By Junaid Abdullahi
As the two-day Nigerian Labour Congress NlLC nationwide protest commenced this morning, the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Ekiti State chapter has highlighted the concerns of the union which mobilized its members to join the peaceful rally in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
Speaking to our correspondent at Fajuyi Park where the rally was held, the NULGE President Comrade Olatunde Babatunde said the Union has no cause not to join the peaceful protest because of the failed promises of the federal government.
According to him; “Our grievances for this protest arise from lack of implementation of the promises of the government after the removal of fuel subsidy. Government promised that they are going to make life easier for Nigerians, that salaries are going to be increased, exchange rate from naira to dollar would be stabilized. But we discovered that all these promises after the removal never came to reality and the hardship that workers and the entire Nigerians are facing is becoming unbearable, our take home can never take us home, although we appreciate our executive Governor of paying the N15,000 wage award promised to the workers but the truth is that this wage award plus our salaries is nothing compared to the increase in the prices of commodities in the market. Within two weeks, the price of cement has risen to N11,000 this morning. This is really not the kind of a country we bargain for and that is why we are saying ‘Enough is enough”
Continuing, the Labour Leader said; “We voted for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for him to provide succour, to reduce our pains and the fact that he’s unable to ease our pains, that is why we are protesting today so that those draconian policies should be removed and Nigerians can feel the impact of government”
On the success of the first day workers rally 0latunde rates the protest a huge success.
“The protest was highly successful because all the 39 Affiliates of the Nigerian Labour Congress were here and fully participated”
