Yuletide: TUC berates FG over fuel scarcity

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has decried the persistent fuel scarcity affecting major cities across the country, saying it has made it difficult for Christians to travel to visit their loved ones this Christmas season. TUC stated this in a statement issued yesterday by its President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Secretary General, Comrade Musa-Lawal […]

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has decried the persistent fuel scarcity affecting major cities across the country, saying it has made it difficult for Christians to travel to visit their loved ones this Christmas season.

TUC stated this in a statement issued yesterday by its President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Secretary General, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi.

The statement read in part: “Travelling is a microcosmic component of the Christmas celebration. Unfortunately, it has become almost impossible for people to visit their loved ones because of the yearly hike of price of fuel. Sometimes one wonders why everything that tends to bring joy to the ordinary masses are always denied them. Every Christmas season the price of fuel must hit the roof and nobody will say anything let alone do something about it, irrespective of the ripple effect it will have on other commodities, especially food.”

TUC noted that the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ should exude peace and happiness and not pain and agony. It said rice, the common staple food for the celebration, had become unaffordable thereby worsening the misery of Nigerians.

“Millions of jobs have been lost and even those working are still earning what they used to earn when the dollar was N150. Inflation rate is alarming. These are the causes of the gross insecurity in the land,” the statement said. 

The union appealed to Nigerians to shun violence and “the spell of discouragement cast by state governors who, having shared two tranches of the Paris Fund and other windows opened to enable them pay salaries up-to-date, still deny workers their entitlements.

“Our leaders should bear in mind that it is inhuman to deny people, nay workers, their right to decent existence this time without money to buy food. This is absolutely unacceptable.”