NLC reveals why they walked
out on the Buhari-led
government
– The NLC walked out from a
meeting with the Nigerian
government
– Nigeria’s government refused to
consider the NLC’s demands,
hence triggering the walk out
– The meeting with the
government lasted barely an hour
before a walk out was staged
– NLC said it is not ready to listen
to the government’s offer
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on the
night of Tuesday, May 17, walked out on the
Nigerian government, after a last minute meeting in
attempt to avert a nationwide strike over increased
petrol price, collapsed mid-way.
NLC says the Nigerian government is not ready
to heed the demands of the people.
Representatives of the organised labour staged a
walkout on government representatives, claiming that
the government refused to even consider its demand
for a reversal of the price hike, and an earlier
increase in electricity tariffs.
The meeting, called by the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation (SGF),
Babachir Lawal, was attended by the president of
NLC, Aliyu Wabba, who led representatives
of affiliate groups including Trade Union
Congress, TUC, and civil society organisations.
Sources reveal that the meeting was barely an hour
into its agenda when the labour leaders decided to
stage a walkout after what they called the “refusal of
government to accede to their demands”.
Premium Times reports that the General
Secretary of the NLC, Peter Ozo-Eson, said
members could not continue to put up with the
government’s unbending attitude towards their
demands.
“The talks with government broke
down because it was not ready to
address the issues the NLC placed
on the table for discussion; so we
left,” Mr. Ozo-Eson said.
“The demands the NLC and its
affiliates made formally in writing on
Saturday were that government
should first revert to the fuel price of
N86.50 per litre before any other
decision.
“Again, we demanded that the
electricity tariff imposed on the
people last January should also be
reversed. But, government said they
were not ready to discuss such
things.
“They said they wanted to discuss
minimum wage and palliatives. But,
those were not issues we were ready
to start any discussion with,” he said.
Ozo-Eson said labour was not interested in
listening to what offers government was going to
make in respect of the two issues it offered to talk
about, saying their interest was a complete reversal
of the fuel price and electricity tariff.
He said the government could not be talking about
minimum wage first when most Nigerians are not
even working and are being tasked further financially
and economically by the hike in fuel price and
increased electricity tariff.
The NLC has vowed to go ahead with its
scheduled nationwide strike on today, May 18,
though the NIC in its ruling on Tuesday, May
17 stopped the TUC and the NLC from
embarking on their planned strike.
out on the Buhari-led
government
– The NLC walked out from a
meeting with the Nigerian
government
– Nigeria’s government refused to
consider the NLC’s demands,
hence triggering the walk out
– The meeting with the
government lasted barely an hour
before a walk out was staged
– NLC said it is not ready to listen
to the government’s offer
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on the
night of Tuesday, May 17, walked out on the
Nigerian government, after a last minute meeting in
attempt to avert a nationwide strike over increased
petrol price, collapsed mid-way.
NLC says the Nigerian government is not ready
to heed the demands of the people.
Representatives of the organised labour staged a
walkout on government representatives, claiming that
the government refused to even consider its demand
for a reversal of the price hike, and an earlier
increase in electricity tariffs.
The meeting, called by the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation (SGF),
Babachir Lawal, was attended by the president of
NLC, Aliyu Wabba, who led representatives
of affiliate groups including Trade Union
Congress, TUC, and civil society organisations.
Sources reveal that the meeting was barely an hour
into its agenda when the labour leaders decided to
stage a walkout after what they called the “refusal of
government to accede to their demands”.
Premium Times reports that the General
Secretary of the NLC, Peter Ozo-Eson, said
members could not continue to put up with the
government’s unbending attitude towards their
demands.
“The talks with government broke
down because it was not ready to
address the issues the NLC placed
on the table for discussion; so we
left,” Mr. Ozo-Eson said.
“The demands the NLC and its
affiliates made formally in writing on
Saturday were that government
should first revert to the fuel price of
N86.50 per litre before any other
decision.
“Again, we demanded that the
electricity tariff imposed on the
people last January should also be
reversed. But, government said they
were not ready to discuss such
things.
“They said they wanted to discuss
minimum wage and palliatives. But,
those were not issues we were ready
to start any discussion with,” he said.
Ozo-Eson said labour was not interested in
listening to what offers government was going to
make in respect of the two issues it offered to talk
about, saying their interest was a complete reversal
of the fuel price and electricity tariff.
He said the government could not be talking about
minimum wage first when most Nigerians are not
even working and are being tasked further financially
and economically by the hike in fuel price and
increased electricity tariff.
The NLC has vowed to go ahead with its
scheduled nationwide strike on today, May 18,
though the NIC in its ruling on Tuesday, May
17 stopped the TUC and the NLC from
embarking on their planned strike.
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