FGN & NLC Yet To Come TO Agreement As NLC Insist on Demand

Maryam Aminu

In a bid to stop the commencement of an indefinite strike planned by labour unions that may lead to the shutdown of the economy, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has on Monday held a meeting with organised Labour to stop them from embarking on another strike

After all deliberations by the Minister of Labour, Simon Lalong and the organised labour, the meeting however ended without concrete resolution as the Nigerian Labour Congress insisted that the Federal Government must meet its demands ahead of the 21-day ultimatum issued earlier on September 1st by the congress.

The NLC threatened to embark on another strike that may lead to the total shutdown of the economy if FG fails to meet up its demand at the expiration of the ultimatum on Friday

However, the meeting is expected to continue at a later date

The Federal Government and NLC pledged to find solutions to the key demands tabled before the government by the organised labour before the deadline.

Lalong said many of the items presented by Labour were still under consideration before the final agreement.

The minister stated, “Our meeting was very robust. It was a fruitful meeting. Many of the items presented by labour are still under consideration before the final agreement or discussions

According to Ajaero, not one of the agreements with the federal government was addressed despite a series of meetings that were held.

Among other demands, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress were asking for wage awards, implementation of palliatives, tax exemptions and allowances to the public sector workers and a review of the minimum wage

Nobody earning N30,000 or N60,000 will buy fuel for one week. We need to find solutions to all these problems and we have articulated them. Each time we finish they ask for time. They asked for eight weeks, which we gave them. They asked for four weeks, which we gave them. We don’t know what to tell our colleagues or members again. We hope that at the end of this meeting, we will have something to tell our members. This is a neck-breaking meeting,” he said.

Ajaero said the organised labour was ready to meet with the government any time of the day to find solutions to its demands and avert the planned strike.

The NLC president said, “Like the minister said we had a fruitful deliberation and we have agreed to continue to make sure we arrive at meaningful agreement within the remaining days of the ultimatum