NLC shuns meeting with Nigerian govt

The leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday shunned the meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, to stave off the two-day warning strike called by the congress.

The minister had in a press briefing in Abuja told journalists the Federal Government would meet with organised labour in a bid to avert the strike declared by the labour centre to protest the hardship induced by the current administration’s policy initiatives.

He appealed to the NLC to suspend the strike in the interest of the country.

However, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Festus Osifo, and other members of the Congress executive committee attended the meeting which started at 5:30 p.m.

The NLC had in a communiqué jointly signed by its President, Joe Ajaero and Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, on Friday declared a two-day warning strike over the economic hardship in the country.

READ ALSO: FG appeals to NLC to suspend strike

The Congress decried the current administration’s failure to engage organised labour in the efforts to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

The warning strike will begin across the country on Tuesday.

The government, during the meeting, set a two-week timeline on wage award, tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers.

This is to cushion the pains and anguish the workers are going through following the removal of fuel subsidy.

The government said it was also setting up the modalities of accessing the intervention fund that was recently announced as palliative to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Pressing issues such as implementation of palliatives, wage award, tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers; modalities for N70bn SMEs; RTEAN crisis among others, were discussed.

Lalong said: “We are going to address those issues within the period of two weeks and come back for further discussion. Some of the issues we discussed are those that are very urgent.