The Nigerian Senate promised to resolve the workers grievances 2in seven days.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described as an "insult to Nigerians" the plan of the federal government to disburse N8000 palliative to vulnerable and low-income households in the country.
The National Chairman of the union, Joe Ajaero, disclosed this in his message to workers during a protest on Wednesday in Abuja.
"N8,000 palliative to households: An insult to Nigerians. We call on FG, to implement people centred agreements reached with organised labour," the NLC leader said.
Amidst effort to cushion the hardship of the removal of petroleum subsidy in the country, President Bola Tinubu had asked the National Assembly to approve an $800 million loan for palliative and other purposes in the country.
Mr Tinubu also said that 12 million low-income households would receive N8,000 monthly for six months from the loan that is being sourced to ameliorate the hardship induced by the removal of subsidy on petrol.
The president's plan has been criticised by many citizens who, among other concerns, claimed the amount is not sustainable and cannot complement the inflationary pressures in the country.
Many citizens have also expressed worry over "accountability and transparency" mechanisms surrounding the disbursement process.
The protest
On Wednesday, labour unions and their members staged a protest in Abuja, Lagos and other states to express their grievances over the economic hardship caused by fuel subsidy removal in the country.
They were led by Mr Ajaero, and Festus Osifo of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
In Abuja, the protesters started the peaceful demonstration from the Unity Fountain close to the Transcorp Hilton hotel where they had converged for other members to join.
They moved from there to the Federal Ministry of Justice after which they all assembled at the front of the NASS building waiting for the leadership of the 10th Assembly to address the crowd.
They chanting solidarity songs while holding placards bearing various inscriptions detailing their demands.
Lamentation
The protesters complained that they can no longer feed their families, transport themselves to their various workplaces and that the rate of poverty in the country had increased substantially.
While addressing the crowd of protesters Mr Ajaero expressed displeasure over the imminent palliative initiative of Mr Tinubu.
"There is no palliative before us. For over two months after the removal of subsidy, no worker has received N1 extra from the government. No mass transit support from anywhere," Mr Ajaero said.
He said the president should not join the league of lamentation, but should call out the "elite of elites" who have stolen their common wealth.
"Let Mr President step forward, let's arrest the people and recover our money from them," the NLC president said.
Asked if the union will embark on strike if their demands are not met, Mr Ajaero said that, after the protests, they will review the situation to determine what to do next because there is currently no court order against the recent fuel increase to N617 per litre.
"So if we would be going into a total strike action, it is open to us and the Nigerian people. A longer period is open to us depending on the approach of the Nigerian state," he said.
On his part, the immediate past National president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, said "there is nothing that workers of the world or workers of Nigeria have achieved without a struggle".
He said the eight hours work per day and 40 hours per week were achieved through their struggle, sweat and blood.
"That is how we got to where we are. I'm happy to see that that vibrancy is being demonstrated. We shouldn't shy away from demonstrating our fundamental rights.
"Nobody can take away that right..." he added.
"We agreed with the past government that our refineries must work and that labour is not against subsidy removal so we agreed that we must produce here at home, but the refineries are not working, " Mr Wabba said.
Union members speak
A member of the union, Onyeaka Chris, said they were marching on the streets of Abuja to demand freedom for the Nigerian people and workers.
"We have heard them speak from Aso Rock, it is time for us to give them the message from the street," he said.
"Nigerians should know that power resides in them and it is only by coming together that we can demonstrate such powers," Mr Chris said.
Female workers in the union were not left out in the protests.
Hassan Ahmed, a civil servant with the social development secretariat, said she joined the protest because going to work had been very difficult due to the recent increase in transportation costs.
"Most of us (the civil servants) don't live inside town. For us to come to the office, where we were spending N500 before, we are now spending N2000 and our salary is nothing to write home about, " she said.
Similarly, another worker who gave her name simply as Mary said she came out to protest against the suffering of Nigerians because it is enough.
"We did not expect the increase in fuel price. We want an increase in our salaries. In fact, they should be paying transportation allowances differently, that will be okay," she said.
On her part, Obasi-Queen Nene, who works with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), lamented over the wide disparity in the salary structures of government workers with agencies like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) among others.
"We are suffering! We are suffering!" Ms Nene echoed on the protesting ground in front of the National Assembly complex.
"Where is the NDDC staff? Where is CBN staff? Where is the FIRS staff? They are not here because they have what it takes to feed well but we in the ministry are suffering," she said.
Key demands
As the protesters staged their walk along major streets in Abuja on Wednesday, they described the protest as a "march for survival of Nigeria and Nigerians".
They urged Nigerians to say no to anti-people policies, and that the government should adopt Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative to fuel.
"Increase in fuel price is equivalent to increase in poverty and criminality," leaflets distributed to protesting workers read.
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According to the inscriptions on the leaflets seen by our reporter, the NLC said incessant increase in fuel price is responsible for inflation, poverty and unemployment.
"We condemn the increase in school fees, increase in school fees will cause an increase in numbers of out of school children," the union said.
They said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL), a private company, should not determine fuel price for them.
"We protest against suppression of and suffering of the Nigerian people. Hunger and poverty do not know any tribe, religion, party, or geopolitical arrangement. Let us unite in the struggle for the emancipation of the people," the NLC said.
Senators react
After several minutes of chanting of solidarity songs at the front of the National Assembly's chambers, Ali Ndume, the senator representing Borno South, came to address the protesters.
"I am begging you to give us one week and we will resolve it and if you're not satisfied with the progress we are making then you can take further action," he said.
Mr Ndume said the senators have a motion in the chambers that would address the workers' concerns.
In her intervention, Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the FCT, she expressed solidarity with the protesting workers, assuring that the needful will be done.
"You can trust me, if this is not working, I will call your leadership and tell them that this is how it is. I do not lie. You will not regret electing me," she said.
