MON, OCT 02 2023-theGBJournal |The Federal Government has outlined a raft of palliative measures to calm nerves after meeting with the leadership Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) later Sunday.
The the Unions had threatened a nationwide strike beginning Tuesday October 3, 2023, following what it says is the insensitive ways the federal government has handled the ”excruciating and debilitating socio/economic pains Nigerians are passing through as a result of very harsh and sudden economic policies taken by this administration without any accompanying socio/economic policies to ameliorate and cushion the immediate effects and impacts those difficult and harsh policies are having on the citizenry” following the removal of fuel subsidy since the assumption of office of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Following the meeting, the federal government in a press statement outlined the measures which its said both parties noted, including
-A N25,000 provisional wage increment for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months,
-A commitment to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of PMS subsidy,
-A commitment to provide funds for micro and small-scale enterprises,
-VAT waiver on diesel for a period of six months, and the commencement of payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period from October-December 2023.
In light of the discussions held during the meeting, the following resolutions were also reached:
-The issues in dispute can only be resolved when workers are at work and not when they are on strike.
-Labour Unions argued for higher wage award and the Federal Government Team promised to present Labour’s request to President Bola Tinubu for further consideration.
-A sub-committee to be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.
-The lingering matter of Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State needs to be addressed urgently and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who participated virtually, pledged to resolve the matter.
-NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above.
Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, participated virtually in the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The labour delegation was led by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, Deputy President, TUC, Dr Tommy Etim Okon, NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, among others.
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