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NLC, allies hold rally in Abuja on Monday
Michael Faloseyi, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress and its allies will on Monday hold a rally in Abuja as part of the build up to the November 16, 2004 nationwide protest over the September 23 increase in the prices of petroleum products.
Briefing newsmen on Thursday, Acting General Secretary of NLC, Mr. Salihu Mohammed said that the decision to hold the rally was taken at a meeting between the congress and members of civil society organisations, including traders associations.
At the briefing, held midway the meeting, the NLC scribe said that the rally was to test the new alliance between NLC and the civil society associations that were represented at the meeting.
He said that the venue and the modalities for the rally would be decided at the end of the meeting, which was still in session as at press time.
�We are going to have a rally on Monday. This meeting is still in progress and between today and tomorrow we would decide the modality and strategy of the rally and this would determine the effectiveness of our alliance towards the nationwide protest of November 16, 2004,� he said.
As similar rally was held in Lagos on Wednesday as part of the build up to the planned November 16, 2004 nationwide protest.
Some of the association represented at the meeting include, Butchers Association, Abuja, National Association of Technicians and Automobiles, Traders Association, Spare Parts Dealers Association, Zuba Market and Dede International Market, Association Building Materials Dealers Association.
Others are Barbers and Hair Dressers Association, Yam Sellers Association, Fruit Sellers Association, Timber Association and Amalgamated Traders Association.
Some of the participants who took turns to speak on the Monday strike said that the country would witness the type of strike that has never been witnessed before.
�We are not only going to be on strike but we are also going to tell the international community that Nigeria is not safe for its citizens. This is not a threat but a promise.
�We in the informal sector are getting fed up with the signal from this administration that we had expected to be listening government and we are giving the government between now and November 16, 2004 to determine if the nationwide protest would be held,� one of the association�s representative said.
The PUNCH, Friday, November 5, 2004.
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