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Category: News

NLC begins 2-day strike, insists N5bn palliative not enough

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has initiated a two-day warning strike to protest the Federal Government’s handling of the challenges resulting from the removal of fuel subsidies. This move follows NLC President Joe Ajaero’s announcement last Friday.

In his inaugural speech on May 29, President Bola Tinubu declared the end of fuel subsidies, triggering a significant surge in fuel prices nationwide and an increase in the cost of living. The NLC accuses the Federal Government of abandoning negotiations and failing to implement resolutions from previous meetings.

On August 2, the organized labour staged protests against what they deemed “anti-people policies” by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and affiliated unions demonstrated in several states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), demanding the reversal of anti-poor policies, the release of withheld university lecturers’ and workers’ salaries, and an increase in the minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000.

Despite numerous meetings between the Presidency and the unions regarding palliatives for Nigerians affected by the petrol subsidy removal, no agreement was reached.

Last month, NLC President Joe Ajaero argued that the N5 billion allocated to each state and the FCT to mitigate the impact of the subsidy removal was grossly insufficient to alleviate the suffering of the people.

Ajaero explained that when calculated, the N5 billion would amount to less than N1,500 per person, raising questions about whether the funds were intended as loans or palliatives to the states or citizens.

“The first increase in the pump price of petroleum products and the last one moved a lot of people from the borderline to a very high level of poverty,” he said.

“Now, if you calculate it, you will discover that this will not translate to N1,500 per person and you ask: is that the impact? Is that really what we want to achieve? Let’s assume it’s a loan. What is really going to happen? Is it garbage in, garbage out?

“If it is N5 billion, I think organised labour would want anybody to do the calculation and tell us how it is going to impact Nigerians on what is happening currently. If it is a loan, then it is too bad,” Ajaero argued.

He highlighted the profound impact of recent fuel price increases on poverty levels, emphasizing that the proposed financial relief appeared inadequate.

Organized labour has continued to call for transparency concerning the N5 billion allocated whilst questioning its effectiveness in addressing the ongoing economic challenges triggered by the subsidy removal.

09/05/2023
Finally, NNPP expels Rabiu Kwankwaso

The National Executive Committee of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has expelled Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, following his alleged refusal to appear before the party’s Disciplinary Committee.

Kwankwaso, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of NNPP, had been earlier suspended by the party’s leadership at the National Convention on August 29 in Lagos.

Recall also that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NNPP set up a Disciplinary Committee and directed it to invite Kwankwaso to defend allegations of gross anti party activities and mismanagement of party/campaign funds within five days.

The NEC had warned that, failure to appear before the Disciplinary Committee, Kwankwaso would be expelled from the party in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution 2022 (as amended).

Consequently, Mr Abdulsalam Abdulrasaq, the Acting National Publicity Secretary of NNPP, said in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos, that the NEC had expelled Kwankwaso with immediate effect because of his refusal to honour the committee’s invitations.

Abdulrasaq said: “The NEC met in an emergency session on Friday, Sept 1. and resolved as follows:

“Following the refusal of Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to appear before the disciplinary committee which sat on Thursday, August 31 after being duly invited in writing, he is hereby expelled from NNPP with immediate effect.

“That the erstwhile presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso will be reported to appropriate quarters to answer questions on financial impropriety relating to mismanagement of public funds.”

The crisis within the NNPP started when the NWC of the party loyal to Kwankwaso, announced the suspension of the NNPP founder, Dr Boniface Aniebonam and the National Publicity Secretary, Dr Agbo Major on August 24.

09/05/2023
Umahi warns contractors over use of asphalt for road construction

The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi on Monday, read the riot act to contractors handling road constructions across the country over the use of asphalt for road construction.

Umahi, an advocate of concrete road pavement, who spoke during a press briefing held in his office in Abuja, said any contractor who insists on asphalt road must sign an agreement that it will last for at least thirty years.

The minister explained that his preference for concrete roads is because of their durability, saying that it has at least 50 years of shelf life.

He said it would reduce the pressure on the naira, boost the economy of the country, and create employment since there are indigenous companies producing cement, unlike bitumen that is being imported for asphalt.

Umahi also denied the allegation that he was sidelining the Directors of the ministry, disclosing that he carries along the Directors and accepts their opinions when they are better than his because he is open to advice and accepts superior arguments

He said he was aware of the campaign of calumny by some individuals who are not ready to accept the fact that things must be done from the right perspective.

Umahi, who noted that some detractors were set to frighten him so that he would not question some wrongdoings, said that no amount of blackmail could deter him.

He revealed that a lot of work is not going on in the South East and announced that he will be going there on inspection and whoever has received money for a bad job or an undone job will be compelled to go back and do what he has been paid for.

The minister challenged those who were threatening to go to court to do so because the Ministry had not done anything outside the limits of the law.

He said the ministry has always engaged its contractors in agreement with the General condition of contracts which is the standard that all engineers are expected to abide by.

Umahi also read out clause 51 of the agreement which empowers the Ministry to direct a contractor to change from asphalt to concrete layout.

09/04/2023
Kidnapping: Police arrest 32 suspects in Adamawa

The Police Command in Adamawa, in synergy with some professional hunters, had arrested 32 suspects in connection with kidnapping activities in the state.

SP Suleiman Nguroje, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Yola on Monday.

Nguroje said that the command recorded the success with the support received from the Adamawa Government and the people in the state including media practitioners.

He said exhibits recovered from the suspects included N1.6 million, four vehicles, 13 AK-47 rifles, five locally made pistols, 59 live ammunition, four ATM cards, two permanent voter cards, 10 dane guns, seven fabricated guns and charms.

The police spokesman also said that the command equally succeeded in dislodging four identified hideouts where the kidnappers normally operate from.

Nguroje said the suspects had all been charged to Courts and were awaiting trial, adding that investigations were still ongoing.

He added that the command would redouble its efforts aimed at ensuring that residents in the state sleep with their two eyes closed.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Afolabi Babatola, had commended the officers and the hunters for their gallantry.

09/04/2023
Shelve proposed warning strike, FG appeals to NLC

The Federal Government has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to suspend its proposed 2-day nationwide warning strike over economic hardship.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Simon Lalong, made the call at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.

The NLC in a communique issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NLC) said it would commence a 2-day nationwide warning strike from September 5 to September 6.

The NLC also threatened to embark on indefinite nationwide strike within 14 working days or 21 days from when the communique was issued unless the Federal Government addressed the excruciating suffering of Nigerians.

Lalong said that the appeal had become necessary in order to ensure robust line of communication with Nigerians and in particular the organised labour to forestall a breakdown of industrial peace.

He noted that the planned industrial action would no doubt reverse some of the gains already made by the administration.

According to him, in this context, it has become pertinent to appeal to the leadership of the NLC to suspend its intended two days warning strike.

“As such action would be detrimental to the gains already being recorded on our course to securing a greater future for Nigerian workers and citizens at large.

“Furthermore, I would request that the Comrade Leadership of the NLC gives this government some time to settle and address the issues on the ground holistically.

“It should be realised that the Cabinet of this administration was only recently sworn in by Mr President and all cabinet members have hit the ground running by receiving briefings from their MDAs.

“Therefore, the issues raised by the leadership of the NLC are some issues that I and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment are being briefed upon,” he said.

The minister however reassured Nigerian workers that this government would never take them for granted nor fail to appreciate their support and understanding.

He also said that this administration would continue to pursue policies aimed at massive employment generation in all sectors of the economy.

Lalong added that this would enable government look into immediate challenges that have emerged out of its policies, saying “we cannot do this in an atmosphere devoid of industrial peace.

He also said that as a Minister of Labour and Employment, he was yet to be served official communication of the NLC communiqué, following its NEC meeting as required by law.

He further urged the NLC to do the needful by following laid down processes for handling such matters since the cabinet was on ground.

He assured that all the issues raised by the NLC would be looked into one after the other.

“Allow me to first express my sympathy and that of the government of President Bola Tinubu to Nigerians and in particular the workers.

“That is over the challenges that have arisen from the removal of petrol subsidy and other policies of the government aimed at renewing hope for the future of our dear nation.

“In light of these matters, I would like to reiterate my appeal to the leadership of the NLC to suspend the warning strike and subsequent future actions.

“To allow us to work together to amicably resolve these issues rather than embark on actions that would further worsen the conditions of the citizens of Nigeria,” he said.

He therefore announced that government would be meeting with the NLC by 3 p.m. on Monday (September 4)

09/04/2023
CSO tackles Reps over N81.2bn spent by agency to plant 21m trees

A Civil Society Organisation, Budget Implementation, Assessment, Evaluation and Monitoring Committee has faulted the House of Representatives over claims that the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW) spent N81.2 billion to plant 21millin trees.

Mr Ogakwu Dominic, Coordinator of the CSO dismissed the claims while briefing newsmen in Abuja.

The Ad hoc Committee probing the utilisation of ecological funds released to NAGGW had uncovered N81.2 billion allegedly spent to plant 21m trees in 11 states.

Domini said the claim by the committee was lacking in merit, adding that part of its engagement with the agency was continuous monitoring and evaluation of all the agency’s activities.

This according to him include zonal intervention projects and all constituency projects of the national assembly domiciled in the NAGGW.

Dominic said the amount was not only for planting of trees, adding that it was meant for other issues in line with the responsibility of the agency.

According to him, the agency has a unique mandate which is transforming Nigerian Drylands through an aggressive and robust tree-planting campaign program.

He said it became imperative to check out facts to avoid a misrepresentation that could be antithetical to the achievements of the agency’s set goals.

He said , Mr Yusuf Bukar, the Director General of the agency is transparent in all the activities of the agency under his watch.

“In its accountability in service, the agency has promoted local, national, and international conferences that champion the cause of planting many trees,.

This according to him had created a green society that brought about ecological advantage and also saved the lives of the country’s ecological habitats.

He said this had promoted the United Nation habitant agenda and climate policy of the UN, this according to him include: the Bonny Island Green Wall Development Programme

Others are: the Northern Sahara Desert Great Green Wall Programme to mention a few.

11 states where the trees were said to have been planted are: Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.

09/04/2023
Presidential Tribunal to announce verdict Sept 6, okays live broadcast

Putting an end to two weeks of suspense, the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) has officially confirmed that it will deliver its judgment on Wednesday, September 6. This landmark decision comes after three petitions contesting the victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.

The Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Umar Mohammed Bangari, disclosed this important date in Abuja on Monday, putting to rest the speculations that had been swirling around the case.

Bangari assured that the court is taking every measure to ensure a smooth and trouble-free delivery of the judgment in response to the three petitions. These petitions were filed by Abubakar Atiku, the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); Peter Obi, his counterpart from the Labour Party; and the Allied People Movement (APM) under the APC umbrella.

In an effort to maintain order and security, Bangari mentioned that stringent security measures have been implemented.

Access to the courtroom will be restricted, permitting only invited members of political parties and the general public to enter. This approach is intended to prevent overcrowding and potential security breaches.

Furthermore, Bangari announced that interested television stations would be allowed to broadcast the proceedings live, without any associated costs to the court.

However, to ensure security and crowd control, certain restrictions will be in place around the court premises.

A notable decision by the court was to reserve judgment on the petitions submitted by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, scheduling them for delivery on the same day as Peter Obi’s Labour Party petition.

Notably, last week, the court refuted the claims that it had set September 16 as the date for the judgment, clarifying the actual date as September 6.

09/04/2023
Police arrest robbery suspects on 2nd Niger Bridge

Operatives of Anambra State Police Command, attached to Harbour Division, have arrested two robbery suspects dispossessing unsuspecting citizens of their valuables on the recently inaugurated 2nd Niger Bridge.

The Police team was on surveillance patrol on the Bridge when they apprehended the suspects who were about to steal expansion joints near the Obosi end of the bridge.

A statement issued to journalists in Awka on Monday by DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, Anambra State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said the suspects are now helping police in further investigations.

According to Ikenga, one of the suspects hails from Enugu State and the other from Ebonyi State.

The PPRO said when searched, two daggers and five sim cards removed from previously stolen phones, were recovered from the suspects, aged between 20 and 22 years.

He added that the Covert Police Team monitored the gang and swooped on them, arresting two of the gangsters while others fled.

Ikenga quoted the Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye, to have commended the Police Team for its vigilance and courage in confronting the gang.

He stated that the CP had directed the owners of the recovered sim cards be located with a view to assembling evidence for successful prosecution of the arrested suspects.

