Labour issues ultimatum on subsidy removal

As the nationwide protest over removal of fuel subsidy entered its third day yesterday, organised labour gave President Goodluck Jonathan till Saturday midnight to revert the pump price of petrol to N65 per litre or be ready to incur the wrath of Nigerians.
Mr. Jaiye Gaskia of United Action for Democracy, UAD, who issued the ultimatum, warned that if by Saturday, President Jonathan fails to revert to old price, labour will be forced to adopt strategic steps to achieve its aim.
He said: “If by 12 midnight Saturday, the Federal Government fails to revert to N65 per litre of fuel, something different will happen in this country.”
Various speakers at the procession in Abuja insisted that reverting to N65 per litre remained the starting point of any negotiation.
Gaskia, while commending Nigerians for the scope of the protest across the major cities in the country, said: “We have seen something greater happening in Nigeria than what happened in the Arab countries. It happened in Egypt, Syria, Libya and Tunisia.
“Government must revert to N65. Nigerians should not be tired. We should take our own destiny in our hands. They said we will be tired but we were growing from strength to strength by the day. The people stealing our money, their children are not here. They are in the most expensive schools abroad.”
Dino Melaye
In his address, former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dino Melaye, prayed against those at the helm of affairs who were making life unbearable for the common man.
Recalling the failures of government programmes and policies which include the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs; privatisation and commercialisation, Melaye argued that nothing will be achieved from the proceeds of the fuel subsidy.
He said: “They deregulated diesel over three years ago, and it is being sold for N165 per litre instead of N80. What have they done about it?”
To forestall breakdown of law and order, President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, guided the protesters away from Eagle Square onto Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway.
They marched out of Berger Junction at about 10:10am and headed North, along Obafemi Awolowo Way; got to Utako Park and headed back through Julius Berger headquarters into the Azikiwe Expressway.
Source