JAF SALUTES NIGERIANS FOR MASSIVE TURNOUT AT JANUARY 3, 2012 KICK-OFF OF MASS ACTION

Joint Action Front (JAF)

10, Afolabi Lesi Street, Anthony-Ilupeju, Lagos

08035068524, 08033347962, E-mail: jnt_action@yahoo.co.uk

Wednesday, January 4^th 2012

PRESS STATEMENT

WE SALUTE NIGERIANS

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, THE STRUGGLE MUST CONTINUE!

1.    The Joint Action Front (JAF) - the pro-labour civil society partner in the Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) - salutes Nigerians for their massive turnout at the kick-off of the nationwide MASS ACTION declared by JAF, which held yesterday. Tuesday, 3^rd January 2012.

2.    The large turnout of Nigerians in thousands, which was heralded by barricades and bonfires along the 15 kilometres’ protest march routes of Yaba-Ojuelegba-Itire road through Ikorodu road to the Gani Fawehinmi Revolutionary Square, Ojota-Lagos; shut down business activities in Lagos and its environs.

3.    The unprecedented mass turnout attested to the popularity of the declaration of the MASS ACTION by JAF and the resolve by Nigerians not only to fight for the reversal of the wicked hike in the prices of petroleum products, but to struggle to REJECT and DEFEAT the anti-poor policies of PRIVATISATION AND DEREGULATION, that are responsible for the mass suffering and deprivation of majority Nigerians.

4.    It should by recalled that JAF in anticipation of the imposition of the wicked anti-poor increases in fuel prices had a media briefing on December 21^st 2011 that declared the commencement of the MASS ACTION for January 3^rd, 2012 calling on:

·         Nigerians to BOYCOTT and SHUT the FILLING STATIONS that SELL FUEL above the current prices of (petrol @ N65 a litre, kerosene @ N50 a litre and diesel @ N70 a litre), and

·         Use MASS ACTION to Enforce STAY-AT-HOME and STRIKE ACTIONS whenever labour and its allies in Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) declare such.

5.   The MASS ACTION drew not only members of JAF and its affiliates of organization that comprise United Action for Democracy(UAD), Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), Committee for Workers Alternative (CWA), Amilcar Cabral Ideological School (ACIS), Council for Popular Education (COPED), Lagos State National Conscience Party (NCP), Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Socialist Workers League (SWL), Socialist Workers Movement (SWM), Communist Party of Nigeria (CPN), Concerned Human Rights, CACOL, NAP and JDPC; but also Mushin Collectives, Ajegunle Collectives, Agege Collectives, trade unionists and workers under the Lagos State NLC, ASUU and SSANU UI and LASU, Nigerian Automobile Technician Association (NATA), and several other pro-poor groups.

6.   Personalities included JAF’s Chairperson – Dr. Dipo Fashina, Comrade Mrs. Ganiat Bukola Fawehinmi, JAF’s Oyo State Coordinator - Dr. Demola Aremu, Femi Aborisade, Femi Falana, Lanre Arogundade, Segun Sango, Amitolu Shittu, Seun Anikulapo, Richard Akinola. Lanrewaju Suraj, David Ajetunmobi, Funmi Iyanda, Seni Ajai, Femi Obayori, Yemisi Coker, Wale Balogun, Dr. Doyin Adebowale (High Priest), etc.

7.   The Chairperson of JAF Dr. Fashina declared open the MASS ACTION urging Nigerians to be resolute in the fight to defeat the policies of privatization and deregulation and the need to reclaim the country from the armed band of looters and profiteers who are controlled by the IMF/World Bank. Comrade Ganiat Fawehinmi and other speakers spoke in the same manner.

8.   JAF wishes to assure Nigerians that the next phase of action will be INDEFINITE AND TOTAL MASS ACTION nationwide, once our labour partners – NLC and TUC take decisions at their national organs’ meetings holding today.

9.   Also, wishes to reiterate that that focus of the MASS ACTION remains not only the reversal in the prices of petroleum products to the official prices of N65 for petrol, kerosene @ N50 and N70 for diesel; but on fundamental demands that include:

·         Making the 4 Refineries to work and building of new ones to make petroleum products cheaper and affordable to all; and

·         Ensuring a new POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ORDER that will end the era of Privatisation, Deregulation, looting and exploitation by the corrupt capitalist ruling cabals and ensure that wealth of the country is judiciously applied to benefit the majority working population (formal and informal sectors) and the poor.

COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU

JAF Secretary