THE Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has resolved that its affiliates will not participate in the nationwide national protest being organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against federal government’s planned total removal of subsidy on petrol scheduled to hold January 27, 2022 across the country and February 1, 2022 in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
Although the TUC, the second labour centre in Nigeria, was vague on the decision in the communiqué of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Saturday, January 22, 2022, which was made available to National Record shortly after the end of the meeting on Saturday evening, our correspondents however gathered that at the plenaries of the NEC meeting and earlier at its meeting of the National Administrative Council (NAC), members of the two organs expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that the NLC did not carry the TUC leadership along before resolving to schedule dates for the protests.
Reliable sources at the meetings of the NAC and NEC of TUC told National Record that the decision of the two organs was unanimous as members were peeved by the manner in which the TUC was informed of the protest.
According to one of our sources at the NAC, a principal member of the organ addressed the meeting saying that unlike previous engagements between the NLC, TUC and civil society allies of organised labour where major decisions on national contestations, though usually initiated by NLC but were always communicated and jointly and agreed upon before being made public, the NLC has for some time now solely decided on the impending protest before it “casually informed the TUC” to join as if the second labour centre were its affiliate.
The source said this was not the case in past collaborations between the two centres, especially in the leaderships of Comrades Adams Oshiomhole and Abdulwahed Omar, even though the TUC was conscious of the superior strength of the NLC on matters of championing pro-people policies and leading national protests or resistance against anti-people policies of government.
The opinion and logic in the argument of the highly placed NAC member, our source said, swayed other members of the NAC such that when the matter was tabled at the NEC meeting, it got unanimous endorsement where members were said to have observed that the TUC cannot and should not expend its resources and time on an agenda that is not determined by members.
TUC President vague, but confirms decisions
When contacted on Sunday evening, President of TUC, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, was not categorical on the discussion and subsequent decision said to have been taken.
When asked if the TUC was pulling out of the protests because it was not happy with the manner in which it was informed of the decision to embark on the national protests against the removal of subsidy, Comrade Olaleye told National Record that he was not aware of that decision, describing the question as “side talk.”
He however vaguely confirmed the information when he stated that the TUC resolved to follow upon its decision earlier taken on the matter.
“I am not aware of that side talk. We took our decision as TUC and we are going to follow it up. Are you getting me now? NLC declared protests and they are going to follow it up and so TUC is going to follow its own decision. You can see that our decision is different. We are saying these are the conditions if the government will remove it [subsidy]; we are not against government removing it [subsidy], are you getting me now? But we are stating those conditions we have pre-agreed in NEC and the NEC-in-Council, being an authority – that the President and the NAC can take decisions on emergency when they require that although we have given an open ticket to government to discuss. So our decisions differ and each of the two labour centres will follow their own decisions,” Comrade Olaleye said.
When asked to emphatically say if the TUC was not going to be part of the protests, Comrade Olaleye said: “But we didn’t say in our communiqué that we are joining NLC Protests. We only asked our own members to mobilise and get ready on when instruction will be given.” He said the TUC will decide steps to take when the government deviates from already agreed terms and the conditions which he said were spelt out in the NEC communiqué.
The communiqué
Below is the full text of the communiqué:
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING OF THE TRADE UNION CONGRESS OF NIGERIA (TUC) HELD ON 22ND JANUARY, 2022 AT ABUJA, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY
Preamble
The National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) took place on 22nd January, 2022 at the Conference Hall, Chida Hotel, Jabi, Abuja.
The President of the Congress, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, FCIA, MNIM in his opening remarks welcomed NEC members to the august organ meeting of the Congress. He thanked the Almighty God for a new year and prayed that the Congress will be more prosperous and victorious this year. The President urged members present to make issue-based contributions and suggestions that will impact positively on the welfare of Nigerian Workers and the overall development of the country.
He informed NEC members that the outbreak of Omicron virus has posed more danger to public health globally, hence, the need for members of the Congress to continue to observe all COVID-19 safety protocols. Comrade Quadri Olaleye in his remarks also charged members of the Congress and their families to be security conscious and ensure personal safety at all times.
The National Executive Council-in-Session after exhaustive discussions on the agenda of the meeting and consideration of various reports presented by appropriate organs of the Congress observed and resolved as follows:
- NEC-in-Session in discussing the State of the Nation observed with serious concern the worrisome economic situation and the rising cost of living in the country
- NEC-in-Session observed the perennial state of insecurity across the country which has continued to threaten security of lives, livelihood and properties of the Nigerian citizens across the country.
- The proposed final removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and payment of palliatives to forty millions extremely poor Nigerians also attracted the attention of the NEC-in- Session with a lot of reservations and critical analyses.
- The need for economic diversification with main focus on agricultural production was noted by NEC-in- Session as a panacea to economic recovery and national transformation capable of generating mass employment.
- NEC-in- Session observed with dismay the ongoing job loss and financial insolvency in some electricity distribution companies in Nigeria. NEC-in- Session was particularly worried about issues associated with the privatisation of the Power sector.
Resolutions
NEC-in- Session after exhaustive deliberations, resolved as follows:
- Federal and State Governments should put in place measures to ameliorate the suffering of the people through food security and infrastructural development.
- The Proposal by National Council of State on the final removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) as from June 2022 should take into consideration the attendant economic impact on the masses. There must be assurances that refineries are fully overhauled and establishment of modular refineries encouraged.
- While acknowledging the giant stride in rice production through various interventions of the Buhari’s administration, the Federal Government should ensure that price of rice in the market become affordable to the common man in order to justify the rice revolution policy of the administration.
- Federal Government must exhibit political will in its economic diversification programmes with major focus on agricultural production. The development of the agricultural value chain can create mass employment and put the country on the path of economic recovery and prosperity.
- The privatisation of the power sector should be reviewed since the contracts have expired to ensure viability, job security and effectiveness of the sector.
- NEC-in-Session insist that Federal Government MUST ensure that the conditions precedent put forward by the TUC on the deregulation of the downstream such as; the revitalization of existing refineries, establishment of new ones including modular refineries, effective policing of boarders to stem the rate of petroleum products smuggling, e t c are implemented.
- NEC-in-Session enjoined Congress members nation-wide to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and ensure active participation in the democratic process ahead of 2023 general elections. Members are also urged to support the Political Commission of the Congress in creating groundswell awareness for providing leadership alternatives that deliver on democratic dividends and transformative governance to the people.
- Finally, NEC-in-Session has mandated the Congress led by the President to take all necessary steps to ensure that these conditions are met before SUBSIDY is removed. Consequently, NEC-in-Session directs State Councils and affiliates to commence mobilisation of members for industrial actions against SUBSIDY removal without Government fulfilling conditions precedent.
Comrade Quadri Olaleye, FCA, MNIM Comr. (Barr.) Musa-Lawal M. Ozigi, mni
President Secretary General
