The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has said that it is going ahead with its two-day warning strike beginning tomorrow, saying it was not aware of any meeting with the Federal Government today.
A top official of the NLC, told Vanguard yesterday, that as of press time, there was no invitation from the Government for any meeting, adding that the industrial action was instigated by state councils and industrial unions.
However, the Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris Magaji. said the Federal Government is in discussion with Labour over the planned strike.
He said that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, met with the leadership of the NLC on Saturday, adding “We are very hopeful that the strike may be averted.”
The minister said the government will continue to appeal to Organized Labour to see the reason and the efforts of the government in providing palliatives through state governors and the Conditional Cash Transfer programme.
He said the government’s position was to pass the palliatives through state governors, irrespective of party affiliations, because the effect of the subsidy removal is felt more in states.
While appealing to Organized Labour to collaborate with the government to ensure that all efforts put in place to reposition the economy and turn things around for good yield the desired results, the minister said the government will continue to engage with labour to avoid the planned strike.
But NLC said its decision to embark on the two-day warning strike as a precursor to indefinite industrial action, was informed by pressure from unions and state chapters over the excruciating sufferings their members are facing as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy.
Vanguard gathered that other factors that compelled Labour to declare the strike included the Federal Government’s ‘deliberate’ refusal to adhere to understandings reached with Organised Labour at the inception of subsidy removal.
The National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of NLC, made up of all elected national officials and senior secretariat staff, presidents, secretaries and treasurers of affiliate industrial unions as well as chairmen, secretaries and treasurers of state councils, were said to have almost become uncontrollable after members learned that none of the committees including the main committee set up to find measures to cushion the effects of subsidy removal had met since they were set up.
Critical committees failed to meet
“The main committee (the Steering Committee) and the three sub-committees on Mass Transit, Energy and Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, were said to have not met for once while the federal and state governments are busy dishing out unsustainable, unrealisable and un-coordinated palliative measures that cannot assuage the hardships being inflicted on the majority of Nigerians especially workers and the poor masses by fuel subsidy removal and other perceived anti-poor policies,” a member at the meeting lamented.
Vanguard’s sources at the Friday NEC’s meeting informed that reports of hardship, suffering and frustration, increasingly rising prices and unaffordable essential goods and services especially food items from state councils and industrial unions affiliated to NLC broke the camel’s back.
The state councils and industrial unions were also said to have complained about increasing job losses, short payment of salaries, delayed wages, and pensions of workers and retirees, which have them frustrated and helpless.
Upsurge in stealing, untimely deaths
They were also said to have lamented the upsurge in burglaries, petty thievery, untimely deaths among others in states, communities and villages since subsidy removal.
A general secretary of one of the private sector unions, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Vanguard that it was the state councils and industrial unions that forced the NEC into taking the strike option.
How state councils forced NEC to call strike
According to him, “You know the state councils are closer to workers and masses especially at the grassroots or local levels. Their reports from their states were about mass and increasing poverty, unbearable hardships, suffering, frustration, despair and hopelessness across the nooks and crannies of the nation.
“Some of the state councils especially from the Northern part of the country said labour leaders are becoming vulnerable to attacks by angry citizens, who question the rationale behind NLC’s inaction in the midst of the mass sufferings pervading the land. One of the chairmen of the state councils said the state NLC’s bus was attacked by angry, residents, who asked if NLC was waiting for Nigerians to start dying in droves before the leaders would take action.”
Similarly, a president of one the affiliate unions, told Vanguard that the voices of the state councils and industrial unions overwhelmingly silenced others canvassing for the government to be given more ropes to climb.
He said: “You needed to be at the meeting. It was tense, charged and almost uncontrollable as most state councils and union leaders said they had nothing to take back to their members than the strike option.
“In fact, leaders of affiliate unions’ in the private sector lamented increasing job losses, unpaid salaries, short payments of salaries, delayed wages, and employers’ resort to all forms of unfair labour practices including casualisation and de-unionisation of workers to remain afloat.
“They complained about harsh and other unfavourable government policies such as inaccessible foreign exchange, unstable electricity supply, multiple taxation, unsold goods, insecurity and dearth of infrastructure, especially roads, which the employers are directly and indirectly making workers and the poor masses to bear the brunt.
“These and others, including insecurity have stifled manufacturing and other economic activities. Labour leaders are being accused of compromise for not taking action to force government to listen and address the plights of workers and the masses. These and other issues targeted at unions and workers made the strike option inevitable. No other resolutions than the strike option would have been acceptable.”
Recall that while briefing on Friday after its NEC’s meeting, NLC President, Joe Ajaero among others, said “NEC in session of NLC resolved to embark on a total and indefinite shutdown of the nation within 14 working days or 21 days from today until steps are taken by the government to address the excruciating mass suffering and the impoverishment experienced around the country.
He said the NLC will “commence a two-day warning strike on Tuesday and Wednesday, 5th and 6th September 2023 to demonstrate our readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month and to also demand that the state vacates the illegally occupied national headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers.”
The NLC also resolved to embark on a mass protest and rally in Imo State within September.
The NLC raised the alarm over what it described as renewed onslaught by government and its agents against labour unions.
Ajaero explained that the proposed strike action was necessitated as a result of government’s deliberate neglect and disregard to engage the relevant stakeholders through the channel of social dialogue.
