4 November 2009
As tension grips the nation over planned deregulation of the oil sector and the privatisation of the country's refineries, the Education rights Campaign (ERC) has threatened to mobilise Nigerian students and youths for nationwide protest actions and lecture boycotts should government fail to halt this policy.
"We see this move as another attempt by the capitalist and anti-poor Yar'Adua government to convert public assets and resources unto the exclusive, private property of the rich few, thereby leaving the masses at the mercy of these selfish profit-driven individuals."
In a press release signed by Hassan Taiwo Soweto, National Coordinator and Chinedu Bosah, National secretary, ERC said that government's argument that only deregulation and privatisation can guarantee constant availability of fuel products at affordable prices is untrue.
During the administration of former President Olusegun Obasano, 18 licences were granted to private companies to enable them commence local refineries of petroleum products. But several years late3r, none has been built.
"The deregulation of diesel and kerosene and their prices shooting up by over 400 per cent has clearly shown that deregulation as a policy is anti-people. for Nigerian students and the working masses, deregulation will mean hike in transportation fares, increase in the general prices of goods and services which will further compound the already crisis faced by poor working class students and youths."
As an alternative to deregulation, ERC demanded that the oil sector be nationalised and placed under the democratic control and management of elected committees of workers and the oil producing communities.
It declared: "Only this can guarantee constant availability of fuel products at affordable prices, refining of oil for domestic use, as well as the judicious utilisation of oil revenues to better the lives of the poor working masses, etc."
ERC consequently made the following demands:
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nigeria is not just a land of contradictions,where a nation has so much in aboundance in both human and natural resouses yet her citezenry lives in abject poverty.there is no light,no good road,no water to use and the oll we have so much in aboundance is a curse for the nation.is deregulation the problem of naija now?all the trillions of naira that have been allocated and looted what has the govt done about that?the only are that excites our govt is any are that will inflict further pains on nigerians.honestly the only solution to naija problems is REVOLUTION.Nigerians lets arise and fight fight for our right.
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Active Discussions: Nigerian Petroleum Bill/ Deregulation