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News Release

January 16, 2012

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Nigeria general strike enters second day

News Release International Transport Federation (ITF) January 16, 2012
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<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Commenting on the national strike in
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Nigeria</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> which has now entered its second
day and is still growing, ITF (International Transport Workers&#8217; Federation)
general secretary </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">David
Cockroft</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">
said: "</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Nigeria</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">'s unions are at the forefront of
this strike, which is sweeping the country.&#8221;</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">&#8220;They are acting to defend a fuel
subsidy which is the only thing they most Nigerians get out of a national oil
industry riddled and rotted with corruption. The president's reckless removal of
it doubled the cost of fuel and transport for ordinary Nigerians literally
overnight.&#8221;</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">ITF African regional secretary Joe
Katende added: &#8220;</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Nigeria</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">&#8217;s unions, including its transport
unions, are united behind this strike. The president&#8217;s removal of the subsidy
was impossibly reckless, and blatantly ignored parliament&#8217;s advice to hold back,
review and consult.&#8221;</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">He concluded: &#8220;Our member unions in
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Nigeria</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> have confirmed that the strike is
overwhelmingly supported and effective. To give just one example, our affiliated
aviation unions have confirmed that the airports are paralysed and only one
inward flight has been allowed to land, for humanitarian
reasons.&#8221;</SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">ENDS</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"></SPAN>&nbsp;</P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 15pt; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The ITF&#8217;s sister trade union ICEM
(</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"
lang=EN-GB>International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General
Workers' Unions</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">),
represents oil worker unions in Nigeria and has released a useful bulletin on
the issues around the fuel subsidy removal. It can be seen at <A
href="redir.aspx?C=92066afe31f74c0b994beafd6af36c45&amp;URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.icem.org%2fen%2f78-ICEM-InBrief%2f4830-Nigerian-Oil-Workers-Unions-Strike-in-Fuel-Subsidy-Removals"
target=_blank>www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/4830-Nigerian-Oil-Workers-Unions-Strike-in-Fuel-Subsidy-Removals</A>
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