Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the Department of Development Control has served 24-hour demolition notices to operators of illegal market shanties in the Karmo and Dei Dei Road corridor. The exercise will affect 500 structures that have been marked for demolition.

The sector monitor and assistant director in the department, Mr Garba Jibril, who led the exercise yesterday, said the affected owners had been served with several notices and that the director of development control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, had held a sensitisation meeting with the stakeholders.

He explained that demolishing the illegal structures was necessary because they constituted a nuisance on the road in addition to heavy traffic, especially on their market days, and that their activities were equally emitting environmental hazards, which the FCT administration frowns at.

The team leader also disclosed that the FCTA had awarded a contract for the Life Camp – Dei-Dei Road construction, saying that the traders’ continuous stay on the road corridor prevented the contractors from moving to the site.

According to him, the 24-hour notice is not to be played with and those who refused to comply will have themselves to blame.

He also said that the traders had been asked to move to the designated market called Karmo Market, adding that the market was fully developed and equipped with necessary facilities.

“But the traders have been reluctant to move. We have had several meetings with the relevant stakeholders including traditional leaders in the area to get them to move but they remained adamant.

“We equally held a meeting with the traders and the new market operators, who promised to give the traders some incentives to accommodate them in the informal and main shops.

“We are hoping that after the demolition, there will be a successful relocation from the road corridor to the main market. This will not only maintain a serene environment but also ensure free flow of traffic in the area,” he said.

The federal government has unveiled a strategic plan to harness the N20 trillion pension fund and other locally available resources for infrastructure development in Nigeria.

Wale Edun, coordinating minister for the economy and minister of finance, disclosed this at the end of the federal executive council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Edun said the government is focused on tapping into domestic financial resources, particularly pension and life insurance funds, to leverage local funds for national growth.

He added that it was a significant step towards driving economic progress and addressing critical infrastructure needs.

According to Edun, with over N20 trillion available funds within the country, there is a clear opportunity to channel these resources into vital sectors such as housing and long-term mortgage provision.

The minister said the move is part of the government’s efforts to bridge Nigeria’s estimated 20 million housing deficits and to provide massive housing and mortgage loans at 12 percent interest rates, with 25-year repayment plans.

“And the fact is that even before we start looking to foreign investors, we start looking to foreign funding, there is available in Nigeria, long term funds to fund infrastructure projects, and it’s within the pension, the life insurance and investment fund industry generally,” he said.

“There is upwards of N20 trillion available, and much of it is in short-term funding that doesn’t need to be. Pension money is long-term.

“People save over their lifetime for their pension. And so in conversation, in consultation, collaboration and cooperation with the private sector, we are now able to announce and with the full knowledge and support of all parties, that there will be an initiative to fund growth through investment in infrastructure, including housing, provision of mortgages, long term mortgages, 25-year mortgages at relatively low interest rates.

“Initially, of course, the government will stand back and provide some support, particularly in this era of high interest rates but eventually as interest rates come down, there should be less role for the government through providing, for example, guarantees and so forth.

“So, we can look forward to these huge funds being leveraged with the expertise, the ability, the capacity of the private sector, partnering with the government to drive economic growth.

“On the supply side, construction of houses will be funded. On the demand side, mortgages will be made available so that those constructing houses have an outlet and Nigerians who are saving so much by way of pension funds, have the added bonus of access to affordable mortgages.

“That really is the long and short of this initiative and you also as much as anybody else can understand and see what it means in the construction industry to do for the country. 

“That is the plan, that is the target that is the hope. And in this particular case, you have the best and the brightest that Nigeria has to offer, putting their minds together and committing to achieve their goals.”

TINUBU’S REFORMS ARE NECESSARY AND YIELDING RESULTS

Edun said Tinubu’s macroeconomic reforms are necessary and could not be delayed a moment longer.

According to the minister, the reforms are beginning to yield the desired results. 

“They were already delayed. Those reforms which are still in process, and which are beginning to give benefits in various areas, particularly in terms of trying to stabilise the economy, the exchange rate, bring inflation down, and eventually get interest rates down,” he said.

“But on the other hand, Mr. President has been consistent and he has also been commended, I must say, both around the world for for the fact that he is committed to intervening on behalf of the poor and the vulnerable in order to ease the pains of this necessary reform. But at the same time, given where we are in terms of stabilisation, it is time to focus on economic growth. 

“And one of the key drivers of economic growth is investment in infrastructure, in housing, power, rail, roads, water transport, even technology. These are key drivers of economic growth.

