President Bola Tinubu has approved N35,000 as a provisional wage award for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months.

Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, announced this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

He said this followed consultations between the federal government and the leadership of the labour unions at the Presidential Villa.

At the meeting, the federal government also pledged its commitment to fast-track the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation caused by subsidy removal on fuel.

The federal government also committed to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises and waivers on VAT on diesel for the next six months.

It also announced the payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 monthly for three months from October to December.

The highlights of the decision reached at the meeting include that the federal government urged the Labour unions not to embark on strike action, as the issues in dispute can only be resolved when workers are at work.

Labour unions made a case for higher wage awards.

A sub-committee will be constituted to work out the implementation details of all items regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

The lingering matter of the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN)  and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State will be addressed urgently.

NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the federal government to suspend the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the agreed resolutions.

Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman of Kwara, chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun participated virtually in the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar  Bagudu.

Others are the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite; the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

The labour delegation was led by NLC President Joe Ajaero, Dr Tommy Okon, Deputy President, TUC,  NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja, and the TUC General Secretary Nuhu Toro.

(NAN)