The Federal Government has requested for a week break from a meeting with organised labour to review the new petrol price increase.
The Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari who attended the meeting on Thursday November 26, stated that the cooperation cannot unilaterally announce a reversal of the new price without consultation.
Both the labour and government team led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha then agreed that the meeting should be adjourned to December 7.
Speaking at the end of the meeting, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige said;
“By Monday, December 7, we will come back, because the message from the organised labour is clear. They want a reversal of the pump price to what it was. So, the government side will take it back to our principals.
“Even though government is not fixing the price of premium motor spirit (PMS) anymore because it is deregulated, it is part of the economy. So, the government side will consult anybody that needs to be consulted.
“We will consult the President as the Minister of Petroleum and then, the Economic Management team because funds are involved.”
Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero who also spoke to reporters said they believe that the reversal must have been effected before the resumed negotiation on December 7.
Ajaero said;
“We took one week adjournment for them to reverse it (fuel increment) for us to begin discussions because the GMD (Group Managing Director) was saying that he can’t just announce it there, that he needs to do consultations.
“Exactly one week will be next week Friday so the following Monday we will reconvene by 5pm. We insisted on 2pm, the Minister said 7pm but we eventually agreed by 5pm.
“We insisted on reversal for any other talk to place although we have agreed to brief our organs, the NLC NAC is meeting today (Friday) so we are briefing our NAC, we may have to delay other organs after that Monday if they didn’t announce it.
“That’s why we said we don’t need to be shouting strike, we need to put our house in order.”