For Struggle, Solidarity and Socialism in Nigeria
JOIN SOCIALIST PARTY OF NIGERIA TODAY! The DSM has decided to take the initiative to form and register a political party called the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) as a political platform for workers, youths and the poor. We call on socialist and left organizations to join the DSM in the formation and building of the party. We believe this
Socialist Democracy July – August 2012 Issue OIL SUBSIDY PROBE: A Peep into the Capitalists’ Chambers of Fraud By Segun Sango The House of Representatives recently made rare peep into certain aspects of the oil sector’s activities. Essentially, the House probed the so-called oil subsidy regime that was in existence between 2009 and 2011. In its findings, the House came
REJIGGING NIGERIA: Can the Country be saved by the Convocation of Sovereign National Conference (SNC)? By Segun Sango Bluntly put, every socio-economic and political facet of Nigeria can be called a disaster. Nothing works in every critical departments of the economy. Nigeria’s stupendous natural and human resources have not been deployed to make a positive impact on the economic and
NIGERIAN ECONOMY IN DOLDRUMS: Harder Times Ahead for the Working People By Peluola Adewale Ordinary Nigerians have been told to prepare for even harder times ahead. The Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was reported to have told the Federal Executive Council on June 13, 2012 that the country should prepare for economic recession in view of the slide in oil
MINIMUM WAGE STRUGGLE The Need for Nationally Coordinated Actions By Kola Ibrahim April 2012 marked the one year of singing of the new N18, 000 minimum wage into law. However, across the country, the implementation of the new wage has been stalled by the government irrespective of political parties. In most states including the so-called opposition parties’ controlled states, workers
The Anti-poor Lagos Government Bans the Use of Tokunbo for Taxi Operation In line with its obsession to build a mega city out of Lagos, the Lagos state government has consistently unleashed brutal attacks on different sections of the poor working people like commercial motorcyclists, petty traders and taxi drivers. It does not give a damn if its action deprived
NO TO HIKE IN ELECTRICITY TARRIFF! NUEE/NLC Should Lead National Mass Actions And 48hr Warning General Strike By Ayo Ademiluyi In another major grand onslaught on the working masses, the Jonathan regime has introduced a new electricity tariff beginning from June 1 with an increment of about 88%. For instance, a customer of the Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc in
OYO WORKERS: Heroic Struggle for Minimum Wage In The Teeth Of Labour Leaders’ Treachery By Abbey Trotsky As we go to press, the strike of Oyo workers for the across-board implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage has been suspended on Thursday April 5 2012, following the desire by the ACN-led State government to have another round of talks after
42% YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT: Build A Mass Movement To Fight For Jobs By H.T. Soweto One nightmare that is confronting youth in Nigeria is the challenge of getting a job. In a recent stunning revelation by the Minister of Youths and Social Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, 28.14 million youths in Nigeria are unemployed in a total population of 67 million youths.
DANGOTE PASTA: Victimised Workers Forced Union Leaders to Act The steadfastness of the victimized workers of Dangote pasta has finally forced the leadership of National Union of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) to wake up from their slumber. The union at a press conference on April 3, 2012 issued a 21 day ultimatum to the management of Dangote pasta
EDUCATION UNDERFUNDING: URGENT NEED FOR A FIGHT BACK By Keye Ewebiyi The pro-rich government of President Goodluck Jonathan has presented the 2012 budget to the National Assembly. As usual, a meagre sum of N499 billion representing 10 percent of the total budget was allocated to the education sector. While this is a slight improvement on the 2011 budgetary allocation to
LASU: Fee Hike Causes Drop in Admission By Keye Ewebiyi Last year, the Lagos State Government introduced a 725% hike in the tuition fees of Lagos State University. This is an increase up to between N193, 750 and N348, 750 as against the old fee of N25, 000. To fully impose this increment, the Students’ Union was banned for mobilizing
A Bill To Stop The Unions From Strike Action By Dagga Tolar Senator Heineken Lokpobiri of the PDP (Bayelsa West) has brought before the Senate a “Bill for an Act to further amend the Trade Union Act, Cap.T14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 as amended 2005 to make provisions for balloting as a requirement before any action” or
OAU: Campaign For Union Restoration Continues By Odun, Secretary, DSM, OAU Branch Few weeks after resumption into a new academic session, student activists in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) including members of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) organized a bonfire/pubic rally on the evening of March 16 2012 to step up the campaign for the restoration of the banned students’ union.
MAY DAY: Workers’ Struggle Of The Past Year And The Tasks Ahead By Kola Ibrahim Since last May Day, fierce battle between public sector workers and the capitalist ruling class of different shades and disguises have erupted. These battles range from continuous struggle for a minimum wage to the unprecedented general strike/mass movements against hike of petrol pump price in
WORKERS AND POOR: WE NEED OUR OWN PARTY The real explanation for very limited success of this January’s massively supported anti-fuel price hike struggle and all the industrial disputes is that labour does not have a leadership to fight for political power. The infamous statement of the labour leadership that it is “not seeking a regime change” during the course
QUEST FOR WORKING CLASS POLITICAL PARTY: Mass Campaign Needed To Win Genuine and Democratic Electoral Process By Ayo Ademiluyi Most people will readily agree that Nigerian working masses need a political party of their own. This does not come as a surprise as none of the registered political parties (PDP, ACN, CPC, ANPP, APGA etc.) represent the true interest of
Socialist Democracy April-May 2012 Edition NIGERIA’S GENERAL STRIKE/MASS PROTEST AGAINST FUEL PRICE HIKE: Vital Lessons For The Working Class And Youth By H.T. Soweto For 6 days running in January 2012, Nigeria was in the throes of a general strike against an over 120% increase of fuel price from N65 to well above N142 per litre. It was the biggest
N18,000 MINIMUM WAGE: AN UNFINISHED BATTLE By Kola Ibrahim In December 2008, the NLC and TUC formally demanded a minimum wage of N52, 200. The agitation lasted until last year when N18,000 was granted as the new minimum wage. At the beginning of this struggle, we in Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) had proposed that the labour leadership must demand a
2012 BUDGET: Transforming The Economy And Living Condition Of The Working People From Bad To Worse! By Peluola Adewale President Goodluck Jonathan told the nation that his 2012 budget is a “stepping stone to the transformation of our economy and country in our walk to economic freedom.” The working people can only take this statement from the President as a