i kind of agree with the FG.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=81453

Nigerians kai! Everything is polical abi? Even if it is political, we like it as far as it will make life easier. The government should know atleast for once that we the followers should have a say. Happy strike nigerians!

The idea of the strike been political should not arise at this point in time but all in all NLC should consider the aftermath effect on the populace cos if the strike persist and the ultimate objective is not achieve.It will be too bad.

These clowns in govt just make me laugh. Imagine them issuing a statement to say that law abiding citizens should go about their normal business when they know quite well that they have no arrangements in place for adequate security.

I bet they wont ask their children to go to school and their wives to go gossiping.

@ angel101

Mind you, their kids do not school in nigeria and their wives don't go gossiping, rather the gossips come to them in their houses just for one favour or another. That explains why they show less concern and can afford to tell us to go about our normal activities.

The idea of the strike been political should not arise at this point in time but all in all NLC should consider the aftermath effect on the populace because if the strike persist and the ultimate objective is not achieve.It will be too bad.

FG too should consider the aftermath effect on the populace because if the pump prices are increased hardship of Nigerians would escalate. At least the duty of govt is to care for citizens not to kill them with inconsiderate policies

Nigeria: Senate President, Speaker Get N2.4 Million Salary
Daily Trust (Abuja)

12 June 2007
Posted to the web 12 June 2007

Hamisu Muhammad

New salaries and allowances for federal, state and local government legislators have been released by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The package was recently increased by 150 percent and will commence with immediate effect and is backdated to the month of February 2007, a report from Economic Confidential made available yesterday said.

The new jumbo package for legislators put the annual basic salary of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives at N2,484,242 and N2,477,100 respectively.

The Deputy Senate President will receive an annual basic salary of N2,309,166.75 while each speaker of the state assembly and his deputy each will go home with N1,639,875 and N1,445,982.50 per annum respectively as their basic salary.

The breakdown further showed that, each senator will receive the sum of N2,026,400 basic salary and deputy speaker of the House will receive N2,287,034 per annum. Members of the House of Representatives are entitled to annual basic salary of N1,985,212 while their colleagues from states will received N1,337,225.

The legislative leaders at the local government level will each get N811,000 and their deputies will receive N810,000, according to the new review, adding that each councilor will get N760,076 per annum.

Although, the RMAFC breakdown did not show the actual allowance and benefits in naira terms for the legislators, the document showed that duty tour allowance for the Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives will be N37,000 and N35,000 respectively.

The statement said the Senate President is entitled as his privileges to have 8 vehicles including an ambulance while the Speaker, House of the Representatives will get 7 Vehicles.

Each senator is entitled to have duty tour allowance of N23,000 and member house of representative is to receive N14,000.

It would be recalled that approved salary package for the President is N3,514,705, Vice President N3,031,572, Minister N2,026,400, Minister of State N1,957,580, Special Adviser N1,942,875 while Auditor General/ Permanent Secretary will receive N1,925,865 annual basic salary.

The highest basic salary in the judiciary will go to the Chief Justice of the Nigeria with N3,363,972 followed by Justice of the Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal with annual basic salary of N2,477,110. These new packages are subject to the approval of the National Assembly. At the State level, a governor will receive an annual basic salary of N2, 223, 705 while his deputy will receive N2,112,215. The chairman of local government council will receive an annual salary of N908,312 and the vice chairman will receive N853,056.

Please note that these are just BASIC SALARIES! Everyone should be aware that allowances alone more than triple basic salaries. And these are the people who are crying that the labor strike is political.

Yes the strike is political but it is also for survival!

Fire on labour. Solidarity forever! Aluta continua! Victoria accetta! Nigeria is our's not their's We are with you, the men wey sabi!

by monday people will back out of the strike if it lasts that long

I agree - the strike has some political undertone to it. Anyway, looks like Yar Adua
is holding firm (my guy), I am sure by Monday, everybody will be just about fed up
with the damn strike. . . darkness everywhere as NEPA will do their thing , no more
diesel, no food, no water (no diesel to pump the bore-hole), trash is piling up, etc.

