August 1st Protest in Nigeria latest news today.
ABUJA, NIGERIA – The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria said it has made its stand on the countrywide protest planned for 1 August crystal clear, and it would not be participating in the exercise. However, TUC President Festus Osifo said it is rather clear that the police have a binding duty to ensure protection for anyone going out to protest.
Osifo, while briefing pressmen in Abuja on Thursday, also spoke on other sundry issues, including calling on President Bola Tinubu to wade into the crisis rocking Dangote Refineries and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL. He further explained reasons the organised labour accepted the N70,000 national minimum wage.
Even though there was wide publicity on the protest against hunger and bad governance, according to TUC, it has not received any invitation from the organizers to join the procession; that created a huge gap within the Labour Movement over the protest.
On this count, the TUC would further appeal to President Tinubu to wade into the matter between Dangote Refineries and NNPCL, in which the bone of contention has to do with claims of substandard fuel on one hand and problems related to crude oil supply, which have wider implications for the economy.
He further defended the newly agreed national minimum wage of N70,000, addressing criticisms. Osifo explained what led the organised labour to agreeing on the figure. He admitted the dissatisfaction from some quarters but said the union remained committed to ensuring a level playing ground in labour relations.
On a related issue, the TUC commended the police for intervening on time at the instance of the National Secretariat of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria. The timely intervention of law enforcement agents forestalled bloody clashes between factions in one of the largest affiliate unions of the TUC over a leadership tussle.
With the planned date of protest inching closer, it proves that with the TUC asking for police protection for the protesters, the union will not back off in securing Nigerians’ rights to peaceful protest against mistreatment. The TUC stance also mirrors the greater concern for maintaining order and protecting the citizenry amidst growing discontent over economic and governance issues.
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