FG to negotiate with labour over fuel crisis

The federal government has initiated moves to end the ongoing strike by releasing names of its members of the technical committee to work with organised labour on the agreement on palliatives following the hike of pump price of petrol to N145 per litre. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The organised labour has embarked on an indefinite strike following the increase in the pump price of petrol Making the announcement in statement, Samuel Olowookere, the deputy director press on behalf of the minister of labour and productivity, Chris Ngige, said the committee will be inaugurated on Monday, May 23, 2016.

 Following due deliberation on the issue, the government resolved with the Federation of Trade Unions as follows That the government will expedite action on the composition of the minimum wage review committee and the committee is expected to complete its assignment and submit its report within six months of its constitution. Accordingly a technical committee will be set up to develop frame work for the working of the tripartite committee on minimum wage review This technical committee will be constituted to also consider suggestion and contributions from relevant parties on the component of the half trillion naira (N500 billion) provided in the 2016 annual budget as palliatives’ measures to cushion the negative fall-out of the deregulation of the down-stream sector of the oil and gas industry. 

 The technical committee will complete its assignment and revert to the committee of the whole within two weeks. Meanwhile, some loyalists of President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly clashed with labour union workers during a rally in Abuja on Thursday, May 19. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as well as other sister affiliates have been on strike since Wednesday, May 18, to protest the hike in fuel prices following the deregulation of the oil sector and the removal of fuel subsidy. They are requesting that the federal government must revert to the old price of N87/litre from the N145 which Nigerians have been asked to purchase the product. Similarly, the Delta state Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on workers in the state to remain calm and support the federal government and Congress in ensuring that the liberalization of the downstream sector provides long-term solution to the problems plaguing the sector. The council in a statement by its factional Chairman, Williams Akporeha urged the government to ensure that the benefits of the policy were ploughed back into social security, infrastructure and equipping security agencies.