It is now obvious that the euphoria that greeted the inauguration of oil exploration in Kolmani oil field in 2022, by then president Muhammadu Buhari is becoming short lived, more like sound and fury signifying nothing.

From all indications, work has stopped at the field. No exploration activity is presently going on. Yet neither the federal government through the ministry of Petroleum Resources nor the NNPCL, the state-owned oil company, have provided reasons for the deplorable situation.

Most Nigerians, especially residents of Bauchi and Gombe states who are the immediate beneficiaries of this exploration, believe the government ought to explain why exploration activities have since been halted at the Kolmani oil field.

As a newspaper, we are of the opinion that the federal government is in a position to tell Nigerians why work is not ongoing at the Kolmani oil field that is projected to yield 120,000 barrels of oil per day, has a gas processing plant capacity of up to 500 million standard cubic feet per day, a power plant of up to 300-megawatt capacity and a fertiliser plant of 2,500 tons per day?

Experts claim that there is evidence suggesting that there are over one billion barrels of oil reserves and 500 billion Cubic Feet of Gas within the Kolmani area. Because it was scheduled to comprise upstream production, oil refining, power generation and fertiliser, the Kolmani project is widely believed to have enormous benefits for the nation.

We are persuaded to argue that with all the loud noise about electric vehicles and transition from fossil fuels to alternative energy, petrol is and will for decades to come, remain relevant. This fact makes it imperative for the federal government to either resume work on the oilfield or provide cogent reasons why work on the Kolmani oil field has been halted.

As a newspaper, we find it difficult to understand why work on an oil and gas field that attracted $3 billion investment and marked a culmination of the long years of search for oil and gas in the Upper Benue Trough should halted. Except if we are to believe that it is being preserved as a strategic reserve. Still, we think the nation has a right to know.

This oilfield, with all its potential, is seen as a way opener for energy, financial and food securities with far reaching positive impacts on the nation’s economic development. Based on the Production Sharing Contract (PSC), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) will serve as the concessionaire of the blocks while the duo of the NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) and New Nigeria Development Company Limited (NNDC) are the contractor parties.

This is an initiative that is expected to come with it the establishment of a refinery, fertiliser plant, power plant and associated oil and gas processing facilities all of which will undoubtedly boost energy security for Nigeria while also providing jobs opportunities for many.

The Kolmani Integrated Development Project of Oil Prospecting Licenses (OPLs) 809 and 810 at the Kolmani field site, overlaps Bauchi and Gombe States and is a novel partnership that will see the trio of Africa Oilfield Movers Ltd consortium, New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) and NNPC E&P Ltd (formerly NPDC) producing and monetising the field.

In another phase of the project, there would be a downstream oil terminal/depot for offtake and distribution of the white products coming out of the refinery and further development of the integrated project. Reflectively, what culminated in the discovery of oil at the Kolmani field started in the 1990s when Oil Prospecting Licenses (OPLs) 809 and 810 were initially awarded to Shell and Chevron respectively as part of their frontier obligation under the Production Sharing Contractual (PSC) Agreement on Oil Mining Licenses (OMLs) 118 and 132 for consolidated cost recovery.

The fact that though the nation relies heavily on proceeds from crude sales, current oil output is below the 2024 budget target of 1.78 million barrels per day (mbpd). This underscores the need for concerted efforts to intensify oil production in Kolmani and Ebenyi-1 oil wells located in Gombe and Nasarawa states respectively.

Therefore, with all the expected benefits, there is the need to resume work on the Kolmani oil field. And if there is a cogent reason why work cannot continue, the government should come clean by offering full disclosure to Nigerians.

[Leadership]

Authorities in Lagos State have uncovered a network of makeshift apartments beneath the Dolphin Estate Bridge in the highbrow area of Ikoyi.

Tenants were reportedly paying N250,000 per annum for accommodation in the apartments.

A total of 86 partitioned rooms, varying in size from 10×10 to 12×10, were discovered beneath the bridge, according to the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.

These rooms, along with a container used for illicit activities, were removed by the enforcement team of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

Wahab disclosed this in a post via X alongside videos documenting the eviction and dismantling of structures beneath the bridge.

“A total number of 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container used for different illegal activities were discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge,” Wahab wrote.

Meanwhile, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, confirmed the eviction of squatters from beneath the bridge.

Rotimi-Akodu highlighted the environmental violations and illegal settlement that prompted the eviction, which was carried out by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), commonly known as KAI.

“Squatters dwelling under the bridge leading from inward Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi were evicted today Tuesday, 30th of April, 2024 by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps LAGESC (aka KAI),” Rotimi-Akodu stated.

He further disclosed that 23 individuals were arrested during the eviction process, emphasizing that the law would be enforced to address such violations.

