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The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has called for increased funding of security operations and measures to strengthen the naira, saying insecurity and exchange-rate pressures are hurting the economy and workers.
TUC President-General, Festus Osifo, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja after the National Administrative Council meeting of the labour centre.
Osifo commended the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Security Adviser for efforts to tackle insecurity, including the arrest and prosecution of suspected terrorists and kidnappers.
He, however, said the continued killings and kidnappings in Plateau, Zamfara, Borno, Katsina, Niger and other states showed that more needed to be done.
According to him, insecurity has prevented farmers in affected communities from returning to their farms and discouraged investment in the country.
He urged the Federal Government to consider budgetary reallocations to provide security agencies with the equipment and resources needed to tackle insurgency and banditry.
Osifo said the government could undertake a budgetary virement to channel more funds towards security and acquire the necessary equipment to decisively confront criminal groups.
The TUC leader also demanded accountability over the deaths of about 37 miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.
He urged the government to act on the findings of the committee investigating the deaths, stressing that the report must not be allowed to gather dust.
Osifo said anyone found culpable should face the full weight of the law, regardless of their position.
On the economy, he acknowledged improvements in inflation and the foreign exchange market but maintained that the naira remained undervalued.
He commended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, for efforts to stabilise the currency but argued that the naira should ultimately trade between N700 and N800 to the dollar.
Osifo said a stronger naira would reduce the cost of imported inputs such as fertiliser, energy and other goods with significant foreign-exchange components.
He argued that the impact of naira depreciation had been uneven, with the cost of infrastructure projects and imported equipment rising while workers’ incomes had not increased at a similar rate.
The TUC president urged the government to take measures to move the naira towards what he described as its appropriate value, saying the current exchange rate continued to put pressure on Nigerians.
Osifo also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that preparations for the 2027 general elections were transparent, inclusive and credible.
He said only leaders genuinely elected by the people could be expected to remain accountable to the electorate rather than political godfathers and financiers.
On labour matters, Osifo warned that the two labour centres could take further action if outstanding issues contained in the communiqué that suspended the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) strike were not resolved.
He urged the Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, to intervene and ensure implementation of agreements reached with the unions.
The TUC also expressed concern over the decline of Nigeria’s textile industry, citing high energy and production costs, job losses and declining consumer purchasing power.
Osifo called on the federal, state and local governments to support the revival of the industry, which he said had historically provided employment for millions of Nigerians.
On the controversy surrounding the concession of King’s College, Lagos, Osifo said the TUC had nominated a representative to a seven-member committee established to resolve the dispute.
He urged all stakeholders to work towards a resolution that would protect the interests of workers, parents, old students and the government.
