The organized labour has taken a stand against the appointment of Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, as the head of the Federal Government’s team for negotiating subsidy removal palliatives with the labour unions.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero expressed this rejection during a meeting with the Senate leadership.
Ajaero cited Gbajabiamila’s busy schedule and the lack of progress on the wage award committee headed by President Bola Tinubu as reasons for their concerns.
Ajaero further emphasized that the Chief of Staff had not initiated any negotiations or meetings, leading to delays in addressing critical issues, even following recent protests.
He also noted that the wage award committee had not convened, leaving unresolved concerns over wage adjustments.
The NLC President lamented the lack of tangible government structures to alleviate the impact of fuel subsidy removal, and he criticized the sudden fuel price increase from N537 to N620 per litre.
Festus Usifo, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), echoed these sentiments, expressing disappointment at the sluggish pace of the Federal Government’s approach to palliative measures. Usifo raised concerns about the delay in creating alternatives and palliatives despite the government’s claim to have saved N1 trillion in two months.
He called for urgent action and suggested that the saved funds should be directed towards addressing these pressing issues.
Following a closed-door session, Usifo revealed that the Senate leadership had promised to engage with the president and work towards solutions within a few days. He clarified that the labour unions had not issued any ultimatums to the Senate.
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In response, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, appreciated the patience and understanding exhibited by the organized labour. He acknowledged the government’s financial challenges, highlighting the substantial debt inherited by the current administration. While the president had saved N1 trillion over two months, Akpabio emphasized that this amount was insufficient to address the extensive debt burden, both local and foreign.
Akpabio assured the labour unions of a cooperative partnership and pledged to approach the Executive to alleviate the hardships faced by Nigerians. He acknowledged the need to find a balanced approach that considers the significant financial obligations while striving to address the concerns of the labour unions.
the organized labour in Nigeria has rejected Femi Gbajabiamila as the head of the government’s negotiation team on subsidy removal palliatives.
The NLC and TUC presidents expressed disappointment over delayed negotiations and the lack of concrete measures to mitigate the impact of subsidy removal.
The Senate assured the labour unions of their commitment to addressing the concerns and collaborating with the Executive to find viable solutions.
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