.. appeal to govt for bailout to distressed construction sector

…to declare industrial action if FG,Federation of Construction Industry, stakeholders fail to resolve differences within 21 days

 
The Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association,CCESSA, and the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction Furniture and Wood Workers,NUCECFWW,both affiliates of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria,TUC and the Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC,disclosed yesterday that over 52,000 construction and furniture workers have lost their jobs in the past one year.

The two unions respectively ,are representing the senior and junior staff in the construction and furniture industry.

The unions which attributed the development to total slowdown in the industry due to disagreement between the contractors handling various civil construction projects for the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Works as a result of unilateral imposition of new standard conditions of contracts by the minister, appealed to the government for a bailout to the distressed construction sector.

National President of CCESSA,Comrade Engr. Ayodeji Adeyemo and the National President of NUCECFWW, Comrade Stephen Okoro,at a joint press conference in Abuja, said the
unilateral imposition of new standard conditions of contracts by the Minister of Works,Engr. David Umahi,was contrary to the existing conditions as approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement,BPP.

A joint text of the media conference,read to newsmen, said:”The construction industry as you are aware is the second largest employer of labour in Nigeria after the Government, but with the recent development in the industry, we deem it necessary to let the world know of our plight in order to avoid a total collapse of an already distressed sector.

“This joint press release is to alert and inform the appropriate quarters and the public at large of the developments in the construction industry and the subsequent effects.

“Today, there is a total slowdown in the industry due to disagreement between the contractors handling various civil construction projects for the Federal Government and the Ministry of Works as a result of unilateral imposition of new standard conditions of contracts by the Minister, contrary to the existing conditions as approved by the Bureau of public procurement (BPP).

“This has affected employment in the industry, leading to mass sack of Nigerian workers who are members of our unions.

“This is in contrast to the Renew Hope Agenda of the present regime of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

The unions said,”Currently ,we have lost over fifty percent of our members as a result of the disagreement; this situation is bound to further increase poverty and insecurity that the country is grappling with.”

“We are using this medium to appeal to the Honourable Minister of Works that what is needed now is a form of bail out to a distressed construction sector rather than any form of conflict.

“The two unions are also concerned about the effect of a prolong unresolved conflict on investor confidence in the stability of the country’s business environment. Moreover, the Federal Government should as a matter of urgency come up with a clear policy of strict adherence to payment terms,”the prepared text read by the union leaders said.

Arising from the foregoing, the unions called on the federal government to among others,”mmediately resolve the conflict in the industry by involving all stakeholders in contract awards like Bureau of Public procurement (BPP), Ministry of Justice, Ministry of works, Council for Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN), Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI);put an end to banditry, kidnappings and killings that have been going on in the country, and ensure the safety of our members and all Nigerians in any part of the country.”

Besides,they tasked the government to curb inflation that makes the meagre salary of workers worthless as regards its purchasing power. “

“The cost of commodities in the market has constantly been on the rise with workers salary depreciating in value. Government should do more to stabilize the economy,”they added.

The unions insisted that “government must device means of stabilizing the Naira against foreign currencies and encourage local productions and consumptions.”

“Finally,we urge the Minister of Works; the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI) and all concerned to amicably resolve the current conflict within twenty one days. Otherwise, the two unions will be compelled to declare industrial actions in the construction industry in Nigeria to address these issues to prevent further lose of jobs of our members,”the two unions warned.

Marian Robinson, the mother of former US First Lady Michelle Obama, has died at the age of 86, the Obama family announced in a statement on Friday.

In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Mrs Obama said, “My mom Marian Robinson was my rock, always there for whatever I needed.

“She was the same steady backstop for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share she passed away today.”

In a separate tweet, Mr Obama said, “there was and will be only one Marian Robinson.

“In our sadness, we are lifted up by the extraordinary gift of her life, and we will spend the rest of ours trying to live up to her example.”

Robinson was born in Chicago in 1937 and raised her children, Michelle and Craig, on the city’s South Side. She later moved to the White House to support her daughter’s family during Barack Obama’s presidency.

The Obama family’s statement reads in part:

“Marian Lois Shields Robinson — our mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother — had a way of summing up the truths about life in a word or two, maybe a quick phrase that made everyone around her stop and think.

“Her wisdom came off as almost innate, as something she was born with, but in reality it was hard-earned, fashioned by her deep understanding that the world’s roughest edges could always be sanded down with a little grace.

“At every step, as our families went down paths none of us could have predicted, she remained our refuge from the storm.

“On Election Night in 2008, when the news broke that Barack would soon shoulder the weight of the world, she was there, holding his hand.

“With a healthy nudge, she agreed to move to the White House with Michelle and Barack. We needed her. The girls needed her. And she ended up being our rock through it all.”

