NLC Plans Nationwide Protests Against Sale of Assets | Joins Forces With ASUU to Resist the Move

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said it will mobilise Nigerians for nationwide protests to resist the plan by the Federal Government to sell strategic assets under the guise of using the funds to be generated to get the country out of recession, PUNCH reports.

NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said this on Monday while inaugurating a think-tank of the NLC and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that will engage the Federal Government in its move to sell the nation’s assets.

Wabba said that 20 lawyers have volunteered to offer their services to the NLC on the issue.

“While it is important to rescue our country from the current economic recession, sale of our commonwealth and strategic assets is certainly not a move in the right direction, and all Nigerians must have the courage to oppose it.

All the (national) assets are under threat depending on the interest of who is speaking; the NLNG, refineries, all the assets are presently under threat. If we work together, then we can try to defend these assets. It will take the effort of all of us to stop them.

Nobody will buy what is not profitable. That is why people are looking in the direction of the most profitable.

We are sure of ourselves; this is of concern to every citizen. We should not allow the bidding of those few who don’t mean well for the country. On the issue of selling out, we are on the same page, we will do everything possible to try to work together.

We shouldn’t be discouraged because of the fact that we envisage sabotage or an effort to undermine the struggle. In every struggle, there would be moves to sabotage such,” Wabba said.

The NLC President, who said that he would mobilize workers to resist any move by government to sell some of its assets, asked the government to improve on taxation.

According to him, the government can grow the economy if it focuses on taxing the rich and eliminating all forms of tax waivers.

The members of the 10-man NLC’s “Think-Tank on Socio-Economic Issues” are a former President of ASUU, Dr. Dipo Fashina; Prof. Toye Olorode, Dr. Mohammed Aliyu, Dr. Mustapha Usman and Dr. Isaac Nwogugu.

Other members of the committee are Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose, Issa Aremu, Sonny Atuma, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, and Auwal Mustapha, who is the secretary.