The meeting between organized labour and the federal Government has ended in a deadlock.
Both sides could not reach a compromise.
The implication of this, according to the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, is that the status quo remains: the strike continues.
Omar, who spoke with State House Correspondents shortly after the meeting, which ended aat about 11.30p.m., said: “Until we reach compromise, status quo remains. We are yet to reach compromise. We will get back to our organ.”
By organ, Omar meant the National executive Committee of the NLC.
Omar’s interaction with newsmen:
“Is the meeting deadlocked?
“It is not deadlocked but we have not reached an agreement. We will meet again after we meet our organ.
“Is the strike continuing?
“Like I said the other time, if we have not reached a compromise, it means the status quo is maintained (strike continues).
The NLC NEC, which met before the meeting in Aso Rock, had mandated the delegates to the meeting to insist on a reversal of the price of petrol to N65.
It said anything short of this would be unacceptable.
President of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Peter Esele, said after the meeting that the union was yet to decide.
Esele told newsmen: “”Government offer (N120) is still there but we have not made up our minds.”
The position of the TUC, as earlier reported by The Eagle Online, is a reversal to N65 and then negotiation based on specific timelines after the resuscitation of the country’s refineries.
In a terse statement on its wall on social media, Facebook, it said: “TUC’s official position arising from the NEC meeting: “Revert to N65/litre then commence negotiations tied to timelines to bring back domestic refineries on stream.”
It was not clear as at press time this evening when the NLC and TUC will meet to consider government’s position.
But the overwhelming view of Nigerians is a reversal to N65 for a litre of petrol, resuscitation of the country’s four refineries, curbing of corruption in the oil industry and a drastic cut in the huge allocation to elected and appointed government officials at all levels.
However, almost 30 minutes after the labour team stormed out of the venue, the government team was still meeting.
The acting General Secretary of the NKC, Owei Lakemfa, told the media: “”You know it is a very simple thing as far as we are concerned and our position is very simple one. We were discussing and government was consulting with Nigerians and they said we will conclude discussion in the New Year. And then there was this increase. What we are advising is that government should just go back to that position we were before discussion and then we will also call off the strike and then we conclude discussion.”