Hardship: Government threats can’t make us surrender – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), has stated that no type of threat or intimidation can make the union cower in its pursuit of better welfare for workers.

NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero while expressing worry over worsening hardship, charged the government to approve a new minimum wage that is commensurate with the cost of living in the country.

He made the call in Abuja in his speech at the 11th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria.

Ajaero lamented that Nigerian workers have been reduced to beggars because of the economic hardship in the country.

He said; “Food has become so scarce that Nigerians have become scavengers and resorted to raiding food trucks and warehouses for food.

“If those in government cannot see the danger in what is happening, we see it and must ensure that the government fulfils its duties to the people.

“We are increasingly going hungry in our father’s land and cannot continue in this destitution. The greatest unifier and mobiliser of a people is hunger, so it is common when those in government assume that somebody is sponsoring people who are protesting because of hunger.

“If anybody is arousing the people, it is those in government whose policies have impoverished the people and stripped them of those values that make them human beings.

“The looting of food trucks and warehouses is what you get when this happens. Unless something is done, this may unfortunately escalate. We pray it does not.

“Those who therefore think that they can stop us from this divine mission with their threats and violence should think twice. We cannot be cowed. We cannot surrender our natural mandate to powers and agents of poverty and emasculation.

“We are not after anybody’s job but we must insist that the instruments of governance must be used for the greater good of the people and not to wreck their lives”.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha represented by the Director, Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, Yusuf Mohammed, said the government was committed to providing affordable healthcare and better welfare packages for Nigerian workers.

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