A major step towards averting an industrial action over petrol subsidy removal was taken last night.
Yesterday’s meeting was a follow-up to Wednesday’s parley between the government and Labour over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s pronouncement during his inauguration statement that ‘fuel subsidy is gone’.
Following the speech, marketers raised the price of petrol and Labour announced a nationwide strike to begin on Wednesday.
Negotiations would continue tomorrow on the demands, the spokesman of the government team, Mr. Dele Alake, announced after the meeting.
He said Labour’s demands are “not impracticable”.
TUC President Festus Osifo confirmed tomorrow’s meeting.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leadership, which attended Wednesday’s meeting, failed to show up yesterday.
It declared its intention to go ahead with strike on Wednesday.
According to its president Joe Ajaero, the government must reversed the ‘unilateral’ increase of petrol prices before any negotiation.
Former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole faulted the NLC for shunning the resumed negotiation between the Federal Government and the organised Labour.
He expressed the hope that the Joe Ajaero-led union will return to the tomorrow when the government team and Labour officials resume talks.
But the government said it would continue to reach out to the NLC leadership.
There were calls on the NLC to shelve the planned action.
The government got more support for the subsidy removal from manufacturers, investors and business concerns, and was urged to introduce palliatives.
