The meeting between representatives of labour unions and the Federal Government over the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector on Saturday again ended in deadlock.
The two parties, like what happened during an earlier meeting on Thursday, failed to reach a compromise on the controversial issue that has led to astronomical increase in pump price of petrol from N65 to between N141 and N200.
Investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH showed that while the organised labour insisted that the price of fuel be reverted to the status quo for negotiation on the entire process of deregulation to commence, the FG team led by Senator David Mark offered to reduce the pump price to N120 per litre.
The team was said to have also demanded that the N120 suggested fuel pump price would be followed by a phased deregulation of the pump price which would be concluded in April.
A source at the meeting who confided in our correspondent said the tone of the government was suggestive of the fact that the pump price could even go higher than N141 per litre.
However, the organised labour led by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress and his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress were said to have countered that deregulation was a process involving a lot of issues which had not been sorted out.
The coalition of labour and the civil society movement pointed out that there was need to discuss the controversial template of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency which had been faulted by highly competent authorities in the oil industry, and which labour believed was questionable.
The labour/civil society delegation also called government’s attention to the need to know the true state of the refineries and the actual quantity of fuel being refined locally before taking a look at what should be imported to complement the locally refined products.
Labour was said to have insisted that the FG’s claim that the country was consuming as high as N31 to 35 million of litres of fuel every day was untrue and needed due verification.
The source said labour insisted that all the issues associated with deregulation should be sorted out before the issue of the increase of the pump price should become a factor of negotiation.
The source said it was the shared perspective of labour that it was only reasonable to talk of fuel price increase after all contentious issues had been resolved.
Meanwhile, the source alleged that the government team made implicits threats to labour and leaders of the civil society groups about the implication of current actions.
The President of the Senate, David Mark, and the Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, were said to have cautioned that the country was back to the pre-1966 era and that no government would allow a slide into lawlessness.
Some of the key figures on the side of the government were also alleged to have made reference to treason and people taking on the government.
“Well, there were implied threats about the consequences of the action. There were statements like people challenging the government and a reference to treason.
“They stated that we are back to the pre 1966 era, no responsible government would allow a descent into anarchy.”
The source said the labour movement and their civil society coalition resolved to continue with the strike and street demonstrations while the government held onto its new price regime of N141 per litre.
“There is no time fixed yet for any new negotiation; in the meantime they continue with N141 and we continue with the strike, ” the source added.
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| Jonathan Goodluck |
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting that lasted over four hours, the President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulawaheed Omar, said consultation would continue until a compromise was reached.
Omar said the representatives of labour would go and consult with their organs and return to the negotiation table at a later date.
As a result of the deadlock, the NLC scribe said the nationwide industrial action would continue on Monday.
He said, “We are going to continue our deliberation at our organisation level and then maybe we will see the way forward.”
When asked whether the meeting was deadlocked, Omar replied, “Not deadlocked, but we have not reached a compromise.”
When confronted with his promise after the Thursday meeting that labour was ready to shift ground, he said, “We are going to meet with our organs, then we shall inform Nigerians. Like we said the other time, it means the status quo remains.”
When asked of the kind of compromise the labour wanted, the NLC boss said, “Let’s go back to N65 then we agree on a new line of action.”
He said the labour was insisting on N65 per litre pump price.
Omar however assured Nigerians that contrary to its earlier threat, PENGASSAN would not shut down oil installations.
However, the President of the Senate, David Mark, described the meeting as fruitful.
Mark reinstated his position at the end of the last meeting that both sides shifted ground. He assured Nigerians that the issue would be resolved as soon as possible for the country to move forward.
He said, “We had a very fruitful discussion, we are veering on the right path to find amicable solutions that Nigerians will appreciate very soon. It’s a whole negotiation process, negotiation continues. We have done pretty well, we are consulting, we want to bring this to a logical conclusion at the earliest possible time.
“There is no question of FG offering a specific pump price. The essence of the negotiation and discussion is that both sides are shifting grounds and we are doing that very well.”
On whether it bothers the FG that the strike continues, Mark said, “I think it bothers everybody, if it doesn’t we won’t be here by now. We were here at 6pm and some people were here two hours before then.
“The mere fact that we have spent this amount of time means that it is an indication of the fact that we are worried about the current situation and we have to sort it out as soon as possible.”
Those who were at the meeting included Mark; Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu; Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba and Senator Abdul Ningi.
Also in attendance were Governors Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Babangida Aliyu ( Niger), Theordre Orji (Abia), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto), Peter Obi (Anambra), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).
From the executive arm of government were Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; and National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi (retd.)
Ministers in attendance were Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Finance/Economy), Diezani Allison-Madueke (Petroleum Resources), Emeka Wogu (Labour), Bello Adoke (Justice), Labaran Maku (Information) and Bala Mohammed (FCT).
The Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Austin Oniwon, also attended.
The about 17-member labour delegation was jointly led by the NLC and TUC presidents, Omar and Peter Esele respectively.
Before the meeting started formally at 8pm, our correspondent observed that there was horse-trading among participants with some discussing in smaller groups.
The Senate President also had a brief discussion with Omar and Esele outside the hall.
It was when they returned that they asked journalists to leave in preparation for the commencement of the meeting. After about two hours of meeting, participants went on break.
Labour representatives used the opportunity of the break to again consult and solidify their position.
Several minutes after Omar addressed journalists, members of the government delegation remained inside the meeting venue apparently re-strategising on the next line of action.
Earlier in the day, the leadership of the organised labour and their civil society allies met for hours in Abuja and came to a unanimous decision to demand reversal of the price of petrol to N65 per litre.
Officials of the NLC and the TUC held their respective National Executive Council Meeting at two different locations in Abuja but came to the same conclusion that the fuel pump price be reversed in accordance with popular demand in the country.
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