Heavy taxes, low wages, rising debt, threats to nation’s stability — NLC

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Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has warned that the combination of heavy taxation, low wages and rising national debt posed a serious threat to Nigeria’s economic and democratic stability. Consequently, it asked the federal government to urgently rethink the new tax laws and re-engage organised labour.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, issued the warning at the book launch and 85th birthday celebration of the founding President of the NLC, Hassan Summonu, where he accused the government of excluding workers and the poor from critical policy decisions that directly affected their lives.

He said, “Today, we honour a titan of the working-class struggle, a man whose life and work are captured in the defiant title of his book: ‘Organise, Don’t Agonise.’ This is not just a title; it is the militant creed that has defined Summonu’s journey and the very soul of our movement.

“From the shop floors and factories to the corridors of pan-African power, he taught us that the power of the people, when organised, is the ultimate answer to agony imposed by exploitation and poor governance.’’

Reflecting on the broader national situation, the NLC President said: “This event transcends a personal celebration. It is a moment of reflection on the state of our nation and the condition of the working people whose sweat builds it. Summonu’s memoirs challenge us to ask: how far have we come in realising the dreams of economic democracy for which he fought?”

Raising concerns about public finance, Ajaero stated: “That is why the question Comrade Summonu publicly posed a few days ago resonates: Where are all the monies being borrowed by the federal government?
“The philosophy of ‘Organise, Don’t Agonise’ also implies that the state has a duty to engage, not enrage. Policies on fuel pricing, taxation, wages and social services must be crafted with the active and respected input of those who represent the workers and the masses.”

On the new tax laws, Ajaero said: “The tax laws went through a process that clearly excluded Nigerian workers and the masses who are the major taxpayers in this country.