TUC urges FG to declare state of emergency in power sector

THE Trade Union Congress has urged the federal government to declare a state of emergency in power sector.

Speaking during a meeting of the national executive council in Lagos, the NEC-in-Session, led by President of TUC, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, stated that “the Federal Government should to declare the emergency in the power sector as no nation can develop without power.

TUC recalls with dismay that several billions of naira has been expended in the sector to no avail. The call for tariff hike cannot be a solution and it shall be resisted.”

Furthermore, the NEC-in-session, after much deliberation resolved that the current situation in which the NNPC is the sole provider of fuel to the nation and absorbing subsidies is not healthy for the nation and the corporation.

Consequently, TUC advised the government to reimburse the NNPC so as to enable it to perform its primary obligation to the country.

“Federal Government should begin the immediate payment of all outstanding subsidy claims by the petroleum marketers under the PPPRA-administered Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) to avoid consequential job losses which the nation can least afford.

“These delays are also stopping the payments of wages/salaries in the downstream sector in a scary dimension which must not be allowed to degenerate further.

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It is expected that the Government would engage the Marketers as social partners under a special intervention arrangement that enables product marketer purchase foreign exchange (FOREX) at concessionary rates from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This will keep the prices at their current levels as well as encourage more participants. Government is called on to revamp the public owned refineries as well,” it stated.

On minimum wage issue, NEC-In-Session commends the Federal Government for the commencement of the Minimum Wage Committee and implores the Committee to speed up proceedings to ensure that a new minimum wage will take effect not later than the agreed third quarter of the year.

The NEC-in-Session said it also observed that the fight against corruption will not achieve the desired result without addressing the injustices being perpetrated by political office holders who collect multiple pensions and gratuities while still serving the government in another capacity.