Nigeria’s Trade Union Congress’s president, Festus Osifoh, and General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, made a 19-point demand, including that state governors’ representatives sign the communiqué and that all governors commit to implementing the new minimum wage of #200,000.
TUC also demanded a tax holiday for government and private sector workers earning less than N200,000 or $500 per month, whichever is higher.
TUC demanded “PMS Allowance” for people earning between N200,000 and N500,000 or $500 and $1,200, whichever is higher.
“The exchange rate for selling PMS in the country must be kept within a limit of +/-2 percent for the next 10 years where the volatility is more than two percent, the minimum salary will automatically increase at the same amount.
“Creating an intervention fund where the government pays N10 per litre on all locally consumed PMS.”
The intervention fund was intended to address long-standing national crises in education, health, and housing, according to TUC.
Labour, civil society, and government will coordinate implementation, the union said.
It also requested that the federal government offer mass transit vehicles for all demographics and that state governments immediately establish subsidised transport systems to relieve workers and students.
TUC demanded rapid reform of the National Health Insurance Scheme to include more Nigerians and avert drug shortages.
It advised the government to visit rehabilitated refineries to assess progress and establish a deadline.
The labour centre advised the president to order the incoming labour minister to quickly form the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC). Using the government’s projected $800 million World Bank loan, it suggested food subsidies.
TUC recommends opening the National Housing Fund (NHF) to actual workers and discussing the framework.
TUC medium-term demands included nationwide CNG deployment in keeping with the government’s prior promise, but on a structure and schedule to be agreed upon by both parties.
TUC demanded that labour and the government establish a framework to reduce governance costs by 15% in 2024 and 30% in 2025 as part of its medium-term demands.
It recommended establishing a national road maintenance and rail expansion framework immediately.
“Government must design a framework for social housing policy for workers through the Rent to Own System,” TUC said.
“An action plan with timelines should be created to assess the country’s electricity situation.”