Newspaper review: Reps blow hot as Labour, FG meeting ends in deadlock

– The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal said President Muhammadu Buhari empathises with Nigerians on the short time consequences of the fuel increment‎

– Justifying the government’s action, Lai Mohammed said the fall in the price of crude oil had led to the reduction of foreign exchange available in the country.

– Labour unions are threatening to go an indefinite strike beginning form Wednesday should the feederal government fail to reverse petrol price from N145 to N86.50 per litre

– A meeting between the warring parties ended in a deadlock last night and would continue today at 3pm

– The House of Reps has called on the labour unions to suspend its planned strike over the fuel price hike

Major Nigerian dailies for Tuesday, May 17, are focused on the recent removal of fuel subsidy and an increase in fuel price. This is as labour unions are threatening to embark on an indefinite strike should the federal government fail to reverse the price from N145 to the former price of N86.50 per litre.

The Guardian reports that members of the House of Representatives belonging to the minority Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday kicked against the recent hike in price of petrol.

The Guardian front page for Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Trouble started when the speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, at the beginning of the session called on the majority leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, to move a motion to admit the Minister of State for petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu into the hallowed chamber.

When the speaker asked if the chamber should admit Kachikwu to brief the parliament on the reason for the removal of fuel subsidy and pump price increase or not, PDP lawmakers started shouting “nay, nay, nay”, stalling the proceedings.

The PDP lawmakers chanted protest songs calling on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to reverse the decision on the fuel pump price increase and proffer palliatives to cushion the effect on Nigerians.

Several attempts by the deputy speaker, Sulaimon Yussuff Lason to calm the lawmakers proved abortive as continued ignited shouting, waving the Nigerian national flag.

At the end of the drama, the minority leader moved a motion seeking an executive session of the House, a development which saw the chamber going into a closed-door session.

The Nation reports that the House of Reps has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to suspend its planned strike over the fuel price hike.

The Nation front page for Tuesday, May 17, 2016

This was after they were briefed by Kachikwu.

The House begged the labour unions to allow its ad hoc committee consult with other stakeholders over the issue.

The decision followed a motion by Nicholas Ossai ( PDP, Delta ), who argued that  the sudden fuel price hike had led to hardship in many households.

He requested that an ad hoc committee be set up to interface with all stakeholders and report back within five days.

Daily Sun reports that the federal government held a meeting with organised labour in a bid to stop the proposed nationwide strike by the NLC and TUC) scheduled for Wednesday.

The Sun newspaper front page for Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Representing the government team was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state and the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige.

The meeting also had in attendance, Ayuba Wabba, the NLC president; Joe Ajaero, the factional President of NLC; Igwe Achese, , president of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG); and Olabode Johnson, president of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

Others at the meeting the Trade Union Congress(TUC) president, Bobboi Bala Kiagama, NLC general secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson, Ag general secretary of TUC, Simeso Amachree among others.

The meeting between the federal government and the NLC and its affiliate body, the TUC ended in a deadlock last night as both sides refused to shift ground, Vanguard reports.

The vanguard front page for Tuesday, May 17, 2016

The NLC and TUC said they would embark on the planned strike should the federal government fail to reverse the pump price of petrol.

They said the recent hike in fuel price was having its toll on the masses and there was a need for the government to reverse the pump price.

But the government pleaded with the labour organisations to see reasons with its action and shelve its planned strike.

The Punch reports that the federal government justified the removal of subsidy and an increase in fuel price to N145.

The punch front page for Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture said: “We have no choice but to liberalise the price of petrol if we are to end the crippling fuel scarcity that has enveloped the country, ensure the availability of the product and end the suffering of our people over the lingering scarcity.”

Mohammed said the fall in the price of crude oil had led to the reduction of foreign exchange available in the country.