Everything is now prepared for the crucial meeting between the Federal government and Labor Leaders regarding the proposed strike action by organized labor. At the time of this report, the Federal government team, led by Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to the President, is already in place, awaiting the arrival of labor leaders who recently consulted their respective organizations to decide on their next steps after the government-labor meeting on Sunday night.
To prevent the strike, President Bola Tinubu has approved a temporary wage increase of N35,000 for all federal government workers paid from the treasury for six months. This decision was made following additional consultations with the Federal Government delegation, which met with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Sunday.
During the previous meeting, the Federal Government committed to expediting the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to alleviate public transportation challenges resulting from the removal of the PMS subsidy. Additionally, they pledged to provide funds for small-scale enterprises and offer VAT waivers on diesel for the next six months.
However, Joe Ajaero, who led the Labor team, stated that they don't have the authority to call off the strike immediately. They intend to take the government's promises to their respective organizations for consideration and await further instructions.
Tommy Okon, Acting TUC President, also mentioned that they would report back to their organizational bodies for a final decision on the matter.