[DailyTrust]

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has clarified that the 25 per cent and 35 per cent increase in workers’ salaries announced by the federal government is not the minimum wage.

The president of the association, Mr Tommy Okon, clarified while fielding questions from newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

Okon, who is also the Vice President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, said that the approval of the salary increase was to close the salary gap that existed in some ministries, departments and agencies.

“Other sectors have benefitted from these increases; it is only the core Federal Civil Service. So, it is a good development, no doubt, but the people need to be informed.

“Some even saw it as if the government had ambushed the labour unions and then come out unilaterally to increase the minimum wage to that amount. Whereas, it is not the minimum wage.

“The minimum wage is ongoing, what the government did was to correct some gaps that existed among the pay of those in those sectors listed,” he said.

Okon said the clarification was important for the generality of workers and the masses at large because the salary increase was to bridge the wage gap in the civil service.

NAN reported that the Federal Government on Tuesday announced an increase of between 25 per cent and 35 per cent in the salary of civil servants on the remaining six consolidated salary structures.

They included Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, CONPSS, Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure, CONRAISS and Consolidated Police Salary Structure, CONPOSS.

Others were Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure, CONPASS, Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure, CONICCS and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure, CONAFSS.

[DailyPost]

Nigeria is a nation of many nationalities who although are at different levels of cultural development but none the less share so many parallels. Among her three dominant groups who always ensure no one else gets what any of them cannot get, mischief is a common trait. Speaking of his Yoruba people, the late Herbert Ogunde, a foremost Nigerian performing artist, describes them as a people who would invite a thief to come and steal and also invite the owner of the farm to catch him. (Yoruba pe ole ko wa ja, o tun pe oloko ko wa mu) With Igbira of Kogi, their distant cousins, it is worse. From the travails of Yaya Bello this past one week, we can see how easy it is for yesterday’s saint to become today’s Satan.  In just one week, Yahaya Bello, the white lion of Kogi, who secured the governorship seat on a platter of gold transited from   an angel to a haunted evil spirit.

Yahaya Bello was a resourceful and successful business man with a lot of drive. In him the people of Kogi found no flaw. It was on account of all this, that Nigeria ruling hegemonic class that decides who rules and  who does not rule in Nigeria in collaboration with leading light of Kogi foisted him as a governor.

It is on record that it was the joint ticket of Abubakar Audu and James Faleke that won the 2015 election. Audu however died mysteriously before he could be crowned, while James Faleke declared himself governor-elect. Many observers of Kogi politics had expected Faleke to step into Audu’s shoes, but Kogi kingmakers settled for Yahaya Bello, an outsider who was literarily dragged from his ‘kata kara”(buying and selling business) to the governor’s seat of power after the battle had been fought and won.

As a governor, Yahaya Bello was true to himself. He did what he knew how to do best – trading.  This is why I think Bello does not owe detractors today accusing him of trading with Kogi State’s money instead of paying workers’ salaries or addressing infrastructural decay in Kogi State apologies. Those who had expected Bello to give what he did not have only lived in fool’s paradise. It is said that a man cannot suddenly become a left handed man at the middle age. If you ask me, I will say Yahaya Bello was a victim of those who had dressed him in borrowed robes to spite James Faleke, the rejected corner stone.

Now, what are the charges against Yahaya Bello by EFCC and his other detractors?

EFCC chief Ola Olukoyede, who vowed to prosecute Bello or resign, alleged that the embattled ex-governor withdrew $720,000 from the state’s accounts to pay his children school fees in advance just before he left office on January 27, 2024. But as it turned out, the sum of $845,852 said to have been paid to American International School, Abuja (AISA) between September 2021 and October 2022 as advanced school fees for Yahaya Bello’s five children was not paid by Yayaha Bello but by Alli Bello, his generous nephew.

Intimidated by EFCC, the American International School, Abuja, was forced to pay the sum of $760,910 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as refund for an advanced school fees paid to the school. But upset by the development, Yahaya Bello’s generous nephew took American International School Abuja to court for breach of contract and he won. His victory was all Yahaya Bello’s supporters needed to support the claim their principal is being unfairly persecuted because he has a generous nephew.

But Yahaya Bello’s traducers have done more to allow Yahaya Bello’s sympathisers consolidate their otherwise unassailable position. They have continued to slander him. They are even now claiming albeit without proof that Alli Bello, his generous nephew, was a son he fathered while in secondary school and raised by his sister. They tried to link Yaya Bello to the arraignment of Alli Bello on 18 count charges of money laundering and misappropriation of $3b by EFCC, claiming again without proof that it was Yahaya Bello who paid N550m to secure the release Alli Bello from EFCC’s incarceration. And as if Usman Dodo, the new sheriff in town did not have a mind of his own, they have also alleged, Yahaya Bello, influenced the emergence of Alli Bello as his chief of staff.

But if one may ask, when has it become a crime for a generous nephew to pay the school fees for his uncle’s children or for an uncle to use his position to secure appointment for his generous nephew?

Indeed, if you ask me, I will say Yahaya Bello who as a Muslim is entitled to four wives but chose to settle for only three with just five children for now, is a very modest man. We have witnessed lawmakers who came to the National Assembly floor to show off their four wives and twenty children. We have seen other politicians celebrated the graduation of their wards from foreign universities on the social media. I am not aware anyone has asked how much governors, lawmakers and other politicians who celebrated the graduation of their children from foreign universities on the pages of newspapers spent on their children.

Other mischief makers have wondered why the close to $1m dollar Yahaya Bello’s nephew paid to AISA as school fees for  his uncle’s children was not deployed towards building a similar school for the children of the poor in Kogi State. Again, I am not aware of any governor including those who earn from the federation account in one month what Kogi state earns in a year that has built such a legacy school for the children of the poor in their states.

Perhaps mischief makers and Bello traducers needed to be reminded that our current military-baked new-breed politicians are different from the likes of Obafemi Awolowo, then premier of western Nigeria, whose daughter, Tokunbo Awolowo was seen on the queue along with the children of ordinary Nigerians including Hausa children from Sabon Gari quarters of Ibadan marching to their classes under Awolowo free and compulsory primary school in the 1950s.

My advice to Yahaya Bello, however is to ignore his detractors, those taunting him on the pages of newspapers and those who weep louder than the bereaved including some People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain who linked his current political travails and that  of Nasir El-Rufai the former Governor of Kaduna State, to President Tinubu. He should  hearken to the immediate-past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom’s call, to come out of his hiding and answer the N80 billion money laundering case the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission filed against him.

He will survive his current travails like many of his predecessors including Ayo Fayose, Alamieyeseigha who was chased from France to London where he had ‘accumulated properties, bank accounts, investments and cash exceeding £10m in value’, Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Jolly Nyame (Taraba), Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), the late Audu Abubakar (Kogi), Timipreye Sylva (Bayelsa), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Adebayo  Alao-Akala (Oyo), Rashidi Ladoja (Oyo), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun), Aliyu Akwe Doma (Nasarawa), Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa).

Just as the white lion of Kogi has vowed not to be intimidated by any amount of blackmail, one basic fact is that in an empire of maggots, (apologies to Nuru Ribadu) a part cannot claim to be holier than the whole.

Rather than keep asking for wage increase for its members, organised Labour should engage governments on deliberate policies that will stimulate industrialisation, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule and Senator Adams Oshiomhole counselled yesterday.

The duo also urged the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to make its New Minimum Wage demand realistic and affordable.

They gave the advice yesterday while featuring on television programme.

Their counsel followed NLC President Joe Ajaero’s demand for N615, 000 as the acceptable living wage for workers.

President Bola Tinubu, who was represented at May Day anniversary by his deputy Kashim Shettima at the Eagle Square in Abuja, said the Federal Government will soon unveil a new “living wage”.

Hailing workers for their fidelity to peace, progress and development of the country, the President said the tripartite committee on a new minimum wage was unable to reach a consensus at its last meeting before the May Day celebration.

Commending the president for enhancing workers’ welfare, Sule and Oshiomhole described the NLC demand for pay rise as a just cause.

Sule, who said many of the states should be able to pay whatever the federal government comes up with, said he has implemented some welfare policies in his state.

He said: “Let me commend Mr. President for some of the policies he has been unveiling.  There’s no state in the nation today, including Nasarawa that can say it has not seen improved revenue.

“Though Nasarawa is number 33 out of 36 states of the federation on revenue allocation, what has happened is that last month we had paid all our medical workers hazard allowance.

“We didn’t have to wait for the federal government.  We could do this because of the increased federal allocation.

“In view of inflation, the Nigerian workers deserve more and every state can afford to pay a little more than what we are paying now.

“If we are going to pay more, we are more than willing to implement that.

“If the number I’m seeing on social media on what the federal government is offering is correct, I don’t think there should be any state that should have a serious problem in doing that, to be honest with you.

“I don’t think it is a debatable matter at all. Every state has to look into how it can generate more income. But whatever we can pay has to be something realistic and affordable.

“Let other employers make their offers and justification for such offers.”

Oshiomhole, a one-time NLC president and former Edo governor, agreed with Labour on need for pay rise.

The senator said: “There’s a need to increase the purchasing power of workers. With the inflation rate, the workers’ purchasing power has drastically decreased.  Everybody needs the pay rise.

“There’s a shared commitment that wages should go up when prices of things and commodities have gone up.

“All in production sector have marked up to protect themselves from the rising inflation.

“Two, the government is making more money and it is just reasonable that pay should rise.

“The step the government has taken is commendable and it should be paid retroactively. But the speech of the president did not address the announced 35 per cent salary increment.

“The NLC has done the right thing to explain the rationale for its demand for workers and I believe the employers will respond

“Organised private, local, state and federal governments should sit down to work out the details of the agreement.

“What the federal government has done is to relieve the workers while negotiation is still ongoing. This is neither to prejudice the position of the workers nor an alternative.

“But NLC should make realistic and affordable demand. organised Labour should not just centre on minimum wage, it must engage the government on appropriate industrial policies that will enhance the manufacturing industry.

“We need a level of protection of Nigerian industries,” Oshiomhole said.

[TheNation]

Anti-graft agency Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is taunting us with another emotional roller-coaster. They are asking us to join them in navel-gazing over another sensational case of thievery by a politician. We will do that for weeks (or months) and nothing else. Meanwhile, the said politician will be rehabilitated—probably appointed to a crucial position—in contempt of their ongoing case with the EFCC. One needs not be clairvoyant to say the latest graft case, involving ex-Kogi governor Yahaya Bello, is another ploy by the EFCC to titillate a public that still allows itself to be amused by jokes that lack a punchline. We have been here before (many times) and we know how this ruse ends: they will siphon emotion out of the public and eventually leave everyone hanging. No closure, nothing!

The most sensational of the allegations against Bello says he grifted almost a million dollars of public funds to pay his children’s school fees. Virtually every commentator has made this revelation the focus of their outrage. Bello, of course, stridently denies the accusation. What he failed to explain was how he managed to procure that much money and why he felt the urgency to pay for the length of his children’s school years. Who does that if not a man who wanted to exploit an unaccountable source of funds while he still had access to it?

Like other Nigerian politicians who dish out photos of their children graduating from schools abroad for poor Nigerians to gawk at, Bello also took his children out of the disaster zone called the Kogi State public schools and tucked them where the Nigerian decay has not touched. Despite claiming to be a poor herdsman with a mere 150 cows, former President Muhammadu Buhari too educated his children abroad. His mendacious yet witless aide, Femi Adesina, claimed Buhari sold his houses to afford the expense. Those children will grow up holding up their noses at the poor Nigerian masses, conveniently forgetting those were the same people their parasitic parents robbed to give them their lives.

That said, I struggled to understand the sensation around Bello’s case. Why did his case excite anyone, given that his actions are pretty standard? What is the difference between what he allegedly did and the “Bola Tinubu model” of using the state legislature to pass a bill that will pay an ex-governor humongous pension? Tinubu was the first governor who got the state legislature to grant him hefty amounts of money as pension, effectively tying the state’s destiny to his pockets. That model has been replicated by other greedy ex-governors without intentions of weaning themselves from the public purse. Bello too could have used the state Assembly to pass a bill paying his children’s school fees but he chose to be savage. The cynical part of me thinks that is the only sin he committed. If, after all these years, he did not learn to eat public funds with the finesse with which the old masters do it, he deserves to be disgraced.

The difference between Bello’s alleged crime and his ex-governor counterparts who granted themselves stupendous pension is the gap between eating oily yam with your fingers and using silverware. One makes you look primitive, while the other allows you the illusion of being civilised. I am sincerely confused by the morality of Tinubu’s supporters yelling at Bello. Would your opinion of him have been any different if he had instead set up a company called AlphaDelta Gamma and used it to achieve the same purpose? Sincerely, Bello’s only sin is his barbarity.

Despite the bold handwriting of ordinances written against him, the truth is that Bello is going nowhere. Not only does he know it, but even EFCC chairperson Ola Olukoyede must know it too. He cannot be so naïve to believe otherwise. During a recent press conference, Olukoyede grandiosely declared, ‘If I do not personally oversee the completion of the investigation regarding Yahaya Bello, I will tender my resignation as the EFCC Chairman.” Yinmu! He must think he is the first EFCC chairperson in history to spot a potential politician-thief. If Bello’s case is truly his dealbreaker, he had better resign right away because Yahaya is going nowhere. He might be disgraced for a while but that is the extent of what constitutes justice for corrupt politicians in Nigeria. No one goes to jail for corruption unless they fall out of reckoning with the powers that be. When you have passed your sell-by date and can no longer secure electoral victory, you will be conveniently discarded. That is when they sacrifice you to the EFCC.

Luckily for Bello, he helped the All Progressives Congress retain power in Kogi State. His peers in the Governor’s Forum who ran the same errand of “delivering” their constituency have been rewarded with “juicy” offices. The APC still needs him for the 2027 elections, so why sacrifice him now? Besides, he is also an APC member, the ruling party where virtually every single person within the ruling party has dirt on their hands. Jailing him for committing a popular sin will open the door to the possibility of other party members being similarly treated. That will ultimately demystify the party as a formidable redoubt for politicians. If that happens, the fraternal code of honour held by the thieves of public wealth will lose meaning, and the incentive for venal but powerful politicians to join the party will be lost.

There is no other reason people join a party in Nigeria than self-service. No party in Nigeria has a coherent ideology; nobody defects to them based on principles. It is to seek protection and access resources. Key Peoples Democratic Party members like Godswill Akpabio and Nyesom Wike had no qualms about joining the APC to be rebranded. Akpabio’s case with the EFCC has been momentarily forgotten and Wike’s own will never come up with the EFCC unless he costs APC the 2027 election. If Bello too waits this out, the EFCC will return to their original vocation of running after crossdressers, Bureau De Change operators, and money sprayers at Saturday afternoon owambes!

Olukoyede is not the first EFCC chairperson—nor will be the last—who thinks making noise in the media is akin to convicting an accused looter. His prosecutorial zeal notwithstanding, the court case will probably be botched by a lack of meticulousness. Here is why: Olukoyede alleged that Bello paid $720,000 out of the state coffers to the American International School for his child’s tuition before leaving office. In their response, the school disclosed that the sum was $845,852 and was paid in 2021 and for five children. Please note the wild difference between what the EFCC announced and what the school revealed. Good. Those discrepancies are why the EFCC’s case will eventually be thrown out of court based on some technicality.

Finally, the truth is also that there is a lack of will to pursue corruption. The present administration is aware (too acutely, in fact) of its own lack of moral legitimacy and can hardly confront graft without buckling under the weight of its own hypocrisies. Even under Buhari, the man who got into power by flexing anti-corruption muscles, two court convictions witnessed (Joshua Dayiye and Jolly Nyame) were reversed with presidential pardons. When they asked Buhari about ex-Kano governor Abdullahi Ganduje who was caught on video stashing his pockets with dollars, he pretended he had hearing problems. If Buhari who supposedly hated corruption could fail so grandly, is it Tinubu that will now muster the resolve? The person who recently announced he would fight corruption with technology? Why did “technology” not stop the lawmakers who approved his grand pension? The person who cedes to machines the duty that humans with a working conscience ought to confront cannot be taken seriously. Dey play!

The organised labour in Kogi State has demanded the immediate implementation of N35,000 wage award for workers in the state.

Addressing the May Day rally on Wednesday in Lokoja, the Kogi State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress,  Gabriel Amari, said the current N30,000 national minimum wage fell short of meeting workers’ basic needs in view of the current economic realities.

He cited the March report of the  National Bureau for Statistics indicating that inflation in the country had climbed up to 33.4 per cent.

“We advocate the immediate implementation of the N35,000 Wage award as directed by the Federal government. This adjustment is not only fair but also urgent, given the rising costs of goods and services, which continuously erode the purchasing power of Workers.

“Until the long-awaited negotiations for a new minimum wage are concluded and put into effect, the wage award would serve as a temporary relief for workers grappling with the current economic hardships,” Amari said.

He urged the Kogi State government to align itself with other states that had complied with President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the payment of wage awards to workers across the country.

“By doing so, Kogi would demonstrate its commitment to the welfare and well-being of its workforce,” the NLC chairman said.

[Punch]

The organised labour, yesterday, gave the Federal Government, May 31, the deadline to conclude the minimum wage negotiation or face a nationwide industrial action.

This came as President Bola Tinubu, promised that his administration was working on a new minimum and living wage to improve the welfare of workers in the country.

The organised labour during the May Day celebration at the Eagle Square, Abuja, also insisted on N615,000 minimum wage, even as it placed an 18-point demand before the government, threatening to shut down the country if the Federal Government failed to accede to their requests by May 31.

This came as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, congratulated Nigerian workers on this Year’s International Workers’ Day and charged them to resist all anti-people tendencies seeking to compromise and undermine the democratic tenets of freedom, rule of law, accountability and probity in the country.

Also, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi greeted Nigerian workers, saying he stands with them in solidarity for their resilience and doggedness to ensure a better Nigeria.

President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr Joe Ajaero and his Trade Union Congress, TUC, counterpart, Festus Osifo, lamented the excruciating living conditions of the Nigerian masses and especially of workers in the last year.

They said: “The last minimum wage of N30,000 expired on April 18 and we should be in the regime of new minimum wage as of today. Discussions were supposed to have been concluded.

“The Federal Government through the National Assembly legislated on it. But we saw that the discussion entered voice mail because the Federal Government refused to reconvene the meeting that was adjourned.

“We think the announcement now appears mischievous because there is no agreed minimum wage that the government is announcing. For them to announce it now, is an issue we are worried about at the NLC and the TUC.”

According to the labour leaders, though robust engagement with all stakeholders has been on, labour was pressing for a two-year lifespan for the new National Minimum Wage Act, with automatic adjustments triggered by inflation surpassing 7.5 per cent.

Insist on N615,000 wage demand

They said: “The battle for a new national minimum wage rages on. Our demand of N615,000 stands firm, rooted in the grim reality of workers’ lives across the nation. Through rigorous engagement with all stakeholders, we’ve pressed for a two-year lifespan for the new act, with automatic adjustments triggered by inflation surpassing 7.5 per cent.

“Every employer with five employees and above must comply. We demand robust monitoring and strict penalties for non-compliant state governments. We have based our figures on real data gathered from your responses nationwide, ensuring that our demand reflects the true cost of living for an average family.

“Our message is clear: anything less than a living wage condemns workers to poverty. We urge vigilance as we near the finish line, determined not to let other interests derail our pursuit of economic justice. Together, we will ensure that President Tinubu’s promise of a living wage becomes a reality for every worker in Nigeria.

Threatens total shutdown if …

“If, however, the negotiation of the National Minimum wage is not concluded by the end of May, the Trade Union Movement in Nigeria will no longer guarantee industrial peace in the country.”

Energy Crisis

Decrying the current energy crisis in the country, they said: “Our nation is crippled by this very incompetence and selfishness, leaving our citizens and economy vulnerable. Power, regardless of its origin, fuels economic growth. Oil and gas are lifelines for energy success worldwide. The government must collaborate with the people to ensure energy benefits all Nigerians, not just a privileged few.

“We demand action on our refineries. Promises remain unfulfilled, while operational ones in the private sector fail to ease the people’s suffering. There is suspicion of sabotage to profit from importing, at the expense of our economy. The recent refinery agreement lacks transparency, echoing past exploitation in other sectors.

“Claims of trillions spent on PMS subsidies baffle us. We demand clarity from the government on who benefits and who consumes the 40 million litres of projected daily consumption.

Condemn electricity tariff hike, demands reversal within one week

“The power sector’s plight persists a decade after privatization. Conflict of interest hampers progress, and higher tariffs for nonexistent electricity are unjust. We reject unilateral and illegal tariff hikes and demand adherence to due process.
“A 300 per cent tariff hike would devastate domestic manufacturers. Consumer classification perpetuates inequality, akin to apartheid, endangering field workers’ lives.

“Reassessing privatization is crucial for progress. Despite billions invested, grid collapses persist, and generation remains stagnant. Tanzania’s recent action underscores the need for change. The government must reclaim control and account for revenue from its stake.

“We commend states pursuing independent power generation and urge swift action to break monopolies and empower consumers nationwide. Let us unite to ensure energy serves all Nigerians, driving our nation’s prosperity.

“The NLC and TUC hereby advise NERC and power sector operators to reverse the last increase in electricity tariff within the next one week.”

Insecurity

Ajaero and Osifo also lamented the state of insecurity, saying “Our nation is bleeding. In just the past year, over 4,800 lives have been lost to violence, with over 400 kidnappings reported in a mere two weeks earlier this year. We’re ranked among the top 10 most terrorised nations globally, and it’s unacceptable.

“Banditry and terrorism have made life unsafe for farmers and communities nationwide. Travelling is a nightmare, economic activities suffer, and food shortage looms as farmlands are ransacked or abandoned.

“Despite billions allocated to security annually, the situation worsens. We must rethink our security approach, involving communities for greater safety. Security is communal, it starts with the people.

“A nation unable to secure itself isn’t ready for development. Economic growth hinges on security. We can’t ignore this existential issue. Investing in people secures the nation. It’s time to prioritize the people for a secure and prosperous nation.”

Responsible leadership

The NLC and TUC reminded the President that true leadership prioritises the people above all else.

They said: “Success is not measured by promises or control, but by how well we meet the people’s needs, ensure their security, and provide essential services. Good governance means accountability and prioritizing citizens.

“To achieve this, we must address corruption, insecurity, and the brain drain. Fair treatment of workers isn’t charity, it’s smart economics. We demand fair wages that motivate and inspire productivity.

“Our leaders must serve the nation, not exploit it. We reject greed and call for patriotism and commitment. Let’s build a nation we’re proud of.

“We insist on genuine dialogue and respect for democratic freedoms. Investigate attacks on journalists and communities impartially.

“Security starts with prioritising people. Let’s put Nigerians first for the sake of our nation’s future.”

Places 18-point demand before FG

The 18 other demands by NLC and TUC are:

*That the government restrains itself from the use of violence in civic engagement within the Industrial relations sphere.

• An immediate reversal of the unilateral hike in electricity tariff, enthronement of service reflective tariff and stoppage of segregation of consumers

*An expansion of NLAC’s activities and increasing its periodicity.

*The establishment of constant tripartite workplace audits at the federal, state and Enterprise levels

5. An immediate roll out of the CNG buses nationwide as agreed of the October 2, Agreement signed with the government
   *Full Implementation of Registrar of Trade Unions for Registering more unions, we demand that nee unions be registered in the informal sector. 8. We call for an urgent rethink of the Presidential system of government as practised in our country.

*We call for ane call for a review of the Electricity Privatization exercise with the view to a reversal *Once again, we demand a two-state solution to the crisis in the Middle East. The hypocrisy around international issues imperils our world.
*PTAD has been doing a good job so, do not scrap it but leave it for Pensioners.

*We call for the payment of the N25,000 palliative promised to Pensioners since last year.

*We call for a National Minimum Pension to be negotiated alongside the National Minimum Wage.

*Nigerian workers call for a one-year moratorium on all forms of taxes, levies and dues collectable from the informal economy by state and local governments.

*The immediate inclusion of workers in the Committee set up to implement the Oronsaye Report to ensure that workers’ interests are protected through the President’s actions and appointments since the assumption of office has already exacerbated the challenges the Report sought to resolve.

*We demand the implementation of the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, NSTIP, and its provisions for the National Research and Innovation Council, NRIC, for improved funding of research. We call on the National Assembly to expedite the passage of the NRIC Bill and on Mr President to give assent thereafter.

*The resurrection of fuel queues around the nation should be nipped in the bud immediately
*The forwarding of the reviewed Labour Administration Laws in Nigeria to the National Assembly for passage into law.

Tinubu assures of pay rise, better working conditions

Meanwhile, President Tinubu assured Nigerian workers of a new minimum wage and a living wage, as well as improved working conditions.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the President said: “You, the workers of our great nation, are its very backbone. I want to assure you that we appreciate and celebrate your hard work, sacrifices, and contributions to the prosperity and stability of our great nation every day.”

On the new minimum wage, President Tinubu said, “We took office at a time when many nations, including ours, were experiencing daunting socio-political and developmental challenges. Yet, we are resolute in confronting these obstacles head-on.

“The Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage has been working diligently, and I assure you that your days of worrying are over. Indeed, this government is open to the committee’s suggestion of not just a minimum wage but a living wage.”

Emphasizing the importance of industrial harmony, the President praised the workers, saying, “Your role as an indispensable component of the nation’s engine cannot be overstated by any government if the quest for a just and progressive society is to be realised.

“Our shared vision for national growth and development can only be realised in an atmosphere of industrial harmony and peaceful coexistence in every segment of our country.”

Tinubu appealed to workers to continue to use the power of the labour movement for the greater good of the nation, fostering harmony and cooperation.

He said: “I call upon every one of you to join hands in shaping the destiny of our nation towards greatness. Our allegiance and patriotism are the bedrock upon which our beloved country thrives.”
The president in a statement by his spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, said: “The President salutes Nigerian workers for their fidelity to the peace, progress, and development of the nation evident in their tireless efforts and patriotic zeal to keep the national engine running.

“President Tinubu celebrates Nigerian workers across all spheres, from the clerical officer who ensures the proper documentation and distribution of correspondence; the security officer who remains ever dutiful through all seasons; the teacher who secures the future of our nation by imparting knowledge to the next generation; the doctor who works relentlessly to save precious lives, and to all Nigerian workers who keep the candle aflame.

“The President affirms that his administration remains committed to improving the welfare of all workers, noting the various relief programmes, including the wage award and the imminent minimum wage review.

“President Tinubu strongly believes that the custodians of the nation’s machinery deserve a fair wage and enhanced welfare and that a labourer is deserving of not just any reward but fair and commensurate wages.”

PDP charges Nigerian workers to resist anti-people tendencies

The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, said: “We salute Nigerian workers for remaining steadfast as real drivers of the national economy despite the asphyxiating and life-discounting conditions occasioned by the ill-implemented economic and fiscal policies of the All Progressives Congress, APC, administration.

“Our party is deeply distraught that Nigerian workers and indeed millions of other citizens have, in the last nine years been subjected to misery, harrowing economic hardship and worsening insecurity by the rudderless and insensitive APC administrations, which have wrecked the nation’s productive sectors and brought distress to our national life.

“The PDP particularly condemns the continuing increase in electricity tariff and price of petroleum products with petrol now selling at over N1000 per litre in various parts of the country; a situation that has resulted in an astronomical increase in the cost of living and worsened the economic hardship in the country.

