ABUJA—A possible end to the ongoing nationwide strike action was in the offing last night after the Federal Government agreed to temporarily revert to the pre-New Year price of N65 per litre of petrol.

At a marathon meeting attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, organised labour, the leadership of the Senate and the representatives of state governors, labour was given two options for the reinstatement of the N65 per litre price of petrol. The first option is to revert to the pre-New Year price on the condition that the subsidy regime would be completely removed in April.

The second option is to allow the N65 selling price of petrol and withdraw 80% of the subsidy in March, meaning that petrol would sell for N120 if the current price regime remains in force.

No agreement yet — Labour

At the end of the meeting last night, labour said although compromise was being made, It has not reached an agreement and that strike continues today. All the parties would however meet again on Saturday when labour is expected to make up its mind on the options put before it.



Yesterday’s meeting was at the instance of the leadership of the Senate which had earlier held two meetings with organised labour and another with the Federal Government. Among those present at the meeting which commenced at 6.30 pm last night were Senate President David Mark; his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba.

The Senate President shuttled periodically yesterday between Aso Rock and his residence where he hosted labour officials as he sought to mediate the differences between both parties.

The Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF was represented by seven governors at last night meeting. Those in attendance were the Chairman of the NGF, Mr Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Mr Gabriel Suswan (Benue); Mr Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Mr Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Mr Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Mr. Babatunde Fashola (Lagos) and Mr Peter Obi (Anambra).

The Labour delegation included the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr Abdulwaheed Omar and the President of Trade Union Congress, TUC, Mr Peter Esele, while Mr Tunde Aremu of ActionAid, represented Civil Society Organisations, CSOs.

They arrived the venue at exactly 6:30 pm, about two hours after the trio of President Jonathan, representing the Executive arm, the Senate leadership, and the governors forum had been meeting.

Labour sustains protests

Meanwhile, as the series of meetings were being held by representatives of government and labour, the labour movement and its civil society allies sustained their mass protests across the states of the federation and Abuja yesterday to mark the fourth day of the strike which has grounded commercial and social activities.

The protest which also recorded unprecedented turn-out at the Federal Capital Territory, kicked off from the Berger Roundabout at about 10:45am from where the procession marched through Wuse Market, Zone 3 and 7 before it terminated at Area One junction.

It was characterized by the usual fanfare that greeted the protest since it commenced, with protesters dancing to the tunes from some musicians.

Peter Esele, TUC President exploited the opportunity of the fourth day rally to dismiss Federal Government’s accusation that labour was threatening the peace of the country.

He said labour and the coalition of civil society groups involved in the protest had nothing against the authority of President Goodluck Jonathan, but that they fault the deregulation policy which in their evaluation does not go down well with the masses.

He also dismissed allegations that politicians were wrongly exploiting the rallies to their advantage, saying they would effectively use the peaceful rallies to achieve their demands.

His words: “They say we are creating problems for this country, let us make one thing clear here, we have nothing against the presidency. All we are fighting against is the deregulation policy”.

Economic activities in Abuja were low, with transporters conveying passengers to some locations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), most of the banks remained closed for business, while most of the ministries’ staff were yet to comply with the directive to resume work.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/01/fg-agrees-to-n65/

Please is this report on another matter or is it just full of wishful thots of the vanguard author? where did Vanguard hear that Govt has reverted to N65/litre?

My answer is no. What is solved if it's N65 now and then it goes back to nonsubsidy price in April? Apart from nothing? Revert it back to N65 and rebuild this nation first. Imagine we're talking of fuel when the common man or woman has no light in 2012. The NLC needs to back off this protest to be honest. I knew they would hijack it and throw us off course. The protests are more than fuel complaints. It's fuel, along with corruption, light, roads, everything. I wish they'd go away.

either way the government still has the upper hand.
GEJ is beginning to gain my support

Si verum, what's the point of reinstating it now just to remove it in April? That's an idiotic proposal.

Good idea. Seems Jonathan is not that tough afterall.

The subject is misleading.

bunch of sellouts in the labour. i knew labour would compromise at some point.

^^^^ Exactly. They are so off the mark with this one.

So what exactly is the POINT of this strike? Seems to be a bloody d.!ck measuring contest at the end of the day. No major issues will be resolved. If FG reverts to 65 with specific date for increase, fuel will disappear from the market.

Journalist with headline. Hmmm

na wa oo for these two options.labour should not agree o.they should at least consider #80

WHEN THEY HOLD ANOTHER MEETING AGAIN?BECAUSE LAST MEETIING WAS HOLD 5 O CLOCK YESTERDAY,WITH BADLUCK EGBERE JONATHAN AND THE NLC LEADER AND THE CONCLUSION WAS TO BE CONTINUE ON SATURDAY.

So after N8 million state dinner with GEJ, This scammers finally sold us out,
If the govt agrees to phase removal beginning from April, This ll only lead to scarcity and hoarding, And we all know d implications of hoarding in dis system

well they can revert to 65 for all i care, i think the Nigerian people are demanding good governance and end to corruption in the high places. We are demanding a government that are there to serve the people and the country instead of enriching themselves.

Nonsense, nlc should not agree.

This is rubbish, nonsense, this is poo.

stories all the way, dancing and beating about the bush by both parties, why is subsidy removal so important to the fg?  why are they spending so much to run the nass?? why is david mark and other seniors receive millions monthly, what are they doing with all this cash??, how can one mans salary rates up to 1 million naira per head of all the nigerian population, ?? so many questions, 65 n per litre is good, govt should stop wasting our money, labour please tarry, we are at your back, going back to the protest ground now, see ya later,

Let the FG put every necessary facilities into place before we talk about removing subsidy. BTW, #90 is okay if there must be increase. There has not been any experience of total removal of subsidy in Nigeria, GEJ be warned

My own position is this where was all these ideas before jonathan allowed innocent people to die.this is what he should have done from the begining

The protest is that certain things need to be on ground b4 removal of fuel subsidy.

