Nigerian labor organizations have called for mass protests in opposition to the cancellation of fuel subsidies which drove up the price of petroleum. The oil-producing state has not provided benefits for the masses., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Labour Set For Mass Action .
Sunday, 08 January 2012 00:00 Editor News
Jonathan Cuts Political Officers’ Salaries By 25%
Government To Make Sacrifices
Overseas Trips To Be Reduced To Barest Minimum
Salaries Of Political Officials To Be Reduced
MDA’s To Reduce Overhead Cost
ORGANISED Labour in the country yesterday, rolled out detailed action plan for the declared indefinite, nationwide mass rally and protest beginning tomorrow. The strategy has led to the sub-division of sub-diving of Lagos State into five zones for effective coordination, and using the late Gani Fawehimi Park in Ojota as the central terminal point for all protesters on major streets in Lagos.
Labour has also declared that other states of the federation have been sub-divided into zones to be coordinated by the respective state chairmen of NLC and TUC along side with the civil society groups for effective mass rally from Monday.
Speaking to newsmen on the detailed action plan by organised labour in conjunction with the civil society organisations, Comrade Abiodun Aremu, the General Secretary of Joint Action Front (JAF), explained that all is now set for the nationwide mass rally to take off.
He said “The organised Labour in conjunction with the civil society coalition has mapped out strategic action plans for the mass protest to take-off from Monday January 9, 2012.
“In line with the action plan, all the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory have been sub-divided into zones so as to accommodate market women, students, churches, mosques and even the disabled persons in the grassroots, to be able to participate in the indefinite strike”
Lagos has been sub-divided into five zones, namely NLC secretariat, Yaba, TUC Secretariat, Idi-Iroko, office of the Agric and Allied Workers Union in Iyana-Paja, the Textile Union Secretariat in Acme road near Ogba, and the Lagos State University Campus in Oja,with the Gani Fawehini Park in Ojota as the Central point of meeting after each day mass protest”
According to Aremu, the organised labour has directed “all state Chairmen of both the NLC and TUC to set up monitoring units in all the sub-divided zones to ensure that all offices, work places, air ports, sea ports and effectively closed to business as the strike last”
He however called on Nigerians to come out en-mass to support the organised labour and civil society allied to effectively force the President Goodluck Jonthan cabal to revert the pump price of petrol back to N65 per liter.
It would be recalled that Labour on Friday January 6, 2012 denounced receiving any court injunction stooping the planned mass action from Monday January 9, 2012.
In a statement signed by the Secretary of the NLC, comrade Owei Lakemfa and the TUC, Comrade John Kolawole said “We want to reiterate “We have not been served any so-called court ruling stopping the mass action.
“As far as we are concerned, it remains a big rumour and a huge farce. It does not exist. We were in the office till very late on Friday and nothing was served. However, we remain law abiding citizens and will take the necessary planned action from Monday’, it said.
“We do not see any provision in the NIC act that empowers it to stop Nigerians from resisting evil governmental policies and practices. We do not therefore see how the purported ruling can stop the Nigerian people from this chosen popular course. We have gone through this charade before; Obasanjo travelled this road, Yar ardua joined him in this same path and it seems that the present government has not learnt the lessons of the past. Just as the past attempts failed, this attempt will also fail.” It added.
Labour therefore, “urged every Nigerian worker and all Nigerian people to continue mobilising towards the planned mother of all strikes kicking off next week Monday. We urge you to reach out to your neighborhoods, streets, communities etc. Engage all persons/groups and form Local Joint Action Committees and remain undeterred no matter the mischievous antics of the government”, it further said.
Oritsejafor Blames Northern Govs, Leaders For Attacks .
Sunday, 08 January 2012 00:00 From Joke Akanmu, Abuja News
• Warns Against Civil Strife
FOLLOWING the incessant attacks on Christians and Southerners in the Northern Part of the country, the President of the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has blamed Northern Governors and leaders for the terrorist attacks against innocent Nigerians.
