From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye and Magnus Eze, Abuja
The Federal Government-led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, alongside Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, met with organised labour in a bid to forestall the proposed nationwide strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) and Trade Union Congress(TUC) scheduled for tomorrow.
Oshiomhole and Ngige had earlier met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa before joining the meeting which held at the conference room of the SGF, possibly to harmonise federal government’s position before the meeting.
The meeting, which kicked off at about 6:30pm, had in attendance the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, factional President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, President of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Igwe Achese, President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Olabode Johnson.
Others were Trade Union Congress(TUC) President, Bobboi Bala Kiagama, NLC General Secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson,Ag General Secretary of Trade Union Congress, Simeso Amachree among others.
The meeting eventually started around 7.25pm and the SGF said subsidy removal and attendant fuel price increase was a painful decision for government.
Lawal noted that President Muhammadu Buhari empathises with Nigerians on the short time consequences of the increment and has made provision of N500 billion palliatives to cushion the hardship.
He also assured labour of government’s sincerity in the dialogue.
On his part, Oshiomhole appealed to labour for understanding and added that the situation today was not the same as in 2012.
On its part, organized labour said it sympathised with Buhari’s government “because they have to grapple with the mess inherited from the previous government.
TUC President Kaigama Bobboi assured that labour would approach the meeting with an open mind with the hope that government would muster the political will, while they, too, muster the will to carry the palliatives.
However, attempt by Ajaero to attend the meeting was rebuffed as Wabba insisted that he (Ajaero) must leave the conference hall.
Ajaero, who later addressed newsmen said government assured his group that it would still meet with them.
“Since there are going to be separate meetings, that means that there are going to be separate positions. The Wednesday they have fixed for action is not for us”, he stated.
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What is oshiomohle doing in the Meeting ? Mr. Sit at home .
Is the Fed. Govt obeying court orders? The Govt. want to pocket everybody. The Govt announcement last wed. said removal of subsidy, but last Saturday the same Govt. said it is no longer subsidy removal, but an increase in price. The implication means the subsidy is yet to be removed and tomorrow the Govt will wake-up and tells Nigerians that they want to remove subsidy. The Govt is getting the sympathy because they used the word removal of subsidy and people thought that they are genuine but it is all deceit.
Kachukwu and his pay masters are not sincere to Nigerians. Take a look at this story.
The Bishop at Osun State, embarked in one man protest over the hike in petroluem because Osun state is APC state and both Buhari and all APC Governors, are defending the hike in petroleum price. The APC Government and Buhari has been deceiving Nigerians that he is fighting corruption. The story at page 10 of Daily Trust 16th May 2016, confirm that ALL APC Governors, Ministers has been stealing the Country blind. In the said paper the Minister of information is probing the leakage of N13,000,000 to the press. He applied to collect THE MONEY from NBC which is a parastaltal in his Ministry. WHAT IS THE USAGE OF THE MONEY? To travel to China. Recall that in Nov. 2015 the Minister collected about N20,000,000 for mere visit to National Theater Igamu Lagos.
This is one Ministry that a lot are being stolen, then check what is happening at other Ministries with their parastaltals. Such agencies are NCC, NNPC, PPRA, VON, NTA and many others. This Government is not up to one year and see the corruption level rocking Information Ministry.