Nigeria: TUC gives govt. seven-day ultimatum to reverse petrol and electricity price hike

The National Executive Council of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) In a statement issued on Monday has said that the union together with other civil societies, allies would commence an indefinite industrial action and national protest from Wednesday, September 23.

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to reverse the recent increase in electricity tariff and hike in the petrol price. Saying Nigerians cannot bear the burden any longer.

According to the statement, 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.
• 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.
• Loss of jobs across the industries, high cost of living and, businesses not moving in the light of the effects of Covid-19. Palliative that never got to those that needed them, etc.

"These demands are made in good faith, and to save the dying masses and the vulnerable in our society. In the event of not showing empathy for this class of people by adhering to the above demands, we shall, together with our Civil Societies and allies, sympathetic to the suffering masses of our people commence an indefinite industrial action and national protest from Wednesday, September 23," the union added.