Kano rally records more turnout

The joint labour congress comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress and the Civil Coalition Societies of Nigeria, ended another rally in Kano on Tuesday.

The rally is a continuation of the nationwide peaceful rallies planned by the labour groups, as part of the May Day celebrations, to protest recent government policies perceived to be anti-labour, particularly the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector.

The rally started around 8am and ended around 2pm at the Kano State governor's office, where the participants were received by the Secretary to the Kano State Government, Abdulkarim Hassan, and witnessed a larger turnout than the first rally held in Lagos.

Denja Yaqub, the Assistant Sectary of the Nigerian Labour Congress, regrets that the federal government has yet to take action on the issues raised during the last rally.

"The government seems to be playing some games with our requests not minding that it is affecting the majority of Nigerians. They don't take action until we embark on a protest or when we say we want to carry out some action," he says.

Mr. Yaqub however admits that government had constituted a panel to look into the increase of the minimum wage being demanded by workers, adding that the panel has yet to come out with anything substantial.

"The government made some talk on the implementation of some of the recommendations of the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform panel some days after the Lagos rally, but now they are not saying anything and they have not implemented even those they choose from the recommendations.

"The rally is a symbolic way of telling the governors and the government what we want because our petition is already with the president. If after all the rallies we do not have a successive outcome then a strike is definitely imminent, to drive home our point to the government for them to know we are very serious with our demands," he said.

The demands

Workers are asking for the abolition of government's proposed deregulation policy, the implementation of the Uwais electoral reform report, increase in minimum wage from ₦7,500 to ₦52,200 for a better living condition.

"Deregulation will affect all the sectors of the economy and also affect the minimum wage, which is not enough for workers. The government is planning to deregulate without listening and implementing the demands of the workers on minimum wages," Mr. Yaqub added.

A member of the NLC, Chibuzor Ejiofor, said, "What we are asking for is just ₦52, 200 as minimum wages but the government is adamant on giving it.

"The present minimum wage given to workers cannot last them a week and the rate of inflation in the country keeps getting higher every day. The government has refused to provide the basic infrastructure needed in the country. The government seems to be less concerned about the welfare of its citizens," he said.