Woman banned for being 'too old' for skimpy clothing

A woman in the UK has been banned from every nightclub in her home town after being told she is too old to wear skimpy clothing.

Lisa Woodman, a 28-year-old mother of four from Worcester in the West Midlands, was refused entry to three separate venues because of her short skirts, knee-high boots and low-cut tops, the Daily Mail reports.

All three clubs are owned by the same company and have stated the ban will stay in place until the medical secretary moderates her style of clothing.

Ms Woodman, a "petite" blonde with a size-six figure, said she was furious with her treatment.

"What's wrong with what I wear? I'm not hurting anyone, am I? I am covering everything, and I just want to have a good time," she was quoted as saying.

Ms Woodman freely admits to flaunting her figure but says her clothes are conservative compared to younger females who are allowed "straight in" to the clubs.

She says she was reduced to tears on New Year's Eve when she was turned away by a doorman and told she was "too old" for the clothes she was wearing.

"When I asked the bouncers why me and my sister weren't allowed in, they just said 'You're too old to wear that get-up'," she was quoted as saying.

Ms Woodman recently split from her long-term partner, the father of her four children.

Following the split Ms Woodman underwent a breast enhancement and started attending the gym regularly.

"I split up from my partner last year and I was really upset so I had a boob job in April and got into shape going to the gym and now I just want to flaunt what I've got," she told the Daily Mail.

Ms Woodman said at age 28, she does not consider herself "old".

She has also complained of humiliating treatment at the hands of club staff.
"One doorman even made me walk up and down and turn around in front of people laughing at what I was wearing. I was totally in shock and really humiliated. I look after myself and I'm only 28. I just want to be treated with a bit of respect," she said.

Why we suspended the strike – Labour

President, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC),Abdulwaheed Omar , President Trade Union Congress (TUC), Peter Esele and other officials at a press conference to call off strike action in Abuja yesterday. Gbemiga Olamikan

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG & OKECHUKWU NDIRIBE
ABUJA—LEADERS of organized labour in the country have given reasons why the indefinite strike and street protests declared to force the Federal Government revert the pump price of Petrol from N141 per litre to pre-January1, 2012 price of N65 per litre, was suspended after eight days.

Announcing the suspension of the strike at a joint press briefing in Abuja yesterday, leaders of NLC and TUC explained that the strike action forced the government to announce price reduction from N140 to N97 per litre after it had earlier said the price hike was irreversible, while the government has also adopted the policy to reduce cost of governance.

The labour leaders also said following the protests across the country, the government has now made up its mind to move decisively against massive and crippling corruption in the oil sector even as government now saw the need to prosecute economic saboteurs and accelerate the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill

They also explained that street protests and mass rallies were earlier suspended by labour, to save lives and in the interest of national survival.

In a joint statement by Comrades Abdulwaheed Omar and Peter Esele, President of NLC and TUC respectively, labour, said in the past eight days through strikes, mass rallies, shutdown, debates and street protests, Nigerians demonstrated clearly that they could no longer be taken for granted and that sovereignty belonged to them.

The statement said: “In the last twenty four hours, the Labour Movement and its allies who had the historic responsibility of coordinating these mass actions have had cause to review the various actions and decided that in order to save lives and in the interest of national survival, these mass actions be suspended. We note the major successes Nigerians scored in these past days in which they rose courageously as a people to take their destiny in their hands.”

Giving reasons why the strike was suspended, Labour said: “First, the Federal Government that chorused continuously that its decision to increase petrol (PMS) price to N141 is irreversible and irreducible, was forced to announce a price reduction to N97. We, however, state categorically that this new price was a unilateral one by the Government. Secondly, Government has been made to adopt the policy to drastically reduce the cost of governance.

“A third major success Nigerians recorded is to get the Federal Government to decisively move against the massive and crippling corruption in the oil sector. While until now Government has seemed helpless to tackle corruption, the mass action of the people has compelled it to address accountability issues in the Sector. In this wise, President Goodluck Jonathan has told the nation that the forensic audit report on the NNPC will be studied and proven acts of corruption will be sanctioned.”

