TUC Tasks FG On Security Challenges

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Rivers State council, has called on the Federal Government to address the security challenges being faced by the nation amidst series of bombings in the Northern part of the country.

Speaking to The Tide, the State Chairman, TUC, Comrade Chika Onuegbu lamented the consistent killing and maiming of innocent Nigerians and the apparent inability of the Federal Government and security agencies to address the situation.

Comrade Onuegbu said the union was deeply worried by the situation in view of the latest bombing in Kano which killed innocent Nigerians, stressing that the recent killings were another sad reminder of the fact that government was not doing enough to give priority attention to the security challenges being faced by the nation.

The union leader reminded government officials at all levels that their inability to secure lives and property in the country invariably called into question their legitimacy and commitment to a united Nigeria.

The labour leader appealed to the Federal Government to protect lives and property of Nigerians irrespective of their area of residency and business operations, stressing that the country remained a one united entity.

He said TUC, Rivers State Council commiserates with the families of the victims and urged the government to assist the victims families.

The union leader urged government to do everything within its power to unravel  the group of individuals behind this dastardly act in the country.

Meanwhile, members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have vowed to continue their six weeks old industrial action to press home their demands.

In a statement signed by the union’s Deputy President and Senior Deputy General Secretary respectively, Comrades Wakili Tijani and Emma Okonkwor said nothing new had been achieved to convince the union members in research institutions across the country to suspend the strike action.

The union said that it was disappointing that government had not shown any urgency in addressing the plight of workers in research institutions.

The statement said the union appreciated the efforts of the Minister of  Labour and Productivity and Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development for ensuring that the memo on the demand of the union was forwarded to the office of the President, stressing that for the workers in the research and allied institutions to be pacified, they needed Mr President’s urgent approval of the union’s memo.

The union is demanding the immediate payment of the 12 months arrears, implementation of the 65 years retirement age, improved funding of the research institutes, establishment of NARICOM, approval of earned allowance among other demands.

The union appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to show his commitment to improving the welfare of Nigerian workers by signing the union’s memo that sought to address all the issues in contention.

However, The Tide investigation revealed that the union leaders were adamant to call off the strike despite appeals from prominent Nigerians and Committee of Directors of the Research Institutes across the country.

Philip Okparaji