Strike cripples Nigeria � Marketers insist on N53 per litre
Our Correspondents
Economic activities in major cities across the country ground to a halt on Monday as the four-day warning strike by workers in protest against the recent hike in pump prices of petroleum products commenced.
Except for a protester that was injured and 40 people arrested in Kaduna, Kaduna State, day one of the stay-at-home protest was generally peaceful.
In a bid to take the steam out of the strike, President Olusegun Obasanjo constituted a 30-member committee to work out modalities for cushioning the effects of the 25 per cent hike in fuel price.
But just as President Obasanjo spoke in Abuja, marketers insisted that fuel could not be sold at anything less than N53 per litre.
In Lagos, shops, filling stations, and banks were shut as residents complied with the stay-at-home directive by the Nigeria Labour Congress and its civil society group allies.
The ongoing polio immunisation and General Certificate Examinations were also affected by the strike.
At the state secretariat, Alausa, the seat of government, offices were deserted by workers. Only a few security personnel were seen at the Oval House, housing the governor�s office and the office of the anti-robbery outfit, the Rapid Response Squad.
Skeletal services were, however, rendered at the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, where our correspondents gathered that the airlines combined their passengers to fill one aircraft on the Lagos�Abuja route.
Departure time for other routes were delayed by the airlines until they had enough passengers.
One of the operators said, �You can see that most of us are in a relaxed mood, as the passengers are not coming as usual. This strike has really affected our operations. This (Monday) morning, we had to combine passengers to ensure that we fly to Abuja.�
Students of the Lagos State University, Ojo, barricaded the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
Their counterparts at University of Lagos and Yaba College of Technology, however, held peaceful protests around Yaba area.
The Head of the Information Department of the NLC, Mr. Owei Lakemfa, told journalists after monitoring the strike that Nigerians had shown that sovereignty belonged to them and not to those in government.
�What happened today (Monday) showed that those in government are mere caretakers of the sovereignty and power and that power really belongs to the people. About 30, 000 Nigerians residing in Lagos have shown that the power belongs to them.
�Even policemen showed an understanding of the cause of the strike by co-operating with us. It showed that, even the policemen, except for their uniform, would have demonstrated against this obnoxious policy of the government,� Lakemfa added.
The Trade Union Congress represented by Mr. Abiodun Ogunade, advised Nigerians to continue to make the country ungovernable for Obasanjo until the demands of labour, which include reversal to the pre-September 23 prices of petroleum products and repairing the four state-owned refineries, were met.
The Chairman of the Civil Liberty Organisation, Mr. Chima Ubani, said, �Nigerians have shown their resolution to chase out the Obasanjo regime, which illegitimately rigged election� to be in power.�
He urged Nigerians to remain firm until the battle was over.
Our correspondents also reported that the ever-busy Ikorodu Road, Bank Anthony Way, Obafemi Awolowo Road, Marina Road and Osborne Road, were deserted by motorists and pedestrians.
Armed policemen, who parked their vehicles on some major points of the roads, were seen discussing in hushed tones.
Public servants, including top government officials in Ibadan, Oyo State, were not at their duty posts when our correspondents visited the state secretariat at Agodi.
Some school children and their teachers, who reported in their schools, returned to their homes.
Members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the state, however, did not participate fully in the strike as there were some vehicles plying the roads.
When contacted, NURTW Chairman in Oyo State, Alhaji Wasiu Abubakar, admitted that some commercial drivers failed to observe the strike but promised that it would be total on Tuesday (today).
Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, were prevented by the police from staging any protest.
In Osun State, students of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, took to the streets in support of the strike.
They were, however, prevented from advancing into the heart of the town by policemen who fired teargas canisters at them.
In Abuja, most workers stayed indoors in obedience to the NLC�s directive.
Although some jittery workers came to work, but no official business was done.
Also, traffic was light on most roads in the capital city.
Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chris Olakpe, described the situation in Abuja as peaceful.
Workers who turned up at the Rivers State secretariat complex had hardly settled down in their offices when labour leaders ordered them out.
The labour leaders said that the state NLC would address the press on Tuesday (today).
They vowed that they would not back down until the Federal Government reverted to the former prices of petroleum products.
Staff of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria were absent from their duty posts except security operatives who were seen patrolling the airport.
Only four flights landed at the airport with very few passengers on board.
And in Kaduna, our correspondents reported that 40 people who were arrested by the police in Tudun-Wada ward would soon be arraigned for breach of the peace.
However, AFP report had it that one person was shot and injured by policemen when they dispersed protesters who had attempted to close roads in support of the strike.
As the strike commenced on Monday, oil dealers said they would not import products unless government granted them �a reasonable margin� for their efforts.
The Chairman of Public Affairs of the major oil marketers, Mr. Onochie Hafner, told our correspondents during a telephone interview, that under the current situation, none of the major oil marketers would import any petroleum products, as the business �was no longer profitable.�
Hafner, who is also the Corporate Affairs Manager of Total Plc, said, �We have left products importation to the NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation). Even N53 per litre of petrol, is not a reasonable price because of what is happening at the international oil market.�
He ruled out the possibility of government prevailing on them to go back to pre-September prices, even if the Presidency�s negotiation with Labour was successful.
He said, �There is no way oil would be selling at over $53 at the international market, and they ask us to sell at pre-September price of N42 per litre. Oil marketers too are human beings, and we are in business to make profit.�
