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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Legislators decry govt's insistence on new fuel prices( Obasanjo, PDP meet)
AS the strike embarked upon yesterday by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) continues to take its toll on the economy, the National Assembly has expressed displeasure over the Federal Government's failure to heed the lawmakers' advice to revert to the old fuel price.
Also, to forestall further losses to the economy, President Olusegun Obasanjo and the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday held a crucial meeting in Abuja. There are also fears that the joint session of the National Assembly scheduled for today may not hold.
President Obasanjo last week wrote the leadership of the National Assembly intimating them of his intention to present the 2005 Appropriation Bill to the joint sessions of the legislature today.
However, following the failure of the executive to revert the prices of petroleum products to the old prices as directed by the National Assembly, the legislature felt slighted and therefore meetings were being held to discuss whether the joint session should hold or not.
The chairman of the ad-hoc committee set up by the House to determine appropriate pricing of petroleum products, Nze Chidi Duru told journalists after the committee's meeting yesterday at the National Assembly that the leadership of the House was already meeting over the issue. The chairman also expressed the displeasure of the House over the refusal of the executive to revert to the old prices of petroleum products so as to allow for healthy negotiation among stakeholders as resolved by the National Assembly and communicated to the President.
"We feel it is not in tune with the tenets of democracy and we felt very strongly that the President ought to have respected the decision of the National Assembly which is almost equal to a law because that is the stand of the National Assembly. So, not obeying that does not, in any way, reflect an understanding of what the works of both organs of government should be", he said.
On whether the executive's action will affect the joint session scheduled for today, Duru said that decision would be taken by the House leadership, pointing out that the committee had made its recommendations. He added that the leadership, based on the recommendation, had started meeting on the matter.
"It is a decision for the leadership to take. We have just been on line with the Speaker and the leadership of the House and I am happy to report that the leadership of the House is currently meeting in Akwa Ibom and they would immediately come back to Abuja to take a decision on the way forward. It is for us to recommend and the leadership will decide on the way forward," he stated.
Duru also condemned the arrest of the NLC President, Adams Oshiomhole by the State Security Service (SSS), saying that it is not the solution to the problem. The chairman maintained that the House would not shift its position on the matter.
Meanwhile, worried by the paralysis caused by the strike. Obasanjo yesterday convened a meeting of the PDP leadership. National Assembly members and the presidency to take a look at the issue.
Although the meeting was yet to start as at press time, The Guardian learnt that the strike has generated concern within the party to the extent that the leadership had to compel Obasanjo to convene the meeting.
Basically, it was gathered that the meeting would discuss palliative measures to be taken, particularly the proceeds from the excess crude.`
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