|
New Page 2
Work resumes today
�Oshiomhole wants Obasanjo�s aides sacked
KENNETH MADUEKE, Lagos, and DAVID
AGBA, Abuja
GOVERNMENT
offices, filling stations, banks, schools, markets and public organisations
across the country are expected to return to life today after the four-day
nationwide warning strike called by Labour to protest higher fuel prices.
The strike ended yesterday.
But, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
President, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole emerged from the inaugural meeting of the
Ibrahim Mantu-led committee to evolve palliatives to the effects of the price
hike in Abuja and called on President Olusegun Obasanjo to re-examine his
cabinet and the quality of information on burning national issues being given
him by his lieutenants.
He alleged that some of the aides feed the
President with half-truths to prolong issues that could easily be resolved even
as the NLC leader warned that if there is no fuel price reversal in two weeks�
time, Labour will not issue any fresh ultimatum but just fix a date for
resumption of the strike.
Also, at another meeting of the Mantu
committee, at the National Assembly Complex, northern civil society groups led
by Mr. Umar Sani, stormed out of the parley, expressing loss of confidence in
the ability of the body to reverse the high fuel prices.
The latest industrial action which started
Monday followed the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum handed the Federal
Government by the NLC to revert to the old fuel price band of N42.00 and N45.00
or face a strike.
The price hike itself arose barely days
after the Federal High Court (FHC) sitting in Abuja, in a verdict, declared that
government could impose the controversial N1.50 fuel tax even as the court said
Labour had no right to embark on strike except on issues pertaining to working
conditions.
Chief Judge of the FHC, Justice Roseline
Ukeje, who delivered the much criticised judgment, also declared that the
position of NLC president was legally non-existent.
Apparently irked by the verdict, NLC gave
notice of appeal and slammed government with the 14-day ultimatum.
The first day of the strike, from reports
across the country, showed effective compliance in most parts.
The nation�s airports, seaports, banks,
government offices and most markets were shut down.
Roads in the state capitals were virtually
deserted as most people stayed indoors in adherence to the NLC directive.
The high point of events that day was
speculation that police in Kaduna, in moving to frustrate protesters who had
blocked a major road in Tudun Wada area of the state capital, allegedly shot and
injured a teenager, a charge promptly denied by the state police authorities.
Daily Champion
broke the story and by Wednesday, the Kaduna State government confirmed the
death of the 12-year-old boy and called on the police to unmask his killer(s)
promptly.
Another notable feature of the strike was
a failed bid by government, on Wednesday to stop the strike through a motion
filed at the FHC. The motion was dismissed.
Chief Judge of the court, Justice Ukeje,
while throwing out the motion, washed her hands of the increase in pump prices
of fuel, saying that the action was not on account of her judgment last month.
Banks, discount houses, insurance
companies as well as bureaux de change (BDCs) shut their doors to
customers who were equally at home during the strike.
During those four days too, palpable fear
gripped financial institutions� operators who ostensibly beefed up security
around their premises as they believed they could be targets of hoodlums.
However, a few bank staff who sneaked into
their offices were said to be armed with food flasks and drinks while rendering
skeletal services to high networth customers, at their risk.
Surprisingly, operators at the parallel
market and of the Foreign Exchange Market (FOREX) were very few on the streets
of Lagos during the strike as they had no business.
Some of them spotted by Daily Champion,
said "We no get business as everybody dey home because of this strike."
They were idle, hovering around Marina and
Broad Streets, looking for unavailable business associates.
As a result, the dollar remained stable at
about N140 in parts of Lagos at the black market end of FOREX even as BDC
operators kept their offices under lock and key.
Suspending the latest strike yesterday,
Oshiomhole called on workers to resume work today.
According to him, the Mantu committee
meeting resolved that all issues including current and future prices of fuel
would be discussed and a mechanism for achieving price stability agreed.
He emphasized that within two weeks,
organised labour and civil society groups will meet over the committee�s
position, adding that this was enough period for any serious government or
committee to revert to the former prices.
The NLC President expressed disbelief that
government officials still peddle the view that the strike did not succeed,
saying in as much as the bureaucracy, the productive sector, the health sector
among others were grounded, the action was successful. He rated the action 95
per cent successful.
Oshiomhole expressed regrets that the
government had to wait until Nigerians went on strike before it started reacting
to a bad situation.
Said he "it is not yet over, we must work
on the landmines together to achieve the benefits of this struggle, if we don�t
then we�ll lose out, as for Labour we are determined not to waiver."
Oshiomhole lamented that President
Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he said was being fed with half truths and deceit,
argued that it was not Labour but those in government that were the problems of
Nigeria.
He noted, "I want to believe that this
President is a victim of disinformation, he�s being deceived with half-truths
from his functionaries.
"The President should re-examine his
cabinet, his advisers and personal assistants and all those who have access to
him in terms of the quality of information they give him," he remarked.
At the briefing, it was reported that Nicon Hilton Hotel
management had sacked all its workers that participated in the action,
Oshiomhole however asked for time to be briefed before Labour will act on it.
|
