The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has taken steps to avert the impending nationwide strike of the Nigeria Labour Congress, billed to commence on Wednesday.
Earlier, the NLC leadership had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to end the naira scarcity in the country.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero had threatened that the Congress would go on strike if the issue was not resolved at the expiration of the ultimatum.
Reacting to the strike threat by the NLC, Ngige invited the leadership of the NLC and the Central Bank of Nigeria management to a meeting in his office on Monday, to resolve their differences.
Olajide Oshundun the Director of Press and Public Relations to the Ministry of Labour and Employment disclosed this in a statement.
“The ten-man delegation of the NLC was led by the President, Comrade Joe Ajaero and the General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja while the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele was accompanied by two Deputy Governors, Kingsley Obiora (Economic Policy) and Ade Shonubi (Organised Private Sector),” the statement read.
Making his opening remarks, Ngige refuted the allegation by the NLC that his ministry did nothing about the matter.
He said on receiving the letter from NLC, he forwarded the same to the CBN governor before travelling out of the country for an International Labour Organisation (ILO) Governing Board meeting and directed the Permanent Secretary and Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations Department to follow up.
On his part, Emefiele said when he received the letter from the labour ministry, he called the President of NLC to brief him on steps taken to alleviate the sufferings of the masses.
He added they no longer envisage any problem, since CBN has started sending cash to the banks and Nigerians were now accessing their money, he acknowledged that meetings has taking place in the spirit of good dialogue.
He, however, urged the CBN to improve on their services, regretting the information gap created in the implementation of the Naira Redesign.
