PeakNews Online
ABUJA – The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has vowed to embark on a nationwide strike, citing the unbearable economic hardship faced by Nigerians following the recent hike in telecommunications tariffs.
TUC President, Festus Osifo, made this declaration while appearing on Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, blaming the tariff increase on poor foreign exchange management by the federal government.
Government Blamed for Economic Instability
Osifo acknowledged that telecom companies are operating in a difficult economic environment, but he insisted that the government must take responsibility for stabilizing the economy to ease the cost of doing business.
“Government has the tools and wherewithal to manage the landscape to ensure that the cost of doing business goes down. And one of the ways is that exchange rate, because that is the root cause of the problem,” he said.
He stressed that the TUC had been warning about the dangers of a weak naira since early 2023, arguing that better exchange rate management would prevent unnecessary price hikes across sectors.
TUC’s Plan for Industrial Action
When asked about the next course of action, Osifo revealed that TUC’s leadership had already begun consultations.
“The NAC (National Administrative Council) met today. Next, we’ll have the Central Working Committee meeting, and finally, the NEC (National Executive Council) will make the final decision,” he explained.
Confirming that the union will proceed with an industrial action, he added:
“Absolutely. We will down tools and go to the streets.”
The NEC of the TUC is expected to announce the strike date in the coming days.
Potential Disruptions to Key Sectors
With TUC members playing crucial roles in vital sectors, including oil and gas, power, and transportation, a strike could have severe consequences on Nigeria’s already struggling economy.
The warning follows growing public discontent over rising inflation, a weakening naira, and increasing costs of essential services.
As tensions mount, all eyes are now on the federal government to engage in urgent dialogue with labor leaders to prevent a nationwide shutdown.
Joe
