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The labour has also told the government to be serious with the negotiations on the issue of workers wages, insisting that it used the lowest minimum in arriving at the N615,000 as new minimum wage.
Recall that the organised labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, pulled out of the negotiation meeting last week Wednesday when the government offered N48,000 as the new minimum wage.
However, Chairman of the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum wage, Alhaji Bukar Goni in a letter to the organized labour for a meeting tomorrow indicated interest that the government will shift ground and asked the organised labour to also shift ground.
Speaking to Vanguard in Abuja, the NLC Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, said that the organised labour would honour the invitation tomorrow but he advised the government to be serious.
He said, “Our expectations are that the government should be serious this time around. We expect them to take more seriously the issue of wages of workers.”
On whether labour would accept N100,000 as being insinuated, he said, “Well, it will not be fair and these are the reasons. The first reason is that when we demanded for N615,000, we broke that down. In fact, we used the barest minimum.,
“For instance we put accommodation for N40,000, we also use for feeding N500, tell me where you are going to get food for N500 with a family of six. As I said, we used barest estimate but beyond that, government hiked electricity tariff by two hundred and fifty percent after we made our demand and that has introduced new cost and expenses. So if government is serious, it should not be thinking about a hundred thousand naira.
“You know that when you create poor citizens, you create a poorer county.” On his part, a member of the NLC delegation on the Tripartite Committee, Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku, said it would not be kind of the government to offer N100,000.
He said, “I don’t think one hundred thousand naira is a kind of thing we want because it’s far below expectation, we will accept something that can at least keep somebody alive. I don’t think a hundred thousand naira will keep a worker alive in this country a man with a family of six because our computation is based on the size of family.
“So, if they come up with that kind of amount, I don’t think we will appreciate it. In the private sector even artisans are not taking one hundred thousand a month. Whatever we accept we will look what is the income, what are they collecting, what is available to government because if government is collecting one trillion naira, we cannot ask them to pay two trillion.
“We are responsible people but the same government should know that people are suffering they will have to agree with us that there is crisis, that something needs to be done to create wealth, that something needs to be done for Nigeria to be a producing country and not a consuming nation.
Something needs to be done to reduce the cost of governance. We are supposed to be partners in governance, after all we are the labourers.”
Asked to give reason why labour may not accept one hundred thousand, he said, “If we see that that hundred thousand is affordable, if we see that they can afford more, we will reject it. They have to tell us why they cannot pay N615,000, the onus is on them to tell us why, then we will sit down and say okay you don’t have the money but we will also know why you don’t have the money because Nigeria is a country that is naturally endowed but something is wrong, how do you make sure you get the money so that when we come again in two years time, you won’t tell us the same story?
“What are you doing to create wealth, how are you going to partner with us to create wealth instead of being wasteful, how are you going to partner with us to reduce cost of governance. If a father comes home and says the only money he has is one thousand naira and you know that the father is not wasting the money, you will manage but if it is when the father comes and he is eating food bought from the fast food joint and it cost N10,000 and he gives one thousand to the entire family to go and look for food and cook for themselves, he may be beaten up, the family may refuse it.
“The letter they wrote to us they said that both parties should shift ground, that means they will shift ground and they are expecting us to shift ground but the question is, what ground are they shifting, are they going to shift ground by two naira or two thousand naira to make it N50,000 or are they going to shift ground by N62,000 to make it N100,000 or by N150,000 or N200,000 to make it N300,000 plus.
“The point here is, this thing we are doing is not rocket science, the government should sit down and calculate how much it will cost, what is a befitting wage for an average Nigeria? They should breakdown what they are giving us because even in salaries, you break everything down. So when you break it down, they will tell us whether they are going to put one thousand naira per month for transport and two thousand naira per month for food.
“That N48,000 they are offering, they should have broken it down so if there are certain things they don’t want to make provision for, for instance health, if they say if any worker is sick they person should go and die or they don’t want to make provision for food, let them just put standard things.
“The problem here is that, you asked someone to tighten his belt, you said there is no money but you removed subsidy. Since they removed subsidy, FAAC has been collecting almost three times of what they were collecting before subsidy. That money you are collecting, what are you doing with it?
“You now said you want to build coastal highway when the existing roads to the same location are not passable, you are budgeting trillions of naira, you want to build Lagos-Sokoto brand new Highway, you want to put billions for hajj subsidy, you bought 200 vehicles for Customs and this is somebody that is complaining that naira is having issues but you now want to spend hundreds billions to import Toyota cars for Customs, why can’t you buy made-in Nigeria vehicles?
“This whole thing doesn’t make any meaning, we don’t even understand it. They are behaving as if they have money but they don’t know what to do with it like General Yakubu Gowon said in the 70s. You bought 200 Toyota Jeeps for Customs, it means you really do have the money but you don’t know what to do with it. But one thing you don’t want to do with the money is to feed Nigerians, feed your workers, make your workers comfortable.
“And as you can see, they are not even giving anybody hope. There is no programme for agriculture, government is not declaring emergency on power, food security, transportation.
