Abakaliki residents laud labour over peaceful protest

The residents of Abakaliki, the Ebonyi capital, have commended the organised labour for the peaceful conduct of the protest against the anti-poor policies of the Federal Government.

Some of the residents said on Wednesday in Abakaliki that the peaceful conduct of the protesters was an indication that the protest was a popular action.

They further added that peaceful protests by citizens against unpopular policies of the government were part of the constitutional guarantees that citizens enjoyed in a constitutional democracy.

Mr. George Onwe, a lawyer, said the leaders of organised labour under the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) deserved commendations for not allowing hoodlums to hijack the protest.

“The protest was peaceful and orderly, and the labour leaders were able to organise their members in a very civilised manner. The message has been delivered, and the entire world has heard their voice.

”Peaceful protest is a right guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, and I’m happy that labour, which represents the voice of the oppressed workers and masses of Nigeria, has exercised this right to draw the attention of the government to the plight of the ordinary people,” Onwe said.

Dr. Isaac Chukwu told NAN that organised labour had taken the bull by the horn by not succumbing to the FG’s threats and intimidation that they would be held in contempt of court if they embarked on an industrial action.

He said that Nigerians, especially those at the lowest economic strata, were being suffocated by the prevailing harsh economic realities and urged the Federal Government to heed the pleas and demands of the unions to cushion the economic hardships.

“The fear before now was that hoodlums could take advantage of the protest to unleash havoc and vandalise government infrastructure, given the mood of the country, but I feel so happy to see the exercise very peaceful in the state.

”The leaders of the protest must be commended, and the police and other security agencies deserve some applause for providing security to the protesting workers,” Chukwu said.

Miss Vera Onyia, a civil servant, expressed happiness that the protest was held in Ebonyi and applauded the leadership of the various labour unions for not ‘caving’ in amidst threats and intimidation of being held in contempt of court.

“The suffering is getting out of hand, and if organised labour is not doing anything to get the government to take necessary steps to alleviate the pains and sufferings of the poor in this country, then we are all doomed.

”The labour, through the peaceful protest, has spoken; they have delivered the message, and I want to urge them to sustain the action until there is a concrete result,” Onyia said.

NAN reports that workers and members of civil society organisations turned out in large numbers to take part in the nationwide peaceful protest declared by the national leaderships of the NLC and TUC over the Federal Government’s anti-poor policies.

The removal of fuel subsidies by President Bola Tinubu on May 29 led to the soaring prices of goods and services in Nigeria.

The protest march took off at the Pa Oruta Ngele Township Stadium in Abakaliki, while protesters marched peacefully through the major roads in the metropolis, bearing placards with various inscriptions.