Strike: Labour, Senate Meeting Ends Without A Deal

NLC PRESIDENT, COMRADE ABDULWAHAB OMAR (WITH MICROPHONE) ADDRESSING A CROWD OF PROTESTERS IN ABUJA DURING THE 1ST DAY OF THE INDEFINITE STRIKE CALLED TO PROTEST THE REMOVAL OF FUEL SUBSIDY.

... NLC/TUC Insists On N65 Per Liter Petrol As Condition To End Strike, Protests

...NLC Sends Solidarity Message To Washington DC Protesters

ABUJA, January 09, (THEWILL) – Efforts by the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, to get labour unions to shelve the ongoing indefinite strike and protests nationwide failed on Monday with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) insisting that they would call of the strike and cancel the protests only after government has reinstated the price of petrol to N65.

Rising from the meeting with Mark and some principal officers of the Senate at his Apo-Abuja residence, labour henchmen -- NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar; TUC President, Comrade Peter Esele; NLC Vice President, Comrade Isa Aremu; and Secretary, Comrade Owei Lakemfa – thanked the Senate President for his mediation, but said they would press on with the industrial action.

“Labour's position is clear: revert back to N65 per liter or nothing,” Omar told reporters after the meeting.

To buttress their resolute stand, Omar appealed to Nigerians to troop out in large numbers Tuesday in support of the strike until the aim achieved.

"Yes there is a window that has opened and consultations are ongoing, but our position is clear and that is that government must revert to N65 per liter of petrol.

"We appreciate the intervention of the Senate President, because when windows are opening nobody will like to miss that,” he said.

Omar also asked the police to exercise extreme restraint in handling protesters adding that it is the right of Nigerians to protest.

"We are still collating reports on the killings and will make our position known at the appropriate time," he said.

However, in his brief statement to the media, Senator Mark assured that a resolution would be reached soon.

"The meeting was fruitful and the problem will be resolved in the interest of Nigerians," he added.

Meanwhile, The Nigerian Labour Congress has sent a solidarity message To the Washington DC Protesters that staged a protest at the World Bank and IMF offices in the United States.

The statement reads,

“Dear Compatriots!

On behalf of the Nigerian labour movement I wish to thank you for standing in Solidarity with us as we begin our nation-wide strike protesting our government’s decision to remove fuel subsidies resulting in a  more than doubling for fuel costs overnight.
 
This action was taking without adequate consultation and without regard for the well being of the Nigerian people and will adversely affect the working class in our country.
It is precisely because the policy prescriptions of the World Bank and IMF are swallowed whole by our government without regard for the socio-economic impacts on our people that we find ourselves in this situation today.
 
Let me assure you that the Nigerian Labour Movement will not back down in this struggle. We will not allow this assault against the working class in our country to continue unopposed. In the days ahead we are very concerned about the conduct of the security forces in Nigeria as it relates to our people protesting this decision by government.
 
We appreciate that you have brought our voice to the World Bank and IMF so that they know that we are not alone in our struggle.

We thank you for your solidarity and support.
An Injury to One is an injury to all
 
Owei Lakemfa
Acting General Secretary
Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).”