According to the statement, President Jonathan “also promised that accountability issues and current lapses in the oil sector will be speedily addressed including the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). A related success of the mass action by Nigerians is the vow of Government to bring to justice all those who have contributed in one way or another to the economic adversity of the country.

“The Labour Movement commends Nigerians for their resolve to change the country for the better and we shall take advantage of the Government’s invitation to further engage on these issues. This is in line with Labour’s resolve that the oil industry is too important to be left in the hands of bureaucrats, and that we have the patriotic duty to ensure that Nigerians get the best from this natural resource. The least we owe our compatriots who have become martyrs in the patriotic struggle to reassert our sovereignty and ensure good governance is to remain steadfast and unbowed. Labour reiterates its demand that those who perpetuated violence against unarmed protests should be brought to justice.”

Leaders of NLC and TUC added that “with the experiences of the past eight days, we are sure that no government or institution will take Nigerians for granted again,” and demanded for “the release of all those detained in the course of the strikes, rallies and street protests.”

Boko Haram: Jonathan tasked on security

AWKA – THE Federal Government has been urged not to allow strike against fuel subsidy removal divert its attention from curbing menace of Boko Haram.

A London–based Nigerian security expert and an award winner of United Kingdom Binary Memorial Award for 2007, Chief Vincent Ikechukwu Oligbo, who spoke in Onitsha, Anambra State, said the level of insecurity in the country was far from being satisfactory, adding that poor infrastructural development contributed to the situation.

According to him, the Federal Government should seek the assistance of Nigerians in the Diaspora who are security experts to curb the insurgence of Boko Haram whose activities had been terrorizing the country.

Commending President Goodluck Jonathan for his efforts in tackling the security problems in the country, Oligbo observed that there was need to do more to gain the confidence of Nigerians and the international community.

He also commended Governor Peter Obi for his effort in fighting insecurity in Anambra State, with the recent inauguration of Anambra State Security Trust Fund expected to gulp N4 billion.

His words: “It is regrettable that the deterioration of security in certain parts of the country where kidnapping, armed robbery and bombing seem to be the order of the day had dwarfed the effort of the government in crime fighting.

“I urge the President to come down hard on corrupt government officials, law breakers and violent criminals who are making the lives of ordinary and law abiding citizens in the country a nightmare.

“For quite some time, Nigerians had endured a tough existence and lived less than flattery lifestyle due to insecurity, deplorable lack of infrastructure, but I believe that the President Jonathan is on top of the situation now.

“It must be noted that the president alone cannot do everything for the country and therefore there is need for every Nigerian to shun indiscipline, corruption, violent crime and strive collectively to make the country a better and habitable place.

“Politician should equally show some restraint in their activities as the attraction of corrupt and ill- gotten wealth pushes some youths and political actors to make their survival a matter of life and death or door or die affair”.

Removal of Fuel Subsidy will strenghten the economy – Amb. Fidel Ayogu

Before being nominated by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu served in the House of Representatives as the Minority Whip and even contested for the governorship position of Enugu state during the 2003 elections. In this interview, Ambassador Ayogu whose tour of duty ends in February speaks on the benefits Nigerians stand to derive from the removal of fuel subsidy. He also speaks on his experience in Uganda and the in roads Nigerian companies are making in the east African country. Excerpts:

By BEN AGANDE, Abuja

What has been the experience transiting from the legislature in Nigeria to being a diplomat at ambassadorial level?

It has been both challenging and fruitful. When I went to Uganda with concurrent accreditation to Rwanda, I realised that Nigeria’s bilateral relationship with Uganda was okay but there were more openings for Nigerians to come to the country and help contribute in areas of investment. With my presence, United Bank for Africa, UBA, Bank PHB, Access Bank and Global Trust Bank came into the country. With the discovery of oil in Uganda, many Nigerian firms are trooping into Uganda to look for oil blocks and licenses and by the grace of God, Nigerians might be successful because a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Nigeria and Uganda to pave way for Nigerian Investment in Uganda. By and large, it has been a very successful tour of duty for me. During my stay, the President of Nigeria visited Uganda twice and the Ugandan President also visited Nigeria twice.

