A significant number of members of the Organised Labour in Nasarawa State, on Wednesday, actively took part in a nationwide protests against the federal government’s decision to remove fuel subsidy.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) jointly led the protest, starting from Total Filling Station in Lafia, the state capital and marching towards the office of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, along Shendam Road.
The unions submitted a protest letter to the State’s Head of Civil Service, Barrister Abigail Waya, for onward delivery to Governor Abdullahi Sule, who is currently out of the country.
However, Barrister Waya commended the workers for conducting themselves peacefully throughout the procession.
She, however, informed the protestinf workers that, “Committees for palliative have been constituted by both the state and federal governments in a bid to alleviate the suffering of the people as a result of the subsidy removal.”
She promised to inform the governor about their grievances and also deliver the protest letter to him.
Meanwhile, the chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Ismaila Oko, who led the protest, called on the federal government to reconsider its decision in view of the hardship the workers and the masses awee experiencing as a result of the subsidy removal.
“The whole salaries of workers now is being spent on transportation to offices only since May 29 that subsidy was announced to have been removed.
“Workers can no longer cater for the school fees of their children, feed their family members and live up to other responsibilities,” he said.
Also speaking, chairman of TUC, Comrade Mohammed Doma, urged the federal government to urgently come up with a measure to reduce the price of petrol.
“Our salaries cannot take care of our transportation to our offices and we are suffering,” he lamented.
