‘Politics Today’, a current affairs programme of the Channels Television.
He noted that many Nigerians are undergoing unbearable hardship as a result of the high cost of living, and high pump prices since after the removal of fuel subsidy.
He said the society is charged now and noted that already in Adamawa State, there is unrest making the state government declare a curfew.
Esele stated that he has his worry about the planned protest and strike, but said the FG has not done much to address the demands of labour and cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on the people.
He also said it was unsavoury that the National Assembly had announced plans to procure exotic cars for its principal officers and appropriate N70bn from the palliative funds for themselves when many Nigerians were languishing in poverty.
He warned that the pump price of fuel may go higher after September.
Esele accused the FG of not communicating well with the people and showing enough plans and commitment to address the hardship in the land.
He stated that the labour leadership is under pressure to go ahead with the strike and that it is the right of the labour to protest and clamour for the welfare of its members and Nigerians.
He therefore urged the government to do its best to prevent the strike and warned that the strike if allowed to go on may be unpalatable.
He advised the government to provide buses that will be powered by Compressed Natural Gas among other policies and strategies that should address the hardship in Nigeria.
He stated that FG must move beyond platitudes and engage in concrete actions to address the high cost of things and hardship in Nigeria.
