The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) has announced its complete endorsement of the indefinite nationwide industrial action declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), set to begin on Monday.

The NLC and TUC have vowed to commence an indefinite strike Monday to protest against the government’s failure to conclude and pass into law a new National Minimum Wage Act and reverse the hike in electricity tariff to N65/kWh.

The workers’ forum gave its full backing to the industrial action in a communique issued at the end of an online meeting of federal workers nationwide on Saturday and released to the media on Sunday.

Titled ‘President Tinubu: pay up three months wage award arrears, federal workers will ensure full compliance with the indefinite national strike, resign now if you cannot pay a living wage, don't plunge Nigeria into chaos,’ the communique was signed by its National Coordinator (FWF), Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

Describing the disposition of the government towards the workers as very disappointing, the forum said: "It is obvious government is playing games on the new national minimum wage, this is truly very mindless and most insensitive."

The communique reads in part "We the federal workers are particularly surprised that the federal government is treating us this way. As the federal workforce and the engine room of governance, if truly government cares; federal workers should not be passing through the hardship and ordeal we are currently subjected to.

"As patriotic citizens, the federal workers have tried coping with the situation but it has been very difficult surviving the harsh economy orchestrated by the unilateral removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Prices of goods and services have increased by over 300%. Our national currency has been badly devalued. Federal workers now find it very difficult to feed and survive in Nigeria.

"Most unfortunately, government has stopped the payment of the ₦35,000 wage award in the month of February to the federal workers. It is shameful that government now owes the federal government workers three months’ wage award. Government is also owing several arrears of allowances, promotion arrears and several other monies owed the federal workers.”

The forum, however, declared that federal workers “cannot continue suffering unnecessarily, we have endured this hardship enough”.

It said, "The federal government should pay up three months wage award and other arrears of payment owed the federal workers.

"That the federal government is not permitted to borrow any amount from our contributory pension fund.

"We are in total support of the indefinite national strike action called by labour. Federal workers should ensure full compliance and complete shutdown of all federal government secretariats nationwide.

"That Mr President and any state governor who cannot pay a living wage should resign.

"That if after five working days from the commencement of the indefinite strike, and government is not bulging, labour should lead the workers to occupy the three arms zone and state government houses nationwide.

"We call for solidarity and support from the Nigerian people."

Police officers engaged in counter-insurgency operations in North-East Nigeria have voiced their dissatisfaction regarding the non-payment of their allowances for the past six months.

The officers were selected from various states and taken to the region for security operations in collaboration with other security forces to fight Boko Haram insurgents and other criminalities in the region.

The affected officers complained that the non-payment of their allowances has placed them in a challenging predicament.

One of the soldiers said, “We are mobile policemen working with the Nigerian Army under the special forces (SF) joint task force in Maiduguri. We are working day and night tirelessly in the rain and the sun.

“Some of us were deployed to various locations here in Maiduguri after two weeks of training in the Nigerian Army special forces training ground, Buni Yadi, Yobe State, but we have not received our allowances for a period of six months now.

“We have been sending complaints to the Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai (OHK) Maimalari Army Barrack through our unit commanders but all efforts made to get paid our six months' operational allowances have failed.”

“The police authorities should please look into the matter. We are all men with families; we left them at home for a good six months to come here to the Borno State for peacekeeping but look at how we are suffering without our allowances for God's sake. Even now as I’m talking to you, I’m in the bush. We need help, please,” another policeman told SaharaReporters.

Efforts made by SaharaReporters to reach the spokesman for the Nigeria Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi, on his mobile phone to find out why the allowances had not been paid were unsuccessful. 

Nigeria has been battling with insurgency in the North-East region for over one decade.

Islamic terrorists have killed thousands of people and displaced millions of individuals mainly in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.

Members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) have initiated the mobilization of their members in preparation for the nationwide protest declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

This was contained in a press statement issued on Saturday by Comrade M. J Akwashiki, JUSUN General Secretary and obtained by SaharaReporters.

The statement reads: “Following a declaration of industrial action by NLC and TUC, beginning from Monday 3rd June 2024 due to the inability of government to conclude the negotiation of the new National Minimum Wage and refusal to reverse the increase in electricity tariff, I am directed to inform you to commence mobilisation ahead of the action.

“The action will start midnight on Sunday nationwide, so all branches /chapters chairmen and secretaries of JUSUN are expected to ensure strict compliance to this directive.

