‘Masses Are Suffering, We Can’t Continue Like This’ – Says Osun Protesters

By Grace Isaac, Osogbo

Protesters on Wednesday Stormed the city of Osogbo, capital of Osun State, to protest against the economic hardship being currently faced due to the removal of fuel subsidy.

The aggrieved residents, majority who are members of NLC 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”.

In Osogbo, the state capital, there was heavy presence of security personnel in some strategic locations within the metropolis 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 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 said the government, especially federal and states, should swiftly intervene to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.

Speaking to CityMirrorNews Online , the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Osun Chapter, Comrade Adekola Adebowale said the govt ought to have make provision for palliative before the removing subsidy.

“We are protesting against anti people policies of the Federal government, despite the support the generality gave to the present administration. They stopped the 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 this is 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 not promising. Only those that have life have hope, if you don’t have life no hope, we will not allow anybody to kill us before we raise our voices.

“Today 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 so this country have a good shape, 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 are saying enough to incessant Petroleum price hikes.

“We are saying enough is enough to all the policies that bring sufferings to the lives of our people

CityMirrorNews 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 peacful protest.