The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has issued a two-week ultimatum to Federal Government of Nigeria to reach an agreement on negotiations concerning the removal of fuel subsidy.
TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifor, stated this on Monday during a press briefing in Abuja. He added that the organized labor has presented demands in three main areas, which include the adoption of alternative fuels like CNG to replace Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), provision of palliatives, and the reduction of the cost of governance.
Osifor added that if no substantial progress is made by 19th August, action to protect the country’s workers and citizens from enduring ongoing hardships willbe enforced.
Osogo said, “As at today we have formed Technical Committees on Cash Transfers, on Intervention Fund, on Reduction of Cost of Governance, on Energy and Power (developing CNG as alternative to PMS) and Fixing of Refineries. We also have technical committees on Education and Health and Mass Transit”.
He posited that, “Our position is that government should fast-track to ensure that action and processes are concluded to ensure that the sufferings of Nigerians are ameliorated”.
The Federal Government had said the negotiating team has a maximum of eight weeks from June 19 to conclude all discussions in order to commence implementation processes.
“So far we have stayed more than one month and we felt that we are not going at the speed we anticipated, we want the government to fast tract action to ensure that between now and the next two weeks all the Committees must have submitted their report so that the Presidential Steering Committee can conclude its work immediately”.
