FG Begs NLC To Shelve Planned Nationwide Strike

There were indications, yesterday, that government was disposed to engaging the organised labour to avert the labour strike.

Sources say the Federal Government was counting on the understanding of labour to resolve all issues relating to the fuel price hike. “We have been meeting with the labour unions in our bid to carry them along on this matter.

But government is ready to engage them further to ensure that we are on the same page in the interest of the nation”, one of the sources said. “The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ike Kachikwu, had been meeting with the labour unions.

NLC, TUC, PENGASSAN and NUPENG were all involved in the meeting that had in attendance the Minister and the National Assembly leadership. You will notice that NUPENG and PENGASSAN have supported the move by government to hike the price of petrol.

“The only objection I believed NLC raised was on the composition of the Board of the PPPRA. And government told them that work would be done on that. I have not yet checked the status of that. Beyond that, that was no other issue.

“Now, the more important part is that the petroleum minister has been meeting with them even before last Wednesday meeting.

“The minister is confident because he has been talking with them. Government had understanding of the NUPENG and PENGASSAN. It is now NLC and TUC that have refused to do so.