Count us out of planned nationwide protest over hardship - TUC

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), said that it has no plans to join the nationwide protest scheduled for Aug. 1 against economic hardship in the country.

Festus Osifo, TUC President said this at a news conference on State of the Nation on Thursday in Abuja.

Osifo said that the TUC would not be mobilising its members to join in the protest.

According to him, when you are having a protest you need to sit down, have a conversation, have meetings, you plan but as of today, nobody has reached out to us that they want to protest.

“Nobody has asked for our collaboration so how do you expect us to participate in a protest when we do not know who is organising it or even the institution,” he said.

He, however, called on the Inspector-General of Police (I-G) to ensure that the protest was not hijacked by hoodlums waiting to take advantage of the situation.

Osifo said that the Nigerian Police was bound by the Police Act as well as the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to provide adequate security for protesters to ensure a peaceful protest.

“We do not really know who is protesting but all we know is that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is very clear on the issue of protest.

“The Police Act also mandated the police that when there is a protest they should ensure there is law and order, they should ensure that those protesting are also protected.

“That is why we are reminding them that the provision in the Police Act and in the Constitution should be respected.

“If they had contacted us maybe we would have called our organs meeting for us to review but as of today, there is clearly nothing to discuss and review,” he said.

The TUC president also blamed the economic hardship on the Federal Government's decision to float the Naira.

Osifo said added that a situation where almost everything imported into the country is paid for in foreign currency, leaves the Naira at the mercy of the dollar.

He urged the government to find a way of addressing challenges associated with food production, especially in Benue and Plateau which are major staple food zones of the country.

The president also urged the government to implement zero import duty on manufacturing equipment, insisting that they have the potential to create jobs.

On the face-off between Dangote and stakeholders in the petroleum industry, he urged President Bola Tinubu to wade into the crisis to avoid losing the confidence of investors in the country.

He also called for an abrupt end to statements arising from the various parties, as there was a need to find a solution to the problem.

“We feel and strongly believe that Dangote is one huge investor that had invested in Nigeria.

“Where there are challenges what they should do literally is for everybody to sit down together to find a solution.

“Let all unguarded statements be stopped forthwith. The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should bring all of them together and give them marching orders,” he said.