Fuel subsidy/hike: Read what happened at Labour, FG meeting

– The federal government has pleaded with the labour organisations to shelve its planned strike

– The FG and labour unions held a meeting last night to reach an agreement on the recent increase in fuel price but the meeting ended in a deadlock

– Governor Oshiomhole who was at the meeting tried to persuade the unions that they would need to be flexible

– The meeting would continue on Tuesday at 3pm

The meeting between the federal government and organized labour on the increase in the pump price of petrol ended in a deadlock on Monday night, May 16, as both sides remained unyielding.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), vowed to go ahead with its plan to embark on a nationwide strike if the federal government fails to reverse to the old pump price of N86.50, Vanguard reports.

The labour unions said before the deregulation of the oil sector, the government should put all the nation’s refineries to optimal use, increase minimum wage and also put all necessary palliatives measures in place.

The government pleaded with the labour unions to see reasons with its action and shelve its planned strike.

READ ALSO: Kachikwu, sharing dollars to frustrate strike- Deji Adeyanju

The meeting which started at about 6.30pm had in attendance Ayuba Wabba, the factional president of NLC, Joe Ajaero, president of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Igwe Achese, and president of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Olabode Johnson.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal led the government team.

Others in attendance were the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, President of the TUC, Bobboi Bala Kiagama, NLC general secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson, and the acting general secretary of Trade Union Congress, Simeso Amachree, among others.

The meeting also had Governor Adams Oshiomhole in attendance, to mediate between the two warring sides, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, and the special assistant to the president on National Assembly, Sen. Ita Enang, among others.

Speaking to newsmen at the end of the meeting which lasted till after 11pm, Babachir said the discussions they had were frank and honest, adding that they would resume talks at 3pm today.

READ ALSO: Kachikwu pleads with labour to shun strike

On his part, Oshiomhole said: “You’ve organised strikes and those strikes have not helped in increasing wages. So it is time to make tough choices. The president is socially concerned but the fundamentals have changed.”

The Punch reports that the federal government, started another round of meeting with the Joe Ajaero-led faction of the labour organisation at about 12.15am on Tuesday after its meeting with the Ayuba Wabba-led NLC.

Recall that organised labour and the civil society gave the federal government till midnight on Tuesday to reverse the increase in fuel price or they would embark on an indefinite national strike.

Meanwhile, the Bishop of Sufficient Grace and Truth Ministry, Seun Adeoye staged a solo protest against the increase in fuel price in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, , on Monday, May 16.

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