‘Rally Continues,’ NLC States After Last-Minute Negotiations With FG
On the eve of a planned nationwide protest, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) met with representatives from the Federal Government at the State House in Abuja.
The meeting, which was hosted by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, was not open to the media. It ended in a stalemate with no agreement reached.
After the meeting, NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that “the rally goes on and it is part of their constitutional responsibility to ensure that the rally is peaceful.
“Those in attendance at the meeting included the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, ministers of labour, agriculture, finance, budget & planning, and the head of service of the Federation. Both labour centres in the country were also present.
The Federal Government had appealed to the NLC to shelve its planned nationwide protest, which was slated for February 27 and 28, 2024.
The Minister of Information, Muhammad Idris, spoke after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Monday, saying that the government had fulfilled almost all of the demands put forward by the labour union.
But the NLC insisted that the government must put on its thinking cap and implement its agreement with the Organised Labour, as well as address the mounting economic crisis of survival in Nigeria.
Nigeria is currently facing rising inflation, food inflation, forex crisis, economic hardship, and high cost of living caused by the removal of petrol subsidy, which has led to protests in parts of the country.
Despite the government’s subtle pressure, the NLC says its members won’t be cowed into shelving their proposed nationwide protest.
