Don’t Stop Food Import Now, Fix Insecurity First, TUC tells FG

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has advised the Federal Government not to halt food imports, expressing concern that it could drive up the prices of essentials like rice and other staples to unaffordable levels. The union has also urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to contemplate revaluing the naira to between N900 and N1000 per dollar, arguing that the current rate of N1,380/$ is exacerbating inflation and negatively impacting workers' earnings.

TUC President-General, Comrade Festus Osifo, emphasized that food importation should persist until security concerns are addressed and farmers resume farm activities. He highlighted the union's 15-point agenda, which includes measures to tackle food insecurity. Osifo noted that the policy permitting food imports helped to lower prices, and urged the government to prevent a situation where rice returns to prices as high as N100,000 or N120,000.

The TUC also supported the state police initiative and the privatization model for refineries, endorsing the plan to reduce government equity in NNPC to 49% and bring in private investors. Osifo commended the DSS for arresting and prosecuting bandits and terrorists, and praised the government's salary increase for military personnel, suggesting that similar increases should be extended to all public sector workers.