Nigerian unions will start an indefinite general strike in Africa’s top oil producer on Wednesday to protest against rising prices and privatisations, the two umbrella union bodies said on Monday.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress called the strike after the deadline passed on an ultimatum to the government to reverse a fuel-price increase, a doubling of value-added tax and the sale of two big oil refineries.
”With effect from Wednesday June 20 2007, an indefinite general strike and mass protests by Nigerians will commence,” said Abdulwahed Omar, NLC president.
”All offices, ports, banks, petrol stations and business premises will be shut down. All schools, airports, official and semi-official business premises will be closed,” he added.
The strike is a challenge for newly inaugurated President Umaru Yar’Adua, who inherited the controversial price hikes and privatisations from his predecessor and has yet to appoint a Cabinet.
Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo introduced the surprise moves just days before leaving office on May 29.
Union leaders said the strike would be total, and would encompass oil production and exports from the world’s eighth largest exporter of crude, although there was some uncertainty over how quickly this would happen.
Peter Esele, head of white-collar oil union Pengassan, said: ”We are going to embark on maximum action.”
He added that members working at the sector regulator Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), whose signature is needed on all oil exports, would be told to stop work.
”We expect all our workers at the platform and the base to abstain from work. If DPR is not there and is not working, what are you going to export? Any branch chairperson who refuses to comply with this directive will lose his position immediately.”
Peter Akpatason, head of blue-collar oil union Nupeng, said the effect of the strike on oil exports would be felt gradually.
”Our action is going to be total. All Nupeng workers will join the strike. However, the process of shutting down the export terminals may not be immediately done on Wednesday because of the scientific and gradual process of shutting down such facilities,” he said. — Reuters