By Peter Duru, Makurdi
In the last one week, it’s has been tales of pains, sorrow and despair for most families in Benue State, no thanks to the mass actions and street processions called by state chapter of the NLC to protest against the increase in the pump price of fuel by the Federal Government.

Many in the state had hoped that the strike that was called by the NLC would be shelved on the basis that labour and the Federal Government would reach a common ground on the issue in the interest of the suffering masses.

It was on this premise that many in the state capital discountenanced the advise by the leadership of the oragnised labour that residents should stockpile essential commodities that would take them within the duration of the indefinite strike action.

This advise was not taken by many, and the contending parties eventually failed to reach a compromise leading to the complete shutdown of the economy of the state on Monday, January 9, 2012.

On that date, the economic, social and business life of the entire state was brought to a standstill courtesy of the mass action and street protests of a magnitutude never witnessed in the state since its creation. It was led by Chairman of the Benue State Council of the NLC, Comrade Simon Anchaver, supported by his TUC counterpart, the ASUU leadership at the BSU and the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi.

But the unfortunate side of it all was that the people had taken for granted initial warnings and advise from Comrade Anchaver on the looming strike and majority of residents did not prepare themselves for the shutdown of the state’s economy and its attendant consequences on the wellbeing of residents.

The NLC Chairman had in his message to the people of the state vowed that labour would shutdown the economic and business life of the state on Monday, January 9th 2012, in protest of the deregulation policy of the government.

He said labour would resist the new policy of deregulation of the downstream sector which he described as draconian, wicked and unacceptable.

“The average citizen over the years has been deprived of decent living at both the elementary and tertiary levels of existence. No shelter, lack of security, poor medicare, high cost of goods and services, falling standard of education, bad roads, lack of power, just to mention a few.

“All of these basic fundamental essences of life have become a myth, illusive and far fetched to the average Nigerian.

“The political vampires who claimed to be our leaders intend to suck from the blood of the masses through the draconian policy of deregulation; this act is unacceptable, unforgivable, unforgettable and therefore will be resisted by labour and all well-meaning Nigerians”, he added.

Comrade Anchaver urged President Jonathan to revert the pump price of fuel to N65 per litre or be prepared to face the wrath of aggrieved Nigerians whom he said are obviously disenchanted with the economic policies of the PDP led government at the centre.

And true to his words, the economic and social life of the entire Benue State have been crippled in the last five days, with schools, banks, markets and other business and commercial outlets shutdown for business in line with the directives of organized labour.

In the last few days it has been sustained mass actions and street protests by thousands of disenchanted populace who match through the major streets of Makurdi and it’s environs to protest what leaders of the various groups described as the insensitivity of government to the plight of the common man.

Commercial and business activities have been grounded since Monday by thousands of resilient protesters who daily stormed the streets of Makurdi to kick against the policy.

The placard carrying protesters who are daily made up of students, market women, civil society groups, commercial vehicle and motorcycle operators, civil servants, business men and women pour out into the streets as early as 6:am on a daily basis, rallying behind leadership of the organised labour led by the NLC State Chairman, Comrade Simon Anchaver who leads the match.

They chanted anti government songs, calling on the President to revert the pump price of fuel to N65 per litre in the interest of the suffering masses of the country.

Addressing the protesters intermittently as the match went on under the close watch of armed security operatives, Comrade Anchaver told the gatherings that the time had come for all Nigerians to take their destiny in their hands.

On there separate speeches, the Chairmen of ASUU, BSU and that of the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Comrades Ralph Amokaha and Celestine Aguoru respectively said the decision of the Federal Government to deregulate the down stream sector smarked of gross irresponsibility and a complete negation of the promises made to the electorate during electioneering.

“This is not what we bargained for when we elected them into office; we are being treated like slaves in our own country, it is too bad, wicked, dastardly, provocative, repugnant and unacceptable to the people of Nigeria”, they said angrily.

However, the Benue State Government has moved to create some palliatives to cushion the effect of soaring prices of goods and services.

At the end of its first meeting for the year, the State Executive Council, Chaired by Governor Gabriel Suswam, approved the immediate purchase of 106 Mass transit buses and trucks to ameliorate the effect of the removal of oil subsidy on the masses.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Commission for Information , Mr. Conrad Wergba, said the decision was part of the state government’s effort to drive down the prices of goods and services which hit the roof as a result of hike in transportation fares.

Wergba said two of the buses would be given to each of the 23 local government councils of the state, with some going to the state owned Benue Links Transportation Services while some private entrepreneurs in the transport sector would also be given some of the buses at subsidized rates.

He further disclosed that the state government has directed the 23 councils chairmen to immediately open a register for all unemployed youths in the state for documentations with the intent to providing them employment opportunities just as he announced the lifting of the ban on employment in the state.

The government also engaged the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the state who after a brief meeting with Suswam agreed to hike transpiration fares on all intranet state routes by only 80 percent as against the initial 200 percent.

Despite these moves to ameliorate the hardship being suffered by the people of the State, organized labour has vowed that it would be a fight to finish until government yields to its demands to revert the pump price of fuel to N65 per litre.

“We will resist this policy and fight with the last drop of our blood until government listens to the voice of reason”, Comrade Anchaver declared while addressing the protesters yesterday in Makurdi.