By Abdulrofiu Agboola, Osogbo
Protesters on Wednesday stormed Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, to protest the economic hardship facing the people due to the removal of fuel subsidy.
The aggrieved protesters who were majorly members of labour union and civil Societies organizations as well as students, called on the federal government to address the current hardship occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal, saying “the masses are suffering”.
There was heavy presence of security personnel in some strategic locations within the metropolis of Osogbo as workers protested the removal of fuel subsidy.
The protesting workers who had earlier converged at the popular Freedom Park moved down to Olaiya under bridge before they later proceeded to Aregbesola/Ogo-Oluwa area were chanting solidarity songs.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions “Tinubu stop suffocating us”, “Let the poor breath”, “Join the NLC to end suffering” among others.
They called on the state and federal government to swiftly intervene to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.
Addressing newsmen, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Osun Chapter, Comrade Adekola Adebowale said government ought to have made provision for palliative before the removal of subsidy.
“We are protesting against anti people policies of the Federal government, despite the support the people gave to the present administration. They removed fuel subsidy nobody fought against it but, there must be something to cushion the effects, unfortunately they jettisoned what they promised during the campaign and it is so unfortunate and uncalled for. Nigeria belongs to everyone of us. Nigeria is not a sole property of anybody.”
“We want things to change for the better and not mere promises without anything to show. Only those that have life have hope, if you don’t have life there is no hope, we will not allow anybody to kill us before we raise our voices.
“Today’s protest is a directive from the Federal Secretariat of the TUC and the leadership of the union is not folding their hands. They are working assiduously to ensure the country and the people have a good shape and move from era of poverty to prosperity.
“We are out today to demand the abolition of all anti-masses policies by the federal government. We remain on our stand, enough is enough on the incessant increments on petroleum prices.
Oodua News reports that members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Academic Union of Universities (ASUU), Labour Unions, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Joint Action Front, and members of the Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) participated in the peaceful protest
