A group known as Nigerians Against Bad Policies has announced plans to embark on a protest march in Abuja on Monday, September 7, 2020. The group, in a press release made available to National Record Saturday morning, said the protest is to demand for the immediate reversal of the increase in electricity tariff and petrol price to N87.
In the press release signed by Kachi Gerald and Adejobi Peter, the group said the protest will also be used to among other things call for the nationalization of the power sector, call on organised labour to commence a general strike and mass protest rejecting these anti-people policies and demand for the building of more refineries to end fuel price increase.
While calling on the “leadership of the labour movement to wake from their unjustifiable docility and lead the working masses against these attacks,” the group admonished Nigerians to rise and resist these unjust anti-poor policies.
“We the oppressed under the umbrella of Nigerians Against Bad Policies unequivocally refused to accept the increase in petroleum pump price and electricity tariff.
“Against this backdrop, we shall be embarking on a protest in Abuja on Monday 7th September 2020 to demand; democratization and nationalization of the power sector; NLC/TUC must call general strike and mass protest to reject these anti people policies; nationalise the power sector and place it under democratic control; end jumbo pay to political office holders; build more refineries to end fuel price increase; [and say] no to austerity,” stated the group in the release entitled; “Why We Are Protesting Against the Increase in Fuel Pump Price and Electricity Tariff Hike.”
Describing itself as a platform formed by concerned Nigerians against the spate of anti-poor policies of the Buhari/Osinbajo government; Nigerians Against Bad Policies said in unequivocally rejecting the recent hike in the price of petrol and electricity tariff, it will continue to protest against the anti-poor policies until they are reversed.
It said: “We consider this a further attempt by this draconian government to oppress us, impoverish us and make sure that Nigerians are incapacitated and rendered unproductive. This unjust increment is happening at a critical time when Nigerians are still mourning over the resultant effect of the Covid-19 lockdown which has crippled the sources of livelihood of many Nigerians.
“We strongly believe that a serious government ought to be making attempt to implement policies that can ease the economic situation of the people and not make outrageous policies that are capable of aggravating the already worse economic situation.
“We demand for an immediate reversal of the hiked electricity tariff and the increased price of petrol. The corrupt contraption of privatization of the power sector and oil sector, together with corrupt management of institutions, is responsible for the ruinous state that both the power sector and oil sector are.
“We call for nationalization of the power sector and its democratic control by the working people. For us, this is the only effective way to put an end to the decrepit condition that the power sector is in.
“Today, many Nigerians continue to pay exorbitant amounts for electricity without enjoying regular supply of electricity. Similarly, Nigerians have not been able to enjoy the oil that ought to belong to them. Just few individuals, organized as multi-national companies, private investors, marketers, etc. continue to milk the revenue of the oil sector. This is unacceptable! Nigerians Against Bad Policies strongly oppose every attempt to sustain this parasitic feeding on the poor by the few rich.
“We call on the leadership of the labour movement to wake from their unjustifiable docility and lead the working masses against these attacks. The docility of the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at this critical time is a betrayal of the working people of Nigeria. We equally call on Nigerians to rise and resist these unjust anti-poor policies.”
