ABUJA—THE four-day warning strike against the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products organised by Labour and Civil Society Coalition was called off yesterday on the condition that the committee on cushioning the effects of the oil price hike, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Mantu, would effect a reversal of the latest price increase in the next two weeks.
Yesterday, the police charged 33 people in Kaduna for allegedly conspiring to constitute themselves into an illegal assembly. They were also accused of burning tyres and chanting slogans.
In South Africa, over 500 members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) staged a peaceful protest at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria against Federal Government’s handling of labour issues, especially the recent attack on Mr Adams Oshiomhole by men of the State Security Service (SSS).
President of the NLC, Mr Oshiomhole, who announced the suspension of the warning strike in Abuja yesterday, said since the committee had resolved that it would discuss the issue of price reversal alongside the original mandate given to it by Obasanjo to fashion out ways of cushioning the effects of the price increases, the committee would have to resolve the issue within two weeks.
He said the date for the phase two of the strike would be announced within the next two weeks. Oshiomhole said Congress was calling off the warning strike to enable the committee work out its strategy on how to effect the reversal. “The Committee has agreed that we must find holistic solution that will, among other things, also guarantee price stability for the future. Such resolutions will also naturally address the working of the refineries. The committee having agreed that all the issues have to be discussed including price reversal, has a chance to make a difference.
“But we are not taking anything for granted. We have decided in line with our original decisions to make this strike four days and now having exhausted the four days, we have resolved now to suspend the strike for two weeks and we are hoping that within these two weeks, the immediate issue of price reversal has to be resolved otherwise after two weeks, our coalition will meet and fix a date such that within the next three weeks, we will agree on a date to resume the strike.
“We will also decide the duration of that second phase. It is not that we want to threaten anybody; it is just that once a strike is suspended, the government goes back and refuses to dialogue.
“This time around we have decided that we must sustain the strike until the issue of immediate reversal is achieved and a long term commitment to price stability is worked out, so that Nigerians can get out of this vicious circle. We want to hope that the Federal Government and the committee that has been set up will use these two weeks to sort out the issues. If they don’t, they cannot blame organised labour and civil society for resuming the strike.
“We have refused to accept any open ended commitment because to do that is to allow the government open ended arms to keep on talking. We believe that two weeks is more than enough, taking together the previous two weeks we had allowed by way of ultimatum,” he said.
Police arrest 33 in Kaduna
Yesterday, the police charged 33 people in Kaduna with conspiring to constitute themselves into an illegal assembly. They were also accused of burning tyres and chanting slogans. The accused were charged to court by Police prosecutor, Mr Aveve Orgin, but were granted bail in the sum N30,000 each and a surety in the like sum. The case was adjourned till November 10, 2004.
Protest in S-Africa over Labour leaders
In South Africa, over 500 members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) staged a peaceful protest at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria against Federal Government’s handling of labour issues, especially the recent attack on Mr Oshiomhole by men of the State Security Service (SSS).
The international desk officer of COSATU, Ms. Mummy Jasta, told Vanguard on phone that COSATU members displayed placards calling on President Obasanjo to dialogue with labour. They blamed the strike on government’s refusal to dialogue with labour.
Chairman of the committee on cushioning the effects of oil price hike, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, said: “The committee resolved to discuss all issues including the current and future prices of petroleum products and a mechanism for achieving stability in prices.”
However, Lagos yesterday recorded an increase in traffic even as factories, banks, schools, seaports, government offices remained shut. Some filling stations began selling fuel yesterday afternoon. Many roads were littered with refuse as a result of the strike.
In its assessment of the strike, the Congress of Free Trade Unions of Nigeria also gave the Federal Government a two-week grace to reverse the price of petroleum products and begin a genuine dialogue with the people. A statement by its General Secretary, Comrade Didi Adodo, asked all Nigerians to “remain steadfast and resolute and keep faith with the struggle for a just and better Nigeria.”
