Electricity, Petrol Price Increase: Government Reschedules Meeting With Labour Unions

A meeting between the federal government and labour unions to discuss the hike in petroleum prices and electricity tariff has been moved to Tuesday.

The government announced the meeting to avert the planned strike by labour unions and other civil society organisations over the price increases.

The Nation newspaper reportedthat President Muhammadu Buhari Friday directed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, to dialogue with the labour unions on September 12.

But the spokesperson of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan, in a phone interview said:

“The meeting has been moved to Tuesday, September 15.”

He said the meeting was moved to Tuesday to accommodate all participants.

The venue is Banquet Hall of Presidential Villa. You know all parties that will be involved in the negotiation must be present,” he said.

Meanwhile, the President of Trade Union Council, Quadri Olaleye, in a phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES said the meeting could not hold on Saturday because the unions were not properly informed: “and we don’t attend such impromptu meetings.”

“We only read about the meeting in the media but now we have been properly communicated to so the meeting is now 10 a.m. on Tuesday,” he said.