The TUC comments on the upcoming nationwide protests, providing insights into the reasons and expected impact. Get the full story here.
The TUC in Nigeria has declared its decision to abstain from the upcoming nationwide demonstrations slated for August 1, intended to resolve the economic difficulties across the country.
TUC President Festus Osifo stated at a press briefing in Abuja that the union has neither been contacted by protest organizers nor made arrangements to rally its members for the occasion.
Organizing and planning are essential to protests, as stressed by Osifo.
He explained that in order to participate effectively in a protest, proper planning and communication are necessary. However, currently there has been no contact made by anyone regarding this particular protest.
In addition, Osifo called upon the Inspector-General of Police to guarantee that opportunistic factions do not take advantage and maintain a peaceful demonstration. He emphasized that it is imperative for the police, according to both the Nigerian Constitution and Police Act, to uphold security measures and regulate conduct during protests.
He added that there is nothing to discuss at this point, but if we were contacted earlier, a meeting could have been organized for discussing our involvement.
Osifo criticized the federal government’s decision to float the Naira in his speech, claiming that it was one of the reasons for economic hardships. He recommended focusing on solving issues related to food production in important agricultural areas such as Benue and Plateau while advocating for zero import duty on manufacturing equipment to stimulate employment opportunities.
Osifo has expressed the importance of President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in preventing a setback on investor confidence amidst the ongoing dispute between Dangote and different stakeholders within the petroleum sector. Osifo emphasizes that all parties involved should adopt a collective approach to resolve this issue peacefully, discouraging any divisive statements or actions from them.