He said the Federal Government had refused to engage and reach an agreement with organized labour on critical issues on the consequences of the unfortunate hike in price of petrol which has unleashed massive suffering on Nigerian workers and masses.
Ajaero said: “There is a renewed onslaught against trade unions and its leadership by the state and its agents across Nigeria.
The Police under the instruction of certain forces peddling the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have invaded and occupied illegally the national headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers headquarters seeking to install its own executive.”
[Vanguard]
The Federal Government has identified Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger, Benue, Kwara, and Oyo as states that may likely witness heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding between September 3 and 7.
This is contained in the Flood Early Warning Systems (FEWS) central hub, released on Sunday by the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja.
The central hub also stated that due to the rise in the water level of River Benue and River Niger, communities along River Benue and River Niger up to Bayelsa State should also take precautionary measures to avert serious impact.
“The following locations and environs are likely to witness heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding within the period of prediction: 3rd – 7th September, 2023.
“Kaduna State: Birnin- Gwari, Kaduna, Saminaka; Kano State: Kunchi, Sumaila;
Kebbi State: Bagudo Kamba, Kangiwa, Ribah, Shanga; Katsina State: Makira; Niger State: Sarkin-Pawa, Rijau; Benue State: Katsina-Ala; Kwara State: Kaiama, Bode-Sadu, Kosubosu, and Oyo State: Kisi.
“Also, due to the rise in the water level of River Benue and River Niger, communities along River Benue and River Niger up to Bayelsa State should kindly take precautionary measures”, read the statement.
Recall also that the government of Cameroon recently informed the Federal Government that the Lagdo Dam is being opened in phases into River Benue.
The notification was sent to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) through a letter signed by Umar Salisu, the Ministry’s Director of African Affairs in Cameroon.
According to Salisu, the Cameroonian authorities will be releasing “only modulated variable small amount of water at a time.
“According to the note, it is pertinent to note that when the release of water becomes necessary, the authorities of the Lagdo Dam will be releasing only modulated variable small amount of water at a time in order to mitigate and avoid damages that the released water may cause along the River Benue basin in both Cameroon and in Nigeria.
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“In view of the above, it would be appreciated if the esteemed agency takes all the necessary proactive steps and actions that will mitigate the damage as well as sensitise the populace living in such areas for vigilance and all necessary precautions”.
'Join Mining Cooperatives Or Lose Your Jobs' - Alake Warns Illegal Miners, Gives 30-Day Ultimatum
AdminDele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals, has given illegal miners a 30-day deadline to join artisanal cooperatives.
Speaking at the unveiling of the ‘Agenda for the Transformation of Solid Minerals for International Competitiveness and Domestic Prosperity’ in Abuja on Sunday, Alake vowed that defaulters would face the full force of the law.
The minister also stated that the ministry is establishing a security tax force and mines police to assist the country in combating illegal mining and smuggling, as well as a comprehensive review of all mining licenses and the establishment of six (6) Mineral Processing Centres to focus on value-added products.
He stated that the ministry will focus on a seven-point agenda, which will include the establishment of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation, joint ventures with mining multinationals, and the collection of big data on specific seven priority minerals and their deposits.
For the last time, let me declare that the Ministry is giving such persons 30 days grace to join a miners’ co-operative or find another vocation to do. On the expiration of the period, the full weight of the law will fall on anyone seen on a mining site without a determinable status. This message will be interpreted into Nigerian languages and broadcast on the radio to ensure no one is ignorant of this directive.
From October, a rejuvenated security regime will become active in the solid minerals sector. This will include the Mine Police, sourced from the Nigeria Police and specially trained to detect illegal mining and apprehend offenders. The new Mines Surveillance Security Task Force will coordinate the Mines Police and proactively address high risk incidences of breach of Mining Laws. The Federal and State governments will also be encouraged to allocate the prosecution of cases against illegal miners to competent courts, the minister said.
He said the ministry will add at least 50% to the Nigerian economy, just as he said the Ministry is poised to attract Foreign Direct Investment.
President Bola Tinubu has taken firm, courageous decisions that have reset the logic of the Nigerian economy. The removal of subsidy and the adoption of a single exchange rate are among the fundamental transformational policies of this administration. This radical approach to making the economy resilient in the long term is the guiding principle of the management of the Ministry.
The Ministry has to take the bull by the horns if the country must reap the harvest of the trillion dollars worth of minerals under the ground across the country. To achieve this laudable objective, there has to be a paradigm shift in the strategy by re-positioning the sector in terms of the human and capital factors that can drive its transformation, the minister said.
On creating the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation, the minister said;
Mining is big business. Nigeria must assert its presence in this environment by replicating its strategic positioning in the petroleum sector by setting up a corporate body in this field. Consequently, the Ministry shall work towards incorporating the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation.
After Wike Criticised AIT For Misrepresentation, Rivers State Govt Demolishes TV Station, Raypower FM
AdminBarely a week after the immediate past governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, criticised AIT for misrepresentation, the Rivers State Government has demolished the TV station alongside the Raypower FM owned by Daar Communication.
Wike had criticised AIT in the past week for what he said was misrepresentation on the date he announced he would fix Abuja.
Wike, who was speaking few days after he assumed office as FCT Minister had said, “I watched AIT yesterday and I was surprised. That AIT could report that I said that I will fix Abuja in six days’ time.
“All I said to the directors who are responsible! you have six days to let me have what it would take to implement or execute the short term deliveries. That’s what I said.