The experience in other African and even western countries is that Nigerian communities are known more for negative things than positive things. What is the situation in Uganda?

This is why I feel I am a very lucky man because since I went to Uganda hardly can you find any Nigerian in Ugandan prison. As I am talking now, there is no Nigerian in Ugandan and Rwandan prison and we have sizeable Nigerians in the two countries. I have a very strong Nigerian community in Uganda and the High Commission is liaising with the Nigerian community in Uganda for everything that requires the intervention of the High Commission. What I tell the Nigerian community is that we are all ambassadors of our country so the image of our country should remain a priority for each and every one of us. I made it known that anybody who comes to me and is not a member of the Nigerian community may not get the required attention. The idea is that if you are a member of the community you will live within a particular standard of behavior. We try to ensure that Nigerians are not unnecessarily harassed by the security agencies in Uganda. Nigerians for now are doing very well in Uganda.

Having lived in Uganda for four years, what in your opinion would Nigeria learn from the Ugandan experience?

It is a wrong assumption to think that because a country is not as endowed as your country, you can dismiss such countries. They are better in terms of certain areas than Nigeria like tourism, wildlife and the management of these resources. Their weather and land is very conducive for agriculture. They have specie of cattle that produce huge quantity of milk. Their real estate is booming. There are many things that Nigeria can learn from them. We have similar culture with Uganda and the Nigerian Nollywood is making in roads into Uganda by teaching them how to make quality films. Nigerian films are hugely popular in Uganda and these are areas of cooperation. We have a lot of Nigerian producers living in Uganda and making impacts on the film industry there. There are many things we can benefit from each other. While they have just discovered oil in that country, we have over 50 years of experience in the oil industry. We can tap in and provide our expertise in this area.

Sometime ago, there was a bomb blast in Uganda that caught world attention. Now, bomb blasts are common features in some parts of our country. What lessons can Nigeria learn from their experience and the way the incident was handled?

The circumstances are not the same in the sense that the incident in Uganda came from outside the country because Uganda is taking part in a peace keeping operations in Somalia. The militant group in Somalia decided to strike in Uganda in order to force the country to withdraw its military men in Somalia. What happened in Uganda was that they were very fierce in handling the matter. All the routes the terrorists used were scoured and secured. Ugandans seem to be more ready to combat terrorism than Nigeria. Though the security would handle the challenge, the willingness of the people to divulge what is happening in their neighbourhood will give room for a clean job as it was done in Uganda. Even the people who were privy to the discussion of the matter were arrested.

This is because the people were ready to cooperate with the security agencies. Because the Ugandans have fought wars they are more security conscious and are more meticulous on security matters. Even on ordinary days, everybody is subjected to serious search before being allowed into hotels. The circumstance in Uganda and Nigeria cannot be compared.

The removal of fuel subsidy by government has provoked huge outcry in the country. As an investor in that sector and somebody who has lived in other countries where there is not subsidy, what is your reaction to government’s decision?

I know that the removal of fuel subsidy is critical and a bit harsh but I align myself with the government 100%. For many countries that I have traversed where they don’t have fuel subsidy, the goods there are cheaper than what we have in Nigeria. In Uganda for instance, it takes three times the money we use to fill the tanks of our cars hereto fill the tank of the car of same make and capacity in Uganda. But shockingly, a bag of cement for instance is equivalent of N1,400 and a loaf of the best bread is about N150. A full chicken for instance goes for N600. The cost of fuel there is determined by market cost and not by government regulation.

Secondly in Nigeria, fuel subsidy is paid on the quantity of fuel that comes into Nigeria, brought by the dealers. When the subsidy money is paid to the dealers after taking the stock at the ports, the fuel is now emptied into the storage facilities from where Nigerians are expected to pick the fuel at subsidized rate to the outlets. But in most cases, a sizeable percentage of this fuel that come into Nigeria do not go to our filling stations but go into neighbouring countries. Government is trying to ensure that there is no fuel scarcity as we used to have in the past and the cartel in charge of this subsidy and the dealers are taking the fuel to our neighbouring countries. If you go to Cameroun, Niger Republic, Chad and Benin Republics, it is the subsidized Nigerian fuel that they use. Who is now paying for this? It is the Nigerian masses.

