TUC says Nigeria doesn’t verify output or add value to the industry
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Corruption does not allow Nigeria to verify daily oil production or add value to the industry despite exploration spanning 65 years, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has said in its review of the contribution of oil and gas to the economy.
TUC President Festus Osifo lamented the flaring of gas causes revenue loss and damages the environment while rural dwellers rely on firewood for cooking.
He urged citizens to demand a new trajectory of governance, assert sovereignty over government officials, hold governments at all levels to their constitutional duties, and make them accountable to voters.
Osifo looked across other economic sectors and sought a review of the entire privatisation exercise to ensure transparency accountability of its proceeds.
In his view, privatised electricity entities should be reversed as the new operators have failed and merely engaged in asset stripping.
Anyone pushing for further privatisation of national assets does not mean well for Nigeria, he argued, and rejected the clamour by politicians and political officeholders to continue the importation of petroleum products at prohibitive costs while campaigning to stop fuel subsidies.
“We also demand that the Buhari government ensures that PMS (petrol) is available and sold at the official pump price in fuel stations.
“The emergent culture of selling such highly inflammable commodities in jerry cans on street corners and residential houses must be stopped,” he said, per The Guardian.
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Buhari should not take more loans
Osifo said no more loan should be taken by the Buhari administration, “which has in the main, incurred these debts part of which was used in building an economically unviable railway to a neighboring country while internally, the country needs railways.
“The total Public Debt Stock of the country as at June 30, 2022 was N42.84 trillion (USD103.31). The country’s external debt stood at USD40.06B.
“These grim statistics released by the Federal Government’s Debt Management Office show that future generations of Nigerians might be enslaved in debt peonage.”
He commended anti-graft agencies for their successes so far but said beyond the recovery of looted funds and properties there must be serious consequences for the perpetrators of crime.
Mobilising the populace for a better country
Osifo canvassed for a general mobilisation of the populace, warning against attempts to rebrand criminals and terrorists as freedom fighters or treat them with kid gloves.
“We can give birth to a New Nigeria if we unite to demand good governance not just from the Buhari government but also from those who may win elections at state and national levels in 2023.
“We must demand a new trajectory of governance, assert our sovereignty over all those in government, hold governments at all levels to their constitutional duties and make them accountable to the Nigerian people.
“If we unite and are determined, the pains of 2022 can be replaced by gains in 2023. We and our compatriots in the Labour movement are ready to lead the populace in this charge towards the New Nigeria, which we so richly deserve.”
