Nigeria NLC Demands Tinubu Engage with Protest Leaders, Tackle Economic Challenges

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) urges President Tinubu to engage with protest leaders and address citizens' hardships, citing rising inflation and tariffs. NLC President Joe Ajaero emphasizes the need for empathetic governance and dialogue to alleviate economic burdens and frustrations among Nigerians.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to meet with leaders of a planned nationwide protest aimed at addressing the increasing hardships faced by citizens. As the protest date approaches, the NLC, led by President Joe Ajaero, emphasizes the urgency of addressing issues such as rising inflation, and food, and electricity tariffs.

“With inflation hitting 34.19 percent and the hike in food and electricity tariffs, there is a need for President Tinubu to address these challenges,” said Ajaero in a statement. He criticized the government’s dismissive attitude toward the citizens' struggles, stressing that the current unease in the country does not require political motivation to ignite.

Ajaero highlighted the importance of the government listening to the citizens' grievances, which have been widely shared on social media. The NLC condemned the government's hostile response to the protest, arguing that it failed to provide any tangible remedies for the populace's suffering.

“These are dire times. Nigerians are angry,” Ajaero noted, urging the government to engage in dialogue rather than confrontation. He further remarked, “The truth is that you cannot smack a child and at the same time ask the child not to cry.”