The representatives of the workers union on Friday evening walked out of the scheduled meeting with the Federal.Government.
The team to the Aso Rock meeting comprised Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The meeting was intended to address the recent removal of petrol subsidy, which has resulted in increased prices of essential items.
This meeting was meant to be the fourth attempt to find common ground between the two sides, as the government-appointed Presidential Steering Committee on Subsidy Removal Palliatives strives to resolve the concerns of the labour unions.
However, the meeting was abruptly halted when the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary of TUC, Nuhu Toro, arrived at the Villa and only found the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Ms. Olu Veighjein, representing the government.
The discord between labour unions and the federal government continues to escalate, as both parties struggle to find a resolution to the issue of petrol subsidy removal. This latest development highlights the deep-seated frustration and lack of trust between them, further exacerbating an already tense situation.
At this point, the labour leaders decided to leave the venue, citing the absence of a high-ranking federal government official for the parley to proceed.
The labour delegation faced difficulties accessing the State House in Abuja, where the meeting was supposed to take place. They were made to wait for a significant amount of time at the main entrance gate, as their names were not on the visitors list for security clearance.
Eventually, the labour leaders managed to reach the conference room of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was not present at the time. Gbajabiamila had been waiting for the labour union leaders to arrive, unaware of the misunderstanding at the entrance gate.
The meeting commenced behind closed doors but unexpectedly concluded after only a few minutes. The frustrated labour union officials emerged from the venue but refused to speak officially to journalists, as they had done on previous occasions.
So far no statement has been issued by the federal government
