..,Warns against anti-industrial policies
By Chukwuma Umeorah
The National President of the Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA), Rufus Olusesan, has called on the Federal Government to urgently revive the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill to facilitate the production of essential raw materials like aluminium and copper at affordable prices, which are critical to the survival of Nigeria’s industrial sector.
Speaking at the 2025 Annual Industrial Relations Conference held in Ogun State recently,, Olusesan emphasized that the continued abandonment of Ajaokuta was a major setback to Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic independence.
“The moribund Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mills, which is supposed to be the bedrock of industrialization, should be revived for production of aluminium and copper of a cheaper and affordable prices,” he stated.
He also rallied industry players, including the Cable Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CAMAN), to unite against what he described as “anti-industrialization policies of government,” notably multiple taxation and the incessant increase in customs and excise duties, which he said are choking local manufacturers and driving companies to collapse.
“If we want to keep our jobs, the unions, CAMAN, and other groups of employers of labour must join hands to resist anti-industrialization policies of the government such as multiple taxation, incessant increase of customs and excise duty,” he urged.
Olusesan lamented that the economic hardship facing the country—exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidy, the floating of the naira, and the hike in electricity tariffs has not spared the industry. Many firms, he said, now operate far below capacity, while others have shut down completely.
“The full-blown implementation of neo-liberal economic policies of the present government has further worsened our working conditions. Those companies that are still in business are struggling to survive as the purchasing power of the people is eroded,” he said.
He described the increase in telecom tariffs by 50 percent and categorization of electricity tariffs as further evidence of insensitivity, adding that “the nation is going through a very difficult period.”
In a broader national context, the union leader condemned what he termed the extravagant lifestyle of the political elite, contrasting it with the deepening poverty and misery facing ordinary Nigerians.
“The political ruling elite have even heightened their opulent lifestyle at the expense of public funds,” Olusesan said. “The government subsidizes the 2024 Hajj with billions of naira but cannot subsidize basic needs like electricity, fuel, and agriculture—this is shameful.”
On industrial relations, the PERESSA President highlighted the union’s progress in reviving dormant internal structures. Since taking office in 2022, he noted, the union has successfully signed a procedural agreement and is nearing conclusion on a National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) agreement to address sectoral minimum wage and welfare.
“It is our ultimate goal to lay the foundation for an improved union with better protection of rights of members with fair wages and allowances, improved working conditions and access to social dialogue,” Olusesan affirmed.
This is even as he stressed the importance of capacity-building in industrial harmony, saying, “Management must invest in the training of union leaders and workers, as this, among other harmonious working relationships, will no doubt reduce friction between management and workers.”
While commending the Centre for Advanced Management Studies, University of Ibadan, for partnering with the union on this year’s seminar themed “Negotiation Skills and Collective Bargaining Strategies with Trade Union in Nigeria”, he concluded with a defiant tone against what he described as the oppressive direction of the country’s leadership.
“The struggle continues, as we shall never surrender to neo-liberal forces and their local collaborators,” he declared.