By Moses Akwashiki
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has warned hotels in Nigeria against Unionisation to desist or face the full action of organised labour
President of TUC Comrade Festus
Osifo who gave the warning in Abuja, specifically mentioned Abuja Continental Hotel, accusing the management of preventing workers from being organised.
He warned that the union could take industrial action against establishments that continued to violate workers’ rights to unionise.
On the country’s refineries, Osifo opposed outright privatisation, but advocated a model that would reduce government ownership while giving controlling equity to competent private investors.
He cited the Nigeria LNG model, where government holds a minority stake while private-sector partners have the controlling interest.
The TUC leader said the government should reduce its equity in the refineries to a maximum of 49 per cent, while allowing credible private investors with proven technical and financial capacity in the petroleum and petrochemical industry to hold 51 per cent.
He said the arrangement would reduce political interference and ensure that commercial considerations drive decisions concerning refinery operations.
Osifo also warned against repeating what he described as the mistakes associated with the privatisation of the power sector, arguing that some of the investors who acquired distribution companies lacked the technical and financial capacity required to effectively manage the sector.
He therefore endorsed the current efforts involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and prospective strategic investors to reposition the refineries.
The labour centre commended the Department of State Services (DSS), under its Director-General, Oluwatosin Ajayi, for recent arrests of suspected terrorists and bandits.
Osifo urged security agencies to ensure that arrested suspects were prosecuted in accordance with the law, arguing that successful prosecution and conviction would send a strong deterrent message to criminal elements.
“When government does some things that are wrong, we condemn. And when they do things that we see some positive in it, we also commend,” he said.
The TUC also commended the Federal Government for increasing the salaries of military personnel by between 50 and 80 per cent.
Osifo described the move as a step in the right direction but called for similar salary adjustments for other Nigerian workers, particularly public-sector employees.
He appealed to state and local governments to emulate the Federal Government by improving the remuneration of their workers.
The TUC president-general also commended the Minister of Health, Professor Ali Pate, for intervening in a dispute involving members of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB).
Osifo said some factories where members of the union worked had been shut down over government policy issues, while some workers were arrested.
He said the intervention of the Minister resulted in the release of affected workers and the reopening of the factories.
The TUC leader urged other ministries, departments and agencies of government to emulate the minister’s prompt intervention in labour-related disputes.
Osifo said the Congress would continue to support government policies that positively affect Nigerians while resisting policies and actions that undermine workers’ welfare and the wellbeing of the wider population.
He concluded by reaffirming the TUC’s commitment to defending workers’ rights and advocating policies capable of improving living standards, economic stability and national security.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
