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By Chidi Nkwopara
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
OWERRI—THE leadership of Eastern Coalition Network (ECN) has given its total support to the planned nationwide industrial action called by the organized labour. The group in a statement in Owerri lamented government show of brute force instead of embracing dialogue. “We of the Eastern Coalition Network have been reliably informed that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress has been arrested by security operatives. We want to state that if by Sunday afternoon if he is not released by the security operatives, the strike will definitely take a more dangerous dimension, including bursting of oil pipes and other inflammable installations across the Eastern area,” Elder Kalu stated.
The organization also warned the Federal Government that the protest against petroleum price increases was not akin to Nigeria Labour Congress alone, as the problem affects all other Nigerians who have no access to decent standard of living. “So, to think that it is a problem concerning workers alone is to deride the enormity of the problem and smacks of insensitivity on the part of the Presidency.
Nigerians are really suffering and we in the East feel that President Olusegun Obasanjo is playing lip service towards devoting time to solve problems of Nigerians,”, the ECN coordinator stated.
After taking a hard look at the level of dilapidation of all the federal roads in the Eastern part of the country, especially as they carry very heavy traffic, Kalu sought to know why the reconstruction of the roads were not given to renowned road construction companies. “Take a look at the Onitsha-Owerri-Aba- Ikot Ekpene-Uyo-Calabar road, which is a single highest traffic highway, up to Lagos and outside the country, which is yet to be dualized. Why shouldn’t the federal government award the contract to a reputable construction firm like Julius Berger instead of the unknown quantities currently handling them,” Kalu asked.
The organization called for immediate release of the NLC President, as well as the reversion to the pre-September 23 prices of petroleum products and commences the dualization of the Onitsha-Owerri-Aba-Ikot Ekpene-Uyo-Calabar road. “Release the NLC President now. Revert to the pre-September prices of petroleum products and commence dualization of all the federal highways in the South East and South South geo-political zones in the country, under reputable construction companies,”, the Eastern Coalition Network demanded.
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