TUC Gives FG 7-Day Ultimatum To Reverse Petroleum Price, Electricity Tariff
By UDO ONYEKA
Trade Union Congress, TUC, has asked the federal government to reverse
sudden increase in Prices of petroleum products and hike in electricity tariff.
TUC in a press statement signed by Comrade Quadri Olaleye, President and Comrade Musa Lawal. M. Ozigi , Secretary General said these demands are made in good faith, and to save the dying masses and the vulnerable in our society.
According to TUC in the event of not showing empathy for this class of people by adhering to above demands, we shall, together with the 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.
In letter to President Muhammad Buhari, TUC said, ” we 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: 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. 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.
TUC in the letter mentioned the Non implementation of the negotiated National Minimum Wage by most of the state governments, and federal government’s inability to create and sustain salary date and calendar to ensure transparency,
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.
Also TUC said ” Loss of jobs across the industries, high cost of living and, businesses not moving in the light of the effects of Covid-19 and palliative that never got to those that needed them”.
