Developing Story: Federal Succumbs To Pressure, Convenes Another Meeting With NLC, TUC On Fuel Subsidy Removal
The federal government in reaction to the anger and threats of paralysing the country has convened another meeting with representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress at the Presidential Villa over the removal of subsidy on petrol.
The meeting which is slated for Sunday (today) comes five days after a first meeting on the same issue, ended in a deadlock.
During his inauguration speech on May 29, President Bola Tinubu had said “petrol subsidy is gone”.
The president’s pronouncement immediately led to a resurfacing of long queues at gas stations and a hike in the pump price of the product across the country.
President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Festus Osifo, had told state house correspondents after the first meeting that government must return to the old price of petrol or workers will embark on a nationwide strike billed to commence next Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) had in a memo dated June 2, and signed by its general secretary, Dominic Igwebike, also announced that its members will join the strike.
The federal government representatives at the last meeting included Dele Alake, spokesperson for the government’s delegation; Group CEO of NNPCL Mele Kyari; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele; and Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of Edo state.
