The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has decried the worsening socio-economic conditions in the country, declaring that Nigerian workers and citizens are being forced to endure hardship they never consented to.
In its Easter message, the labour centre lamented what it described as deepening poverty, insecurity, and governance failures, while calling on leaders to embrace sacrifice and people-oriented policies.
The Congress also urged Nigerians to draw strength from the Easter season by renewing their resolve to demand accountability and resist policies that impose suffering on the masses, stressing that meaningful change would only come through collective action and solidarity.
In the message, President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, said: “As we celebrate Easter this year, the Nigeria NLC salutes the resilience, unyielding spirit, and daily struggle of Nigerian workers and the masses in their pursuit of dignity, justice, and a better life.
“This season is not merely a religious ritual; it is a profound moment of ideological clarity. It reminds us that God’s infinite love for humanity was demonstrated not in abstract words, but in the ultimate act of sacrifice—the giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to break the chains of sin and death.
“The sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary was not for personal gain but for the redemption of humanity. In contrast, the sacrifices demanded of Nigerian workers today are ones to which we never consented: the sacrifice of our wages on the altar of profiteering, the sacrifice of our safety on the altar of insecurity, and the sacrifice of our lives on the altar of missed opportunities for effective governance. Meanwhile, many leaders shield themselves in armoured vehicles and heavy security, refusing to make any meaningful sacrifice.
“We call on Nigerian leaders to learn from the Cross. Governance must not be seen as an avenue for primitive accumulation but as a platform for sacrificial service. Those in positions of authority must understand that policies should serve as tools of liberation, not instruments of oppression.
“Just as Christ, through the Cross, broke the grip of darkness and exposed the forces of oppression, we demand that the government use its power to dismantle the stranglehold of poverty, exploitation, insecurity, and infrastructural decay on our people.
“Today, the soaring cost of transportation places a heavy burden on workers. It devours wages, consumes time, and reduces daily life to a struggle for survival. The persistent lack of electricity is not merely a technical failure; it is a form of mass disempowerment. It cripples industries, destroys small businesses, and plunges homes into darkness, denying the working class a life of dignity.
(Vanguard)
