On Thursday, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) announced the tragic loss of three construction workers who perished in a building collapse at Arowojobe Estate in Maryland, Lagos.

According to LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the fatal incident occurred at a building located at no 13, Wilson Mba Street, Arowojobe Estate, Maryland, Lagos.

The incident was confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said the three males that were recovered dead at the building were site workers.

“The agency received a distress call regarding a collapsed building at the above address at about 3.49 a.m.

“This prompted the immediate activation of the agency’s response team to the scene of the incident at 3.58 a.m.

“It was discovered that a set of three terraces under construction had collapsed.

One of the rescued was receiving treatment on-site.

“Search and rescue operations began immediately, and three adult males were recovered dead, two male adults were rescued alive, and one adult male trapped under the rubble was rescued,” he said.

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has directed its 104 affiliated youth organizations to remain on standby consultation ahead of the nationwide protest scheduled for August 1.

Frustrated Nigerians, who are dissatisfied with the state of the economy and the hardship in the land, have vowed to hit the streets in protest.

The youth body stated it would, in the next four days, consult widely with various stakeholders, including government officials, security agencies, civil society organizations, and the media, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the issues.

However, the federal government has warned that there would be dire consequences for the stability of the country if the nationwide protest being planned by some Nigerians goes ahead.

In a communiqué issued on Thursday following an emergency meeting of its National Executive, 36 State Chairmen, and other stakeholders held via Zoom from Wednesday into the early hours of Thursday, the NYCN expressed concern over the severe socio-economic challenges and widespread hardship faced by citizens, especially the youth.

The communiqué, signed by its President, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, stated that the youth body would hold a world press conference on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, to address the nation on current issues and its stance on the upcoming protest.

The communiqué reads: “On July 24, 2024, the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) convened a crucial meeting with its National Executive, 36 State Chairmen, and other key stakeholders to deliberate on the state of the nation and the looming nationwide protest scheduled for August 1, 2024.

“The meeting was held via Zoom and lasted for several hours, addressing the urgent concerns of Nigerian youths and the overall socio-economic and political climate of the country.

“NYCN leaders acknowledged that the current socio-economic challenges facing Nigeria, including rising inflation, insecurity, unemployment, and the general hardship experienced by citizens, particularly the youth, have reached alarming levels.

“After extensive deliberations, the following resolutions were adopted: The NYCN commits to, in the next four days, consult widely with various stakeholders, including government officials, security agencies, civil society organizations, and the media, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the issues.”

NYCN reaffirmed its commitment to representing the interests of Nigerian youths and advocating for positive change in the nation.

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Thursday, cautioned President Bola Tinubu not to stop the upcoming August 1 protest against hardship in the country.

Primate Ayodele said Nigerians are very bitter and have formed hatred toward the present government due to the hardship in the country.

In a statement by his Media Aide, Oluwatosin Osho, Ayodele said the protest will hold but the government should work on mitigating the effects by reducing the prices of essential commodities like food, fuel, electricity, etc.

The clergy explained that the current hardship is affecting the poor and rich because many didn’t expect it to get to this level even though he warned them before voting in another APC government.

He urged the president to discard those deceiving him that the economic situation of the country is getting better.

According to Ayodele, ‘’People are very bitter and they have hatred towards this government. Some states will participate and some will not but definitely there will be protests. The government needs all it needs to do; crash the price of food, electricity, petroleum, find solutions to insecurity, regulate prices and others to mitigate the effect of the protest.

‘’People are in serious hardship but the government doesn’t understand, they need to do something fast because it will be more than an ordinary protest. Nigeria doesn’t need this protest now because there is ‘protest inside protest’ due to pains, hardship, and hunger.

‘’This government is just assumption-based; it is not a realistic one so it’s difficult to connect with people or understand their pains. The government must adjust, it’s very simple to stop this protest by doing all that is needed. It will be a protest of hunger, pains and reward.

‘’The government is affecting the rich and poor, there is hardship everywhere but people didn’t expect this. People who surround the government are deceiving him. They want the government to collapse. The government has not done anything so they should expect the protest, it will stand. ‘’

‘’Nigeria deserves better welfare despite the increment in minimum wage, it’s not an achievement but let this government go after a better achievement that the people will be grateful for.’’

The Bauchi State Government has warned any individual or group planning to organise any protest, saying there would be no protest taking place in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Kashim, while speaking against the backdrop of the planned nationwide protest, dismissed any speculation of protests occurring within the state’s borders.

“On the part of the government, we completely dissociate ourselves from any protest. We are not aware, we are not welcoming any protest, and it’s not going to happen in Bauchi State,” Kashim said.

While highlighting the state’s reputation for peace and tranquility, Kashim emphasized that the government is resolute in maintaining the atmosphere, cautioning the organizers to stage the protest elsewhere and not in Bauchi State.

The Super Falcons of Nigeria will begin their quest for a podium finish at the 2024 Olympic Games when they confront Brazil in their opening Group C fixture on Thursday (today).

The encounter is slated for the Matmut Atlantique Stadium, Bordeaux. It will kick-off at 6pm.

The Super Falcons are back to the Olympics after a 16-year absence.

Tonight’s encounter will be the third meeting between Nigeria and Brazil.

Brazil won their first meeting 4-3 at the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The South Americans also claimed a 3-1 victory the last time both countries met at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Brazil will be led by the legendary Marta, who has scored 118 goals in 183 appearances for the Samba Girls.

The Super Falcons will also face current world champions Spain and former world champions Japan in the same group.

Randy Waldrum’s side lost 1-0 to Canada in their only friendly before the Olympics.

The Operation Whirlwind arm of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has confiscated a total of 41,425 litres of petrol from smugglers operating mostly around international borderlines of Adamawa and neighbouring Cameroon Republic.

The Operation Whirlwind National Coordinator, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, who disclosed this during a press briefing in Yola on Wednesday, said nine vehicles that the smugglers used in conveying the contraband were also seized.

Ejibunu said the seizures were made between May this year and now.

Giving an update in seizures during the news briefing at the Adamawa/Taraba Zonal headquarters of the NCS in Yola, Ejibunu said, “Today, we have another seizure of 1,481 kegs (Jerry cans) and 20 drums, containing 25 litres each and 220 each litres respectively, which translate into 41,425 litres of PMS (petrol).”

He said the containers of petrol were seized with nine means of conveyance, being different brands of cars fitted with petrol carrying tankers hidden by thickly tinted windscreens.

Ejibunu explained that the seizures were of the cumulative duty value of N48,547,500.

“These interceptions were made on different dates and locations across Mubi-Sahuda road, Girei-Wuro Boki axis, Maiha road, Angwan Tana-Bajin Kogi axis and other places,” he said.

He added that Customs operatives working under the auspices of the Operation Whirlwind act in collaboration with NMDPRA in monitoring the supply and distribution chain from the depot of loading up to retail outlets, to ensure PMS reach designated destinations.

The Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, has warned residents to avoid violent protests similar to the 2020 #EndSARS protests.

She urged residents to avoid the destruction of public properties.

Salu-Hundeyin gave the warning while addressing newsmen after a routine security meeting with the secretaries to the local governments at the state secretariat in Alausa, Lagos.

Naija News reports that during the 2020 #EndSARS protests, several public properties, including a Bus Rapid Transit terminal, were set ablaze by hoodlums, and lives were reportedly lost.

Due to the rising cost of living and staple foods, some Nigerians are planning another protest expected to kick-start on August 1, 2024, and run till August 10.

Speaking on the planned protest, the SSG affirmed that every Nigerian has the right to express themselves through protest, but warned residents to avoid violent demonstrations that would disrupt the peace of the state.

She said, “This is the state that does not owe any pensioner a Kobo. If you retired today, you should be expecting your pension immediately. The Lagos State Government is doing so much.

“Is it the Ilera Eko, the New Insurance Medical Schemes, the university we are building, the blue line rail, and others?

“It is a legitimate right for citizens to protest; there’s nothing wrong with it. The only thing people should worry about is that we do not want violence because the nascent peace we enjoy in Nigeria now and the development we are seeing, particularly in Lagos State, should not be truncated.

“We do not want anything to tamper with all that the state is currently enjoying. During the last protest (EndSARS), we saw the destruction that happened. They have a right, but their rights should not be for destruction.”

The chairman of Scribe 57 and Ikeja SLG, Akeem Dauda, raised the same alarm and described the planned protest as “unnecessary,” noting that local people would be engaged to discourage participation.

“We have resolved that the protest is uncalled for and unnecessary based on what Lagos State, led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has done in the last year. We feel strongly about educating them about why the protest in Lagos is unnecessary,” he said.

The prices of tomatoes, beans, garri rose above 200 percent in June 2024 from their previous prices in the corresponding period of 2023.

In its Selected Food  Price Watch for June 2024, released yesterday, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, indicated that price of  tomatoes (1kg)  increased Year-on-Year (YoY) by 320.67 percent to N2,302.26 in June 2024 from N547.28 in June of last year (2023).

Similarly, the price of 1kg beans brown (sold loose) stood at N2,292.76 indicating a rise of 252.13 percent YoY from N651.12 recorded in June 2023.

The report also indicated that the price of 1kg Irish potatoes grew by 288.5 percent to N2,423.27 in June 2024 from N623.75 in June 2023.

NBS stated: “Selected Food Price Watch for June 2024 shows that the average price of 1kg beans brown (sold loose) stood at N2,292.76. This indicates a rise of 252.13 percent in price on a YoY basis from N651.12 recorded in June 2023 and a 14.11 percent rise in price on a month-on-month basis from N2,009.23 in May 2024. “Tomatoes (1kg) experienced significant price increases year on year by 320.67 percent from N547.28 in June of last year (2023) to N2,302.26 in June 2024. “On a month-on-month basis, the average price of this item rose by 55.59 percent from N 1,479.69 in May 2024.

“There was also a notable price increase of Irish potato by 288.5 percent on a year-on-year basis from N623.75 in June 2023 to N2,423.27 in June 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 51.92 percent from N 1,595.07 in May 2024. Furthermore, the average price of 1kg Garri white sold loose went up by 181.66 percent on a year-on-year basis from N 403.15 in June 2023 to N1,135.51 in June 2024, while there was an increase of 1.86 percent on a month-on-month basis.

“Also, the average price of 1kg of Yam tuber increased by 295.79 percent on a year-on-year basis from N510.77 in June 2023 to N 2,021.55 in May 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 52.87 percent from N 1,322.36 in May 2024 to N 2,021.55 in June 2024.”

The bureau noted that the highest average price of 1kg of Brown Beans (sold loose) was recorded in Kogi state at N 3,006.43 while the lowest was in Adamawa state at N1,336.11. The highest average price of 1kg of Tomato was recorded in Abuja at N 3,992.61 while the lowest was in Kebbi State at N1,200.00.

“Regarding the average price of 1kg of yam tuber, Lagos state recorded the highest price at N3,376.54, while Adamawa recorded the lowest price at N1100.00. “Gombe recorded the highest average price of 1kg Garri white sold loose at N1,619.27, while the lowest was reported in Taraba at N 900”, it added.

…Labour Ministry, NSIWS get power to exempt employers

As workers anxiously look forward to the commencement of the N70,000 new minimum wage any moment from now, unfortunately not every worker will be paid the new wage.

Who are those that fall below the minimum wage threshold, and why?

Vanguard’s investigation revealed that the Tripartite Committee on the New National Minimum Wage, before it ended its works on June 5, 2024, recommended the categories of workers who are not eligible to receive the minimum wage.

Vanguard’s investigation shows that the 10-man sub-committee of the Tripartite committee comprising the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Onyejeocha Nkiruka, Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State, labour leaders, private sector operators, four from National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission among others, in a report recommended employer with a minimum of 10 employees as against the 25 employees contained in the now repealed 2018 Minimum Wage Act, among other categories of workers exempted from the national minimum wage.

According to the investigation, “the committee after careful considerations, consultation and survey, including reports of the public hearings, as well as to provide the solution to issues and concerns raised, noted that to avoid unreasonable or unfair exclusion of many poor workers from the right to a decent earning, this sub-committee tried to take a different approach to determine who should be exempted.

“Rather than exemption based on capacity to employ, the exemption should be based on revenue or net income, either quarterly or annually. Enforcement mechanisms should be able to access accounts of employer organisations to determine compliance.

“Rather than focus mainly on monthly salary, which is only applicable to government and organised private sector employment, an hourly, daily and weekly minimum wage should be introduced to establishments or businesses that either pay after work or those that may opt to pay weekly, in addition to monthly payment that’s prevalent in organised private sector and the governments. This will take care of part time and piece-rate employees.”

It equally recommended the introduction of flexibility to exemption, by making it possible for organisations to be able to apply for exemption. To encourage startups and entrepreneurship, years of starting business could be factored.

Criteria for Exemption

In the opinion of the committee, to qualify for exemption from the mandatory payment of minimum wage, a business must fall under a Nano business(Business managed by 1-3 persons with capital below N50,000) and micro business enterprise, has 10 or a smaller number of employees, startup businesses, legal or statutory exemption and commission contract

Others include establishments that have less than N50-million revenue per quarter or N200 million revenue per annum, organisations with less than 10 staff, establishments of not more than three years in existence, industries which have their staff remuneration and compensation regulated by other Acts of the National Assembly or any other business which the Minister of Labour and Employment or the Executive Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission finds to be reasonably justified to be waived or exempted, provided that such waiver shall not be given unless the reason for its application is based on evidence of lower revenue, insolvency, debt crisis or other justification that threaten the existence of the establishment, which shall not apply to governments or their ministries, departments and agencies.

Before arriving at its recommendations, the committee took note of the exemption of workers on seasonal employment such as agricultural farmlands, exemption of any person working in a vessel or aircraft to which laws regulating merchant shipping or civil aviation applies.

The committee also noted that “The formal sector wage pattern: governments, corporate organisations and other organised private sector businesses. The wage pattern in this category is mainly every month. Workers and their employers in this category are usually the focus of the national minimum wage laws.

