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The Nigerian government and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have agreed to a two-week truce to resolve a labour dispute over removing fuel subsidies.
The agreement was reached on Tuesday after a meeting between the Minister of Labour and Employment, Solomon Lalong, and the leadership of the TUC.
Under the terms of the agreement, the government will work to address the TUC’s demands, including a wage increase for federal civil servants, tax exemptions for certain workers, and increased funding for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.
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The TUC has agreed to suspend its planned two-day warning strike, which was scheduled to begin on Thursday.
After two weeks, the two sides will reconvene to assess the progress made in resolving the dispute.
“We are committed to resolving this issue amicably and in a fair way to all parties,” Lalong said. “We believe this two-week period will give us enough time to progress.”
The TUC’s president, Festus Osifo, said that the union would give the government a chance to address its concerns.
“We are hopeful that the government will take this opportunity to address our demands,” Osifo said. “If they do not, we will have no choice but to take further action.”
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The dispute between the government and the TUC is the latest in a series of labour protests in Nigeria. In recent months, workers have taken to the streets to protest the rising cost of living and the government’s economic policies.
The government has been under pressure to address the concerns of workers, a vital constituency in the country. The two-week truce is seen as an opportunity for the government to address the TUC’s demands and avert more widespread labour unrest.
