The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has struck a deal with the federal government to temporarily suspend its planned nationwide protest against the 50 percent increase in telecommunications tariffs.
After a meeting on Monday with government representatives, NLC leadership, led Joe Ajaero, president of the congress, agreed to delay the protest for two weeks.
As part of the agreement, a 10-member committee, consisting of five members from each side, has been established to review the tariff hike report and propose solutions that address the concerns of both telecom operators and consumers
The committee is expected to submit its findings within fourteen days.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the NLC president decried that the organized labour was not consulted before the tariff hike was agreed upon by the NCC.
“We emphasised to them that the NLC is the largest organisation in the whole of Africa, and there is no consultation of stakeholders that does not include us that will stand,” said Ajaero.
“It was on that premise that they agreed to have a larger committee to look at the entire tariff structure and model to come up with a realistic and all-inclusive agreement.
“So, the committee will be made up of five, five from both sides, and expected to come up with a result after two weeks that will determine the next line of action and the process of engagement.
“The symbolic action of submitting the letters tomorrow will be put on hold until the outcome of such a committee.
“The outcome of such committee is what will determine our next line of action in terms of protest, in terms of boycott, in terms of even withdrawal of services, which are the three issues put online.
“But I want to use this particular meeting to put in our displeasure on the electricity tariff and the tax that is killing the workers now the tax regime, which is unbearable.
“So those are actions that are still on course, you know, until they are addressed. So that’s the summary of the meeting.”
