TUC Charges FG to End Fuel, Currency Scarcity

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

As concerns continues to mount over the fuel and currency shortages in the country, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has asked the federal government to do something urgently to normalise the situation or be ready to face legitimate response from the workers.
It said at end of its 7-day ultimatum to the federal government to restore normalcy, the union would take all legal means to compel remedial action by the authorities.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, TUC president, Festus Osifoh, noted that for many days now Nigerian populace have not been able to pay for basic needs including food, medicines, clothes and transportation
“This is nothing but a calamity of epic proportions. We have never had it so bad, never have our populace been made to attack banks, strip in banking halls or threaten to commit suicide inside financial houses because they cannot have access to their hard earned money,” he said.
Osifoh said the union had vowed not to allow the nightmare to continue and has started engaging the relevant authorities to quickly bring the situation under control.

“We are not going to come out to protest. We said we are going to engage from all our organs and all our stakeholders we will have an engagement on the best way forward
“We are worried and wish to note that smaller denomination of N100 notes and N50 notes were not affected by the Naira redesign, but paradoxically not in circulation anywhere in the country.

“Again, the lengthy explanations on why there are long queues at fuel stations and prices of PMS being far above the official price can no longer be tolerated. All we demand is that petrol returns to fuel stations and is available at the official price across the country.

“As we have often stated, the answer to the fuel shortage question, is the local refining of our petroleum product needs. Local refining would add value to our crude oil, provide local jobs, and not only save us foreign exchange, but would enable us earn far more income.”
When asked if the union and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) were still supporting the Labour Party Presidential, Mr. Peter Obi, the TUC president said that the two labour centres have already directed their members to vote for the candidate.

However, Osifoh said that TUC would want to politicize the present Naira note crisis.
“We have activated all our state councils and they were part of all the rallies. They have been working together, no doubt about that. But that should not be misconstrued with the purpose that we are here today, for we are here to assure Nigerians and give them message that we are solidly behind them and that we are with them,” he said.

Also Osifoh advised government to obey the Supreme Court interim order so as not to give room to anarchy in the land.
He also urged the Council of States to intervene and help broker a solution to the crisis.
“No matter how bitter a judgment could be, no matter how nice a judgment could be, no matter how you feel, that Oh, no, this judgment could have gone the other way. So irrespective of what your opinion is, the Supreme Court of Nigeria remains the Supreme Court of Nigeria and their decision. is final,” he said.