NIGERIA’S FUEL SUBSIDY CRISIS: Who is really the stumbling block?
So yesterday, the NLC leaders carried their briefcases to meet with the Federal Government over the removal of Premium Motor Spirit that has caused so much wahala in the Country over the past two weeks. Just when everyone thought both parties would reach an amicable agreement, confusion set in and the meeting went south. This was their second deadlocked meeting. What happened behind closed doors?
According to our brothers at 247ureports:
The representative of the FGN during the talks told the representatives of organized labor that the FGN has the luxury of holding them on treasonable offenses if they decide to hold their grounds to the N65 per liter demand or nothing. The labor leaders were also threatened that it is possible for the FGN to hold them responsible for the killings and damage to properties that occurred during the 5-day protest across the country.
The tone and demeanor of the FGN representatives were said to have taken a new face. The negotiations were said to be one-directional – with the FGN dictating to the representatives of labor. But 247ureports.com gathered that the labor representative remained calm and collected and were able to discard the threat – to lay their claims on the table – adding that the workers on the oil rigs are in-line to down their tools pending the outcome of the talks.
The talks immediately took on another turn. The data and figures pointing to the need to remove the oil subsidy began to make its way onto to the tables – as the Oil Minister managed to make the point that it was necessary to stick with the N140 per liter price marker. She was brute and dictatorial in her presentation. She implied ignorance on the part of the labor representatives – while accusing them of instigating unrest. The same notion was espoused by the finance minister and the other representatives.
The mood of the meeting became charged and turned into a slight shouting match between the two parties. The secretary to the federal government cleared the air – and told the labor representatives that no further compromise can be reached beyond what was reached on Thursday – that the President will have to be briefed before further compromise/shifting can be made.
Na wa o . Labour is insisting that government reverts the pump price of petrol from N141 to N65. Considering the circumstance in which the announcement was made, is this request by the NLC too much to ask for? Now, we are going on Week 2 of the strike.
Who is really the stumbling block? Who is that witch or wizard that has carried it upon their head to act as an agent of confusion whenever both parties meet? Look at how we are disgracing ourselves for the whole world to see. No shame.
This our matter for Nigeria don begin enter Mountain of Fire Mode. Going by the rate of the frequent commotion in the Country, we must pray to avoid a Military coup because, if care is not taken, that is where we are headed. Time to do the “robobo shakakaka“.
There is nothing prayer cannot change.