Workers Protest Over FG’s Ban On Generator

Protesters at the Lagos Statte House of Assembly, Ikeja
Artisans and traders under the aegis of Federation of Informal Workers Organisation Of Nigeria have staged a protest to the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa over Federal Government ban on small generators popularly called ‘i pass my neighbour generator’.
It will be recalled that the federal government recently imposed a ban on generators, citing air pollution and destruction of lungs and breathing system as reasons for the action.
Protesters who spoke with Greenews.ng correspondent expressed their displeasure about the turn of events regarding ban on importation of the generators into the country.
The Chairman of the Federation of Informal Workers Organization of Nigeria, Lagos state chapter, Comrade Jacob Omonije Fayehun said they are protesting against the Federal Government over the ban on generators, stressing that the generating set is their source of livelihood as it is critical to their businesses.
In his words, “we were protesting against the Federal Government for banning small Generators, ‘I Pass My Neighbour’. That what we the informal sector use. That’s what we depend on in feeding our Family. Barber, Tailor, Hair dresser, and so on”.
Fayehun, who also doubles as the Lagos State Chairman of the Nigerian Automobile Technician Association (NATA) said, members of his association cannot afford the big generators to use for their businesses. He said it was unfair on Informal worker and insensitive for the government to ban the small generators from accessing the Nigerian market.
“We cannot afford big generators. Banning the small Generators in the country is unfair to the informal workers.
The General Secretary of the Union, Gbenga Komolafe told Greennews.ng that the elites are not giving jobs to the informal workers. He decried the clamour for foreign expatriates in the Nigerian labour market at the expense of qualified local artisans and technicians.
“The bone of contention here is the ban on small generators. We are not happy that the big business men like Dangote, private developers and the rest of them are not making use of qualified artisans and technicians like welders, Carpenters etc. They prefer to import Indians and Chinese to come and do the work that Nigerians are qualified to do at a time we are complaining of lack of Job in the country.
“This is supposed to be democracy and are our leaders are supposed to represent us. We take this up so that there could be remedy, Komolafe said....