By Onwa Ekor
In solidarity with the Nigerian people over the burden, losses and dislocation occasioned by the rising wave of insecurity in the nation, Cross River Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), joined its counterpart in other states of the federation for a peaceful protest.
Addressing the peaceful protesters at the Comrade John Ushie Solidarity Centre venue of the take off point in Calabar, the State NLC Chairman, Comrade Gregory Olayi, pointed out that the peaceful protest in line with the directives of the national body, was geared towards the spiralling wave of insecurity in the country.
“In Nigeria today, people are not sleeping with their eyes closed, citizens of this country cannot attend to farm needs without being attacked by bandits and in schools, children are not protected as they are kidnapped and ransoms demanded even as you see bandits negotiating with government to release captives.
“Not only security of lives but financial security is totally lacking in our nation inspite of the oath of allegiance taken by our elected officials who were supposed to provide for the welfare and security of the citizenry.
“One cannot travel to some areas of the country with certain vehicle logo or insignia and a situation where the available security operatives in some schools are withdrawn, paving way for children to be kidnapped minutes or hours after, can never be issues to be overlooked,” NLC Chairman stressed.
According to him, government at all levels must put in place an all inclusive security architecture as it is worrisome that, “while many have no food, some are being overfed, while others thirst for water, others have overflowing streams and when many have no cars, some drive on long convoys.”
Olayi further argued that the few available roads are not worthy to use, pointing out that the votes for elected officials should not be an avenue to enrich some and impoverish others especially when the welfare and security of the citizenry remains the primary objective of government.
For the Chairman, State Joint Negotiating Council (Union side), Comrade Raymond Afu, “we are here to register our displeasure with the government of Nigeria on the plight of Nigeria citizens occasioned by insecurity as we can not sleep again.”
Afu further urged the protesters to embark on a peaceful exercise devoid of mayhem or being hijacked by hoodlums who may wish to take advantage of such development to unleash their anger after suffering food starvation.
Vice Chairman of the state NLC, Comrade Lawrence Achuta, enjoined government never to allow or create opportunities where the masses go home hungry as ‘a hungry man is an angry man.’
Achuta who disclosed that insecurity stems from poverty, reasoned that it remains the primary duty of government to ensure that no one is either made poor or abandoned as it is easier to co-opt the vulnerable, poor and abandoned children into vices that are detrimental to the society.
It would be recalled that a statement from the NLC National body and signed by the Acting General Secretary, Comrade Benson Upah, had directed all state councils to embark on a protest against insecurity in the nation.
Some parts of the statement read, “our protest is to demand that government at all levels in Nigeria wake up to their primary and constitutional duty of protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians.”
It also added, “we are also demanding fundamental reforms in governance in a way that addresses the socioeconomic injustices that serve as the trigger for all kinds of security challenges in our society.”
The statement which also demanded the exposure and prosecution of all sponsors of violence in Nigeria, added that, “by this protest, Nigerian workers are saying enough of the excuses and rhetoric, we want to see action, we want to see the lives of ordinary Nigerians begin to count as precious as the lives of our so-called elites.”
The peaceful protest took members from the take off point through the Mary Slessor roundabout and back to the NLC building along Marian road in Calabar.
