NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
THE organized labour last night walked out of this meeting organized by the authorities on the increment of the oil pump cost and hike in electricity tariff.
The labour leaders accused the government of insincerity in the discussion, alleging that it had got to a stage where things were not moving right again.
They insisted that before the should proceed with the meeting the government should revert to the old cost of petrol at the inception of the meeting.
Efforts by the government team headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige to convince the labour leaders to listen to their presentation failed on deaf ears.
To worsen the situation, the Minister of Labour had advised the labour team that he was in control and that no one should decide for him how to handle the meeting.
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This infuriated the labour and they immediately stormed out of the meeting hall, the Old Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Talking to journalists, the General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Emma Ugbaja stated,”We have had some understanding over time, but while these meetings were ongoing, we were suddenly slapped with a new increase in oil prices and we believed that was beyond what we had as an understanding with the authorities.
“And we felt that should be the first item for understanding now. But surprisingly the government team believed differently, they felt the dilemma of imaginary palliatives should be discussed before what’s causing the demand for those palliatives should be discussed.
“And we felt that was putting the cart before the horse. We want to deal with the matter on oil pricing before we begin to think whether there is need for palliatives or not and on that strength we believed we can’t continue with a meeting whose agenda is wrongly prioritized.
“When the Government is ready to take it the way it’s, we’re ever ready to engage and to have things correctly determined.”
Asked on what would be the next step, he said,”We have to go back to our organs to agree on the way forward, because we’ve got leadership, we’re known and clearly with that position we must tell our members what the situation is.”
On his side, the Trade Union Congress, TUC President, Comrade Quadri Olaleye reported that the government was not sincere with the labour in the discussion.
He said that the labour leaders can’t walk freely on the roads because workers accused them that they had betrayed their trust.
He said,”Gentlemen of the press, as I mentioned at the beginning of the meeting that today’s meeting isn’t going to be as usual while because we have seen the insincerity of authorities and it’s putting us at risk.
“They are taking us for a ride which cannot continue. We’re on the process of discussion for over three months now and they made an announcement increasing the fuel cost again and no other person than the NNPC.
“When has the authority been given to NNPC to increase the purchase price of pms, this is unacceptable, the meeting schedule isn’t well prioritized and because of that we’re leaving the meeting, we cant continue, we will go back to our organ and we’re going to contact you on the next of action. We can not continue with their insincerity.”
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Ngige who played down on the situation said that the labour leaders wanted to go and discuss with their organs.
The stage for the walkout was laid when the Deputy President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero had insisted that there should be a change of the new increment to what it was at the last meeting before any deliberations could go on, but Senator Ngige said it was part of this schedule.
Vanguard News Nigeria