“They increase product. When you invest in them, you get increased productivity, you get economic growth, and you get job creation, which reduces poverty, and that is the strategy. 

“So, it’s two-pronged and we are not pivoting towards this all-important growth and you say where will the resources come from?”

The minister said the president approved the purchase of compressed natural gas (CNG) powered vehicles for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Edun also said about 600 CNG-powered buses and about 30,000 conversion kits will soon be made available to reduce transportation costs.

Mahmud Albarnawy, the eldest son of the founder of the Islamic States of West African Province (ISWAP), has reportedly surrendered to operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Borno.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, said Mahmud surrendered to the security operatives on May 12.

Intelligent sources told Makama that 22-year-old Mahmud was confirmed to be the son of Maman Nur, founder of the ISWAP, after he was profiled at the NSCDC headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno capital.

The publication said an uncle of Mahmud in Gamboru Ngala encouraged him to surrender after he received information about his readiness to abandon the group.

“A reliable agent was sent to convey him to Maiduguri. They arrived in Maiduguri on May 11 at about 1 pm,” the publication said.

“Mahmud was later debriefed and profiled by an intelligence officer of the command, where he confessed to having sneaked out of the Ali Ngulde camp in Mandara Mountain, Gwoza LGA, into Maiduguri and stayed for about a month at Gwange in the city capital before relocating to Gamboru Ngala without any alarm or distress signs from communities.

“During his stay in Gamboru Ngala, some of his late father’s loyalists were persuading him to return to the Lake Chad general area to pay allegiance to ISWAP, but he refused, citing the betrayal and eventual execution of his late father.”

Makama said Mahmud confessed to having been involved in attacks launched at Bama, Banki, Gwoza, and many other areas in Borno.

The publication said the terrorist who surrendered used to work as a middle-rank fighter under the Boko Haram group.

The publication added that he had been handed over to the Bulunkutu rehabilitation facility for further documentation and custody.

Advocates For ‘Afro-Democracy’ As Alternative To Western System”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said African countries including Nigeria made a mistake by adopting the western liberal democracy. 

Mr Obasanjo stated this on Monday when members of the House of Representatives championing the reintroduction of the parliamentary system of government in the country, met with him in Abuja. 

The lawmakers, under the aegis of the “Parliamentary Group” led by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers), met with Mr Obasanjo at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in the federal capital.

The meeting was part of their advocacy visits to prominent Nigerians to solicit their support for the transitioning of the country from the current presidential system of government to the parliamentary system.

Coincidentally, Mr Obasanjo, Nigeria’s military head of state from 1976-1979, midwifed the 1979 Constitution that produced the American presidential system which replaced the parliamentary system practised in the first republic.

He was subsequently elected president in 1999 after the return of democracy and was in office for eight years.

Speaking on the state of democracy in Africa, Mr Obasanjo said countries in the continent made the mistake of adopting the western liberal democracy prescribed by the Europeans, stating that the Western liberal democracy is not consistent with the African value system. 

“Let me go back to the beginning where we got it wrong—the western liberal democracy, that is what the Europeans have. When you look at the western liberal democracy, it is a product of their history, a product of their culture, a product of their way of life.

“I have looked into most African languages, western democracy has what they call loyal opposition. What is opposition in African languages? Enemy. Western democracies called oppositions “loyal” because the oppositions are loyal to the monarchy. That’s where their loyal democracy began. They used to have monarchies.

“There is nothing in the liberal democracy that is African. We ruled ourselves before the advent of colonialism. We had empires and striving kingdoms. We did not rule ourselves as opposition.

“What is in it for us? I don’t know but you can give it. For lack of an appropriate word, let us call it ‘afro-democracy.’ That is where we have to begin,” Mr Obasanjo said.

On the proposal by the lawmakers, Mr Obasanjo said the legislators are preaching to a convert, stating that he agreed that there is a need for a fundamental shift from the current system.

He, however, warned the lawmakers that they need to have a long-term plan and be tactical in presenting a position. 

The former president counselled the lawmakers to drop the tag “parliamentary system”, and should instead push for a homegrown democracy.

“You are preaching to the converted but as I have said, take parliamentary away.

“We need to get the critical masses. Parliamentary and all that—once you start that, you have gotten it wrong. Once you do that, you are putting yourself in a fix because there are those who would say “We don’t want parliamentary,” he said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Mr Chinda said the use of the word “parliamentary” is due to a lack of a suitable word.

He said the system proposed by the lawmakers is “homegrown” and not the textbook definition of the parliamentary system.

