The Presidency, again, held a meeting with representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, June 4, even as no one from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was present.The meeting was convened by the federal government, at the Presidential villa, Abuja to discuss the consequences of fuel subsidy removal.
Similar meeting was held on Wednesday, May 31, with the NLC and TUC leadership in attendance.
The federal government’s team in today’s meeting was led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefie the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari and former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in attendance.
Also in the meeting were the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Zacch Adedeji; Executive Vice President, Downstream, of the NNPCL, Yemi Adetunji; former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dele Alake; James Faleke, amon others.
On the TUC side were seven members, led by the President, Festus Osifo.
It would be recalled that the NLC President, Joe Ajaero had in a statement on May 31st titled: “That NNPC Pricing Template is Vexatious and An Ambush: The Dialogue is in Danger,” said that they will not continue the dialogue unless the new price regime is withdrawn.
The NLC Statement read: “We are worried that the Government through the NNPC despite the ongoing meeting of Stakeholders in the oil and Gas sector to manage the unilateral but unfortunate announcement by the President to withdraw subsidy on petroleum products, went ahead this morning to announce a new regime of prices under a new pricing template.
“This is an ambush and runs against the spirit and principles of Social Dialogue which remains the best platform available for the resolution of all the issues arising out of the petroleum Down-stream sector. Government cannot in one breathe be talking about deregulation and at the same time fixing the prices of Petroleum products. This negates the spirit of allowing the operation of the free market unless the government has as usual usurped, captured or become Market forces.
“It is therefore unacceptable and we seriously condemn it. Good faith negotiation is key to reaching agreement. What the government has done is like holding a gun to the head of Nigerian people and bring undue pressure on the leaders thus undermine the dialogue.
“We call on the federal government to immediately instruct the NNPC to withdraw this vexatious Pricing template to allow free flow of discussions by the parties.
“Nigerians would not accept any manipulations of any kind from any of the parties especially from the representatives of the Government.
“Our commitment to this process is buoyed on the fact that all the parties would be committed to ensuring that it is carried out within the ambits of liberty without undue pressure.
“The release of that Template may not allow us to continue if nothing is done to withdraw it so that the dialogue can continue unhindered. It is clear that Government is actually trying to scuttle the process.
“As it stands, the federal government has become fixated on their chosen course of action. Would this help this dialogue? It clearly will not. There must be flexibility to allow concessions and reasonable accommodation that will produce the best result for Nigerian people. This is what we all seek at this time.”
The organised Labour had demanded that the government return to status quo or face industrial action.
The meeting today was not conclusive as it is scheduled to reconvene on Tuesday, June 6, a day to the day the labour unions plan to embark on strike over the rise in fuel price following the withdrawal of oil subsidy.
