FG Woos NLC To Shelve Planned Strike; To Pay ₦75 ,000 To 15 Million Households
By Missang AKPET
The Federal Government has pleaded with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve its plan to go on an indefinite nation wide strike over fuel subsidy removal.
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the meeting between the federal government and the NLC which held on Sunday to resolve pending issues bothering on the removal of subsidy on premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
According to the communique signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, the Government argued that the disputes in question can only be resolved when workers are at work and not when they are on strike.
It stated that the federal government has approved a ₦25,000 wage increment for all treasury paid federal government workers for a period of six months which will commence immediately.
The government expressed commitment to fast-track the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of fuel subsidy while adding that Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel will be waived for the next 6 months.
The Government also committed to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises and that it will commence payment of ₦25,000 per month to 15 million households for a three-month period from October ,2023.
The labour union on its part while considering the government proposal with a view to suspending the planned strike argued for a higher wage award than has been proposed while the Federal Government team present at the meeting led by Chief Of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila promised to present Labour’s request to President Bola Tinubu for further consideration.
Present at the meeting were minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The labour delegation led by NLC President Joe Ajaero had in attendance Deputy TUC President ,Dr Tommy Etim Okon, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja, TUC General Secretary Nuhu Toro, among others.
