TUC Gives FG Another Week To Act On Demands

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has given the Federal Government another week to act on its demands or risk an industrial action just as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had also threatened.

Briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, after a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, TUC President Festus Osifo said the congress was tired of holding endless meetings and wanted definite pronouncements from President Bola Tinubu on its demands.

He also clarified what seemed to be a division between the NLC and the TUC, maintaining that there were no cracks in their ranks.

The labour minister assured the union that the Federal Government was making efforts to address their concerns.

“I had the privilege of meeting with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress once again, marking the second time in as many weeks. My purpose was to personally update them on the efforts that the Federal Government has been making to address their concerns since our last meeting,” he said in a post on X.

“In the company of Minister of State Hon. Nkeiruka Onyeajeocha, I spoke to the TUC members, explaining that following our previous meeting, I had a conversation with the President. During this discussion, I emphasized the critical issues raised by the labor union.

“I implored the TUC to exercise patience, sharing that, before the President’s departure for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he was fully briefed on the matters at hand. Furthermore, he provided clear directives on how to proceed with the issues, especially after his personal interaction with labor leaders.”

Tuesday’s meeting followed a similar meeting held wherein the union gave the government a two-week window to address the impasse.

It was reported that both parties reached an agreement to allow the government to attend to their demands within two weeks.

The issues to be addressed within the two weeks included wage awards for federal civil servants, tax exemption for some categories of workers, as well as setting up structures for the effective implementation of the palliatives from the Federal Government.