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Strike continues, Obasanjo explains price hike(Govt says price will fall like GSM, Protest paralyses Nigeria)
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday took his case to the court of public opinion on the raging dispute over the recent increases in the prices of petroleum products.
He also raised a 33-man committee to evolve measures that would cushion the effects of the price increases against which a widely effective national strike began yesterday.
But the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole who is leading the strike, described the government's action as diversionary and an attempt to befuddle the issues at stake.
The Labour leader, who is a member of the government-appointed committee, said that the strike would continue until the substantive issue of incessant fuel price increases was firmly rested.
The strike literally paralysed the country as it was observed in all states of the federation.
But at the inauguration of the committee, Obasanjo denied carrying on as if he was all-knowing. He said: "We never attempted to play God. And we believe that no individual or groups, whether elected, appointed, selected or self-proclaimed should play God in our society either by action or by pronouncement. We have never fought shy of seeking advice, seeking dialogue or positive compromise or considering dialogue. But some people, for their own selfish interests and self-centredness, are trying to portray this administration in a bad light."
The President continued: "We were elected for the good of Nigeria for today and tomorrow. We will be irresponsible to forget the future and the succeeding generation. Only a bad father thinks of himself while alive and not of his offspring. In doing that, such a father will be seen as wicked and irresponsible."
Following the naming of one of the members of the committee, who was simply identified Mrs. Peace, the President sought to know if she was in the hall. Oshiomhole answered in the negative to which the President sought to meet her, saying: "I need peace in my life."
Other members of the 33-man committee, headed by Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu, are Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Austin Opara, Governor Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna State, Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Oshiomhole.
The committee also has four other ministers, Labour leaders, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Head of Service of the Federation and representatives of civil society groups, among others.
Obasanjo explained the rationale for the fuel price increases, saying that contrary to popular opinions, he runs a listening administration.
He said: "Leadership is not just about power, strength, courage, efficiency and effectiveness. It is also about compassion, dialogue, vision, mobilisation and spirituality."
The President noted that most world leaders had been misunderstood by their own people over unpopular policies, but that his administration would not fail to do what was in the best interest of the nation.
He said: "Rather, we want it to be said of us that when we had the opportunity, we considered the totality of the interest of the country and its people and the place of Nigeria in the comity of nations and we left no stone unturned in our efforts to restructure and reposition our country for stability, progress, growth, development and democracy and for its place on the global plane."
The President continued: "We want it remembered that we did everything possible without compromising the dignity of our people to actualise the potentials of Nigeria and the role and place that God has destined for us in Africa and the world.
"Populist option may be sweet. But they do not endure and may not build for tomorrow. Cosmetic programmes and diversionary strategies may satisfy short -term or immediate constituencies and yearnings, but the society at large would pay the cost at the end. That has been our experience in the past. Postponing the evil day is escapist and unfair to dreams, hopes aspirations and sacrifices of a people that want to lay viable foundations for growth, development and overall improvement in their living conditions. "
He explained further: "We believe that tough decisions must be taken when necessary, but also be mediated with cushioning measures as necessary. Hence this committee.
"This government has taken tough decisions on privatisation and deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry and we do know that these decisions will cause some temporary hardships on the generality of our people as we had shown in the past. In the long run as we have witnessed in telecommunications, the benefits will be there for all to enjoy."
The chairman of the committee, Mantu admitted that the recurring increases in the prices of petroleum products had always caused crisis which often threatened the peace and stability of the nation, adding that the prices sometimes resulted in adulteration of the products with disastrous consequences to the citizens.
Mantu disclosed that his committee, in addition to coming up with palliatives, would seek a lasting solution to the unending problem of price adjustments and create the enabling condition for true deregulation.
The Presidential committee not withstanding, Oshiomhole told journalists yesterday in Abuja: "The stay-at- home remains unchanged."
He said: "There was nothing to celebrate in the NLC leadership meeting with the President and other stakeholders at the Aso Villa. I will call on Nigerians to continue with the strike.
