Festus Osifo returns as TUC President 

Festus Osifo was returned as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) President for another 4 year term at the ongoing Delegates Conference of the trade centre.
He was re-elected to the office unopposed at the inaugural quadrennial delegates Congress and 20th anniversary of TUC today in Abuja.

Osifo promised to take the labour movement to greater heights, strengthen workers welfare, address issues of unionisation amongst others. 
“I wish to make this singular promise that we will never let you down, that we will work day and night with the respective affiliates, the respective state councils and the Women’s Commission to ensure that the plight of Nigerian workers remains a going concern,” he pledged adding that he would ensure that the welfare of the Nigerian workers remains sacrosanct.

He equally  promised to deepen the issue of remuneration and welfare much more than “we have ever done before.”
“I can confirm to you that this evening you have elected men of timber and calibre, astute unionists, experienced unionists, people that work in different strata of the Nigerian society,  men and women that will be there to ensure that the mandate that was renewed today, the mandate that was given to us today, we will continuously sustain it, we will continuously push for the issues that affect you on a daily basis,” the TUC president said concerning his team.

He re-assured past leaders that the confidence that is reposed in them, the battle that they have passed through succession will be upheld.
“That we will continuously advocate for issues that will better the lives of our members. We will continuously work with respective affiliates,” he said.

Usifo also stated, “We will continuously advocate for those companies who are still preventing workers from unionising. We will take the battle to them. For those affiliates that need great assistance, that need total support, we will be there for you.”

Osifo told newsmen that in the last three years, TUC was able to bring in about 10 new affiliates. “But we are going to push that even further to have much more membership to the affiliates and bring in much more affiliates into the TUC.”

According to the re-elected president, “For us, we believe that our strength is in our number so we aspire to grow much more further than we did in the last three years. So those unions that need more membership, we will push for them.”

He expressed further that unions that are not as strong as the big ones, will be given the requisite support. “Because they said, you are as strong as your weakest link. So that we are going to deepen even further.”