The leadership of the organised labour will meet with its organs today to discuss the N35,000 provisional wage award which the federal government approved yesterday for all treasury-paid federal workers for six months.

The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, stated this in an interview with State House reporters yesterday after a four-hour meeting with the government delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Ajaero said the organised labour could not unilaterally shelve the indefinite strike it scheduled for October 3 without recourse to its organs.

“I don’t have much to say than what the Chief of Staff has said. We’ve been meeting and we’ve looked at almost all the issues, all the promissory notes from the government and we’ll look at how to translate them to reality and to be workable.

“Then, we’re going to take those promises to our organs. Of course, you know these people here cannot just wake up and review and call off action.

“So, like he (Gbajabiamila) said, we are hopeful that our organs will have a look at them and give us a fresh mandate on what next to do. So, it’s a simple one,” Ajaero said.

The acting president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Tommy Etim Okon, who also addressed journalists, said the labour would meet its organs today to review the outcomes of the meeting with the government delegation.

He added that the team from the organised labour would return for another meeting today.

He said, “Let me, on behalf of the TUC, also point out to the fact that we have had series of conversations surrounding the issue raised and we do hope that by tomorrow (today), we are going to get across to our organs so that we can also look at it and cross-fertilize ideas and see the way forward. I am sure we are coming back again tomorrow (today) for that.”

In a statement after the meeting, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had approved N35,000 provisional wage award for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months, following further consultations with the Federal Government delegation that met with the leadership of the NLC and the TUC yesterday.

President Tinubu had, earlier yesterday in his 63rd Independence Day Anniversary broadcast, announced the N25,000 increment for low-grade federal workers.

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The minister said during the meeting, the labour unions made case for higher wage award.

He said a sub-committee would be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

The NLC and the TUC had called for an indefinite strike commencing on October 3 in protest against the alleged failure by the government to provide palliatives and implement policies to cushion the effect of the petrol subsidy removal on the masses.

Several workers’ unions across the country had declared their readiness to join the strike.

The unions include the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutes (SSAUTHRIA); the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, and the Medical & Health Workers Union of Nigeria.

In different statements signed by their respective leaderships, the unions had directed their affiliates across the nation to start maximum mobilization of all its members without delay while urging all-out compliance from members.

The information minister said at the meeting between both parties, the Federal Government pledged its commitment to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of PMS subsidy.

He said the Federal Government also committed to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises as well as waivers on VAT on diesel for the next six months.

“Furthermore, the Federal Government announced that it will commence payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period from October-December 2023,” he stated.

Idris said the government urged the labour unions not to embark on strike as the issues in dispute could only be resolved when workers are at work.

“The lingering matter of Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State needs to be addressed urgently.

“NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above,” the minister added.

Earlier while addressing reporters on the outcome of the meeting, Gbajabiamila had stated that all cadres of workers in the Federal Civil Service would benefit from the N25,000 wage increment for six months.

He said a lot of issues concerning the average Nigerian worker were addressed during the meeting.

“We have reached certain agreements that are for the benefit of the Nigerian worker.

“Agreements on wage bill, agreements on committees on salary increment, CNG buses, on several other things, I believe, both TUC, labour and government side.”

The chief of staff, who said the organized labour would brief its branches and executives today on the agreement, clarified that the president agreed that all categories of workers would benefit from the N25,000 wage increment for six months.

He said, “Hopefully, we expect that labour will call a meeting of their various branches and executive tomorrow (today) to present the agreements that have been reached, and we pray and we believe and we hope that the strike will be called off on Tuesday.

“So, I want to once again thank labour for taking time out on a good Sunday like this one when they should be with their families to come and discuss in the interest of the workers.

“There was a lot of chatter on Twitter about the issue of low-income workers only falling into the category of the provisional wage increase. And we did communicate with the president and he quickly did say and agreed that all categories of workers will be given the wage bill, there is nothing like low income, median income or high income. I think that it was worthy of clarification tonight,” Gbajabiamila said.

Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, participated virtually in the meeting.

Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite; the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The labour delegation was led by NLC President, Joe Ajaero; Deputy President, TUC, Dr Tommy Etim Okon; NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja; TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro; among others.

The federal government has announced the removal of the value-added tax (VAT) on diesel for the next six months.

In a statement, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said it was part of the resolution reached during the meeting between government officials and leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), at the State House, on Sunday.

The minister said the government is “committed to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of the PMS subsidy”.

Apart from this, the government said it is committed to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises.

“NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above,” the statement added.

Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, participated virtually in the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite; the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The labour delegation was led by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, Dr Tommy Etim Okon, Deputy President, TUC, NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, among others.

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has renamed the Anambra International Airport after late literary icon, Prof Chinua Achebe.

Soludo announced this during the Independence Day celebration at Dr Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, the state capital.

Soludo stated that it was a good thing that many of those who contributed to the independence of Nigeria in 1960 have had one project or the other named after them.

He, however, lamented that all the projects were named after public office holders, saying his government would change the norm starting with recognizing Achebe by naming the Anambra Airport after him.

“We must signal that you don’t have to hold political positions to contribute to the advancement of our civilization.

“Henceforth, we shall be deliberate in fishing out and celebrating our largely unsung heroes, as motivation to our children and youths in terms of what matters, including distinguished teachers, medical and other professionals, persons of honesty and integrity, philanthropists with known sources of wealth, entrepreneurs/job creators, community leaders/developers, clergy with great devotion, etc.

“An example of Africa’s unsung hero is the late Professor Albert Chinualumogu Achebe.

“Achebe was not a President or Governor or Minister. He did not build bridges, roads or airports. But he will outlive most presidents, governors or ministers.

“Achebe gave African literature an identity and a voice. In a way, he rightly reconstructed and redefined who we are and we will never forget. Indeed, he was not an Anambra hero, nor a Nigerian hero. He was an African and global hero, and yet largely unsung at home.

“Consequently, we will rename the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri, to CHINUA ACHEBE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, UMUERI. Yes, it has to be an international airport, and we hope to work with the Federal Government to give full effect to its international status,” Soludo said.

Former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu, says he does not owe anyone an apology for supporting a northerner in the last presidential primary of the party.

He said he pitched his tent with a northern candidate because he’s a northerner, adding that he did not regret his action.

The erstwhile helmsman of the ruling party made this known in an interview with Daily Trust on Sunday.

In what many saw as a poor calculation and risky decision at the time, Adamu openly supported the then senate president Ahmad Lawan for the presidential ticket of the party.

But Lawan was resoundingly defeated at the primary with Tinubu winning by a landslide. Many have opined that Adamu decision to support Lawan, who was the least favourite to clinch the ticket, cost him his position as the party’s chairman.

Reacting to the political furore, the former Nasarawa state governor said he had no regret for the choice he made.

“The party chairman has a role, but with a ruling party, I could not take it on myself to float Ahmed Lawan’s name.

“I am curious because everybody put it on you.
Well, of course, I take responsibility as party chairman, but nobody with maturity in politics and governance will say that Abdullahi Adamu, as the chairman of the party, would just get up and say this is my presidential candidate. It doesn’t add up.

“Of course, there were processes. I don’t want to go back on that. What I detested about this whole setting was that people who wanted to win favours with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu continued saying there was cold war between me and him and making so much capital out of it.

“I am an established person from my root, right from birth. I come from a royal family and I am proud of it. I was born at a time when there was a northern Nigeria. I was brought into its values even though I worked mainly in the private sector. I saw myself first and foremost as a northerner in Nigeria and I have no apologies to anybody on this.

“But times are changing, if you want to take a count of people with the same feeling, attitude, commitment and loyalty to the North, you would have a problem”

He noted that identity politics is entrenched in Nigeria socio-political dynamics, adding that its reality is rife in the South-West where the president hails from.

