As part of efforts to avert the planned strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), a meeting between labour unions and the government to resolve the controversial petrol price adjustment is currently on in Abuja.
According to Channels TV, the dialogue, which is holding in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has in attendance the SGF, representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), PENGASSAN, as well as the Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole.
The SGF is leading a delegation of ministers and other representatives of the federal government in the meeting with the union leaders.
While appealing to the workers’ union leaders to put the nation’s interest ahead of theirs as they went into the meeting, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, said that the decision to deregulate the petroleum was the only option for the government to tackle the nation’s financial predicament.
However, the President of the NLC said that the meeting would present them the opportunity to table issues in the minds of the workers to the government.
Organised labour has set Wednesday, May 18 to go on an indefinite strike if the federal government fails to meet its demand of reverting the pump price of petrol to N86.50 kobo per litre.
On Sunday, the National Vice President of the NLC, Mr Amechi Asugwuni, warned that Nigerian workers would down tools if the government failed to revert to the old price.