The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the ongoing issues affecting the Nigerian workforce, particularly the implementation of the new minimum wage.
The union also called on the President to resolve the outstanding issues with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to prevent a potential escalation into a more significant crisis.
In a 17-paragraph statement issued following its quarterly meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) emphasized the urgency for the government to heed the organized labour’s recommendations concerning the new minimum wage.
Chris Isiguzo, President of the NUJ, addressing journalists, pointed out that the Federal Government’s proposed ₦62,000 minimum wage is insufficient given the prevailing economic conditions in Nigeria.
Isiguzo conveyed that the National Executive Committee (NEC) is calling on the Federal Government to swiftly resolve the ongoing issues with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The NUJ highlighted the detrimental effects of prolonged ASUU strikes on students, stressing that the country cannot afford another extensive disruption in the education sector.
Additionally, Isiguzo warned security personnel and politicians to refrain from further aggression towards union members across the nation.
Isiguzo declared that the union would no longer tolerate the continuous harassment of its members, whether by security forces or politicians.
He emphasized the necessity for robust protection for journalists, especially as the country prepares for the gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo States.
The NUJ also expressed its concern over the increasing insecurity in the South East, North East, and North Western regions of the country.
The union called for immediate action to address these security challenges to ensure the safety and well-being of all citizens.
The communique reads: “NEC frowns at the lingering insecurity across the nation, especially kidnapping and violent crimes in the South East, Insurgency in the North East, Banditry in North West and rising militancy in the South-South as well kidnapping in the South West and cattle rustling and attack on farmlands in the North Central by herders.
“NEC calls on the heads of the nation’s security apparatus to rise to the occasion and address the situation.
“NEC expresses dismay at the increasing cost of living conditions, particularly the prices of essential commodities which are becoming unbearable to Nigerians, and called on the Federal Government to come up with immediate measures to ameliorate the sufferings being faced by Nigerians.
“On this, NEC expressed concerns at the delay in production at the Dangote Refinery, which would have eased the present economic hardship in the country
“NEC frowns at the incessant vandalization of power installations supplying electricity to some States of the North East and other parts of the country, and therefore calls on the Transmission Company of Nigeria and Ministry of Power to immediately restore electricity supply to the affected states.”