“I never said Abuja would be fixed in six days’ time.”
But on Sunday when it was raining heavily in Port Harcourt where the stations are located, bulldozers were ordered into the premises to bring down the facility housing the media outfit.
Wike had failed to demolish the stations when he was governor following uproar from the public and media groups which saw his move as “executive recklessness” and an attempt to extend the disagreement between him and the Chairman of the media house.
THE WHISTLER had reported the Rivers State government during Wike’s time as governor had served a 48-hour quit notice to the management of DAAR Communications, owners of Raypower and AIT to vacate the premises.
The letter dated March 20, 2023 and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Works, Ebere Emenike, explained that the government would demolish the structure and commence construction of proposed Government Residential Area (GRA) phase 5 in Ozuoba.
There was also no love lost between Wike and the late Raymond Dokpesi, now late, who was the chairman and founder of the stations concerning their differences in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The current Rivers Governor, Simi Fubara was Wike’s anointed for the PDP ticket in the 2023 governorship election despite having a running battle with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission when he was an accountant in Wike’s government.
Fubura, to show his loyalty to Wike, has hailed his emergence as a minister in the All Progressives Congress administration despite being a PDP member.
This paper could not get confirmation from the state government that a new letter was sent to the station informing it of the demolition, sources in the media house said no new letter was received.
But the operations of the TV and FM Stations were shut down with reports on the media organisation’s website, explaining that the demolition was carried out by telecommunications engineers contracted by the State Government.
The station said the engineers were accompanied by armed security operatives as they stood by watching the engineers disconnecting the wave guard from the antenna on the mast while riggers were seen dismantling the mast.
The TV station ran a live broadcast of the demolition. A statement issued by the station said, ‘Bulldozers were also deployed by the Rivers State Government to demolish the Transmitter Complex at the DAAR Communications PLC Broadcast Centre in Port Harcourt.
“Management of the Company has been taken by surprise following the sudden turn of events as efforts were in top gear to resolve issues with the State Government amicably but the no notice incident is a heavy source of concern.
“Some officials of the telecommunications contractor told AIT that they were working on a directive from above to start demolition on Sunday despite the heavy rains as against a later date.”
The United Kingdom issued some 132,000 visas to Nigerians in the first half of the year, Jonny Baxter, British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He revealed the number in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.
Baxter, however, could not readily give the total number of applications received from Nigerians during the period.
“In the first half of the year, we granted approximately 132,000 visas, and those are all sorts of visas which include visit, work and study visas.
“In the previous full year before that, we issued about 324,000. The UK, in that year, issued about three million visas, and of those three million visas, 324,000 were issued to Nigerians, which is about 10 percent.
“ If you think about Nigeria’s population, relative to the world, that’s actually a higher proportion of Nigerians taking up those visas and coming to the UK which I view is a good thing.
“The UK has a huge number of Nigerian students in the country, and in terms of foreign students in the UK, Nigeria is second only to India.
“We welcome and value the many Nigerians that we have coming to the UK to study or settle, as long as they are coming through legal routes, and it is important that the country’s rules are followed and respected,” he said.
Baxter reiterated that change in the rules of students bringing dependents was a necessity, based on an international challenge.
“ In 2019, Nigerian students going to the UK brought in 1,500 dependents. By 2022/2023, that number had risen to 52,000 dependents, that’s a massive increase.
“ Nigeria is not unique, as it has happened for many other countries and indeed, this change on the dependents is an international challenge.
“It is not surprising that a country, Britain in this case, that is facing that kind of change to the numbers of people coming in the country, wants to look at the policy and would want to change and amend their policy.
“This is definitely not a case of saying that we don’t want students to come, we definitely want students still to come, and the new policy would come in in January 2024.”
He explained that UK government reviews its visa fees on a regular basis, noting that increments are taken when it becomes a necessity.
“What the British government has decided to do is they review fees all the time, and they’ve decided that because of the cost of processing visas, those costs that people applying for visas need to pay should go up as well.
“The other thing that I think is probably not often recognized is that, for some of those people who are going to the UK and are in some limited circumstances, those people will access services when they are in the UK and those services cost money.
“So, part of the money out of the fees in the visa process will be to pay for those services that in certain circumstances, some people may need to access when they’re there. So for me, that’s an entirely justifiable thing.
“But I completely understand it is important for us to explain it so people understand reasons for increment,” he said.
He advised the public to always apply for visa well ahead of their scheduled travels, noting that there are processes and time frames in granting visas. (NAN)
...as ex-President responds to allegations over P&ID contract
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has praised his administration for, according to him, coming on a rescue mission and effectively saving Nigeria from corrupt undertones that were planted to expose its economy to imminent collapse.
He said that the success of the administration in the fight against corruption was unprecedented.
This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, in response to the allegations raised against him by former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, over Process & Industrial Developments (P&ID), Paris Club, and the Ajaokuta steel company.
The statement noted that the cases cited by Adoke as a reference point for the Buhari administration’s corruption were cases that originated in a government in which he was the man responsible for the administration of justice.
While noting that the contract and incidental judgement in the P&ID were inherited by his administration, Buhari maintained that, to his credit, he succeeded in stopping its execution even when the previous administration that was responsible for the creation of the liability watched helplessly and exposed Nigeria to over $10 billion in liability.
