Labour Unions and Government Agree, Suspend Strike

Organised labour has postponed a nationwide strike due to the removal of fuel subsidy by the government, leading to increased fuel prices.

The suspension is for 30 days to allow the government to implement measures to alleviate the hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal.

Key points of the MOU include a commitment to a wage award of N35,000 for all federal workers from September until a new national minimum wage is enacted, the establishment of a minimum wage committee within a month, and the suspension of Value Added Tax (VAT) collection on diesel for six months starting in October 2023.

The government has also agreed to refer outstanding salaries and wages of tertiary education workers to the Ministry of Labour and Employment for further engagement and provide funds for Micro and Small-Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) to create decent jobs.

The federal government has pledged to expedite the deployment of CNG buses, provide funding support for MSMEs, waive VAT on diesel for the next six months, and pay N75,000 to 15 million households for three months from October to December 2023 at N25,000 per month. The MOU will be filed with the relevant Court of competent jurisdiction as a consent judgment within one week.