It is not these people who have the money. The fear that the removal of fuel subsidy will lead to an increase in the prices of food stuff is unnecessary. When the government brings out a road map on the improvement in power supply; and the rail starts working and the inland water ways start operating, Nigerians will now realize that the removal of fuel subsidy is the best thing for the country. The removal of the subsidy will really benefit the masses. Those creating fears in the minds of the people are those who are benefiting from the subsidy.

Most of them have filling stations around the boundaries of neighbouring countries. Once the fuel is discharged, they move them under the cover of darkness to these neighbouring countries. Government should educate the people on the benefit of the removal of fuel subsidy rather than be intimidated by the few people who are benefiting from the subsidy.

There is no way we can sustain the economy with the subsidy in place. We must think beyond where we are. No country spends 70% of its budget on recurrent expenditure and moves forward.

Expect mother of all strikes from Monday –– Labour

Nigerians should brace up, from Monday, for what the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday called the “Mother of all strikes”.

The President of the NLC, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, said yesterday that Nigerians should prepare for a prolonged strike from Monday if the government does not reverse the pump price to N65 per litre.

The NLC boss did not elaborate on what he meant by “Mother of all strikes”.

However, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Thursday threatened to shut down operations in the upstream and downstream sectors, including export terminals, if by Sunday the Federal Government refuses to revert the pump price of petrol to N65 per litre.

At a briefing in Lagos, PENGASSAN President, Babatunde Ogun, said, among other implications, Nigeria would default in its contractual obligations to the international community as there would be no crude and gas supplies.

According to him, it would cripple telecommunications, power and healthcare delivery to Nigerians and the country will not meet its crude production quota for the next six months.

His words: “PENGASSAN remains committed to the ongoing popular and nationwide protests, and will continue to work with all concerned groups to sustain the struggle, until the Federal Government respects the will of Nigerians.

“The resolution of the House of Representatives and the Senate has said it all.

“All branches of PENGASSAN in the downstream, refineries and upstream sectors have been and shall remain fully mobilised in the actualisation of NLC/TUC directives on the on-going strike.”

The Federal Government on Thursday night at a meeting with Labour insisted on full deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry.

But the Labour insisted on the mandate from workers that government must reverse the pump price to N65 per litre.

Apart from the reversal to N65 per litre, Labour is also asking for a 90-day moratorium to allow a window for discussion between the government and stakeholders. The stakeholders will look at the challenges of subsidy withdrawal, pump price and ways for appropriate pricing for the PMS.

Both the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC), led by Comrade Peter Esele, are scheduled to take a final decision today on whether to continue with the ongoing nationwide strike action or suspend it.

A labour leader, who spoke with our correspondents, said: "Saturday's session will define the next stage of the strike. The NECs of the NLC and the TUC will meet to take a final decision on the negotiation offers from the government.

"After the NEC session, the labour leaders will also meet with the government on the same day. So, the strike might either be called off or continue."

The General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Owei Lakemfa, said: "Labour is giving Nigerians an opportunity on Saturday and Sunday to refresh and stock their homes with foodstuffs in readiness for a prolonged strike action from Monday."

Notwithstanding, the Labour yesterday held a three-hour rally at Julius Berger Roundabout in Abuja.

At the rally, the NLC President insisted that the people's will must prevail and "there is no retreat, no surrender on the demand for N65 pump price."

He also asked Nigerians to prepare for the “Mother of all strikes” from Monday should government fail to reverse the pump price to N65 per litre.

Omar said: "They say in the definition of democracy, there are three sides. They say it is government of the people for the people and by the people. This word is true, no be so? Na so! But do you know the largest group of the people? No! That is the people. This means if you run government, it is people who will run government that is by the people. But if it is run for the people, therefore it is among the people that you choose another small number of people to go and do government.

"But when the large number says this is how it will be, is it justifiable for the small group that is working for this large number to say No? No! Therefore, the people’s will must prevail. I want to talk today very briefly but let me start, comrades, by telling you about where we are today.

