The latest in Nigeria

There was an oil strike for the past four days meaning there was no gasoline. People were running out of petrol and unable to go to work. The local transport tripled as gas was scarce. But, it did make for a quick commute to school today from Linda's house. Linda says something like this always happens in May. But, this year it was a little early.

Here is an article about the strike.


OIL WORKERS CALL OFF STRIKE

By Elisha Bala-Gbogbo April 22, 2009 08:21A

Oil workers in Lagos have called off a four-day strike as the federal government intervened to settle their face-off with the Lagos State government.

The strike by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, an affiliate of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, had crippled economic activities in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial centre, and other cities. Tokunbo Korodo, the zonal secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, said the “strike has been called off. We’re loading (refined petroleum products) now. The federal government intervened through the NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation).”

In a signed statement by Livi Ajuonuma, the NNPC spokesperson said, “Acting on the initiative of President Umar Musa Yar’dua, the NNPC management has waded in to resolve the face-off between the Lagos State government and tanker drivers.”

The statement further stated that “the NNPC paid the penalty imposed on the 27 trucks impounded by the Lagos State government.” While commending the efforts of the state government at maintaining sanity on the roads, Mr. Ajuonuma urged the tanker drivers to conduct their affairs lawfully without undue recourse to activism.

The union embarked on the strike on Friday, April 17, to protest the seizure of 50 trucks by officials of the state traffic agency for illegal parking and fines of N150, 000 per truck.