Oshiomhole said further: "Nothing has changed. The strike continues." Faulting the agenda, which he explained was presented to the stakeholders at the Aso Villa, the said that the committee which had as top agenda the issue of cushioning the effects of the petroleum price increase "was a fluke."
According to the labour leader, if the only mandate of the committee is for palliatives, the government is merely pretending to be doing the right thing. His words: "The substantive matter was for us to negotiate downwards the increases in the prices of petroleum products. Also important is the issue of how to escape this vicious cycle of price increases for petroleum products. Any discussion that excludes these two salient issues would not enjoy the support of the Nigeria Labour Congress."
Oshiomhole argued that the entire issue of deregulation of the oil and gas sector must form a part of the agenda of the panel.
He explained that Labour disagreed with the entire philosophy of the ongoing deregulation of the downstream sector which is purely import driven. "We challenge the Federal Government to place all the cards on the table transparently. Let Nigerians debate the issues contained so that the country and its citizens can benefit," he said.
He also expressed dismay at the paradox of the Nigerian situation in which the government is earning huge revenue at the international market while its citizens will be poorer. The labour leader queried: "Why should such proceeds from crude oil be kept idle in a foreign account, while the citizens of Nigeria are made to pay more in the form of prices for refined petroleum products on the same related products?"
He saluted the courage of Nigerians so far "for keeping faith with the stay-at-home order by the NLC and the civil society coalition." Oshiomhole continued: "Except the committee begins to include in serious terms, the issue of how to prevent a future occurrence of increasing the prices of petroleum products, then we have not achieved anything."
The labour leader added: "I also learnt from the early explanations given by the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr Funso Kupolokun, that the fuel prices were raised because the landing cost of imports is N54, following the price of crude oil which is &48 per barrel.
"By implication, Nigerians should expect to pay more in case the price of crude oil goes up once more," Oshiomhole complained. He explained that the vicious cycle was what Labour and all other well meaning Nigerians were against. He also noted that the government's efforts to cushion the effects of the price increases were a ploy to divert attention from the main issues.
He lamented the burden which the government had placed on the rural poor who were the largest consumers of kerosene. "The Nigerian poor will soon go into extinction if they can no longer buy kerosene. Desertification will continue with continued felling of trees," he said.
But Oshiomhole did not foreclose the participation of Labour in the committee.
Earlier, the bad blood between the Federal Government and Labour played out at the gate of the Aso Rock presidential Villa yesterday. Oshiomhole arrived for the scheduled inauguration of the committee as an invited guest of the Presidency around 1.30 p.m.
But security operatives prevented his Toyota Landcruiser Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) with Registration Number NLC01 from entering the premises.
He was not deterred. Oshiomhole hopped down and hitched a ride into the villa.
Nigeria literally went to sleep yesterday from Lagos to Abuja, Plateau to Ebonyi and indeed all parts of the country. The citizens obeyed the stay-at-home order of the NLC.
The strike was the start of a four-day first phase of an action, which has sent the international crude oil market on a tailspin.
Both private and government offices were shut across the country. Schools and markets were not spared, while banks suffered the same fate.
In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) shut their doors against customers.
The development threw some customers into confusion. Those who called at various banks for transactions were turned back by the security personnel.
One of the dejected customers who simply introduced himself as Monday Peters expressed disappointment with the situation, stating that he was sent some money by telegraphic transfer, he wanted to cash at a bank for urgent domestic requirements.
He advised the Federal Government to find an early solution to the face-off between it and the NLC to avert the economic and social strangulation that the situation had thrown most Nigerians into.
Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonji-Iweala cancelled two official engagements in the Ministry earlier planned to hold yesterday.
The engagements were the visits by the Senate Committee on Appropriation and Finance and a courtesy visit by the chairman and management team of GlaxoSmithKline Nigeria Limited.
But the Ministry's Assistant Director in charge of Press and Information Unit, Mr. Samuel Ajayi and the Minister's Special Assistant on Information, Mr. Paul Nwabiuku explained that the Minister's scheduled engagement cancellation had nothing to do with the strike.