If I were Yar Adua, I won't make any more concessions to these NLC characters and
they will be further weakened in the end as an organization. . . If they were smart,
it would have been better to postpone the strike having succeeded in erasing the VAT
increase, getting the salary increase, etc. If Yar Adua were to call their bluff, they will
have little or no bargaining chips left.

Iyke-D:

I agree - the strike has some political undertone to it. Anyway, looks like Yar Adua
is holding firm (my guy), I am sure by Monday, everybody will be just about fed up
with the damn strike. . . darkness everywhere as NEPA will do their thing , no more
diesel, no food, no water (no diesel to pump the bore-hole), trash is piling up, etc.

If I were Yar Adua, I won't make any more concessions to these NLC characters and
they will be further weakened in the end as an organization. . . If they were smart,
it would have been better to postpone the strike having succeeded in erasing the VAT
increase, getting the salary increase, etc. If Yar Adua were to call their bluff, they will
have little or no bargaining chips left.

Very convienent of you to sit in USA and say such nonesense(pardon my Language) just that this guy got me worked up, I can see you are quite ignorant on the issue , let me educate you, We live in a country where our leaders take us for granted the saddest part is that even the citizens take themselves for granted. The price of fuel affects the common man, we have to buy food at very expensive rates, pay more for fuel to run our busssinesses, pay more for transport, pay more for everything with little or no resources. FG officials do not buy food and Fuel so they can sit there and say it is politically motivated and some ignorant Nigerian convienently away can say the same thing.What is political about poverty and suffering of the masses Its only common sense that human beings should protest when taken for granted.
We should bear the strike and keep it in mind that if we conceed to this price increase because we do not want to suffer for some days, we will keep suffering for the rest of our lives.

aisha2:

Very convienent of you to sit in USA and say such nonesense(pardon my Language) just that this guy got me worked up, I can see you are quite ignorant on the issue , let me educate you, We live in a country where our leaders take us for granted the saddest part is that even the citizens take themselves for granted. The price of fuel affects the common man, we have to buy food at very expensive rates, pay more for fuel to run our busssinesses, pay more for transport, pay more for everything with little or no resources. FG officials do not buy food and Fuel so they can sit there and say it is politically motivated and some ignorant Nigerian convienently away can say the same thing.What is political about poverty and suffering of the masses Its only common sense that human beings should protest when taken for granted.
We should bear the strike and keep it in mind that if we conceed to this price increase because we do not want to suffer for some days, we will keep suffering for the rest of our lives.

Thank u o Aisha. I wonder y people who are not genuinely concerned wont just keep quiet and let those who are affected air their greiviance. when would we ever hold these people accountable? It's never a good time. 'I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees' (erm not original ) but the point is if we do not fight for ourselves, no one will offer us liberation on a platter of gold. How are they even supposed to know that they are doing wrong if we do not tell them?

kokoA:

@ angel101

Mind you, their kids do not school in nigeria and their wives don't go gossiping, rather the gossips come to them in their houses just for one favour or another. That explains why they show less concern and can afford to tell us to go about our normal activities.

My brother u are right.

@aisha2

Very convienent of you to sit in USA and say such nonesense(pardon my Language) just that this guy got me worked up, I can see you are quite ignorant on the issue , let me educate you, We live in a country where our leaders take us for granted the saddest part is that even the citizens take themselves for granted. The price of fuel affects the common man, we have to buy food at very expensive rates, pay more for fuel to run our busssinesses, pay more for transport, pay more for everything with little or no resources. FG officials do not buy food and Fuel so they can sit there and say it is politically motivated and some ignorant Nigerian convienently away can say the same thing.What is political about poverty and suffering of the masses Its only common sense that human beings should protest when taken for granted.
We should bear the strike and keep it in mind that if we conceed to this price increase because we do not want to suffer for some days, we will keep suffering for the rest of our lives.

Yeah, yeah , yeah. . . While you are at it, please educate the small business owners or the private sectors whose
businesses are now comatose or who are supposed to cough out a full month salary to their employees bearing in
mind that no work has been done for 3 days now! If you honestly think, this move is supposed to make life for the
suffering masses better (so they wont suffer for the rest of their lives as you say), then I dare the NLC to sustain
the strike through out the whole of next week. I still maintain that the NLC leaders over-played their hand, they will
be weakened after this strike. In your haste to call me "ignorant", you never bothered to acknowledge the concessions
that the government has made. Are those concessions not suppose to improve life for the masses too, or the life of the
masses now solely dependent on the N5 fuel increase?

So that you know, I was on the ground during the inauguration and saw the immediate effect the VAT and fuel price
increases had on price of goods and transportation. I did observe as well that two weeks later the one singular factor
that impacted cost of transportation was fuel shortages as tankers were not loading, it wasn't the N10 increase. The
real question becomes why the fuel price increase? What was the rational behind it? Obviously, there has to be some
solid reasoning behind it otherwise Yar Adua would have reversed it weeks ago in a bid to "endear" his government to
the masses.

Iyke-D:



Yeah, yeah , yeah. . . While you are at it, please educate the small business owners or the private sectors whose
businesses are now comatose or who are supposed to cough out a full month salary to their employees bearing in
mind that no work has been done for 3 days now! If you honestly think, this move is supposed to make life for the
suffering masses better (so they wont suffer for the rest of their lives as you say), then I dare the NLC to sustain
the strike through out the whole of next week. I still maintain that the NLC leaders over-played their hand, they will
be weakened after this strike. In your haste to call me "ignorant", you never bothered to acknowledge the concessions
that the government has made. Are those concessions not suppose to improve life for the masses too, or the life of the
masses now solely dependent on the N5 fuel increase?

So that you know, I was on the ground during the inauguration and saw the immediate effect the VAT and fuel price
increases had on price of goods and transportation. I did observe as well that two weeks later the one singular factor
that impacted cost of transportation was fuel shortages as tankers were not loading, it wasn't the N10 increase. The
real question becomes why the fuel price increase? What was the rational behind it? Obviously, there has to be some
solid reasoning behind it otherwise Yar Adua would have reversed it weeks ago in a bid to "endear" his government to
the masses.

And your suggestion is?

]

.These Small bussiness owners will be worse off in the long run if the price of fuel keeps incresing because they rely on fuel to run their business.
2. What Concessions are we pricing the fuel? So next time if they plan to increase to N100 they will start by increasing it to 130, when Labor objects they will reduce it to N100 abi.
3. I am tempted to believe that you are a beneficary of the increase, maybe your father is one of those "stake holders" who feed fat on the sweat and labor of Suffering masses and send their children to school abraod so that when they open their mouth to talk, they will say the kind of Ignorant rubbish you are saying.
4. What do you know about Suffering masses, He who wears the shoes know where it pinches.
5. the rational behind the increament is purely selfish for greedy Leaders so they can afford to send their Children to Schools abroad after Running down the Ones our past Leaders had th vision to build.
6. What have we benefited From Past increaments. their Arguements are that we Need to Subsidise other sectors so we have to reduce fuel subsidies. Hospitals are worse than they were 8yrs ago. Same Goes for roads, Schools and other Social infrastrutures

@iyke - D
so u were on ground during the inauguration? I was there during the election when the clownish govt declared collectively almost a week of holidays for no just cause. how come people didnt complain then? or was there no loss of revenue then? Never mind the harrassment and intimidation by military suffered by Nigerians myself included for no reason

Most of the small biz have already packed up already due to the high pump prices.
I keep saying its just okay for you ppl to sit in another mans country where they have perfected the system, enjoy 24 hours electricity after eating belch loudly and come to the computer to offer stupid advices to Nigerian to endure or accept the increase in good faith, while the law maker live large on the sweat of the masses, to manage the rigged elections. And for Yar'Adua to maintain his stand, that when the populace have suffered enough they would go back to work. Thank God you are not a leader.
I wonder if that is the way you would lead your family if you have one!!

Thank u my brother

@aisha2

And your suggestion is?

Read my earlier contribution: The government made concessions to NLC demands, the gulf
between them is N5. Asking government to make 100% concession when labor is not ceding
any ground is impractical. Like I said, if I was Yar Adua, I will hold firm.

If sitting at home is the answer that will end the suffering of the masses, then let everyone
sit at home, hopefully by the end of one month, fuel price will miraculously revert to N35. Isn't
that the logic? In spite of corruption, if you guys honestly think salaries will be what they are
now or whatever projects that were completed would have been achieved at N35 fuel, then
good luck. Also, how about the farmers, are they sitting at home too and taking directives
from the NLC? Are these not part of the masses too?

@angel101

You made a good point, but remember that work free days that were declared by the government
did not amount to a complete shutdown of the economy - correct me if I am wrong as I believe
there were some essential service workers that were exempt. If I recall also, the airports were
not shutdown, etc.

Finally, its almost childish to accuse anyone abroad that simply agree with the government on any
issue as being children of government beneficiaries. Please bear in mind that there are Nigerians
whose parents left Nigeria even before or right after independence on their own will. Some of these
people and their children have been gone for so long that its almost impossible for them to have
been living overseas and be in government at the same. So does it mean these group of people
are not qualified to have any say in Nigerian affairs?

WHy should govt increase pumpprice if they really have the love of the masses at heart?

The govt is simply anti masses or why the draconian increase?

Compare the pump price of petrol in the U.S to the national minimum wage and compare Nigerians pump price to the minimum wage. before you commend government for increasing prices of fuel. Do they want to kill us?

I am very sure if you sleep in darkness and the cost of filling your tank in a week is the national minimum wage per month, you wont be supporting pump price increase even by =N=1

All of una dey make valid points here, but please make una no turn am to fight.

I agree with all those who have said that increasing fuel prices and VAT in one fell swoop, was a hare-brained idea. In another country, it would have caused serious civil unrest.

But sha o, the government needs to realise that each time they raise fuel prices by 10-15%, prices of other commodities increase by as much as 70%. Inflation takes a galloping lead, and the gains are rapidly eroded. So why on earth do they keep repeating the same cycle?

As for Labour, there was no need to call a total strike. In the past when Oshiomole and his predecessors led such strikes, essential services were often exempted. Some banks would open, and essential medical personnel were also allowed to operate. Even fuel continued to be sold at the new prices, but would often revert back to the old price, after Labour might have won concessions from the government.

I agree that government has bent a bit. Labour too, needs to meet the FG half-way. And they need to hammer it down their throat, that we need a functional rail system powered by natural gas, to solve our transportation problems. Our whole economy revolves around land transport and petroleum products. So there is no point tinkering with it, because the consequences are that prices always go up, when fuel cost increases, and such prices always refuse to come down.

Something needs to change!

@laudate - Thank you much!


@sleekdot

Within the past two and half years, prices of fuel in the US have nearly trippled! The difference
is that oil companies (the so called market) is responsible for the increase, not government. But
guess what, a good chunk of the price of fuel here is tax. Have they bothered to rollback or reduce
the tax on fuel so as to cushion the effect on consumers? The answer is NO.

Both points, for and against the strike are valid. However, we really need to think about who gets shafted the most by this strike. It will be the Nigerian public. The government has made concessions, Labour should do the same.

Those in support of NLC,and condeming govt should go to sleep.u can shout as u like is not going to make any diff.The truth is think of hw to make more money and during times like this u will be smiling.One basic fact u pro-NLC should know is that there is no govt in the world that can improve the lot of its people,govt from inception is made to impovish its people but make the same people think they are there to help\serve them.
Nigerians pls know that strike has never favor the citizen and it will never.only 3 set of people benefits from strike;
1)govt
2)NLC officials
3)media houses,take it or leave it.

