| Don’t strike
at Ramadan,
By ANSELM OKOLO, Abuja, KENNY ASHAKA, Kaduna
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
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Oshiomhole
PHOTO: Sun News Publishing
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President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Adams Oshiomhole,
Tuesday said Labour would inform Nigerians today as to whether
there would be another round of strike action to protest against
the increases in the pump price of petroleum products in the
country.
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido has also said that
it would not be fair to the muslims if strike is declared
during the holy month of Ramadan.
Oshiomhole who returned from a prolonged meeting of the Senator
Ibrahim Mantu led committee on the cushioning of the effects
of the increases at about 7.00 pm, said that "we will
tell you tomorrow as to the if, when and how of the next round
of strike action"
The meeting was held for most part of yesterday. Not wanting
to divulge the possible leaning of the National Executive
Council, NEC, meeting of the Congress on the issue, Oshiomhole
became circumspect.
"I will like to brief my principals (NEC) on the outcome
of the meeting led by Senator Mantu, and thereafter a decision
would be taken and we will brief you (press) at 10.00 am (today)"
he said.
The NEC meeting held for three hours in the morning of yesterday
but had to be adjourned to enable Oshiomhole attend the Senator
Mantu committee.
By the time Oshiomhole returned at 7.00 pm, most members of
NEC had waited for four hours at labour house and decided
to depart at 6.00 pm and return at 8.00 pm to continue with
the meeting by which time, they envisaged Oshiomhole would
have returned to brief the meeting on the outcome of their
deliberations.
The indication however last night was that the NEC meeting
would continue later in the night to take decisions on the
if, when and how of the next round of the strike action. Maccido
who is also president-General of the Jama’atu Nasril
Islam (JNI) appealed to the NLC to defer the next phase of
its planned strike.
Maccido said in a statement made available to Daily Sun yesterday
and signed by Mallam Muhammad Suleiman on behalf of the secretary
general of the JNI that the strike should be deferred until
after the month of Ramadan.
According to him, any further strike will be an added burden
on the muslim Ummah whom he said have already suffered during
the last strike ordered by the NLC.
He appealed to NLC to change its mind on the planned strike
in order to alleviate the sufferings of muslims in the country.
The one page statement signed on behalf of the JNI secretary
general by Mallam Muhammad Suleiman reads: "On behalf
of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, the president general
of Jama’atu Nasril Islam and the entire muslim Ummah
of this country, the organisation is appealing to the Nigerian
Labour Congress NLC to defer its next proposed strike action
after the month of Ramadan.
This is because the Muslims have suffered the advent of the
last strike and to go on another strike on this month will
put more burdens on the Ummah."
However, NLC sources in Kaduna told Daily Sun that the statement
from the Sultan was expected because "he (the Sultan)
worked hard during the last strike to undermine the effort
of our members in Sokoto and that is why the strike did not
hold in the state.
"The Sultan has been very protective of president Olusegun
Obasanjo’s administration, probably because of their
long time relationship. But the Sultan should also know that
his people bear the hardship of this fuel hike and other untoward
policies of this regime. We expect the Sultan to take the
interest of his people and that of other muslims at heart."
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