Labour suspends strike, as Tinubu assures kick-off of Port Harcourt refinery by December
By Yunus Yusuf
President Bola Tinubu has promised that the 150,000 barrels per day, Port Harcourt refineries, will start production by December 2023, after the completion of the ongoing rehabilitation contract between NNPCL and Italian firm, Maire Tecnimont SpA.
Tinubu made this commitment during a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday evening at the State House, Abuja, which led to the suspension of the nationwide strike over
The Business Intelligence (TBI Africa), gathered that the President’s promise aligned with the promise made by Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL), that the Port Harcourt refinery will start production by December 2023, two years after the Federal Executive Council approved $1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of the refineries.
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In a statement by Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President (Special Duties, Communications & Strategy), Tinubu and the organized labour resolved to stop further protests after a fruitful and frank discussion.
The resolution was based on the labour leadership’s confidence in Tinubu’s ability to encourage open and honest consideration of all the issues put forward by the Labour Movement.
Alake further emphasized that President Tinubu has assured the Labour leaders that he would continue to work for the best interest of Nigeria while pleading with the Labour leaders to join hands with him to birth a better and economically buoyant country.
Ajaero and Osifo, Presidents of NLC and TUC, in a statement released following the meeting with President Tinubu highlighted the success of the protest on Wednesday, which led to a closed-door meeting between President Tinubu and the leadership of the NLC and TUC.
The labour leaders said that during the meeting, several important commitments were made by President Tinubu, including an immediate restructuring of the framework for engagement in line with the input of the labor leaders, the assurance that the Port Harcourt Refinery will commence production by December this year, the pledge to reach an agreement on the Wage Award for Nigerian workers immediately, and the promise to unveil a workable roadmap to the CNG alternative next week.
Ajaero and Usifo both said, “In the strength of the President’s pledge and commitment, we have decided for a return to a new and reinvigorated dialogue process to allow for full implementation. Once again, we thank Nigerians while we wait for the Government to fulfill its own part of the understanding as agreed with the President.”
