Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has said that it is going ahead with its two-day warning strike beginning tomorrow, saying it was not aware of any meeting with the Federal Government today.A top official of the NLC, told Vanguard yesterday, that as of press time, there was no invitation from the Government for any meeting, adding that the industrial action was instigated by state councils and industrial unions.However, the Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris Magaji. said the Federal Government is in discussion with Labour over the planned strike.He said that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, met with the leadership of the NLC on Saturday, adding “We are very hopeful that the strike may be averted.The minister said the government will continue to appeal to Organized Labour to see the reason and the efforts of the government in providing palliatives through state governors and the Conditional Cash Transfer programme.He said the government’s position was to pass the palliatives through state governors, irrespective of party affiliations, because the effect of the subsidy removal is felt more in states.The Police under the instruction of certain forces peddling the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have invaded and occupied illegally the national headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers headquarters seeking to install its own executive.