Protesters, led by organised labour, have pulled down the gate of the National Assembly in Abuja.
The protesters, who had Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, leader, Joe Ajaero, and Festus Osifo of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, leading, asked security operatives stationed at the legislative building to open the gates so that workers can talk to the lawmakers but the security officials refused. In anger, the protesters pulled down the gates and flooded the assembly complex.
The Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), asked the labour leaders and protesters to call off the nationwide protest and give the Senate one week to address the demands brought before it.
Labour in Lagos demanded N30,000 subsidy palliative from the state government to assuage the hardship occasioned by fuel subsidy removal.
Chairman of Lagos NLC, Funmi Sessi, made the demand when the Deputy Governor, Kadri Hamzat, addressed the protesters.
Sessi said: “We need subsidy palliative. Our minimum wage can no longer take care of our burdens.
“Many people are dying, and hungry. We know the state government is trying, but they still need to do more.
“We need subsidy palliative of N30,000 each for workers, for the next six months.
“We know the government has slashed BRT fares, but we want to be able to put food on our table. Some of us have cars, we need to buy fuel.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages (LASPG), Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya popularly called MC Oluomo has announced that transporters in the state will not be joining the August 2 strike.
The strike, called by the organised labour, is ongoing across several Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Akinsanya said rather than engaging in protest or strike, the management committee has announced relief packages to cushion the petrol subsidy removal pains.