Ad image

Hike in fuel, electricity prices: FG, Labour meeting ends without agreement

Ezekiel Johnson
Ezekiel Johnson
Hike in fuel, electricity prices: FG, Labour meeting ends without agreement
Ngige and Wabba

The meeting between the Federal Government and labour unions to prevent the proposed strike over hike in the price of petrol and increase in electricity tariff ended in without an agreement on Tuesday.

The meeting which held for about eight hours at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, had in attendance, representatives of the government and labour unions.

At the meeting, the union demanded a reversal of the increase in both the petrol price and electricity tariff.

In the alternative, it mooted the idea of palliatives to cushion the effects of the action of the government on the lives of Nigerians.

The government, appealing to labour to cancel its proposed protest scheduled to begin on September 23, said it could not afford to continue to pay subsidy.

According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, there was the urgent need for everyone to support the government in its plan on how to survive the hardship caused by the effects of COVID-19.

Following the failure of the two parties to reach an agreement, it was suggested that the labour should consult members of its executive council after which another meeting would be held with the government.

It is expected that the labour union will hold an expanded meeting on Wednesday over the outcome of the meeting held with the Federal Government.

Present at the meeting for the Federal Government were the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Minister of State, Labour, Festus Keyamo ; Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman; Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari.

Representatives of labour unions at were President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba; President of the Trade Union Congress, Quadri Olaleye; Secretary General of the TUC, Musa Ozigi-Lawal; Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria President, Festus Osifo; and the President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Association of Nigeria, Williams Akporeha.

Share this Article
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *