Strike: NASS leaders in mediation meeting with FG, labour

By Paul Dada

The leadership of the National Assembly is currently meeting in Abuja with the representatives of the Federal Government and labour leaders to forestall the planned indefinite nationwide strike scheduled to begin on Monday.

The organised labour had announced it was going on strike following the refusal of the Federal Government to accede to its demand for a N497,000 minimum wage. It rejected the N60,000 offered by the Federal Government.

Currently present  for the mediation talks going on at he Senate wing of the National Assembly Complex are the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau; Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele; House Leader, Julius Ihonvbere; and the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Diket Plang and Gboyega Adefarati, respectively.

Those representing the Federal Government at the meeting are Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Doris Uzoka-Anite; Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji; Minister of Information and National Orientation; Mohammed Idris and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Mrs Folasade Yemi-Esan.

Labour is represented by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, President of the Trade Union Congress Festus Osifo, and some leaders of the two unions.