NIGERIA’s second trade union centre, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) may decide to embark on strike if the prevailing nationwide scarcity of petrol persists in the next few days.
Comrade Mohammad Yunusa, TUC’s National Treasurer, disclosed this while speaking with journalists on Sunday during the delegates conference of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies.
“We will soon direct workers to stop going to work if the challenge of fuel scarcity across the country persists for the next few days,” Comrade Yunusa said, adding that President Buhari should identify those behind the importation of dirty fuel.
“The congress also demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari should swing into action by identifying and punishing those who caused the scarcity that has brought untold hardship upon Nigerians. The union’s position is very clear. Those who caused this scarcity should be identified and punished very well.
“The position of SSAS CGOC is that workers should stop going to work until there is enough fuel to take them to work.
“This is the way to do it. We are waiting for our centre to respond to our position but our position in SSASCGOC is that there is no need to go to work and when there is regular supply, then we will start going to work,” he added.
TUC yet to decide directive to stay away from work
But the National Secretariat of TUC has stated that Comrade Yunusa’s comment does not translate to a decision of the TUC, but the personal views of one of its officers who spoke on the side-line of his association’s conference.
When contacted by National Record and asked if the comment by TUC’s National Treasurer was the decision of the labour centre, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi, TUC’s Secretary General, stated that no organ of the TUC has decided on embarking on strike or directing workers tostay away from work over the scarcity of fuel.
Comrade Ozigi however acknowledged that it was possible and that when such a time comes, the relevant organs will meet and take the necessary decision. “I think he [Yunusa] was just expressing his views or the opinion of his union when he made the comment at the delegates conference. As far as I know, the TUC has not taken any such decision. It is a possible step we may take, but we have not met, let alone decide on such course of action,” the TUC Secretary General told our reporter.
