Yu right.

Dem go tire

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.

Like I said earlier, if sitting at home is going to solve the problems, let the strike continue until end of July as more jobs will be created, the refineries
will start working, new ones will be built, private business owners will rake in more money, etc. and the "Government" will be made to realize who
the real boss is! I wonder why we have not being doing this all these years, I didn't know the answer to our problems was as simple as sitting at
home?

For the record, my beef is with the NLC leaders and their strategy. I am still of the opinion that they have over-played their hands. It will not
surprise me if no other concession will be gotten from the government even if the strike was to last another couple of days. If that holds true,
then the strike would have been completely useless and unnecessary. Lets hope I am wrong.

i keep woundering what is wrong with NIGERIANS, we are so easily broken and give up on in just a little stress. we should not allow this so called goverment who are only concerned about their wellfare and those of their families destroy what it has taken us over 60 yrs to build, those who have give so much to make sure we GET TO THIS DESTINATION, will only be diappointed if we allow them to do what they intend doing to our nation, (that is to make us poorer than it has already been and make thenself rich at our expense). We should stand by labour union, its our fight and not the battle of only one person we should make them understand that no single person or goup is greater than Nigeria. they have rig the election to their favour and so doing, oppressed the masses. We did not vote them in, and by the God we serve and by his infinate mercy we shall be set free from their bondage as the people of Anambra was set free from the bondage of Chris Uba and his allies. VICTORY WILL SURELY BE OURS

Shame on the FG! After making us go through all this hardship,they have the nerve to sit down and call the NLC mass action political.God will help us in this country

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Labour is ready for compromise –Omar
By Oscarline Onwuemenyi, Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja
Published: Saturday, 23 Jun 2007
Labour on Friday gave an indication that it was ready to compromise its position on the reversal of the price of fuel to N65.

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Photo file
NLC President, Mr. AbdulWaheed Omar

The Nigeria Labour Congress president, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, said on Friday in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja, that the congress would not want to be perceived as rigid or bull-headed. He said, “Labour is ready to re-assess its position. Remember that we had insisted on the complete reversal of the fuel pump price to N65 from N75. But there is a good possibility that we may reconsider our position if government decides to come down to a reasonable level.”

He did not make very clear what he meant by reasonable level.

Omar added, “Of course, we do not want to be perceived as rigid or fixated. We are ready and willing to change our position on the conditions for the resolution of the strike. But the government has to act in a positive manner too. If government makes a move other than its bullish posture, organised labour may consider a compromise towards resolving the current impasse.”

The labour chief also did not state what compromise organised labour was ready to make. He, however, regretted that talks with government’s repersentatives ended in a deadlock; assuring that organised labour was ready to accept another opportunity for discussions for the sake of strike-weary Nigerians.

Omar said, “Our doors are open any time; any time we are called for another negotiation with government, we most certainly will be there. As long as it shall be for finding a responsible and effective resolution of the impasse.” He said labour may take a middle course in the interest of Nigerians, in a fresh round of negotiations.

“If we are doing it for Nigerians, why wouldn’t we consider them? But at the moment, we would rather plead with Nigerians to bear with us for a while, as the future promises to be better for everyone. Nigerians must realise that we are doing this for their sake. NLC does not enjoy going on strike, but President (Umar Musa) Yar’Adua should do well to listen to the voice of the people; he should be the listening president he promised on his inauguration.”

The NLC president noted, however, that organised labour, intends to carry on with the strike for as long it takes the Federal Government to respond positively to its demands. He declared, “We still intend to mobilise, even through the weekend. We know that weekends are periods for people to relax, but we plan to mobilise at the appropriate time. Nigerians are already mobilised, but we intend to mobilise them the more.”

Omar debunked claims by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, that any further reduction in the price from N70 per litre may affect government’s fiscal balance. He explained, “That is not possible, as there was no provision for fuel price increase in the budget. If anything, government should have made more revenue, given that the international price of petroleum has risen far beyond what was budgeted.”

Earlier on Friday, the Assistant Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Owei Lakemfa, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, said there was nothing to celebrate in the concessions made so far by the government since the actions of the government in the first place, according to him, were illegal.

He said, “During our negotiation, we told the government, and the representatives agreed with us, that the process that led to the increment was wrong. We told them that they should recollect that former President Olusegun Obasanjo went to the National Assembly with a bill to hike VAT to 10 per cent and it was rejected. They said it was true.

