…Port Harcourt refinery to begin operations in December
The Presidency on Wednesday evening said the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress led by Comrade Joe Ajaero, and that of the Trade Union Congress, Festus Usifo, would suspend the ongoing nationwide protests after meeting President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
It premised the labour unions’ expected decision on what it described as “fruitful and frank discussions”.
“Consequent upon the fruitful and frank discussion with President Tinubu and their confidence in his ability to encourage open and honest consideration of all the issues put forward by the Labour Movement, the Labour leaders resolved to stop further protest,” a statement signed by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, read late Wednesday.
The statement is titled ‘Labour Unions to suspend further protest after a fruitful meeting with President Tinubu.’
Alake noted that the protesting unions “opted for further constructive engagement with the government to resolve all outstanding issues as they affect the working people and Nigerians in general.”
According to the Presidency, Tinubu assured the Labour leaders that the Port Harcourt refineries would start production by December 2023 after the completion of the ongoing rehabilitation contract between the NNPCL and Italian firm Maire Tecnimont SpA.
President Tinubu also assured the Labour leaders that he would continue to work for the best interest of Nigeria while pleading with them to join hands with him to birth a better and economically buoyant country.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, however, the organised labour said it discussed deeper details of the Federal Government’s intervention to reduce the economic hardship occasioned by the discontinuation of petrol subsidy on May 29.
However, the union leaders said suspending the ongoing nationwide protests would only be a decision of its Executive Councils, who will meet on Wednesday night and Thursday.
The organised labour on Wednesday began nationwide protests over the removal of fuel subsidy with the ensuing hardship on Nigerians.
The NLC president, Joe Ajaero, told journalists that Tinubu explained details not captured in his nationwide broadcast.
“We met with him. The issues we discussed are the same issues that led to the protest today.
“But we have gone deeper into them. The broadcast has broader issues, but there are one or two things that need immediate attention,” he said.
However, Ajaero, who did not mention the specifics, said Tinubu expressed his position and made some commitments, which were taken side-by-side with what the Senate said.
The PUNCH gathered that these commitments bordered on an immediate wage award to workers, which TUC President, Felix Osifo, said he clamoured for in an earlier meeting on Tuesday.
It also includes the distribution of CNG-powered vehicles to ease mobility. More so, the President promised to reconstitute the Presidential Steering Committee on Palliatives.
Asked if the deliberations would lead to the end of the protests, he said, “No one person can call it off.
“We’re taking it (the new commitments) back to the office with our colleagues to review it and release a document on our next line of action.
“That’s why we’ll have to go back to the office so that they will look at it; the EXCO looks at it before they come up. And by tomorrow, the NLC will equally have their NEC meeting to look at the bigger picture.”
On whether Tinubu appealed for the protests to end, Ajaero remarked, “The President is a pro-democracy activist. So he understands protests.”
Wednesday’s meeting was the sixth round of discussions between organised labour and the Federal Government at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
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