Political Briefs
–
THE Nigerian labour force took its support for the anti-corruption stance of the President Muhammadu Buhari to a new level on Thursday, September 10, with a nation-wide match and call for death sentence for convicts.
The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, which led the demonstration, had rallies and picketed some Government Houses in state capitals across the country. Many streets were paralysed by the protesters, who carried placards
Ayuba Waba, president of the NLC, led the demonstration in Abuja. The protesters marched on the office of the secretary to the federal government, SGF, and the National Assembly premises. Presenting a letter to David Bachir Lawal, SGF, Waba said: “Our judiciary must sit up. Gone are the days when perpetual injunctions are issued restraining agencies of government from prosecuting corrupt public officers. We must be on the same page and therefore, Nigerian workers are ready to invade the courts and the sanctity of such judges.
“We are also demanding that the penalty of corrupt public officers should be made very strict, including capital punishment. It has worked elsewhere and there is no reason why it should not work here. Therefore, all of us are here to try to present our position.”
Lawal commended labour for standing beside the Buhari administration in its quest to make corruption a thing of the past. He assured the protesters that the government would not fail Nigerians in the fight against corruption.
He assured the labour leaders that the government considered labour as partners in the development of the country and not enemies, pointing out that with the workers supporting the government’s fight against corruption, the fight was almost won.
He said if the country must move forward, corruption must be made unattractive, while those who engage in corrupt practices should not be given any place to hide.
There was a mild drama at the first gate to the National Assembly when security agents locked the gates, preventing labour and civil society organisations from gaining access to deliver their protest letters.
The angry workers who were kept at the first gate to the National Assembly for about 10 minutes threatened to pull down the gates if they were not allowed.
Francis Alimikhena, Senate deputy minority whip, who eventually received the NLC, also collected its letter on behalf of the Bukola Saraki, Senate president. Alimikhena assured them that the Senate was in agreement with the President’s anti-corruption campaign and would do everything possible to ensure that fight against corruption in the country is a success.
As part of its fight against corruption, he said the Senate had asked for the abolition of waiver on the importation of rice as well as investigating investment in the power sector since 1999.
Sani Zorro, member, House of Representatives, who represented Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House, apologised to labour for the difficulty encountered while trying to access the National Assembly.
He assured the delegation that the House of Representatives would not slack in its support of the fight against corruption in the country.
The workers and civil society organisations who began their march at the Unity Fountain also took the campaign to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Some of the placards they held read: ‘Payment of workers’ salaries is not negotiable’; ‘Stop corruption; Nigeria can create million of jobs alone in agriculture’; ‘Invest in agriculture today; Corruption has damaged our communication sector, stop it’; recover our monies in the hands of past leaders now; corruption has increased poverty, fight it now; if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us; corruption promotes insecurity, stop it now, among others.
Prominent Labour leaders at the rally include Bobboi Kaigama, president, Trade Union Congress; Issa Aremu, former vice-president of the NLC; Nasir Fagge, president, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU; Ibrahim Kalheel, president, National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, and Hassan Sunmonu, former president of the NLC.
— Sep 21, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT
|
Tags:
