Joint Action Front (JAF) has called on Nigerians of all strata for nationwide resistance to save the country from what it described as “Tinubu-IMF World Bank’s imposition of polices of sufferings on Nigerians”.
JAF made the call in a statement issued on Thursday following a National Symposium it held on Saturday June 24, 2023, insisting that good governance was not as defined by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The statement which was signed by Chairperson and Secretary of JAF, Dr Dipo Fashina and Comrade Abiodun Aremu respectively, was titled: “JAF symposium calls for nationwide resistance to save the country from the Tinubu-IMF World Bank’s imposition of polices of sufferings on Nigerians.”
According to the statement made available to SaharaReporters, the national symposium was held against the background of the ceaseless anti-poor attacks on the working people, women, the youth and poor ordinary Nigerians by the President Bola Tinubu’s regime, in view of commencing a sustained agenda of mass education, mass organising and mass mobilisation for mass resistance.
Calling on Nigeria’s labour leadership to return to the “barricades,” JAF argued that the enthronement of anti-poor and neo-liberal policies, as advised by the World Bank and IMF by successive governments had foisted mass poverty, unemployment and a large number of out-of-school-children on the country.
The statement partly read: “The Symposium noted that given that the organised Labour unfortunately backed down from a planned general strike to resist the criminal hike in petrol price imposed under the guise of subsidy removal, on June 6th, the insensitive regime has become more emboldened to intensify the assault on the people with other punitive measures, such as the devaluation of naira as well as the plan to increase fees at public tertiary institutions something cloaked in a scam presented as students’ loan scheme.
“There is also plan to again increase electricity tariff and thereby making Nigerians to pay more for poor service. Hence, it is apt that the theme of the symposium is “The Deepening Socio-Economic Crisis in Nigeria: Which Way Forward?”
“The hybrid symposium was attended, in-person and online, and drew speakers and interventions from across the country. In addition to a call on the labour leadership to return to the barricades, the Symposium resolved on a strategy of mass struggle and the necessity for JAF to, independently and in collaboration with other coalitions of pro-masses organisations, begin the mass mobilization of Nigerians in communities, workplaces, markets and campuses for resistance against the neo-liberal attacks of the Tinubu administration.”
It added, “In effect the program of actions means the following: Replication of symposium/ Mass meeting for mass sensitisation, education and mobilisation for mass resistance across the country.
“Resuscitation of, or seeking, collaboration work with different organisations of working people, professional bodies, artisans, women, youth groups and community associations fighting against attacks.
“Mass activities in communities and campuses. Reaching out to pro-masses organisations and left coalitions for a united struggle against anti-poor policies and economic hardship.
“Sustaining a principled working relationship with organised Labour, including individual trade unions, and reaching out directly to the rank and file workers at workplaces!”
The group further noted that it would work with others for the declaration, commencement of struggle to defeat all the inimical policies of exploitation, injustice, debts enslavement, Naira devaluation, among others, and to struggle for the enthronement of a just system.
“It is only a just system that can ensure that the wealth of the country is judiciously used to benefit the majority working population (formal and informal sectors) and the oppressed poor.
“Educate others now, organise with others now & be prepared to join others for mass action now and let’s the message of resistance echo & re-echo.”
Credit: SaharaReporters