“As the Party of the people, the PDP demands that the APC-led Federal Government ends its insensitivity towards Nigerians and use the occasion of the Workers’ Day to review all its retrogressive policies and take urgent action towards addressing issues that have direct bearing on the welfare of the citizens.

“The PDP however, urges Nigerian workers and indeed all citizens not to give up hope but remain steadfast in their commitment towards a stable, united and prosperous nation, especially at this challenging time.
“The Party celebrates the workers and wishes them a happy Workers’ Day celebration.”

I stand with workers in solidarity- Peter Obi

Obi, in a letter he addressed to the workers, said: “As we come together to celebrate Workers’ Day, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of pride and admiration for every one of you who continue to stand tall and steadfast in your commitment to building our great nation, even in the face of adversity and challenges.

“As we honour the hard work, dedication, and resilience of workers across the country and beyond, I am reminded of the incredible strength and spirit that defines us as a people.

“Despite the countless obstacles and hurdles that may stand in our way, you, the backbone of our society, remain unwavering in your resolve to contribute to the growth and development of our beloved nation.

“From the bustling streets of Lagos to the serene villages of the North, from the bustling markets of Onitsha to the bustling ports of Port Harcourt, your labour forms the foundation upon which our nation stands.

“Whether you are toiling in the fields under the scorching sun or labouring in factories amidst the hum of machinery, your efforts are the lifeblood of our economy and the driving force behind our progress.

“But beyond the tangible contributions you daily make to our nation’s development, it is your unwavering patriotism, resilience, and determination that truly inspire us all.

“In the face of economic hardships, political uncertainties, and social injustices, you continue to stand your ground, holding fast to your belief in a brighter future for our country.

‘I stand with you in solidarity, championing your cause and advocating for your rights. I recognize the sacrifices you make every day to provide for your families, support your communities, and contribute to the collective well-being of our nation.

“Today, as we celebrate Workers’ Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to one another and to the ideals of unity, justice, and equality for all. Let us take pride in our achievements, draw strength from our collective resilience, and rededicate ourselves to the noble cause of building a better, more prosperous Nigeria for generations to come.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude and admiration to every one of you for your unwavering dedication, patriotism, and sacrifice. Your labour is the cornerstone of our nation’s prosperity, and your contributions will forever be cherished and celebrated.

“Truly, as our anthem reaffirms, the labour of you, our perpetual heroes, shall indeed never be in vain.”

Akpabio assures workers of better welfare

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, in a message to mark Workers Day, by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, said: “A Nigerian worker is noted for his patriotism, hard work, resilience, and dedication to duty.

“I am happy to be associated with the Nigerian worker in the last more than 25 years and I can attest to the fact that everywhere you go, the Nigerian worker’s spirit resonates profoundly.

“No Nigerian worker will again be allowed to work under inhuman conditions. We will do everything to give you the best because you deserve the best.”

Akpabio who reiterated that the theme for this year’s celebration was apt and in tune with the international best practices, assuring that Nigeria will never be left behind, said that the 10th National Assembly was fully committed to providing the required legislative enablement aimed at protecting the interest of the Nigerian worker, creating a befitting workplace environment and a pay that takes them home.

He said: “On behalf of the Senate and the entire National Assembly and indeed, my family, I wish to join the world in wishing the Nigerian worker a happy International Labour Day.

“We are celebrating patriotism, hard work, commitment and dedication. And I want to assure you that your sacrifices can never go in vain. The tough times will never last forever and in fact, they will soon be over,” he added.

Vanguard News Nigeria

David Umahi, minister of works, has accused Paul Onwuanibe, chief executive officer (CEO) of Landmark Africa Group, of politicising issues arising from the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.

Umahi spoke on Monday while supervising the demolition of structures at the Landmark Beach in  Lagos.

Recently, the federal government commenced the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road, which is expected to run through the shoreline of beach resorts in  Lagos, while traversing eight other states.

The project has generated controversy and concerns about funding and the businesses that would be affected during construction.

On April 18, Onwuanibe said the government had not formally contacted the resort on the impact the project would have on the beach business.

Speaking during the demolition exercise, Umahi said the federal government only destroyed shanties at the beach on its 250-metre right of way.

The minister said the Landmark CEO is “seeking attention”, adding that he has no claim to make in the demolition of shanties on the right of way.

“No claim for Landmark. We spared all his infrastructure. We don’t pay for shanties. Shanties were on our right of way — 250 metres from the shoreline,” Umahi said.

“He has no claim. We make all the efforts to spare all his infrastructure. That is why I said he is a politician and I’m an engineer.

“While he plays politics, I do the engineering work. I don’t know the attention he is seeking for when things are very practical.”

 [TheCable]