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Subsidy: FG Considers Wage Review As Labour Begins Strike Wednesday

BY: HighCelebritySquard 

 

The Federal Government has said it is considering an increase in the national minimum wage to reflect the current economic realities in the country.

This was as the controversy trailing the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy and the subsequent increase in the price of premium motor spirit (petrol) took a fresh turn on Friday when the Nigeria Labour Congress threatened to embark on a nationwide strike on Wednesday.

NLC specifically cautioned that it would not go back on its decision to withdraw its services should the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited fail to reverse the increase of the price of PMS to N184 per litre.

The workers’ union had during its emergency National Executive Council meeting in Abuja directed its affiliates, including state councils and industrial unions, to mobilise workers for a nationwide strike and protest if nothing was done by the Federal Government to embrace the status quo as far the price of petrol was concerned.

But President Tinubu, who spoke when he received members of the Progressive Governors Forum led by the Chairman and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, at the Presidential Villa, said that an improved livelihood for Nigerians remained the top priority of his administration through more people-focused economic policies.

“We need to do some arithmetic and soul searching on the minimum wage. We will have to take a look at that together, and the revenue. We must strengthen the source and application of our revenue,” Tinubu added.

The President urged the governors to seize the opportunity of being chosen among millions of citizens in their states to make a difference in the lives of people, adding that he would work for the benefit of Nigerians.

On the planned workers’ strike, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, while briefing journalists after the union’s emergency National Executive Council meeting, said, “The NEC in session directed that the leadership of NLC should be cautious of negotiations with people without portfolios.

“It is destructive and until the government is properly constructed and the people who will negotiate with labour are people with mandate and capacity to convince the government of the day, such negotiations may not be valid wherever.

“Consequently, the NLC decided that if by Wednesday next week, the NNPCL, a private limited liability company that illegally announced a price regime in the oil sector, refuses to reverse, the NLC and all its affiliates will withdraw their services and commence protest nationwide until this is complied with.

“The NLC NEC directs all state councils and industrial unions to commence mobilisation from this moment.”

Recall that President Tinubu, during his inaugural speech on Monday, May 29, announced the removal of fuel subsidy, saying, “Subsidy is gone”.

Though the President’s image makers had in different statements insisted that Tinubu was misquoted by some sections of the media.

However, Tinubu’s declaration led to an increase in panic buying with some filling stations across the country pegging the pump price of petrol at N600 per litre few hours after the announcement.

The NNPCL had on May 31, 2023 announced new pump prices according to states, even as some representatives of the government met with NLC officials, a meeting which ended in a deadlock.

TUC, FG meet

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress on Friday said it would meet with the representatives of the Federal Government on Sunday over the increase in the price of petrol.

The congress also noted that it would not take any action until the end of the meeting.

The TUC disclosed this following an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council which held in Abuja.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the union’s National President, Festus Osifo, said, “After the holistic review and painstakingly going through the entire sequence, we want to say that the congress is unhappy with the unilateral decision of the fuel subsidy removal by the government.

“Our expectation was that they should have engaged the representatives of the people, the organised labour, but it was done unilaterally.

“Having noted this, we wish to state as follows that the NEC in session resolves that discussions should continue while we demand that government should reverse to status quo ante.

“And because of the fact that we had a meeting with government on Wednesday, NEC has mandated us to go back to that meeting and put our demand before the government. It is how government reacts to our demand that will now necessitate the next line of action.

“We will tarry till Sunday when we will meet with the representatives of government. Once we are done with the meeting and the demands that the TUC will put forward, their reaction will determine our next line of action.”

In a related development, the APC governors have accused oil marketers of inflicting pains on Nigerians by hoarding fuel supply after President Tinubu’s announcement on Monday on the removal of fuel subsidy.

Addressing State House Correspondents on Friday, the Chairman of PGF and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, condemned the price increase in what he described as “old stock” and called on Nigerians to rally behind the government’s decision to discontinue the payment of petrol subsidy.

When asked how states would intervene to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians, Uzodinma said, “There’ll be new economic realities and once a new policy comes, there’s usually this panic. For instance, from May 29 till today, I’m not aware that any petroleum marketer has imported any product.

“All the products in their storage facilities are those already imported, subsidised by government. Why the rush to increase the prices? It is man’s inhumanity to man. So, I think that what we should do is to be our brother’s keepers and learn how to save the firewood we got during the dry season, so that we can use it during the rainy season.

“I have no doubt in my mind that the man who has raised his pump price from N300 plus to N500 plus is creating panic that there’ll be no product.”

MAN reacts

Speaking on the planned workers’ strike, the Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, called on labour to give the President a chance and allow the deregulation process.

“Labour should drop the idea of going on strike so that we can all move in the same direction. You can give a benefit of doubt to this current administration because they are just coming on board.

“They should dialogue with the government to see how the negative impact of the removal of subsidy can be ameliorated. So far, the President has spoken well, and there is every possibility that we must witness some positive movement. He needs to put his word into action.

“If you ask me whether I want to buy petrol at a lower cost, I will tell you yes, but as to whether the government should continue to subsidise, the answer is no. When you remove it, the price will go up, but the government should not reverse its decision to remove the subsidy.”

Reacting to the issue, former Director of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muda Yusuf, said it was not an advisable move to reverse the pump price of fuel, noting that it would be best for the Federal Government and the Labour Union to intensify negotiations so that palliatives that would cushion the hardship could be discussed.

NLC strike disastrous for economy – Economists

An economist and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Prof Akpan Ekpo, said any industrial action of any kind would be ‘disastrous’ for Nigeria.

Ekpo, who is the Chairman of the Foundation for Economic Research and Training, also stated that if the NLC decided to carry out their threat to embark on a strike on Wednesday, it would affect the Gross Domestic Product of the country and the growth trajectory.

“If you touch that price wrongly, all other prices will go up. I have been warning (the FG) against that. So, first things first, he would have consulted with operators to see what would be done by the end of June.

“The FG should consult widely and rectify these issues. NLC has the capacity to mobilise workers to down tools. They should not take it lightly,” he said.

Another economic analyst, Mr Ade Dayo, said the strike threat by the NLC may cause Nigerians to begin to panic-buy and hoard goods and services.

“It is the duty of the FG to call the NLC again to a roundtable and forestall this strike. The Nigerian economy cannot afford this strike at this time at all,” he said.

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