- We Have Nothing To Do With It – NLC
By Sunday Egede
With about seven days to the planned nationwide protest, tagged #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria, students of tertiary institutions in Delta State and youths from the Urhobo ethnic extraction of the state have dissociated themselves from the exercise.
The planned protest scheduled for August 1 to August 10, 2024, according to the organisers, was to draw the attention of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to the plight of Nigerians ocassioned by rising cost of living. Speaking at a press conference in Asaba, the President, National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU), Comrade Monday Wiska, said students of tertiary institutions in Delta State were strongly in support of the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and have vowed to protect Delta against such a protest.
Alongside student leaders across the state’s higher institutions, Comrade Wiska highlighted various interventions of the Oborevwori-led administration in the education sector and called on students in the state to boycott the upcoming protest as it was not in the best interest of the students.
He said: “we are here today to address a very pressing global issue that bothers on our students’ community in Delta State over the alleged planned nationwide protest.
“As the voice of students, I urge all students to boycott the nationwide protest that is planned to take place on the 1st of August, 2024.
“While it is important to stand up for our rights and advocate for our concerns, the upcoming protest does not serve the best interests of students.
“With the level of security information in our disposal, the protest described to be disruptive, could potentially harm our academic progress and may also lead to conflicts and unrest on campus, jeopardizing our safety and well-being. “I must unequivocally state that as students’ leaders, we seriously frown at the current hardship in the nation but it is important to note that this hardship is not caused by our state as the state government has opened the application/registration of the 2024 students’ special assistant scheme (Bursary Payment) to help alleviate the financial burden on students of Delta State.
“This is a deliberate action that underscores the commitment of the state government to assist students and we are currently in talks with the state government to consider an upward review of the Bursary so as to help mitigate the hardship in the country.
“The Delta State Government has provided a conducive learning environment for our students and are doing more in infrastructure on campus and we don’t want any protest that is capable of destroying these infrastructures on campus.”
The student leader said the current economic hardship in the country was a global issue and called on both the federal and state governments across the country to work assiduously to ameliorate the hardship faced by the people including students.
“It is worthy to note that the current hardship we are experiencing today is a global issue and of which our state government has been giving palliatives to vulnerable groups in the state to help alleviate this hardship over time.
“The state government has been very students-friendly and has provided the opportunity for us to always channel the concerns, interest and aspirations of our students over time. “We have security information that some misguided elements are planning to penetrate some campuses in the state to cause harm and unrest in our students’ community using this planned protest as disguise.
“Lastly, we wish to appeal to our students not to be deceived by anyone whatsoever and not to partake in any protest and also to assure them of our already existing good working relationship, collaboration and partnership with the State Government in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to our students in Delta State.”
…Hardship: We’re Not Party To Proposed Protest – Urhobo Youths
The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), (Youth Wing Worldwide), yesterday, said they would not be party to the proposed nationwide protests against the economic hardship in the country.
The UPU Youth wing, in a communique signed by the National President, “Osu re Ighele”, Activist Blessed Ughere, noted that engaging in protest would be counterproductive, urging all sons, daughters and residents of Urhobo land to boycott the protest.
The communique stated that “Given the current security challenges affecting Delta Central (Urhobo Nation) and Urhobos in other parts of Delta State, we firmly believe that engaging in protests now would be counterproductive.
“Therefore, we categorically state that we will not support any form of protest across Urhobo-Land in Delta State by any group or individuals. Engaging in such protests risks exacerbating the existing security challenges in the country, creating opportunities for criminal elements to exploit innocent citizens and instigate further chaos
“We appeal to all concerned groups and individuals to refrain from organizing any protests within any Urhobo kingdom in Delta State. We also urge all Urhobo sons and daughters, as well as residents in Urhobo land, to boycott the proposed protest.” On the issue of insecurity, the communique noted that “The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Youth Wing Worldwide is currently in discussions with the Delta State Government. “We have made recommendations for the establishment of permanent military checkpoints in key areas to help mitigate the security challenges in the state.
“We hereby call on all citizens to be cautious, vigilant, and alert while accessing areas that require urgent security attention, especially Egbo, along the Agbarho-Ughelli Road, and the Ughelli-Patani Highway, among others.
“We urge leaders and other stakeholders in the region to join hands in assisting our security agencies to maintain law and order, which are imperative for prosperity, peace, and progress of the state and country.”
… Workers Not Behind Planned Protest –NLC
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it is not behind any planned nationwide protest over the current economic hardship in the country.
According to reports, some youths are planning a nationwide protest between August 1 and 15 against the rising cost of living and economic hardship in the country.
President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, in a statement personally signed by him, yesterday, denied reports that it had withdrawn from the protest.
According to Ajaero, the union “cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise”. He said: “A news report of the withdrawal of the Nigeria Labour Congress from the widely discussed national protest has been brought to our attention. The Nigeria Labour Congress debunks such a story as patently false.
“The truth is that the Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise. Only the organisers of the speculated national protest can decide to pull out or continue with the protest.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress has internal trade union mechanisms, especially leadership decision-making processes that its industrial actions such as protests pass through before such activities are undertaken.”
While advising the government to negotiate with the leaders of the protest, he noted that it would be counter-productive for “the federal government to meet the widespread anger in the land with brute force”.
He said: “The fact that the Nigeria Labour Congress is not the body organising the protest does not mean that Organised Labour is oblivious to the dire living conditions Nigerians have been subjected to by the harsh economic policies of the government.
“We have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the leaders of the protest movement to dialogue on their demands.
“We have advised that it would be counter-productive for the government to meet the widespread anger in the land with brute force.
“Once again, we implore the Federal Government and the sub-national governments to listen to the cries of the Nigerian people and do the needful. After all, it is said that the voice of the people is the voice of God.”
