The Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Monday advised President Bola Tinubu to consult widely before taking any decision on the removal of the petrol subsidy.
Tinubu, had in his inaugural address to the nation, announced that he would remove petrol subsidy.
But the Trade Union Congress, in a statement on Monday signed by Festus Osifo and Nuhu Toro, President and Secretary-General, respectively, advised the president to reconsider the issue.
The TUC advised the government “not to dictate on such a matter or engage in manipulating the outcome of such consultations”, stressing that it was ready to dialogue on the issue.
“We dare say that this is a very delicate issue that touches on the lives, if not very survival of, particularly the working people, hence ought to have been treated with the utmost caution.
“Also, it should have been preceded by robust dialogue and consultation with representatives of the working people including professionals, market people, students and the poor masses.
“Accordingly, we hereby demand that President Tinubu should tarry a while, to give room for robust dialogue, consultation and stakeholders engagement, just as he opined in his speech, until all issues and questions – and there is a host of them – to ensure that they are amicably considered and resolved.
“Nigerian workers and indeed masses must not be made to suffer the inefficiency of successive governments,” the union said.
It expressed concern over the president’s failure to reveal his plans on how to tackle and address the issue of poor and unchecked deterioration in industrial relations, particularly in the education, health and judiciary sectors.
TUC said that the planned removal of subsidy had often resulted in a prolonged strike and industrial actions with attendant adverse effects on society and the economy.
“A case in point is the current nationwide strike by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU).
“If there is anything for the administration to hurriedly address from day one in office, it’s the abysmal N30,000 minimum wage that has since been eroded by the problematic monetary and fiscal policies of the government.”
TUC said it was encouraged by the new government’s promise to engage in job creation, food security and end extreme poverty.
The union urged the government to engage organised labour, employers of labour, professional organisations and the informal sector. (GBN)
