The Federal Government and representatives of organized labor, led by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), met on Wednesday to address the ongoing concerns over the increase in petrol prices. The meeting, held at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), was attended by officials from both the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Following the closed-door discussions, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed, described the meeting as “a work in progress,” noting that it was part of ongoing engagements between the government and labor unions. “A lot of things were discussed, but this is not a one-off situation. We have not reached any conclusions that we can officially communicate,” Mohammed said.
Present at the meeting were NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC President Festus Osifo, along with other officials from both unions.
The meeting comes after the NLC, on October 9, voiced its dissatisfaction with the recent increase in petrol pump prices. NLC President Ajaero had criticized the government’s handling of fuel price hikes, stating, “It seems the only thing this government is known for is raising the pump price of petrol without considering the economic capacity of Nigerians or implementing effective mitigatory measures.”
The NLC had urged the government to develop a comprehensive blueprint for inclusive economic growth and national development rather than relying on sporadic and ad hoc measures, such as fuel price hikes and temporary palliatives. According to the union, the increases in petrol prices have deepened poverty, reduced production capacities, and led to job losses, with widespread negative consequences.
“In light of this, we urge the government to immediately reverse this rate hike, as previous increases have only made people poorer,” the NLC stated. “More fundamentally, the government should be transparent about its long-term plans for the country.”
While no communique was issued from the meeting, the ongoing dialogue between the government and labor unions is expected to continue as both sides seek a resolution to the contentious issue.
