The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has said that it is not the organizer of the planned nationwide hunger protest scheduled for August 1.
In a statement signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the union debunked the reports as false.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organize,” the statement said.
The NLC said that it has internal mechanisms for decision-making and would not participate in a protest without following these processes. However, the union expressed solidarity with the Nigerian people, who are facing dire living conditions due to harsh economic policies.
The NLC has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to engage in dialogue with protest leaders and advised against using brute force to address the situation. The union urged the federal and state governments to listen to the people’s cries and take necessary action.
The statement reads in part, “A news report of the withdrawal of the Nigeria Labour Congress from the widely discussed national protest has been brought to our attention. The Nigeria Labour Congress debunks such story as patently false.
“The truth is that the Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise. It is only the organisers of the speculated national protest that can decide to pull out or continue with the protest.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress has internal trade union mechanisms especially leadership decision-making processes that its industrial actions such as protests pass through before such activities are undertaken.
“Yet, the fact that the Nigeria Labour Congress is not the body organising the protest does not mean that Organised Labour is oblivious of the dire living conditions Nigerians have been subjected to by the harsh economic policies of government.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress stands in solidarity with the Nigerian people in this very trying and excruciating times.
“Pursuant to proactive engagement with the issues canvassed by the protest organisers, we have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the leaders of the protest movement to dialogue on their demands.
“We have advised that it would be counter-productive for government to meet the widespread anger in the land with brute force.
“Once again, we implore the Federal Government and the sub-national governments to listen to the cries of the Nigerian people and do the needful. After all, it is said that the voice of the people is the voice of God.”
Meanwhile, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume and National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu met with ministers on Wednesday to discuss the planned protest.
The closed-door meeting was attended by all 40 ministers in the President’s cabinet.
