President Bola Tinubu has assured that the long-awaited Port Harcourt refinery would commence operations by December 2023.
The organized labor confirmed this development in a statement and revealed that the president had made a series of promises, which led to their decision to return to the negotiations table.
The promises included an immediate restructuring of the framework for engagement in line with the input of labor leaders, a commitment to the commencement of production at the Port Harcourt Refinery in December, and ensuring a timely agreement on wage awards for Nigerian workers.
Additionally, President Tinubu pledged to unveil a workable roadmap for the CNG alternative next week.
The labor centers expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their support during the nationwide protest and stated that they would continue with a new and reinvigorated dialogue process to facilitate full implementation of the agreements reached.
In the statement, the national presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero and Trade Union Congress, Festus Osifo said;
“The engagement was fruitful that immense mileage was obtained with regards to the issues that bogged down the work of the Presidential Committee on Subsidy removal and necessitated the protest viz; He committed to an immediate restructuring of the framework for engagement in line with the input of the Labour leaders.
“He let out a certainty that the Port Harcourt Refinery will commence production by December this year. He pledged to ensure that Agreement is reached on the Wage Award for Nigerian workers immediately.
“He promised to unveil a workable roadmap to the CNG alternative next week. On the strength of the president’s pledge and commitment, we have decided to 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 His Excellency; the President.”