The the govt. shld fight corruption else the system wldn't still work.

That's the earlier fear why SE /SS refused to join, they know NLC, TUC. aren't serious, they're only discussing fuel price / subsidy, that's not the major reason many people joined the protest, IS TO ERADICATE / FIGHT CURRUPTION IN NIGERIA.

ogbeche77:

So after N8 million state dinner with GEJ,  This scammers finally sold us out,
If the govt agrees to phase removal beginning from April,  This ll only lead to scarcity and hoarding,  And we all know d implications of hoarding in dis system

U guys  keep screaming someone has been bought over even when it‘s obviously not true.  How  much  can u  be trusted. ‘Cause my grand dad  said “it‘s the thief who most-easily  spots another thief“. He could have been right!

"Nigerians , u av amongst u a stubborn president, nw u knw why his fada bought him no shoes.

We have the Civil Rights group, EIE (Enough is Enough), Save Nigeria group; are they not recognised? Why are they not representing at the meeting? Nigerians are asking above all things for accountability. In this struggle, we have all identified clearly the root of our problem - CURRUPTION. Why are these men not speaking the minds of the people? Did they eat or drink there? Waoh, I am asking too many questions because I see NLC/TUC running away from the Cancer that Removal of Fuel Subsidy unearthed. My people, if you are fighting an ailment and discover the cause of the ailment, do you overlook the cause and attack the ailment only? How do you hope to get the ailment out today and not see it resuscitate tomorrow?

NLC/TUC, think; let this struggle not be a wasted effort.

In other words, government is informing Nigerians that they have to be grateful for getting a feel of the 141 naira effect (before March/April). Mr. President and his abracadabra economics. . .

LOL, President Jonathan has shoes now, but the problem is he wants to wear 10 pairs at the same time. Check the budget and deny this fact if you can. He wants to make up for the years he did not wear them. I love my president, no be lie.

Fellow Nigerians,
How long will the statement which was made by elites against us as being "A Bunch Of Cowards" be affirmed?
This is very annoying, we are just in day 5 of the struggle and some agent of destruction, who for d fact that dey can afford to buy PMS @ N141 even up to N200, are already complaining of boredom at home.
Listen carefully, this is a fight we must win - There is NO GOING back. Do you know that the Egyptian sacrificed so much before the oppressors succumb? Do you think it happened on a bed of Roses? Gentle men, if you are bored, choose from the different options below:-
1) You can trek to Ojota (Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Square) and join us.
2) You can sit in d comfort of ur homes and watch us live and keep re broadcasting any message associated with d on-going strike. *beer*
3) You can jog or take a stroll with your immediate environ or keep fulfilling the commandment of God - be fruitful and multiply(If u r married). These are "kuku" one form of exercise or d other./
4) You can take cyprigold/cypron/super appette and sleep off till March. If u r still bored 3-|
5) Finally you can trek to Cotonou - Benin Republic and denounce Nigeria.
Its high-time Nigeria let go of cowards like you, who for d enjoyment of today's pourage - sold not only his birth right but also his conscience! >:O#gbam#>:O.
This message is to strengthen and encourage loyal Nigerians like us and to talk some sense into weak and lazy Nigerians like those who won't forward dis mssg!
It's NOW or NEVER!!

dbride:

LOL, President Jonathan has shoes now, but the problem is he wants to wear 10 pairs at the same time. Check the budget and deny this fact if you can. He wants to make up for the years he did not wear them. I love my president, no be lie.

He even wants to take the shoes from our legs and probably cut of the legs of those who do not have shoes sef.

zenus:

Journalist with headline. Hmmm

thesame thing on my mind o, nigeria journalist sha,

I'm seeing this as a win-win situation for the govt.hmmn

Somehow,tomorrow,labour would agree on 'revert to N65' first and bla bla which we all know what it means for the common man. . .suffering continues.

I think the best we can get is to have the subsidy removal in phases and start off with say N80/100 and discard the "revert to N65" poo.

What happens to all the group ie SNG,Occupy Nigeria etc If and when NLC,TUC goes into ceasefire,calls of the strike?wud they continue the protest/strike?lolz

This should be a lesson for both parties.FG did not plan the subsidy removal well,the "sincere" protesters were also in a haste to jump to the streets without doing all the homework,making themselves unique and stating with 1 voice what they are agitating for.

As it stands now,NLC,TUC and FG are the Victors,the ordinary Nigerians who screamed themselves hoarse under the sun Victims.

NLC would also have to give government certain conditions before agreeing to a deal.
The protests were not only about subsidy removal.
If at all a phased deregulation should be adopted, it should start from June and not April. I believe six months should be enough to revamp our refineries pending the construction of new ones so as to boost local production.
Then the price of pms should be fixed at say N80/N90 per litre and NOT N120, for chrisakes there's no diff btw 120 and 140.
Next, if the masses are going to be paying extra for pms it only behoves on our leaders to lead the way hence there should be a 50% cut in all allowances and 25% cut in basic salaries of the executive and legislative arm and proceeds from these shuld go towards the revamping of our refineries mentioned earlier.
Then the members of the all elusive cabal should be brought to book and made to return all their loot and licences given for construction of new refineries.