The Federal Government says some agreements reached with organised labour in October 2023, especially the setting up of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion centers cannot be executed right away.
In October, government and labour leaders signed a 16-point MoU to address issues connected to the removal of fuel subsidy but unions have now threatened a nationwide strike if the agreements are not implemented within 14 days.
Addressing journalists, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha stated not all agreements can be rolled out simultaneously and appealed to labour for more time.
“These agreements, all of them are not going to be done the same day. Some can’t be done in two, three or four months. Like the CNG, it is a process that’s ongoing, and I’ve just told Nigerians what the CNG group has been doing in the last four months.
“We’ve commenced deliveries on those agreements. We’ve been reaching out to the organised labour because the President is committed to these agreements, he has good faith, that’s why we don’t want anybody to shut down the economy at any time because it will affect everybody.
“It’s like you want to pull down the whole roof of a house, meanwhile, you’re still inside the roof. We’re not shying away from implementing the agreements we’ve entered with the organised labour,” Onyejeocha told journalists at the briefing.
She said government had procured 11,500 CNG vehicles to be launched by President Bola Tinubu soon while the Ministry is working with Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to ensure timely assessment visits to refineries as agreed.
