Nigerian general strike on hold

[Grant Lee <grantlee@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mail & Guardian Online:[Interesting to note in this context that Nigeria is
one of the few places in the developing world which has experienced
widespread "labour shortages" recently.]


Nigerian fuel tax battle goes to court

Ola Awoniyi | Abuja, Nigeria

26 January 2004 15:16

Nigeria's government and trade unions took their battle over a controversial
fuel tax back to court on Monday, five days after labour leaders suspended
plans to launch a crippling general strike over the levy.

Lawyers from both sides came to the appeals court in Abuja, where judges
began hearings into the legality of the both the fuel tax and labour's
threat to hold a nationwide protest over its reintroduction.

The case has become a key battle for President Olusegun Obasanjo as he
strives to push through wide-ranging economic reforms in Africa's most
populous country in the teeth of deep public distrust of his regime.

In itself, the new 1,5 naira (1,2 United States cent) levy on a litre of
petrol is a relatively modest increase intended to fund repairs to Nigeria's
decrepit and dangerous road network.

But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has chosen to make a stand on the
issue, knowing that the next stages in Obasanjo's reforms will include
public sector job cuts and a faster programme of privatisation.

Last week hundreds of thousands of NLC supporters stayed away from work on
Wednesday morning in support of a general strike, which was called off later
in the day after Obasanjo suspended the fuel tax.

* * * *

Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil exporter and any strike that manages to
disrupt some or all of its two million barrels per day in exports of crude
could force up prices on the world market.

But a similar protest in June last year failed to have much effect on the
oil sector -- which is largely controlled by foreign multinationals. Its
most dramatic effects were felt, in fact, on Nigeria's teeming city streets.

Last year's stoppage paralysed the economy for eight days and triggered
protests in which at least 12 strikers and bystanders were shot dead by
Nigeria's notoriously trigger-happy police.

* * * *

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=30177