16th May, 2016
The Muhammadu Buhari administration is leaving no stone unturned in its determination persuade Nigerians to accept the new N145 per litre price of the premium motor spirit it introduced last Wednesday.
To this end the Federal Government has scheduled a meeting for today with organised labour to dissuade its members from embarking on an indefinite strike from Wednesday.
Both the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress at the weekend issued a three day ultimatum to the federal government to reverse the increase to N86.50 per litre or else their members would embark on an indefinite nationwide strike from Wednesday.
NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba told Daily Trust on phone he was aware that an invitation for talks had been sent from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. But he said the letter had not been delivered because Sunday was a work-free day.
Sources said the government wanted to meet the labour leaders today to iron out areas of disagreement.
Asked about the latest development regarding its planned nationwide strike, Wabba said the communiqué jointly issued by organised labour on Saturday concerning the strike subsisted.
However, the ranks of the labour union remained divided over the planned strike.
Oil workers had pulled out of the strike Friday and backed the government on deregulation.
Many civil society organisations have also backed out of the strike and urged labour to shelve it in the interest of Nigerians.
The association of pilots and other workers in the aviation sector have also backed the government saying they would not take part in the strike.
The government also yesterday got the backing of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir David Lawal will today (Monday) address Nigerians on the new prices of petrol and the crisis it has generated.
Deputy spokesman in the office of the SGF Mohammed Dakwoji disclosed last night in Abuja that the SGF met Friday and Saturday with stakeholders and would also hold other meetings today before he would brief Nigerians.
He could however not be specific on whether the Labour unions who had threatened industrial actions over the matter are part of the meetings held or among those listed for today.
“Yes the SGF had been having meetings over this matter. You know this is a sort of crisis and stakeholders and Nigerians are resolving whatever differences may occur. By tomorrow (today) the SGF Engineer Babachir David Lawal would brief Nigerians on the outcome and progress of the situation,” Dakwoji told Daily Trust.
Another official who pleaded not to be named for ‘official reasons’ said that the SGF had met with some individuals and organisations over the new fuel price.