Fuel Price: NLC Begins Protest Oct 11
Minister says labour derailed _Sultan wants crisis resolved
From Chuks Okocha, Chris Nwachukwu, Juliana Taiwo, Lillian Okenwa in Abuja, Agaju Madugba in Kaduna, Ndubuisi Francis and Vivian Ezenwoko in Lagos
The Nigeria Labour Cong-ress (NLC) yesterday gave the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to reverse the new fuel price regime or face a nationwide protest from October 11.
But the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Hassan Lawal, yesterday at a ministerial press briefing accused NLC of derailing from its primary assignment of fighting for workers security at place of work, casualization and unlawful contract staffing policy of some oil companies in the country among others.
But in Kaduna, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, has urged the Federal Government to initiate measures aimed at alleviating the suffering being experienced by the people as a result of the price hike.
Also, Senate President Adolphus Wabara yesterday described as very pathetic the nationwide protests being planned by the NLC.
NLC's ultimatum to Federal Government was contained in a communiqu� it issued at the end of its NEC meeting in Abuja yesterday.
Speaking after the emergency meeting of the National Executive Council, NLC President Adams Oshiomhole said labour is convinced that the new round of increases in prices of petroleum products were not only uncalled for but a further attempt by government to impoverish the people.
He noted that if the increases are allowed to stay Nigeria may not be able to recover from the damage on the economy.
NLC also said workers have resolved not to participate in the October 1, Independence anni-versary celebration and urged the citizenry to follow suit as a way of expressing their displeasure.
Oshiomhole while reading the communiqu� to the press noted with concern the Trade Union (Amendment) Bill passed by the Senate as it relates to criminalizing strikes and expanding services classified as essential.
"These are not keeping with the ILO conventions, section 40 of the Constitution of Nigeria and acceptable global practices," Oshiomhole observed.
NLC however commended the House of Representatives for the measures it adopted so far, urging the members to be guided in their deliberations on the bill by the good of the nation, the interests and views of those they represent rather than that of the executive.
NLC also expressed disappointment at the judgment delivered by Justice Roseline Ukeje of the Federal High Court, which it said fall short of justice.
"NEC was particularly piqued by the judge's decision to go outside of pleadings before her to seek grounds to hamstring the NLC. It endorsed the decision already taken by the Congress to file an appeal against the judgment.
"Considering the implication of the judgment for the ability and freedom of Congress to protest petroleum prices increases in the future, NEC concluded that the suit in which the judgment was delivered was in relation to the imposition by government of a petroleum tax of N1.50 and not general price increases such as the ones effected on the September 23, 2004," the NLC stated.
Oshiomhole reaffirmed labour's earlier position that the orchestrated attempts to emasculate organized labour through legal enactment and the law court were aimed at ensuring that effective opposition to the unpopular petroleum pricing policy of government was eliminated. He however declared that such intimidation would not affect labour's resolve to defend its members and the Nigerian people.
NLC expressed shock that government has decided to introduce the new increases without allowing for a dialogue among all stakeholders. NLC noted that no meeting of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) was held before the increases.
"These increases demonstrate government's apparent insensitivity to the general state of despair and impoverishment among Nigerians. This increase further demonstrates government's creeping intolerance of alternative views, and ascribes to itself an all-knowing attitude.
"This increase is not in the best interest of Nigerian economy because cost of living will go up as well as cost of production which will then lead to more factories being closed down and more job losses.
"Even the Minister of Labour and Productivity at the AU Summit held in Ouagadougou did admit that over 80 million Nigerians were living below the poverty line. This new fuel increase would further impoverish Nigerians," it noted.
NLC disclosed that it yesterday filed an appeal at the Appeal Court against the federal high court judgment and that 25 lawyers including a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) have indicated interest to join in the suit to defend the NLC.
Labour's appeal was filed by their counsel; Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) and Mr. Femi Falana.
NLC will be meeting with the representatives of the civil society organisations today in Lagos. The human rights groups would be led at today's meeting by Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Fawehinmi and Falana. THISDAY learnt last night that details of the protest and the committees to handle the different aspects of the exercise will be worked out tomorrow.
The groups may also decide the extent of involvement of political parties that may wish to participate.
