For the first time since labour unions issued a strike notice on June 1 and a strike began Wednesday, a meeting was underway in Abuja Thursday between the two sides, according to dpa. In attendance at the meeting were the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Abdulwaheed Omar, leading the junior wing of the workers union, and Peter Esele, president of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, leading the senior segment of Nigerian workers. Also in attendance were representatives of the Joint Action Forum, a coalition of civil society organisations and secretary to the government, Babagana Kingibe, who led the government team. The meeting was expected to find a solution to the face-off between labour and the government during the first industrial unrest to be experienced by new President Umaru Yar'Adua, who took over government from Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29. At the centre of the face-off are demands by labour for a reversal of a fuel price increase of nine cents on litre of petrol and the 100 per cent increase on Value Added Tax from 5 per cent to 10 per cent, imposed on Nigerians by Obasanjo in the twilight of his administration. Labour also wanted government to implement a 15 per cent wage increase promised but not implemented by Obasanjo and the reversal of the sale of two of the nation's refineries by the former president before he vacated office. Economic and social activities had been grounded across Nigeria since labour embarked on the strike Wednesday. Before the strike, the government granted some concessions Tuesday, but labour was adamant on embarking on the strike and accused government of being arrogant, just as the latter accused labour of intransigence. Parts of the concessions granted by government were the reversal of the VAT rate hike and a promise to pay the 15 per cent wage increase with effect from January as promised but not fulfilled by Obasanjo. Still in contention, however, is the price of a litre of petrol. While government was prepared to slash the price to 54 cents a litre, labour insisted on 50 cents a litre of petrol. Oil-rich Nigeria imports all its petroleum products as it has no functional refinery.