“So what we are expecting is that, if they tell us they cannot pay N625,000, they should tell us why they cannot pay, this is negotiation. If we have told them to pay N615,000, what we expect government to calculate how many workers that are expected to receive this minimum wage.
“We did our research, you now say each state has this workforce, this is what they are now getting as revenue forget the fact that some of them are not doing anything to increase their IGR. Whatever they are getting now from the money coming from the federal revenue account, the federal government should say, this is the number of workers that we have, this is how much that you are asking, at the end of the day, this is how much we are expected to spend as salary and this is how much we have.
“So, NLC please look at it, we don’t want to spend this percent on salary, we will then sit down and ask, if you don’t want to spend it on salary, you want to spend it by importing vehicles for Customs when you have locally manufactured vehicles that won’t cost capital flight.”
He, however said that if the government comes out with something”relevant “, the organised labour will shift ground as asked.
“We must discuss with them that the figure presented is realistic and based on facts and statistics as the organised labour has done,” he said.
He said, “For provision of food for one person, we put N500 but there is a survey carried out by the National Bureau for Statistics covering all parts of the country, NBS is the custodian of statistics and it came out with that in today Nigeria, the average you can spend for a meal is N900.
“But we went low, we took the minimum. Their average is N900 but we took the minimum of N500, that is you cannot go below the N500. So you can see how realistic we are. So we will insist that government breakdown every item. Food, hospital, accommodation, transportation etc.
“We don’t want anyone to come and say that the NLC and the TUC presented arbitrary figure.”
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was also among those killed, along with seven others.
His death comes at a fraught moment in the Middle East, with war raging in Gaza.
The helicopter crashed weeks after Iran launched a drone-and-missile attack on Israel in response to a deadly strike on its diplomatic compound in Damascus.
Hardliner Raisi became president in a historically uncompetitive election in 2021. Previously the chief justice, he oversaw a period of intensified repression of dissent in a nation convulsed by youth-led protests against clerical rule.
Raisi was the second-most powerful person in the Islamic Republic’s political structure after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini. The Iranian Constitution mandates that, in the case of the president’s death, the first vice president assumes office with the approval of the Supreme Leader.
Iran was thrown into uncertainty Sunday as search and rescue teams scoured a fog-shrouded mountain area after President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter went missing in what state media described as an “accident”.
Fears grew for the 63-year-old ultraconservative after contact was lost with the aircraft carrying him as well as Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and others in East Azerbaijan province, reports said.
The supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged Iranians to “not worry” about the leadership of the Islamic republic, saying “there will be no disruption in the country’s work”.
“We hope that Almighty God will bring our dear president and his companions back in full health into the arms of the nation,” he said in a nationally televised address as Muslim faithful prayed for Raisi’s safe return.
Expressions of concern and offers to help came from abroad, including Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Russia, and Turkey, as well as from the European Union which activated its rapid response mapping service to aid in the search effort.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani expressed gratitude for “governments and international organizations for their sympathy and offer of help in the search and rescue operations.”
State television first reported in the afternoon that “an accident happened to the helicopter carrying the president” in the Jolfa region.
“The harsh weather conditions and heavy fog have made it difficult for the rescue teams to reach the accident site,” said one broadcaster, as the massive search effort later continued into the night.
Iran’s Red Crescent chief Pirhossein Koolivand told state TV the area of the accident “has yet to be identified” and that the situation remained “difficult”.
Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the helicopter “made a hard landing” in bad weather and that it was “difficult to establish communication” with the aircraft.
He urged people to get their information “only from state television”, and not listen to foreign media channels Iran deems hostile to the Islamic republic.
– Massive search effort –
Iran’s cabinet held an emergency meeting led by Vice President Mohammad Mokhber after the incident, IRNA reported.
Raisi’s convoy had included three helicopters, and the other two had “reached their destination safely”, said the Tasnim news agency.
More than 60 rescue teams using search dogs and drones were sent to the mountainous protected forest area of Dizmar near the town of Varzaghan, the IRNA news agency reported.
Air passengers travelling through Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, can now use free Wi-Fi, Vanguard has gathered.
Special Assistant to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Tunde Moshood, on Sunday, confirmed the development.
Moshood also said plans were in progress to have free Wi-Fi services installed at other airports across the country, saying access to free internet services at the country’s airports conforms with Keyamo’s third agenda.
Moshood, in a chat with Vanguard, said: “Both local and international flyers can now enjoy free Wi-Fi in Lagos and Abuja, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Murtala Muhammed International Airport (Terminal 1 & Terminal 2). Stay connected, surf the web and make your journey smoother.
“Look for the NCC Free Airport Wi-Fi, and get connected. Your life does not have to pause while at the airport. Use the Wi-Fi to enjoy all your latest music and download your favourite Netflix programmes.
“Other airports are presently on course. This actually complies with the agenda of the Minister, which is to improve infrastructures across all airports and the aviation industry as a whole.”
Recall that Keyamo had attributed the absence of airport Wi-Fi to bureaucratic hurdles between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, which he swiftly resolved by allocating Wi-Fi provision to NAMA.
Collaborating with the Ministry of Communication, Keyamo said he was ensuring imminent access to complimentary Wi-Fi at airports, with discussions underway with international firms for in-flight Wi-Fi.
He said the initiative aligned with global aviation standards, which is to enhance passenger connectivity during flights.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, has reacted after the Federal Government ignored the union’s ultimatum to reconstitute the governing councils of universities across the country and released a list of new members for 111 tertiary institutions.
Naija News reported that President Bola Tinubu had last week approved the appointments of 555 persons to serve as Pro-chancellors/Chairmen and members of the Governing Boards of 111 Federal Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
An advertorial signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, showed the appointment of a chairperson and four members for each institution.
The advertorial stated that the Inaugural/Retreat for the Chairmen and Members of the Governing Councils of Tertiary Institutions will take place on Thursday, May 30th, and Friday, May 31st, 2024.
Notable among the members of the councils include the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, two prominent Nigerian lawyers and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wole Olanipekun and Yusuf Alli, former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Peter Okebukola, and labour activist, Issa Aremu.
Reacting to the development, the ASUU President, in an interview with PUNCH, said the Federal Government was expected to reinstate the ‘illegally’ dissolved governing councils and not to constitute new ones.
Osodeke also stated that the union’s demand was not limited to the dissolved governing councils of tertiary institutions, adding that the Federal Government should implement other ASUU requests.
He said, “It is not just about the governing council alone, it is just one of them. Secondly, we said they should reinstate the illegally dissolved governing council. We didn’t say they should constitute a new one. As far as we are concerned, they have not met any.”
No fewer than 386 people, mostly women and children, have been rescued by the Nigerian Army in Sambisa forest 10 years after their abduction.
The acting GOC 7 Division, Brig. Gen. AGL Haruna, made this known while speaking to newsmen at the outskirts of Sambisa forest in Konduga LGA after welcoming the troops that conducted the 10-day operation.
Haruna said that the operation tagged “Operation Desert Sanity 111” was to clear Sambisa forest of the remnants of all categories of terrorists, as well as provide some of them, eager to surrender as observed, the opportunity to do so.
“Our effort is to ensure that we clear remnants of terrorists in the Sambisa and give those willing to surrender the opportunity to surrender.
“With this operation, we envisage many of them will surrender as they have started.
“We also rescued some civilians; as of yesterday, we rescued 386 and I am sure the number will increase by today,” Haruna said.
The GOC, who addressed the troops on the message of the Chief of Army Staff, lauded their performance and professionalism exhibited during the operation and urged them to sustain the tempo.
Some of those rescued, who spoke, said they have been in captivity for the past 10 years.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that troops from 21 Special Armoured Brigade, 26 Task Force Brigade, and 199 Special Forces participated in the operation.
Former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, has criticized the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) for regretting supporting President Bola Tinubu during the last general election.
Recalls that the NEF spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, in a statement last month, said the North made a mistake in voting Tinubu to the presidency in 2023.
Suleiman said it is unlikely that they will repeat the same error in the future.
However, Masari, in an interview with Daily Trust, said the Northern elders endorsed Tinubu based on expectations rather than principles.
The former governor said it was too early in the administration’s first year for most of the criticisms it has suffered.
He said, “Those who say they are regretting supporting him (Tinubu) are saying it because they did not support on principles. They supported him on expectations, and when those expectations were not met for them, then they could say they regretted it.
“The problem is that some of us stood for principles (in supporting Tinubu), and a government that has come to serve for four years has served for six months, nine months, and you are passing judgments on it; that is absolutely wrong.”
Reacting to the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, who have been very critical of the APC-led government’s policies, Masari said there was no magic the opposition could have performed to alleviate the pains Nigerians are going through within the period Tinubu has been in power.
He added that the other leading contestants in the 2023 presidential election equally promised to remove the fuel subsidy that has plunged the country into untold hardship during the campaign.
He said, “Some of the people who are talking now, their own would have been worse. Since during the campaign, all the political parties, including those who are talking now, didn’t they promise that they would remove subsidy?
“Is there any political party that did not campaign on subsidy removal? Let us not go there. Because we are Nigerians, we are bad losers. And sometimes, the winners are supposed to be more accommodating and patient. That’s the price of leadership.”
The National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Shettima Yerima, has praised the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He stated this while reacting to a recent comment by former Anambra governor, Peter Obi.
Naija News recalls that Obi had stated that justice in Nigeria is “commodified” and “goes to the highest bidder”.
He opined that the biggest problem in Nigeria’s democracy is the Judiciary, not the INEC.
Sharing his thoughts on Obi’s submission, Yerima, in a statement on Saturday, expressed his firm belief that INEC is a reputable institution that consistently upholds the principles of fairness, impartiality, and transparency in conducting elections in the country.
According to him, Obi’s acknowledgement that the Judiciary, rather than INEC, posed the greatest challenge to Nigeria’s democracy further strengthened his conviction in the integrity of the apex electoral umpire in the land.
The AYCF has long maintained that INEC is a credible, impartial, and unbiased institution that consistently conducts credible elections.
He said, “Peter Obi’s remarks have vindicated our stance and affirmed that INEC is not the primary obstacle to democratic electoral practices in Nigeria.
“We emphasized the importance of strong institutions like INEC in ensuring the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.”
Germany is currently grappling with a substantial labor shortage, evident in over 1.98 million job vacancies spread across sectors.
The shortage is particularly pronounced in key sectors such as agriculture, construction, and transportation. The labour deficit is driven by demographic factors like an aging population, a declining birth rate, and an escalating demand for skilled professionals. In response, the country is actively seeking foreign talent to fill these critical roles and sustain its economic growth.
Germany’s aging workforce has been a growing liability, and positions in IT and software development, for instance, are becoming notoriously hard to fill. More companies are now looking abroad for help.
Nicole Büttner, co-founder and CEO of Mirantic’s Labs, a tech consultancy in Berlin, believes that this is an opportunity that Germany cannot afford to miss, especially given the global economic climate and recent layoffs by major tech companies.
“This is the time to have the optimal conditions for talent to come to Germany. It’s time for action, not complacency.”
She emphasized how critical foreign workers are to the tech scene. “We’re highly reliant on talent. That’s the main asset we put into it, so the dependency is very high. We need to be able, as a German tech hub, to attract foreign talent here.”
Other industries needing foreign talent
The agricultural sector is experiencing a scarcity of skilled workers in livestock production, forestry, and horticulture. Specific roles include:
- Livestock production
- Forestry technicians
- Horticultural specialty growers
The construction industry also faces shortages across various trades, including:
- Metalworking
- Automation
- Surveying
- Scaffolding
- Interior construction
- Glazing
- Pipeline construction
- Plant, container, and apparatus construction
The transportation sector is also affected, particularly in freight forwarding, logistics, and the need for drivers for earthmoving machinery.
Salaries for In-Demand Occupations
The salaries for these in-demand occupations vary but are generally competitive. According to the Economic Research Institute (ERI), average salaries include:
- Crop farm workers: €35,616 per year
- Forestry technicians: €36,791 per year
- Horticultural specialty growers: €36,913 per year
- Construction workers: €44,052 per year
- Drivers: €28,276 per year
These efforts and competitive salaries aim to attract skilled foreign professionals, ensuring Germany remains economically strong despite demographic challenges.
Highest-paying jobs in Germany
For those seeking the highest-paying jobs in Germany, the following roles command significant salaries:
- Doctor: €71,600 – €101,696
- Pilot: €93,499
- Sales Manager: €82,392
- Lawyer: €81,254
- Portfolio Manager: €80,000 to €120,000
- College Professor: €74,200
- Engineer: €63,000
- Software Developer: €45,000 to €80,000
- Project Manager: €45,000 to €90,000
- Risk Manager: €70,000 – €85,000
- Judge: €76,619
- Tax Advisor: €70,000
Importance of Overseas Talent:
A DW Business Desk reporter, Stephen Bley, emphasized the importance of overseas talent for Germany. He noted that the workforce is not only aging but also working fewer hours as more people opt for part-time work, creating a shortage of skilled workers. This shift is happening amid record employment levels, prompting businesses and industry groups to seek overseas talent across various sectors.
Bley highlighted Berlin’s recent passage of a law easing the hiring process for foreign workers as a positive first step. However, he cautioned that Germany’s job market remains highly regulated and insulated from overseas competition, historically making it difficult for foreign professionals to enter the workforce.
“Overseas talent is very important for Germany. Germany isn’t just an aging workforce; it’s one that on average is working fewer hours as more people take up part-time work. This is at a time of record employment, so if you want to keep things running, there’s not a whole lot of levers to pull these days.”
“That’s why we’re seeing more businesses and industry groups look towards overseas talent. This cuts across job sectors; it isn’t just nurses in hospitals or IT and software.”
“Berlin recently passed a new law that’s supposed to make it easier to hire foreign workers. It’s a good first start. What’s always been difficult about the job market here in Germany is that it’s highly regulated and insulated from overseas competition”, he says.
Dirk Deepar, a business owner agrees notes
“We don’t have young workers from Germany anymore because at some point in the past, manufacturers had less work and hired fewer apprentices.”
“Half of the factory’s employees are from abroad. Without the help of a recruiter, I found an Armenian who can do the job and want to hire him.”
Bley however noted that these overseas workers need to have the exact qualifications as German candidate. He says, “Now that you need those workers, it’s really difficult. In many cases, they’re required to have the exact same qualifications or certifications as German candidates, but in many countries, they don’t have those.”
[Nairametrics]
The Federal Government has reacted to the planned alliance between Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, and his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.
Recall that Obi held a private meeting with Atiku and other PDP stakeholders in Abuja last week.