Also speaking project, the spokesperson of the group, Abdulsamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto), said the group is organising a national dialogue on the project.

According to the lawmaker, the dialogue is scheduled for 1 July.

The push by the lawmakers, known as the Parliamentary Group, pushing for the transition to a parliamentary system of government. 

Nigeria operated under the parliamentary system pre-independence and in the First Republic. However, the coup of 15 January 1966 truncated that republic.

The military suspended the civil government and ruled the country until the transition to democracy in 1979. The Second Republic was built on the 1979 Constitution which prescribed the presidential system.

The proposal by the lawmakers is seeking to revert to the First Republic system with a prime minister, a member of parliament, serving as the head of government, similar to the British system.

In a parliamentary system, the executive branch derives its legitimacy and authority from the legislative branch. The head of government (often the prime minister) is typically a member of the legislature and is accountable to it. This system fosters a close relationship between the executive and legislative branches, allowing for efficient decision-making and policy implementation.

The lawmakers have already sponsored some constitution alteration bills to make the changes in the constitution. However, the timeline for the change is beyond this current Assembly. They have set a target of 2031 as the timeline for achieving the goal.

In the past couple of months, the lawmakers have been moving around the country meeting politicians who served in the Second and Third Republics. 

They have met with the Chairman of Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Ango Abdullahi, the Interim National Chairman of APC, Bisi Akande, Sanusi Dantata and others.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on Tuesday, vowed that the 10th Assembly will ensure that those behind the blackmailing over the $140 million bribery scandal are brought to book.

Speaker Abbas issued the threat notice during the press briefing in Abuja held at the instance of the House Committee on Financial Crimes chaired by Hon. Ginger Obinna, who made public the 3-page Committee’s “report into the Binance Holdings Limited’s illegal operations in Nigeria and recommendations,” dated May 13th, 2024. 

The Speaker, who was represented by the Chairman, House Committee on Monitoring, Evaluation and Implementation of the Legislative Agenda, Hon. Patrick Umoh, reiterated his stance to protect the integrity of the House, just as he assured Hon. Obinna of the House’s resolve to ensure that he comes out clean. 

He said: “We are here on the mandate of the honourable speaker to one, monitor proceedings and protect the image of the 10th House of Representatives. That’s why we are here Mr. Chairman.

“And we are part and parcel of what you are doing because we are all very interested in the credibility of the 10th House of Representatives and we also have to ensure that Nigerians know the truth.

“This is the people’s House and as far as I’m concerned, as far as 10th House of Representatives is concerned, anti-corruption is a core mandate of our committee when it comes to monitoring and evaluation of our agenda.

“It is with dismay that we have observed the trend where the 10th House of Representatives has been blackmailed by individuals, corporate organizations, some organizations who are themselves not known to law, coming to blackmail the Committee on anti-corruption. 

“So, the House notes with dismay, the House is worried, the House is uncomfortable that when negative news trends we should also be interested in what is the truth. We are here elected by the people of Nigeria to represent this country and to ensure that we make laws for the good governance of our country Nigeria.

“And the best, the only compliment that we should enjoy from Nigerians is that encouragement. So, Nigerians particularly members of the National Assembly should be interested when we hear of these blackmails, this trending news, the negative news, unprintable things said about the 10th House of Representatives.

“Mr. Chairman, we can vouch for your integrity, which is why you are appointed to chair the anti-corruption of financial crimes Committee of the House. So, be rest assured that we will stand by you and we would defend you because we know you. You have worked with us and we have worked with you to protect the collective integrity of the 10th House of Representatives.

“So, Mr. Chairman let us assure you as a committee that we are interested in this matter and we will ensure that you come out clean because we know you are clean, you are responsible.

“For all reliefs, decisions the Committee has taken we would partner with this Committee to ensure that those involved, those concerns pay for it. They will be brought to justice because liability has to be attached to every action, particularly negative action that is projected at bringing down the integrity of the 10th House of Representatives.”

Speaking earlier, Hon. Obinna, who denied the $140 million bribery allegation, challenged the promoters of the allegation to unveil the “unknown persons” who approached Binance employees and suggested to them to make a payment in settlement of the allegations.

He said: “Following formal communications between the Committee and Binance, 10th January 2024 was agreed upon by the parties as a convenient date for a Public Hearing on the matter. Subsequently and before the agreed date, Binance through their Counsel reached out to the Committee to request for a pre-hearing meeting to give them deeper insight into the allegations against them which will assist them in preparing for the Public Hearing. The Committee approved the request of the Binance team and scheduled the pre-hearing meeting for the 8th day of January 2024 at the National Assembly Complex.

