The organised labour has suspended its strike scheduled for today
(Monday) after a meeting between labour leaders and the Federal
Government.
This was contained in a communique read by the Minister of Labour and
Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, after a technical session that started late
on Sunday and lasted till the early hours of Monday morning.
The decision to suspend the strike followed an agreement reached between
both parties and averts a nationwide strike which would have grounded
economic activities in the country.
Organized labour, however, stressed that the strike was suspended not
called off and it could be recalled if the government doesn’t hold up
its end of the deal made at this meeting in the next two weeks.
As part of the agreement, the Federal Government will suspend the
electricity price tariff hike and has set up a committee to look into
what the labour minister described as conflicting field reports
justifying the hike in electricity tariff.
The suspension of the electricity tariff hike will be for a two-week
period during which the committee will conduct its investigations and
submit its report.
The committee is to be headed by Dr Ngige, but he will be represented by
the Minister of State for Labour, Mr Festus Keyamo.
Based on the agreement, the new price of fuel will, however, remain in
place but the government promised to do more to improve local refining
capacity, rehabilitate Nigeria’s refineries and pursue the CNG
alternative aggressively by for instance providing CNG mass transit
buses across the country.
Dr Ngige decried the stifled growth in Nigeria’s downstream sector and
the dire circumstances faced by the government which he claims is the
justification for fuel subsidy removal.
Below is a communique containing the agreements reached the meeting
which began by 7 pm on Sunday and lasted till the early hours of Monday,
September 28.
On his part, the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba welcomed the dialogue with
the government and the resolutions reached.
He confirmed that the planned strike has been suspended and is looking
forward to the palliatives promised by the government to Nigerians
during the meeting.
The palliatives are meant to cushion the effect of the fuel price
increase.
Sunday’s meeting was held in the banquet hall of State House in Abuja.
It was attended by the NLC President Ayuba Wabba, President of the Trade
Union Congress, Mr Quadri Olaleye and other members of organised labour,
while the government’s team included the Minister of Labour Dr Chris
Ngige, Minister of State for Labour Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for
Petroleum Timipre Silva, Minister of Information Lai Mohammed and the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha.
The minister of State for Power Mr Jeddy Agba was also in attendance.