“Again, we told them that the law that established the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency says that before there could be any adjustment in the prices of the products, the body and all the representatives therein must meet. But that was never done for the increase carried out by the last regime. Government’s representatives also agreed, but they said that since it has been done, they should be given time to look at the implications and come up with whatever they wanted. Does that make sense to you? If they were not part of an illegal action, what stops them from reversing it?”

On the sale of the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries, he said it was not new as the law on privitisation all over the world stipulates that workers in industries slated for privatisation must be allowed to own shares in them. “So, what have they done that we should be celebrating?”

Asked whether labour was not bothered that the strike was already taking its toll on the homes of many Nigerians, he said yes. But he appealed to them to take heart as this was the time to get liberated. He said, “I must salute the courage of Nigerians in this struggle; they have done well. Let them continue to be patient because this is the time for total liberation.”

Meanwhile, Saturday Punch has learnt that there were plans by the government to break the rank of labour leaders across the country. It was gathered that already, state governors have been directed by the Federal Government to, as from Monday, open a register for their workers, with the implication that those who failed to turn up risked losing their jobs.

Also, it was gathered that government was planning to use independent petroleum marketers to distribute fuel to petrol stations, and thereby thwart the strike by petroleum tanker drivers.

Reacting to the moves, Lakemfa, said all these tactics would fail. He also said the rank of the labour leaders remained solid.

According to him, the struggle would soon move to its third stage. He, however, declined to elaborate. Our correspondent gathered that it might include the stoppage of all essential services like water and healthcare.

Meanwhile, there are indications that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua may not concede further on the demands by labour. A top source, who was in the kitchen cabinet of former President Obasanjo told our correspondent that the increase in the fuel prices and VAT were meant to test Yar’Adua’s political will.

It was also meant to demonstrate whether he would be able to withstand pressures and bend backwards from the reforms started by Obasanjo. The source, who is a former minister, said the former president raised the fuel price in conjunction with Yar’Adua.

The source said it would amount to betrayal if Yar’Adua decided to alter an arrangement in which he played a major role. He said, “The President was well informed about the increment and he even played a major role in deciding the prices which were put on these commodities. The former president actually would have allowed Yar’Adua to handle it, but there were fears that he could be misunderstood.

“So, Obasanjo called him; they all sat together with a few of us. He told Yar’Adua about the impending increment, which was part of the ongoing reforms in the economy. Mind you, the increment ought to have been effected before the general election, but pressures were mounted on the former president by party stalwarts who felt that it could affect the fortunes of the party at the poll.

“At that meeting, the incoming president said he appreciated the need for the increment, but that he felt if that was the first thing he did after being sworn in, he could be misunderstood. He said that as a new government, it would not augur well for his government to start having problems with Nigerians; and that he would appreciate it if President Obasanjo could handle it.

“That was the reason why it was done. In any case, do you think that the former president likes controversies every time? No. He also likes to be hailed by Nigerians. But he did what he did to enable the new government stabilise. Moreover, it will be a litmus test for the new president to see if he could withstand pressure and continue with the reforms.”

They shld make sure dey dnt reduce more dn wat dey have done already

good citizens of Nigeria,  how much longer should we take this "nonsense" from government?  if we ever yield half way, they would know that they have us to "toy" with again and again. they would always increase double of what they want and when we complain, thy meet us half way. "which is exactly what they want in the first place.  I remember Obj once travelling outside the country in the middle of NLC industrial action, this would show you that they are just playing with us. they know we would meet them half way.

as for saying that the strike is political, i once heard a saying that "man is a political being",

as for those that think labour has lost its bargaining power, wait till Nitel, NTA, NEPA (PHCN), NPA, AIRPORTS, ETC all close down, then what will the  government be governing?

i have seen industrial action last up to one week.

I understand why some of you are talking PUNK. You have not worked one day in your f**king life! You don't know what earning a living in Nigeria is all about. When you live under your dada and mama, what else should we expect from people like you. Dem go tire! Why won't you say that - you don't know what life if all about. Come back to Naija and earn a living you pimps! Have you ever stood for anything that is right in your life? NO! I just puke when clowns rap shit, I wish I could kick some asses into the sewage tank,

The govt has to do what is right by listening to those they claim to be governing. Fro christs sake isnt the suffering borne by Nigerians already too much for fuel price to be increased so unceremoniously? I beg the strike should go on. Like i said b4 its better to suffer for a short time that bear indefinite bullying and hardship at the hands of the irresponsible govt who are only concerned about themselves and their pockets.

