From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government on Monday resumed negotiations with organised labour presented by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on measures to take to alleviate the suffering associated with the withdrawal of fuel subsidy by the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Recall both the NLC and TUC a fortnight ago had suspended its planned nationwide indefinite strike action to protest last month’s withdrawal of fuel subsidy.
The meeting was suspended after meeting with representatives of government at the State House, Abuja.
Speaking to State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, said a steering committee has been set up, alongside technical committees that will help achieve the planned palliatives for Nigerians.
He said: “As we promised the last time we met; when labour called off their planned strike, we held a meeting today. We went through all the demands that labour had tabled, that is government and the labour unions and the last time, they said they were going to go back to their executives and make consultations so that we reconvene today.
“That is exactly what we did. At today’s meeting, both parties went through the list and we ticked off the viable ones which are now broken into three categories; those can be given immediate attention, and those that can be achieved medium term and long term.”
Alake explained that a steering committee was set up alongside technical committees that will help actualise the dream of providing the intervention that will cushion the effects of removal of subsidy.
“Work groups have been constituted at today’s meeting. There is a steering committee that will serve as a clearing house and there are other committees comprising both parties; government and labour. They will work together very harmoniously and efficiently to arrive at the final resolution of all the demands of labour and what we (government) call interventions,” he explained.
The President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Joseph Ajero and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Festus Osifo both confirmed the setting up of steering and technical committees that will commence work immediately and complete same within a maximum period of eight weeks.
Other government representatives at the meeting include Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila; and Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, Special Adviser for Revenue, Zachaeus Adedeji and the Special Adviser for Energy, Olu Verheijen and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachallom Daju.
Others were the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, the CEO of Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed among others.