By patience Santos

The Kaduna State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), in collaboration with the Trade Union Congress (TUC), participated in a nationwide protest, demanding an upward review of the minimum wage to N200,000 and urging the Federal Government to revive the country’s refineries.

During the protest, the labour leaders strongly criticized the N8,000 palliative proposed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, stating that it was an insult to Nigerians. They emphasized that genuine measures were needed to address the impact of the fuel subsidy removal, rather than token palliatives.

Comrade Suleiman Ayuba, the NLC Chairman in Kaduna, and Abdulahi Alhassan Danfulani, the TUC Chairman, expressed their appreciation for the support of the Kaduna State Government, represented by Senator Uba Sani’s Special Adviser on Labour Matters, Adamu Samaila. They recognized this as a departure from past approaches by the state government.

The labour leaders criticized the Federal Government for lacking specificity on addressing the citizens’ hardships and urged a priority focus on reviving the country’s refineries.

They strongly rejected the government’s proposed student loan and condemned the hike in school fees, asserting that free education was a fundamental right. They called for the reversal of school fees in all public schools.

The protest was part of a one-day national exercise to send a clear message to the Federal Government. The NLC and TUC urged their members to stay alert for further instructions from the national headquarters.