Rivers chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, joined in the nationwide protest against removal of fuel subsidy with a demand on the federal government reverse the policy.
They also demanded that the federal government should rehabilitate the nation’s refineries as to enhance local refining of petroleum products and arrest the continuous increase in the pump price of petrol.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters at the government house in Port Harcourt, State Chairman of the NLC Alex Agumuo called on the federal government to rehabilitate the country’s refineries arguing that importation of fuel was responsible for the increase in the pump price of petrol.
He said; “They should reverse this policy because we cannot breathe. They should put our refineries in order, if we have local production of petroleum products, if we deregulate the price will not be like this.
“It is because of importation because we are refining abroad, that is why we are suffering. But today we say no to it. Nigerians we are tired, we cannot continue like this. We cannot be suffering and smiling. We must resist it, we must protest.
“The government of today, if they say they are the government of the people, then they should hear our cry and reverse this policy.”
The NLC chairman also pointed out that the salary of workers could no longer meet their basic needs.
“We cannot go back to school because we cannot afford it. The prices of goods and services have eaten deep into our income. No more salary, we are just barely surviving because our salary cannot transport us to work, our salary cannot pay our school fees”, the NLC chairman lamented.
The Organised Labour later presented their demands to the Rivers State Government through the Chief of Staff to the governor, Chima Amadi who stood in for Governor Simijialayi Fubara.
He promised to convey the demands of the protesters to the federal government and asked them to be patient.
The Rivers protest began at the Labour House on Igboukwu Street at D-line with protesters matching through major roads for several kilometers to the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The protester displayed several posters most of which were inscribed #AllowThePoorToBreath as well as chants on the same demand.
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