@3d_hunter

as for those that think labour has lost its bargaining power, wait till Nitel, NTA, NEPA (PHCN), NPA, AIRPORTS, ETC all
close down, then what will the government be governing?

Nothing. But I ask who do you think uses whatever Nitel, NTA, NEPA, NPA, AIRPORT have to offer? You think its senior
government officials only? I know the decision makers will feel the impact of the strike, but its the common guy on the
street that will be worst hit.

have seen industrial action last up to one week.

Reading the Punch article, it looks like you will need the strike to last more than one week if anything is to change.
Whether NLC can keep the rank and file intact for that long is a different matter. As I suspected, Yar Adua was on
it and while it may appear cruel, the fuel price/VAT increases were necessary for "the reforms" to remain on track.

@Rottweiler

I understand why some of you are talking PUNK. You have not worked one day in your f**king life! You don't know what earning
a living in Nigeria is all about. When you live under your dada and mama, what else should we expect from people like you. Dem
go tire! Why won't you say that - you don't know what life if all about. Come back to Naija and earn a living you pimps! Have you
ever stood for anything that is right in your life? NO! I just puke when clowns rap shit, I wish I could kick some asses into the
sewage tank,

Obviously, you are one of those who think living abroad is so easy. You have no idea at all. If you want to
see hard work, you need to travel abroad. You know some of those "big spenders" who return from abroad,
if only you knew the kind of work they do or how mentally, emotionally, and physically tasking it is to them,
you will thank your God. Without being insulting to anyone and NOT TO generalize, there is very poor work
ethic in our society, its a known fact.

As I have said earlier, why the rest of you are sitting at home, the poor and hard working farmers in the villages
are carrying on as usual - there is no unearned paycheck waiting for them at the end of the month. You can
spew the above trash about kicking some asses and all but I guarantee you will not be sitting at home if you
were getting paid by the hour - meaning no show, no pay!

strike should be called off. strike is an ill wind that blows no one any good.
its been called off. channels
thank God. lets get our lives back to normal.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/24062007/news/news3.html

Sorry guys but I guess you have to get back to work on Monday.
Price of fuel is STILL N70, it was a most unnecessary strike after
all and the caring NLC master strategists blew it!

Do I get my apologies now?

The aim of the strike wasnot achieved why did NLC mess up?

sarturus is mad, why on earth will anybody support the Fg, get da stepin before i break ma foot in ur asx

Well the strike is over and as usual the real loosers are the Nigerian people who earn a daily leaving.

yup, the strike was political, Constructively, the on-going strike over fuel prices is a protest against the Obasanjo government, even out of power. they got their 15% and ego back,

Sunday Tribune gathered that the meeting between the labour unions ended almost in a deadlock as the NLC was ready to agree to N70 per litre while the TUC was ready to shift ground to about N67.80 which would be half way between the two divides.


It was also gathered that at the meeting of the Labour union, Chief Anthony Anenith, the currents chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP and Senator David Mark, the Senate President met with the labour leaders before they moved en-masse to Aso Villa at about 7.30 p.m on Saturday night.


Sunday Tribune also gathered that part of the problems that created a divide among the labour leaders was the suspicion of ethnic sentiments that crept in among the leaders.


There was also a reported important phone call that the NLC president, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, received from Katsina while negotiation was on.


The Nigerian president, Umar Musa Yar’Adua has also reportedly written a letter to the NLC on Friday night restating his position on the fuel pricing and appealing to the Labour to allow peace reign in the nation while allowing his government stand on firm footing.

To start with, what the hell has a PDP board of trustees chairman doing in an NLC meeting. The fact that NLC did not excuse Tony Anenih out of the meeting shows that their general path of thought is majorly flawed.

In fact since labour is even having a meeting with Tony Anenih, leader of the main Political party, the strike may be political afterall.

Also, I do not respect a newspaper like the Sunday Tribune. Why do they keep "GATHERING THAT"? "Gathering that" in simple English means heard a rumour. What respectable newspaper would be rumour mongering at this critical time for Nigeria? Their plan is evil.

