By Victor Ahiuma-Young, Henry Umoru, Emman Ovuakporie, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Favour Nnabugwu, Joseph Erunke &  Ehi Eweka

ABUJA —  The Federal  Government insisted, yesterday, that it would not go into re-negotiation with Ayuba Wabba faction of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, unless the union calls off its ongoing nationwide strike.

This came as Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, after an hour session with the leadership of the union, yesterday, appealed to the labour keaders to return to the negotiation table.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, who stated this last night, said:  “They have to call off their strike formally before any invitation by the chief conciliator, which is the pathway in such dialogues.”

However, after an hour closed door session with Dogara, the union agreed to resume negotiation with the Federal Government on the ongoing industrial action over deregulation of the down stream sector of the oil industry.

The agreement was reached at a mediatory meeting with the speaker, according to a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Turaki Hassan.

During the meeting, the speaker made passionate appeal to the labour leaders to consider national interest over and above all other interests.

The speaker urged the NLC to, in the interest of the nation, consider suspending or calling off the strike, while negotiations continued.

Responding, Comrade Wabba thanked the speaker for his interest in resolving the crisis  and assured that they would report the discussions to the larger body of members.

Consequently, the NLC resolved to communicate the new development to the larger body, comprising all its affiliate unions  because “we have absolute confidence in the leadership of the speaker.”

At a different meeting with Senate President, Bukola Saraki, he also expressed the union’s readiness  to dialogue with the Federal Government to end the strike.

These came on a day workers in Abuja and Lagos for the second day running, shunned the strike as business continued as usual, although there was partial compliance in a few states across the country.

This was even as Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, appealed to Nigerians to be more patient with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Wabba, however, said there was no end in sight to the strike,vowing that the union would continue to mobilise workers to stay off their work places in protest against the hike.

Wabba, who spoke when he led executive members of his faction to a meeting with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, regretted the ongoing strike but noted that it was necessitated by government’s painful action.

Resumption of negotiation

He said the union was favourably disposed to resuming negotiation with the Federal Government any time invitation to that effect was extended to the labour organisation.

The factional NLC boss also denied reports that his executive members walked out on the Federal Government’s negotiation team last Tuesday night.

He told the Senate President: “Let me first thank you immensely for inviting us to try to get first-hand information on the issues that we are trying to engage government in negotiations, essentially about trade issue, about electricity tariff, but importantly about the increase in the pump price of PMS from N87 to N145.

We didn’t walk out on govt

“We have assured the Senate President that at no point had we walk out on the government.

In fact, when those issues were presented and the position of government was made to us, we did not actually agree and we requested that we excuse them.

“We did not at any point walk out on government and we are still open to discussion and dialogue because we are also doing this in the best interest of all of us as working class and also the larger population of citizens.”

NLC has shown commitment to continue dialogue—Saraki

On his part, Saraki said the meeting with the leadership of NLC was aimed at finding a lasting solution to the current impasse as well as trying to fine how an end could be brought to the strike.

Saraki said:  “I am happy to report that the NLC has shown commitment to continue dialogue with government and our role is to see that we facilitate that dialogue.

“I am encouraged by what they have said and confident that we would be able to do this.  I know when they leave here, they are also going to meet with the House of Representatives.

“We play our own role in facilitating and ensuring that we can bring the two parties together so that we can find a lasting solution that will reduce the hardships that Nigerians are going through.

“At the end of the day, whatever constituency we are, whether it is labour, we all have the interest of the Nigerian people and we must always bear that in mind.”

Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour and Productivity, Suleiman Nazif,said:  “We called  labour because they are open for discussion and we intend to, at the end of the day, bring both parties to the table.

“We want both the executive and labour to go back to the table for further discussion.  Labour said they are open to discussion and we, as the Senate, want to be part of those that will mediate between the two parties.  So, I believe that in earnest, negotiations will start all over again.”

Workers in FCT, Lagos shun  strike

However, workers in Abuja and Lagos, for the second day, defied Labour’s call to embark on strike.

In  Lagos, workers were at their duty posts in both private and public sectors, as all schools were also in session.

Only the peaceful procession by members of the union round some major roads in Lagos metropolis gave an impression that there was even a strike.  Not even threats by the union to shut operations at Lagos airport materialised.

At the state secretariat, workers prevented officials of NLC from picketing the office of the state Head of Service in an attempt to  force them to join the strike.

Scores of NLC members, led by  factional Vice President, Amaechi Asugwuni, marched through the secretariat to the office of the Head of Service at about 1pm, chanting solidarity songs.