A 39-year-old man, Yusuf Umar from Dagu village in Warji LGA, Bauchi State, has been arrested by the State Police Command for attempting to sell his 5-year-old daughter for N1.5 million.

The arrest was disclosed by the Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa Mohammed, during a briefing at the Police headquarters in Bauchi.

According to him, “Man was apprehended while attempting to sell his biological daughter. Detectives of the Command arrested one Yusuf Umar aged 49yrs of Dagu village via Warji LGA of Bauchi State. The suspect who claimed to be a staff with Warji Local Government area council was arrested for trafficking his 5-year-old biological child.”

The CP added that “On the 26th May, 2024, the accused took the infant (5-year-old) daughter from the estranged wife in Warji LGA under the pretence that he would take her to his sister in Bauchi town.”

He added that “Unknown to the mother, he had already arranged to hand over the girl to an unknown person, not knowing that he is a Police detective, where the defendant was arrested in a Hotel in Bauchi after he bargained for N1.5m to give up his biological daughter.”

“Additionally, the defendant to ensure his interest, sent the sum of N40000 as transportation fare to the person who linked him up with the buyer,” he added.

Auwal Musa Mohammed added, “I have directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Intelligent Department (CID) to discreetly investigate the crux of the matter to unravel more motives behind the defendants actions, after which he will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation for the established offence.”

While answering questions from Journalists, Yusuf Umar confirmed that he actually attempted to sell his daughter and even negotiated with the potential buyer agreeing to sell at the sum of N1.5m.

Asked of the whereabouts of the daughter, he said, “The last time I saw her was last Monday when I brought her to be sold. I am praying that no harm will happen to her. I love her and want to see her again.”

Nigerian gospel singer Yinka Ayefele has said having children despite his spinal cord injury was a miracle.

He noted that any man with cord injury might not be able to impregnate a woman, stressing that his case was rare.

Ayefele spoke on the ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask’ show hosted by content creator, Bae U Barbie.

He debunked claims that he “bought” his children, clarifying that he impregnated his wife and she gave birth to their triplets.

The host, “I’m shocked you said you have three beautiful and amazing kids. My question is, how did you do it?”

Ayefele replied, “How did I do what? Curious that I impregnated my wife? How did I get three kids? You would have seen pregnant women before. I impregnated my wife and she got pregnant and had triplets.

“You thought I bought them? I don’t understand what you mean. I know you are curious, you want to talk about my spinal cord injury. Anybody who has a spinal cord injury might not be able to impregnate a lady. Yeah, it’s a fact, it’s one out of a hundred.”

He began his music career in 1997 after he was involved in an automobile accident which damaged his spinal cord and made him reliant on a wheelchair.

He is married to Temitope Titilope and they are blessed with three children.

Stanley Nwabali is glad to see Maduka Okoye return to the Super Eagles and claims there is no rivalry between them.

Nwabali established himself as the Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Okoye has been recalled to the team by head coach Finidi George after an impressive debut season at Serie A club Udinese.

The former Watford shot-stopper’s return is set to add more competition to the goalkeeping department.

Nwabali, however, said there is no rivalry between him and Okoye.

“There’s no debate. If Maduka can give what he’s giving Udinese to the country, then he should play,” Nwabali told Lagos Talks.

“It’s not like a club side, where you see a new signing and you talk about fighting, No. This is the country we are playing for, we are representing this green white green, and we want to see everyone happy.”

President Bola Tinubu has decried the poor delivery of democracy dividends at the grassroots, calling on state governors to prioritize the needs of local communities.

Tinubu, who made the call when he received the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, also spoke on out-of-school children, security, and the economy.

While noting the lack of attention for the grassroots, where he said the highest number of votes come from during elections, the President said the ACF leadership should intervene by imploring governors to urgently pay attention to the needs of people in the councils. 

Tinubu, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngalale, said: “We are running a constitutional democracy. I will appeal to you to summon the governors. I am doing my very best to enhance the revenue base of the country. They must equally be sympathetic and urgently consider the needs of the local people.

“People reside in the local communities. That is where they work, farm, and live. If the local governments are not effective in delivering services; as leaders, we must not hang on to the numbers. We have 774 local government areas, but are they truly effective? Do they solve problems for Nigerians? Do they coordinate development programming with the state and federal governments?

“Who is being held accountable for the performance of the 774 local governments? Maybe we should look at recalibrating. What was good four years ago may not be good today. When we want the votes, we go to the locals; when we get the votes, we move to and focus on Abuja.”

Highlighting the significance of education in nation-building, the President described the situation of out-of-school children in parts of Nigeria as unacceptable.

