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No going back on strike �nlc
�Afenifere, CD back action
THOMAS IMONIKHE, FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE Lagos, DAVID AGBA, Abuja and FELIX ABIODUN, Osogbo
TWENTY-FOUR hours to the fuel price strike called by the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO), President
of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has restated that the action will be total and indefinite.
His stand at a press briefing in Abuja came amidst appeals for more dialogue and negotiations between labour and
government by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Rowland Oritsejafor, Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun
State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, Chief Lanre Rasak.
Oshiomhole had told journalists in Abuja that the strike, billed for take off tomorrow must hold.
An Appeal Court sitting in Abuja had last Thursday ruled against the strike, civil society groups collaborating
with NLC on the strike had pointed out that the ruling did not affect them and so they could continue the action
without the umbrella body.
Meanwhile, mainstream Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday threw its weight behind the strike
called over high fuel prices.
Campaign for Democracy (CD), a leading rights group, also expressed support for the industrial action even as Gov.
Oyinlola urged Labour and its civil society allies to shelve the action as strike would do the economy no good.
Oshiomhole, who addressed newsmen on the proposed action in Abuja, stated that the general, strike will be peaceful.
Said he: "This action is necessary to enable the government to appreciate that the Nigerian people remain
bitter and angry over these harsh prices and the failure of government to respect our wishes for immediate price
reversal and for constructive dialogue to guarantee price stability in the medium to long term."
The NLC had on October 11, 2004, embarked on a four-day warning strike to protest government�s hike in the prices
of petroleum products and called for a reversal.
Oshiomhole stressed that Nigerians have compelling duty to make government listen and to ensure that governance
remains in the domain of public welfare.
"Nigerians cannot continue to be called upon to make sacrifices on the altar of policies that do so much harm
to our welfare," he charged.
He argued that in as much as Nigerians need to make sacrifices in the interest of democracy and good governance,
the situation will degenerate even further if the government is not made to appreciate that the citizens cannot
continue to carry the burden of policies that have no concern for the public good.
The NLC president expressed hope that government will respect the wishes of the people by taking the necessary
steps to avert the strike instead of resorting to intimidation and harassment.
On this, he remarked that "for Nigerian workers and people, there shall be no shaking."
The NLC leader, appealed to the police to appreciate the futility of seeking to impose "graveyard peace and
silence on the nation" on behalf of government at the expense of Nigerians.
The NLC and its civil society allies remain resolved on giving leadership to the strike and would campaign in a
peaceful manner, he added.
In a statement titled we endorse the strike signed by Afenifere�s national publicity secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin,
the body chided President Olusegun Obasanjo for turning deaf ears to earlier threats culminating in tomorrow�s
strike.
"We, however, regret that this is one strike the nation could have avoided if we had a listening and compassionate
President. First, Labour gave a 14-day ultimatum before the four-day warning strike in October. After suspending
the strike, it gave another two-week break, which it later extended by another 14 days for the Ramandan season.
Yet, the Obasanjo government refused to take advantage of all of these to strike any bargain," Afenifere noted.
The Yoruba body accused President Obasanjo of being far removed from the reality "that confronts the majority
of Nigerians, pointing out that the President had twice in the last one week or so, stated that there is no poverty
in the country.
Afenifere enjoined Nigerians to support the strike conveners, adding that "by the time the nation is ground
to a halt, the president would know that Nigeria is not Ota farm where he can insist on the amount he wants to
sell his eggs and anybody who does not want it his way, can go to the highway."
Afenifere, which demanded that Nigerians must insist on a final solution to the incessant energy crises in the
country, urged that the Senator Ibrahim Mantu-led committee on cushioning the effects of the fuel price hike be
dismantled.
In its place, the body said, should be erected a national summit on energy crisis, comprising all stakeholders
to tackle salient issues, such as:
* How to maintain functional refineries since the present Government has woefully failed to make them work despite
siphoning about $800 million.
* How the petroleum sector would be run transparently to check the present corruption in the industry.
* Whether Nigeria needs deregulation and if it does what type should it be.
* To as a last resort give the regime the option of resigning if it cannot manage the oil sector."
On its part, CD in a one-page statement, For A Total Strike, signed by the General Secretary, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin,
said media reports of suicide cases had been on the increase recently, attributed the cases to economic hardship.
While declaring support for the strike, however, CD suggested that in order not to wear people out "from 2.00
pm of each strike day, markets should be allowed to open and transporters to operate. This would guarantee the
sustenance of an indefinite strike."
But, speaking over the weekend, at a public function, Gov. Oyinlola said rather than go on strike Labour should
dialogue with the Federal Government.
He said strike inhibits development and that at every strike, both the government and the masses end up on the
losing side.
"We cannot afford to continue to go on strike at this Stage of our development.
Strikes inhibit development and going on strike now will complicate issues.
So, I want to appeal to the leadership of the NLC to embrace dialogue. "We are ready to listen to the grouse
of the workers. I don�t think strike is the solution to all problems," the governor pleaded.
He said what the present Federal Government needs, is time to sort out things.
"They should give us time to deliberate on the issues at hand and I am of the firm belief that something positive
will definitely come out of it," he said.
Also speaking in the same vein, Minister of State for Defence appealed for caution and restraint in the interest
of the nation and her economy.
The minister who spoke with newsmen in Lagos asked Labour to shelve the strike assuring that the Senator Ibrahim
Mantu�s palliative committee would work out recommendations acceptable to all with the fresh mandate to discuss
the price issue.
Labour and the civil societies had earlier pulled out of the committee because of the insistence of President Olusegun
Obasanjo that the price issue was not part of its brief.
Also calling for restraint, Chief Rasak, Lagos PDP stalwart urged government and organised labour to engage in
a fresh round of negotiation aimed at averting tomorrow�s nationwide strike.
Chief Lanre Razaki, who made the call last weekend said such dialogue was imperative following President Olusegun
Obasanjo directive Friday that the cost of kerosine be reviewed downward to make the product affordable to most
Nigerians.
Speaking with newsmen, he said both parties should be ready to shift ground on their present position regarding
the issues at stake to pave way for amicable settlement in the interest of the nation�s economy and less privileged
Nigerians.
Both the NLC and the Federal Government and the NLC have before now sharply disagreed over the new price regime
imposed on petroleum products recently and for which labour and its partners embarked on a four-day warning strike
last month due to failure of the Federal Government to revert to the old rates.
Apart from setting up the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu-led committee, which had since recommended
palliatives that should be implemented by government, President Obasanjo last Friday ordered the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to reduce the price of kerosine.
He was however not specific on the reduction while the suspended industrial action by the NLC and civil society
organisations would resume tomorrow.
Reacting to government�s latest offer, Chief Razak, a governorship candidate in last year�s general election, said
the NLC should be mindful of the hardship experienced by self employed Nigerians especially traders as well as
the millions of naira lost through man hours during past protests.
"When the price of petrol was increased from N22 to N26 per litre, we went on strike. When it was raised from
N26 to N34, to N43 and N53 for each hike, we went on strike and the price has not come down.
"We go on strike as if it has become a culture.
We should dialogue and change our past strategy because the worst affected during strikes are market men and women
who deal on perishable items especially food stuffs," he noted.
© 2004 @ Champion Newspapers Limited (All Right Reserved).
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