Labour To Federal Government: Stop Crippling Workers With Anti-Poor Policies.

Tinubu.

A few days ago, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the renowned Iwe Iroyin press centre, stakeholders assembled for the 1st Quadrennial and 9th National Delegates Conference of the Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA).

The conference served as a platform for labour leaders, activists, and other participants to articulate their views on federal government policies and their implications for workers and the wider population.

While addressing attendees, the President of PERESSA, Rufus Olusesan, criticised what he referred to as anti-poor policies implemented by the federal government.

Mr Olusesan, who was re-elected unopposed, argued that the worsening economic crisis is a direct result of the government’s failure to effectively address the country’s security challenges.

He stated, “We cannot afford to ignore the painful realities confronting Nigeria’s economy today. Inflation continues to erode the already meagre wages of workers, while unemployment has reached alarming proportions, leaving families in despair.”

He continued, “The rising cost of living has gone beyond the reach of ordinary workers, threatening household survival, national productivity, and stability. Electricity tariffs have increased beyond affordability, making it difficult for homes and industries to sustain themselves. For manufacturers and small-scale businesses, the unaffordable cost of power undermines sustainability and forces many into collapse.”

He warned against a proposed fiscal policy, declaring, “The Federal Government must perish the thought of imposing a 5 per cent fuel tax on petrol, diesel, and other fossil fuels from January 1, 2026, or at any time, as contained in the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025.”

He criticised the move as ill-timed and damaging, stating, “Such a reckless, anti-people policy comes at a time when workers and ordinary Nigerians are battling unprecedented hardship, spiralling inflation, high food prices, wage erosion, and worsening working conditions. The removal of fuel subsidies in 2023 already pushed pump prices from N197 to between N890 and N1,000 per litre. Adding another 5 percent — about N50 more per litre — will only deepen the survival crisis for millions.”

PERESSA remarked that the recent clarification by Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, who described the fuel surcharge report as “false and misleading,” reflects the kind of misleading communication Nigerians have come to expect from government officials. It noted that public denials are frequently used to placate citizens, even as unfavourable policies are secretly formulated.

The union remarked, “This pattern of gaslighting deepens public distrust.”

It further stated, “The government celebrates a new N70,000 minimum wage, yet its value is already eroded by inflation, naira devaluation, and endemic corruption. Even the United States has publicly stated that such a wage cannot lift Nigerians out of poverty. It is hypocritical for elected officials — who allocate obscene salaries and perks to themselves — to expect workers, lecturers, doctors, and nurses to endure slave wages and economic strangulation.”

PERESSA went on to say, “Fuel subsidy removal and naira devaluation were introduced to boost revenue, yet endemic corruption funnels national wealth into private pockets while factory closures and job losses push workers deeper into misery. For ordinary workers, this means an endless battle against hunger, unpaid school fees, and unaffordable medical bills — an existence on the margins of survival.”

The association reaffirmed its opposition to the newly approved National Industrial Relations Policy (NIRP) 2025, which was endorsed by the Federal Executive Council led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It stated that the policy represents a dangerous effort to curtail legitimate union activities, criminalise the right to strike, and entrench poverty-level wages under the pretence of “harmonious industrial relations.”

Also speaking at the event, the Deputy General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ismail Bello, called on the labour movement to present a unified front against employers who violate labour rights.

He stated, “there should be no hiding place for employers who undermine the right of workers to freedom of association. No employer has the right to choose a union for workers or help to organise workers. As workers, we must stand against any employer who undermines or denies workers the right to freedom of association.”