AREWA Consultative Forum (ACF) has commended the truce between labour unions and the Federal Government to avert industrial action over the economic crisis in the country.

The Northern elders welcomed the truce reached by the Federal Government and labour unions, specifically the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

In a statement, yesterday, ACF spokesman, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, noted that the group was particularly happy that representatives of the labour unions were able to convince the government to pay attention to the plight of workers, and everyone one else in the country, due to the impact of petrol subsidy withdrawal and convergence of the official and parallel foreign exchange markets.

The forum stated: “These policies have compounded and placed in dire straits the far-from-satisfactory daily problems faced by average households in the country.
“The value of wages and incomes have continued to plummet and people increasingly face challenges with regards to costs of feeding, healthcare, school fees, transportation, rent, shelter and nearly all goods and services, affecting all Nigerians except, perhaps, the less than five per cent of the population classified as the very rich.”

ACF noted that the negative economic conditions were felt more in the North, being largely the most agrarian segment of the country with the lowest per capita income, poor scores in all indices of economic development and standard of living.

“According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in its 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Report, people considered poor in Nigeria numbered 133 million, out of which 86 million (65 per cent) live in the North, suffering over one quarter of all possible deprivations. In contrast, the South housed about 47 million (35 per cent). Rightly, ACF has been concerned about this alarming state of affairs.

“Against all the above developments, the President Bola Tinubu-led administration continues to insist that its economic and social policies are the right mix of solutions to revamp the economy for better days ahead,” it added.

For labour, according to the elders, the only reaction to what has been perceived as the in
sensitivity of the political authorities was an indefinite nation-wide strike, starting on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, to drive home its calls for due attention to the plight of workers and the average Nigerian household.

While sympathising with organised labour, ACF has been concerned, apprehensive and edgy that a protracted labour strike would amount to double jeopardy for the people of the North, already disadvantaged as alluded to earlier. “A middle ground was clearly indicated.”