The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) agreed to shelve its nationwide protest scheduled for Tuesday, ( Tomorrow) over the 50% telco tariff hike.
Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC disclosed this after a marathon meeting with the federal government team, led by George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, in Abuja on Monday
Both the Federal Government and the NLC had met with a view to reaching a common ground on the recent 50 per cent increment on the telecommunication tariff by the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC).
The meeting, which was at the behest of George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, was aimed at maintaining industrial harmony and also protecting the interest of Nigerians.
Recall that the NLC had last week mobilised all its affiliates with the view to embarking on a nationwide protest on Tuesday, 4th of February, 2024.
But Ajaero, the NLC President, told Journalists after the meeting that the NLC will wait till the outcome of the Committee’s decision, adding that “the outcome will determine its next line of action.”
” We emphasized to them that the NLC is the largest organization in Africa and there is no consultations of stakeholders that does not include us that would stand.
Read Also: NLC plans nationwide rally against telecom tariff hike
“It was on that premise that they now agreed to have a larger committee to look at the entire tariff structure and module and to come up with a realistic and all-inclusive agreement.
So, the committee will be made up of five each from both sides and are expected to come up with results after two weeks
“That will determine the next line of action and the process of engagements and our action in terms of protest, boycott and withdrawal of services which are the three issues we put on line.”
He also declared that the “symbolic action of submitting the letters tomorrow, Tuesday, 4th of February, will be put on hold until the outcome of the committee’s decision.”
Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, while also speaking on behalf of the Federal Government, after the meeting, said that the purpose of the meeting was to look into the study carried out by the NCC which led to the 50 per cent increment on telecommunications tariff.
According to him, ” After extensive deliberation, the two bodies agreed to set up a 10-man Committee comprising five members from the Federal Government and five from the NLC to review the study by the NCC to review the study by NCC and submit its report within two weeks.
“So, the summary of it is that Labour and the Nigerian Labour Congress specifically and the delegation of the federal government have set up a committee of five each.
” We are going to meet here continuously for the next two weeks. And at the end of the second week, we will now come up with a recommendation that we will give to the government and the organised Labour for final consideration”, he said.
The meeting was attended by Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Amina Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Mohammed Maigari, Minister of Labour and Employment,
Others include Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and National Planning, as well as Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser, among others.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp