In a bid to avert a planned indefinite strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), the Federal Government has made significant offers during a lengthy meeting in Abuja.
One of the key resolutions is the announcement of a provisional wage increase of N35,000 for all treasury-paid federal government workers for the next six months. This comes after President Bola Tinubu had initially proposed a N25,000 pay raise, limited to "low-grade" workers, as a way to offset the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
The government also assured its commitment to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to alleviate public transportation difficulties following the fuel subsidy removal. Additionally, funds will be allocated to support micro and small-scale enterprises, and VAT on diesel will be waived for the next six months.
The proposed measures aim to address the ongoing dispute over the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and the associated implications for the cost of living and transportation.
Following these developments, the NLC and TUC will assess the government's offers and consider suspending the planned strike, allowing for further consultations on the implementation of these resolutions.
The meeting was chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and included the participation of governors and key ministers, alongside leaders of the labour unions.