The statement added: The Paris club saga that Adokie cited as an example of corrupt practises of the Buhari administration is not in any way different in origin and circumstances from the case of P&ID. It was rooted in administrations that predated that of President Muhammadu Buhari. Adoke was a product of the administration that planted the evil foundation and the judgements that resulted therefrom.
“The logical conclusion any reasonable person can draw on P&ID, Paris Club, and Ajaokuta is that President Buhari came on a rescue mission and effectively saved Nigeria from corrupt undertones that were planted to expose its economy to imminent collapse. The success of the Buhari administration in the fight against corruption is unprecedented.
“New legislation was introduced, major recoveries were made at home, stolen monies were repatriated from abroad, and they were judiciously deployed in infrastructure development. High-profile convictions were recorded in unprecedented numbers, with enhanced percentages over and above the records in existence.
“It is in international recognition of these efforts that the African Union chose the former President as its African Continental Anti-Corruption Champion. Additional recognitions by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Corruption (UNODC), among others, were also lauded by the former president and his administration.
“Adokie also made some wild allegations in the aviation sector. The efforts of the Buhari administration in aviation are known: They were visible in terms of capital infrastructure development, safety, and policy; they changed the face of the aviation sector into an attractive one for investment, resulting in new airlines coming on board. No major commercial airline incident was recorded throughout this period.”
“All Nigerians, by right, can say whatever they want about the Buhari administration. No one is offended by their actions, right or wrong. But when you come out with innuendos of corruption written all over your face and say that you want to moralise and pontificate, Nigerians in different walks of life will have problems with that,” the statement declared.
Former Chairman of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Lauretta Onochie, has denied reports that she was thrown out of an apartment in the United Kingdom.
Reports had emerged on Saturday that Onochie, who also served as a special assistant on new media to former President Muhammadu Buhari, became stranded after she was kicked out by family members.
She, however, dismissed the reports via X social media platform on Sunday, saying it was her cousin whom she sheltered that wanted to force her out.
Onochie said she retrieved her house from the said family member after a long-fought battle that did not allow her have access to her belongings.
She wrote on X, “WHAT A BATTLE, I RECOVERED MY HOME.
“My Cousin, Victor Ashiedu Fejokwu and his wife, Ruth Emereze were stranded, infact homeless at the time. I took pity on them, took them in, to house them in my home.
“A year ago, when I started making plans to return to continue housing them, they blocked my phone number. I had no access to my letters. Consequently, I missed quite a number of appointments.
“Having the key to the property, I turned up at the door, twice. They installed bolts and bolted the door from the inside and refused to let me in.
“They stopped contributing to the rent when they both have jobs, preferring to host lavish parties.
“I tried again for the last time. When I knocked, his wife sneaked from the garden into the house, to bolt the front door against me.
“Miraculously. Miraculously. She forgot to lock the garden door through where she sneaked into the house. I got access to the house through that door.”
Onochie further stated that they became nasty and when she called the police, they were dealt a heavy blow and told to vacate the house.
She added that they moved out two days ago and they will reap what they did to her.
Onochie said, “They became nasty. Of course, I called the police who dealt them a heavy blow, telling them they must vacate for me unless I was willing to continue to house them. The cowardly thug ran away before the arrival of the Police. The other young lady, went to my bed and spread herself out. Of course, I got her out.
“Then they started pleading to stay.
NO WAY! Two days later, they shamefully moved out.
“BUT WILL I BE NICE TO PEOPLE AGAIN?
Absolutely! It’s my nature to help. I will continue to be me. We reap what we sow.
“Ashiedu and his wife, will reap what they did to me. Bountifully.”
The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has predicted the possibility of Naira bouncing back and this time greater than the United States dollar.
Our correspondent reports that based on findings in the black market buying rate of the dollar is about N915, and sells at N918.
Sequel to the upward slide, businesses and the cost of living of Nigerians coupled with the fuel subsidy removal have been badly affected.
Adeboye gave this prediction during the church’s monthly thanksgiving service on Sunday, monitored by our correspondent with the September theme; ‘Uncommon Miracles’.
According to the revered Clergy, there was a period when Naira, competed favourably with United States dollars.
He said, “The days when Naira will be stronger will come back; those glorious days will return when that happens you will know.”
Adeboye noted that miracles connoted something that is unique, stressing that a lot of times they may not be comprehensible by many.
He explained how God granted him usual testimonies, some of which many people couldn’t believe.
“Miracle is totally unusual. God can give you a miracle that will be difficult to share,” Adeboye added.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has emerged victorious in all 18 Local Government Areas in the Edo State local government.
The election was held on Saturday in all of the local government areas in the state.
The results released by the state independent electoral commission showed that PDP swept the votes in all the local government areas in the State, according to Channels Television.
Apart from the PDP, other major political parties that participated in the election for Chairmanship and Councillorship of all the wards include the Labour Party, LP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
At the time of filing this report, the APC and the LP are yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the election.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, says no fewer than 8.3 million Nigerians are in dire need of humanitarian assistance in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.
Edu said the figure is part of the total 16 million Nigerians affected by various humanitarian crises, with the three states worse hit.
The minister said this in a statement by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Mr Rasheed Zubair, on Sunday in Abuja.
She said aside from the North-East, Benue in the North/Central had been tagged the capital of humanitarian crises in Nigeria by the United Nations.
“We have a huge task on our hands, as we speak now, over 16m Nigerians are affected by humanitarian crises either man-made or natural disaster with over 8.3m of them based in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
”Several states in the North Central; and others spread across the country.
“The UN said Benue had become the humanitarian need capital in Nigeria, and as such, a lot of work needs to be done in the humanitarian angle,” she said.
She added “One of the agendas of Tinubu’s administration is to ensure that poverty is alleviated in Nigeria in line with the SDG goal one.
“The president is coming up with a very robust program to lift Nigerians out of poverty.
“Our work is to see how we can get those in poverty out and those on the verge of getting into poverty increase to social safety to protect them from falling into poverty.
“In a couple of weeks, we will be fully launching into this plans to take over 136 million Nigerians out of poverty as implementation has started to help cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.”
She said the ministry had come up with innovative ways of thorough verification of the social register for accuracy and transparency.
“We are bringing innovations to ensure transparency in Conditional Cash Transfer by carrying out a thorough verification of the social register, validating and then expanding it to accommodate more persons.
“We will be working with the World Bank while seeking approval from the President to begin the Conditional Cash Transfer to Nigerians,” she said.
The minister promised to upgrade, rejig and expand the social safety net programme to accommodate more people through a transparent process.
“We want to increase the Social Safety Net for Nigerians in a transparent manner by counting the numbers together just as we counted COVID-19 cases using a digitalised system.
“We are very conscious of the fact that Mr President’s passion and true intentions are to ensure that we can lift Nigerians out of poverty.
“Party politics is over, now is time for governance, President Tinubu is a president for everyone irrespective of political party,” she said.
She therefore assured Nigerians that the ministry would soon come up with an accurate and acceptable social register to curb the challenge associated with disparity in the register.
”Ministry would soon come up with a more acceptable Social Register, one that will be verified, validated.
” It will also be expanded to include those who should be there while taking off those who no longer belong within that bracket.
”We will also work with all tiers of government as well as various communities to identify persons eligible for the scheme.” she added.
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A talented Nigerian lady named Chiamaka Favour Obumma has left many people gushing online as she showed off a dress she crafted using maize seeds and silk.
She took some beautiful photos to her Facebook page and captioned it, “Agbado Outfi, Please drop your best emoji for this outfit.”
“I made my blouse with maize grain/seed, and my earrings feature a combination of the grain and silk. My beautiful skirt is made from the sheath/husk.”
“In the second picture, it displays the color of the sheath when it dries, and I used pears (ube) for my necklace. Please stay tuned; I’ll be posting the process once I’m out of this camp.”
See her photos below:
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The lady’s post has garnered the attention of individuals who have flooded the comment section with recognition of her talent and their thoughts. Read some comments below:
Ikechi Maryjane Genevieve said, “Go baby. Your kind creativity is always out of the world. This is great.”
Acidma-Lois Joan said, “Mother of Creativity herself, this is good….you should be awarded for this Dear.”
Precious Stanley ProperCare said, “You are creative indeed nne. I see you in higher places. Keep it up o.”
Soibifaa Ogbuji said, “You are doing well my darling… Keep being yourself!!! Beautiful and very creative.”
Nnatu Zimuzo Echezona said, “Wowww. Am speechless ooo. You are creative personified.”
The Federal Government’s expenditure exceeded revenue by N1.43tn in the first three months of 2023, according to figures obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The CBN revealed in its economic report for the third quarter of 2023 obtained by The PUNCH on Friday that this was 9.6 per cent higher than the last quarter of 2022 figure.
It stated, “The fiscal operations of the FGN in 2023, Q1, resulted in a deficit. At N1.43tn, the provisional fiscal deficit of the FGN was 9.6 per cent higher than the level in the preceding quarter but 22.1 per cent below the target.”
According to the report, the fiscal performance in 2023, Q1 was impaired by low oil revenue realisation. Consequently, the retained revenue of the FGN fell by 10.7 per cent, relative to 2022, Q4, and was 46.1 per cent below the quarterly target.
FGN’s aggregate expenditure also declined by 1.3 and 36.0 per cent, relative to the preceding quarter and the quarterly target, respectively.
It said, “Thus, the FGN overall deficit widened relative to 2022, Q4, but narrowed by 22.1 per cent when compared with the proportionate budget. Consolidated public debt, as at end-December 2022, stood at N46.25tn (or 22.8 per cent of GDP).
At N3.48tn, the CBN report said, gross federation revenue fell below the levels in 2022, Q4 and the budget benchmark by 0.4 and 26.6 per cent, respectively.
Non-oil revenue continued to dominate government revenue, accounting for 61.4 per cent, while oil receipts accounted for 38.6 per cent.
Oil revenue, at N1.34tn, declined by 3.0 and 43.5 per cent, relative to 2022, Q4 and quarterly target. The performance was indicative of revenue shortfalls from petroleum profit tax and royalties, following lower domestic crude production.
“Conversely, non-oil receipts, at N2.14n, improved against the preceding quarter by 1.2 per cent, but was 9.6 per cent below the quarterly target of N2.37tn,” the report said.
[Punch]
Unions in the critical sectors of the economy and 52 other affiliates of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, have stepped up the mobilisation of members ahead of the two-day warning strike planned by the workers’ body to protest the increasing suffering of citizens following the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, commonly known as petrol.
The warning strike holds between Tuesday, September 5 and Wednesday, September 6, 2023.
Among the critical sector unions are the Nigeria Union of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, which controls the fuel distribution across the country; the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE; the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PTECSSAN, and National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, NUBIFIE, that controls the junior workers in the financial industry.
Others include the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN; National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE; Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, ANAN, National Association of Air Pilots and Engineers, NAPE; National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees, NUFBTE; National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees, NUCFRLANMPE, and others in the manufacturing sector.
While some of these unions such as the MWUN, had already written to intimidate their employers and other stakeholders about the impending shutdown, others said they would formally inform their employers on Monday.
MWUN, in a circular by its Deputy Secretary General, Erazua Oniha, on behalf of the Union’s Secretary General, Felix Akingboye, among others, said: “We receive a communique from the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on the above subject, directing that all NLC affiliates commence a two-day nationwide warning strike to demonstrate our readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month and to also demand that the State vacates the illegally occupied National Headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.
“This decision was reached at a meeting of the National Executive Council, NEC, of NLC, which was held on Thursday, August 31, 2023 to deliberate the way forward, consequent to the increase in the pump price of petrol by the FG without consideration to providing palliatives to cushion the definite effect on the Nigerian workers and citizens.
“Consequent to the foregoing, all National Administrative Council, NAC, Central Working Committee, CWC, NEC and members in all ports, jetties, terminals and Oil and Gas platforms nationwide are by this notice directed to commence on immediate and total mobilisation of our members to effectively ensure their participation in the nationwide warning strike from Tuesday 5 to Wednesday 6 September 2023.” Similarly, in the telecommunications sector, General Secretary of PTECSSAN, Okonu Abdullahi, told Sunday Vanguard that members would fully participate in the strike action, saying “We operate in a very sensitive sector. What will happen for now is that because it will be a warning strike, any fault that occurred within the two days will not be attended to.”
In the same vein, Acting General Secretary of NUEE, Dominic Igwebike, informed that “the workers in the electricity sector were part of the decision to embark on the warning strike. Therefore, we are fully prepared to do as directed.”
Though the President and General Secretary of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, could not be reached at the time of this report, a senior official of NUPENG who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “We are an affiliate of NLC therefore, the decision is binding on us. In fact, I can tell you that we have stepped up mobilisation for the action.”
Speaking, President of NUCFRLANMPE, Babatunde ‘Goke Olatunji, said: “We are fully mobilized for the action. I can tell you that this type of strike does not need much effort to mobilize people because everybody is in pain and going through unbearable suffering.”
Recall that the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, had after its NEC’s meeting on Friday, said: “NEC in session of NLC resolved to embark on a total and indefinite shutdown of the nation within 14 working days or 21 days from today until steps are taken by the government to address the excruciating mass suffering and the impoverishment experienced around the country.
“To commence a two-day warning strike on Tuesday and Wednesday, 5th and 6th September 2023 to demonstrate our readiness for the indefinite strike later in the month and to also demand that the state vacates the illegally occupied national headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers.”
The NLC also resolved to embark on a mass protest and rally in Imo State in September over what it described as a renewed onslaught by the government and its agents against labour unions.
Ajaero explained that the proposed strike action was necessitated as a result of the government’s deliberate neglect and disregard to engage the relevant stakeholders through the channel of social dialogue.
He said the FG has refused to engage and reach an agreement with the organized labour on critical issues on the consequences of the unfortunate hike in prices of petroleum which has unleashed massive suffering on Nigerian workers and masses.
“There is a renewed onslaught against trade unions and their leadership by the states and their agents across Nigeria. The Police under the instruction of certain forces peddling the name of the President of Nigeria have invaded and occupied the national headquarters of the NURTW headquarters seeking to install its own executives”
[Vanguard]
It is a difficult time to be a Nigerian. Living in a Hobbesian fictional world, where everything seems nasty, brutish and short, particularly in the turbulent eight years of Muhammadu Buhari’s reign; nothing has changed for Nigerians in the past three months.
President Bola Tinubu whose leadership Nigerians expected to birth a new lease of life, wasted no time in making the situation worse for them following the removal of subsidy from Premium Motor Spirit. Since June when the Commander-in-Chief announced subsidy removal, things have not been the same for Nigerians, many of whom now lament openly the pitiable conditions under which they live.
However, there is hope on the horizon that things are likely to change for good with the recent inauguration of the Federal Executive Council by the President. This optimism derives in part from the pledged commitment of the first citizen to make a difference in the lives of Nigerians, having admitted recently that the past few years have been difficult for the people.
The new ministers are expected to hit the ground running but how fast remains a matter of conjecture. For a President desirous of turning around the fortunes of a nation whose potentials have been dwarfed by decades of poor planning and policy somersault; critical sectors of the economy must be allowed to breathe without difficulty.
While in the saddle, Buhari placed Nigeria on the global map for the wrong reasons. From having the highest number of out-of-school children estimated conservatively at over 10 million to being the world capital of poverty, Africa’s largest country became a consistent symbol of jokes around the world.
He came on a three-point agenda namely, fight against insecurity, revival of the economy and war against corruption but at the time of exit, Buhari had left the world and millions of his supporters disappointed as none of the cardinal programmes of his administration came close to witnessing even a marginal improvement since he took over the reins of governance in 2015. Across the land, gunmen boasting their connection in high places killed for fun even as they had a field day breaking into correctional facilities to free their members arrested previously by security agencies.
