
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) late Monday night announced the suspension of the nationwide protest it planned to commence on Tuesday, February 4, over the 50 per cent telecom tariff hike approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
The suspension, which was announced by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, followed an extensive meeting with a delegation of the Federal Government led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
At the meeting, labour and the Federal Government agreed to have a larger 10-man committee, evenly split between both parties, to look at the entire tariff structure and model and come up with realistic and all-inclusive recommendations. The committee is expected to come out with a report after two weeks, Ajaero said.
“That will determine the next line of action and the process of engagement. The symbolic action of submitting the letters tomorrow (Tuesday) will be put on hold until the outcome of such a committee. The outcome of such a committee is what will determine our next line of action in terms of protest, in terms of boycott, in terms of withdrawal of services, which are the three issues put on line,” the NLC President said Monday night.
“But we are going to use the subject of this meeting to put in our displeasure on the arbitrary tariff and the tax that is killing the workers now. The tax regime which is unbearable. So, those are actions that are still on course until they are addressed,” he said.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who also briefed journalists, said the meeting, which was at the behest of the SGF, was aimed at maintaining industrial harmony and protecting the interest of Nigerians. He 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 telecom tariff hike.
“The crux of the matter is that there is already a study that was conducted by the NCC that led them to arrive at this 50 per cent increase. Now, we are discussing this with labour. Labour has agreed that they will look at that study,” Idris said.
“We are going to meet here continuously for the next two weeks. Now, I think what has happened here has effectively taken out that position. Both of us have agreed. In fact, it is an attempt to put a stop to that that led us to make this meeting to happen today. And so this meeting has happened,” he said.
The minister said the parties agreed to set up a 10-man committee composed of representatives of the Federal Government and NLC to review the study by the NCC and submit its report within two weeks.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida; Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, among others.