Subsidy: Labour institute's D-G tasks FG, Labour on dialogue
Mr Issa Aremu, the Director General of Michael Imoudu National Institute For Labour Studies (MINILS), has called for continuous dialogue between the organised labour and Federal Government on the current petroleum subsidy impasse.
Making the appeal in a statement made available to newsmen Ilorin on Sunday, Aremu emphasised the imperative of policy dialogue and discussions between government and relevant stakeholders on the vexed issue of deregulation.
He expressed optimism that through exchange of facts, negotiations and compromises, both parties would find a common ground for the inevitable reform of the petroleum downstream sector.
He noted that the sector unions, including PENGASSAN and NUPENG, have been pushing for this common grounds for years.
Aremu recalled that petroleum products supply and pricing had always been an acid test for successive governments in Nigeria.
Aremu, who was the former vice president of the Nigeria Labour Congress( NLC), however, observed that what made the current reform different is that there is a national consensus among all stakeholders that prohibitive costs of subsidising a single product (PMS) in the wake of declining public revenue and other national needs are unsustainable.
“The Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) with all its imperfections has rightly unbundled NNPC and legitimised deregulation.
“Neither policy reversal or mass protest is an option, but genuine negotiation and social dialogue would make the deregulation policy a reality without compromising the welfare of the citizens with respect to welfare and secured job,” he said.
The director-general commended the initiative of President Bola Tinubu for meeting with labour leaders, which he described as labour friendly and a leader that is accessible and open to engagement.
He challenged the labour and civil society to reciprocate the presidential gesture with creative options that would protect the existing public and private jobs.
According to him, this will be through better remuneration to cushion the inflationary pressures and create more decent jobs, adding that Tinubu had even alluded to new minimum wage.
He said the current policy contestations and discourses are good for national development, adding what is needed is to “work out win-win options” for the petroleum downstream sector in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
(NAN)
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Ajeigbe Yashikira Mustapha Akanbi Sunday Popo-Ola Salake Abatemi-Usman Kayode Alabi Mary Kemi Adeosun Col. Ibrahim Taiwo Oyedepo Alimi Abdulrazaq Kwara State Fish Farmers Association Yusuf Lawal Shururat Olatinwo Mubarak Oladosu New Model Police Station Hijab General Hospital Akeem Lawal Pakata Patriots Kwara United Onilupeju Of Ilupeju Emir Of Shonga Durbar Gani Saadu Rafiu Olasile Coronavirus Kwara Pdp Oladimeji Thompson Alabi Olayemi Abdulrazak 11th Galadima Bello Oyedepo Rachael Obisesan Valsolar Consortium Eleja Olusegun Adeniyi Wahab Issa Islamic Development Bank Binta Abubakar Mora Olokoba Abdullahi Ayinla Olajumoke Monsura Gafar Isin Abdulkareem Alabi SWAN Funmi Salau TESCOM Ike Ekweremadu Katibi Ibraheem Adeola Kwara TV Toyin Olayinka Tejidini Taofik Mustapha NITDA Aliyu Olatunji Ajanaku Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu ANCOPPS UTME Alfa Modibbo Belgore Tafida Of Kaiama Arandun Joshua Adeyemi Adimula Kayode Yusuf Undergraduate Bursary Durbar Festival Olatunde Oyeyiola Abubakar Baba Sulaiman Ojo Fadumila Ayeyemi Sulaiman Abdulganiyu Oladosu Sulyman Atolagbe Alege Temi Kolawole Agbarere Yakubu Shaaba Shehu Alimi Foundation For Peace And Development Saraki Offorjama Abdulfatai Salman Baakini TIC

