By Victor Ahiuma-Young

TRADE Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, weekend, said President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2012 budget proposal, now before the National Assembly, could halt all developmental efforts in the country if passed into law as presented by the President.

In its analysis of the budget proposal, TUC in a statement by its President-General and Secretary-General, Mr. Peter Esele and Chief John Kolawole, respectively, described the entire budget as anti-people and Nigeria.

The statement said: “TUC is more worried because the President has removed all hopes of redemption as it has not in any way mentioned how the people will be saved from corruption and strangulation by capitalists made up of people in the corridor of power and their friends.

“It is even more sad to note that nowhere in the entire budget did the President mentioned what government will do or any concern shown on how government will halt the pain of over-taxing of the people, economic self-sufficiency in meeting the shortage of supply over demand in petroleum product, reverse of importation of the product through the establishment of refineries and other factors for efficient distribution.

“While we still keep our doors open for dialogue, we call on the good people of Nigeria to join us to say no to oppression hoisted through a retrogressive Brent Wood inspired budget.”

TUC called on the masses to remain calm, be alert and get ready for legitimate action to halt the removal of fuel subsidy.

In a related development, United Action for Democracy, UAD, has promised to join forces with labour to resist the 2012 budget.

UAD, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olawale Salami, said the 2012 budget must be resisted as it was designed to annihilate Nigerians.