The Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN) has commended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for suspending the nationwide protest earlier scheduled for today.
The protest was to oppose the 50% increase in telecom tariffs.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, the Secretary-General of PTECSSAN, Mr Abdullahi Okonu, said as a major player in the industry, the union understands the complexities.
He said the cost of essential resources required to run telecommunications services has put so much pressure on operators.
According to Okonu, adjusting tariffs is the only way for telecom companies to stay afloat, manage expenses and make profit. He said without this increase, the industry will collapse.
He also said safeguarding jobs in the private telecommunications sector is key. If companies are struggling with rising operational costs, their first response will be to cut down on workforce expenses. That will lead to mass job losses, which the union is against.
Beyond employment concerns, Okonu also said the telecom sector is the backbone of the Nigeria economy.
A downturn in the industry will have a ripple effect on other sectors that rely on stable communication infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of NLC Lagos State Council, Mrs Funmi Sessi, said the council had already mobilized its members for the protest. But following a meeting between NLC and the Federal Government, the protest was shelved.
Sessi asked the committee set up during the meeting to come up with a more reasonable reduction in the approved tariff increase. She urged the government to consider the financial burden on Nigerians and find a way to cushion the effect of the new rates.
After the meeting, NAN reports that NLC has agreed to go into negotiations with the Federal Government.
Both parties have two weeks to reach an agreement that will address the concerns of all stakeholders involved.