Strike: NLC President Gives Update After Meeting With FG

Following Sunday's meeting with the federal government delegation, the country's organised labour leaders determined to confer with organs and workers first on the next course of action to be taken on the imminent strike action.

The federal government met with labour leaders in Abuja on Sunday to avoid the strike action announced by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

According to a statement issued by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, following the meeting, the government made certain compromises. 

This includes a N35,000 provisional wage increase for all treasury-paid federal government employees for six months, a commitment to expedite the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to alleviate public transport difficulties associated with the removal of the PMS subsidy, the elimination of VAT on diesel for the next six months, and the payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month for three months from October to December 2023.

The government also stated that workers must be present for the concessions to be enforced.

In response to the government's position, NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that they are considering the government's pledges to the workers before making a final decision on whether or not to go ahead with the proposed strike.

“I don’t have much to say than the Chief of Staff has said. We’ve been meeting and we’ve looked at almost all the issues, all the promissory notes from the government and we’ll look at how to translate them to reality and to be workable.

"Then we’re going to take those promises to our organs, of course, you know these people here cannot just wake up and review and call off action.

“So like he said, we’re hopeful that our organs will have a look at them and give us a fresh mandate on what next to do. So it’s a simple one.”

The meeting's labour delegation included NLC President Joe Ajaero, TUC Deputy President Dr. Tommy Etim Okon, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja, and TUC General Secretary Nuhu Toro, among others.