By Daniel Edu
Festus Osifo, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), expressed the union’s weariness with the promises made by the Ministry of Labour to implement their demands promptly.
The TUC had called for wage awards for civil servants to alleviate the hardship resulting from fuel subsidy removal, tax exemptions for certain categories of workers, and the establishment of structures for the effective implementation of palliatives from the federal government.
In their last meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, TUC received assurances that the government would soon conclude the wage awards issue. Minister Lalong also urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) not to proceed with its planned indefinite strike.
However, Osifo, during an interview on Channels TV, emphasized that the union now seeks concrete actions.
He stated, “In the last meeting we had with the Ministry of Labour, they told us the same thing that the president was out of the country and when he comes back they believe that he will make the pronouncement.
“But I saw it this morning that he said the pronouncement will come soon but again we are really tired of soon, we want a definite pronouncement, we want a definite solution to this lingering issue.
“At the end of the day, we have been hearing dates, we have been hearing it will come today, tomorrow or next tomorrow, we are relatively tired of promises, all we want is action.
“Nigerians are tired of a lot of meetings, lots of promises, what we want is concrete action, so we are tired of promises and promises.”
