PRESS STATEMENT
1. We have listened to and read the address of President Goodluck Jonathan in response to the legitimate demand of the people of Nigeria for the TOTAL REVERSAL OF THE WICKED HIKE IN FUEL PRICE FROM N141 to N65.
2. The Joint Action Front (JAF) and the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) reject in its entirety the N97 offer which was unilaterally fixed by the President and his team of economic saboteurs.
3. We commend the leadership of Nigerian Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and Joint Action Front, all Nigerian workers, activists and the masses of our people for sustaining the struggle to liberate our people from the imperialist economic policies of privatisation, deregulation, devaluation of the naira and corruption. We urge all Nigerians to comply and enforce THE INDEFINITE STRIKE/MASS ACTION and continue the PROTEST AND MASS RALLIES in major centres and their various neighbourhoods. Also, all banks, filing stations, markets, schools, factories, offices and other public and private businesses should be closed.
4. It should be recalled that at the mass meeting of JAF/LASCO held at the Labour House, Yaba on January 15, 2012, we resolved to continue mass protests, street rallies and blockade of the neighbourhoods as a way of enforcement of the Strike/Mass Action irrespective of the outcome of our leadership meeting with the Federal Government yesterday.
5. However, early this morning, our joint leadership advised Nigerians to continue the strike but should stay at home in view of the resolve by the Federal Government to unleash violence on Nigerians who want to exercise their right to protest and procession. In view of this, JAF urges Nigerians to set up rallies and protest centres in their various neighbourhoods whilst the NLC Yaba remains the central Co-ordinating center in Lagos. Same should apply at other centres created across the country since the commencement of the Strike/Mass Action on January 9th, 2012.
6. We are not unaware of the militarisation of the various locations with armed soldiers and policemen. That cannot abrogate the right and freedom of expression and peaceful assembly granted by the Constitution of Nigeria. We therefore ask Nigerians to remain peaceful and unprovoked by the presence of soldiers and armed policemen. They should continue the protests and rallies in their respective neighbourhoods until the government accepts the decision of the people to revert back to N65. Aluta Continua, Victoria Acerta!
Comrade Abiodun Aremu
Secretary, Joint Action Front & Joint-Secretary Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO)
January 16, 2012
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