By Adeyinka Adeniran
The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo state has said it joined the nationwide protest against hardship in the land on Tuesday, despite receiving wage award from Governor Seyi Makinde because in the spirit of compliance with national directive of the labour unions.
He added that, although workers in Oyo state were receiving the money in the last few months, the current situation and hardship is making it have little or no impact on the workers wellbeing.
The state Chairman, Comrade Kayode Martins made the disclosure on Wednesday during a press conference to give update on the strike at an event which held at the State Secretariat, Labour House, American Quarters, Agodi, Ibadan.
Flanked by other leaders of NLC affiliates at the conference, Comrade Martins said if the call for the nationwide protest was about payment of wage award alone, the Oyo state chapter might not have joined, noting that the issue was raised with the national leadership when other state leaders reported that they were not been paid.
Martins said “This is a national directive and we must comply. Both yesterday’s nationwide protest and this press conference.
“When the issue of wage award was involved, Oyo State chapter should not be involved because Oyo state government has been paying wage award but unfortunately, what we have been getting from the state government has been going away through current economic situation.”
Asked if the request for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) capacity buses across the country among other related demands put forward to the Federal Government as pre-conditions for calling off the strike, is still relevant going by the current high cost of gas in the country, the NLC Chairman said the FG showed they truly didn’t love the masses by allowing prices of gas to rise when everyone saw it as alternative to increased pump price due to subsidy removal.
“If government truly cares about the people, it should have ensured that prices of gas was not increased since that was where people ran jnto at the wake of fuel subsidy removal, but now, even the prices of gas is beyond the means of the common man”, he added.
He however noted that if all demands put before the FG by the workers Union are attended to on time, they may not be sufficient to address the challenges of the common man, but they will go a long way and would be a good start to addressing the challenges.
He also noted that, the claims that CNG busses have flooded the country as claimed by the FG, is not true as they are no where to be found in Oyo state.
He appealed to the FG to “prioritize the needs of the people, enact policies that promote economic stability and address the systematic issues that perpetuate inequality and suffering.
“In addition, all agreement with the FG or state government with ASUU, NAAT, NASU and SSANU should be implemented without further delay. It is time for action, not amusement, for solutions, not satire. “
