TUC seeks urgent meeting with SGF over national challenges

THE Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has sought an urgent meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to address mounting national challenges, saying that the Federal Government must move beyond assurances to concrete, measurable and time-bound action.

The congress, in a letter dated October 8, signed by its president, Comrade Festus Osifo, and Secretary-General, Comrade General N. A. Toro, said the worsening situation had continued to undermine workers’ welfare, threaten livelihoods and weaken the country’s economic stability.

It identified persistent insecurity, rising living costs, exchange-rate instability, inadequate workers’ remuneration, the decline of the manufacturing sector, violations of workers’ rights and unresolved industrial disputes among the issues requiring urgent government intervention.

The TUC said the issues were too serious to be treated with business as usual, warning that workers and citizens could not continue to bear the disproportionate burden of economic hardship, insecurity and policy failures without tangible government responses.

“What is required now is decisive leadership, clear commitments and demonstrable results,” the congress declared, adding that the time for expressions of concern without corresponding action had passed.

In the letter addressed to the SGF, it called for stronger government interventions to tackle insecurity, as the situation had continued to threaten human lives, property, agricultural production, food security and economic activities.

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It acknowledged the efforts of security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), but urged the government to strengthen funding, improve operational capacity and coordination, and sustain measures capable of restoring public confidence.

On the economy, the TUC called for measures to stabilise the naira at what it described as its fair market value, curb inflationary pressures and reduce the cost of living.

It also demanded an immediate upward review of wages for federal workers, arguing that the government should not wait for the next national minimum wage review before taking steps to improve workers’ earnings.

Although the current minimum wage is due to expire in August 2027, the congress maintained that nothing prevented the government from significantly increasing workers’ remuneration before then.

The TUC urged the government to implement an upward wage review while awaiting the inauguration of the minimum wage committee, which it proposed should take place in the first quarter of 2027.

The congress also raised concerns over the difficulties confronting the manufacturing sector, particularly the textile industry, warning that high production costs and other operational challenges are undermining production, threatening industrial survival and resulting in job losses.

It called for urgent engagement with the organised labour and other stakeholders to develop practical measures to reduce production costs, improve access to affordable and reliable electricity, support local cotton production and encourage mechanised farming.

On workers’ rights, the TUC condemned the continued prevalence of casualisation, exploitative labour practices, cheap labour and child labour, demanding stricter enforcement of labour laws, regular workplace inspections and appropriate sanctions against employers who violate established labour standards.

It insisted that workers’ rights must not remain provisions on paper while exploitation persists in workplaces.

The congress further sought government intervention in the unresolved issues surrounding workers’ unionisation at Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, insisting that freedom of association and collective bargaining were fundamental rights that employers must respect.

It called for the implementation of commitments arising from the conciliation process and urged the government to ensure that workers could exercise their right to belong to trade unions without interference, intimidation or victimisation.

The TUC also expressed dissatisfaction with delays in resolving outstanding issues involving the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), particularly the failure to take concrete action on an agreement signed in late 2025.

It warned that the continued delay was undermining trust, threatening industrial harmony and creating avoidable tension in the health sector.

“Agreements freely entered into by parties must not be treated as mere formalities or abandoned without consequences,” the congress said, calling for urgent intervention to ensure that outstanding commitments were implemented and the dispute sustainably resolved.

The congress said the proposed engagement was critical given the implications of the challenges for national security, economic stability, employment, industrial peace and workers’ welfare.

It stressed that any meeting must produce an actionable framework, clear government commitments and timelines for addressing the concerns raised.

“Dialogue must not become an instrument for postponing action or avoiding responsibility,” the Congress warned, adding that workers’ patience should not be mistaken for indifference to their suffering or acceptance of prevailing conditions.

The letter was copied to the Chief of Staff to the President, the National Security Adviser, the Director-General of the DSS, and the Minister of Labour and Employment.

The TUC reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement and social dialogue but said it would continue to defend the rights, welfare and legitimate interests of Nigerian workers through all lawful means.

It urged the SGF to treat the request with the seriousness it deserved and facilitate the meeting without unnecessary delay, insisting that Nigerian workers expected tangible outcomes rather than assurances alone.