According to them, the cancellation was to enable the Minister attend to the details of the year 2005 budget proposal being presented to the National Assembly today by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Skeletal services yesterday were carried out by few of the officials who turned out for duty, mostly senior and management staff.
The situation was not different at the Central Bank (CBN), which was bereft of the usual human and vehicular traffic as the gates were securely locked and manned by stern-looking security operatives who barred people from going into the edifice.
However, fuel stations in the city yesterday were seen dispensing their products at the prevailing prices without molestation from the activists.
Activities were thin at the Federal Secretariat, which harbours most of the Federal Ministries at the FCT.
Though most of the offices were open and workers sighted, there was no sign of serious work as most of the officials were seen either chatting or loitering.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. A.R. Adebayo told The Guardian that the staff of the Ministry could not afford to leave their traditional role of informing and educating the masses on government plans and policies.
His words: "We are the information managers, we cannot afford to leave the information slot so that there will be information from time to time. We are the spokespersons of the Ministry and our job is to go out there and tell people about government's plans and policies and how to make best out of it instead of joining the strike."
The strike was effective in Lagos State.
The state secretariat in Alausa was like a ghost town as workers stayed off work. All offices were under lock and key except security opposites at the "Oval building," which houses the Governor's office and that of the Rapid Respond Squad (RRS).
The situation was not different in parts of the state. Virtually all the filling stations located in the state were shut.
At Ikeja, beneath the bridge, pockets or people were seen reading newspapers and making comments on the strike, which they described as most unfortunate in a democratic setting.
Many vehicles that plied roads were mostly private and those on essential duties such as the Police ambulance among others.
At every strategic location, referred to as flash spots by the police, were detachments of mobile policemen to scare away attempts by anybody to forment trouble.
Speaking with The Guardian on phone, the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Emmanuel Ighodalo said everywhere was peaceful.
Ighodalo, a superintendent denied the reports that there was protest along the Lagos Abeokuta Express road where it was claimed that a man was shot dead by the Police.
The PPRO said he had not received any report to that effect, but added that everything was still under control.
The stay-at-home order by the NLC to protest the recent increase in prices of petroleum products in the country was effective in Lagos state as all commercial activities were at stand still, the NLC has said.
Briefing reporters at their Lagos office yesterday, its acting secretary, Mr. Owen Lakemfa, praised Nigerians for obeying the order.
According to him, by staying at home Nigerians exhibited the fact that they were tired of the unrealistic policy thrust of the Obasanjo administration, which he said is not masses friendly.
"Nigerian people have shown that sovereignty belongs to the people and not the government in power. We have seen in the case of Lagos, a mega city, went to sleep when the NLC asked Nigerians to stay at home. You can see that the people are tired by the inconsistency in the present administration's policies. For instance, when the President on Saturday, October 9, asked Nigerians to stay at home they defied him and went about their normal activities but in the case of this struggle, they obeyed to the letter by staying at home.
"Imagine the street of Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of the nation's economy empty on a Monday when it was only the NLC and the civil society organisations that gave the order everybody obeyed. This only goes a long way to show and demonstrate the fact that sovereignty belongs to the Nigerian people and that who ever holds power is only holding it temporarily," Lakemfa said.
Explaining further, Lakemfa said that the mass action was very effective as virtually all parts of the city were devoid of activities with people choosing to remain indoors rather than coming out to face the harsh economic situation imposed on them by the Obasanjo administration.
Besides, the NLC official said the government might have decided to have a rethink on the issue as it yesterday afternoon invited the NLC for talks to be presided over by President Obasanjo himself.
Commenting generally on yesterday's strike, Lakemfa said it was peaceful and devoid of any anomaly.
Residents of Oriade and Amuwo-Odofin Local Council of Lagos State heeded the NLC order to the letter. Major streets were deserted and popular markets such as Agboju and Ijegun were abandoned while many able-bodied men and women kept to the confines of their homes.
