In heavy security, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) marched to the streets of Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, on Wednesday to protest the increase in gas prices.
The National Secretariat of the NLC organized the demonstration in opposition to both the nation’s general economic suffering and the rise in tuition at Federal Government-owned schools.
Thousands of workers from various parts of the NLC and TUC, which are two organizations that make up the Umuahia protest, attended the protest, which was largely peaceful. It started at the Okpara Square event center.
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Men from the Nigerian Army patrolled Market Road, Bank Road, Government House, Aba Road, and the Government House Gate as the city was kept in strict security.
Additionally, DSS and Nigerian Police Force personnel were observing the demonstration from their trucks to make sure it didn’t turn violent.
At 9:30, Mr. Ken Onwuemelie, the commissioner of police for Abia State, addressed some NLC protesters in Okpara Square and urged them to maintain civility throughout their demonstration.
In accordance with the NLC mandate, banks, government buildings, and several stores stayed locked in solidarity.
Despite the city’s bottleneck, consumers of the bank were disappointed.
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Speaking to the media during the protest, the Trade Union Congress Chairman, Comrade Ihechi Eneogwe, and the NLC Chairman in Abia, Comrade Paschal Nweke, denounced the Federal Government’s harsh economic policies, which they claimed are robbing the breath from Nigerian workers and artisans.
The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government was criticized by the labor leaders for eliminating the fuel subsidy without taking the hardship of the workforce and the general populace into account.
They regretted that the several conversations they had with the government to address the fuel subsidy crises had all been fruitless.
The NLC members who were demonstrating said that economic inflation had wiped away any pay they had received.
In addition, Professor Osedeke of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, the national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, said it was unfortunate that Nigeria, despite being an oil-producing nation, does not have an operating refinery.
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Governor Alex Otti addressed the employees outside the Abia State Government House as well. He was represented by his chief of staff, Caleb Ajagba, who said the protest was not directed at the Abia State Government but rather the Federal Government’s elimination of fuel subsidies.
The state administration shares the concerns of Nigerian workers, he said, commending the demonstrators for being nonviolent in their demands.
In consideration that a worker deserves his or her wage, he said that he had paid the July salaries of employees in the State.
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