Protests: Nigerians Are Angry Due To The State Of The Economy – Joe Ajaero

The Nigeria Labour Congress has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to engage with protest leaders as economic tensions escalate.

In a statement released on Monday, NLC President Joe Ajaero highlighted the critical conditions many Nigerians are facing and stressed the need for immediate government action.

“Millions of Nigerians are deeply dissatisfied with the current state of the national economy,” Ajaero declared.

He underscored the gravity of the situation, noting, “When most Nigerian families are compelled to survive on a single meager meal a day, and scavenging from garbage bins becomes a luxury, it is a clear call for urgent government intervention.”

The NLC cited recent statistics to underscore the scale of the crisis. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, approximately 133 million Nigerians live below extreme poverty lines. Furthermore, the International Rescue Committee reports that in the first three quarters of 2024, about 32 million Nigerians have been exposed to acute hunger.

Ajaero rejected the notion that the planned protests are merely politically motivated, stating, “It is, therefore, condescending and dismissive to describe the daily brutish ordeal that Nigerians are going through as a sponsored political dissent.”

The labor leader emphasized the right of citizens to express their grievances, saying, “During these very difficult times, the right of Nigerians to complain must be fully respected.”

He recounted recent protests led by the NLC against various government policies, including fuel price hikes and increased electricity costs.

Urging a conciliatory approach from the government, Ajaero said, “These are dire times. Nigerians are angry. The times require the government to ‘jaw-jaw’ and not ‘war war’ with Nigerians.”

“The truth is that you cannot smack a child and at the same time ask the child not to cry. A stitch in time might still save nine.”