The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give a marching order to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the commercial banks to make the newly redesigned naira notes available to Nigerians without further delay.
The Union also asked the President to direct the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited to ensure that petrol is available for sale at official prices to Nigerians across the country.
TUC said this in a statement in a statement signed by its President, Mr Festus Osifo, and Secretary General, Mr Nuhu Toro, on Tuesday.
While lamenting the hardship inflicted on Nigerians by the scarcity of cash and fuel across the country, the Union asked the President to find solutions to the challenges within one week.
“TUC, like the rest of the Nigerian populace, is bewildered that the country is being dragged through the twin crises of currency and fuel shortages.
We are worried and wish to note that smaller denominations of N100 and N50 notes were not affected by the Naira redesign, but paradoxically not in circulation anywhere in the country.
“President Muhammadu Buhari needs to give a marching order to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the commercial banks to make available the legal tender, unconditionally to Nigerians without further delay, “ the union said..
The TUC said it would be monitoring the situation closely, urging the government to act promptly to prevent it from getting out of hand.
Recall that President Buhari had, on Friday, met behind closed doors with governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he asked Nigerians to give him seven days to resolve the crisis associated with the Naira redesign policy introduced by the apex bank.
The Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd., Mr Mele Kyari, has also promised that there would be substantial improvement in fuel supply in the coming week.
(NAN)