Subsidy Removal: House Insists On Reversal To N65

ABUJA, January 15, (THEWILL) - The House of Representatives has restated its unflinching commitment to the resolution calling on the federal government to reverse the price of petrol to N65 per litre and the organised labour to suspend the ongoing protests and strike to amicably resolve the disagreement over the removal of oil subsidy by the government.

This affirmation is coming on the heels of mounting pressure from the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the Governors’ Forum on the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to support government policy on fuel subsidy removal.

The House has stuck its grounds that it will not rescind the resolution asking government to suspend the new price regime.

A former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih and the representative of the Governors Forum in the federal government/labour mediating team, Governor Adams Oshiomole of Edo state are among critical stakeholders presently piling pressure on the Speaker to get his colleagues on the side of government.

Chief Anenih and Governor Oshiomole were said to be guest at the Speaker’s Maitaima residence, at the weekend to prevail on him.

But reaffirming the position of the House to stand by its January 8, 2011 resolution calling on government and labour to return to status quo ante to allow for negotiation and peaceful solution to the present impasse, Chairman of the House committee on rules and business, Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa, said the House took the decision in the interest of Nigerians and would not back down.

He said the resolution of the House created a platform that led to the resumption of talks between the government and labour.

According to him, “The ongoing labour and Federal Government discussions exonerate the Speaker and the House. This is exactly what is going on now, that both sides should meet and dialogue.”

Sam-Tsokwa explained that the decision of House lawmakers was collective and the Speaker cannot unilaterally withdraw insisting that the House was convinced that its resolution was the best solution to the crisis for now.

 “The Speaker is not somebody that double speaks. The House has spoken, Speaker will not go against the House resolution, as it was taken in national interest, he further said.
Meanwhile the Ad-hoc committee set up by the House to interface with labour and federal government over the ongoing fuel subsidy impasse led by Hon. Patrick Ikhariale is due to submit its report on the floor of the House on Tuesday.

Ihkariale, who disclosed this at the weekend expressed optimism that there was hope for a truce, following the intervention of the House.