“On the 8th day of January 2024, the Committee represented by three of its members and its Clerk led by Hon. (Chief) Peter Akpanke (Obudu/Bekwarra/Obanliku Federal Constituency), met with a six-member team representing Binance. Detailed facts on the allegations against Binance as contained in the aforesaid.

“Petitions were made available to the Binance team to assist them in preparing for the Public Hearing scheduled for the 10th day of January 2024. The meeting was open, transparent and ended on a cordial note. No solicitation or demands of any type was made by representatives of the Committee to Binance at the meeting.”

According to him, “in order to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians and the general public with the view to draw away the attention of the world from its unlawful refusal to appear at a legitimate and Constitutional Parliamentary Public Hearing to answer to allegations of criminal and fraudulent activities, Binance belatedly came up with fabricated, false and malicious allegations of solicitations for bribes by the Committee. The allegations are totally false and unfounded.

“The Committee wishes to emphasize that all interactions with Binance were formal, open and transparent. The Committee never met with the Binance team outside the National Assembly nor did the Committee delegate any individual or entity to meet with the Binance Team on its behalf for any purpose.

“It should also be noted that the Committee formally communicated the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) to ascertain the tax liabilities of Binance. No amount in figures was conveyed to the Committee as per the extant tax default by Binance.

“Although Binance has refused neglected and/or failed to appear before the Public Hearing scheduled by the Committee, the Committee has proceeded with its investigations which have so far revealed prima facie incidents of unlawful infractions by Binance, among which are:

(a) Tax evasion having operated illegally in Nigeria, generating Billions of dollars in profits with zero tax remittance; (b) Providing a platform for money laundering activities and illegal transfer of funds to foreign shores; (c) Providing a platform for terrorism financing, enabling terrorists and enemies of the Nigerian State receive ransoms without trace thus facilitating purchase of sophisticated arms and weapons.

“(d) Adversely manipulating the Nigerian Forex space which led to a sharp spike in the price of foreign currencies against the Naira.

“(e) Operating outside the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).”

While dismissing the allegation, Hon. Obinna assured “all Nigerians of the integrity, transparency and competence of the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes which I have the privilege and honour to chair.

“We refuse to be diminished or deflated by the shenanigans of Binance and other enemies of Nigeria. The Committee will continue with its functions and assignments undeterred. We recognize that the blackmail by Binance is merely an attempt to distract and draw attention away from the serious allegations of criminality against it which is now compounded by its role in the security breach of the sovereign Nigerian State.

“It is notable that it was after it had unlawfully and criminally smuggled Mr Anjarwall out of lawful custody while its purported Head, Financial Crime Compliance (FCC), Mr Tigran Gambaryan had been remanded to pre-trial custody at Kuje Correctional Facility, Abuja on the lawful orders of a Nigerian Court, that Binance on 7 May 2024, belatedly made allegations of solicitation of bribes purportedly made by the Committee on 8 January 2024, after four months.

“The Committee will continue with its legitimate functions as indicated and will update the relevant authorities, the general public and the press as the need arises.”

The Federal Government has asked the organised Labour not to derail its transformation plan for the electricity sector.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) had picketed offices of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Distribution Companies nationwide over the hike in electricity tariff.

The unions had described the upward review, demanding outright cancellation.

Addressing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Tuesday, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said labour had the right to protest.

“We cannot stop them from organizing peaceful protest or laying down their demands. Let me make that clear. President Bola Tinubu’s administration is also a listening government.”

“We have heard their demands, we’re going to look at it, we’ll make further engagements and I believe we’re going to reach a peaceful resolution with the labor because no government can succeed without the cooperation, collaboration and partnership with the Labour unions. So we welcome the peaceful protest and I’m happy that it was not a violent protest. They’ve made their positions known and government has taken in their demands and we’re looking at it.

“But one thing that I want to state here is from the statistics of those affected by the hike in tariff, the people on the road yesterday, who embarked on the peaceful protests, more than 95% of them are not affected by the increase in the tariff of electricity. They still enjoy almost 70% government subsidy in the tariff they pay because the average costs of generating, transmitting and distributing electricity is not less than N180 today.

“A lot of them are paying below N60 so they still enjoy government’s subsidy. So when they say we should reverse the recently increased tariff, sincerely it’s not affecting them. That’s one position.

