CALLS ON LABOUR LEADERSHIP TO LEAD STRUGGLE AGAINST MOUNTING ATTACKS ON WORKING PEOPLE

Earlier today, the 7th of September, members of the Movement for a Socialist Alternative (MSA), Abuja Branch joined a picket of the national secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), organized by a civil society group, the Nigerians against Bad Policies.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as: “REJECT FUEL PRICE INCREMENT”; “REVERSE PETROL PUMP PRICE BACK TO N87”; “REJECT HIKE IN ELECTRICITY TARIFF”; “NLC AND TUC CALL GENERAL STRIKE AND MASS PROTEST TO REJECT THESE ANTI PEOPLE POLICIES”; “RENATIONALISE THE POWER SECTOR AND PLACE IT UNDER THE DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OF WORKERS”; “RENATIONALISE THE OIL SECTOR AND PLACE IT UNDER THE DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OF WORKERS”; “END JUMBO PAY TO POLITICAL OFFICE  HOLDERS”; “BUILD MORE  REFINERIES TO END FUEL PRICE INCREASE”.

Dimeji Macaulay, a member of the MSA in Abuja addressed the Picket and charged passers-by to join it, because the reason for the picket is to call on NLC and the TUC to declare a 24-hours general strike over the recent hike in fuel pump price, increase in Electricity tariff and other capitalist attacks on the people waged by the Buhari regime.  He said the Buhari regime is anti-poor and can no longer serve Nigerian people.

He called on Nigerians to reject the onslaught by the regime by mass protests and a general strike.  We demand the renationalization of the oil and power sectors, which should be placed under the democratic control of the elected representatives of the working class.  He ended by saying “we need a Socialist revolution to end the the suffering of the people and the only way is to build a mass working people political alternative.”

Mrs. Vivian, the head of Social Action, while addressing the people and the media said the situation of things have become worrisome and poor people cannot afford basic things anymore because of the continuous anti-poor policies of the Buhari regime. He called on NLC to stand up and mobilize for a protest to reject the new anti-poor policies.

Sanyanolu Juwon, a member of the Take It Back movement also gave a solidarity message on behalf of the movement. He called on Nigerians to rise and fight the dictatorial regime of President Buhari by joining the struggle to reclaim Nigeria. He further stressed the need for a mass protest to reject the recent hike in fuel and electricity tariff.

Katchi Gerald, the National Publicity Secretary of the Committee for Defense of Human Rights (CDHR) while addressing the picketers called on the leadership of the NLC to address the people because the union leaders need to map out activities to reject the obnoxious increase and continued attacks on the democratic rights of the people.

The picket ended with the determination to continue mounting pressure on the leadership of the trade union and series of activities have been mapped out to reject the increment in Electricity and petrol pump price.

Members of the MSA, Abuja Branch, seized the moment to share our “Join Us” leaflets. About 100 copies of such were shared at the picket and received with enthusiasm.