August 02, (THEWILL) – Commercial and social activities were halted in Ebonyi State as a result of the peaceful protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), over the federal government’s fuel subsidy removal policy.
Checks by THEWILL reveal that entrances to various commercial banks in the state capital, Abakaliki, were closed, while customers were seen unattended to and looking stranded.
Also, the High Court gate was under lock and key when THEWILL’s Correspondent visited the area.
A bank source from one of the new generation banks, who pleaded anonymity, attributed the refusal by the authorities of the banks to open to the peaceful protest by the organised labour.
“We didn’t open because of labour issues, but we are waiting for directives on what to do”, the source said.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), in the state on Wednesday, staged a peaceful protest against the federal government subsidy policy which has increased the cost of transportation and general living in the country.
The unions were led by their leaders including Comrade Egwu Oguguo, Samson Nwafor, Ikechukwu Nwafor and others.
The unions converged on Abakaliki Township stadium, where they began the march against the federal government’s subsidy policy.
Security agencies were guarding the unions during the peaceful protest.
However, the protest recorded a low turnout by members of the unions.
Addressing the unions before the protest started, the Chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Egwu Oguguo, said, “We say no to excess hikes in fuel subsidy, which has skyrocketed the cost of living.
“We need to move, let our voices be heard, let them stop putting their knees on our necks, let them not intimidate and oppress us.
“Nigerian people, Nigerian workers, we must breathe. We must shine, we need to shine, we need to move”, he said.
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