He also met separately with former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
This led to speculation about a possible alliance in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
Reacting to the development, the Presidency said that President Bola Tinubu is not bothered about the planned alliance, stressing he will not be losing sleep over the development.
They noted that Tinubu is more concerned about fulfilling his promise to Nigerians.
According to Punch, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, said anybody could decide to collaborate and meet.
He insisted that the question, for him, was what happened after the talk and numerous meetings.
The minister stressed that Tinubu’s works would speak for him in the next election cycle in 2027.
He said, “The government is not thinking about them at all. We are focused on delivering on the mandate handed over to President Bola Tinubu. With the good works the government is doing, he is already the toast of Nigerians.
“So, they will continue to support him. Just a few days ago, the Federal Government inaugurated three critical gas infrastructure projects in Imo and Delta states to drive the country’s gas sector. The projects are the ANOH-OB3 CTMS gas pipeline and ANOH gas processing plant in Assa, Ohaji/Egbema in Imo State.
“The President also inaugurated the expansion of the AHL gas processing plant 2 gas project in Kwale, Delta State. The social security programme is ongoing. The Compressed Natural Gas project is there as well. Dry farming initiatives have taken root, and so many other projects that will benefit Nigerians are either ongoing or in the pipeline.
“Tell me, how will the meeting of those two men be an issue? No, we are not worried at all. The government of President Tinubu is focused and not disturbed.”
Also reacting, a senior presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, said President Tinubu and his administration were not bothered by Atiku and his gang’s political maneuvering.
He said, “We are only surprised that they are plotting just one year after an election they lost. They are still behaving like sore losers.
“We are not bothered by the games they are playing, as they are revealing their mindset. They are mere politicians who only think about the next election.
“President Tinubu is a true statesman who is concerned about fulfilling his promises to Nigerians.
“At the moment, he is very busy resetting the economy of our country for the better, laying the foundation that ought to have been laid decades ago.”
The Africa’s richest man and chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, says with the plan by the Dangote Refinery, Nigeria will not need to import gasoline by June, this year.
Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali on Friday, he said the refinery had started supplying diesel and aviation fuel in Nigeria.
According to him, the refinery has the capacity to meet the diesel and petrol needs of West Africa and the aviation fuel demand of the entire African continent.
“Right now, Nigeria has no cause to import anything apart from gasoline and by sometime in June, within the next four or five weeks, Nigeria shouldn’t import anything like gasoline; not one drop of a litre.
“We have enough gasoline to give to at least the entire West Africa, diesel to give to West Africa and Central Africa. We have enough aviation fuel to give to the entire continent and also export some to Brazil and Mexico.
“Today, our polypropylene and our polyethene will meet the entire demand of Africa and we are doing base oil, which is like engine oil, we are doing linear benzyl, which is raw material to produce detergent. We have 1.4 billion people in the population, nobody is producing that in Africa.
“So, all the raw materials for our detergents are imported. We are producing that raw material to make Africa self-sufficient.
“As I said, give us three or a maximum of four years and Africa will not, I repeat, not import any more fertilizer from anywhere. We will make Africa self-sufficient in potash, phosphate, and urea, we are at three million tonnes and in the next twenty months, we will be at six million tonnes of urea which is the entire capacity of Egypt. We are getting there.” Dangote said.
He added: “Our refinery is quite big, it is something that we believe that Africa needs. If you look at the whole continent, there are only two countries that don’t import petroleum products, which is a tragedy. They are only Algeria and Libya. The rest are all importers. So, we need to change and make sure that we don’t just go and produce raw materials, we should also produce finished products and create jobs.”
[DailyTrust]
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• Pressure on Labour to resume talks
The Federal Government is wooing labour for fresh talks over the proposed new minimum wage after workers’ representatives called off their participation in the last round of negotiation on Wednesday.
Government, The Nation gathered yesterday, is determined to resolve the impasse over the new minimum wage as soon as possible, although it was unclear last night whether the matter could be resolved before the May 31 deadline given by labour for conclusion of the deal.
Government had tabled N48ooo as the new minimum wage during the Wednesday meeting of the Bukar Goni Aji-led 37-man Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage.
The figure was considered way off the N615,000 demanded by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) prompting the representatives of the unions to walk out of the meeting.
However, Alhaji Goni Aji has now scheduled another meeting of the committee with labour leaders for Tuesday, May 21 to wrap up their negotiation.
He said government was willing to shift grounds on its N48,000 offer.
The committee chairman, in a May 16, 2024 letter inviting the unions to the meeting said: “You will recall that the organised labour representatives walked out of the tripartite committee meeting of yesterday, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, after the presentation of the position paper by the government side.
“However, as earlier discussed, we need to all sit back on the negotiation table to analyse the tripartite position and shift grounds by all sides to enable us to conclude the assignment before you travel to the ILO (International Labour Organisation) Conference to be held in Geneva, Switzerland.
“This is to give assurance to our teeming workforce that the tripartite Committee would do all that is possible to reduce the waiting time in concluding this assignment.
“I have had discussions with our members and there is a willingness to shift ground as soon as we start the negotiations.
“Kindly consider this appeal and talk to your other members too. We look forward to reconvening on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, next week to continue negotiations.”
A Presidency source said yesterday that it was difficult to determine yet whether the proposed minimum wage will be ready before the May 31 deadline given by labour.
“Not sure. The negotiation is still on. The negotiation team will meet again next week,” the source said.
A separate source at the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission said the negotiation was “work in progress.”
President Bola Tinubu had, on the last Workers Day, pledged his administration’s readiness to consider a national living wage that would address workers’ living conditions instead of a minimum wage, if suggested by the Goni Aji Committee.
He said the matter would be “resolved soon 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.”
He told organised labour that he had not taken their understanding, patience, commitment and support in the course of implementing his administration’s policies and programmes for granted.
“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,” he said in a solidarity speech delivered by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
He added: “I do not take for granted the understanding, patience, commitment, and support you have shown throughout the implementation of this government’s policies and programmes aimed at positively transforming our great nation.
“Your contributions have played a significant role in our efforts to rescue the economy since we came on board.”
Also speaking at the rally, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said the Tinubu administration “empathises with the plight of workers and will do all it can to address these issues,” urging the organised labour “to maintain social dialogue in resolving disputes.”
President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, during a recent visit to The Nation, explained how labour arrived at the N615,000 it is demanding.
His words: “In arriving at N615K, we allocated N40K for accommodation. Whether you stay in Orile (a suburb of Lagos) occupying a room and a parlour, for a family of husband and wife and four children, that’s what the federal government approved.
“So if you have a grandmother or mother-in-law, you’re on your own because we didn’t factor in those ones.
“And we assigned N500 per person for that family of six per meal. I want somebody to tell us that if you eat at mamaput there, let’s assume you eat without meat. So that N500 per person is N1, 500 per person in a day for six persons, and in a month, you are going to have N270K for feeding.
“We looked at medicals. We said assuming that there is not going to be surgery or anything complicated, let’s put N50K.
“We looked at education. Let’s hope that you don’t send your children to private school. We put N50K.
“We then looked at utilities as in the electricity bill, we said N20K. And that was before the tariff increase. But if you buy a unit of N20K now, for those of you that use it, you know how long it would last.
“We now looked at gas, kerosene energy components. If you pay N15K or N17K to fill a gas cylinder now, within two weeks, it’s gone and in a month you fill your cylinder twice. So we allocated about N30-35K.
“So that is the breakdown. We didn’t make provisions for communication because you are not supposed to use GSM. So, your boss can’t even call you.
“You’re not supposed to take any form of refreshment or even buy soda. Or even pay offering in the church or tithe.
“In this our calculation, you’re not supposed to have a car because you cannot fill a tank with N30K or even service the vehicle; not even a motorcycle.
“So those are some of the things that make up this N615K.”
The Goni Aji committee was inaugurated on January 30, 2024 by Vice President Kashim Shettima to come up with a new minimum wage ahead of the expiration of the current N30,000 wage on April 18.
The committee draws its membership from government, the private sector and organised labour.
[TheNation]
Wigwe University, Isiokpo, Rivers State, tops the list with a tuition fee of N12m, including accommodation fees.
Nile University, Abuja’s most expensive programme, Medicine and Surgery, costs N5.95m, according to the school’s website. Fees only cover tuition; accommodation is not included. Tuition for returning students is the same as stipulated in their admission letters.
Lead City University, also known as LCU, is a private university in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Their MBBS Medicine and Surgery programme, according to the school’s website, costs N5.5m per session. Other expensive programmes are their Nursing, Dentistry, and Pharmacy programmes which cost N2.5m each per session.
Afe Babalola University, founded by legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), is another expensive university in the country. First-year students of Medicine are to pay N4,567,500 while final-year students will pay a total of N5,586,000. This excludes accommodation which costs N850,000 for the Super Deluxe one-person room, and other fees [Students Association fees, medical screening, ABUAD souvenir (fresh students)] which cost around N70,000.
Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, charges between N3.9m to N4.4m for its most expensive programme, B.Eng Mechatronics. The fee covers reading materials, and academic facilities, among others. This does not include the non-refundable acceptance fee of N250,000 to be paid on admission.
Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, is Nigeria’s first private university, known for its commitment to quality education and academic excellence. According to the school’s website, final-year medical students can pay as much as N4m as tuition. This excludes other sundry levies.
Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, a private Baptist Christian Nigerian university located at Iwo in Osun State, Nigeria, is also another university with expensive fees. It is affiliated with the Nigerian Baptist Convention. According to its website, the most expensive programme, the Medicine and Surgery (pre-clinical) programme, costs around N3.8m. Other Fees of N84,000 per session are made up of BBSF – N4,000, Entrepreneurship and Soft Skills – N20,000, Internet Access and Portal Management – N40,000, and Health Care – N20,000.
All new and returning students are required to pay N20,000 and N10,000 respectively to Bowen University Parents Association Forum in the first semester and present a receipt of the same for clearance. Also, 70 per cent payment of school fees is expected to be paid at the commencement of the session while the balance of 30 per cent is expected to be paid at the commencement of the second semester.
American University of Nigeria, Adamawa State, founded by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, in Yola, the capital of his home state of Adamawa, North-East Nigeria, charges N3.511m as its highest fee for its undergraduate engineering students. This excludes accommodation which costs N432,000 for its triple-room apartment, and feeding which costs N813,960 for 21 meals.
Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Edo State, is a private, Christian university. Previously named Christian Faith University, it was renamed in honour of the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa, a charismatic Pentecostal minister from Benin City, Nigeria, and is said to reflect his evangelical beliefs. Its Medicine and Surgery programme costs between N3.3m and N3.5m per session, according to its website. This is closely followed by its Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, and Law programmes which cost N1.8m, N1.5m, and N1.2m respectively per session.
Babcock University, a private Christian co-educational Nigerian university owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Nigeria, is located at Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria, equidistant between Ibadan in Oyo State and Lagos. The most expensive programme, which is the LL.B in Law programme, costs N1,539,990, according to the school’s website. This excludes feeding which costs N523,600 (two-meal option) or 785,400 (three-meal option).
Redeemer’s University is a private university in Ede, Osun State, and prides itself as one of the most cost-effective, top private universities in Nigeria. Their fee structure, according to their website, is flexible and can be paid in three installments. The most expensive programme, which is their undergraduate Law programme, costs N1.447m followed by their Bachelor in Nursing programme which costs N1.1m per session.
Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, is a private university that is also one of the most expensive in the country. The highest fee, paid by law undergraduates, costs N1.4m, according to the fee tracker available on its website. This excludes matriculation fees, ICT and global certification, and parents forum which cost N65,000 in total.
Ajayi Crowther University, founded in 2005, is a private faith-based university located in Oyo State, Nigeria. Its Law programme costs N1.7m while its Nursing programme costs N1.4m.
Joseph Ayo Babalola University is a private Nigerian university located in Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, Nigeria, established in 2004 by the Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide. The most expensive programmes are the BSc Nursing, Medical Laboratory Technology, and Law programmes which cost between N1.3m and N1.5m each per session.
Covenant University, Otta, Ogun State, affiliated with the Living Faith Church Worldwide, is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Association of African Universities, and National Universities Commission, and is one of the most expensive universities in the country. Most of the university’s programmes range between N1.1m to N3m, according to the university’s website. This includes feeding but excludes accommodation.
Notable mentions include Achievers University, Novena University, Adeleke University, Rhema University, Lagos State University, Obong University, and Oduduwa University.
[Punch]
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria’s 36 governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Mr Nyesom Wike “over their failure to account for the spending of trillions of FAAC allocations collected by their states and the FCT since 1999.”
The suit followed reports that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024. They shared N1.208 trillion in April. States collected N398.689 billion in March while they collected N403.403 billion in April.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/666/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr Wike to publish spending details of the FAAC allocations collected by their states and the FCT since 1999 including the list and locations of projects executed with the money.”
SERAP is also asking the court to “compel the governors and Mr Wike to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission [ICPC] to probe any allegations of corruption linked to the allocations and to monitor how the money is spent.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that, “Nigerians ought to know in what manner public funds including FAAC allocations, are spent by the governors and FCT minister.”
According to SERAP, “Opacity in the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by the governors and Mr Wike would continue to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens.”
SERAP is arguing that, “trillions of FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT have allegedly gone down the drain. The resulting human costs directly threaten the human rights of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “Without the information on the spending details of the FAAC allocations, Nigerians cannot follow the actions of their states and the FCT and they cannot properly fulfill their responsibilities as citizens.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “Directing and compelling the governors and FCT minister to provide the information sought and widely publish the spending details of the FAAC allocations collected by them would serve legitimate public interests.”
According to SERAP, “The failure by the governors and the FCT ministers to account for the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by them is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “States and the FCT should be guided by transparency and accountability principles and proactively account for the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by them.”
“Secrecy in the spending of FAAC allocations collected by the governors and the FCT minister also denies Nigerians the right to know how public funds are spent. Transparency in the spending would allow them to retain control over their government.”
“The governors and FCT minister have a legal obligation to provide the information sought including the list of specific projects completed with the FAAC allocations collected, the locations of any such projects and completion reports of the projects.”
“The information sought should also include details of the salaries and pensions paid from the FAAC allocations collected, as well as the details of projects executed on hospitals and schools with the FAAC allocations.”
“Despite the increased FAAC allocations to states and FCT, millions of residents in several states and the FCT continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and services.”
“The reported removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the exchange rate by the Federal Government has translated into increased FAAC allocations to states and the FCT. However, there is no corresponding improvement in the security and welfare of millions of Nigerians.”
“FAAC allocations received by the states and the FCT are reportedly characterised by mismanagement, diversion of funds, and abandoned projects. FAAC allocations have also been allegedly spent for other purposes such as election campaigns and political patronage.”
“Publishing the documents on the spending of FAAC allocations by the states and the FCT would promote transparency, accountability, and reduce the risks of corruption in the spending of the funds.”
“Publishing the documents would also enable Nigerians to meaningfully engage in the implementation of projects executed with the FAAC allocations collected.”
“The report that some 140 million Nigerians are poor suggests corruption and mismanagement in the spending of trillions of naira in FAAC allocations collected by the states and the FCT.”
“According to our information, the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state and local governments for March 2024.”
“State governments got N398.689 billion while local government councils got N288.688 billion. The mineral-producing states received an additional N90.124 billion (13% of mineral revenue). In February, states collected N336 billion.”
“According to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the federal, states and local governments shared N10.143 trillion from the Federation Account as statutory revenue allocations in 2023, with states collecting N3.585 trillion.”
“Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”
“Section 16(2) of the Nigerian Constitution further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’”
“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the states and FCT to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.”
“Nigeria has also made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources.”
“Nigerians are entitled to the right to receive information without any interference or distortion, and the enjoyment of this right should be based on the principle of maximum disclosure, and a presumption that all information is accessible subject only to a narrow system of exceptions.”
“The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information, including the documents on the spending of FAAC allocations.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
[Vanguard]
The Federal Government has explained the importance of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to economic development, saying every 1,000,000 vehicles converted to CNG will save the country about $2.5bn.
The Programme Director, Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, Pi-CNG, Michael Oluwagbemi, said the push for CNG by the Federal Government would end the era of pollution, environmental degradation and economic hardship.
Oluwagbemi spoke during a one-day South South and Southeast stakeholders engagement meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He said the natural gas was in abundance in the nation but people lacked the foresight to utilise it insisting that CNG is cleaner, cheaper and will reduce the cost of transportation.
He said: “The initiative of the government is critical to our national development and to the well-being of the people. Rivers State is the heart of the oil and gas region. Over the last five to six decades these resources have continued to waste. Nigeria is the second largest waster of oil and gas. We exploit it and waste it then continue to suffer poverty.
“The President has set us on natural gas feature and set up on the nation on the path of growth. The use of gas ensures we have energy savings, mind you the price of Natural gas is controlled by government.
“What the President is asking is to do more with the blessings God has given us. If we are able to move three million vehicles in the next three years we are going to end the era of environmental degradation.”
Oluwagbemi said that the nation stood to benefit with the energy transition, adding that CNG remained more reliable for the transportation sector of the country.
He said CNG had the capacity to reduce the current inflation troubling the nation’s economy.
He said: “Nigeria stands to gain a lot from the energy transition in the transportation sector. First and foremost, CNG is our own resource. Natural gas is everywhere in Nigeria. It is a much more reliable source of fuel the transportation sector. No longer will there be crises out of Nigeria impact the economic livelihood of the country.
“It has the capacity of reducing inflation. It is cheaper. You can realise between 40% to 50% savings from patrol. This is good for Nigeria and it is safer. It is 18 time safer than our petrol and diesel. IT is cleaner and safer for the environment.
“We will stop subsidizing poverty importing unemployment and exporting jobs. We will be using our own natural gas to drive our transportation sector. To a common man this translates to reduction in the cost of transportation. Our jobs is to give incentivise the CNG vehicle. To ensure we close the financing gap that exists.
“There is enough demand for natural gas all we need to do now is to open stations, pipelines and conversations centres. When we convert our vehicles, 1,000,000 vehicles they will convert it save the country about $2.5 billion a year. This will also save us 6,000,000 litres a day. These are monies that we can spend on hospitals on roads.”
In his remarks, Fola Akinola, the Chief Executive Officer of FEMADEC Energy Limited, said plans had been concluded to open two CNG refueling stations, and two vehicle conversion parks in Port Harcourt.
He said: “CNG is an old technology. We want to tell you that you have the opportunity to convert your vehicle from fuel to CNG. The stations will be launched in Port Harcourt and we are launching a refueling unit alongside. Rivers State is going to have a micro refueling unit at Stadium Road and in GRA.
“Those that wants to invest in CNG refueling units it is available. Even those who have fuel State facilities can as well invest in this.”
The Abia State Government said it had already diverted its N2bn subsidy palliative from the federal government for investment in CNG.
The Commissioner for Energy and Environment, Abia State, Prof. Joel Ogbonna, told the Pi-CNG committee that his state had set all grounds ready to key into the presidential directive, adding that the state was ready to kick off.
He said: “When Governor Alex Otti came, he declared State of emergency on environment. The governor has set aside N2 billion for the fuel subsidy for CNG. Abia State has set aside the Abia State Poly for trainings in CGN.
“We have also development an industrial park to be able to produce gas. We want to also pass a bill so that people will be told what to do to ensure safety so that there will not be hazards. We are ready to take off with the CNG.”