Fuel subsidy: FG agrees to look into TUC demands

…as NLC absents

.by Adekunle Adesuji

Federal government on Sunday agreed to look into demands of Trade Union Congress (TUC) following the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu.

However, The leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), led by Joe Ajaero didn’t attend the meeting with government team.

But, addressing State House correspondent after the meeting , the Federal government spokesman , Dele Alake assured that Federal governmen will also look at the practicability of the demands.

He said that most fundamentally President Bola Tinubu will constitute a tripartite committee to include states and organised labour and the private sector to study the dynamics of the minimum wage augmentation to reach an amicable conclusion.

According to him, there is no disagreement with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over their demand for a review of the minimum wage or a return to the status quo, noting that the FG representatives will meet with the President to crystallize decisions on the demands.

He added that the absence of the NLC does not translate to an isolation of the group in the discussion but that the FG is making efforts to reach them as the parties agreed to reconvene on Tuesday 24 hours before a scheduled strike by the NLC.

Meanwhile, the TUC has maintained that the Federal Government, in the interest of social dialogue, revert the price of fuel while discussions continue.

President of the TUC, Festus Osifo, said the union is hopeful as the Federal Government promised to look into their demands, the top of which is a review of the current minimum wage among others.

The Federal government delegation in the meeting was led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; the group chief executive officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari; and former governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole.

Also in the meeting were the Executive Secretary of the national sugar development council (NSDC), Zacch Adedeji; executive vice president, downstream, of the NNPCL, Yemi Adetunji; former Lagos state commissioner for information and strategy, Dele Alake; James Faleke, among others.

On the TUC side are seven members led by the organisation’s President Osifo.