The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has said politicians in the country deliberately chose to impoverish the citizens through many anti-people policies and actions.
The Congress however called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair election, and most importantly ensure that votes cast by Nigerians count in the 2023 general elections.
Signed by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo, the TUC said: “The National Executive Council of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) sadly opined that, the only thing to celebrate in the past 62 year is the grace of life which is magnanimously and freely given by our creator, if the air we breathe is in the hands of our politicians, perhaps more than half of the country’s population will not be alive today.
The TUC said: “It is sad that at 62, Nigeria is still a toddler, and in the league of never-do-well. At independence in 1960 we had high hopes and a relatively functional system but today corruption, insecurity, high cost of living, decayed infrastructure, etc., has practically eroded the gains of our heroes past.
“Favoritism and nepotism have been enthroned as the driving factors in placing people into leadership positions instead of knowledge, character and Willpower; this is one amongst several factors that is responsible for where Nigeria find itself today.
“According to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) the unemployment rate has hit 33.30 % and its now one of the highest in the world. Inflation rate has increased to 20.52% in August 2022. The misery index, has gone beyond the roof just as maternal mortality rate and number of out of school children are freighting. One can safely conclude that these are some of the factors responsible for the Insecurity challenges that has paralyzed our economy and no positive and practical steps are being taken in addressing it.
“Nigeria is among the top oil producing countries in the world, but disgracefully our country does not know the exact quantum of barrels produced per day, neither can we refine our crude locally, which invariably frustrate Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and export Jobs.
“Similarly, daily, our government decries the spate of oil theft and pipeline vandalism which has affected the daily production and reduced it to less than a million barrel per day. It is disgusting that nobody has ever been punished for such criminality against Nigerians. It will be right to opine that the government know those perpetrating the crime as it has severally threatened to name individuals and organizations behind such heinous acts, we urge government to expedite action towards exposing these culprits.”
