Throughout last week, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the federal government failed to reach a truce over the deregulation policy of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry. The consequent strike, which entered its fifth day last Friday ( the longest in the post colonial history of the country) affected social and economic activities of the country. Virtually, every sector of the economy was shut down. The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi estimated the loss to over N100 billion daily.
Apart from the economic loss, there were other losses. Some people lost their lives when the protest became violent in some states. There were also people in the informal sector whose economic losses could not be easily calculated. Even news gathering was not easy as all governmental and social activity was grounded. Although at the time of going to the press, there were indications that labour and the federal government might reach amiable settlement, events of the past week indicated that strike of any source may not be the best option of resolving industrial dispute. Assistant Editor, Emmanuel Afonne who anchored this week’s cover examined what Nigeria has lost during the strike.
There is fear everywhere in the country. The threat of attack by the outlawed Boko Haram group has gripped both the south Christians and northern Moslems. In the south, there has been mass exodus of northerners for fear of reprisal attacks. But this is not the worry of people of the region. Their worry is the services which the Hausa community renders to them.