ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to hold on over the removal of fuel subsidy.
According to the Labour movement, the President couldn’t unilaterally announce the removal of the controversial petrol subsidy.
In a statement jointly signed by its President Festus Osifo and General Secretary Nuhu Toro, on Tuesday in Abuja, the TUC urged the President to tarry awhile as he engages in robust dialogue and consultation with stakeholders.
President Tinubu, during his inaugural address on Monday, announced that the subsidy would be removed.
The pronouncement by Tinubu has since generated reactions, with queues returning to filling stations in major cities in the country.
READ ALSO: Fuel Subsidy: It Is Neither A New Development Nor An Action Of This New Administration – Tinubu
The statement by the TUC reads: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC is delighted by the peaceful transition from the Buhari government to the Tinubu administration and across the 28 states of the federation. We congratulate Nigerians and the new administration at all levels, even as we urge all those contesting the election results across the board to keep following the rule of law as provided in the constitutional and electoral act in seeking redress.
“While listening to Tinubu’s Inaugural Address, we were at first encouraged by his pledge to lead as a servant of the people (and not as a ruler) and to always consult and dialogue, especially on key and knotty national issues. But we were subsequently taken aback, even horrified, when he announced the withdrawal of subsidy on petroleum products; if by this he means increases in pump price and the exploitation of the people by unregulated and exploitative deregulated prices, then it’s a joke taken too far.
“It is not for nothing the Buhari government pushed this to the new administration, but we expect the Tinubu government to be wise on such a sensitive issue and be more explicit in its pronouncement to avoid contradictory interpretation when comparing his written statement, what he said and the provision in 2023 appropriation act.
“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, and should have been preceded by robust dialogue and consultation with, the representatives of the working people, including professionals, market people, students and the poor masses.
“Accordingly, we hereby demand that President Tinubu should tarry awhile to give room for robust dialogue and consultation and stakeholders engagement, just as he opined in his speech, until all issues and questions – and there are 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.”