THE Federal Government on Sunday, June 4, 2023 met with representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to discuss fallouts from the removal of petrol subsidy.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was absent at the negotiation, which started around 5 pm at the instance of the Federal Government.
The organised Labour had a meeting with the government last Wednesday, which was deadlock, as the NLC insisted on government reverting to the old price of N195 per litre before any meaningful negotiation could take place, claiming that there are no concrete measures in place to cushion the effect of the high price, which is already taking a toll on the people and having an adverse affect on goods and services.
The government team, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, included Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; former governor of Edo State and past president of the NLC, Adams Oshiomhole; Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari; Executive Vice President, Downstream, of the NNPCL, Yemi Adetunji; former Lagos State commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dele Alake, and member of the House of Representatives, James Faleke.
The seven-man team of the TUC was led by its President, Festus Osifo.
At the end of negotiation, the TUC asked the Federal Government to revert to the old petrol pump price of N194 per litre, even as negotiations continue over the recent removal of subsidy.
The union also asked government to increase the minimum wage to cushion the effect of the petrol subsidy removal and demanded tax holidays for categories of people.
Spokesman for government delegation, Alake, said after the meeting that most of the demands were not impracticable and would be presented to President Bola Tinubu, whose decisions will be reverted to Labour leaders at another negotiation scheduled for Tuesday, June 6.
Osifo, on his part, said some progress had been made and the union would brief its members ahead of the next meeting.
