Barring any last-minute changes, President Bola Tinubu will, on October 1, during his Independence Day speech, present a palliative package to assist Nigerian workers in adjusting to the loss of gasoline subsidies.

This is a part of efforts to stop the planned statewide walkout by organized labor, according to Olajide Oshundun, the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Labour.

On Tuesday, October 3, the country’s labor unions announced an indefinite strike in protest of President Tinubu’s alleged refusal to provide post-subsidy palliatives for workers.

However, Oshundun stated that the ministry has planned a last-minute meeting with labour leaders to discuss President Tinubu’s remarks during his October 1 Independence Day broadcast.

According to him, Tinubu is scheduled to present the workers’ relief package during the traditional presidential speech on Nigeria’s Independence Day.

Oshundun stated that the president had been provided with the unions’ two primary demands.

He went on to say that the minister of labour, Simon Lalong, had accepted one of the NLC’s demands by releasing Tajudeen Baruwa, the factional national president of the National Association of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), from police custody.

“We will avert the strike. We got the news of their intention to go on strike. They need to be rest assured that there will be a pronouncement in the October 1 speech of Mr. President for Nigerian workers,” Oshundun said.

‘’The ministry is working assiduously to meet with the second aspect of the demand which focuses on the wage award. We have already secured the release of the NURTW factional chairman.

“So we hope to invite them on Tuesday following the pronouncement of the president to see reasons for them to call off the strike,” he added.