The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has not yet made a final decision regarding its participation in the nationwide strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) scheduled for September 5th. TUC’s President, Comrade Festus Osifo, and Secretary-General, Nuru Toro, issued a joint statement announcing their uncertainty.
In their statement, TUC emphasized that they currently see no immediate need for a nationwide strike and called for intensified dialogue between labor leaders and the government to address the identified issues and reach a resolution within the specified timeframe.
The decision to withhold participation in the strike was made during TUC’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on September 3, 2023. The meeting covered various topics, including the palliatives provided by the federal government and some state governments.
Osifo explained that the NEC recognized the efforts of the NLC leadership in engaging with the government, resulting in the federal government approving financial assistance to the states. However, TUC believes that the released funds are insufficient to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.
The NEC commended the NLC’s position on this matter and directed its leadership to continue engaging with the government to secure additional palliatives, with a particular focus on monitoring their distribution to prevent diversion.
Furthermore, the NEC observed that many state governments had not contributed significant palliatives from their own resources beyond the federal government’s interventions. TUC has been actively engaging with the Nigeria Governors Forum to advocate for increased state-level interventions to address the challenges facing Nigerians.
In summary, TUC’s decision regarding participation in the strike is contingent on ongoing discussions with the government and the need for further dialogues and actions to resolve the issues affecting Nigeria’s workforce and citizens.
