negotiation between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the twin issues of increase in the prices of petrol and electricity tariff is expected to resume today at the conference hall of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation’s office.
The congress, on Sunday, suspended the strike it called to protest the increase after negotiation with the government team ended in a deadlock.
Labour, however, said it was suspending the strike after intervention by the National Assembly and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who appealed to them to return to the negotiating table.
A statement by the Deputy Director, Press, in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowookere, said the meeting is expected to resume at 2pm.
The statement announced the suspension of the planned nationwide strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.
The statement added that at a meeting between the union leaders and government, Kachikwu “exhaustively briefed PENGASSAN and other stakeholders on the vexed issue of Joint Venture Cash Call, (JVCC) the arrears of which have not been paid to the Joint Venture partners, hence, the threat by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to lay off their Nigerian workers while refusing to pay some of their allowances due to an alleged shortage of cash”.
The statement quoted him as saying that his ministry was restructuring the operational modalities of the Joint Venture Cash Call, especially in view of the low oil prices but assured the union, the JVCC partners and other stakeholders of positive and agreeable results when the meeting reconvenes next month.
Ngige, the statement said, promised that the oil industry stakeholders’ committee dealing with the issues of labour malpractices, such as long contracting of staff, casualisation and unilateral declaration of redundancy by the oil contractors and the international oil companies on the one hand, as well as the unnecessary and incessant issuing of threats of strike by the unions would resume next month.
“We all recall that this committee was headed by the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi ,but in view of the importance and the urgency of the committee, I will assume its full leadership next month to accelerate and bring its assignment to a fruitful completion, part of which is to generate some oil- labour regulations into laws for the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) .”
The statement said inputs from the Ministries of Finance, Budget and Planning, and that of Ministry Works, Power and Housing on other issues raised by the union are expected at the next meeting scheduled for June 23.
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