Fuel, Electricity Price Hike: Strike Looms As Labour Walks Out From Meeting With Nigerian Govt

Labour union representatives yesterday staged a walk-out from a meeting with the Nigerian Government.

The labour union walked out of the meeting barely five minutes after it started.

The president of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Quadri Olaleye, told Channels Television that the hike in the price of fuel and electricity tariffs were top on the meeting agenda and not issues of palliatives.

He accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government of dishonesty and painting the organised labour in a bad light before the general public.

Olaleye said, “This meeting is not going to be as usual. Why, because we have seen the insincerity of the government and it’s putting us at risk. They are taking us for a ride, which cannot continue.

“We are in the process of discussing, for over three months now. And they made an announcement increasing the fuel price again. And no other person than NNPC. When has authority been given to NNPC to increase the price of PMS? This is unacceptable.

“The meeting agenda is not well prioritised. And because of that, we are leaving the meeting. We will not continue, we will go back to our organ, and we are going to get back to you on the next line of action.”

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, represented the Federal Government alongside the Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, Minister of state for power, Goddy Agba and the Secretary to the Government, Boss Mustapha.

The NLC was represented by Najeem Yasin, its Deputy President.