"We have a committee that plans everything we do everyday. That is why we take different routes everyday. Today, in consideration of so many factors, our planners said the only way we can get relaxed is during the weekend so that by Monday, if government is yet to change the cost of fuel from N145 per litre to N65, we are going to come out on Monday very strong.

"Please, those who have never come here before, inform them, maybe they are your brothers, sisters or your friends or even your parents because in Lagos , all ladies came out to the streets and protested. So, tell everybody that we should start coming in such a way that we must be noticed. If Nigerian government will not notice us, we would be so large that the international communities will notice us and they will begin to talk to them”.

Omar added: "We want to make sure that people will get refreshed by the weekend, but Monday morning, it is going to be the ‘mother of all crowds’. Do we agree? Yes, do you agree? Yes. I must say again on behalf of my colleagues that we are grateful.

"Several agencies of government attempted hired crowds, where they will say they will give them N5, 000 each and get 1, 000 people. The 1, 000 would disappear in less than 1, 000 seconds. As soon as they have taken the money, they will go away. Nobody is giving you anything but you are here because you are patriotic, because you love Nigeria and you want your welfare to improve.

"Therefore, this is something we must continue to do. I want to assure you to relax tomorrow and Sunday. We will get ready for a greater struggle beginning from Monday."

The NLC President debunked the insinuations that labour leaders have compromised.

The NLC President said: "Yesterday or day before yesterday, I swore to you that we are people of honour and integrity. I swore to you that we will do that which we are asked to do by the people.

"If anybody is practising true democracy, we are the people practising true democracy. We are saying that because people put us here, they have given us mandate. We must have to carry out the mandate of the people and do you remember the mandate people gave us? What is the mandate? N65 or nothing! I tell you comrades, this is exactly the message we have sent across to the government.

"We are aware that there are a lot of rumours going round. Some people will say labour has compromised. They have given them money, given them this and that. I don't know, comrades, who will have the courage after taking somebody's food, you will still look at him in the face and abuse him, is it possible? No!

"We went and told them that the mandate we have from Nigerian people is that you have to revert back to N65. And when government insisted and they keep saying they are not ready to come down and reduce the price, we told them that we have principals but because we have a system, it is just by calling the people who gave us the mandate. We said the highest thing we can do is to go back to our principals.

"We will give them the message and it is up to them to give us either a new message or say what are you talking? Go back and maintain our position. By the night, we could not agree yesterday with the government. Despite all their pleas and what they told us that our economy will collapse, we told them we have a mandate and our standing mandate is: reverse back to N65.

"If anybody is sending a text message to you, saying whatever, I want to assure you that as far as we are concerned, it is just blatant lies and nobody will intimidate us with those text messages. If anybody has given any money to anybody, let that person come us and say I have given a particular sum of money and we shall pray with everybody to say that whoever has done this, Holy Ghost fire!”

He added: "And to our Muslim brothers, we will also ask them to do Alqunut. That is to tell you that, as far as we are concerned, it is not about money. If it is about money, I tell you by now, we would have been exceedingly rich and we would also become part of the cabal but that is not our will. We have undertaken for ourselves that we must always stand by the masses and by the grace of the Almighty, so shall it be.


"Comrades, we have discussed here and I told you time without number that some government agencies have been trying all they could to destabilise us in Abuja . And the only way they think they can do that is by sending people to create certain problem, then government will now make a broadcast that because of the security threat in Abuja, there is going to be 24 hours’ curfew from dusk to dawn so that they will not allow us to come out to meet again.

"But we believe our strength always lies in our unity and collectivity. We must continue to come out. We are very grateful to you that you are not getting tired. In fact, more and more people are coming and we will continue to come but, comrades please, you must also bear with us. As your leaders, we will never lead you astray by the grace of God but please, take it that all plans to create problem, we must avoid them."

On his part, the President of the TUC, Comrade Peter Esele, said: "I want to say a very big thank you for all your support. The other people give them money. Did we give you any money? If they give you money, collect it because that money is your money that they have stolen. That money means the education of your children. That money means good roads, that money is your healthcare.

