Nigerians differ over new fuel price, suspension of strike

NigeriansPPPRA orders marketers to revert to N97 per litre

Civil groups allege betrayal, vow to continue protest

REACTIONS by Nigerians to the Federal Government and organised Labour resolution of the one-week strike over the former’s hike of petrol price from N65 to N141 a litre, and the reduction of the pump price to N95 by President Goodluck Jonathan have been divergent. Some hailed the decision while others ridiculed it, accusing Labour and the government of shortchanging ordinary Nigerians.

Even Labour’s explanation that the new petrol price was a unilateral decision of the President seemed not to have assuaged the anger of those opposed to the action.

In fact, leaders of civil society groups and opposition political parties, who felt sidelined by Labour over its negotiation with the government, vowed to continue with their protests until the petrol subsidy policy, high cost of governance and corruption in the public sector were addressed.

Meanwhile, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has directed marketers to comply with the new price regime of N97 a litre.

In a statement signed by the Executive Secretary of PPPRA, Reginald Stanley, in Abuja, the agency said the N97 from the Maximum Indicative Benchmark Open Market Price of N141 a litre announced on January 1, 2012 now holds sway.

It explained that by the announcement, the price of petrol at all retail stations across the nation is now expected to be sold for N97 a litre.

Among leaders who hailed the government and Labour over the resolution of the row were Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, former Military Administrator of Delta State, Col. David John Dungs (rtd), while human rights activist, Mr. Festus Okoye, gave it a qualified support.

The critics included the Conference of the Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), former Petroleum Minister, Prof. Tam David-West, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, among others.

A senior Labour official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, lamented that the goals of the strike were not achieved. He told The Guardian in Abuja that Labour like other Nigerians did not gain anything from the strike, rallies and protests.

“What have we achieved?” He queried, adding, “all was lost to the civil society groups, which dictated the character of the protests.

“The National Executive Council (NEC) of the two Labour centres rejected the N65 without offering another option. The result is that we did not have anything to negotiate with government. We could not even demand anything. This is unprecedented in the history of protests and strikes in this country. During the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, we had eight strikes and we negotiated and got tangible things for the people. What did this leadership get for the working people of this country? It is easy to call people names but for them to do it now, they have failed woefully.”

He continued: “What would Labour achieve at the Justice Alfa Belgore’s committee.” I don’t know what they want to achieve in the Belgore’s committee where they obviously belong to the minority. We have lost out totally. We could have negotiated things that should happen whenever deregulation policy takes effect finally. But, as it is, nobody is bothered about that. Can Labour claim victory in this struggle? Why are people still on the streets calling Labour leaders names and insisting the right things be done? This is simply because Labour was never in control of the protest from the beginning.”

At a joint press briefing by both the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abdulwaheed Omar and Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Peter Esele, in Abuja yesterday, Labour said it decided to suspend the strike not because it endorsed the N97 a litre of petrol but in consideration of the prevailing security situation in the country.

While paying tribute to the doggedness of Nigerians who stood firm against the government’s action, Labour said the duration of the strike indicated that Nigerians could no longer be taken for granted by their leaders and indeed that sovereignty resides in the people.

The statement, which was read by Omar stated in part: “In the last 24 hours, the Labour movement and its allies, which had the historic responsibility of coordinating these mass actions have had cause to review the various actions and decided that in order to save lives and in the interest of national survival, these mass actions be suspended. With the experiences of the past eight days, we are sure that no government or institution will take Nigerians for granted again. In view of the foregoing, Labour and its allies formally announce the suspension of strikes, mass rallies and protests across the country.

“We demand the release of all those detained in the course of the strikes, rallies and street protests.”

Labour credited the reversal of petrol price from N141 to N97 to the collective triumph of the people who forced government to retrace its steps over the January 1 petrol price hike.

Omar also said the people’s force influenced the renewed vigour of Jonathan to order accountability in the oil sector including dedication to ensure speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

While the strike persisted in Ogun State yesterday, civil rights groups and politicians continued with their protests in Kaduna.

As early as 8.00 a.m. yesterday, several protesters trooped to the Luggard Hall roundabout (renamed Unity Square), Kaduna to protest the new pump price.

Former governors of the state, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa and Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), Shehu Sani of the Civil Rights Congress (CRC), Tajudeen Oladoja of the Occupy Nigeria Group and Dr. Yunusa Tanko of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Aliyu Umar, former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) chairman in Kaduna, led the protest.

The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ballah Nasarawa who was at the venue of the protest, enjoined the promoters of the protest to ensure that the protesters conducted themselves within the ambit of the law.

In his address, Balarabe Musa said the struggle for the reversal to N65 a litre had just started, stressing that, “the amount announced by the President is not acceptable to us.”

Ali urged the protesters not to be tired in the crusade for the restoration of the subsidy, Sani, in his address, remarked that “Nigeria is sick, our leaders have destroyed it and this is why we are marching towards revolution for the emancipation of the country.”

Okoye, the Executive Director, Human Rights Monitor (HRM), in a statement yesterday, pointed out that “Labour’s decision to suspend the strike was courageous.”

According to Okoye, the action of Labour “shows that the Nigerian Labour movement and its civil society allies are patriotic, nationalistic and in tune with the dynamics of the Nigerian situation condition.”

The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Felix Femi Ajakaiye yesterday advised members of the National Assembly and other democratic institutions to check the alleged dictatorial tendencies of Jonathan.

Ajakaiye told journalists in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital yesterday that he was surprised by the nationwide broadcast of the President on the strike and his fixing of pump price petrol at N97 a litre.

He said the President was dictatorial by unilaterally jacking up the pump price from N65 to N141 without adequate consultation with Nigerians.

The cleric advocated the convocation of the Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to address the challenges confronting the nation.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega and subsidiary stations have reverted to N97 price regime in Ado Ekiti, but none of the private filling outlets opened to customers.

Governor Obi, who hailed Jonathan and Labour for arriving at the amicable solution on the deregulation of the downstream sector, in a state-wide broadcast yesterday evening, said the President displayed manifest qualities of statesmanship and leadership while Labour’s response was matured.

Elated by the peaceful resolution of the crisis, Ekweremadu in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, hailed Jonathan and Labour for their positive handling of the matter.

Coordinator of TMG, Moshood Erubami, his counterpart in the Joint Action Front (JAF), Dr. Ademola Aremu and Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan (UI) chapter, Dr. Segun Ajiboye, said the N97 rate was unacceptable to Nigerians.

David-West told reporters in Ibadan that having insisted on N65 a litre in the last one week, Labour’s acceptance of N97 was a “betrayal” of the people.

The CNPP said it is going ahead with all willing groups with the protest over the removal of petrol subsidy and the increase of the pump price of petrol to N97. It noted that the agitation against anti-people policy goes beyond the organised Labour.

Yadudu described the suspension of the strike as disappointing.

He wondered why Labour agreed to accept the N97 price regime, adding that he had expected Labour officials to consult with the joint action committee and other stakeholders before arriving at their decision to call off the strikes.

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