3rd June, 2024
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SFG), George Akume has invited the leadership of the organised labour to an emergency meeting over the ongoing nationwide strike.
This meeting is ostensibly different from the one scheduled for Tuesday which was summoned by the Federal Government the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
The Nation reports that the
President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Comrade Festus Osifo confirmed the emergency meeting with the SGF.
According to the report, Osifo said labour leaders comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and TUC were already heading to the SGF office for the meeting.
“Yes, we are heading there now,” Osifo told The Nation.
If the meeting leads to a decision to call off the strike, it is doubtful if the one scheduled for Tuesday will still hold.
The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress had on Sunday said the strike would go ahead on Monday as scheduled despite an appeal by the leadership of the National Assembly which held a mediation meeting between the unions and representatives of the Federal Government.
The two unions and their organs commenced the strike on Monday which paralysed economic and government activities in different states of the federation.
Ministries, departments, agencies and offices in critical sectors like the courts, government secretariats, airports, and schools were grounded.
Many bank branches did not open although some in Lagos did not shut down.
Labour went on strike because it could not accept the N60,000 minimum wage offered by the Federal Government.