Subsidy Removal: FG, TUC in closed-door meeting 

The representatives of the Federal Government are meeting with the Trade Union Congress  (TUC)  at the State House over the removal of fuel subsidy. This is a follow-up to Wednesday’s meeting with the organized labour which ended in a deadlock. At that meeting, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) demanded that the Federal Government go back to status-quo by reversing the price of fuel before resuming negotiations with the union. In Sunday’s meeting, the federal government’s team is led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. Others are the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefie; former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari. Also in the meeting are the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Zacch Adedeji; Executive Vice President, Downstream, of the NNPCL, Yemi Adetunji; former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake; Hon James Faleke, among others.

Fuel Subsidy: NLC declares nationwide strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Friday, declared a nationwide strike from Wednesday next week. The union disclosed this during its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held in the Federal Capital territory, Abuja. According to Channels TV, the meeting was not unconnected to the fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu and the subsequent hike in the pump price of petrol. The NEC comprises all Presidents, General Secretaries, Treasurers of all NLC’s affiliate unions; State Chairpersons and Secretaries of the NLC State Councils, Chairperson of the NLC Youth Committee and members of the National Administrative Coucil. NIGERIAN ANCHOR had reported on Wednesday that the meeting between the federal government and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over fuel subsidy removal ended without a consensus. The meeting began around 4pm on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Representatives of the Federal Government had included Dele Alake, the spokesperson for Tinubu; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari. Other government officials present were the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole. The Organised Labour was represented by the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero; and the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Festus Osifo. After several hours of meeting with the Federal Government, the NLC had demanded that the Federal Government return to the status quo by reversing the price of fuel before resuming negotiations with the NLC. The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, who criticised the removal of subsidy stated that the status quo returns before any formal engagement with the NLC to protect the Nigerian workforce and proffer additional solutions. The NLC insisted that the Federal Government did not enter into any conversation even on palliative measures for Nigerians, hence the rejection of the latest announcement. The union said it had decided to reconvene with its members to determine the next line of action. Meanwhile, Alake described the meeting as robust, adding that talks would continue. He expressed hope that the parties would reach a reasonable conclusion at its next adjourned meeting.

Subsidy Removal: NLC kicks, urges Tinubu to put palliative measures in place

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has lambasted new President Bola Tinubu for removing fuel subsidy without due consultations, urging him to ensure palliative measures are put in place to ease workers’ sufferings. Mr Joe Ajaero, the NLC President, made the appeal in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja. It would be recalled that Tinubu announced the fuel subsidy removal during his inaugural speech on Monday, saying that subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources. Tinubu pledged to re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, healthcare and jobs that would materially improve the lives of millions. Ajaero said that the NLC would staunchly oppose the decision. “We at the Nigeria Labour are outraged by the pronouncement of President Bola Tinubu removing ‘fuel subsidy’ without due consultations with critical stakeholders. “Or without putting in place palliative measures to cushion the harsh effects of the ‘subsidy removal,” he said. He said that within hours of Mr President’s pronouncement, the nation had gone into a tailspin due to a combination of service shut downs and product price hike, in some places representing over 300 per cent price adjustment. He said that by the decision, Tinubu on his inauguration day had brought tears and sorrow to millions of Nigerians instead of hope. The NLC president also said that Mr President had equally devalued the quality of their lives by over 300 per cent and counting. According to him, it is no heroism to commit against the people this level of cruelty at any time, let alone on an inauguration day. “If he is expecting a medal for taking this decision, he would certainly be disappointed to receive curses for the people of Nigeria consider this decision not only a slight but a big betrayal. “On our part, we are demanding the immediate withdrawal of this policy. The implications of this decision are grave for our security and well-being. “We wonder if President Tinubu gave a thought to why his predecessors in office refused to implement this highly injurious policy decision?”. He added that “we also wonder if he also forgot the words he penned down on January 8, 2012, but issued on January 11, 2012. “In light of the foregoing, we advise Tinubu to respect his own postulations and economic theories instead of daring the people. It could be a costly gamble,” he cautioned. 

You can’t go on strike, FG warns resident doctors

The Federal Government has warned members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to shelve their planned five-day warning strike. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja, shortly after receiving the letter of notification from the NARD executive on the planned strike. Ngige said this in a statement signed by Mr Olajide Oshundun, Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry while the planned strike as illegal. The impending industrial action is billed to begin by midnight of May 16. Ngige who was reacting to the letter, delivered to his office at about 5pm same day, said he contacted the Minister of Health, who informed him that a meeting has been scheduled with the resident doctors on Wednesday. He therefore advised the doctors to avail themselves of the opportunity for social dialogue with their employer, rather than embark on a warning strike, which is unknown to the law. According to him, “I will advise them to attend the meeting with the Minister of Health tomorrow.  I will also advise them very strongly not to go on a five-day warning strike. “There is nothing like a warning strike. A strike is a strike. If they want to take that risk, the options are there. It is their decision. They have the right to strike. You cannot deny them that right. “But their employer has another right under Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, to withhold their pay for those five days. So, if the NARD has strike funds to pay their members for those five days, no problem. “The Health Minister will instruct the teaching hospitals to employ ad-hoc people for those five days and they will use the money of the people who went on strike to pay the ad-hoc doctors. “That is the ILO principles at decent work, especially for those rendering essential services. Lives should be protected. One of my sons is a resident doctor, I will advise him to go to work and sign the attendance register,” he said. He added that, the people seen at work are the ones to receive their pay. If you don’t work, there will be no pay. On the five demands of the doctors, Ngige said the Federal Government lacks the powers to compel the states to domesticate the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF). He added that since health is on the residual list, where both the federal and state governments have the powers to legislate. The minister also stated that the job of the Federal government was to make policy and where the states disagree, they were at liberty to make their own policy. He noted that the Federal Government cannot bully the states into domesticating the MRTF if they do not want to. Regarding the issue of immediate payment of the MRTF to their members, he said it was appropriated in the 2023 budget but has not been released, as the 2022 budget was still running, adding that those in 2022 have all been paid. Ngige denied the claim by NARD that the Federal Government did not pay minimum wage consequential adjustment arrears to their members. He added that, all workers in the Education and Health Sectors, and even the defense agencies benefited from the adjustment. He noted that the doctors cannot declare a nationwide strike because some states were owing their members, pointing out that the federal government cannot also dabble into the issue, being a state matter. Ngige also said the Federal Government as the Executive arm of government cannot intervene in the bill at the National Assembly to bond doctors for five years, as it is a private member’s bill. According to him, any intervention by the executive on the matter impinges on the autonomy and independence of the legislative arm of government. Ngige noted that the bill has passed through first and second reading, he was sure it would be shot down at the public hearing, since the law prohibits forced labour. He advised the doctors not to talk about 200 per cent pay rise, as it was not feasible. “Besides all the government has done for doctors and other workers in the health sector, such as upward review of hazard allowances, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) was already negotiating with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the Presidential Committee on Salaries on pay rise for doctors. “It is incongruous for student doctors to embark on strike when consultants training them were already negotiating with the Federal Government,” he said