NLC and Student Unions Withdraw from Planned Mass Protest Due to Hardship

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), student unions, and other civil society organizations have decided not to participate in the planned mass protest scheduled for August 1, 2024. Leaders of the unions’ Jigawa State chapters announced this decision during a town hall meeting held at the Government House in Dutse on Monday.

According to the leaders, the state government is doing its best to alleviate the suffering of the common man; therefore, the planned mass protest has no basis in Jigawa State. They explained that the state government has initiated various empowerment programmes that are touching the lives of the masses at the grassroots level, including FADAMA CARES.

“The project employs a scientific and unbiased mode of selecting beneficiaries irrespective of their social differences, and under the programme, thousands of poor and vulnerable people are directly benefiting,” the leaders said.

State Commissioner of Police, CP A.T. Abdullahi, noted that Jigawa is the most peaceful state in the nation, therefore, there is a need to maintain the tempo. He reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting the lives and properties of the citizens.

The withdrawal of the NLC and student unions from the planned mass protest comes amidst growing concerns over economic hardship in the country. The Nigerian Labour Congress had earlier called on President Bola Tinubu to invite the leaders of a planned nationwide protest over hardship in the country, asking him to also address the challenges facing the citizens.

However, the NLC’s call for dialogue seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as the government has shown no signs of engaging with the protesters. This has led to a growing sense of frustration among the organizers of the protest, who feel that their grievances are not being taken seriously.

The decision by the NLC and student unions to withdraw from the planned mass protest is likely to be seen as a setback for the organizers, who were hoping to use the demonstration as a platform to voice their concerns about the economic hardship in the country. However, it remains to be seen whether the government will take any concrete steps to address the issues raised by the protesters.