Accusing them of not doing what they suppose to do to protect the lives and property of the people in their state, he expressed fears that another Civil War may be in the offing if the attacks persist.
Addressing the press yesterday in Abuja during an emergency meeting of the executive members and heads of churches in Nigeria, Orisajafor asked Christians to defend themselves and take necessary security measures to prevent further attacks.
In his words: “We therefore as Christians decided to take our fate in our hands, and has resolved as follows: We have decided to work out means to defend ourselves against this senseless killing and Christian faithful should continue in prayers and be security conscious”
“Reports received around the country have brought out the following observations, that there have been continuous killings of Christians and southerners in the following towns: Suleja and Madalla both in Niger state, Damaturu, Yobe State, Gombe Gombe state, Mubi Adamawa State, Jemita also in Adamawa state, Potiskum, Yobe state and continuous killing of Christians in Borno State
”That the patterns of this killing suggest to us a systematic ethnic and religious cleansing, that we are reminded of occurrences of these killings of the Genesis of the civil War that took place in Nigeria, if we look back we would remember that this was exactly how it began, killings like this in different places and urging the southerners to leave the north, gradually exploded into a Civil war; we are seeing the same thing happening now.”
He added: “We draw attention to the fact that CAN and Christians in this country have exercised patience and continue to do so at great expense; we have continued to call on Security agencies and political office holders to assist us in stopping this senseless killings to no avail.”
The CAN helmsman accused the governors of not doing what they have to do to protect lives and property of people in their state as their Number one responsibility.
He said: “We consider the actions of governors of these states to be unsatisfactorily and we hold them responsible for this heinous killing of people taking place in their state, and we are not taking it lightly.”
“From the report reaching us, a lot of our leaders approach them and they won’t listen and would not talk to them (leaders). In some states, some traditional leaders would not even listen or open their doors to them, we don’t accept it, and we believe that if Nigeria is for us all, then if you are a Nigerian, wherever you are in any part of the country, you must be treated as a Nigerian. So we are holding the Governors of such states responsible for such killing.”
Oritsejafor said Christians have the legitimate right to defend themselves and must do whatever it takes to protect themselves.
He said declaring a State of Emergency in all the affected states has not abated the killings.
“So we have to do what we have to do to protect ourselves. If they (government) are not doing it adequately we may do what we have to do to protect ourselves, we cannot sit back and watch people being slaughtered like animals.”
Atiku Condemns Atrocities, Warns Of Consequences Of Mindless Killings .
Sunday, 08 January 2012 00:00 By Armsfree Ajanaku Onomo News
FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned in the strongest terms the latest round of ethnic and religious terrorist attacks in Jigawa, Gombe, Mubi and Jimeta in Adamawa State, by yet to be identified gunmen.
Speaking to newsmen on Saturday evening, shortly on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the former Vice President said the killing of 30 innocent Nigerians by bandits was not only criminal and barbaric but also a dangerous threat to the unity of this country, especially coming two weeks after the terrorist attack on Christian worshippers at the St. Theresa Catholic Church at Madalla on Christmas Day.
This spiral of violence, he said, is unacceptable because it was targeted at destroying Nigeria’s hard efforts to sustain unity in diversity.
According to Atiku, “the attack on defenseless citizens anywhere carries the risk of polarising the nation and weakening efforts to take a united stand against terrorists and their evil agenda.”
He said at a time leaders were making united efforts to find solutions to this mindless and cruel incidents of terrorist violence, some bandits with hideous motives appeared determined to set Nigerians against one another.
The former Vice President, however, called for increased vigilance by security agents, wondering how bandits could wipe out lives with impunity without detection or intervention by those trained to protect citizens.
Atiku noted that one of the basic duties of any government include the protection of its citizens anywhere they reside in the country. He warned of dangerous consequences of targeting members of other ethnic groups or followers of other religions.
The Turaki Adamawa expressed sympathy to families of the victims of the latest violence on innocent citizens by the Boko Haram. He also expressed solidarity with the government and people of Adamawa State and the rest of the country over the national tragedy.
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