The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo has accused the Federal Government of using intimidation tactics against the labour movement. This comes after Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, was summoned by the police on Monday to answer charges related to terrorism financing, treasonable felony, cybercrime, and more.
Osifo, during a heated discussion on Channels Television’s program – Politics Today on Wednesday, demanded that the government disclose the specific allegations against Ajaero, insisting that the accusations appear to be an attempt to silence the labour movement.
“You could see that as of today, there was a response from our lawyer, Femi Falana, saying that the government should come clean and tell us what are the offences.
“They should open up much more because Nigerians need to know. The way it is generally perceived today is that you are muzzling the labour movement. Joe Ajaero does not present himself. Anything that he is doing, he is doing it on behalf of the members of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
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“For us, we will continue to be advocates to push government to do what is right in all ramifications. The final thing that we will do is to shut down the oil and gas industry so that the refinery can work.”
Osifo vowed that the labour unions would not back down in their advocacy for the Nigerian people, even hinting at a potential shutdown of the oil and gas industry to pressure the government into action. “We will continue to push the government to do what is right. If necessary, we will shut down the oil and gas industry to ensure the refineries start working.”
Fuel Crisis: A Ticking Time Bomb
Osifo, who also serves as the president of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), expressed deep concerns over the recurring fuel queues plaguing the nation. He warned that the situation is unlikely to improve without significant government intervention.
“Even if the queues disappear next week, there’s no guarantee they won’t return in a month. Until the government addresses the root causes, particularly the logistical challenges, this crisis will persist,” Osifo warned.
He suggested that fixing the pipelines and establishing strategic reserves across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones could provide a long-term solution to the fuel distribution issues. “Without strategic reserves, we are left vulnerable to both local and international disruptions,” he added.
Osifo also highlighted the persistent issue of oil theft, which continues to drain Nigeria’s economy. He urged the government to adopt advanced technology to combat this menace effectively. “We have proposed that the government deploys technology to resolve this issue once and for all,” Osifo stated.
