it was agreed that the Federal Government should urge State Governments through the National Economic Council and Governors Forum to implement wage award for their workers, with similar consideration given to local government and private sector workers.
The organised Labour has suspended for 30 days, the planned Indefinite nationwide strike scheduled to begin today, Tuesday October 2.
In a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Federal Government, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress Of Nigeria (TUC), after a meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, all parties committed to henceforth abide by the dictates of Social dialogue in all their future engagements.
The MOU was signed by the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and General Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja for the NLC, TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifo and Secretary General, Comrade Nuhu A. Toro, for the TUC, while Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Bako Lalong, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Dr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris, signed on behalf of the Federal Government.
All parties agreed that the Federal Government grants a wage award of N35,000 (thirty-five thousand Naira) only to all Federal Government workers beginning from the month of September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law, while a minimum wage committee shall be inaugurated within one month from the date of the agreement.
For state workers, it was agreed that the Federal Government should urge State Governments through the National Economic Council and Governors Forum to implement wage award for their workers, with similar consideration given to local government and private sector workers.
The issue of outstanding Salaries and Wages of Tertiary Education workers in Federal-owned educational institutions was referred to the Ministry of Labour and Employment for further engagement.
In the MOU, the Federal Government also committed to pay N25,000 per month to 15 million households, including vulnerable pensioners, for three months, starting from October, 2023.
For farmers, the Federal Government agreed to increase its initiatives on subsidized distribution of
fertilizers to farmers across the country.
The Government also committed to provide funds as announced by the President on the 1st of August broadcast to the Nation, for Micro and Small Scale Enterprises, while the MSMEs beneficiaries we’re urged to commit to the principle of decent jobs.
In the MOU, the Federal Government accepted to vote N100 billion for the provision of high capacity CNG buses for mass transit in Nigeria, while provisions were being made for initial 55,000 CNG conversion kits to kick start an auto gas conversion programme, even as “work is ongoing on state-of-the-art CNG stations nationwide. The rollout aims to commence by November with pilots across 10 campuses nationwide”.
As part of the agreement, the Federal Government suspended the collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) on Diesel for six months beginning from October, while a joint visitation will be made to the existing refineries to ascertain their rehabilitation status.
The Federal Government also revealed plans to implement various tax incentive measures for private sector and the general public.
On the leadership crises rocking the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and the purported proscription of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, the Federal Government committed to handling Labour matters in line with relevant International Labour Organization, ILO Conventions and Nigerian Labour Acts.
A resolution of the ongoing impasse is expected by or before October 13
It was also agreed that the Memorandum shall be filed with the relevant Court of competent jurisdiction within one (1) week as consent judgment by the Federal Government.
It would be recalled that arising from the withdrawal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the Federal Government and the resultant increase in the price of the commodity, as well as the refusal of the government to adhere to the seven points demand made by the NLC and the TUC to ameliorate the suffering of the teeming Nigerian Workers and the impoverished masses of the country, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had issued a strike notice, which elapsed.
The organised Labour were determined to embark on a nationwide strike billed to commence on Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 2023, as it directed its affiliate member Unions across the country to mobilise and shut down the country, hence a meeting was called by the Federal Government a day before the planned strike, to reach the agreements and sign the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU.