Obasanjo regrets fuel price rise

The strike has left markets deserted

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has apologised for not consulting widely enough on the recent sharp rises in fuel prices.

The 50% price increase has led to a paralysing strike across the country for the past five days.

[Obasanjo] wanted to avoid delay for the implementation of his programmes - please accept our apologies

Information Minister Jerry Gana

The president's apology came as the government negotiated with labour leaders in an attempt to end the strike - so far without any apparent success.

Speaking on behalf of the president, Information Minister Jerry Gana told leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress that the government had made mistakes over the fuel price issue.

"The president wishes to apologise to the NLC for not consulting enough before the price increase," Mr Gana said.

"He wanted to avoid delay for the implementation of his programmes.

President Obasanjo regretted the lack of consultation

"Please accept our apologies."

Some analysts suggested that the president could be preparing the ground for a complete cancellation of the price rise.

Mr Gana said earlier that he was confident the govenment and the labour leaders would reach an agreement today on ending the strike, the country's biggest single disruption since military rule ended a year ago.

Motorists suffer

The petrol price was raised last week from 20 naira ($0.20) to 30 naira ($0.30) a litre.

The unions rejected an earlier offer to cut the price rise to about 25% per cent instead of 50%.

The suffering is becoming unbearable now, there is no vehicle to take one to his destination

Lagos resident

State radio said on Monday that frustrated motorists in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, were urging union leaders to accept the government offer, which they rejected last week.

Virtually all petrol stations remain closed in the commercial capital, Lagos, as striking oil tanker drivers stay away.

A tanker drivers' strike has closed petrol stations

"The suffering is becoming unbearable now, there is no vehicle to take one to his destination. Government should do something now," said one witness in Lagos, where some of the worst effects of the strike have been seen.

However, officials from Nigeria's oil industry say they have not been affected by the strike.

Some flights are now reported to be operating from Lagos's two airports after a complete shutdown at the start of the strike.

Test

Senior civil servants have been told by a senior government official that they must return to work immediately or risk losing their jobs.

The strike is being seen as a test of strength for the unions - which have re-emerged in the past year following the return to democratic rule.

The price of petrol and diesel has long been one of Nigeria's hottest political issues.

The country has large oil reserves and its production costs are low, so Nigerians have come to see very cheap petrol as their right - the one certain benefit they get from their national oil wealth.

Attempts in the past to raise the price have brought an angry reaction on the streets.