Fuel Subsidy Remover: It’s A Joke Taken too far, TUC Challenges Tinubu
*Says It Expects President to be Wise on Sensitive Matters
The Trade Union Congress on Tuesday said it expected President Bola Tinubu to be wiser in taking decisions over some matters considered to be sensitive. The TUC, in a message to the president, said while being glad over a smooth transition to another administration, the Congress was taken aback by what it call the “unilateral” pronouncement of the president on the issue of fuel subsidy.
“We congratulate Nigerians and the new administration at all levels even as we urge all those contesting the election results across the board to keep following the rule of law as provided in the constitutional and electoral act in seeking redress,” TUC stated
It said however that while listening to Tinubus’s Inaugural Address, “we were at first encouraged, by his pledge to lead as a servant of the people (and not as a ruler) and to always consult and dialogue, especially on key and knotty national issues.”
TUC said its members were horrified, when he announced the withdrawal of subsidy on petroleum products, if by this, he means increases in pump price and the exploitation of the people by unregulated and exploitative deregulated prices, then it’s a joke taken too far.
“It is not for nothing the Buhari government pushed this to the new administration, but we expect the Tinubu government to be wise on such a sensitive issue and be more explicit in its pronouncement
to avoid contradictory interpretation when comparing his written statement, what he said and the provision in 2023 appropriation act,” the statement signed by Comrade Festus Usifo, President and Nuhu Toro, Secretary General.
See the Details of the statement Below:
We dare say that this is a very delicate issue that touches on the lives, if not very survival, of particularly the working people, hence ought to have been treated with utmost caution, and should have been preceded by robust dialogue and consultation with, the representatives of the working people, including professionals, market people, students and the poor masses.
Accordingly, we hereby demand that President Tinubu should tarry awhile to give room for robust dialogue and consultation and stakeholders engagement, just as he opined in his speech until all issues and questions – and there are a host of them! – to ensure that they are amicably considered and resolved. Nigerian Workers and indeed mases must not be made to suffer the inefficiency of successive governments.
We are also worried that in his speech President Tinubu failed to delve into or reveal his plans on how to tackle and address the issue of poor and unchecked deterioration in industrial relations, particularly in the education, health and judiciary sectors, often resulting in prolonged strike and Industrial actions and their attendant adverse effects on society and the economy. A case in point is the current nationwide strike by JOHESU. If there was anything for the administration to hurriedly address from day one in office, it’s the abysmal N30,000 minimum wage that has since been eroded by the problematic monetary and fiscal policies of government.
The Labour Movement is open and ready to dialogue with the Tinubu administration on the fuel subsidy issue and we urge it in the interest of the country and its people not to dictate on such a matter or engage in manipulating the outcome of such consultations.
The TUC identifies with the new government’s declaration that it will defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten peace and stability.
