The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to sustain its food importation policy until insecurity is adequately addressed and farmers are able to return to their farms, warning that an abrupt halt could trigger another increase in the prices of staple foods.
The TUC President-General, Festus Osifo, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while speaking on the economic challenges confronting workers and Nigerians generally.
Osifo said the union remained concerned that although some macroeconomic indicators had stabilised, the improvement had yet to translate into corresponding relief for workers, traders and households struggling with high living costs.
His comments came amid renewed concerns over the cost of living. A recent Reuters report said millions of Nigerians were still struggling with rising food, fuel and other household costs despite improvements in some economic indicators. The report noted that the cost of preparing staple jollof rice had more than doubled since President Bola Tinubu assumed office, while petrol prices had also risen sharply following the removal of the subsidy.
The TUC chief recalled that the union had submitted a 15-point demand to the Federal Government in early 2024, including measures to tackle food insecurity, insecurity and the erosion of workers’ purchasing power.
