Following Sunday’s meeting between the federal government delegation and the organized labour leaders in Abuja, a resolution has been made to consult with workers and relevant organs regarding the impending strike action threatened by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). The meeting aimed to avert the proposed strike, leading to some concessions by the government.
The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, disclosed that the government made several concessions, including a provisional wage increment of N35,000 for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months. Additionally, commitments were made to expedite the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation challenges due to the removal of the Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) subsidy. The government also announced the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel for the next six months. Furthermore, a payment plan of N75,000 for 15 million households at N25,000 per month was set to commence from October to December 2023.
However, the government stipulated that the concessions would be implemented only if workers are present at their workplaces. In response, NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that they would present the government’s promises to workers for consideration before making a final decision about proceeding with the proposed strike. Ajaero emphasized the need for approval from relevant worker organs, indicating that a decision would not be made hastily.
The resolution reflects a careful and deliberative approach, involving consultations with the workers’ representatives and relevant stakeholders, before any further action is taken in response to the government’s proposals.