"One thing you must know, it is time for change. We must always seek good governance. What do we want? Good governance. It is only good governance that will change this country. The reason we are here is that we love Nigeria. If we love Nigeria we must love one another. It is for the love we have for Nigeria that is why we are here."

The Vice-President of the NLC, Comrade Issa Aremu, said: "As the President of NLC has said, without your struggle, without your sacrifice, the Federal Government of Nigeria could not have met with the NLC and TUC yesterday.

"And for the first time in recent times, our President, the Vice President, the Senate Government and ministers have to meet to address the plights of Nigerians. It is due to the struggle, which you have put up in Abuja , Lagos , in Kano , in Port-Harcourt and virtually in all the 36 states of the Ffederation. Let's give them a hand of applause.

"We should not give up in this struggle. The struggle is not over until it is over. As Comrade Omar has said, please don't let us lose our focus. We have to be organised, we have to be focused and we have to be purposeful. And we should not forget what is our demand. We don't want other forces to add other agenda that are not our own. "Government itself is also spreading propaganda so that they can divide our ranks. This propaganda is what the NLC president has said that your leaders are being compromised. And I am happy he has addressed that”.

He added: "There are also some forces who are not in government, who have different professions and they want to have a different agenda. I don't want to mention names because now we have emergency comrades. Don't you know what we call emergency comrades? Those who used to be in government and even oppressed workers. They are now identifying with us. I don't want to mention names but you know them.

"So we must be focused about our agenda. Now the second thing I want to raise is that there are those that are against the masses. Please, let us give one special Gbosa! to the House of Representatives Speaker for being with the masses and convening a meeting on a Sunday to address the plights of Nigeria and they passed a resolution to revert to N65. And they also called on Labour so that we can suspend the strike. I think we need to commend them on that.

"So, let also give the Senate President applause. That is Senator David Mark. I also want to say that there are some of the governors but there are some terrible governors. And I want to say the governor of Enugu State, we need to give a special boo to the Governor of Enugu State, Governor Sullivan Chime. He was not just pushing for the removal of subsidy but he was also attacking those that are protesting. He has a mobile court. This is a governor we will not only take to the judicial process in Nigeria.

"So today we want to reaffirm solidarity to the people of Enugu State . I want to declare that we are fully in solidarity with them. And we call on President Jonathan that what he cannot do to Nigeria is that we have our right of freedom of assembly. This is because no governor has the power of a president. Yet, we are peacefully protesting in Abuja .

"So I want to say, comrades, forward ever and backward never. Stay with your leaders and your leaders will stay with you. Together with you, we are going to achieve victory. We have decided to save Nigeria and there is no going back."

Abuja Property Firm Denies Selling Mansion To Okonjo-Iweala

MINISTER OF FINANCE, DR. (MRS.) NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA

SAN FRANCISCO, January 12, (THEWILL) – The real estate company that allegedly sold a property in the Maitama District of Abuja to the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has denied selling neither the property nor any other property to the Minister.

Online news portal, Pointblanknews had recently published a report that Okonjo-Iweala bought a N1.2B mansion in Abuja.

Chief Fabian Nworah, the Chairman of EFAB Properties Limited in a statement dated January 11, 2011, said though it has properties at No. 3, Nwaora Close, Off gana Street, Maitama, Abuja, none has been sold.

“It is a fact that we have properties for sale at the above address but none has been sold as at today – January 11, 2012. We are still looking for buyers and we want to say categorically that we did not sell any house to Dr. Ngozi Okonjo –Iweala...

“At no point in time did pointbllanknews.com interview me or any of my staff on the sale of property,” the Chairman wrote.

Meanwhile, the Minister has said she would sue the online medium for the report after it insisted that it has “overwhelming evidence to prove that she owns the mansion”... adding, “but if she insists we are wrong she knows where to seek redress.”

In a Thursday statement emailed to THEWILL, the Minister said she has briefed her lawyers and the owners of the website face will face legal proceedings shortly.

Nigeria loses N500bn to strike – Sanusi Lamido

Nigeria’s nation wide strikes against the government’s removal of fuel subsidies is costing Africa’s second largest economy around N100 billion (403 million pounds) a day, the central bank governor has said.

