In a fiery speech, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has accused the Nigerian government of outright betrayal, slamming its economic policies as oppressive and anti-worker. Speaking at the 6th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) in Lagos, Ajaero condemned the administration for imposing crippling taxes, hiking tariffs, and failing to honour agreements with workers.
“We must resist the attempt to tax the Nigerian people to death,” Ajaero declared, warning that labour unions would not sit idly while workers are subjected to economic hardship.
He lambasted the government for neglecting its responsibility to regulate economic policies in favour of corporate interests, accusing officials of prioritizing revenue generation over the well-being of citizens. Ajaero also criticized the arbitrary reduction of federal workers’ salaries and the failure to implement a proper minimum wage, calling it a blatant disregard for workers’ rights.
“These actions are not just unjust; they are a betrayal of the social contract between the government and the people,” he fumed.
The NLC president further warned against growing authoritarian tendencies in governance, vowing that the labour movement would not tolerate dictatorship or economic oppression. He accused political actors of systematically subverting the constitutional order to consolidate power, urging workers to resist any move that undermines their rights.
“Our struggle is not just about the maritime sector or the MWUN alone. It is a struggle for the soul of Nigeria,” Ajaero said, calling for a unified resistance against policies that threaten the livelihood of ordinary citizens.
As the MWUN elects its new leadership, he urged delegates to vote for leaders who would stand firm against government exploitation, emphasizing that the future of Nigeria’s labour movement depends on strong and fearless representation.
