By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Police in Republic of Benin have fired teargas to disperse protest over the cost-of-living, which was called at the instance of trade unions.
Several senior union leaders were also arrested during the demonstration on Saturday, witnesses and officials have said.
The heavily armed policemen blocked access to the labour council in the commercial capital Cotonou, surrounding the area where the demonstration was meant to take place and turning away journalists and activists.
While some protesters summoned courage to assemble nearby, carrying placards with various inscriptions, and wearing union T-shirts, the police fired teargas to disperse them.
Moudassirou Bachabi, who heads the General Confederation of Workers of Benin (CGTB), and Anselme Amoussou, head of union CSA-Benin, were arrested alongside 16 other demonstrators, according to CGTB deputy general secretary Anita Bossoukpe.
“I have been here since 6am and the entrance was already blocked,” Bossoukpe said.
She continues, “We are all hungry. I received my salary on the 22nd, at this moment I don’t even have 500 CFA francs ($0.82) and I have to get through the month, which has barely started.”
Reuters quoted another protester Clemence Akinocho, of saying that the cost of food staples was too high in the West African country.
“We didn’t come here to fight or to cause trouble, but we came and saw that the police outnumbered us,” she said.
The guaranteed minimum salary in Benin is 52,000 CFA francs ($85) per month, up from 40,000 CFA francs ($65) in January 2023.
Several African countries have in recent times battled high cost-of-living, excarcebated by the war in Ukraine that has entered its second year.
Kyiv serves as major source for grains serving several African countries, including the West African sub-region.
In Kenya, the United Nations reported that at least 23 people were killed in clashes between police and citizens who were protesting high cost-of-living, although the government disputed this figure.
The accused President William Ruto of failing in his campaign promises of alleviating poverty and hunger, instead introduced a tax regime that further sank the people into poverty.
In Nigeria, protest has in recent times hit major cities over increasing cost of living amidst galloping inflation. Several South West states and some states in Northern region saw protesters hit the street, urging President Bola Tinubu to halt to increasing cost of staple foods.
Nigeria’s inflation rate rose to 29.90% in January 2024, from 28.92% in December 2023. This is the highest it has been in two decades.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliate, Trade Union Congress (TUC) have repeatedly threatened to down tool over poor minimum wage standing at N30,000, calling for an upward review.
The government has urged for patience as it works out new minimum wage in coming days.
