May 31, (THEWILL) – The meeting between the Federal Government and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), over fuel subsidy removal and increase in retail prices of petrol, has ended in a deadlock, THEWILL reports.
The negotiation meeting, which was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, had the Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and Dele Alake, the spokesperson for President, Bola Tinubu, as representatives of the Federal Government.
The Organised Labour was represented by the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero; and the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Festus Osifo.
Speaking at the end of the meeting, Ajaero faulted the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, for increasing the retail prices of petrol “even when subsidy provision has been made up to the end of June.”
Ajaero demanded that the Federal Government return to the status quo by reversing the price of fuel before resuming negotiations with the NLC.
The labour leader insisted that the Federal Government did not enter into any conversation even on palliative measures for Nigerians before President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of subsidy on petrol.
“That’s the principle of negotiation. You don’t put the partner, ask them to negotiate under gunpoint.
“The prayers of the NLC is that we go back to the status quo, negotiate, think of alternatives and all the effects and how to manage the effects this action is going to have on the people if it is an action that must take off.
“The subsidy provision has been made up to the end of June. And before then, conscious people, labour management, government, should be able to think of what will happen at the end of June. You don’t start it before the time”, he said.
On his part, Dele Alake, who spoke on behalf of the Federal Government, said the negotiations are ongoing and the parties will reconvene on a yet-to-be-defined date
Alake described the meeting as robust, He expressed hope that the parties would reach a reasonable conclusion.
