The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed regret over the country's deteriorating security situation and high cost of living, and has urged Muslims to pray as they celebrate this year's Eid-el-Kabir with people throughout the world.
The NLC lamented that Nigerians have been made to pay the price for poor governance and policies that go against the will of the people in a Sallah message to workers and the Muslim community in the nation.
The National Minimum Wage of N30,000 (less than $50 per month for the typical family of four) is completely eroding as a result of the circumstances, according to Ayuba Wabba, President of the NLC.
The message stated that it is regrettable that the majority of individuals assigned duties have not done enough to lessen the suffering of the populace or enhance their quality of life.
He claimed that the fact that Nigerians continue to document socioeconomic woes and suffering on a magnitude that has never been witnessed or experienced was not surprising.
The NLC claimed that in an increasingly unstable environment, security challenges such as kidnappings, robberies, banditry, secessionist agitation, violent conflicts resulting in mass killings and displacements, and audacious attacks on military and paramilitary institutions, such as the one that was recorded in Kuje Prison just a few days ago, have become the new normal.
According to a statement from the NLC, "Our situation has been made worse by unchecked corruption and greed, deteriorating infrastructure, significant Naira devaluation, absence of love, unity, sacrifice, and common purpose, as well as volatility/upheaval in the global commodity/energy market exacerbated by the ongoing Russia/Ukraine conflict.
This has caused the cost of gasoline, food, and transportation to soar, pushing Nigerian workers and citizens over the edge.
The message stated that despite these mind-numbing difficulties, Nigerian workers continue to produce wealth and value, highlighting the fact that the majority of Nigerians, who lack a country of their own, continue to hold out hope. It is in recognition of this that Nigerians salute their bravery, productivity, resilience, sacrifice, and unwavering faith in their nation.
The NLC noted that Eid-el-Kabir presents a chance for Nigerians to have open discussions about the need to muster the necessary political will to make the right choices, make more reasonable sacrifices, embody God's love for Nigerians, and obey His commands without reservation.
The NLC used the occasion of Eid-El-Kabir to urge the government to follow through on its pledges to restore the nation's refineries, which it viewed as the only viable solution to the nation's ongoing energy crises. It also urged the government to end the protracted ASUU strike and other strikes by encouraging meaningful discussions and encouraging government investment in green renewable energy.
In regards to security, the NLC reaffirmed to the government that the primary responsibility of any government is the security of the lives and property of its citizens, arguing that the first step in securing lives and property is to ensure the welfare of the populace through the provision of decent employment opportunities, efficient public infrastructure, and open, inclusive, and transparent social protection programs for Nigeria's most vulnerable and least fortunate.
The message also urged the National Assembly to properly oversee defense budgets and use them effectively.
According to the report, the country's security infrastructure is becoming more flimsy, as demonstrated by the recent attack on Kuje Prisons, which went unchallenged for hours. This raises concerns about the public's resolve to address the security challenge and the government's commitment to security.
The NLC congratulated all the Muslim sisters and brothers a memorable and fulfilling Eid-el-Kabir and urged Nigerian workers not to give up. It added that Kwame Nkrumah had asked workers not to agonize but to organize as they work and wait for a New Nigeria.