There is yet, a serious challenge when it comes to coverage of or compliance with, as the case may be, the national minimum wage even amongst this category of employers.

Therefore, it is difficult to have an accurate assessment of the pattern either because some establishment shortchanges by strategically avoiding the threshold or, in the case of state governments, refusing to comply with the law.”

It pointed out “the informal sector wage pattern, in which workers do not have any earning yardstick, wages in this sector are multi-dimensional. Compensation and remuneration in this category range from commission, to piece-rate. Some are paid daily after close of business which might be dependent upon daily sales. Some are employed on apprenticeship, to work and learn, while helping to build or grow the business with the agreement to get settlement by taking a share of the business, becoming partners or receiving settlements after some agreed years.

Justification for exemption

The sub-committee considered the rationale, justification and objective for excluding organisations from mandatory compliance with the national minimum wage laws based on the number of their employees.

The sub-committee considered that many organisations with supposedly slim workforces earn multi-billion naira in annual revenue, and yet do not on their own volition find it fair to commensurately compensate their junior staff with an amount above the minimum wage standard.

The sub-committee also found that this idea of exemption is even discouraged by the International Labour Organisation, describing it as unfair to the lowest earners of the society.

The sub-committee argues that even if this form of exemption becomes necessary, 25 employees as the baseline for such exemption is unfair and unrealistic.

In the wake of growing hardship in the country and calls for a nationwide protest against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the Federal Government yesterday pleaded with Nigerians for more time, promising to handle the protest as a ‘’family matter.” 

It also pledged to resolve all issues in a manner that will ensure the peace and stability of the nation.

The government’s position came on a day South-East governors advised aggrieved Nigerians not to go ahead with the nationwide protests, saying the country was too tense for such protests.

This is even as the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, asked both the federal and state governments to listen to the cries of the people and warned against the use of brute force to suppress the protest.

Similarly, the Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives called on the Federal Government to dialogue with planned protesters to address their concerns, while human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, warned the government against threatening organisers of the planned protests.

‘Family matter’

Speaking after a meeting of members of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, at the instance of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume, yesterday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said in a brief interview: “We came together to discuss. You can see that this is not happening at the council chambers, it is happening in the office of the SGF and many of the ministers are here.

“We have discussed issues of national interest and all of us are working for Nigeria and we hope and believe Nigeria is going to be great again.

“No one is going to sleep. Those who are agitating and asking for protests are Nigerians, they are our brothers, they are our sisters, they are all Nigerians and those in positions of authority – the ministers, the President, everybody, we are all Nigerians too.

“So, this is a family matter. This is a Nigerian family issue and all of us are looking at this issue very well and we hope that peace will prevail at the end of the day.”

Asked if the government had been engaging with the stakeholders and organizers of the planned protest, Idris said engagement had always been an ongoing thing.

“This is not a peculiar situation, engagement has been ongoing. The President has met severally with all key stakeholders. I have also been meeting with stakeholders, other government functionaries have also been meeting with other key stakeholders.

“Engagement is going to continue and in the interest of Nigeria, we will continue to engage. We know this is the only country that all of us have and at the end of the day, Nigeria is going to be better for all of us for it,” he stated.

On alleged insistence by some top Nigerians, including a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, that the protests must go on, Idris said the senior lawyer is entitled to his opinion in a democracy.

“He (Falana) is an individual. This is a democracy, everyone is entitled to his opinion. The protesters are also Nigerians, this is a democratic situation. What I keep saying is that we are all Nigerians and we are all acting in the interest of Nigeria, but suffice to say that yesterday, (Tuesday) Mr President said there is no need for any protest, let us calm down.

“A lot is happening, Nigeria is going to move and march on and we believe that whatever government comes out with will be in the interest of Nigeria. We don’t think there is need for any protest, we are appealing for calm, we are appealing for a peaceful resolution or peaceful approach to any issue.

“If you have anything you want to put out there, you are free to put it out there but government is insisting that we are all Nigerians, we have to be calm, we have to be patient and suffice it to say let us give peace a chance.

“Mr President is working round the clock, his ministers are working, everyone is working, all hands are on deck.

“Like I said yesterday (Tuesday), everyone is listening; we are all listening, the President is listening and he has a message for all Nigerians. That message is that they should all calm down, they should please give the man more time. Everything they asked for, all their pleas will be answered,” he added.

Some of the ministers who attended the meeting include Nyesom Wike (FCT); Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs); Zephaniah Jisalo (Special Duties); Tahir Mamman (Education); and Abubakar Bagudu (Budget and Planning). 

Others are Wale Edun (Finance); Mohammed Idris (Information); Bello Matawalle (Defence); David Umahi (Works); and the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, among others.