The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has linked the high inflation rate, widespread food insecurity, unaffordable education, epileptic power supply, weakened agricultural system and unsustainable borrowing culture to policy failures by the Federal Government.
Stating that the realities on the ground are grim, the Congress said they are not just about policy failures but also symptoms of a system that has failed its people.
TUC National President, Festus Osifo, said this during the First Quadrennial State Delegates’ Conference of the Lagos State Council, where he called on the government to take urgent and concrete steps to alleviate the burden of the masses.
Citing statistics from the World Bank that 56 per cent of Nigerians are living below the poverty line, he said the Congress could no longer turn a blind eye to the worsening economic hardship facing the country.
According to him, millions of Nigerians are going through untold suffering, exacerbated by the lack of adequate social protection. Osifo, who was represented by the TUC Deputy Secretary, Olawunmi Jimoh, called on the unionists to rise to the occasion, speak truth to power and take decisive action when necessary.
Similarly, the TUC chief said the labour centre was alarmed by recent legislative moves aimed at removing labour from the exclusive legislative list and transferring it to the concurrent list.
Speaking unequivocally, he lamented that the proposed amendment was anti-worker, retrogressive, and a direct threat to the unity and strength of the Nigerian labour movement. He said the TUC strongly and categorically rejected the “dangerous bill” and would resist it with every lawful means at its disposal.
He equally urged that all state councils are placed on red alert and should be prepared to act promptly upon receiving directives from the national headquarters.
“We must defend the hard-won rights of Nigerian workers without hesitation.
“I urge the Lagos State Council and all our state chapters not to hesitate in escalating unresolved industrial issues to the national secretariat.
Where local mechanisms fall short, we shall intervene as a united front, employing robust engagement and determined advocacy to deliver justice and protect the welfare of workers.”
In his remarks, outgoing Chairman of the TUC Lagos State Council, Gbenga Ekundayo, described his tenure as a journey of “team spirit and unity of purpose.”
Ekundayo credited past leaders of the union for providing guidance and mentorship, noting that their continued commitment even after leaving office was a major highlight of his tenure.He also commended the Lagos State Government for maintaining a robust working relationship with the union.
“In the past three years, the relationship with the government has been good. Not that we agree all the time, but even when we disagree, we come with open minds to find solutions,” he said.
Delivering the keynote address, President of the Precision Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA), Sesan Rufus, emphasised the importance of independence and discipline in sustaining the labour movement.
Speaking on the theme, “Trade Union Independence and Discipline: The Shield of Workers’ Rights and Dignity”, Rufus said: “Independence is the lifeblood of trade unionism. Without it, unions lose their courage and their ability to represent workers’ true interests.”