“All vice presidents of our great unions are to monitor their respective zones to ensure compliance with the total shut down of all Courts and Judicial Institutes across Nigeria.

“NOTE that the nationwide action is to ensure governments (a) Agree on a new national minimum wage and subsequently pass it into law before the end of this month as they were notified (b). Reverse the hike in electricity tariff without consulting the stakeholders as required by the Law to N225/kwh back to N66/kwh. (C) Stop the apartheid categorization of Nigerian electricity consumers into bands.”

SaharaReporters had reported how the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) declared a nationwide strike beginning from Monday, June 3, 2024 over the tripartite committee’s inability to agree on a new minimum wage.

The President of the TUC, Festus Osifo, had announced the strike at a joint news conference with the leadership of the NLC in Abuja on Friday.

According to the labour leaders, the decision follows the expiration of an earlier request to the Federal Government to conclude all negotiations for a new minimum wage before the end of May.

Fire razes an electronic shop in Port Harcourt as residents struggle to put out the inferno.

THE WHISTLER gathered that the storey building which is used by LG as a showroom and warehouse at Rumuosi Junction along Rumuokoro- Choba axis of the East-West Road went up in flames after a power surge.

The incident happened at about 12:30 pm on Sunday afternoon and residents at the time of filing this report are still fighting to put out the raving fire.

The building is sandwiched in between a church and another storey which residents feared would be a chain effect if help did not come soon.

A few minutes past 1 pm there is still no presence of firefighters nor security agencies to guard against loot.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has once again warned Nigerians against the use of dichlorvos (sniper) and other dangerous chemicals to safeguard food from spoilage.

The agency said that the use of sniper and other dangerous chemicals for food preservation can cause cancer and even death.

According to NAFDAC, the sale of small volume dichlorvos (100 ml or less) has been banned since 2019 while the sale of the large volume (one litre) is limited to certified agrochemicals outlets.

The warning is in response to a viral video showing individuals using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items like beans, stockfish, and crayfish.

The misuse of dichlorvos, NAFDAC said, poses significant risks to human health, manifesting in both short-term and long-term consequences. The agency explained that the long-term exposure can result in severe health implications, including developmental abnormalities in offspring, memory loss, reduced fertility, and potential carcinogenic effects. These adverse effects, it said, highlight the importance of adhering to safety guidelines to mitigate the risks associated with dichlorvos exposure.

In a statement on Sunday by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, the Director General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, urged traders and merchants to desist from using unauthorized chemicals on food meant for human consumption.

Adeyeye emphasized alternative methods for preserving food, mentioning the use of bio-pesticides as a safer option compared to dichlorvos. She noted that food remaining unspoiled for an extended period might indicate pesticide contamination rather than freshness, unless stored in the refrigerator.

While acknowledging the challenges faced by farmers due to bans on various chemicals, she stressed the importance of transitioning to safer alternatives.

The Director of Veterinary Medicine and Applied Products (VMAP), Dr. Rametu Momodu, reiterated that using certain chemicals, especially pesticides, to protect grains and prevent beans from having weevils is not an approved practice. She explained that there are approved pesticides for use as fumigants, which should be used according to the manufacturer’s specifications on the product label. She stressed that these products should not be applied directly to food due to their inherent dangers to human health.

Momodu stated that consuming food contaminated with dichlorvos can cause dizziness, vomiting, difficulty breathing, tremors, and convulsions, and in some cases, can lead to coma and death. She warned that once used, pesticide residues remain on or in the food, posing significant health risks.

She advised consumers to avoid buying from vendors known to use such practices and to report them to the nearest NAFDAC office for appropriate sanctions.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said the sum of N494,000 national minimum wage being demanded by organized labour, which cumulatively amounts to the sum of N9.5tn, is capable of destabilizing the economy and jeopardizing the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians.

Idris stated this in Abuja in response to the threat by the organized labor to embark on strike if their demands were not met.

He said the offer of N60,000 minimum wage by the Federal Government, which translates to a 100 per cent increase on the existing minimum wage of 2019, has been accepted by the organized private sector, which is a member of the tripartite committee of the negotiations team.

“The Federal Government’s New Minimum Wage proposal amounts to a 100 per cent increase on the existing minimum wage 2019. Labour, however, wanted N494,000, which would increase by 1,547 per cent on the existing wage.

