Subsidy: NLC storms Lagos Assembly

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates has stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly to express their concerns over removal of petroleum subsidy by the present administration.

Our correspondent reports that the NLC Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Mrs Funmi Sessi and other protesters stormed the assembly in Lagos on Wednesday.

Sessi advised the government to give palliative of N30,000 to civil servants in the state to alleviate the increase in the pump price of petrol.

She, thereafter, presented a protest letter to Dr Obafemi Hamzat, who represented Gov. Babajide Sanwo- Olu of Lagos State.

Also, the NLC Acting Secretary General, Mr Bello Ismail said the union commenced a nationwide protest to express their dissatisfaction with the removal of fuel subsidy resulting in hardship on citizens.

Ismail noted that the current situation in the country was unpalatable for the average citizens urging the government to respect the people of the country who voted them in.

He said: “You come to us to beg us to vote you in, your responsibility as a representative of the people you govern is to protect their welfare.

“We are doing this protest because we have the right to protest and table our issues before the government.

“Our cry is that we want to be able to commute from one place to another freely to our respective places.

“However, that has become practically impossible. As Congress, we have been engaging the government but the engagement hasn’t been productive and fruitful enough.

“On June 5, we had an understanding with the government and the leadership of congress is keen that the government should respect that understanding.”

Responding, the deputy governor thanked the union members for their peaceful action while reassuring them that he would deliver the letter, haven heard their pleas.

He promised that labour would hear from the government soon.