Labour May Suspend Strike Today
Shooting at NLC Secretariat
By Chris Nwachuku in Lagos and Juliana Taiwo in Abuja
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) may today end the strike it called in protest against hike in prices of petroleum products since Wednesday.
The decision to call off the strike may be taken after a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) which will hold this morning in Lagos.
But in Abuja, the strike which had proceeded for two days without any major incident witnessed a hiccup yesterday when a policeman allegedly shot at motor cyclists popularly known as Okada riders who were coming to the NLC secretariat in solidarity with the union leaders.
The labour groups expected at the meeting today are NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Congress of Free Trade Unions (CFTU). The meeting will be followed by that of Labour-Civil Society Coalition
Oshiomhole told THISDAY last night that the strike will continue and urged Nigerians to remain resolute assuring that their sacrifice will not be in vain.
" The rate of compliance is very high in Abuja. But the reports from other parts of the country remains poor. So we cannot call off the strike because the action was not meant to bring back the old price to Abuja only. The strike will continue until marketers obey the court order in other parts of the country. Already all the parties involved, the three labour centers and the civil society will meet in Lagos tomorrow to review the situation," he said.
While declaring that the strike will continue today as a result of non-compliance by oil marketers with the court order particularly in other parts of the country, Oshiomhole said he regretted that Abuja residents who never fully took part in the strike are the first to enjoy the price reduction.
"We had gone around Abuja and saw some evidence of compliance but in other parts of the country the evidence is really not there. And so given the fact that we all started the strike at the same time, while we notice substaintial attempt to comply in Abuja unfortunately this is not the case in most parts of the country. Without being told we regret that the strike will continue until compliance goes round the whole nation. Because it will not be fair for only Abuja to enjoy the benefits and other parts of the country don't because the court order has national application", Oshiomhole said.
On the CWC meeting, he said "At the meeting we will further review developments with compliance from other parts of the country including Lagos and thereafter decide what follows".
The NLC President said while the NLC appreciates the efforts of the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Eng. Funsho Kupolokun, to give instructions to marketers and the depots to comply, it said unfortunately those efforts have not translated into concrete results at pump end in most parts of the country including Lagos.
"When you appreciate the fact that Lagos only accounts for 50 per cent of consumption, the non compliance of this oil companies in Lagos becomes a major problem. But we want to urge the NNPC, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and in particular the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) which has the responsibility to enforce this orders to either close up any petrolum station that did not comply or resign. Because yesterday the Minister of Information told the nation that any filling station in the country that does not comply will be delt with. Unfortunately, the DPR has failed either to gaurantee or enforce this order or seal up stations that have disobeyed the Federal Government.
"But we want to warn the oil companies that they are to start with beneficiaries of the rule of law and if there is no rule of law they will not be so privileged to hold this big business and make billions of naira while a lot of Nigerians cannot have a square meal. They must appreciate the need for them to conduct themselves in ways that confirm to Nigerians that they are wiiling to respect the laws of our land particularly a judicial pronouncement.
"I am sure people will ask how come we are asking government, marketers to obey court orders and you are not. I think Nigerians should appreciate that we have been obeying court order since February 9 when it was issued until June 9 while Federal Government, major markters and independent marketers have been disobeying. They disobey on May 21st, we protested and they went ahead again on May 29th and yet we continued until it got to a point where we found ourselves completely unable to continue to obey because of the grave economic consequences arising from the hardship. It is only natural that government must be seen as represented by the NNPC, PPPRA and DPR so that we may have what is called an enabling situation to also respectfully comply", he said.
He appealed to Nigerians that the decision to go on strike was a painful one, but that there's no clear alternative. He noted that in the past, government has not obeyed court order.
Oshiomhole however told journalists that a policeman shot at some cyclists close to NLC Secretariat in Abuja yesterday: "This afternoon right near our office, the Okada riders who were coming to the NLC office for solidarity, and who conducted themselves so peacefully, an overzealous police officer shot two of these in broad day light near our office.