1]To the issue of fuel price, whosoever wants to sell petrol in Nigeria at N70 will be losing N25 per litre. Something must be done about this. For the longest time, government has borne this cost but it will not continue anymore. For those of you who do not know, or who refuse to know, the reason the government keeps fixing fuel price is to peg it at a rate where the marketers will not exploit the masses, where they can still give the masses a fair subsidy to shield them from the realities of the free market and finally to also set a price that will not be so low as to become unprofitable to the marketers and potential local refiners ultimately driving them out of business.
Reality check: an EVA BOTTLE (1.5litres) of kerosene was N180 in the market before the fuel price increase. ie N120 /litre from the market and dealers when the official price was about N60. Why is that? Do people believe that if five private refineries are producing only Kerosene in Nigeria and there is excess supply all over the country whereby anyone can walk to any filling station and buy at an official price of N100 /litre, it would be bad?
Now we end users are buying kerosene at N120 /litre comfortably (double the official price) because we know that it is not available. Would it be bad if we could buy it at the free market price of N100 and have it available in every nook and cranny?
This is the problem Nigeria is trying to solve, but the government is going about it completely wrongly. LET'S BE REALISTIC AND PRACTICAL.

2] we have about $45 billion dollars foreign reserve of which we only need $30 billion for our urgent imports. We get a lot of dollars everyday from our exports that will keep our supply of foreign exchange stable. Then again having so much foreign exchange just encourages Commercial Banks to continue ROUNDTRIPPING.
Now, since the government knows that this increase in fuel price will be of long term benefit, there seems to be no reason why they cannot take out the excess $15 billion foreign reserve to increase government workers' salary to the minimum pay in in the private sector. This will see the minimum wage move to about N20,000 which the minimum paid to factory workers in the private sector. INCREASE THE WORKERS' SALARIES.


3]Private Refineries Should be allowed to refine and sell petroleum products at free market price. They can sell Kerosene and possibly Diesel in The Nigerian market as it may be profitable to them, but they should be allowed to sell Petrol and the other fuels to neighbouring African countries at the international market rate. Gradually, the government can allow them to open their fuel stations where they will sell at the free market prices. Generally, N100 /litre of each petroleum product. So there would be the regular filling stations selling at N70 / litre where fuel is hardly available, and the queues are never ending, and there will be the local refineries' filling stations where fuel will be sold at N100 /litre, fuel will always be excessively available and there will be no queues. They people will now individually have to choose. This is what deregulation truly means. IMPLEMENT THE MUCH TALKED ABOUT DEREGULATION.

4]Very few people know how much Nigeria makes yearly. Nobody knows the amount in the Federation Account. Very few people understand why the fuel prices just increase. Nobody knows what their Constitutional Rights really are. Nobody knows how much NEPA, NTA, NITEL and NNPC make yearly. Very few people at the very top know the goals of the Nigerian state for this year and how it plans to achieve it so that they can know what role to play. Nobody knows anything! Ignorance here, ignorance there, ignorance everywhere. Mostly among the educated, because it is better not to know at all than to know little. It makes me wonder what the NTA and Radio Nigeria are for. Rather than educate the people with entertaining documentaries on how Nigeria will work, NTA is feeding us with propaganda. Propaganda that is totally needless. People live in the reality of things everyday so what good would any propaganda be. If I see 2 hours of electricity daily, and there are policemen collecting N20 at road blocks, what difference would it make if NTA says it's not so? Would I then believe them rather than the truth. Let's face it, Nigeria is not even developed enough for propaganda so I don't know what they are doing. We have to start seeing more of programs like Small Business 2000, Senate 109, documentaries on manufacturing and entrepreneurship, entertainment in the form of Nigerian musicals and Sports. In short, they should get Ben Bruce back to run NTA and sell 49% stake in it. So that in search of profitability, its management will seek to produce quality educative, entertaining and informative programmes. So that the masses are aware of their environment and realise that the aim of this country is not to stay afloat. KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED.

5]The VAT paid in Nigeria is totally ridiculous. VAT is a tax on manufacturing final goods from raw materials purchased. Most goods consumed in Nigeria are not manufactured here and their VAT are completely paid up in the exporting country(which should not even be so). But then, what VAT should I pay on a Nokia phone? No part of it was manufactured in Nigeria so what VALUE ADDED are we talking about? What we are paying in Nigeria is a SALES TAX, a tax on every good sold, which has been found worldwide to be a massive failure. Elevates smuggling, exercebates inflation and encourages tax evasion and smuggling. The VAT in itself is known to cause DEADWEIGHT LOSS and is also a REGRESSIVE TAX (doesn't consider level of income for rich and poor). The only VATtable goods in Nigeria are those whose final products are manufactured in Nigeria, viz traditioal wears, housing estates, food in restaurants, beer, newspapers, biscuits, cigarettes and a few couple more. The Government should dialogue with the various unions representing the people (not just NLC, TUC, ASUU et al). The representatives of the NURTW, Landlord Associtions, SUG, NIJ, ICAN, NBA, MAN, every major union will have 2 representatives and they will deliberate for a whole week. The Federal Government should offer a total eradication of VAT from all non-VAT products(which is 90% of products consumed) then increase goverment workers salary to par with the minimum obtainable in the private sector i.e 250% salary increase with immediate effect. In exchange for a total removal of subsidies on all petroleum products 6 months after the salary and VAT changes have come to effect. It should be a fair bargain. That is what achieving ends politically means. POLITICIANS SHOULD BE POLITICAL.

