The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its planned protest against the recent 50% hike in telecommunication tariffs following a meeting with a delegation from the Federal Government led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.
The meeting, held on Monday, was aimed at maintaining industrial harmony and addressing public concerns over the tariff increase. According to a statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the SGF’s office, Segun Imohiosen, both parties agreed to set up a 10-man committee comprising five representatives each from the Federal Government and the NLC.
The committee is tasked with reviewing the study conducted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) that led to the tariff increment and is expected to submit its report within two weeks.
Speaking on behalf of the Federal Government, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, emphasized the need for a thorough review before any final decision is made.
“So, the summary of it is that Labour and the Nigerian Labour Congress specifically and the delegation of the federal government have set up a committee of five each. We are going to meet here continuously for the next two weeks. And at the end of the second week, we will now come up with a recommendation that we will give to government and the organised Labour for final consideration,” Idris stated.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, confirmed that the union would await the committee’s findings before deciding on its next course of action.
The meeting was attended by key government officials, including Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijanni; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida; Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
With the committee set to present its report in two weeks, Nigerians await the outcome, hoping for a resolution that balances economic realities with consumer affordability.
