Nigerian workers launch nationwide protest against prolonged closure of universities
Led by the umbrella organization Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), workers from all sectors of the national economy rallied on Tuesday to begin a two-day nationwide protest against the continued closure of public universities.
p>Nigeria's public universities have been closed for more than five months due to unresolved issues of poor social welfare and underfunding of institutions between various labor unions and the government.
Worried about the continued shutdown and its attendant consequences, including rising insecurity and unemployment, the NLC has called on its affiliates across the country to embark on a nationwide protest.
Union president Ayuba Wabba, who has consistently criticized the government for portraying the declared protest as a show of solidarity, said his union was directly concerned with the development because the unions involved are its affiliates.
>He also threatened that if the crisis remained unresolved after the protest, the NLC would mobilize workers across the country to launch a warning strike, a development that could further damage the country's precarious economy.< /p>
Mr. Wabba also threatened other actions that could compel the government to accede to the strikers' demands.
Today's demonstrationAs of 8am on Tuesday, thousands of protesters had gathered at the Ikeja 'underbridge' in Lagos as others left the Labor House in the city's Yaba area to join the protest .
Reports indicate a heavy presence of security guards in major areas of the city, including Ikeja, Ojota and Ikorodu Road, among others.
Meanwhile, from Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, to Jos on the Plateau, both located in the north-central part of the country, updates on the protest showed a massive turnout of workers and students.
Earlier on Tuesday, SSANU President at the University of Ilorin, Olusola Falowo sent messages to his union members and allies to join the mass protest. He said the protest would be peaceful, promising no infiltration by thugs would be allowed.
Led by the umbrella organization Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), workers from all sectors of the national economy rallied on Tuesday to begin a two-day nationwide protest against the continued closure of public universities.
p>Nigeria's public universities have been closed for more than five months due to unresolved issues of poor social welfare and underfunding of institutions between various labor unions and the government.
Worried about the continued shutdown and its attendant consequences, including rising insecurity and unemployment, the NLC has called on its affiliates across the country to embark on a nationwide protest.
Union president Ayuba Wabba, who has consistently criticized the government for portraying the declared protest as a show of solidarity, said his union was directly concerned with the development because the unions involved are its affiliates.
>He also threatened that if the crisis remained unresolved after the protest, the NLC would mobilize workers across the country to launch a warning strike, a development that could further damage the country's precarious economy.< /p>
Mr. Wabba also threatened other actions that could compel the government to accede to the strikers' demands.
Today's demonstrationAs of 8am on Tuesday, thousands of protesters had gathered at the Ikeja 'underbridge' in Lagos as others left the Labor House in the city's Yaba area to join the protest .
Reports indicate a heavy presence of security guards in major areas of the city, including Ikeja, Ojota and Ikorodu Road, among others.
Meanwhile, from Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, to Jos on the Plateau, both located in the north-central part of the country, updates on the protest showed a massive turnout of workers and students.
Earlier on Tuesday, SSANU President at the University of Ilorin, Olusola Falowo sent messages to his union members and allies to join the mass protest. He said the protest would be peaceful, promising no infiltration by thugs would be allowed.
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