The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has said the need has not arisen for it to join the proposed nationwide strike being called by the Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday, September 5, for some obvious reasons.
President of TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, gave this position on Monday, in a statement jointly signed by his Secretary General, Nuru Toro.
The Nigeria Labour Congress has recommended a Nationwide strike for Tuesday, September 5, but the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has stated that it is not necessary for it to participate for a number of obvious reasons.
Comrade Festus Osifo, President of the TUC, stated this view on Monday in a statement that was also jointly signed by Nuru Toro, his Secretary General.
“As of today, the need to embark on a nationwide strike hasn’t arisen; the leadership of congress should intensify the conversation with the government so that all grey areas identified could be ironed out within the time frame given, beyond which we cannot guarantee industrial harmony,” TUC simply stated.
He claimed that the TUC’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on September 3, 2023, would determine whether or not the TUC would participate in the strike.
Osifo reported that the group spent a lot of time discussing a variety of topics, especially the different palliatives that the federal government and several state governments had so far implemented.
The federal government approved the payment of $5 billion to each state of the federation, with 52% of that amount going as a grant and 48% going as a loan, after the NEC took cursory note of the leadership of congress’s efforts to engage the government visibly.
Osifo claimed that the congress leadership has subsequently stated that the amount released was egregiously insufficient to lessen the pains being experienced by Nigerians.
He said that NEC in session supported their stance and gave its leadership instructions to further engage the government in providing additional palliatives. He also claimed that deliveries of these medications needed to be closely watched to prevent diversion.