The Federal government has disclosed that it will remove the 7.5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) imposed on diesel, while also agreeing to gift all Federal workers N25,000 monthly stipend for the next six months.
Diesel used to power generators now sells for over N1,000 a litre.
The government also agreed to pay 15 million households N25,000 a month for the next three months.
These were among the concessions the government yielded in Sunday’s talks with the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in apparent effort to avert the October 3 nationwide strike.
The Minister of Information, Alhaji Idris Mohammed, issued a statement cataloguing the various decisions reached at the meeting in Aso Rock, Abuja, 48 hours to the beginning of a nationwide strike called by organized labour.
Kwara State governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Abdulrazak Abdulrahman and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, participated virtually in the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who also joined the meeting virtually, promised to resolve the dispute between Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State.
Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; and the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.
Others at the meeting were the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite; Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
The labour delegation was led by NLC President, Joe Ajaero; Deputy President of TUC, Dr Tommy Etim Okon; the NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja; TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, among others.
The NLC and TUC leaders said the unions will consider the offers by the Federal government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions.