How FG pacified Labour with promises to complete 5 refineries, pay arrears

One of the promises the Federal Government made to pacify Organised Labour at yesterday’s parley was that five refineries would soon be fully functional.

Also, government vowed to pay arrears of wages.

These, among others, formed the core of the meeting where “they agreed that it is better to ‘jaw-jaw than war-war’.”

“Meaning,” a source told Vanguard, “there will be continuous dialogue between government and labour.”

Recall that Vanguard broke the story, yesterday, that leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart were meeting with the Federal Government.

However, obviously acting on agreed terms, neither the government representatives nor the labour leaders spoke with newsmen on what was discussed and agreed on at the meeting.

FG’s promisesA source, however, revealed to Vanguard the many promises Federal Government made to the Labour leaders.

According to a reliable source: “As part of efforts at crashing transport fares across the country, the Federal Government will hold a meeting with state governors to fully embrace the CNG buses.

“This will also affect the cost of foodstuffs as it will reduce the costs of transporting food items from different locations to consumers drastically.

“These are parts of efforts to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal on the citizens.

“The government also promised to summon a meeting of the economic council to impress it upon state governors to ensure the new minimum wage takes off across the country this month.

“It also promised to incorporate labour into the economic council, so labour will participate and monitor economic policies of government, instead of government throwing policies at labour and Nigerians that may result in agitation or protest.”

“The government also promised to hasten and complete the refineries.

“They said almost five refineries are about to be completed,’’ another source told Vanguard last night.

The sources confirmed that “government promised to pay all outstanding arrears and wage awards to workers, and inaugurate all the boards labour has representatives.”

Labour pacified

One of the sources said: “All these are promises, but the good thing is that it was agreed that the meeting will be a continuous process.”

Asked if labour was satisfied with the meeting, the source said: “It is not about satisfaction, but a way forward from the past where government was not discussing with organised labour.

‘’If this trend or practice continues, there is every possibility that disagreements between government and labour will reduce.”

Roll call

The government’s representatives at the meeting were Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, NSA; Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Labour Minister; and Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

Others include Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Information Minister; Heineken Lokpobiri, Petroleum Resources Minister, State; Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), and representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL.

For Organised Labour were the President of NLC, Mr Joe Ajaero; Deputy President, Kabiru Ado Sani; the General Secretary, Mr Emma Ugboaja; Deputy President of the TUC, Dr. Tommy Etim Okon; the Secretary General, Nuhu Toro; and the President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, who is also a deputy president