“The sum of N494,000 national minimum wage which Labour is seeking would cumulatively amount to the sum N9.5tn bill to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Nigerians need to understand that whereas the FG is desirous of ample remuneration for Nigerian workers, what is most critical is that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not encourage any action that could lead to massive job loss, especially in the private sector, who may not be able to pay the wage demanded by the Organised Labour,” he said.

The Minister said even though Labour is keen on the take-home pay of about 1.2 million workers, the Federal Government is concerned with the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians based on its Guiding Principle of Affordability, Sustainability, and the overall health of the nation’s economy.

Idris appealed to the Organised Labour to return to the negotiating table and embrace reasonable and realistic wages for their members.

He said because of the commitment of the Tinubu administration to the welfare of workers, the wage award of N35,000 for Federal workers would continue until a new national minimum wage is introduced.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has stated that democracy’s survival hinges on adherence to the rule of law and that Nigeria needs good governance rather than a change in its system of governance.

Speaking at the 30th anniversary celebration of Yusuf Ali & Co (Ghalib Chambers) in Ilọrin on Saturday, Shettima addressed calls for a switch to parliamentary system.

Shettima said, “Democracy can only survive by adherence to rule of law and quality of governance, not by parliamentary system as being canvassed by some people.”

According to him, many nations have collapsed due to lack of access to truth and justice.

“Many nations that collapsed did so because of lack of access to truth and justice; their access to justice was frustrated and denied,” he said.

The vice president added, “President Bola Tinubu never influenced the electoral process and we (presidency) never used instruments of office to hunt or hound perceived opponents standing trial.”

On his part, the former Minister of Works, Raji Fashola (SAN), recalled Nigeria’s past experience with the parliamentary system.

He questioned its failure and the country’s readiness to address those reasons now.

“Let’s think deeply about why the parliamentary system failed us and have we overcome those reasons?” Fashola urged.

There is no doubt that while Nigeria is one of the world’s largest consumers of rice as staple, she is far from being self-sufficient in production.

The rice value chain has been the focus of past administrations, particularly to make the country self-sufficient in rice production, but, unfortunately, there has not been significant achievement in that regard based on bedeviling factors including poor political will, smuggling, sabotage, international interference and influence.       According to a report of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, Nigeria is the largest producer of rice in Africa, producing about 8,435,000 tonnes annually, followed by Egypt, Madagascar, Tanzania and Mali.

To showcase Nigeria’s capacity to produce rice for self-sufficiency and export, former President Muhammadu Buhari on January 18, 2022, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, mobilized rice farmers to assemble over 1 million bags of paddy rice in pyramids under the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, ABP, and were officially unveiled in conjunction with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, in Abuja.

The unveiling ceremony of the rice pyramids attracted attention of Nigerians and the international community.
The CBN’s plan was to sell the rice below market prices and to bring down high prices of the commodity.

Crash
Meanwhile, Buhari, in his address at the unveiling of the rice pyramids, assured Nigerians that with the symbolic unveiling of the paddy rice pyramids, prices of rice will crash.

He maintained that the commissioning of the rice pyramids was an indication that Nigeria was making steady progress towards attainment of self-sufficiency in food production.

Buhari said, “Today rice production in Nigeria has increased to over 7.5 million metric tonnes annually. “Prior to the introduction of ABP, the average production in Nigeria between 1999 and 2015 was less than four metric tonnes annually.

“I am aware that the bags of paddy will be moving straight from here to rice milling plants across Nigeria, which leads to the release of processed rice to the markets by rice millers.

“The measure will aid our efforts at reducing the price of rice in Nigeria.

“Before this administration launched the ABP, there were only 15 standard rice mills in Nigeria. As of today, we have over 50 standard and integrated rice mills creating jobs and reducing unemployment.
“We expect additional significant output when two new mills are started in Lagos and Katsina.”

Progress

Former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in his own address at the occasion, said by virtue of assembling the single largest rice pyramids provide undisputable and unassailable evidence of significant progress under President Buhari’s food security initiatives that gives hope to Nigerians that rice issue is settled and no need for importation of the commodity. 

“Beyond increasing our national output from about 5.4 million metric tonnes in 2015 to over 9 million metric tonnes in 2021, we have also significantly improved the productivity per hectare of the smallholder farmer from about 2.4 metric tonnes per ha in 2015 to between about 5 metric tonnes per ha in 2021”, he said.

Soaring price

Barely two years after the unveiling of the rice pyramids, questions remain. Why is the price of rice at over N80, 000? Was there no sustainability plan? Could it be that CBN could not effectively make rice farmers repay their loan under the ABP?

Was there any form of sabotage in the rice value chain?

Was it a political strategy to win the votes of Nigerians ahead of the 2023 general elections? Or were other factors responsible for the current high price of rice? 

Stakeholders in the rice value chain, who spoke with Sunday Vanguard on the issues, shared their views about what transpired and why rice has gone out of the reach of Nigerians based on what they know and pointed out.

Intervention demands involvement of Agric Ministry – AFAN

  National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, Kabir Ibrahim, said their expectations were high concerning the launch of the rice pyramids in Abuja.

Ibrahim counseled that following the failure of the ABS, it is imperative for the current CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, to drive agricultural interventions through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, which will seamlessly get to the real farmers.

He said: “We expected that the price of rice would generally come down as it was clearly abundant going by the display on pyramids.

“We advised that the paddy displayed be directly given to millers soon after the ceremony so that when milled it will be made readily available to consumers and thereby crash the price of rice generally.
“Any intervention in agriculture by the CBN should be channeled through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security so that there will be the requisite institutional memory and expertise incorporated in it to avoid failure.

 
“There should be close monitoring and evaluation by the CBN and AFAN to ensure that the implementation is properly done.

“The recent action of allocating 2.1 million bags of assorted fertilizers to the FMAFS to distribute to farmers by the CBN is the right step in the right direction and therefore highly commendable.”
On boosting rice farmers’ productivity, the farmers’ leader said, “The right kind of synergy should be put in place to get all the sub-nationals to key into the programme of rice production because the activity is largely in the states and LGAs.

“Farmers should be incentivized at all levels and regardless of politics and other considerations but the attainment of rice sufficiency in Nigeria.

“Farmers should heed the advice of NiMET and the hydrological services agency on climate and flood outlook to minimize the effect of flooding and even drought.
“We hope and pray that the incident of flooding which is clearly due to climate change caused by carbon emission will be mitigated by Nigeria’s climate action aimed at reducing methane emission generally as promised at COP 28 in Dubai.

“Farmers should work assiduously to feed the ever increasing population of our country and to also partner and collaborate with others such as donor agencies and development partners to scale their productivity.”

Abandonment of ABS made rice price to skyrocket – Kebbi RIFAN Chairman

  The Chairman, Kebbi RIFAN, Muhammad Sahabi, asserted that the abandonment of ABS is a major cause for the high price of rice in the market.

According to Sahabi, rice farmers do not have access to finance to boost their productivity, and as a result of the high cost of farm inputs, they have abandoned rice fields.

He said: “Before the Anchor Borrowers’ intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Federal Government, farmers on their own bought their inputs and other things to actually support their rice farming.
“But once the CBN came with that intervention those inputs that were not affordable by our farmers were made available to them, which made their production increase, hence the rice pyramids that were seen in Abuja, which was purely by the private sector.

“After all said and done, there were complaints that rice was too expensive, and it was not true.

“At that time we were trying to block importation of rice into the country, and we were trying to rely on only our homegrown rice production, and with the tendency that it has to be a slow process.
“All the same, the price then and the current price cannot be compared.

“Since the suspension of the Anchor Borrowers Scheme in Kebbi State, rice farmers have abandoned their farms because they cannot afford the inputs, for instance, a bag of fertilizer that was sold for N6,000 is now being sold for N50,000.

“Even the water-pump engines we used to buy for N50,000 is now sold for over N100,000, and we buy a litre of petrol for N720 which was bought at N168.

“With this high cost of inputs, a poor farmer in the village cannot finance his rice production, and to feed his family now becomes difficult, and the quantity he used to send to the market is less than 10 per cent of what it used to be, and definitely it will affect the price.

“All programmes by the previous government are now abandoned or being reviewed.

“Our farmers are not able to repay the loan they accessed from the CBN, and it is not only farmers in Kebbi State but all over the country, and they are supposed to use their harvest to repay the loans but if a farmer is struggling to feed his family, what will he have to sell to repay his loan because the cost of inputs is high, some are killed, kidnapped, and no enabling environment to pay their loans.   
“The price of rice will not reduce because less than 25 per cent of farmers are now back to farm in Kebbi State.

