 The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have reached an agreement to grant the government a two-week period to address several concerns raised by the Congress.
This decision was communicated in a statement issued by Olajide Oshundun, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, on Tuesday, September 5th.
Solomon Lalong, the Minister of Labour and Employment, made this announcement in Abuja after a meeting with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress, led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo. The meeting aimed to resolve the differences between the TUC, Nigeria Labour Congress, and the government, with the goal of averting an impending warning strike by organized labor.
According to Lalong, the issues requiring resolution within the two-week timeframe include addressing wage concerns for federal civil servants to alleviate the impact of rising poverty among them and implementing tax exemptions for specific workers, both in the public and private sectors. Other matters on the two-week agenda involve establishing effective structures for implementing government-declared palliatives for states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and outlining the procedures for accessing the proposed N70 billion fund for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), among other issues.
The Minister emphasized that after the two-week period, the meeting would reconvene for further discussions. He acknowledged that some of the issues were urgent, while others might require more time for resolution. Lalong also clarified that there would be no strikes during this two-week peace period as both parties engage in deliberations and work towards achieving their objectives.
Comrade Festus Osifo, the President of the TUC, found the two-week timeline reasonable, providing the government with adequate time to address the concerns. He mentioned that initially, TUC had proposed a one-week timeline but reconsidered after recognizing the government’s limitations, emphasizing the need for pragmatism.
Earlier, in a press conference, the Minister had appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to postpone its planned two-day warning strike scheduled for September 5th and 6th. He argued that such action could jeopardize the progress made by the government in securing a better future for Nigerian workers and citizens. He urged the NLC leadership to grant the government time to comprehensively address the issues raised.
The Minister reassured Nigerian workers that the government would neither take them for granted nor fail to appreciate their support and understanding.
