Civil Society Organisations under aegis of Lagos People’s Assembly in conjunction with Defend Lagos Coalition has appealed to the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to further engage government in dialogue to resolve the disagreement over solutions to the economic hardship in the country rather than protesting.
Addressing the press in Lagos the spokesperson of the CSO groups Nelson Ekujumi in company of other leaders of the group Gbenga Soloki, Dayo Ogunlana, Ajayi Popoola said going on mass protest now will make situation of things get worse in the country.
The NLC has decided to embark on mass protest between 27 and 28 of February to press home its demand from the Federal Government.
The CSO which comprises of over 80 civil society groups and community based organisation stated that NLC has alternative means it can engage to make government do its bidding, and mass protest is the last option, it therefore advised the NLC to explore dialogue before settling for protest.
The CSO said economic hardship experienced in Nigeria is not limited to Nigeria and that, it is experienced globally adding that it would soon be overcome.
Ekujumi explained that going on strike will add to the burden of Nigerians, because hoodlums may hijack it to bring hardship and mayhem to Nigerians, adding that Lagos State is yet to recover from the losses it suffered during the EndSARS protest, and it won’t like to plunge Lagosians to another suffering.
“While we recognize the right of the labour unions to embark on protest or strike, as conscientious citizens and residents of Lagos, we are conscious that Labour as a factor of production creates wealth which is the motto of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and going on a protest march at this point in time will be injurious to the economic wellbeing of Lagosians, Nigerians and a negation of what labour stands for.
“Lagos State like we all know is a volatile environment, because it is the envy of anti democratic elements who would stop at nothing to pull the state and Nigeria backward at the slightest opportunity. The trauma of the 2020 EndSARS protests with its damage to limbs, destruction of life, public and private properties still haunts us till date.
“As we all know, it’s an indisputable fact that Nigerians are going through economic challenging times like citizens of other countries in the world, which is an admission of the truism that the present day economic challenges is a global phenomenon.
“It is in this vein, that as the Lagos People’s Assembly (LPA) which is an assemblage of Nigerians of different ethnic, religious and professional calling living and doing business in Lagos, that we are earnestly adding our voice to that of other patriots and men and women of goodwill and peace, to call on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve it’s two days protest marches for the sake of national peace and security.”
The CSO also refuted the rumour making rounds that the economic hardship was caused by recommendation made to Nigeria government by international agencies,
“We have watched and listened to how some persons and interest have tried to mislead and confuse the Nigerian people by saying that the retooling of the economy by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration is a foreign economic pill that was prescribed for Nigeria.
“Absolutely untrue, Nigerians themselves being economically savvy prescribed this solution in order to remove the Nigerian economy from the life support machine that it was plugged in.”
Ekujumi said the economic hardship had long been mentioned by economic experts.
“The economic challenges we are presently facing was foretold in the past by economic experts who x-rayed our economic reality and admonished us to be prepared for tough times ahead and like it’s said, “tough times don’t last, but tough people do”.