The only way u the masses can take what actually is urs is thru A REVOLUTION
strikes,protests,boycotts are all sheepish way of fighting for ur right.Do u think if the youth of niger delta had gone on strike FG would ve seen them as serious.
Adams former NLC President used the NLC platform to bcom popular and later wants to b in govt what is looking for in govt "to help the citizens" pls think.8yrs time OMAR will want to contest also.
The only way out for the massess is to revolt(FRENCH REVOLUTION,AMERICA REVOLUTION,RUSSIA REVOLUTION AND THE LIKES BROUGHT LASTING CHANGE)
The entire greedy political class should be destroyed yes eliminated so that the new ones that will take over will know that the people are more powerful than the govt.until till then NLC officials,govt and media houses will be raking in millions in time like this.
NOBODY CAN MAKE U INFERIOR\SUFFER WITHOUT UR CONSENT.

ogbes:

Those in support of NLC,and condeming govt should go to sleep.u can shout as u like is not going to make any diff.The truth is think of hw to make more money and during times like this u will be smiling.One basic fact u pro-NLC should know is that there is no govt in the world that can improve the lot of its people,govt from inception is made to impovish its people but make the same people think they are there to help\serve them.
Nigerians please know that strike has never favor the citizen and it will never.only 3 set of people benefits from strike;
1)govt
2)NLC officials
3)media houses,take it or leave it.

The only way u the masses can take what actually is urs is through A REVOLUTION
strikes,protests,boycotts are all sheepish way of fighting for your right.Do u think if the youth of niger delta had gone on strike FG would ve seen them as serious.
Adams former NLC President used the NLC platform to bcom popular and later wants to b in govt what is looking for in govt "to help the citizens" please think.8yrs time OMAR will want to contest also.
The only way out for the massess is to revolt(FRENCH REVOLUTION,AMERICA REVOLUTION,RUSSIA REVOLUTION AND THE LIKES BROUGHT LASTING CHANGE)
The entire greedy political class should be destroyed yes eliminated so that the new ones that will take over will know that the people are more powerful than the govt.until till then NLC officials,govt and media houses will be raking in millions in time like this.
NOBODY CAN MAKE You INFERIOR\SUFFER WITHOUT UR CONSENT.

Exactly what is your point?

After the Sept 11, 2001 attacks, several Western governments gave out user-friendly loans and various financial concessions to airlines because the fear of flying cut number of passengers to levels that threatened the airlines with bankruptcy.

The US govt. heavily subsides agricultural products to help their farmers stay competitive in the international commodities market.

There are other examples of how Western governments are showing that the word Democracy does not mean rig your way to power and go and "chop".

Governments in Africa and especially Nigeria are not accountable to the people, because the people's votes do not matter anymore. In Nigeria now, all that needs to be done to secure election victory is for the ruling party to get the electoral commission to award votes arbitrarily to preferred candidates.

Or do I say, to ANNOINT candidates.

How many places recorded elections in Nigeria? Let's be very honest to ourselves.

When a cabal of old corrupt politicians simply re-cycle themselves and force themselves on the people through rigging, do they listen to the people?

Are they aware of the plight of the citizens?

Do they hold referendums to seek the people's opinion on issues?

The answer is NO! Afterall, who are they responsible to?

People should stop defending the indefensible. It is a complete anomaly that Nigeria, the 6th largest producer of crude oil in the world cannot refine its crude to get enough petroleum products to match local demand.

Why are the refineries not working?

Why was the Abacha loot not used to finance construction of new ones?

The former Finance Minister under Abacha ((Anthony Ani) refunded the sum of 30 MILLION DEUTSCHMARKS, as well as other unspecified sums of money in hard currency, claiming it was a gift from Abacha himself.

What about the monies recovered from the like of Jerry Useni (undisclosed sum found under a carpet in his house), or Tafa Adebayo Balogun (is it Fire for Fire or Fire for Naira ) who had several undisclosed sums in several banks?

