The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), a coalition of over 80 organisations, led by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has written to President Muhammadu Buhari tasking him to deliver on twelve demands contained in the letter.
The letter issued on Tuesday urged President Buhari to implement the twelve demands it listed, or it will continue to support strikes and protests by the downtrodden Nigerian people.
Among the demand listed in the letter are:
1.) Implement N30,000 minimum wage in all states!
2.) No job or wage cuts by governments or the private sector!
3.) Wages to rise as inflation rises! Guarantee security of life!
4.) Protect the livelihoods of the poor and informal sector!
5.) No hike in electricity tariffs, VAT or fuel prices! Reverse all price increases!!
6.) Provision of PPE & payment of hazard allowances for medical workers!
7.) Safe and conducive environment in schools and universities!
8.) Upgrade facilities in public hospitals and prohibit medical tourism by top public officials!
9.) Frontal fight against corruption!
10.) Implement all previous agreements with trade unions!
11.) Federal and state security votes should be used to meet basic needs.
12.) A Committee of representatives of Labour, civil society organisations and government to keep track of the revenue leakages.
In the letter, the coalition also faulted the increase in fuel pump price and electricity tariff, and referred Buhari to cases where court pronounced government’s deregulation unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.
“We will continue to support the strike by ASUU for proper funding of the education sector. We will also support the unions in the health sector for proper funding for that sector. Finally, will continue to support protests and strikes for the implementation of agreements with the Government in the education and health sectors and for the full implementation of the minimum wage of N30, 000 in all states,” the letter added.