By Ummi Ismaeel, Minna
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have cried out over the failure of the Niger State government to provide security for lives and properties of citizenry who now live at the mercy of armed bandits.
They also called on the state government to end what they called anti-workers’ policy which is fast creeping in and affecting mostly the Ministry of Finance and its Local Government counterpart with huge financial liabilities.
They further said that the armed bandits traversing long stretch of state hinterlands was one ugly trend deserving government’s attention by deploying security agencies to check brazen effrontery and modus operandi of the criminals with a view to ending their siege.
These were contained in a speech delivered by Comrade Yakubu Garba, state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the ocassion of the 2021 International Workers’ Day which took place at the 1-2-3 Sports Complex field, Minna.
“Your Excellency sir, the rainy season is here again. It is our prayer that all relevant stakeholders should be rallied to ensure that our teeming farmers have access to their farms to engage in farming activities unhindered by armed bandits and kidnappers.
“Most of the victims of armed groups in Munya, Shiroro, Rafi and Mariga are farmers and failure to check activities of armed bandits could cause severe hunger and poverty, hence.
“Organised labour hereby condemns in strong terms the gusto style attacks on innocent citizens.
“May we remind the government that its primary responsibility as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as ammended) is the security and welfare of citizens. A society without security wouldn’t have any semblance of development and progress”.