The economy suffocated from a combination of ills, including fiscal indiscipline, monetary policy somersault, and low productivity to mention but a few. All these, according to President Tinubu, will soon give way to a more robust economy where the naira would appreciate in value side by side with other currencies in the world. Perhaps, there is a reason to be hopeful.
The cabinet turned out not exactly what Nigerians expected, yet, the inclusion of the likes of Bosun Tijani, Muhammed Pate and Wale Edun as well as a handful of others is enough to look forward to greater things in the months ahead but for Nigeria to stand a chance of living true to her potentials, critical sectors of the economy must witness significant turnaround as quickly as possible.
Judiciary
For the better part of the immediate past administration, the rule of law was constantly in focus for the wrong reasons. Court orders not favourable to the Federal Government were sometimes ignored without a thought for posterity.
The disobedience of court order against the continued trial of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, and flagrant refusal to obey court orders for the release of Ibrahim El-zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and Nnamdi Kanu readily come to mind.
Thus, President Tinubu will do himself a world of good by giving the judicial arm of government the respect it deserves, for in the words of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, much is expected from the judiciary if Nigeria must win back her status as one of the leading black nations on earth.
To attain this feat, the country needs “Massive law reforms, digitalisation of the entire court processes and practices, immediate enhancement of judges conditions of service, including salaries, emoluments, annual travels, medical care, local and foreign seminars, workshops, conferences and a guaranteed house to retire to.”
Security
Nigeria witnessed one of her most challenging times under Buhari following the escalation of killings, kidnapping for ransom, and terrorism in different parts of the country. Despite his military background, Buhari had no solution to the deadly campaigns by terrorists who even embarrassed him on more than one occasion in his ancestral home of Daura, Katsina State.
In many instances, Katsina State witnessed attacks from terrorists with Buhari in town; an indication that they were neither scared nor believed that the then President had what it takes to address the security situation.
Like Buhari, Tinubu’s administration has started off on a bad note. With barely three months in the saddle, the former Lagos State Governor’s ability to secure the nation is currently a subject of debate. A fortnight ago, three officers and 22 soldiers died in Zungeru, Niger State, when gunmen laid ambush.
“Troops, while conducting offensive operations around Kundu general area in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, got into an ambush. Following a firefight, three officers and 22 soldiers were killed in action, while seven soldiers were wounded.
“Subsequently, the NAF MI-171 helicopter was dispatched to evacuate the casualties. While outbound to Kaduna, the helicopter crashed with the corpses of the 14 personnel earlier killed in action, seven of the personnel were wounded in action, while two pilots and two crew members of the helicopter also died.
“Operations are ongoing to recover the bodies and investigate the cause of the air crash, which will be communicated. Surely, no group will strike its own troops with impunity,” the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, told journalists at a briefing on the tragedy.
President Tinubu had a few weeks ago named Abubakar Badaru and Bello Matawalle as Minister and Minister of State, Defence respectively. The two who until recently were governors of Jigawa and Zamfara states were not bookmakers’ predictions for the highly sensitive security sector based on their zero military experience.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, security consultant, Captain Umar Aliyu (retd.) came short of saying that the choice of the two ex-governors might leave Nigeria in a worse state.
He said, “When you look at where we are coming from and where we are, you can then begin to imagine where we are going. The immediate past Minister of Defence was General Bashir Magashi (retd). When Magashi came on board this same APC under Buhari, we wondered why it had to be him. The reason was that Magashi as of the time he was appointed minister by Buhari had been out of touch with governance. At that time, there were enough Generals who had served in a democracy from 1999 to the time Magashi was appointed Defence Minister but Buhari did not choose any of them. Buhari went on to bring in a man who served his entire career in a military dispensation. The man had no idea of what the democracy of security was all about.
“If a General could only achieve what we saw the last time, what more of an Abubakar Badaru and Bello Matawalle? Even though being a Defence Minister is not exclusively the job of a General, having the required antecedents is an added advantage. If you put a blind man in a dark room, with black walls, he is handicapped because even if you give him eyes, he won’t see.”
That said, Aliyu warned of imminent danger if the two ministers failed to master the intrigues in their new terrain fast enough.
“If Badaru and Matawalle do not tread carefully, there are hawks in the Ministry of Defence who will exploit their current situation and at the end of the day, the bulk will stop on their tables whether for credit or for blame,” he added.
Taking a different position, security expert and golden member of the Switzerland Security Association, Mr Jackson Ojo, said there was no cause for alarm, adding that the zero military experience notwithstanding, the ex-governors could make a difference if they would be able to muster the political will to get things done in the interest of the nation.
His words, “The minister of Defence is an administrative officer but he has enormous influence and powers over the military and paramilitary security apparatus of the country. The most important thing is for the minister to have will power. If the President really wants to see the difference in the security situation of this country, there is no minister that will not act.
“The fact that he has a retired senior police officer as the National Security Officer and they are working in tandem is enough reason to hope for a new dawn. When the NSA came to Port Harcourt for the inspection of oil facilities recently, I was glad that he came with the Minister and Minister of State for Defence. It shows they will work in synergy with the NSA. Once the service chiefs see that these people are working together, they will have to cooperate.
Badaru may not be a security expert, but he has been a chief security officer of a state for eight years. The most important thing is the cooperation with the NSA. The two ministers can do a lot. It is good that the President has charged everyone to hit the ground running. That is an added motivation for them to perform because non-performance can earn them the sacking.”