6]Then in general, there should be an added level of abountability, transparency and responsibility among Nigerians. Stiff penalties would be in place for misconduct. If anyone is found guilty of financial fraud, there should be a minimum of 2 years imprisonment if all of the finances are recovered. There should also be a penalty for economic sabotage (including some higher level of economic fraud, vandalisation of infrastructure and perpetuation of artificial scarcity) which will range from 15 years imprisonment to life whether the crime was averted or not. Even a case of Mismanaging Funds, whether in a private company or a government ministry, should be punished with Demotion, 6 months imprisonment or a fine equivalent to the total loss resulting from such mismanagement. These steps will keep those that will want to seek dubious means of profiteering in check. CRIME SHOULD BE ADEQUATELY PUNISHED.

Generally Nigeria will move forward rapidly, the $15billion taken from the foreign reserves to pay the initial rise in workers' salaries will be recovered in threefold by the middle of next year, by 2010, Nigeria would be a 100% refined petroleum products/ 0% crude exporting country, crude byproducts industries such as plastics industries will thrive, the IPPs will have adequate fuels to generate electricity, more than 3 million jobs will be created by the Refineries, IPPs and associated industries, and Nigeria will live HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

Iyke-D and all the guys who predicted the outcome of this strike correctly, You are right and you seem to know our labour leaders so well.

I am totally disappointed in labour for bowing to govt in this matter, I was totally in support of a fight to finish just like many other Nigerians and looking back I have lost well over =N=2m as a result of the fruitless strike. So many Nigerians have wasted the 4 day period with dented egos and pockets.

I would not be surprised if govt initially set out to achieve =N=70 naira in the first place. I am so upset beyond words and I can assure you all that this Labour leadership would henceforth be seen as toothless bulldogs by the govt.

What a pity!!!!!, However Nigerians are greater than Government or Labour, By the grace of the Almighty we shall get there. All the people who use us Nigerians to strengthen their positions and negotiating powers would be held accountable to the Almighty one day.

@ boladez, i couldnt agree more.

boladez:

Iyke-D and all the guys who predicted the outcome of this strike correctly, You are right and you seem to know our labour leaders so well.

I am totally disappointed in labour for bowing to govt in this matter, I was totally in support of a fight to finish just like many other Nigerians and looking back I have lost well over =N=2m as a result of the fruitless strike. So many Nigerians have wasted the 4 day period with dented egos and pockets.

I would not be surprised if govt initially set out to achieve =N=70 naira in the first place. I am so upset beyond words and I can assure you all that this Labour leadership would henceforth be seen as toothless bulldogs by the govt.

What a pity!!!!!, However Nigerians are greater than Government or Labour, By the grace of the Almighty we shall get there. All the people who use us Nigerians to strengthen their positions and negotiating powers would be held accountable to the Almighty one day.

Feel ur pain brova.U r absolutely right

Iyke -D , I can see your type of Ignorance has no cure. When i find a cure i will send it to you. But for now i think Silence is the best answer to a ,

@aisha2,

Iyke -D , I can see your type of Ignorance has no cure. When i find a cure i will send it to you. But for now i think Silence is the best answer to a ,

One would have thought you would have conceded that my reading of the whole NLC affair was right on the money,
but it seems like you have preferred to remain the ignorant one. Oh well, when you find that cure, make sure you
take a good dose of it first before sending some my way - I am sure I can use a little too

I'm sick and tired about Us. When are we going to rise and think right??
Don't we get what our govt looks like and how it operates
Our federation is being operated by same set of people ever since 1960 and up to date. So what are we talking about
Gbogbo eyin Oselu wa, Ee ti ya were, Papin yin jooooooooooo.
"Eyin temi, Eje kawa woroko fi se ada jo"

Who the hell want to resurrect this thread again? Are you trying to prove the prophecy that "dry bones shall rise again?"