PHOTOS: NLC Defies Police Warning, Storm Streets, As Cross River Government Promises To Increase Minimum Wage

By Sylvia Akpan, Government House Correspondent

As the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) protests nationwide the rising cost of living, economic meltdown, hunger, and other sundry issues, the Cross River State arm of Labour paid deaf ears against the State Police Command’s earlier warning of protesting within their secretariat.

The protest started from the NLC Secretariat at Marian to Murtala Mohammed Highway, down to the House of Assembly, en route to Governor’s Office, Calabar, and ended at 11-11 Cultural Complex, Calabar.

Comrade Gregory Olayi, State Chairman of NLC, Cross River State Council disclosed several issues civil servants and the masses are faced with and the need to demonstrate peaceful protest.

“We are out today as directed by the National Nigeria Labour Congress to go out and protest against the hardship in the country and that is what we did. We have moved from all nooks and crannies of this state; we went to the House of Assembly and governor’s Office, met with the deputy Governor, and informed them of what we are passing through.

“The workers in Cross River State can no longer eat, fuel their cars or motorcycles to their offices.

“There are a lot of other issues and tomorrow we are going to continue”.

Addressing the angry protesters, the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Hon. Peter Odey who represented the Governor, Sen. Bassey Otu commended them for organizing the protest peacefully.

“As a government, we know that this is not only happening in Cross River State, it’s happening across the nation. We all know that there is hunger in the land. The government knows and we promised to run the people’s first government so if the people are hungry, there is no way.

“The Governor is absent because he is attending a Labour Committee at Abuja that is why he is not here.

“We will try our best to increase the minimum wage for workers and we know that the present money given to workers is not enough to measure up with the level of things in our economy.

“As prices of goods and commodities have gone up, salaries also need to go up. That is the problem and we have taken note of the problem.

“The government of Sen. Bassey Otu will take care of the plights of workers in Cross River State. I assure all workers in Cross River State that the situation is not going to remain the same.

“I am joining you to tell the committee in Abuja to tell the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of your plight so that everyone will remain happy.

He commended the protesters and promised to take action to tackle the issues.

“Do not allow hoodlum to hijack this peaceful protest. He added.