Nigeria's economy and security worsening, labour union says

Nigeria's economy and security situation are deteriorating, leaving millions of citizens in severe hardship, according to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). In a Sallah message ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, the labor union condemned the current economic conditions, attributing them to policies that have deepened poverty and insecurity across the nation.

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As we mark Eid-el-Kabir, a festival of sacrifice and obedience, the NLC reminds all Nigerians that this celebration should be different.

The NLC stated that Nigerian workers and the poor are "bleeding under the weight of neoliberal policies." The union urged political leaders to reflect on the consequences of their economic decisions and to focus governance on protecting lives and providing essential needs like food, shelter, healthcare, education, and decent jobs, rather than prioritizing profits.

These criticisms add to the growing chorus of disapproval from labor groups and civil society organizations regarding the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu's administration. Measures such as the removal of petrol subsidies and foreign exchange liberalization, while defended by authorities as necessary for fiscal stability and investment, have led to soaring inflation, increased transportation and food costs, and mounting pressure on household incomes.

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The working class and the poor majority are bleeding under the weight of neoliberal policies.

Furthermore, the NLC pointed to the worsening insecurity, citing banditry, kidnappings, communal violence, and urban crime as evidence of governance failures. The union also accused political leaders of hypocrisy, demanding sacrifices from citizens while failing to demonstrate restraint in their own public spending and conduct. The NLC signaled an increasingly political posture, warning that Nigerian workers and ordinary citizens will hold leaders accountable at the ballot box in future elections.

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The worsening insecurity that now threatens the existence of our nation, from banditry to kidnapping, from herdsmen bloodshed to urban violence, is a direct indictment of our governance model.