After a late-night meeting between the Federal Government and labour leaders and civil society groups, government has agreed to reduce by N5 the pump price of petrol from the present N75 per litre. It sold for N65 before the increase.
Government also offered to suspend the implementation of the increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5 per cent to 10 per cent. The prices of diesel and kerosene are also to sell at old prices.
As for the controversial sale of Kaduna and Port Harcourt Refineries, government has directed the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to go into further negotiations with labour on how to resolve the issue.
It was also learnt that government pledged that the 15 per cent salary increase demanded by labour would take effect from January 2007.
These were the highglights of the discussions between the federal government and labour leaders in Abuja yesterday, THISDAY learnt last night.
Although there was no official statement last night on the new dispensation, labour leaders said they would meet this morning to consider the latest offer by government and decide on the next line of action.
A senior official of the NLC told THISDAY last night that Labour was not satisfied that fuel price was not reverted to the original price. �We are not happy with that aspect,� he said, arguing that the unions were hoping to capitalise on the �legitimacy crisis� of the Yar�Adua government to get a better bargain as the government could not afford a major crisis at this stage of its life.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigerian (IPMAN), however, called off its five-day old strike, which had virtually paralysed economic activities.
Negotiations between government and labour had earlier broken down following which the two major labour unions in the country – Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) – yesterday called on Nigerians to embark on an indefinite strike beginning from tomorrow.
But the FG in a response to labour four-point demand issued by Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, Spokesman to President Umaru Yar�Adua, said: �Having taken note of the decision by the NLC, TUC and JAF to declare an indefinite general strike as from Wednesday, June 20, 2007 if their four point-demand is not met, Government held talks this evening with their representatives and presented a formal response to the demands.
�The meeting ended with the unions promising to study the response and make a fresh position known by tomorrow when it is hoped that the threat of a nationwide strike will be lifted in the interest of all Nigerians.
�Government wishes to assure all Nigerians that it is well aware of the hardships being currently experienced by ordinary people in the country and is fully committed to doing everything possible to improve their living conditions.
�This resolve was underscored by President Umaru Musa Yar�Adua in his inaugural address on May 29 this year when he said: �Let us join together to ease the pains of today while working for the gains of tomorrow.��
In its demand, the organized labour had asked government to revert the pump price of petrol from N75 per litre to N65, VAT from 10 per cent to its original 5 per cent, implement the 15 per cent increase in salary and review the sale of Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries.
On its part, the government had asked for more time to consider the demands.
The pump price of petrol and VAT rate were increased by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the eve of his handing over to the new President Yar�Adua.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja early yesterday at the end of a joint National Executive Council meeting of NLC, TUC and Civil Society groups, the NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, had said the coalition would with effect from Wednesday June 20, 2007 embark on an indefinite general strike and mass protests throughout the country to draw positive attention of government to their demands.
But shortly after the press conference, the State Security Service (SSS) invited TUC President, Comrade Peter Esele, for a chat.
THISDAY findings revealed that it was just a routine chat and an �indirect call for dialogue� to continue with the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the impasse.
It was gathered that government had started making frantic moves to stave off the strike.
Presidency sources said government had directed its negotiating team to engage the labour and its allies even before the rescheduled meeting date of Thursday.
Omar said Labour’s latest action was precipitated by the untold hardship and suffering Nigerians had been subjected to in recent times following price increases in petrol and VAT and government’s apparent reluctance in listening to the cries of the people.
He said the suffering of Nigerians had been compounded by the imposition of additional burden of price increases of petrol and kerosene, a 100% increase in VAT and the suspension of the 15 per cent salary increase in the country meant to cushion the effects of biting hunger and deepening mass poverty.
“Nigerians can no longer continue to suffer in the midst o plenty. They no longer want to live under sub-human conditions. So with effect from Wednesday 20th June 2007, an indefinite general strike and mass protests by Nigerians will commence,” he had said.
He said Labour had tried all in its power to let the government see reason and ally with the Nigerian people rather than imprison itself in the anti-people and pro-poverty policies and programmes.
The NLC President however regretted that government was rather desperately trying to claim �paternity� of the immediate past President Obasanjo regime’s punishing policies.
According to him, as part of the implementation of the industrial action, all offices, ports, banks, petrol stations and business premises were to be shut down, while all schools, airports, official and semi official business premises were to be closed down. Vehicles, particularly commercial ones, were to off the roads.
He said the strike would be peaceful but that any bank, fuel station, factory or office that defied the strike directive would be �responsible� for its action.
Omar said contrary to speculations, the strike and protests would not be called off until government addressed positively the unions� four-point demand.
At the press conference which had Esele and NUPENG President Mr. Peter Akpatason, in attendance, the coalition advised parents and guardians not to send their children to school as teachers had given a firm commitment that they would not teach.
“School children should therefore not be allowed to roam streets that may be unsafe,” they warned.
Justifying their declaration of strike, the labour unions said efforts to get the Federal Government to reason with them did not yield any fruit, adding that instead the authorities stuck to its gun.
“We wrote a four-page letter to President Yar’Adua on June 1st articulating the feeling and interests of the populace and asking for succour.
“Also in the last two weeks, we have held formal meetings with government teams led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Unfortunately, these meetings have not been fruitful,” Omar said.
The communiqu� jointly signed by Omar, Esele and Chairman Joint Action Forum, Dr. Dipo Fashina, accused the management of NNPC of fueling the crisis through the provocative statement it issued on the petrol price hike.
According to the coalition, “NNPC arrogantly went on air to say that fuel prices would rise to N230 per litre and that even if Nigerians went on strike and mass protests for ten years nothing would change.
“We have refused to be provoked because we discern that the management of NNPC plans to derail the democratic process in the country,” the group said.
Jun192007