By Adeyinka Adeniran
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state on Tuesday joined labour unions and their affiliates in a peaceful protest where he assured the people that the current pains and hardship will soon be over.
Makinde who stormed the Total Garden Junction, Oritamefa, Ibadan in a somewhat surprise move also addressed the protesters.
The governor who arrive while the Oyo NLC Chairman, Comrade Kayode Martins was addressing the protesters, was welcome with a huge shout and hailing by the protesters who were at the event in their hundreds.
He said he was aware of the hardship in town and the difficulty the people are going through but will be part of the generation that will fix the country.
He said he had replied the NLC National President, Comrade Joe Ajero who claimed that no state in the country is paying wage award to the workers.
He also assured the workers that their letter of protest and complaints will be delivered to President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking with journalist shortly after, Makinde said it is a time for everyone to come together and confront the challenges headlong.
He said the current situation is common when a major reform is being introduced, recalling the situation in 1989 when the government introduced the Structural Adjustment Programe (SAP).
Makinde said “It is not a time to devise activities, it is a time to put together and confront the challenges that we have. Usually when you are through the period where you are trying to reform a system, there will be issues and challenges, We have seen it in 1989 Structural Adjustment Program we have riots but at the end of the day we all came together to solve our problems.
“I told to the Labour and also responded to the NLC President, Joe Ajero that this is not the time for lies and propaganda. We can not say no state is paying wage award. In Oyo state, we have started paying wage award to workers and pensioners since October till February and I have also extended it to another six months to give us the opportunity to sit down and negotiate the minimum wage and adjustment that will come with it.
“I have appealed to them, protest is their right and the letter they gave to me I will pass it to President Bola Tinubu. I know there is hunger in the land but the solution is still for us to conquer together.”
While addressing the protesters, the Oyo NLC chairman, Com. Kayode Martins said Nigerians are hungry because cost of living across the nation is high, adding that an hungry man is an angry man.
He lamented that a working class person can no longer feed himself talkless of his family because the situation is now unbearable for a common man. He said the hardship is caused by removal of fuel subsidy.
He said “Now that much money has been acrual to the Federal Government purse after fuel subsidy removal, they should spread it on economic and other things that can make life easier for common man.
“The main thing has to do with PMS, our oil should be produce locally and refine locally, for instance, a single man built refinery within two to three years, the past administration was there for good eight year without doing anything.
“Let’s have our oil refine locally, we shouldn’t be suffering, we belong to oil producing countries, only Nigerians are suffering in all these countries, these resources are there for everybody, our leaders are just there to manage it on our behalf, but Nigerian elites are taking people for granted.”
He however urged government to always be proactive in doing things what will alleviate suffering of the masses, and not until people come on street, wailing and crying before the needful can be done.”
The protest temporarily affected some organizations and institutions in the state as it disrupted their operations.
Some shops along the route where the protesters walked were temporary closed due to fear of attack. The protest also led to congested traffic situation along the major path walked by the protesters.
It was observed that banks were open for operations but rendered skeletal services for better part of the day.
Other businesses, shops and centres were also in not in full activities due to fear of uncertainties.
Major parts of capital city including Iwo Road, UI, Ojoo, Sango, Mokola, Challenge among others had heavy security presence as combined team of security operatives were seen positioned in strategic places across the capital city.
