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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) says it is monitoring the current fuel scarcity situation in the country and engaging with some stakeholders to enable it make emergency decisions.
The Congress disclosed this in a press briefing held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Addressing journalists, TUC President, Quadri Olaleye said the Congress’ National Executive Council (NEC) has mandated him to take an urgent decision on the matter, noting that the decision could either be a strike action or protest.
He said, “On the issue of the fuel scarcity which is happening at the moment. I will refer to our last meeting in which most of you were present. The National Executive Council took a decision and mandated the president and NAT members to take an urgent decision or an emergency decision, whatever is required.
“At the moment, we are watching, we are monitoring and doing some engagements for us to be able to take emergency decisions and when labour takes an emergency decision, you know what it means it is either strike or protest. So we are not totally out of that. You can see that even what they are using to investigate the man-made problem is part of the funds meant for the Nigerian workers.
Olaleye further revealed that the Union had decided to play an active role in the 2023 General Elections by contesting for power for the good of Nigerians.
“The purpose of this meeting is to inform Nigerians and all genuine progressives that the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) having assessed our political trajectory as a country and the pains occasioned by policies of government at various levels, abuse and neglect of the country’s human and natural resources, threatening unemployment, insecurity, almost N40tn debt, devaluation of the naira, subsidy bruhaha, have decided to play an active role in the 2023 General Elections.
“In one of his incontrovertible quotes, South African sage, the late Desmond Tutu said “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” We are at a critical time in this country and the silence of the organized labour can no longer be said to be golden. If we miss it at this time, the damage will be too grave to bear.
To this effect, the Congress at its National Executive Council (NEC) in Asaba, the Delta State capital early last year constituted a Political Commission whose core responsibility is to provide a platform for workers to canvass for good governance, economic and social justice in Nigeria. A comprehensive Political Education Programme to achieve the mandate has been designed and we are assiduously working towards that.
He said the Congress in a few weeks would also be organizing a Roundtable engagement that would commence the process of mobilising workers and like-mind political actors for political alternative to leadership problem in Nigeria, provide a platform for active political engagement of workers and retirees, as well as broaden the conversation on the need to change the leadership recruitment process in Nigeria.
“In a few days from now, the Congress will be organizing a ‘Roundtable’ that would bring people of common interest and values together with the aim of articulating positions on how the organised labour in Nigeria can actively participate in the democratic process and provide solution to various perennial social-economic and political challenges in democratic governance.
“As a key and leading actor in the struggle for democracy during the military rule, organised labour and other pro-labour social movements are better equipped through engagement with other genuine change seeking Nigerians to provide the political and leadership alternative the Nigeria masses deserve for transformative governance. The organised Labour is capable of enthroning Social Democracy in Nigeria. We can bring governance closer to the people. It has become glaring that constant labour agitations either in form of street protest or strike action cannot guarantee decent work, good governance and social justice in a political environment that is self-serving and insensitive to the plight of the workers and citizens in general.
“We have come to a point where we can no longer afford to keep quiet on issues that bother on our collective existence. At this juncture, the word of Noble Laurette, Prof. Wole Soyinka comes to mind here: “The man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny”. Therefore, we have left our traditional shell to come into the open to contest for power for the good of Nigerians.” He added.
