The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed 65 per cent increase in electricity tariffs and plans to toll selected federal roads in the country as a means of revenue generation.
President of TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo who presided over the 1st Quarter 2025 National Administrative Council (NAC) of the Union on Thursday in Abuja, also threw his weight behind the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in rejecting the approved 50 per cent increase in telecommunication tariffs.
In a Communique reached at the end of the meeting, Osifo noted that increases in electricity and telecommunication tariffs would further compound the present economic hardship Nigerians were going through.
The communique partly reads: “It is alarming that the government is considering this hike when the previous increment has already inflicted severe hardship on citizens.
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“This proposed increase is not only ill-timed but also a deliberate act of economic oppression against Nigerians, who are already struggling under unbearable economic conditions.
“Furthermore, the improved service quality promised during the last tariff hike, particularly for consumers under the so-called “Band A” category, has not been realised.
“Most consumers, regardless of their tariff band, continue to live in perpetual darkness.”
Osifo who stated that the decision to increase the tariffs was made without proper consideration of its economic impact on the masses, reiterated that there must be meaningful engagement to explore alternatives and ensure that any policy adjustments are fair, sustainable, and do not increase further the burden on the struggling citizens.
On the proposed introduction of toll gates, he said that congress also rejected it entirely.
“While we acknowledge that tolling is a globally recognised method of generating revenue for road maintenance, it is unacceptable to impose tolls on roads that are unpaved, dilapidated, and riddled with potholes.
“The NAC views this as an insult to Nigerians, who are being asked to pay tolls on roads that are in total disrepair.
“Our highways are death traps, unsafe, abandoned, and filled with potholes. Rather than fulfilling its responsibility to fix and maintain these roads, the government is resorting to extortion.
“The Congress, therefore, demands that all roads earmarked for tolling must first be fixed, properly tarred, and repaired to international standards before any discussion on tolling can be entertained,” he said.
Osifo said NAC also condemned any attempt to suppress unionisation in the private sector, as it is a fundamental right protected by national and international labour laws,
He called on the government to prioritise stakeholder engagement and uphold democratic principles, that will promote policies that truly serve the people’s interests.
Osifo, who blamed the hardship in the country as a result of government policies like the flotation of the naira, wondered why the federal government should initiate policies bothering the citizens without due consultations with relevant stakeholders.
TUC observed that the root cause of escalating prices and galloping inflation was the devaluation of the Naira.
Going down memory lane, Osifo said in February 2024, the TUC addressed a world press conference, where it clearly stated that the excessive devaluation of the naira was the primary cause of rising inflation and the continuous increase in the prices of goods and services.
He said Congress also warned that this trend would worsen inflation in 2024, impacting virtually every sector of the economy and severely affecting the social and economic well-being of Nigerian workers and the masses if the solutions it canvassed were not adopted.
The TUC President said twelve months later, the Congress position remained unchanged, alleging that the symptoms of the root cause have manifested clearly.
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According to him: “These include the skyrocketing prices of essential goods, the escalating costs of social services, the proposed hike in telecom tariffs, the increase in electricity tariffs (with plans for further increments), the rising prices of petroleum products amongst others.
“The TUC remains focused on addressing the root cause of these economic challenges rather than merely reacting to the manifested symptoms. To this end, the TUC demands a better foreign exchange (FX) management regime from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as the naira is currently undervalued, as confirmed by both local and international experts.”
He warned that if the policies were not reviewed to favour the citizens, the TUC may be compelled to mobilise for mass protest.
“The NAC, on behalf of the Congress, strongly advises the government to refrain from introducing policies that would further exacerbate the current economic hardship faced by hardworking Nigerians. “If the administration insists on implementing these policies, the TUC will have no choice but to mobilize the working class, civil society, and the oppressed masses for a nationwide action. This level of exploitation is unacceptable. A stitch in time saves nine,” he warned.
