By Charles Adingupu
Federal Government representatives and the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Monday, resumed talks on steps to mitigate the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy by the President Bola Tinubu administration.
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the government and organised labour said they have agreed to set up a steering committee that would receive reports from other sub- committees within eight weeks.
Labour had on June 5 suspended its planned nationwide strike over the removal of subsidy following an agreement reached with the Federal government.
Present at the meeting were delegations from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by its President, Joe Ajaero; the Trade Union Congress (TUC), led by its President, Festus Osifo; the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Special Adviser to the President on Revenue, Zachaeus Adedeji; the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachallom Daju.
Others were the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari; the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed; among others.
Among agreements reached on June 5, was the establishment of a joint committee to review the proposal for any wage increase or award and to establish a framework and timeline for implementation.
The Federal Government, the TUC and the NLC were also to review the World Bank Financed Cash transfer scheme and propose inclusion of low-income earners in the program as well as revive the Compressed Natural Gas conversion programme earlier agreed with Labor centres in 2021.