“My appeal again is that they should please not derail or distract our transformation plan for the industry. We have a clearly documented reform roadmap to take us to our desired destination, where we’re going to have reliable, functional, cost-effective and affordable electricity in Nigeria. It cannot be achieved overnight because this is a decay of almost 60 years, which we are trying to correct.”

He said there was the need for sacrifice from everybody, “from the government’s side, from the people’s side, from the private sector side. So we must bear this sacrifice for us to have a permanent gain”.

“I don’t want us to go back to the situation we were in February and March, where we had very low generation. We all felt the impact of this whereby electricity supply was very low and every household, every company, every institution, felt it. From the little reform that we’ve embarked upon since the beginning of April, we have seen the impact that electricity has improved and it can only get better.”

The Labour Party (LP) Presidential Candidate in the 2023 General Election, Mr Peter Obi, said he was the highest beneficiary of Judiciary in the country when there were incorruptible judges.

Obi stated this during the Justice Anthony Aniagolu’s Memorial Lecture organised by the family and hosted by the Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI), Enugu on Tuesday. 

Delivering a lecture on the topic “The Judiciary And The Future of Nigeria”, Obi said he won election in Anambra State and another candidate was declared winner and he approached the court for justice. 

“I spent three years in court and it was given to me and after few months I was impeached but judiciary restored me to power. After one year in office, they conducted another election and elected another person.

“But I went to Supreme Court where judges with respect for rule of law reinstated me to complete my tenure. 

“All these things happened because there were incorruptible and independent judges,” he said.

The former Anambra Governor, who noted that such jurists were hard to find in the present day Nigeria said, “Our judiciary are weak and compromised by the executive and highest bidder.”

According to him, the future of our society is compromised because independent of the judiciary has been destroyed.

“We need strong judiciary to fight criminality. Rule of law is the foundation in which any society survive and develop and the only thing that makes it sacrosanct is the independent of the judiciary.

“And it is a strong judiciary that makes businesses, investments and democracy to thrive,” Obi said. 

He pointed out that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was not the problem of Nigeria but judiciary, whom those denied their rights approached but ended up being disappointed.

Obi explained that institutions were weak because there was no strong judiciary where litigants could report wrongdoings and got desired justice.

Proffering solutions, Obi advocated for independence of judiciary and non interference by the executive, saying “as a governor, I never appointed any judge but left the power to the Chief Judge.

“I bought cars for them but never appointed any judge throughout my tenure”.

Obi, however, extolled Aniagolu for his exemplary life, stressing that he served his country and practiced his law in an exemplary manner. 

In a remark, Gov Peter Mbah of Enugu State represented by the state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof Emmanuel Obi, described the lecture as “apt”.

Mbah said that the state had made several laws saying that the government used the instrument of law to create enabling environment for business to thrive.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of GOUNI, Prof. Christian Anieke, described Aniagolu as an “erudite jurist and incorruptible judge” who laid foundation for the establishment of GOUNI.

He commended the family for their support and resolve to immortalize him, saying “God will continue to bless you”.

He equally thanked Obi for accepting to deliver the 5th Memorial Lecture on Aniagolu, saying “our choice of you is based on our understanding of the spirited ability you have with Aniagolu. 

“You cherished the late Aniagolu’s sacrifices on the alter of legal technicalities.

“You share with him that integrity and legacy one can bequeath to younger generation as well as your understanding in Nigeria democracy,” Anieke said.

The son of the late jurist, Prof Chukwuemeka Aniagolu, described his father as an icon who contributed immensely to the growth of the judiciary in Nigeria.

He thanked Mr Peter Obi for, the university and guests for honour given to the family. (NAN)

• Billions of naira lost to complimentary e-tickets

President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, members of the National Assembly and state Assemblies, as well as military personnel, will, henceforth, pay the required fees for e-tags (tickets) at toll gates and airports in the country.

The decision was one of many taken at the reconvened Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by the President at the State House, Abuja, yesterday.

The approval followed a memorandum by Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, who argued that the government was losing over 82 per cent of the revenue it should have earned from the e-tags that provide access at tollgates.

Fielding questions from reporters at the end of the meeting, Keyamo revealed that the country loses over N10 billion through complimentary e-tickets to VIPs, including members of the National Assembly and their convoys, military officials and other high-profile Nigerians.

He explained that the presentation had prescribed an exemption for only the President and the Vice President before Tinubu overruled the submission and directed that he and his deputy should be included.

Keyamo regretted that VIPs, including federal lawmakers, members of state Assemblies and military personnel, who should pay, have defaulted over the years. He said only poor people are charged, adding: “This must stop.”

