Organized Labour on Tuesday rejected President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, leading the negotiation on the effect of subsidy removal, saying the panel is not capable of resolving the issue.
The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, made this known when the leadership of the Labour union visited the Senate leadership.
Ajaero also disclosed that the Tinubu wage award committee is yet to sit two months after the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria..
In his words: “Part of our challenges is the issue of the committee put in place.
“The committee seems not to be capable.
“As labour, we are done with negotiation and engagement with the government from the time of Ufot Ekaette, as SGF, Babagana Kingibe, Pius Ayim and Boss Mustapha .
“At no time had the Chief of Staff to the President who is very busy called to negotiate or lead negotiations.
“And that has delayed the issues.
“Even after our protest, another meeting has not reconvened, although the President promised that he will restructure the mechanism of engagement with the government to help things to be treated fast.
“We had agreed on wage award, and up till this moment, the committee on wage award is yet to sit.”
The NLC president, while speaking during the meeting with the Senate leadership lamented the plight of Nigerians as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy without putting anything on ground to ameliorate the effect in the country .
READ ALSO:
OAGF to partner ASCON on treasury staff capacity development
Oyebanji gets full cabinet, inaugurates new commissioners, special advisers
Ezeonwuka congratulates Senators Umeh, Ubah on committee appointments
Ajaero told the lawmakers that while Labour leaders were still deliberating on N537 per litre of fuel and a court had ruled for status quo to remain, but surprisingly the government decided to increase the fuel to N620 per litre.
Speaking further, the NLC president said that $800 million intended to be borrowed to cushion the effect of subsidy removal and till now the Labour is yet to get information about it, urging the Federal Government not to use the record that was used in the past by the previous administration.
The NLC President stated: “Nothing is yet to happen on the issue of $800 million projected to be borrowed.
“We have not perfected the list of the people who will benefit from it .
“We should not follow the record that was used in 2019 because we’ve our doubts on that record.
“And no indices have been put forward to dictate those that are termed poor.”
In his response, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, appreciated Organized Labour for their patience and understanding to assist the government .
He told the Labour Union that although the President has saved N1 trillion as a result of fuel subsidy removal, he inherited a broke country with a debt over N30 trillion.
Akpabio assured the aggrieved Labour leaders of partnership and approach the Executive to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