09/04/2023
Solid Minerals will contribute 50% to Nigeria’s GDP -Alake

*To create Solid Minerals Corporation, Mining Police

The Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake (middle) during the unveiling of the ‘Agenda for the Transformation of the Solid Minerals for International Competitiveness and Domestic Prosperity’, in Abuja on Sunday.

The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, has said that the ministry will add at least 50% to the Nigerian economy, just as he said that the Ministry is poised to attract Foreign Direct Investment to the country.

The minister, who spoke during the unveiling of the ‘Agenda for the Transformation of the Solid Minerals for International Competitiveness and Domestic Prosperity’, in Abuja on Sunday, said that the ministry will focus on a seven-point agenda including the creation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation, Joint Ventures with Mining Multinationals, Big Data on specific seven priority minerals and their deposits, 30-day grace for illegal miners to join artisanal cooperatives, Mines Surveillance Task Force and Mine Police, Comprehensive review of all mining licenses and the creation of six (6) Mineral Processing Centres to focus on Value-Added products.

“President Bola Tinubu has taken firm, courageous decisions that have reset the logic of the Nigerian economy. The removal of subsidy and the adoption of a single exchange rate are among the fundamental transformational policies of this administration. This radical approach to making the economy resilient in the long term is the guiding principle of the management of the Ministry.

“The Ministry has to take the bull by the horns if the country must reap the harvest of the trillion dollars worth of minerals under the ground across the country. To achieve this laudable objective, there has to be a paradigm shift in the strategy by re-positioning the sector in terms of the human and capital factors that can drive its transformation,” the minister said.

On the creation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation, the minister said “mining is big business. Nigeria must assert its presence in this environment by replicating its strategic positioning in the petroleum sector by setting up a corporate body that plays in this field. Consequently, the Ministry shall work towards the incorporation of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation.”

According to the Minister, the corporate body will have subsidiaries doing business in the seven priority areas that require immediate intervention and focus which include: Gold, Coal, Limestone, Bitumen, Lead, Iron-ore and Baryte. Existing enterprises, such as the National Iron-Ore Company, and ongoing arrangements, such as the Bitumen Concessioning Programme, will be reviewed to fit into this new system.

“The proposed corporation will seek and secure partnership investment agreements with big multinational companies worldwide to leverage on the attractive investment-friendly regime operating in the country to secure massive Foreign Direct Investment for the mining sector. The positioning of the national corporation as a guarantor and protector of the partnership agreements is expected to assure partners of our seriousness and fidelity.

“Similarly, the Solid Minerals Corporation will provide robust support for Nigerian businessmen seeking funding abroad and help to authenticate their investment proposals to speed up the commitment of their partners to invest. Domestically, the Solid Minerals Corporation will engage the Nigerian financial system, which has demonstrated palpable reluctance to support mineral prospecting and mining because of the long-term gestation of value generation by developing a Fund to facilitate investments in mining at interest rates that will be mutually agreed,” the minister said.

The minister said the country will leverage on the abundant precious minerals including gold, manganese, bitumen, lithium, iron ore, lead, zinc, limestone, uranium, columbite, barite, kaolin, gemstones, coal, topaz and copper that are in massive proportions to attract investors into country.

09/03/2023
Road accident claims 6 lives in Osun – FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osun Command, said six persons lost their lives in an accident that occurred on Imesi-Ile highway.

The Sector Commander, Mr Henry Benamesia, said this in a statement by the command’s spokesperson, Mrs Agnes Ogungbemi, on Sunday in Osogbo.

Benamesia said two vehicles had head on collision on Saturday at about 9: 44 pm due to brake failure of one of them, resulting to the death of six persons.

He said that an articulated vehicle (Red Daf) without number plate, collided with another blue commercial truck on Imesi-Ile hill with casualties due to speeding.

“We have five dead victims taken to University Teaching Hospital in Osun (UNIOSUN) by the Nigeria Police before the arrival of FRSC team.

“The last dead victim was trapped under the truck and we were able to use extricate machine to remove the trapped body from one of the vehicles,” Benamesia said.

According to him, the accident involves 17 persons with 11 escaping unhurt while six others lost their lives.

He charged road users to drive defensively in order to prevent any form of accidents.

Benamesia, however, advised drivers to drive with caution and ensure their vehicles were in perfect condition before embarking on any journey.

09/03/2023