Showing posts with label Strike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strike. Show all posts

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Blackout!

Yesterday, the workers in the PHCN commenced a nationwide strike. As a result, the entire nation (I believe) was plunged into darkness. My neighbourhood was a bit noisy last night because almost every house generated its own electricity via a generating set.

Blackout Naija
Source: 234next.com
The news this morning now is that this so called strike has been "suspended". I wonder, is that supposed to make us happy? For crying out loud, the power situation in Nigeria is NOT encouraging! Most people generate their power themselves! Some use, generators, some use solar and some use inverters. Some even use all three!

Dee: The strike by the PHCN workers have been suspended after Johnathan "stepped" into the issue.
Colleague: Is that supposed to be news?
Dee: *Laughing very hard*
Colleague: Why are you laughing? Has there ever been light? Answer me.
Dee: Well the power situation has been on and off. You know, it is kind of epileptic!
Colleague: Exactly! We've not had light for over a week!
Dee: Wow! But seriously, that is a fair deal.
Colleague: What do you mean by that?
Dee: There are some areas in this same Lagos that had been without light for MONTHS! I just thank God for the availability of petrol and the money to buy the petrol.
Colleague: Yes o! They can continue the strike for all I care! The Nation does not rely on them for electricity anymore. I mean why would any right thinking human go on strike and withhold the service that is NOT even provided in the first place? Nonsense.
Dee: The irony is that the PHCN workers would also power their generators because they would also be plunged in the same darkness. Anyway, that is no longer the case, since they have called off the strike.
Colleague: I no blame them! Dem for continue the strike!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Which way Nigeria?

"I want to know. . . which way Nigeria?"
Yes. Which way Nigeria? That is a million naira question that has to be answered.

There are so many things that are infrastructurally ill and are in need of great over hauling!

It saddens my heart to read in the national newspapers of the ongoing national strike embarked upon by the University Lecturers. This strike has been on for several months. Infact it is a spill over of previous strikes! As if that is not enough, Teachers in the primary and secondary schools in Nigeria have also embarked on a strike! What is going on?

There is a popular saying that education is the bedrock of a nation. In otherwords, education is the foundation of a Nation. The foundation unpon which a Nation is built.

It is a known fact that a building with a bad foundation will fall. A building with a faulty foundation is bound to develop structural problems in future (that is if the building is ever completed).

Rather than take positive steps towards ensuring that the education sector does not collapse, the Federal Government are neglecting that sector and "ordering" that the striking lecturers/teachers call off their strike. Why not embrace dialogue and find a way out of this incessant strikes? People have argued and reasoned that the Federal Government is not perturbed about these strikes because the Ministers, members of the House of Assembly, Governors, Commissioners and other politicians do not have children schooling in Nigeria! I think I agree with that school of thought.

In a quick defense, the education minister, Mr. Sam Egwu, (who incidentally was a university lecturer before becoming a politician in the corridors of power) said its no big deal for Government officals to send their children abroad to earn a degree! That, I think is a very watery defence. These are the same people engaging in a project to "re-brand" Nigeria. I wonder, how can Nigeria be fully "re-branded" if certain fundamental issues are left unattended?

Sometime in August 2008, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), the registered body for Nigerian Teachers embarked on a strike that kept pupils in primary and secondary schools at home for sometime. The strike was suspended after the intevention of the Governors Forum with a promise that the enhanced Teachers Salary Scale (TSS) will be implemented on or before September 1, 2009. One year after, only 17 states have implemented the TSS. The other 19 states have not implemented the TSS and so the NUT have embarked on another strike!

Last Sunday, there was a World Cup qualifying football match between Nigeria and Tunisia. The match ended with a 2-2 draw. This draw, according to football analysts is not a good result because the chances of Nigeria going to the World Cup is very slim. But despite this 2-2 draw, the Federal Government, through the football governing body gave each player a match bonus of $10,000! What a waste of money!

Why can't the Federal Government encourage the Lecturers and Teachers the same way they are encouraging these football players who ironically did not show that they deserve that match bonus!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Tanker Drivers on Strike!

Petroleum tanker drivers are on strike! Is that suppose to be news? Well yes it is, at least for now.

Why is it that every festive period, particularly Christmas, these people just look for any opportunity to hike the price of petrol!

The reason/excuse given for the strike is that officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) extort money from them; harass and intimidate them. Why was this protest not staged earlier? I do not believe that all these complaints just started. Over the years, there had been several issues between these two bodies. The tanker drivers, drive and park any how. It is so bad that they even park on bridges! When the LASTMA officials, in doing their job, impound the offending tanker or impose a fine, the others will choose to go on strike! What nonsense! What happened to law and order?

On the other hand, when the LASTMA officials "relax" and just close their eyes to the various offences committed by the tanker drivers, it becomes business as usual. They park indiscriminately, causing unnecessary traffic and chaos.

I am not holding a brief for the LASTMA officials (at times they also get on my nerves, particularly when they fail to do their work properly) but the truth must be said. Let us all maintain some sense of order and our society will be a better place for all.

Thank God that the kids are on holiday. For the past one week, we (hubby and I) leave the house earlier than usual. As early as 6.20am today, because of the so call strike or protest by the tanker drivers, all the gas stations were already jam packed with vehicles, waiting to buy fuel! The queues were so long and scattered! Haba!
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