Lamido Sanusi said he expected inflation to rise to around 14-15 percent by the middle of this year, up from 10.5 percent now as the impact of subsidy removal is felt on prices.

“Clearly inflation was always going to go up with the removal of subsidy. I think what we’ve seen is the immediate shock impact of a sudden removal and things will settle down,” Sanusi went on.

“It took us 21/2 years from 2009 to come down to single-digit from 15.6 pct. I think a realistic target if we actually hit 15 percent, I think we will be looking at end of 2013 before we come back to single-digits.”

Sanusi said it was positive that negotiations were ongoing but he urged government to agree a deadline with unions for removing fuel subsidies altogether, rather than leaving it open ended, which could lead to public demonstrations in the future.

“I think it’s time to make a deal … any kind of compromise should have a final deadline for removal of subsidy,” he said, adding that options could include capping prices at 100 naira a litre and phasing out subsidies, although he said details would have to be left to the government and workers.

Don challenges Okonjo-Iweala on subsidy debate

A former English lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University’s Institute of Education Centre for Distance Learning, Badagry Study Centre, Mr. Wole Oyenusi, has challenged the Minister of Finance, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala and President Goodluck Jonathan to an open television debate to be moderated by the Nigerian Press on the state of the Nigerian economy in general and the dynamics of fuel subsidy in particular.

Oyenusi, a Ph.D English student from both Ondo and Ogun States and presidential candidate of a new socio-capitalist party, Radical Intellectuals Group (R.I.G.) dropped this bombshell in a release to newsmen at his Lagos base recently.

Oyenusi accused the Minister and the President of spouting what he described as “irredeemably exploitative neo-imperialist demagoguery, capable of precipitating a spinal dislocation of the Nigerian socio-psychological framework.”

“He affirmed that by swallowing the bait of the world’s financial sharks, the International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.) and the World Bank, hook line and sinker the duo have sold the well-being of the masses of this country for the proverbial mass of porridge of these Western financial behemoths, which disguises itself as grants and loans attracting punitive conditionalities that Nigeria could well do without if the nation’s abundant resources were imaginatively developed and managed.

This Ganiesque gadfly demanded that the two meet him on the plane of logic and dialectics in an open national intellectual colloquy if they are sure of their facts and the auspiciousness of their neo-insperialist rhetoric for the nation.

In a related development Oyenusi, who was one of the Professor Wole Soyinka’s outstanding students at Ife has started making plans to challenge the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the presidential polls, with regard to the festering corpulent corruption it has immured the nation in, initiating a party of radicals rooting for a paradigm shift and a total overhauling of the nation’s political, economic and social structures.

Nigeria's unhappy new year : "Fuel Subsidy Removal"

In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, writer Sola Odunfa considers why Nigeria's poor especially feel so angry and exploited by the government's removal of a fuel subsidy.

An economic and political theory is playing out in Nigeria over the entrenched corruption in the country's petroleum sector as workers begin a nationwide indefinite general strike against the government's total deregulation of the pump price of petrol.

Labour and civil organisations say they will shut down all public services, including air and sea ports, to demonstrate popular opposition and anger at the new policy which has more than doubled the price of fuel - a policy they say is insensitive to the impoverished state of most Nigerians.

Hardly anyone faults the government's argument that the national treasury cannot afford the estimated $8bn (£5bn) being paid each year to faceless importers to subside the pump price of petrol, but everyone counters that the government should first find out how legitimate is the amount being paid.

The government's position today seems to be that if it is losing huge legitimate revenue to an untouchable cartel, that government should tax Nigerians to the extent of the amount being stolen by the barons.

That theory is believed to have been sold to President Goodluck Jonathan shortly after his election early last year by his Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala because she came directly from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the proponent of subsidy removal from everything in the developing world.
'Defenceless masses'

The consequence of his conversion to the theory was the president's New Year gift to Nigerians in the form of the sudden withdrawal of the government subsidy and immediate doubling of the pump price of petrol across the country.

Nigerians had for long demanded information on the volume of petrol being imported, from where and by whom, but the information remained an official secret - like seemingly everything else in the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Only in December did the government raise an alarm that the subsidy on petrol price had quadrupled in the preceding 10 months without evidence of a commensurate increase in the petrol imported and distributed.

The conclusion was that a cartel was fraudulently collecting the subsidy - and billions of dollars - for petrol not imported.

Labour unions and social activists launched a campaign for government to investigate the scam and prosecute those involved. Nothing was done.

Instead, government countered with the scare campaign that the national economy was on the verge of total collapse and the only way out was to stop paying the subsidy immediately.

The popularity of President Jonathan dropped dramatically nationally, except in his home, oil-rich state.

Sadly, this is the time Nigerians need solidarity to confront the enormous security challenge posed by terrorism.

Central Bank of Nigeria governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi replied to the popularity question at a Town Hall Meeting in Lagos by saying: "Governance is not a popularity contest."

If the government decided to do anything which it believed would be in the interest of the people despite inflicting initial hardship on them, he said, it should go ahead and do it, not minding its unpopularity.

I ask, how much more hardship can Nigerians bear when already there is no electricity, no potable water, no security, no roads, no employment, no efficient medical establishments, no good public schools and food prices are rising almost daily?

Radical lawyer Festus Keyamo said last week in a public comment that the government had finally admitted by the subsidy removal that it could not confront the individuals responsible for the corruption in the oil sector, "instead it was pouring its venom on the defenceless masses".

Last week, big rallies were staged against the subsidy removal in several cities across the country.

Although peaceful, the rallies were forcibly dispersed by armed policemen with tear gas. One person was killed.

The killing has further fuelled public anger against the president, whom they voted overwhelmingly into office nine months ago but now denounce in strong language in talk shows on independent radio and television stations in nearly all cities.

Strangely, it is the government ministers and the Central Bank governor who have been campaigning across the country for the new government policy.

President Jonathan himself has cocooned himself in State House. Two days before the strike, he defended his move in an address on national television, saying "the pain" was "in the best interest of all Nigerians".

But so far, it has not been a happy new year for the Nigerian people.

Nigerian leader Goodluck Jonathan defends fuel cut

The President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has gone on TV to defend his removal of fuel subsidies in Africa's largest oil-producing nation.

"I have no intention to inflict pains on Nigerians," he said on Saturday evening, arguing that the cut was in the "best interest of all Nigerians".

He also promised to cut top government salaries and ban all but essential international travel.

Unions have called an indefinite general strike, to start on Monday.

Mr Jonathan removed the subsidies on 1 January as part of a government austerity drive and a push to end corruption in the domestic fuel sector.

Petrol prices more than doubled in response and there have been angry street protests.
'Deregulate and survive'

"If I were in your shoes at this moment, I probably would have reacted in the same manner as some of our compatriots, or hold the same critical views about government," Mr Jonathan said in his TV address.

But, he told Nigerians: "We must act in the public interest, no matter how tough, for the pains of today cannot be compared to the benefits of tomorrow."

The deregulation of the petroleum sector was, he insisted, the best way to curb corruption and ensure the survival and growth of the economy.

"The truth is that we are all faced with two basic choices... either we deregulate and survive economically, or we continue with a subsidy regime that will continue to undermine our economy and potential for growth, and face serious consequences."

He said that top government officials would, from this year, take a 25% pay cut, and foreign trips would also be reduced.

Although Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil exporter it has not invested in the infrastructure to produce refined fuel, so has to import much of its petrol.

Many Nigerians regarded the government fuel subsidy - in place until the start of 2012 - as the only benefit they received from the country's vast oil wealth.

Most of Nigeria's 160 million people live on less than $2 (£1.30) a day, so the sharp price increases have hit them hard.

The government says it will spend the money it saves on improving health, education and the electricity supply.

The strike planned to begin on Monday has echoes of a nationwide action in 2003 that saw Nigeria almost entirely shut down.

"The government does not have credibility," said Adeola Adenikinju, an economics professor at the University of Ibadan who has long supported ending the fuel subsidy.

While the strike is expected to affect oil workers too, industry sources do not expect the industrial action to significantly affect crude exports, Reuters news agency reports.