Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, has met with Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emiefele and Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero in an attempt to avert a nationwide strike scheduled to begin on Wednesday due to Naira scarcity.
The NLC had threatened to go on a nationwide strike if the cash crunch, fuel scarcity, and electricity tariff increases were not addressed within the government’s deadline.
In response to the strike threat, Ngige invited the NLC leadership and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to settle their differences.
The NLC sent a 10-member delegation, while the CBN Governor was accompanied by two Deputy Governors, including Kingsley Obiora, who is in charge of Economic Policy, and Ade Shonubi, who is in charge of the Organized Private Sector.
Ngige informed both parties that it was false that his Ministry did nothing about the situation. He stated that after receiving the letter of strike and protest from the NLC, he forwarded it to the CBN Governor before departing for an International Labour Organization Governing Board meeting.
Emefiele, for one, stated that after receiving the letter from the Labour Ministry, he called the President of the NLC to brief him on the steps taken to alleviate the sufferings of the masses. He stated that his delegation’s visit to the NLC last week resulted in a fruitful discussion that resulted in a large amount of funds being made available to the Deposit Money Banks.
According to Emiefele, banks were directed to open their branches on Saturdays and Sundays, and they did so while being closely monitored by the CBN.
Earlier, NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that they only received a response to their second letter to the Ministry and, as a result, an invitation to the meeting.
He stated that they no longer anticipate any problems now that the CBN has begun sending cash to banks and Nigerians can now access their money, and he acknowledged that the meetings have taken place in the spirit of good dialogue.
He urged the CBN to improve their services, expressing regret that a lack of information had resulted in gaps in the implementation of the Naira Redesign Policy.
