Facts have emerged on why the organised labour under the auspices of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) backed out of the nationwide strike they had earlier scheduled to commence on Tuesday, October 3.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Facts have emerged on why the organised labour under the auspices of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) backed out of the nationwide strike they had earlier scheduled to commence on Tuesday, October 3.
Agreement on some of the topics tabled by the Congress in a raft of meetings with government representatives informed the decision by the Unions to suspend the strike for 30 days.
In a last-minute meeting called by the Federal Government to avert the strike and after much discussion, the Federal Government agreed to grant a wage award of N35,000 (thirty-five thousand Naira) only to all Federal Government workers beginning from the month of September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law.
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The meeting equally resolved that a minimum wage committee shall be inaugurated within one month from the date of the agreement.
Federal Government equally agreed to suspend collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Diesel for six months beginning from October, 2023.
Federal Government also accepted to vote N100 billion for the provision of high capacity CNG buses for mass transit in Nigeria. Provisions are also being made for initial 55,000 CNG conversion kits to kick start an auto gas conversion programme, whilst work is ongoing on state-of-the-art CNG stations nationwide. The rollout aims to commence by November with pilots across 10 campuses nationwide.
Federal Government plans to implement various tax incentive measures for private sector and the general public.
On the leadership crises rocking the NURTW and the purported proscription of RTEAN, the Federal Government commits to handling Labour matters in line with relevant ILO Conventions and Nigerian Labour Acts. A resolution of the ongoing impasse is expected by or before October 13.
The issue of outstanding Salaries and Wages of Tertiary Education workers in Federal-owned educational institutions was referred to Ministry of Labour and Employment for further engagement.
The Federal Government committed to pay N25,000 per month for three months starting from October, 2023 to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners.
Government will equally increase its initiatives on subsidized distribution of fertilizers to farmers across the country.
The meeting also resolved that the Federal Government should urge State Government through the National Economic Council and Governors Forum to implement wage award for their workers. Similar consideration should also be given to local government and private sector workers.
The Federal Government commits to the provision of funds as announced by the President on the 1st of August broadcast to the Nation for Micro and Small Scale Enterprises. The MSMEs beneficiaries should commit to the principle of decent jobs.
A joint visitation will be made to the refineries to ascertain their rehabilitation status. Joe Ajaero, (President), Emmanuel Ugboaja Secretary (NLC): Festus Osifo Toro (President), Nuhu A (TUC), signed for the Unions. While the Federal Government delegation had Simon Bako Lalong, Minister of Labour and Employment; Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment and Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation