Palliatives: We don’t trust the process — TUC

The Trade Union Congress has described as “empty policy laced with lies”, the Federal Government’s directive to state governors to draw plans on the palliatives to mitigate the impact of the recent petrol price increase. TUC President, Festus Osifo, at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, said the congress did not trust the process. He […]

The Trade Union Congress has described as “empty policy laced with lies”, the Federal Government’s directive to state governors to draw plans on the palliatives to mitigate the impact of the recent petrol price increase.

TUC President, Festus Osifo, at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, said the congress did not trust the process.

He also asked the government not to worsen the citizens’ suffering with the proposed increases in electricity tariff and tuition fees of unity schools and tertiary institutions.

“If you listen to the Nigerians Governors Forum, they invited us for meetings and we made our case known to them. There’s nothing specific about the palliative. They said each state should go back and look at what they can do, that’s not how to lead. There’s nothing concrete, there’s nothing we can hold them accountable for.

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“If you’re coming out to say each state should pay a certain amount of money as wage award or each state should give some categories of workers tax relief,  we can hold you accountable on that and not saying each state should go and do according to their purse.

“What they must bring to the table must be specific and measurable and must be done transparently. For us, anything called palliative must be things we can verify and not something that you will promise us and at the end of the day you will implement.

“We all remember during COVID-19 when palliatives were in warehouses and people were dying on the streets. We do not trust the process. The governors’ forum should do better. They’re talking about mass transits, how many are they bringing up?  Let them tell us and we’ll empower our state councils to follow up.” 

Osifo restated the congress’ opposition to the proposed 7.5 percent VAT on diesel as well as privatization of medical centres and teaching hospitals.

He commended President Bola Tinubu “on the suspension of the excise duty on telecom. This suspension is for six months. We think it should be scrapped completely. Nigerians will bear the brunt if introduced. It must be scrapped.  It’s of no essence.”

He urged the president to address the insecurity in Plateau and other parts of the country.