In a significant divergence from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)’s plans, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has announced its members will not join the nationwide protest scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
In a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, TUC President Festus Osifo emphasized that the union’s members were not included in the decision to stage a nationwide protest to address the current economic challenges facing Nigerians.
Osifo underlined the TUC’s preference for further engagement with the government to seek solutions to the prevailing hardships, rather than resorting to street protests.
He indicated that the TUC would present a fresh set of 15-point solutions to the federal government to address the current economic challenges, eschewing the option of taking to the streets.
“There is no point saying we’re opting out a process we were not originally part of initially. We are going to present the way forward we’ve highlighted to the government, not through protest,” Osifo asserted.
The announcement comes after the NLC’s National President, Joe Ajaero, disclosed plans for a two-day nationwide mass protest to address the prevailing hardships faced by Nigerians.
However, the TUC’s decision to abstain from the protest stems from the NLC’s failure to engage the union in the decision-making process before announcing the protest.
The TUC’s stance underscores its commitment to finding constructive solutions through dialogue, emphasizing its readiness to engage with the government to address the economic challenges facing Nigerians.