"We have reported this to the Commissioner of Police, Mr Alobi Lawrence, who is in charge of operations at the Force Headquarters. He has assured us that he will investigate it.
"We want to believe that he will not only investigate, he will produce the officer who is involved in this reckless use of firearms against defenseless Nigerians and that justice will be done to those persons.
"We hope that the police appreciates that they must do everything possible to extend good medical treatment to this victim of trigger-happy police-men. As far as we are concerned in this struggle, injury to one is injury to all," he said.
The police however denied the shooting incident. A statement by Mr. Emmanuel Adebayo, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command read thus:
"The attention of the FCT police command has been drwan to insinuation that an Okada rider was shot by a police man during an encounter with protesters/demonstrators in the FCT on 10/6/2004
"This is a calculated attempt to arouse anger of the members of the public against police as there was no demonstration or any encounter with the police in the FCT
"In fact, the police had very good relationship with the NLC President which has led to public order in the FCT
"I strongly and do hereby refute the allegation which is unfounded, so that members of the public will not be misled by enemies of public peace in the FCT
"The NLC chairman went with NNPC officials to cross check the pump price and it was very cordial.
"I want to assure members of the public of safety of lives and properties in FCT, as police has enjoyed public cooperation hitherto and will continur to provide adequate security."
But Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Ufot Ekaette yesterday expressing government's regrets over the unfortunate incident.
Speaking to THISDAY, Ekaette's Special Assistant, Mr. Eric Teniola said on hearing the news, the SGF expressed sadness over the incident saying, "if the report is true, then it is very sad."
Noting that the policemen may have over reacted to the situation, the SGF said no one ordered any one to shoot anybody. He added that Government was looking for ways to settle the issue amicably.
However at the end of the monitoring of fuel stations in Lagos by Labour-Civil society coalition, the unanimous decision of the team was that the marketers were yet to adjust to the old price.
In Lagos only Mobil stations have started complying with the court order when some of its outlets in Ikeja reverted to the old pump price. However, other major and minor marketers either kept their fuel stations under lock or sold at the contentious rate of N50 per litre.
The Mobil station at Maryland junction sold by midday yesterday at N41.50. Similarly its other outlet by Kudirat Way also sold at the same rate. As a result of the adjustments, many motorists converged at the stations causing a long queue.
There was however a dramatic twist to the issue when the NLC officials discovered that Texaco Obalende which on showed its price list N41 only to sell to unsuspecting motorists at N50.
The attendant use manual calculator to determine the cost of fuel purchased by motorists instead of using the price recorded on the meter. This practice infuriated Labour officials who seized the nozzle from him and threatened to sell to motorists free of charge. It took the intervention of the police patrolling the area for the Labour officials to stop its planned sale.
Other fuel stations which were selling at N49 quickly closed shop on being alerted of the incident at Texaco. They also invited the police for protection for fear of possible attack. For instance Total at Keffi was cordoned off by a team of police officers.
At Ota in Ogun state, AP sold for N50 per litre. When THISDAY confronted the duty manger at the fuel station, he said he was waiting for an order from the headquarters to adjust. Besides, he said the "oga" requested them not to reduce the price to N39 until they had exhausted their current stock.
" We will not adjust because oga told us to first finish what we have. Or do you want us to lose. We bought this from NNPC at N43. So wait by weekend or Monday we will start with the old price if our headquarters agree and informed us" the duty manager said.
Although Texaco at Alakuko displayed a price of N41, it still sold at N49, 50. Other Mobil stations at Ikorodu road remained closed, however many displayed the old price of N41
Some fuel stations refused to display their price list, making it difficult to ascertain what their rate is.
Oando whose Managing Director Wale Tinubu is the chairman of the oil marketers association did not display its price list in almost all the outlets. Besides, the stations remained closed to motorists. One of the attendants at its station on Ikorodu road told THISDAY that the outlet had enough quantity in stock but was awaiting directives from the head office.
Also, the National Conscience Party (NCP) National Chairman, Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) said President Olusegun Obasanjo's trip at a period of national strike which symbolises a vote of no confidence on his government policies shows lack of concern for the needs of Nigeria.
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