The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC ) has said the negotiation committee of the federal government deliberating on how to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy is incapable of meeting the demands of Nigerian workers.
The federal government committee negotiating with the organised labour on how to mitigate the hardship of removal of fuel subsidy is led by Mr Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The organised labour said Mr Gbajabiamila refused to hold a negotiation meeting with them, a development that makes demands of the NLC delayed.
The National President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, made this known when he met with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and other principal officers of the Senate at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Festus Osifo of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) was also at the meeting.
The meeting is coming six days after members of the NLC occupied the complex of the National Assembly to protest against the hardship inflicted on Nigerians as a result of the removal of petroleum subsidy.
They demanded that the federal government reverse the removal of petroleum subsidy for them to have a meaningful life.
Ali Ndume, the chief whip of the Senate, who addressed the protesting workers, pleaded for a seven-day ultimatum for the Senate to intervene.
At the meeting with the leadership of the Senate, the NLC National president stressed that demands of Nigerian workers are getting delayed because the chief of staff to the president refuses to create time for the labour leaders to deliberate on the demands.
“Part of our challenge is the issue of the committee put in place. The committee seems not to be capable. As labour, we are done with negotiation and engagement with the government from the time of Ikaite, as SGF, Kingibe, Pius Ayim and Boss Mustapha.
“At no time had the chief of staff to the president, who is very busy, called to negotiate or lead negotiations, and that has delayed the issues. After our protest, another meeting has not reconvened, though, the president promised that he will restructure the mechanism of engagement with the government to help things to be treated fast,” Mr Ajaero said.
The labour leader also complained that the committee set up by Mr Tinubu to deliberate on the increase of minimum wage is yet to sit and commence its meetings.
“We had agreed on a wage award, and up till this moment the committee on wage award is yet to sit,” he said.
Palliatives
Mr Ajaero urged the leadership of the Senate to supervise and encourage the federal government to distribute the N8,000 palliative to the right beneficiaries.
He also urged the government to create another data for distribution of the palliative to beneficiaries to capture more vulnerable households.
“Nothing is yet to happen on the issue of $800 million projected to be borrowed. We have not perfected the list of the people who will benefit from it.
“We should not follow the record that was used in 2019 because we have our doubts on that record, and no indices have been put forward to dictate those that are termed poor.”
The senate president, while responding, appreciated the leadership of the organised labour for engaging the Senate.
Mr Akpabio promised that the Senate will intervene and that the demands of Nigerian workers will be met by the federal government.
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