“Therefore, the volume of production is very low, and the quantity of land a farmer used to cultivate has now gone low, less than 1, 000 of what he used to cultivate, and definitely there is going to be another upsurge of price.

“In Kebbi State, rice farmers want cheaper fertilizer, agro-chemicals, irrigation facilities, solar-powered pumping machines, and others.”

Policy inconsistency impacting rice value chain – RIMAN Chairman

  National President, RIFAN, Peter Dama, pointed out that one of the major causes of high cost of rice currently is traceable to policy inconsistency and made recommendations as panacea to the issue. 
Dama said: “The rice pyramids that were launched were really because over 50,000 metric tonnes of paddy were produced and sold to rice millers who milled and sold to Nigerians at affordable rates of between N35,000    and N40,000 then.

“There have been challenges confronting rice farmers in the country. First and foremost is the issue of insecurity, where bandits and kidnappers have been creating problems for our farmers in the fields.
“Farmers also have challenges with high cost of inputs that have affected their ability to procure necessary inputs for their activities.

“ABS, which the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, introduced, was no longer functional as the interventions through single digit interest rate for loan was suspended abruptly.

“So there are no cheap funds for farmers to obtain for their activities on the farm. The impact of Anchor Borrowers Scheme on rice production was tremendous because it enabled rice farmers to produce enough for our rice mills to process, and farmers could afford inputs but with the suspension everything went down.

“Also, unfortunately, the CBN had problems of recovery of the loans that were given to farmers during the Anchor Borrowers Programme. This also affected the progress recorded in the entire programme as debtors are still being pursued to pay up.

“True, rice was supposed to be cheap because of CBN and other interventions by now but policy inconsistency has always impacted negatively on the entire rice value chain.

“The same government that brought in subsidies in agricultural production, the same government has withdrawn fuel subsidies, which is one of the major components in rice processing and milling. This singular aspect has led to the rise of everything in Nigeria and not only on rice.

“The floating of the Nigerian currency, which led to the high cost of the US Dollar, affects rice millers because to some extent rice millers have to import machinery or spare parts to take care of wear and tear in their factories.

“Generally, the high cost of production led to the high cost of rice currently in the country.”

  Recommendations
“The Tinubu administration should try to reduce cost of production by way of the return of fuel subsidy, reduction in electricity tariff for manufacturers, millers and food processors, provision of adequate security to farmers in order for them to return to their farms for production.

“The administration should provide subsidies to reduce cost of production to agric businessmen with tax holiday extended to millers and food processors so that they can produce optimally for the nation to feed herself.

“All trade barriers removed to ensure smooth trading in all sectors. There is also the need to embark on research on appropriate seeds that can be cultivated.

“Equally important is the issue of climate change that is affecting all sectors of agriculture. The Nigerian government should tackle this aspect by getting experts to look into the problem rather than paying lip-service to the challenges head on in this sector.

“Finally, the need for the government to embark and pay serious attention to research and development, particularly on high yielding rice seeds with adequate irrigation services nationwide so that rice farmers can cultivate rice twice in a year, instead of depending only, on one wet season circle of cultivation of paddy rice needed by the millers to process.

“The Central Bank should continue with its Anchor Borrowers Program but this time around, they should ensure that only real farmers benefit from the programme instead of political farmers.
“The restrictions which were taken off for the importation of 43 items by the CBN should be discontinued in order to encourage our home grown products from unnecessary competition foreign imported goods and services.

“Special windows be created for agribusinesses to obtain foreign exchange rates at a more affordable price to enable millers import or replace worn out machinery and spares that are not readily available locally. 

“The difficult and cumbersome conditions for obtaining bank facilities should be reduced, particularly, the issues of having to provide huge collateral before obtaining a bank facility.

“Also the CBN should ensure that each bank has an operational agric desk to take care of the needs and requests of farmers and particularly rice millers, and if the development finance department of the CBN, will be allowed to remain, honest and well experienced officers be appointed to man such departments.

“The CBN as a matter of urgency encourages the full capitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture, BoA, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security so that farmers can easily reach out to this bank to obtain facilities if the CBN discontinues its Anchor Borrowers programme.”

As part of celebrating the 82nd birthday of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the church yesterday, through its Continent 3s digital transformation drive, themed ‘A World of Unlimited Possibilities’ future boot camp valued at over N400 million has imparted over 1,000 Nigerian youths.

