Perspective On Strike And The Economy

Like a wildfire, for one  week beginning from Monday January 9, the general strike and mass protests called by the organised labour and its civil society allies spread and grounded governance and business activities throughout the country.

The strike was called to protest what the labour said was government “unilateral decision to remove fuel subsidy without proper consultation and agreement”.

Frequent strikes no doubt, stagnate the growth of our nation’s economy. But strike has assumed the status of fundamental human rights to the organised labour members.

In Nigeria the right to strike is not accorded any positive right status by the extant Labour Law for the organised Labour to call its members out for protest.

The strike resulted in loss of billion of Naira. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, put the country’s daily losses during the strike at N100 billion.

Economic experts and analysts gave graphic figures of such losses, stating that telephone companies lost about N15.5 billion.

Maritime Industry recorded about N96.6 billion loss of which the Nigerian Customs Service alone recorded N19.8 billion, and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) N1 billion.

The balance of the losses are said to have been incurred by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, the Nigerian Ship Owners, Marine Service Providers and the Ports Terminal Operators, Aviation N18 billion, manufacturing companies N10 billion, among others.

However, government’s position over the removal of the fuel subsidy was in the best interest of the nation and the economy.

No doubt, the removal of the fuel subsidy will result in creation of more jobs for Nigerians, enhance governance,  infrastructure development, building of schools, dual carriage ways, hospitals and the provision of other welfare packages for Nigerians.

Nigerians need to support the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan achieve his laudable transformative agenda for the country. He remains a pan-Nigerian President that meant well for the ordinary Nigerians.

President Goodluck Jonathan has clearly renewed his total determination to reduce the cost of governance, fight corruption, strengthen agencies of government in the Petroleum Industry through speedy implementation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State said “the President, Goodluck Jonathan genuinely and sincerely has promised that money realised from saving will be ploughed into improving the living standard of Nigerians and I think the man deserves to be given a chance”.

He explained further that the decision on subsidy is meant to move the country from being a consuming nation to a producing nation.

Clearly, the organised labour movement and its civil society allies are patriotic and nationalistic. The leadership of the labour movement indeed demonstrated the courage and determination to protect the interests of Nigerians through strikes.

According to the State Treasurer, NLC, Rivers State , Comrade Beatrice Itubo, government and leadership of the labour must always meet for meaningful dialogue to avoid frequent strikes paralysing the economy.

She said “government must be responsive to the plight of the people to be taken seriously by the organised labour Movement”.

However, it is believed that elected officials in government enjoy power because the people allow them to remain in power as the people power is supreme in any democratic society.

Despite the disagreement within the labour movement over the acceptance of N97 pump price, the organised labour was praised by prominent Nigerians for reciprocating the gesture of government to call off the strike in the interest of Nigerians and the economy.

Similarly, prominent Nigerian former leaders commended  President Goodluck Jonathan for the sense of maturity in handling the impasse that followed the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy.

According to an elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, the President displayed statesmanship by carrying the people along through taking immediate measures to ameliorate pains of Nigerians and deserve the support and cooperation of the people.

Luckily enough, Nigerian Labour Congress, President Comrade Abdulaheed Omar and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Comrade Peter Esele, have promised to work with Justice Belgore’s Committee on the issue of the pricing and deregulation in the best interest of the labour, masses and the economy.

President Jonathan must be supported and commended by Nigerians for his vision of transformation, despite distraction by elements out to create chaos and state of insecurity.

Demonstrating his statesmanship and love for the country’s future, he emphasises “the very best I can do, if I cannot leave good roads for the youth, if I cannot leave hospital for them, the least I can do for them is not to leave debts for them”.

The organised Labour has right to express displeasure over government’s policies considered anti people, but such a protest must be peaceful and organised approach of expressing dissent over such government’s policy.

Interestingly, the organised labour and the government should work towards achieving one goal, better welfare, security of lives, jobs and stable economy.

The labour and government must seek a common ground to work together for the successful implementation of the developmental programmes, projects and policies of government for the overall interest of the masses and the economy.

Philip-Wuwu Okparaji