The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Rivers State Council has protested against insecurity in the country.
The Rivers State NLC led by Comrade Alex Agwanwor began the protest from its office at DLine Port Harcourt en route Government House Port Harcourt to deliver their letter of grievance to the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
In his remarks, Comrade Agwanwor said insecurity in the country has created fear, job loss and uncertainty. He called for swift government intervention to restore hope to the people.
“So what we are protesting today is to tell the Federal Government that the issue of insecurity is of serious concern like our letter rightly stated.”
“Most of our workers have been kidnapped, our family members have been kidnapped, our children have been kidnapped so we have suffered so much on this, if you go to the north ninety six schools have been closed down.”
Children can no longer go to school, it has moved from insecurity to financial insecurity where people can not go to the farm so I think the government needs to step up action, they should step action to make sure lives and properties are secured, that is why we are here.”
The National Vice Chairman of NLC, Comrade Steve Okoro said insecurity is a major issue affecting every strata of society and the different states of the federation have been negatively impacted by the issue. He said the protest was a wake up call to State Governors on the effects of the insecurity happening villages and towns.
“We are concerned as workers, if I say the Construction Industry where I came from the level of insecurity and the number of our people that have been kidnapped and have died as a matter of facts, six workers were kidnapped in Setraco and the chairman of that branch went there to deliver the ransome, they collected the ransome, take over the chairman and release the others.”
“Insecurity is a big challenge, just yesterday in the evening, one of my chairmen from Kano called me that his grandmother was killed and his village was taken over in the night.”
In the South, it is a little bit mild but if you go over to the North, you will discover that you can’t sleep in your country.”
Receiving the Protesters on behalf of Rivers State Government, the Permanent Secretary Government House, Mr. Chukwuma Augustine received the letter and message of the protesters and assured them that it would be delivered to the appropriate quarters.