The protesters shut the entrance to the complex, preventing anyone from entering or going out.

The workers, irked by the situation, engaged the protesting labour workers in verbal exchange of words, accusing labour of only staging protest when the situation was not in the favour of the leaders.

However,  some members of Wabba-led NLC and Joint Action Front, JAF,  were seen marching through some parts of the state, especially Mushin, in what one of the leaders told Vanguard was to sensitize Nigerians about the soco-economic implication of the hike inprice.

Strike, a success —Wabba

The situation was not different in Abuja as workers and the public generally went about their businesses.

But Wabba said the strike was recording tremendous success, in spite of boycott by some workers at the instance of Joe Ajaero’s faction.

Secretary-General of the union, Peter Ozo-Eson, insisted that the strike was a success, in view of what he described as government’s intimidation of its leaders and workers in its employ.

He hailed its members and civil society allies for turning out “en masse” to prosecute the strike.

Not the best time to fight govt —HoS

Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, appealed to Nigerians to be more patient with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and promised to provide new buses for civil servants as a palliative measure to cushion the effect of the fuel price increase.

Oyo-Ita, at a press briefing with selected journalists in Abuja, pleaded with the unions that the timing was wrong for Nigerians to doubt the policy thrust of the current administration, especially on the hike in fuel price.

She said:  “We should all put our hands together to move the nation forward. We should be patriotic and do the right thing.

‘’Yes. We know the hard economic situation of the country at present is painful but we all have to bear it together.

“Refusing to go along with the policy thrust of the government is like postponing the evil day because if civil servants decide not to come to work, time will come when there will be no money to pay them. So, why not come together, bear the pain now and enjoy the benefit later.

“I am happy to know a lot of the union leaders we had the opportunity to speak with them one-on-one and even the workers are very cooperative as we do understand the issues and the realities on ground.

“I want to plead with those who are still bent on going on strike that this is not the time to fight government. It is like shooting oneself in the foot.

“This is our country and we have no other to call our own, so we must be patient and endure the seeming pain for a little while. This is the best option for us at this time.

“Going on strike without exhausting all avenues of negotiation or round table discussion on issues like this does not really help because at the end of the day, the problem is still there but a lot more is achieved with negotiation.”

FG to provide buses for civil servants

On the immediate palliative to ease the burden of increase in transportation fares,  Iyo-Ita stated:  “One way in which the Head of Service is working out palliatives is through transportation.

‘’Luckily, we have applied for buses which have been approved because we are aware that increase in fuel price will definitely jerk up transportation fares.”

NANS backs  price hike

Also yesterday, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, expressed support for the recent hike in the price of petrol, stating that the Nigerian economy was sinking and badly battered, and therefore, incapable of bearing the burden of fuel subsidy.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, President of NANS, Comrade Tijani Shehu, who also stated that NANS had reached an agreement with the Federal Government concerning palliatives for students, called for the total deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry. According to him, it will help to improve the economy of the country and boost employment generation.

He said:  “NANS recognizes that Nigeria is faced with the crisis of deciding its future from present realities of economic challenges, and this justifies the reasons for the agitation for reversal of the pump price of N86.50 by some members of the public.

“NANS recognizes that the economy is sinking, and, however, we blame the government for allowing the situation to generate to a position where Labour unions will find it difficult to appreciate, accommodate policies and be on the same page with them.”

Removal of subsidy’ll guarantee availability of petrol

He maintained that there was no justification for the Federal Government to continue subsidize imported petroleum products, adding that the removal of subsidy would guarantee availability of petrol across the country.

“We worry that the Federal Government, instead of completely deregulating the importation of petrol, is still controlling the business through issuing of licences, and there is no assurance that modular refineries will be operational before 24 month,” he noted.

He argued that the defence of the Federal Government on the diversion of petrol to neighbouring countries was an indictment on the security apparatus of the Buhari-led government.

Reaches agreement with FG to suspend school fees hike

On the understanding reached with the Federal Government concerning palliatives, Shehu stated that it was agreed that the government should halt any further increment in tuition fees and other auxiliary fees in all institutions of higher learning.

He said: “Understanding was also reached that government should provide buses to institutions of higher learning, two per institution, to ease transportation on campuses; distribution of camp gas cylinders to all Nigerian students.

“It was also agreed that government should engage students across the four zones of NANS in a town hall meeting to enlighten students on the policy; provide immediate employment to graduates; establish an independent service monitoring group to monitor the current price ceiling of N145 per litre and also establish a students’ trust fund.”

