The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has been urged to shelve planned its nationwide protest slated for Monday and Tuesday next week.
The pan-Yoruba group appealed to the generality of Nigerians, particularly the entire South-West to ignore the call by labour to down tools.
The NLC which leads some 42 industrial unions had planned to embark on a 2-day strike early next week.
In a statement signed by the President, Dr. Duro Akindutire and Publicity Secratary
Dr. Micheal Awosanya and the Secretary
Dr. Bukola Ogundoyin, the group said NLC’s proposed strike was coming at the wrong time.
The group noted President Tinubu inherited a troubled economy with over N37tr debt, depleted foreign reserve, empty treasuries and a wounded and divided country that needed meticulous healing.
Afenifere said it understood the economic situation of the country and its untold hardship on the citizens, particularly the masses, adding that the strike would compound the misery of the masses.
It urged Labour to appreciate the historic and systemic failures of Nigerian which could not be rectified within the months of President Bola Tinubu’s assumption of office.
“We feel embarking on any form of protest or industrial action at this period will be counter-productive as it is bound to worsen an already bad situation of the country. Also, while we recognize people’s legitimate right to protest, it is instructive to state doing so at this period will do more harm to the country and the people than good”, the group said.
It argued that holding a nationwide protest under the present circumstances could lead to breakdown of law and order, including being hijacked by unscrupulous elements to cause havoc.
“We advise NLC to call off the planned protest in the interest of peace and we also urge the people of South-West to shun the planned protest or any action that will further cripple the economy”, Afenifere said, adding that the strike at this time might be exploited by anti-democratic forces that would plunge the country into greater turmoil.
It noted that Nigeria’s problems were inherited from the previous administration, and with the understanding that governance was a continuum, President Tinubu had vowed to confront the challenges head-on, hence the need for us as a people to give him time to get it right.
Afenifere USA called on the Federal government to fulfil the electoral promises made to the people to rekindle their hope.
It also called on all state governors to rise to their responsibilities by empowering and supporting their local governments to put up interventions or palliatives that would make food and other basic necessities of life affordable for the masses.
“More importantly, we advise every tier of government, particularly the states through their local governments to implement people-focused programmes and shun ostentatious lifestyle that is not good for the optics at this austere time”, it stated.
Afenifere, USA commended the Federal Government for the on-going discussions on new minimum wage for civil servants, including the establishment of state police to curb insecurity.
“We believe these are the right steps in the right direction, and we hope they materialize quickly for the people’s benefit”, the group concluded.