“But go down South, especially the South West, and you would see that people are not ashamed of beating their chests and telling you who they are and where they come from and what they stand for. Go to the East, till today, we are losing lives in the East for what they believe in, not here.

“The reason I have no regret is that only what God wills will happen. God has made Bola Ahmed Tinubu the president of this country”

Former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka, Sunday, berated Nigerian security agencies for being unable to track the genuineness of President Bola Tinubu’s certificate overtime.

According to him, it is a national disgrace to take the matter of such gravity for proof in the United States even when Tinubu had been given a clean slate by Nigeria’s intelligence agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission to run for president.

Chidoka made his opinion known in a statement on Sunday.

According to him, “That it took the courageous activism of Abubakar Atiku to force the discovery of information concerning the President of Nigeria is a disgrace to our national institutions.

“As a nation, we have a full retinue of staff at the Department of the State Security, the National Intelligence Agency, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Embassy of Nigeria with the full complement of staff in Washington DC and the Nigerian Judiciary that have variously ruled on matters concerning President Tinubu’s academic qualifications. Yet, we cannot have a definitive conclusion about whether he has the academic qualifications he claimed he had or not. Disgraceful.

“That all the aforementioned institutions allowed a man to be sworn in without definitive statements about his qualifications is a national tragedy.

“For 23 years, the issue of President Tinubu has been a recurring decimal in our national equation. Under his reign, a current youth corps member is serving as Minister, and people under investigation by EFCC and made public are sitting in the Federal Executive Council. And they all passed through security screening.”

He described the office of President of Nigeria as “important both in its moral authority and its strategic importance to our national security and safety that nobody who has possible blind spots that can make him or her a potential asset for foreign intelligence or governments should be allowed a mile near that office.”

According to him, “This should be a primary burden on all our national institutions. Legal technicalities and silence by state institutions should be deemed high treason.”

He made a case for a constitutional amendment to finish all electoral cases before the assumption of office, adding that, “The current disgraceful proceedings against a Nigerian President in a foreign court under election petition matters are damaging to our collective moral and legal standing as a people.

“If it turns out tomorrow that our President presented a forged certificate to INEC, Nigerians will bow down their heads globally in shame. On the other hand, if it turns out that his certificate is genuine, again our reputation as a people is still in tatters because of the failure of national institutions to perform due diligence no matter who is involved.”

He stated that the image of Tinubu would be tarnished if it was found that he forged his certificate. Quoting him, “A forged certificate finding leaves President Tinubu in a vulnerable position morally and legally. As he did not present primary and secondary certificates to INEC, a forged CSU certificate makes him unqualified to stand for the office of President as he does not possess the minimum qualification S.131(D) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Of course, the next issue is the case of perjury, the presentation of false documents under oath.”

Chidoka berated INEC adding, “How INEC accepted a university degree without the qualifying certificates would continue to be a national mystery.

“The decision of the District Court and the whole proceedings is not a moment of triumphalism but a sober moment of introspection. It is a moment when as a nation we ask ourselves: what are our national values? Who or which institution should have ordered the full investigation of the questionable certificate?

“Considering that he did not present a primary or secondary certificate, should our courts be concerned with the technicality of the tendering process of the CSU certificate or the disgrace and global moral damage a forged certificate would wrought on Nigeria?”

President Bola Tinubu has responded to the rejection of his initial offer by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) by raising the temporary allowance for treasury-paid Federal Government workers.

The allowance has been increased from N25,000 to N35,000, aiming to ease the financial burden brought about by the removal of subsidy on premium motor spirit.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced this on Sunday night after the government’s meeting with the unions failed to yield desired outcome.

The allowance, which will be paid for six months, comes as the federal government seeks to find common ground with the labour unions to prevent strike action.

President Tinubu pledged to resolve demands of the labour unions while urging workers to remain at their posts.

