The Federal government has launched a last ditch effort to avert the nationwide strike being jointly spearheaded by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Part of the steps aimed at averting the strike, it was learnt, was an emergency meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, with the leadership of the NLC and TUC at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, by 7pm.
The meeting came 24 hours earlier, having been previously scheduled to hold at 3pm on Monday, September 28, following the inability by the Federal government to reach an agreement with Labour on fuel and electricity tariff hikes.
Confirming the urgency of the meeting, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Charles Akpan, announced Sunday afternoon that it will now hold at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja by 7pm (today, Sunday, September 27, 2020).
The notice by Akpan read: “The Honorable Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, will be meeting with the Organized Labour. The meeting earlier scheduled for Monday 28th September 2020 is now scheduled as follows:
“Date: Today, Sunday, 27th September 2020
Venue is the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa.
But earlier in the evening, leaders of the House of Representatives led by the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, had commenced an emergency meeting with the Organised Labour to find a solution to the impending crisis.
In attendance at the closed-door meeting were the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba; and President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Quadri Olaleye, among others.
Prior to the commencement of the closed doors session, Speaker Gbajabiamila had appealed to the labour leaders to shelve the nationwide strike and allow the Federal government to sort out all the issues at stake.
The meeting was ongoing at the time of filing this report.