FG and Organized Labour Set to Reconvene Today Over Petrol Subsidy

Representatives of the Federal Government, NLC, and TUC Set to Meet

PulseNets reports that representatives of the Federal Government, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) are scheduled to meet today.

The aim of the meeting, as highlighted by PulseNets, is to make significant progress within the eight-week deadline for concluding talks on palliatives related to the removal of petrol subsidy.

During their previous meeting last week, the government and organized labor established a Presidential Steering Committee, led by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu. The committee is responsible for coordinating technical sub-committees on various key issues.

Following the meeting, TUC President Festus Osifo and NLC counterpart Joe Ajaero addressed journalists and announced their plans to reconvene today to review the proposed framework. Negotiations will continue with five sub-committees focusing on Cash Transfers, the Social Investment Programme (SIP), the Cost of Governance, Energy, Mass Transit, and Housing.

This inaugural meeting of the steering committee will officially approve the composition of the five sub-committees, enabling them to promptly commence their work. The purpose of this agenda-setting meeting, according to an insider, is to establish a standardized framework for all sub-committees, which will then have the authority to modify and expand their templates as necessary.

The sub-committees will address a range of critical issues. For example, the cash transfer committee is expected to develop a framework to increase government assistance to vulnerable Nigerians. The SIP committee will focus on social protection, pensions, housing, affordable education, improved healthcare access, and other interventions. The energy committee will concentrate on alternative energy sources and reducing electricity tariffs.

While completing the committees’ tasks within the eight-week timeframe may pose a challenge, the source revealed that the committees themselves may request an extension to ensure the delivery of benefits to Nigerians. The overarching goal is to break the cycle of exploitation and underdevelopment inflicted on Nigerians by the ruling elites, as shared by the source.

Also Read: Subsidy: Labour Threatens Strike, Resumes Talks With FG

Additionally, the NLC is prioritizing the revival of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in Nigeria as an alternative to oil, aiming to prevent the ruling elites from using Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to oppress Nigerians.