The NLC and TUC have won the support of the majority of the population. And they issued a joint press statement to commend Nigerians for the high level of compliance, mass support, and participation across the 36 states and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
"In particular, we commend the peaceful conduct of workers and other members of the public during the strike, pickets and other protest activities in various parts of the Country.
We also commend the manifest civility demonstrated by the Police in the ongoing general strike/mass protests. This is a marked departure from the excessive high-handedness, which Police had displayed in the past.
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"We also condemn the reported deployment of officers and men of the Army and Navy to operate fuel depots and other purely civil infrastructures for which they have no mandate.
"Over all, the NLC and TUC remain disappointed by the apparent indifference of the Federal Government to the popular wishes of the people by returning the price of petrol to N65 per litre.
"In this regard, we wish to remind President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua that the generality of Nigerians expect him to muster the will to return the price of petrol to N65 per litre, as he had in respect of kerosene and diesel.
"We again call on President Yar'Adua to live up to his promise to be a listening President and a servant-leader, who would provide succor and comfort to a people. By implication, these commitments obviously mean a lot to a people battered by eight years of punitive neo-liberal reforms.
"President Yar'Adua's silence and failure to return the price to N65 is capable of being construed as a repudiation of his promised commitment to be a listening and compassionate President and a servant of the people.
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"Consequently, silence and indifference to the popular demand for a return of the price of petrol to N65 as was done to other products is not in consonance with the above commitments.
"As the strike reaches its third day tomorrow, (today) Friday, June 22, 2007, the NLC, TUC and the Joint Action forum (JAF) would continue to provide leadership for the peaceful conduct of the action. All offices, filling stations, schools, markets, business premises etc will remain closed. Sensitive utilities like water and electricity may be completely shut down.
"In furtherance of our commitment to patriotism and stability of the polity, we remain open to meaningful and result-oriented dialogue."
The government has accused the NLC and civil rights groups of politicizing the issues raised over the hikes in the pump price of fuel, VAT and workers welfare. Because, the NLC and allied bodies publicly rejected the controversial results of the last presidential election and refused to support the inauguration of the new government of the brazenly corrupt ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of Nigeria.
The disputes over the hikes in the VAT and pump price of gasoline products were caused by the last President, the unpopular Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who had increased VAT and the pump price of petrol without following the due process. And with only a week to the end of his administration, he quickly sold off the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries to two of his cronies and sold other priced government assets to his proxies and political supporters. But the troubles of the new President, Alhaji Omar Yar’Adua started when he decided to continue with the unpopular political and economic legacies of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Voice Of America reported Friday, that Mr. Bernard Ugbi, the Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers warned that things could get far worse by Friday.
“We just hope that the government will see reason with labor and come to terms with the demands of labor. But if not, it is escalating, and it would be so difficult if it enters into the weekend because right now all filling stations all over the country are being shut down. It then means that the whole streets will be empty. And even the banks are being closed down. And so, these are the effects that will come if the government does not come to terms with labor. In fact, you have the National Union of Electricity Employees. They are the ones that handle electricity. You have the amalgamated workers’ union who are handling water areas. So all those areas, they will shut down,” Ugbi said in an interview with the VOA.
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