And in some areas, the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) did not help the situation, as there was cut in power supply. Many had to leave their homes to join some peaceful groups scattered at different newsstands and vendors' points in their various localities.
However, those who decided to go about their normal activities by leaving their homes for work found it difficult because of limited vehicle on major roads.
For instance, the Lagos-Badagry expressway wore a different look. It had just a few vehicles as well as yellow-painted commercial busses plying it. And commuters had to pay extra fare to get to their various destinations.
Also, pupils who dared to go to schools were embarrassed at the desolate state of their school compounds. And to make-up for energy, time and money expended, some pupils of Satellite Primary School were seen indulging in different outdoor sporting activities.
Some residents described the violence-free strike as an important move to drive home a vital point. A man who spoke to The Guardian under the condition of anonymity hinted that "he hopes that the exercise will drive home a crucial factor as it concerns the bitter feelings of many citizens as regards the perpetual hike in petroleum products."
The few offices that carried on transactions did so with their gates locked. Worker of such corporate organisations and those on essential duties had to leave homes for their offices very early in the morning before the strike kicked off.
In Oshodi area, activities were very skeletal. Only traders whose shops were in front of their homes attended to a few customers who patronised them.
According to one of such traders "the strike only affects workers in the corporate offices. We are not stopping people from observing the strike but people must eat".
Many youths pegged the streets for football field while others engaged in indoor games.
The few commercial motorists that plied the roads sped on deserted roads for fear of being attacked by the urchins who were also at home anyway. Commuters who were on the road waited for hours before they could come across such vehicles. They had to pay exorbitant fares before they could get to their destinations. Motorcyclist operators had a field day, as they took over the commercial transportation activities. They were seen on the highways carrying two people at a trip.
To avoid the miscreants from taking over the strike to attack residents, policemen were stationed at some strategic places such as Mafoluku Junction, as well as Seven & Eight Bus stops, on Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road, Osolo Way and Aswani Market in Isolo Local Council.
At Ladipo Auto Spare-Parts Market, Mushin, few traders were seen standing on the roadside while their shops were locked. The ever busy Ladipo Road, leading to the market was a shadow of its old self yesterday.
The strike was also total in Calabar, Cross River State.
For the first time in the history of the state, private shop owners and petty businessmen joined en mass in observing the strike.
Banks, Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), NEPA ministries and parastatals and all markets remained shut as business and government activities were closed.
In the early hours, commercial motorcyclists did not ply the roads but much later, the situation was relaxed and people began to move.
Most filling stations remained closed and the few that were open jacked up the price of petrol from between N50 and N55 to between N60 and N65 per litre.
Generally, people expressed disillusionment with the incessant increases in pump price of petroleum products.
Workers in Katsina State yesterday complied with the stay-at-home order.
Activities at the government ministeries and parastatals were paralysed while both private and public schools remained shut.
Similarly, all the banks in Katsina, the state capital were shut while some of the customers were seen hanging out at the bank's gate.
Most places were like ghost areas due to the absence of workers.
A cross section of people who spoke with The Guardian expressed support for the strike while calling on the Federal Government to revert to the old prices of fuel.
At places such as motor parks and markets people were seen going about their normal businesses. They complained of low patronage. Most shops in the town were opened for business while commuters carried on with their activities.
The situation was not different at the State General Hospital as only the senior staff were on duty while junior staff that were supposed to be on duty abstained from work.
Also, workers in the Imo State Civil Service joined the nationwide strike.
The Okigwe and Orlu roads secretariats in Owerri, the state capital had their gates under lock and key.
Similarly, the banks operating in the state closed shop though skeletal services were offered to only known customers through the back doors.
Earlier in the morning, most bank employees who came to work stood in front of their offices discussing in groups.
Pupils returned home as they could not enter school premises.
There were usual business in the markets, major roads and streets.
The markets include Eke Ukwu Owerre, Relief and New market. Shops were also opened while private and commercial vehicles were as usual plying the roads.
The effect was not felt much save for civil servants and banks who observed the strike.
There was no breakdown of law and order in the state.
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