The House of Representatives has waded into the crisis between the Federal Government and the organised labour over the recent hikes in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and electricity tariff.
The Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress had jointly declared their readiness to embark on a nationwide strike and protests to compel the Federal Government to reverse the hikes. The hikes had generated nationwide criticism.
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Sunday met with President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba; and his TUC counterpart, Quadri Olaleye, among others.
Both Wabba and Gbajabiamila decried that the negotiations between the government and the workers to prevent the imminent strike had failed.
“We, in the House of Representatives, are on the same page with you,” the Speaker told the labour leaders.
Gbajabiamila, however, warned against the dire consequences of shutting down the government at this time, urging the workers to suspend the planned action.
Olaleye hailed the Speaker for always intervening in labour matters.
Nof the most challenging for most Nigerians. “We were still battling with the effects of insecurities in the land when COVID-19 struck and made life impossible for those who lost their jobs and sources of livelihood. To make life even more impossible, there was an increase in the rate of VAT only to be followed by the imposition of stamp duty on house rent and Certificates of Occupancy.
