By Victor AhiumaYoung

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, has called on the Federal Government to set up a national monitoring team on the implementation of  the palliative measures to cushion the negative effect of the Petrol subsidy removal in the 36 states and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

This came as the body gave the Lagos State government a two week ultimatum to obey  the National Industrial Court, NIC, ruling of April 18, 2023 ordering it to vacate the  premises of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN and allow the union free operation.  

TUC in the resolutions at the end of its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, warned if  the RTEAN office was not vacated by 12 midnight of 18 September, 2023, it would bring its full weight of its members on Lagos.

Among others, TUC said the “meeting deliberated extensively on various issues, particularly the various palliatives that the federal government and some state governments have rolled out thus far.   The NEC took cursory note of the efforts the leadership of congress has been making in engaging government saliently and such quiet interventions culminated into the Federal Government approving the N5billion to each state of the federation with 52 per cent as grant and 48 per cent as loan.   

“The leadership of Congress had since made its position known that the sum released is grossly insufficient to ameliorate the sufferings that Nigerians are passing through. This position was applauded by NEC in session and it directed its leadership to further engage the government to provide more palliatives and that its distributions must be monitored extensively to prevent diversion.  

“The NEC in session also appraised all the engagements the leadership of congress has been having with the Nigeria Governors Forum aimed at pressing them on the various interventions states government should be making in their respective domain. It was noted that most of the states have not provided any form of palliatives from state resource outside the unsatisfactory interventions so far made by the federal government.  

“NEC also frowned at the pointed refusal of the Lagos State Government, LASG under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to abide by the National Industrial Court, NIC ruling of April 18, 2023 that ordered it to vacate the premises of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN and allow the union free operation.  

“After extensive deliberations, the NEC-in-Session resolved that the Federal Government must intensify discussions with the Labour unions on palliatives and alternatives as earlier promised, increase the amount provided for palliatives as N5billion given to each state is grossly inadequate.  

“The federal government should deploy high powered monitoring  team to ensure that the palliatives get to the right people.   A national monitoring team should be set up that will monitor the distribution of Palliatives across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. 

“The Adhoc committee whose aim is to ensure verifiable and judicious utilization of the palliative will work with the various state councils to ensure that palliatives get to the poorest of the poor and not used for political patronage. These committees that will be headed by a NAC member will be stratified along the six geopolitical zones for effectiveness and efficiency.

That palliatives in themselves do not solve the long term challenges or hardship faced by the people, such long lasting programmes and initiatives should be evolved that will properly address the sufferings of the people in the long term.  “The LASG is given a two- week ultimatum within which it should obey the court order, and dispense with the impasse with RTEAN, or face a total shut down effective 12 midnight of 18 September,