On security, President Tinubu commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his efforts, saying: “Everybody wants to be secure, and we need to invest more in technology. We will do it, I promise you. We will put our heart and soul into ensuring that Nigeria is secure and its citizens are protected.”

Tinubu also used the occasion to appeal for national unity and continued support for his government as it makes effort to address challenges confronting the populace.

He directed the establishment of a committee to follow up on the issues raised at the meeting and assigned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, to lead the follow-up efforts.

The sum of ₦3.8 billion has been allocated by the Tinubu-led Federal government to support stranded Nigerian scholars in foreign countries.

The Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Sonny Echono, shared this information on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on TETFund.

He mentioned that the fund has provided support to 1,500 scholars, totalling ₦3.8 billion in funding.

In response to the reported delay in scholarship payments, Echono clarified that the recent spike in foreign exchange rates has raised concerns among scholars from various countries, including the United Kingdom and Malaysia.

Echono confirmed that these concerns had been communicated to the National Assembly, the Presidential Villa, the Ministry of Education, and even TETFund.

“We were happy that the response was very positive and that was why we were able to secure the President’s approval and do what we called the bail out or assistance.

“We did observe that part of the challenge.

“In the past, each time we send funding for the institutions, we send money directly to the schools and it is the responsibility of the institutions to now remit to the students.

“However, for illegitimate and legitimate reasons, many of the institutions came back to us and complained that it takes a whole lot of time to process the transfers to central bank.

“But we now pay directly to the institution as part of our intervention,” he said.

Echono disclosed that Nigeria’s performance in research grants has improved, moving from 9th to 7th place in Africa.

President Bola Tinubu has said the reintroduction of the old national anthem was always a priority for him.

Tinubu made this known on Thursday during a meeting with the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) at the State House in Abuja.

The Nigerian leader said the National Assembly made the law reverting to the old national anthem and he does not have a choice but to obey the legislation.

He said Nigeria’s diversity should be protected and celebrated, adding that the country’s population should not be seen as a burden.

He said: “Let me allude to something that happened yesterday. The change of national anthem, ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’.

“Some people say, okay… say what? Is that your priority? It’s my priority. I agree with the national assembly. If they make law, I’ve got to obey that law, or we disagree openly and close the chapter.”

“But the question of diversity. Who gave us the name Nigeria? Is it not Britain? Or somewhere? Have we changed our name? We are Nigerians. Our passport shows that.

“As long as we are Nigerians and one family, we remain and protect our diversity and love one another as brothers and sisters.

“It is God Almighty that puts you in that particular place and makes you a member of that family. You have no control over it.

“When I came begging for votes, I didn’t say vote for me as a Yoruba man, I said vote for me as Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

Recall that in 2022, Tinubu had said in an interview that he would bring back the first national anthem if he had his way.

Two years later, Tinubu signed a bill into law that returned the old national anthem themed: ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’.

The return of the old anthem had divided opinions, with some commentators criticising the move as yet another case of misplaced priority given the plethora of challenges confronting Nigerians.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced the temporary suspension of the controversial helicopter landing fee recently introduced by the federal government.

Keyamo, in a statement on Friday, issued by the spokesperson of his ministry, Odutayo, Oluseyi, said the suspension is to allow a review of the policy after stakeholders complained about its introduction.

Recalls the federal government had announced the introduction of a $300 helicopter landing levy.

According to a statement issued by the Press and Public Affairs Manager of the Ministry of Aviation, the government has granted the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) permission to begin charging the fees.

The statement added that NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Limited has been granted sole authorization to administer helicopter landing fees for federal entities on behalf of NAMA for the federal government.

However, following the vehement rejection of the levy by aviation stakeholders, Keyamo announced on Friday that the levy has been suspended with effect from May 30, 2024, to allow for its review.

He added that a committee has been set up to look into the issues raised by concerned stakeholders and submit a report on or before the end of June 2024.

“The statement read: “Following a meeting with the AON executive on the issue bordering on Helicopter landing levies collection at Aerodromes, Helipads, Air Strips, etc, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has temporarily suspended the enforcement granted Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd, by the Federal Government, as consultants to collect such levies.

“The suspension is with effect from 30th May, 2024. This, the Minister said is as a result of clamor for review by some stakeholders in the industry.

“Accordingly, Keyamo has constituted a Committee with members drawn up from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and its relevant Agencies, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd who are charged to look into the issues raised by concerned Stakeholders and submit a Report on or before end of June, 2024.

“Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd was granted the exclusive right by the Federal Government as consultants to collect such levies which stakeholders have expressed their reservation on the appropriateness of the levies.

“The recommendation(s) of the Committee would proffer a way forward”.