The organized labour unions in Nigeria on Sunday stagged a walkout from a meeting between them and the Federal Government on the hikes in fuel pump price and the electricity tariff as the meeting ended in disarray.
The dialogue, which was meant to take updates on the implementation of resolutions reached during the three previous meetings, ended abruptly barely 10 minutes after it commenced at the Presidential Villa banquet hall, Abuja.
The meeting had started at 8:18 pm when the Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Quadri Olaleye, raised the issue of the latest hike in fuel pump price from N160 to N170. He accused the government of insincerity, stating that the meeting must record progress otherwise, the labour leaders would walk out of the parley, adding that they were beginning to lose confidence in the government.
According to the TUC leader, several meetings held on the issues had not recorded any appreciable progress. Olaleye said, “Government is showing a high level of insincerity in discussions with us and is also putting us at risk with the people we are leading, with the masses. We find it difficult to move freely but the people in government are moving freely.”