Article summary
- Nigeria’s Trade Union Congress (TUC) and government officials plan to continue talks on fuel subsidy after a meeting on Sunday.
- The meeting, attended by TUC President Comrade Festus Osifo and government representatives, showed progress in resolving the dispute over fuel subsidy removal.
- TUC’s major demand is a wage increase to offset the rising cost of living caused by the subsidy removal, and further discussions will take place on Tuesday.
Nigeria’s Trade Union Congress (TUC) and officials of the Nigerian Government agreed to continue talks on fuel subsidy this week, after a closed-door meeting on Sunday.
The Federal Government team and that of TUC led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo met on Sunday in a meeting that started at about 4 pm and ended by 7.30 pm.
The Secretary to the government of the federation, George Akume attended the meeting alongside the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari, CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, former governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole, and others.
Deadlock
According to the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre, both sides broke the deadlock on fuel subsidies, to reconvene Tuesday. The Federal Government and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have made progress on the negotiations toward resolving the dispute over the removal of fuel subsidies, adding:
- “The Federal Government team and that of TUC led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo met on Sunday in a meeting that started at about 4 pm and ended around 7.30 pm.
- “Addressing the State House Press Corps after the meeting, Mr. Dele Alake who is part of the government negotiation team said much progress has been made in the talks with the TUC leaders.
- “He revealed that a major demand from TUC is a wage increase for workers to accommodate the burden of the rising cost of living the subsidy removal will bring noting that the Federal Government is not averse to wage increase as President Bola Tinubu himself had hinted on that during his meeting with governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday.”
Mr. Alake said the meeting with TUC will resume on Tuesday after further consultations by both sides to firm up resolutions.
NLC absence
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), led by Joe Ajaero didn’t attend the Sunday meeting with the government team that had Mr. Wale Edun, Olayemi Cardoso, Group Managing Director of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, labour leader and former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole among others in attendance.