Among commitments made by the Tinubu administration were the fast-tracking of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) bus provision to enhance public transportation in response to the removal of subsidies on PMS (Premium Motor Spirit).

Additionally, the government pledged to allocate funds to support micro and small-scale enterprises, as well as grant waivers on VAT for diesel over the next six months.

Furthermore, the government announced its plan to distribute N75,000 to 15 million households, providing N25,000 per month over a three-month period from October to December.

The information minister revealed that the NLC and TUC have agreed to consider the offers made by the federal government and potentially suspend their planned strike to allow for further consultations.

“A sub-committee will be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

“NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above,” said Idris.

The initial meeting was held virtually and chaired by Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and attended by Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State who doubles as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

Among the attendees were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu.

Others were the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite; the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan; and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

The labor delegation was led by NLC President, Joe Ajaero; Deputy President of TUC, Dr. Tommy Okon; NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja; and TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro.

The Federal Government, on Sunday, October 1, 2023 met with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on measures to address the dispute arising from the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

The parties noted the following:
i) The Federal Government has announced N25,000 only as provisional wage increment for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months.

ii) The Federal Government is committed to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of PMS subsidy.

iii) The Federal Government commits to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises.

iv) VAT on diesel will be waived for the next 6 months.

v) The Federal Government will commence payment of N75,000 to 15 million households at N25,000 per month, for a three-month period from October-December 2023.

RESOLUTIONS: In light of the discussions held during the meeting, the following resolutions were reached:

i) The issues in dispute can only be resolved when workers are at work and not when they are on strike.

ii) Labour Unions argued for higher wage award and the Federal Government Team promised to present Labour's request to President Bola Tinubu for further consideration.

iii) A sub-committee to be constituted to work out the details of implementation of all items for consideration regarding government interventions to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

iv) The lingering matter of Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State needs to be addressed urgently and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who participated virtually, pledged to resolve the matter.

v)NLC and TUC will consider the offers by the Federal Government with a view to suspending the planned strike to allow for further consultations on the implementation of the resolutions above.
Governor Abdulrazak Abdulrahman of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, participated virtually in the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, the Minister of State, Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The labour delegation was led by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, Deputy President, TUC, Dr Tommy Etim Okon, NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, among others.

Mallam Mohammed Idris Minister of Information and National Orientation October 1,2023
statehouse.gov.ng

The organised labour has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s N25, 000 Provisional wage increment for the average low-grade worker to cushion the effect of the removal of petrol subsidy.

The organized workers also rejected the government proposed six months of the Provisional wage increase and the N15 million additional Conditional Cash Transfer for vulnerable households

Recall that President Tinubu in his nationwide broadcast on the occasion of Nigeria’s 63rd Independence Anniversary had said: “Based on our talks with labour, business and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation. For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional Twenty-Five Thousand naira per month.

“Commencing this month, the social safety net is being extended through the expansion of cash transfer programs to an additional 15 million vulnerable households.”

However, Vanguard reliably gathered that the organized labour in their meeting with the Federal Government team at the Permanent Conference Room, Presidential Villa, Abuja, rejected the N25, 000 provisional wage and demanded the wage to be 100 percent of the current minimum wage.

Besides, labour insisted that the provisional wage should be for all workers and that it will not be limited to only six months but rather be running till when new minimum wage would be approved next year.

The organised labour also insisted that the Conditional Cash Transfer for the poorest and vulnerable people should be increased to N25, 000 and not the N5000 the previous administration was paying.

After many hours of horse trading, the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, who is leading the government delegation at the meeting has to break, to go and consult with the President on the new demands

Gbajabiamila was accompanied by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong.

[Vanguard]

The Nigerian Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has declared that the 25,000 naira provisional increment that was announced earlier to federal government low-grade workers is now being added to the wages of all Federal workers in the country.  

This statement was issued following the ongoing meeting with the National Labour Union (NLC) and the Trade Union Commission (TUC) over the looming nationwide strike on October 3rd. 

This is a developing story…  

[Nairametrics]