FG begs NLC for time to address workers challenges

The Federal Government of Nigeria has begged the nation’s organised labour to give it enough time to address the many challenges facing workers.

In an interview with reporters on September 20, just before meeting Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential villa in Abuja, SGF Senator George Akume said that the labour unions’ strike action is not in the best interests of the workers or of anyone else.

“This government is very determined to ensure that the standard of living of Nigerians is high and to create prosperity for all. It’s not something that can be done overnight.

“This government came into being on the 29th of May and we have a tenure of four years. So it will be inappropriate to begin to judge us on the basis of few months we have spent in the office.”

The government is in talks with the labour leaders to avoid the strike action that is set to start tomorrow, September 21, the minister of labour, Simon Lalong, told reporters after meeting with Vice President Shettima.

“We have fully spent time with the Nigerian labour and posture of the President too is towards welfare and prosperity for workers.

“We have no doubt and that’s why many of the meetings we have with them we are not ending up boxing ourselves, we smile all. We hope that the best is going to come.

“We don’t have any fears about some of the things they put and also the suggestions and the package of the federal government.”