What of the money recovered from Abacha's family? Has anyone publicly come to tell Nigerians how much has been recovered so far?

How much was paid to Emeka Offor to do TAM for our refineries, after which they all broke down within six months? An unconfirmed source in a television interview estimated 750million US Dollars ( I am not sure of this figure though).

Now does anyone want to tell me that with all this money scattered left, right and center, we could not have built at least four new refineries between 1988 (when the last one was built) and now?

If these issues are not resolved now, when will they be resolved?

All those criticising labour for going on strike should go and search their conscience!

Usman Dan Fodio once said: CONSCIENCE IS AN OPEN WOUND. ONLY TRUTH CAN HEAL IT!

Pray for this nation. Let God come and help us. It is only He that knows everything. I want the strike to end. I want my NLNG job.

The strike cant end cos Yar Adua is nt wanting to come down to deir demands.Its kinda so bad.

Like fmr minister talk the price suppose be N50 sef.This slavery needs to end.Make we strike am once and for all

D strike is nt political FG dey look for yeye wahala.

Yeah Right!!!!!

Ogbes remember this is the year 2007 and VIOLENCE has since ceased to be an acceptable means of solving problems. We may be suffering as a nation while are leaders are enjoying the perks of office but nobody's blood should be shed in the course of fighting for a better life!!!! Please remember the youths of Odi, Effurun and Ekuigbo and remember how we all cried out when Govt used maximum force on them!!!!!! Obj was busy with his dirty politics and looting else he would have again shed the blood of the militants and unfortunately the blood of many innocent. You should realise that you cannot go to war with the Govt. Don't forget we've had our share of bloodshed and strive, where were you during the civil war? Let me ask you, are you ready to carry an AK47 to kill for political reasons?……….or better still be killed?

Honestly, Angel101 and Aisha, please let’s allow ALL and SUNDRY make their contributions (right or wrong) as they are entitled to do so. I am also not in support of Iyke-D but he has a right to express his opinion. It is not enough to reduce the price by =N=5 but reverse the illegal increase and find a permanent solution eg boosting the local refining capacity in partnership with the private sector to hedge against the international prices of crude!!!

Even if the strike is political, this is good because it is for the benefit of all including the families of these our heartless leaders. I am not surprised the SSG – Amb Kingibe is threatening to invoke the no work no pay law. I have lost so much in my private business as a result of the strike and I am still in support of the action. Our leaders have simply lost touch with us. They need to be whipped back in line. I praise the guts of the Niger and Ekiti state governors who openly supported the strike.  
I wish the EFCC would take out the likes of Rasheed Gbadamosi, Afe Babalola, Obj,  Bode George and all those people who are very bad examples to the youth of the nation

POLITICAL OR NOT, WE ARE IN SUPPORT…… …LONG LIVE NIGERIA

Yu right


It is accepted it shld continue so d govt wld know dey cant mess around with people like dt

The strike needs to go for as long as it takes to make Yar'Adua see reason and part ways with the brutal and regime of Obasanjo. There is noting sacrosant about reverting a policy of a previous government. We all know that nigeria can afford to sell petrol to the people for far less than N70. (maybe 40 -50 is in order) The people of Nigeria have been made to suffer for too long under brutal and insensitive regimes. We should all enjoy the fruits of the nation, as opposed to the chosen few who are 'dashed' oil block franchises just for being friends. If Obasanjo and his cronies had not made a mess of the turn around maintainance of the refineries, we can refine the oil ourselves and sell to the people at an affordable rate to Nigerians. (No one is telling us what happened to the hundreds of millions of dollars appropriated for the maintenance and who were contracted for the jobs)

Even though the strike will bring hardship to people right now, it will bring sanity back in the long run.
My own mother will suffer as I am not able to send money to her. I can't send money to pay for the running of my farm either. This affects all of us irrespective of our land of abode.