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Strike
shuts down Nigeria again
�Obasanjo
enlists Oshiomhole in
palliative panel, he turns it
down
�Strike
continues, says NLC
By
Bassey Udo,
Uchenna
Awom,
Adetutu
Folasade-Koyi
and
Chesa Chesa (Abuja)
Monday
heralded the first of the four-day warning strike called by the Nigeria
Labour Congress (NLC) to protest the new fuel prices � and recorded appreciable success as it
shut down the economy and paralysed the social lives of over 120 million
people.
The
national strike was relatively peaceful. The only skirmishes took place in
Osun State, where armed policemen engaged some students of the Obafemi
Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife heading from their campus to Ile-Ife to
mobilise people to join the action.
As
a way to end the dispute, NLC President Adams Oshiomhole was on Monday
treated to a dose of �government grandeur� as he appeared at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja for a supposed stakeholders� meeting to address
the strike but ended up being inaugurated as a member of a 33-man
committee to evolve measures to cushion the effect of the price
rises.
But
he turned down the offer.
Despite
the setting up of the panel to review the impact, he said the protest will
continue.
Oshiomhole
told newsmen on return from Aso Villa, where the event took place, that
the strike will continue until �irreversible progress� has been achieved.
�We have not gotten there yet. We
need to see proof that the grievances of the Nigerian people are under
consideration. Our position is that the first and most fundamental and
immediate issue is that the present price hike be reversed, while the
second and long time solution is how to ensure that the country does not
continue to witness upward price adjustment that is endless�, he
said.
In
Anambra State, armed policemen arrested nine Labour leaders, including the
vice chairman of the state wing of the NLC, while enforcing compliance
with the stay-at-home order.
Pockets
of violence were recorded in Lagos where some social miscreants attempted
to hijack the strike at Onipanu.
Nationwide,
Nigerians observed the work to rule by staying at
home.
In
Lagos, the country�s economic live wire, the strike inflicted losses
amounting to several billions of naira on the economy. Shops, government offices,
financial institutions and educational institutions were shut
down.
The
ever-busy streets of the metropolis were almost empty of vehicles and
human traffic.
The
strike recorded relative success in Abuja, but governmental and commercial
activities were grounded.
Fuel
service stations and markets that shut down in the early hours of the day
only opened for business later.
In
Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, Imo and Enugu States, banks, filling stations and government offices were
closed.
Awka,
the Anambra State capital, felt the pinch, while Onitsha, its commercial
hub, was deserted by traders.
Cross
River, Kogi and Bayelsa States were not left out. In Ekiti and Borno
States, the strike was partially successful.
It
took its toll on aviation as only the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos and
Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja functioned. But both operated skeletal services.
Co-opting
Oshiomhole into the panel inaugurated in Abuja, took him by surprise. He
had arrived the council chambers of the State House at 12.35 p.m. and met
Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu, some ministers and Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director Funsho
Kupolokun, and thought he was indeed invited to a meeting of stakeholders
to resolve the impasse.
When
newsmen sought to find out on what terms the Labour leader agreed to be
enlisted on the committee, a bewildered Oshiomhole protested: �Gentlemen,
let me tell you right away that we do not know anything about this
exercise (inauguration), we came here for a different thing
entirely�.
President
Olusegun Obasanjo added more drama when, during the inauguration, he
insisted that he would shake hands with all committee members, including
�those who may not like my face�,
an apparent reference to Oshiomhole and four other Labour activists
who came with him.
In
his speech, the President regretted that recommendations of the committee
could not be accommodated in the budget address he presented to the
National Assembly on Monday, as the initial panel headed by the finance
minister had to be enlarged to include more
stakeholders.
He
said his administration is not playing God or claiming to be all-knowing
but believed that tough decisions must be taken when necessary while
cushioning measures are simultaneously applied.
Said
Obasanjo: �We have never fought shy of seeking advice, seeking dialogue or
positive compromise or considering dialogue. But some people, for their
own selfish interest and self-centeredness, are trying to portray this
administration in bad light.
�Populist options may be sweet but
they do not endure and may not build for tomorrow. Postponing the evil day is
escapist and unfair to the dreams, hopes, aspirations and sacrifices of a people that
want to lay viable foundations for growth, development and overall
improvement in their living conditions. Temporary hardships would arise
from the deregulation of the oil sector but in the long run, the benefits
will be there for all to enjoy�.
The
Senate on Monday appeared sharply divided over the fuel price increases.
Its Information Committee Chairman Tawar Wada said the strike is
avoidable, but Petroleum Resources (Downstream) Committee Chairman Azu
Agboti, for the second time since the agitation for the reversal started,
spoke in support of the rises.
Wada
stated that if Obasanjo had accepted the position of the Senate on how the
new rates should be handled, the situation would have been
different.
But
Agboti said the deregulation of the petroleum industry �is not as evil as
it is being painted�.
As
the strike enters its second
day today, the House of Representatives, through its Chairman
Ad-hoc Committee on Appropriate Pricing of Petroleum Products, Nze Chidi
Duru, has urged the executive to obey the resolution passed by both
chambers of the National Assembly and revert fuel prices to the old
ones.
He
told newsmen at the end of a prolonged meeting of his committee in Abuja
that the House still stands by its resolution, which was concurred to the Senate, and as such the executive should not
only obey but should treat as it law.
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