Activities at the Government House Asaba, Delta state were grounded as members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Delta state chapter protest hike in fuel price.
It was leant that the
state chapter of NLC had mobilized its members to protest the recent removal of
fuel subsidy which gave rise to the increase in pump price of petrol to N145.
First Vice Chairman of the
state chapter of NLC, who led the protesting workers to Government House, Comrade
Jonathan Jemiregbe said that the only panacea to the indefinite strike was for
the Federal Government to reverse its unilateral decision.
“We are here to execute
the labour ordered industrial strike. The Governor (Ifeanyi Okowa) should by
this peaceful demonstration know that the strike has been brought to bear in
Delta state.
“Government offices are
now under key and lock. The strike is not directed against the state but
against the Federal Government.
On the restrain order
secured by the Federal Government, Jemiregbe said, “Yes, we disobeyed the court
order because the order was obnoxiously obtained.
“President Muhammadu
Buhari himself has acknowledged that the judiciary is his headache. The law
says the two parties must argue the matter before such order can be granted.
That did not happen in this regard.
“This is a government that
is not sensitive to the plights of Nigerians. It unilaterally increased
electricity tariff, as if that was not enough, it went ahead to increase the
pump price of petrol, we say no to this”, Jemiregbe said.
The protesters were addressed
by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s Chief of Staff, Hon Tam Brisibe who apologized that
his boss was in a crucial security meeting and commended them for conducting
their affairs with honour, assuring them that their grouse would be addressed.
The unions which
participated in the protest march included; Nigeria Union of Local Government
Employees (NULGE), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the
Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), as well as Academic Staff
Union of Polytecnics (ASUP).
The protesters trooped out
as early as 7am at the popular Traffic-Light Junction in Asaba, where they
marched through the streets of Asaba to Government House.
Chanting solidarity songs,
the unionist vowed not to return to work unless the Federal Government revert
to the old pump price and discontinue with the high electricity tariff.
Some of the inscription
bore by the workers are; “Nigeria Jaga-Jaga, Everything Scatter, Scatter”,
“Electricity Na Wayo-Wayo”, “Food No Dey, Water No Dey, Light No Dey”, “Labour
Say No to High Electricity Tariff”, “We Need Employment, Not Fuel Hike”,
“Labour Say No to Fuel Hike”, “Buhari Heal Us, Don’t Kill Us” and “Election Na
Wayo-Wayo”.
