The Federal Government and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have reached an agreement to grant the government a two-week window to address the concerns raised by the Congress.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Solomon Lalong, in Abuja following a meeting with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress, led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo.
According to a statement released by Olajide Oshundun, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the meeting aimed to resolve differences between the TUC and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) with the government and prevent an impending warning strike by organized labor.
The issues slated for resolution within the two-week timeframe include the award of wages for federal civil servants to mitigate the impact of rising poverty among them and tax exemptions for specific workers in both the public and private sectors.
Additionally, the parties will work on establishing structures for the effective implementation of government-declared palliatives for states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Modalities for accessing the proposed N70 billion for funding Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are also on the agenda.
Minister Lalong clarified that following the two-week period, the parties would reconvene for further discussions. He acknowledged that some issues were time-sensitive, while others would require more extended deliberations.
Importantly, both parties agreed that there would be no strikes during this two-week peace period while deliberations and efforts to achieve the stated objectives are ongoing.
TUC President Comrade Festus Osifo expressed confidence in the two-week timeline, deeming it reasonable and practical.
He disclosed that the TUC initially pushed for a one-week resolution timeline but reconsidered after taking government constraints into account.
Osifo emphasized that their demands, outlined in a previous communique, encompass resolving the dispute between the Lagos State Government and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and increasing the palliative allocation, as the current N5 billion per state is insufficient to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.
Earlier, during a press conference, Minister Lalong had implored the Nigeria Labour Congress to postpone its planned two-day warning strike scheduled for September 5th and 6th, highlighting the potential detrimental impact on the progress already achieved by the government in securing a brighter future for Nigerian workers and citizens.