Labour rejects N42.50 for petrol, may resume strike
By Yakubu Lawal and Yetunde Majekodunmi (Lagos) and John-Abba Ogbodo (Abuja)
INDICATIONS emerged yesterday that the Labour may still go back to the trenches against the Federal Government and fuel marketers over the prices of petroleum products in the country.
This follows observations that the marketers are yet to fully comply with the Justice Roseline Ukeje court order that the prices be reverted to the pre-February levels.
Queues at fuel stations have substantially thinned out in the country, but the benchmark Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, sells for between N42.50 and N42.90, against Justice Ukeje's order of N38. Labour is prepared to accept N41.50.
The Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Bello Ismail, said that the marketers' prices were unacceptable to the organisation.
He accused the marketers of deliberately inflating the prices with government's connivance.
Ismail alleged that there was a deliberate attempt by the marketers to disobey the court. He said: "When we went round Lagos, we found out that many of the filling stations which were dispensing fuel were doing so not at the agreed prices as directed by the court.
Ismail mentioned a major marketer, which had earlier displayed the N41.50 for petrol, but is now selling for N42.80.
"From our findings, we also discovered that the decision to sell at these prices were determined by the various headquarters of the major marketers," Bello said.
Ostensibly to address the fuel crisis, Senate President Adolphus Wabara and House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Bello Masari, met yesterday for about one hour. Sources said that they also discussed the emergency rule in Plateau State.
Although no official statement was made at the end of the meeting, which ended at` 4.10 p.m., The Guardian learnt that their discussions centred on reconvening the two federal legislative chambers from recess before the official resumption date of July 20.
It was learnt that chief among the issues that may necessitate the reconvening is the fuel crisis. The National Assembly has asked President Olusegun Obasanjo to forward a supplementary bill for the release of funds from the excess crude oil account to subsidise fuel prices at the domestic market.
Sources said the meeting also was on the Plateau State. The legislators had before the recess approved emergency powers for President Obasanjo. The meeting was later joined by the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Florence Ita-Giwa.
It was learnt yesterday that the marketers are to soon import about 40 million litres of petrol to meet the local demand.
A senior manager with a major oil marketing company disclosed this to The Guardian in Lagos. He, however, stated that the firms could not guarantee low prices. This, according to the official, is based on the international market, noting that the American light crude still sells for $41.00 per barrel and the UK Brent equivalent of bonny light sells for $39.00 per barrel.
A source said that the import would be a joint effort by the marketers as part of their strategies to reduce cost and share the risk of the business. The fuel being imported is expected to arrive in the country before the end of this month.
Investigation within Lagos and its environs revealed yesterday that some petrol stations were yet to fully comply with the Federal High court order.
But the Congress Free Trade Unions (CFTU), a body charged with protecting senior workers in the country, said yesterday that it would not hesitate to mobilise for another round of strike if marketers continued to violate the court order.
This was contained in a statement issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Lagos yesterday.
The union, in the statement signed by its interim chairman, Mr. Francis Adifagbola, and General Secretary, Mr Didi Adodo, also berated the government for its role in the incessant increases in fuel prices.
According to the union, the government has indirectly abdicated its responsibilities to the citizens and allowed fuel dealers and marketers to rob the Nigerian people through profiteering and racketeering.
Accusing the government and marketers of creating artificial scarcity, the group noted that many Nigerians were yet to benefit from the effect of the suspended strike.
The Labour group urged its officers to link up with allies in the country to resume the suspended strike if the marketers refused to comply with the order by tomorrow.
The statement read: "CFTU reaffirms faith in the coalition and urged all its affiliates to mobilise for another round of strike if the government, its agencies and allies do not revert the fuel price back to N41.50 as demanded by the coalition and upheld by the court.
"NEC -in-session berates government over its incessant increase in the prices of petroleum products, and its willingness to abdicate its responsibilities to fuel dealers and marketers whose sole aim is to defraud the Nigerian people through profiteering and racketeering.
"That the criminal method being used by the government and the marketers to cause artificial scarcity thereby make the gains of the last strike not reach the Nigerian people is clearly unacceptable and urge all our allies and the Nigerian people to refuse to be blackmailed.
"NEC therefore mandates its officers to link up with other allies to resume the strike if after the expiration of the seven days given when the strike was being suspended is not utilised by the marketers and government to reverse their prices and make the products available."
