From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Kano State, Wednesday, embarked on a peaceful protest against the removal of fuel subsidies and a range of unpopular policies currently being implemented by the Federal Government
The protest, led by the Chairman of the Congress, Kabiru Inuwa, flagged off in the morning from Ahmadu Bello Way by Murtala Mohammed Library and proceeded straight to the Government House, where they presented their petition to the State Governor, Abba Kabiru Yusuf.
Shadowed by a number of security personnel, the unionists marched, with vigour. sang solidarity songs and carried placards which depicted their pains and protest.
Briefing the Governor on their mission, the Chairman of the Congress called for reversal of the the fuel subsidy removal, the fixing of the nation’s refineries, and the release of the withheld eight months’ salary of University workers among others.
The Governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Baffa Bichi commented on the peaceful nature of the protest and assured that their demands would be delivered to the President.
In an interview with Daily Sun soon after, the Labour Chairman appreciated the workers in the state for the peaceful nature of the exercise while applauding their turnout, which he described as massive.
He said the protest was successful, stressing that before now, the Federal Government had gone to sleep on its commitment to the workers’ demands.
He explained that the workers shelved the strike aspect of the protest in obedience to a pending court order by the National Industrial Court which restrained them from embarking on strike at the moment.
He, however, insisted that if the Federal Government failed to relate well to the demands of the workers, a full-blown strike will certainly be an attractive option.