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Fuel subsidy: FG, NLC meeting ends in deadlock

Published

1 year ago

June 1, 2023

The meeting between the Federal Government and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on the withdrawal of fuel subsidies ended without a resolution..

The meeting began in the Presidential Villa at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Representatives of the Federal Government, included Dele Alake, President Bola Tinubu’s spokesperson, and Mele Kyari, Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

Others in attendance included the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

The NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, and the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Festus Osifo, represented Organized Labour.

After several hours of talks with the Federal Government, the NLC asked that the Federal Government revert to the status quo by lowering petrol prices before continuing talks with the NLC.

Joe Ajaero, National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, who criticized the subsidy removal, stressed that the status quo must be restored before any official interaction with the NLC to defend the Nigerian labor and propose other options.

The NLC stated that the Federal Government had not even discussed palliative measures for Nigerians, hence rejecting the recent announcement.

The union announced that it would gather with its members to discuss the next course of action.

Conversely, Alake described the meeting as robust, adding that talks would continue. He expressed hope that the parties would reach a reasonable conclusion at its next adjourned meeting.