The two major labor organizations in Nigeria have suspended their proposed national demonstrations expected to take place today.
The Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had called a national rally on 28 September to protest the rise in fuel and electricity prices.
After a late-night meeting with the federal government team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, they suspended the strike and rally.
They also agreed to revisit their decision within two weeks to see if their negotiation with the government had been complied with.
The suspension of the protest was declared by the Minister of Labor and Employment, Chris Ngige, and included in a statement signed by all the parties to the meeting, which ended early on Monday.
Mr. Ngige said that the unions agreed to suspend the strike after a good deliberation.
“Consequently, the NLC and TUC agreed to suspend the planned industrial action,” he said.
Speaking on the electricity tariff, Mr Ngige said that the parties agreed to set up a technical committee consisting of ministries , departments and government agencies, as well as NLC and TUC, which will run for a period of two weeks from today.
He said that it is the duty of the Committee to analyze the rationale for the new policy in the light of the need to validate the basis for the new cost-reflective tariff as a result of conflicting field knowledge.
According to him, the members of the Technical Committee is as follows: Chairman: Minister of State Labour & Employment – Festus Keyamo; Minister of State Power – Godwin Jedy-Agba; Chairman, National Electricity Regulatory Commission – James Momoh; SA to Mr President on Infrastructure – Ahmad Zakari; NLC member – Onoho’Omhen Ebhohimhen; NLC member – Joe Ajaero; TUC member – Chris Okonkwo and a representative of electricity distribution companies, DISCOS.
Mr Ngige said that the committee will also look at the various DISCOs and their electricity tariffs ‘in relation to the NERC order and mandate.’
Mr. Ngige said that all parties agreed on the need to increase the nation’s local refining ability to minimize over-dependence on the importation of petroleum products.
“NNPC to expedite the rehabilitation of the nation’s four refineries located in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna and to achieve 50 per cent completion for Port Harcourt by December 2021, while timelines and delivery for Warri and Kaduna will be established by the inclusive Steering Committee,” he said.
He said that the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) would be incorporated into the management committee already formed by the corporation.
“The Federal Government and its agencies to ensure delivery of 1 million CNG/LPG AutoGas conversion kits, storage skids and dispensing units under the Nigeria Gas Expansion Programme by December 2021 to enable the delivery of cheaper transportation and power fuel. A Governance Structure that will include representatives of organized Labour shall be established for timely delivery,” he said.
He said the government would promote the abolition of the minimum wage tax as a way to cushion the effect of the policy on the lowest earners.
He said the federal government must immediately provide 133 CNG / LPG-driven mass transit busses to the labor unions and “provide to the major cities across the country on a scale-up basis thereafter to all States and Local Governments before December 2021.”
He said that 10% of the ongoing project of the Ministry of Housing and Finance will be allocated to Nigerian workers under the NLC and the TUC.
“A specific amount to be unveiled by the federal government in two weeks’ time which will be isolated from the Economic Sustainability Programme Intervention Fund and be accessed by Nigerian Workers with subsequent provision for 240,000 under the auspices of NLC and TUC for participation in agricultural ventures through the CBN and the Ministry of Agriculture. The timeline will be fixed at the next meeting,” he said.
Speaking separately after the discussion, the President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, and the President of the TUC, Quadri Olaleye, confirmed the content of the interaction.
Mr Wabba also said that the Technical Committee would hammer out a permanent solution to the electricity tariff, including the problem of metering.
“Other issues are very clear, palliatives that needed to be extended our members and Nigerians that will cushion the effect of these policies. So it is, therefore, the decision of organised labour as represented here to suspend the action and we are going to convey our CWC to present it to them,” he said.
The Labor unions have earlier vowed to take part in a nationwide strike on 28 September if the federal government refused to reverse fuel and electricity tariffs.
The withdrawal of the subsidy has led to a rise in the electricity tariff from about N30.23 to about N62.33 per kWh, while the price of petrol has increased from about N145 to about N161 per litre.