File photo..Labour rally
Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has begun its planned nationwide protest amid tight security.
The organised labour said it was going ahead with the protest despite pleas from the Federal Government and the National Assembly.
By Tuesday evening Labour released information detailing take off points for the protest in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja.
Meanwhile the House of Representatives has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve its planned nationwide protests.
Rep. Akin Rotimi, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs said this in a statement in Abuja.
“We appeal to the NLC and allied labour unions to call off the planned peaceful protest and embrace continuos dialogue.
“This in the best interest of hardworking Nigerian workers, without worsening the current hardship they are facing,” he said.
He said as the representatives of the people, the House was fully aware and empathised with Nigerians on account of the hardship being experienced as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy.
“We also acknowledge the rights of the NLC to carry out peaceful protests as a means of clamouring for relief for Nigerian workers as we go through these challenging times,” he said
Rotimi said that like most Nigerians, the lawmakers knew that building a progressive and prosperous nation required hard and far-reaching decisions which must be taken in the collective interest of the people.
He added that there was need to see reason with the decision of the federal government to take the bull by the horn in the interest of long term economic growth and stability.
“We will however, continue to impress it on the executive arm of government to expedite the implementation of the palliative measures announced by President Bola Tinubu,” he said.
He urged the federal government to consider additional measures that would bring immediate respite to the people.
He said, “the gap between the removal of fuel subsidy and the tangible outcomes of palliative measures must be shortened for the sake of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
“Accordingly, call on the leadership of the NLC and other labour unions in Nigeria to please divert their energies to join the House of Reps in continous engagement with the federal government.
“This is to achieve expedited implementation of the programmes and push for additional immediate measures to provide succor for Nigerians.
“It is our considered opinion that embarking on a protest at this time would in effect shutdown our economy and further disrupt the lives of Nigerians, and therefore not in our best interest, ” he said.
