By Abiola Peters
The Trade Union Congress, TUC, has recommended the combination of technology and sanctions, among other multilayer solutions to reported spate of Oil Theft and other forms of insecurity in Nigeria.
President of the TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, stated this at a News Conference by the National Administrative Council of the body in Lagos.
Comrade Osifo who is also the President of the Petroleum Senior Staff and Natural Gas Workers Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, stated that it was high time government became more innovative other than physical methods to tackle insecurity, now prevalent across the country.
He said intelligence report has linked to some security agents with cases of oil theft to which the country has lost wanton revenue and it will take Artificial Intelligence deployed by some other countries of the world and prosecution of offenders, to stem the crime.
The TUC President berated top security and government officials, who now take solace in the media, to get to the field with their weapons and innovative strategies to block the leakages of Nigeria’s crude and refined petroleum products both through the land and waterways.
On the economy, Comrade Osifo noted that the current minimum wage of the Nigerian workers, which is yet to be implemented in some states,was no longer valuable in the face of rising inflation and devaluation of the naira.
He admitted that casualisation of workers had taken the form of enslavement in many organizations but assured that the TUC will soon come out with a blueprint to address the issue.
The TUC President demanded immediate resolution of the ASUU strike, even if it will require borrowing in view of the importance of education to the human capital development of the country.
He added that the Congress is opposed to proposed privatisation of the Transmission Company of Nigeria due to poor performances of the Generating and Distribution Companies, for lack of technical and financial capacities.
Furthermore, Comrade Osifo said the congress has kicked against the proposed plan of the Federal Government to privatise Tertiary Health Institutions which consist of Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres because it will take affordable healthcare away from the average Nigerian with the already ailing Primary and Secondary Health Facilities in the country.
The TUC leadership expressed its willingness to settle out of court with the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, an affiliate member of the congress over a disagreement that transpired during the last Delegates Conference .
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