Nigeria: Nationwide protest against removal of fuel subsidy
By Shout-Africa Correspondent Chinyere Ogbonna – The nationwide protest called by Nigerian labour unions against the removal of fuel subsidy by Federal Government of Nigeria enters its third day today. So far it has recorded a hundred percent compliance by various groups in Nigeria.
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While many Nigerians are not completely against the removal of fuel subsidy, they however argue that the timing was wrong as it was slammed on the on January 1 when many families had gone home with their families to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays declared by the federal government, only for them to be forced to more on transportation to bring their families to their bases.
Nigerians also expected that the government should have put measures on ground to cushion the effect of the oil subsidy withdrawal. According to the labour unions and the civil society groups in the country, there were still ongoing discussions between the federal government representatives, the union leaders and the civil society organisations on the withdrawal of fuel subsidy by the government before they were taken unawares on the first of January, 2012 when the Federal Government of Nigeria suddenly announced the withdrawal of subsidy.
Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC and the Civil Society Organisations. The unions are saying enough is enough! No good roads, no good healthcare facilities, no good education and potable water. They are insisting that the government reverts back to the old price of sixty-five naira per litre before any constructive dialogue would commence. Meanwhile, the Federal Government threatens to Enforce “No Work, No Pay” Policy for public servants.
In the face of the nationwide strike called by the labour unions, the Federal government in a statement from the attorney general of the federation and Minister of Justice, Mohamed Adoke, following a joint call for a national strike issued by the NLC and TUC calling for a nationwide strike, government had approached the national industrial court and obtained an interim injunction restraining the labour unions from embarking or compelling other persons to embark on a general strike, mass rallies or street protests.
The statement reads in part “government wishes to reiterate that the order of the national industrial court (NIC) is a subsisting order and the continuing disregard of that order is inimical to the public interest as it constitutes an open invitation to anarchy”.
According to the statement, “the current strike by organised labour which has prevented the legitimate pursuit of economic activities across the country in defiance of a valid subsisting order of a superior court of record transgressed the parameters set by the constitution and extant laws”.
The Attorney General adds that “members of the public who are under contractual obligations as employees in the public and private sectors are advised to respect the terms of their contract of service and report to their duty posts”, and in the event that public servants
continue to disregard the terms of their employment in the absence of any trade dispute and in blatant disregard of a subsisting court order, the government will not hesitate to enforce the “no work no pay” policy.
Mr. Adoke also says his attention has been drawn to reports of loss of lives in the course of the demonstrations nationwide, and offered an assurance that his office in conjunction with the National Human Rights Commission will work with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to avoid excessive use of force and protect the rights of law abiding citizens.