Fielding questions from the newsmen yesterday, Personal Assistant and Son of the General Overseer, Pastor Oluwagbemileke Adeboye, disclosed that the initiative is the first of its kind in Africa and aims to alleviate poverty through the ripple effect of digital knowledge.

He said, “I am part of the incubator team in this movement. Its aim is to assist the average Nigerian youth. It started off with 12 thousand youths applying; 5 thousand and above were able to do the online test, but we ended up with 1 thousand people making up for the physical meeting.

“Basically, what we are trying to push is the agenda of helping the Nigerian youth from age 15 to 45 understand what will count in the future of work and what they need to equip themselves with to succeed. It is the first of its kind in Africa, and we are hopefully going to do more. We have done seven days, and there would be a need for continuity for them to be able to give feedback on areas they don’t understand yet because it takes a while to re-engineer anyone’s mind to achieve the success to which we want access. On average, it should have cost N400,000 per person; if 100 people had come here, it would have cost about N400 million, but God has helped us to subsidise it.

“We are hoping that in nine months, people that have come will give birth to their own businesses and companies along that line, but with the mindset of “ A World of Unlimited Possibilities,” they will help support the economy. If everybody is able to create jobs, the ripple effect would help alleviate poverty across our great nation called Nigeria. because if one person is doing okay in a family, they would be able to support other people, and such an individual would come out to help his or her community.

Asked if the church would employ these youths, he added, “The game plan is that they would start up their own business and also end up employing other people. We have shown them the link, the bait for the fish, how to catch the fish, and how to store the fish. So the game plan is to get them to the door and remain inside the door of success.”

On her part, CEO of Africa Mission Global, a faith-based charity organization with the aim of impacting 100 million lives globally, Fatai Williams, added that “the initiative would be extremely impactful for the youth as it would reach a larger number of people in society based on what the digital initiative offers. So when you scale up young people with digital knowledge, they can fit into any sector based on their digital skills,” she said.

An economic crash in Nigeria left international students in the United Kingdom [UK] struggling to afford tuition fees, with some at Teesside University blocked from their studies and ordered to return home.

Manager Debbie Fixter said 75% of clients at Thornaby’s Sprouts Community Food Charity (SCFC) were affected students and the situation had pushed it to “maximum capacity”. 

The university said it was providing support and international applicants must provide evidence of sufficient funds when applying for a visa.

SCFC organises a range of activities and offers food for free or at low cost, along with clothes and household items.

Over the course of recent months, the charity said its clientele had noticeably changed with the majority of those visiting being Nigerian masters degree students from Teesside University.

Nigeria is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, with the value of the naira depreciating by more than 200% against the dollar in the past 12 months.

As a result, students at UK universities have seen their savings wiped out and budgets suddenly and significantly reduced, leaving them struggling to afford the cost of living.

Some have subsequently been ordered to leave the UK after struggling to pay their tuition fees on time, as reported by the BBC this month.

But Teesside University continues to recruit students in Nigeria, according to a spokesman.

‘Part of our community’

An increasing number of students who come to the UK are turning to community charities and organisations for much-needed help, according to SCFC manager Ms Fixter.

“They’re really struggling, they need help and they’re part of our community,” she said.

Client Boluwatife Elusakin said he has had to “dive deep” to afford the cost of living and studying in the UK.
Nigeria’s economic crisis means he is having to spend double what he had budgeted.
“Things are no longer the same,” he said.

“I’ve had to cut costs because of the currency crash, it hit my savings as I’d already budgeted funds to come here.

“It makes me feel sad, but I hope I can endure just one year and all will be well.”

Ms Fixter said her charity was currently at “maximum capacity” as a result of the situation and called on Teesside University to offer more support.

She said the university had so far been proactive and offered a welcome £500 donation of Sainsbury’s vouchers after being informed of the situation, but called it a “drop in the ocean” in terms of what was needed to support the influx of students at the charity.

The university said it worked closely with community organisations to signpost students back to its own support services and had provided vouchers and contributions to ensure the organisations could offer support to students.

“Teesside University remains a popular destination for students from across the world who choose to study here because of its global reputation for excellence in teaching and research,” a spokesman added.

“All international applicants need to provide evidence that they have sufficient funds to cover tuition fees and living costs as part of the visa application process.”

The university is offering “case by case” support to those affected by the situation in Nigeria.

• Source: BBC