The Trade Union Congress has given President Muhammadu Buhari a seven days ultimatum to tackle issues affecting Nigerians or have workers to contend with.
The union stated its position in a letter to President Buhari on Monday by its President, Quadri Olaleye, and Secretary-General, Musa Lawal. M. Ozigi.
The TUC listed the issues for resolution within seven days as including the increase in the pump price of petrol and tariff increase for electricity.
The letter reads:
14th September 2020
His Excellency
President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Nigerian Presidential Complex
Aso Rock Presidential Villa
Abuja
Your Excellency,
WE CANNOT BEAR THE BURDEN ANY LONGER, ISSUANCE OF SEVEN DAYS ULTIMATUM!!!
We bring you warm greetings from the National Executive Council of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and write this letter to draw your Excellency’s attention once again to earlier communication on the following SALIENT issues.
We have observed the gradual and steady annihilation of Nigeria and Nigerians in the light of government actions for the umpteenth time. Some of the issues that have become worrisome to the working class, their families, and the masses include:
I. Sudden Increase in petroleum Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) Products pump price without any definitive and concrete efforts to make our refineries functional, which has a devastating multiplier effect on the working people and their families.
II. Increase in Electricity TARIFFS without proper consultation and consideration of the effect of COVID– 19, commensurate electricity supply, non-provision of prepaid meters, and other biting economic realities.
III. Non-implementation of the negotiated National Minimum Wage by most of the state governments, and the federal government’s inability to create and sustain salary date and calendar to ensure transparency.
IV. Corruption in government agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the Federal Ministry of Health over failure to explain and lack of transparency on how funds received in the fight against COVID-19 was spent among others.
V. Loss of jobs across the industries, high cost of living and, businesses not moving in the light of the effects of Covid-19.
VI. Palliative that never got to those that needed them etc.
The TUC at the just-concluded meeting of its organs have thus resolved as follows:
The government should take immediate steps to:
a) Reverse the hike in prices as it affects Electricity, Petrol, and all other social services in the country to status quo ante (prior to increase) within (7) SEVEN DAYS.
b) Provide adequate and quality healthcare and education for all to save the poor and the vulnerable at all levels.
YOUR EXCELLENCY, WE CAN NO LONGER BEAR THE BURDEN OF THESE AVOIDABLE PROBLEMS
These demands are made in good faith, and to save the dying masses and the vulnerable in our society. In the event of not showing empathy for this class of people by adhering to the above demands, we shall, together with our Civil Societies and allies, sympathetic to the suffering masses of our people commence an indefinite industrial action and national protest from Wednesday 23rd September 2020.