Also the strategy for mobilisation was expected to be worked out.
The 29 industrial unions chairmen and secretaries from 34 states council and Abuja attended yesterday's meeting.
But the Minister of Labour in his reaction to the NLC position said the incessant strike was portraying the country as politically unstable to international investors.
The minister also reiterated that Nigeria has not contravened International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention in the passage of the Labour Bill, stressing that the bill was aimed at promoting democratization and strengthen NLC's compliance with the ILO conventions 87 and 98 on freedom of association and the right to organise and get involved in collective bargaining.
Sultan Maccido while opening a meeting of the national executive council of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) said, "we wish to avail ourselves of this opportunity to draw attention to the plight of the common man in the country today arising from the prevailing harsh economic conditions. We are concerned that the crisis generated by incessant fuel price hike in Nigeria still lingers."
"(However), we continue to appeal to the people to be patient with the authorities since we are aware of the serious efforts being made to address the chronic problems.
"We appeal to the Federal Government to push harder and hasten the economic reforms they have embarked upon so that the people would not have to wait for too long to benefit from the well - intended reforms."
Wabara who fielded questions on the fuel price increase from newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos appealed for restraint on the part of Nigerians even as he claimed he was yet to be officially informed about the new price increases.
Responding to a question that the legislature ganged up with the executive to pass the Labour Bill with a view to muzzle opposition, the Senate President said: "I don't buy your idea of a gang-up. We can't gang-up against people who elected us. I know there is anger in the land."
The Senate President who said he had not been officially informed about the new price regime of petroleum products said he was on his way to Geneva, and that: "I guess by the time I come back the picture will be clearer."
On whether he was comfortable with the current prices of petroleum products, he said: "I will want to know the rationale behind these increases if it is true that there is an increase in the prices of the products."
Reacting to the Labour Bill generally believed to have been hastily passed into law, Wabara said the passage of a bill is not easy, adding that "we go through the due process of law making."
"Democracy is a system where sense makes belated sense and where nonsense makes immediate sense. Nigerians can feel it's nonsense but we feel 109 senators seated there and the law was passed and it was not something passed by one person," he argued.
Reminded that the bill was passed by only 36 senators, he said: "You see, once we form a quorum; we were 37. I am a very focused person and I will not jeopardise the integrity of the National Assembly.
"I know when one of the senators raised an objection, we go through our rules. It is not for you to tell us that we have not formed a quorum ourselves. Our rules are very clear. If a point of order was not raised, even when I put the question to the distinguished senator who happens to be a friend of mine, it shows it was approved by all the senators," he added.
Meanwhile, Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has described as regrettable, the continuing importation of petroleum products by Nigeria, adding that the downstream sector of the oil industry should undergo an overhaul.
He argued that as long as importation continues, the nation's refineries will not work.
However, Conference of the Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) have flayed the Federal Government for the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products.
THISDAY gathered that CNPP will meet this week to take a position whether or not to support the planned strike action called by the NLC.
Also, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will meet today to review the implications of the price increase.
General Secretary of CNPP, Maxi Okwu said in a statement that, "We had earlier planned to hold a meeting of all the political parties before the increase on October 6, 2004 to review situations in the country, but the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has written to CNPP urging us to call for an emergency meeting for the purposes of reviewing the recent increase in the price of fuel."
The CNPP scribe stated that in view of the request of APGA "the Central Working Committee will meet to agree on a day for the emergency meeting, because what is happening in the country will spell doom if care is not taken. It will lead to a spiral inflation and high cost of living. Nigeria is a mono-commodity nation; any increase in the price of fuel will generally affect the cost of living. Government has increased the price of fuel without making room on how to cushion the effects on the people."
The United Action for Democracy (UAD) at press briefing in Lagos at the weekend, noted that the present increase in the price of petrol is the fifth since Obasanjo took over the mantle of leadership in 1999, with the price having been adjusted from N19 per litre in 1999 to the current one of N55. It stated that it is now very clear that the Obasanjo regime's policy for the people of Nigeria is that of perpetual suffering, intolerable poverty and crises.
Also, the Constitutional Rights Project (CRP) a civil society organization in a statement condemned the recent increase in the price of petroleum products.
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