Finance
The naira is on a free-fall; no thanks to the monetary inconsistency of the Buhari-led administration, with a Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, whose professional calling as a banker was compromised by his near venture into the world of partisan politics.
Although President Tinubu has brought in an economic expert, Wale Edun, as the Minister of Finance to steer the wheel of the sector, Abuja-based tax consultant, Adams Echono said the new man “would need to move very quickly to sanitise the Nigeria financial system. Nigeria is in dire straits financially and will need the expertise of Mr Wale Edun to bring some stability to the nation’s economy. The minister’s input will bring stability into our fiscal and monetary system, help manage our huge debt portfolio and ensure fiscal responsibility across all tiers of government.”
Education
The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, has also promised to hit the ground running, having assured Nigerians that the National Library would be completed in 21 months. Besides this all-important project, Nigerians are eagerly awaiting his magic wand on how to revive the sector, particularly at the tertiary level.
While it may be too early to hazard a guess at the programmes he is likely to unveil in the weeks ahead, Nigerians will be glad to have in the saddle a Minister of Education who will play his part in ensuring that the perennial industrial actions witnessed during the administration of General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) become a thing of the past.
The global ranking of universities is an area Professor Tahir needs to avail the nation of his wealth of experience and know-how. How he does this remains to be seen in the months ahead.
Marine and Blue Economy
The creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is seen as a strategic move by President Tinubu to delve into Nigeria’s untapped aquatic endowments. Blessed with vast waterways spread across the northern and southern plains, Nigeria has yet to reap bountifully from this sub-sector. This, experts attributed to decades of neglect by successive administrations; military and civilian combined.
The appointment of the immediate past governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, has been commended by industry players not because of his expertise but because of his willingness to learn and determination to make a difference.
The minister has expressed his readiness to bring in expertise to tap into the sector, earn the nation revenue and invest in the sector value chain for sustainable impact and job creation. Perhaps, the nation’s quest to attain United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal number 14 (Life under Water) is on its way to fruition with the creation of the Marine and Blue Economy
Speaking with our correspondent, Gombe-based agriculturalist, Sanusi Yunusa, tasked Oyetola to make the sector the next goldmine after oil and gas.
“I was particularly happy with the creation of this Ministry. Although I don’t know the minister’s brief, I do hope he is allowed to make decisions concerning fishery. There is no reason for this country to be spending huge amount of foreign exchange to import fish and fish products. We have the waters. The Lake Chad that is drying up should be quickly looked into as well. We have a lot of money-spinning opportunities in this country, but investment is lacking,” he said.
Mr Yunusa further called on the Federal Government to give the new minister the freedom to implement his ideas to avail the country the mileage embedded in the sector.
Works
Except for the education and health sectors, works is one area President Bola Tinubu can carve a niche for his administration in the next four years. Some of the nation’s highways had in the past few decades turned to death traps, following successive administration’s failure to either rehabilitate them or construct new ones.
Despite claims by the immediate past administration that it constructed 600 roads spread across the country, Nigerians, majority of whom travel by road, would be glad to see the new Minister of Works, Dave Umahi hit the ground running. Good a thing, the immediate past governor of Ebonyi State has promised to bring his engineering ingenuity to bear starting with the lightening up of the Lagos/Ibadan expressway.
Although politicians’ words are often taken with a pinch of salt, there is a sufficient premise to hope in the new era given Umahi’s impressive achievement in infrastructural development in Ebonyi State, particularly in roads and flyovers’ construction. In what appears a deviation from the past, Umahi’s reign may involve local contractors with the Federal Government now mooting the possibility of embracing public private partnership once again.
“We are going to be reintroducing the PPP to allow private individuals or firms take part in our road construction and running same for a period of time. We are not going to introduce tolling on our federal expressways but maybe with time, we will. What matters now is to fix these roads,” Umahi was quoted as saying in a maiden meeting with staff members of the ministry and contractors in Abuja recently.
Perhaps, the minister’s resolve to deploy technology will not only culminate into quality jobs but may spell doom for contractors whose stock in trade is poor service delivery.
Speaking recently in Abuja, Umahi said, “I will challenge my fellow engineers on the issue of concrete technology. Even in the midst of forex challenge and petroleum crisis, the nation is endowed with natural resources; so, we should be prepared for the renewed hope of the present government anchored on change.
“I am not an office person; I am a field person, which means we are going to make changes. We are starting inspection tours to inspect ongoing projects and to know the ones to come up with.”
Should the PPP arrangement come on board, direct and indirect jobs would be created to absorb a good number of Nigerians who would be too glad to deploy their creative energies to earn a living.
Power
Power Minister, Adebayo Adelabu’s assuring words of stable and affordable power supply is music to the ears of Nigerians who have been treated to epileptic power supply for decades. Adelabu said the Federal Government would go the whole distance to take advantage of the Nigerian Electricity Act, 2023, which provides for a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for the operation of a fully privatised, cost and service-reflective tariff, to boost power supply across the country.
Stable power supply, if attained, would propel Tinubu to the summit of national prominence given that previous administrations failed to deliver on promises made. Already, a total sum of N7tn has been expended as direct intervention in the power sector by the Federal Government. There is a belief that stable power supply is likely to birth a new crop of businessmen and a return of companies who left Nigeria a few years ago owing to the cost of powering their plants on their own.