ENUGU

In Enugu State, Emeka Mamah reports that post-primary and primary school teachers, yesterday, joined the strike  as all the state government-owned schools, including tertiary institutions as Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu, and College of Education,Technical, were closed down.

Some local government workers also joined the strike, even as commercial banks opened for customers.

Unlike Wednesday, when the strike was partially observed in the state, pupils and students were sent home in Enugu metropolis

Sources said state chairman of the NLC, Comrade Virginus Nwobodo, led other labour leaders as early as 7 am  to various institutions, ministries and parastatals to enforce the strike.

KANO

in Kano, Abdulsalam Muhammad reports that unlike Wednesday, the state witnessed partial compliance as banks, schools and government offices were locked by labour leaders, who moved from one public office to another  to enforce the strike.

They equally forced banks that had hitherto opened for business to close shop.

However, other businesses, especially private sector workers, went about their businesses unhindered. At Audu Bako secretariat, the NLC task force moved from one office to the other, forcing workers out of their offices, while vehicles were not allowed into the secretariat.

KWARA

In Kwara State, Demola Akinyemi reports from Ilorin that as the strike entered second day, civil servants stayed away from their duty posts, even as teachers and students equally stayed away from schools.

Vehicular movements were scanty on the roads in the state capital, as majority of the residents kept off the roads.

Meanwhile, transport fares have increased by over 50%.

RIVERS

In Rivers State, JIMITOTA ONOYUME reports from Port Harcourt that factional chairman of NLC, Mrs Beatrice Itubor, led members to march round some streets in Port Harcourt, denouncing the removal of subsidy and increase in the pump price of petrol to N145.

However, all public offices, businesses and other commercial activities went on without interruption.

The peaceful protest took off from the NLC office on Igbukwu Streets, D-Line in Port Harcourt down to Isaac Boro Park and later back to the NLC office.

EBONYI

According to Peter Okutu in Abakaliki, the protest took an ugly turn as the leaders of NLC and policemen clashed in Abakaliki.

The clash led to the alleged assault, arrest and subsequent detention of the NLC factional Chairman, Ikechukwu Nwafor, by the police.

But reacting, Commissioner of Police, Peace Ibekwe Abdullah, dismissed the alleged assault on the factional chairman, saying he was brought to the command in the union’s official vehicle to give statement on a protest without duly informing the police, describing the protest as unlawful and illegal.

ANAMBRA

According to Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Anambra State, public school children were seen going back to their respective homes, claiming that they were told that their teachers were still observing the strike and that schools would not be opened.

Although banks in Nnewi and Onitsha offered normal services, some government offices in the two cities were shut before 1.30 pm.

DELTA

According to Festus Ahon in Asaba, the strike  paralyzed government activities in Delta State as all  public offices remained  shut. However, private sector workers and other commercial activities went on unhindered.

EKITI

In Ekiti, Rotimi Ojomoyela reports from Ado-Ekiti that government offices and both public and private schools were still shut.

But business and commercial activities had returned in Ado-Ekiti metropolis and other towns, contrary to what was witnessed, Wednesday, when skeletal business activities were witnessed in the capital city and other towns.

ONDO

In Ondo State, Dayo Johnson reports from Akure that heaps of refuse were mounting on major roads and streets across Ondo State as the strike entered the second day.

For the second day running, the gates of state secretariat and other government offices were under lock and key.

ADAMAWA

Reports from Yola showed that following the closure of the two gates leading to the state secretariat in Adamawa by NLC officials enforcing the strike, some workers resorted to using foot paths to gain access to their offices.

Many workers, particularly car owners, parked outside the gates and used the foot paths to enter the secretariat.

OSUN

Gbenga Olarinoye reports from Osogbo that members of Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities NASU, Obafemi Awolowo University OAU, Ile-Ife, branch for few hours halted vehicular movement around the city of Ile-Ife, Osun State, yesterday.

The protesters, who stormed the streets of Ile-Ife early in the morning, marched from OAU campus gate to Mayfair roundabout.

OYO

Ola Ajayi reports from Ibadan that protesting members of the NLC chased out some workers who turned up for duty at the Federal Secretariat and Ministry of Environment in Ibadan.

Probably acting on a tip-off that the workers reported for duty, the protesters left the NLC secretariat and headed to the secretariat.

Unlike the first day of the protest, there was improvement in the turn-out of protesters. They marched peacefully on major roads and distributed leaflets stating why more people should join the struggle.