He said: “What we sought and obtained is the mandatory payment of access fees by all visitors at our federal airport tollgates nationwide, no more exemptions. When we came to the office, we met a tradition on the ground, where at the end of the year, all manners of VIPs approach us for what they call complimentary e-tags or complimentary stickers. You see them coming into our airports nationwide. They don’t pay access fees. They don’t pay for parking and they don’t pay for essential services at airports. I told myself and my team that under my watch, it would not happen. If this tradition has existed for years, I will not allow it to happen.

“It is inconceivable that in our country, it is the VIPs that don’t pay for services. It is the poor that pay. The VIPs, who are supposed to have money, don’t pay for services, but they compel poor men to pay for services, and I said no.

“Let me give you the shocking statistics. The figure that we get at the end of the day from the complimentary e-tags is 82 per cent in the negative. In other words, when we are supposed to have a 100 per cent income from these e-tags that we print, it is only 18 per cent that we end up selling. That is how bad it is. And 82 per cent of these e-tags are given out free of charge to VIPs.”

Keyamo added: “Imagine the loss in my sector. I ask myself, which other sector will I go to where they will give me anything free? So, why would everybody come to my sector and want to get free passage? Not possible.”

After several weeks of hiatus, the tripartite committee set up by the Federal Government will finally meet today (Wednesday), May 15, 2024, sources familiar with the matter confirmed the development to our correspondent in Abuja on Monday.

The Labour unions also stood their ground on their proposal of N615,000 minimum wage while insisting on May 31, 2024 deadline.

The development comes after the failure of the Federal Government to present a nationally acceptable minimum wage to Nigerians following the expiration of the old minimum wage on April 18, 2024.

President Bola Tinubu, through the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on January 30, 2024 inaugurated the 37-member  tripartite committee to come up with a new minimum wage.

With its membership cutting across federal, and state governments, the private sector, and organised labour, the panel is to recommend a new national minimum wage for the country.

Shettima, during the committee’s inauguration, urged the members to “speedily” arrive at a resolution and submit their reports early.

“This timely submission is crucial to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage,” Shettima said. 

He also urged collective bargaining in good faith, emphasising contract adherence and encouraging consultations outside the committee.

The 37-man committee is chaired by the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Goni Aji.

In furtherance of the assignment, a zonal public hearing was held simultaneously on March 7, 2024 in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, and Abuja.

The NLC and the TUC, in different states, proposed various figures as a living wage, referencing the current economic crunch and the high costs of living.

In their different proposals on the minimum wage, the NLC asked the South-West states to pay N794,000 as the TUC mentioned N447,000.

At the North-Central zone hearing in Abuja, the workers demanded N709,000 as the new national minimum wage, while in the South-South, N850,000 minimum wage was demanded.

In the North-West, N485,000 was proposed, while the South-East stakeholders demanded N540,000 minimum wage.

The organised labour would later propose  N615,000 as a living wage.

Since the March 7 zonal hearing, nothing much has been heard about the committee’s activities.

However, confirming the resumption of negotiations to The PUNCH on Tuesday, three competent sources, who spoke off the record as they were not authorised to speak to the press, said the committee will sit on Wednesday.

One of the sources said, “Yes the minimum wage committee will be meeting on Wednesday.”

According to him, all the zones across the country have submitted their reports.

He said, “Our expectations are clear. We have given the Federal Government till the last day of May for all the processes around national minimum wage to be concluded, if not, we will be forced to take the necessary action to compel them to do the needful.

“So, we expect that as they meet, they will also have an eye to that particular deadline that has been given to them to ensure a speedy conclusion of the process because organised labour has made a demand to the Federal Government, and we have not received any concrete offer from the government.”

The source added that the Federal Government should make its offer public.

“That is this actual negotiation exercise, they must make a realistic offer.

“The Federal Government should make an offer that has the interest of workers and also the interest of Nigeria because when workers are paid well, they are motivated, which means that productivity will increase, and it will directly make the economy thrive,” he said.

The source said a reasonable new minimum wage would increase workers’ purchasing power, which would have a positive effect on the economy.

“The moment workers’ salaries are increased, there will be more money in their hands, and they will buy more, and the local manufacturers will produce more, employ more people and the economy will thrive.

“We are not asking for charity; we are asking for what is good for all of us and for the nation. Nigerian workers are the lowest paid workers in Africa, our minimum wage is the lowest in Africa, that is the reality,” he said.

Also speaking to The PUNCH, another source said, “We are not meant to speak openly to the press but I can confirm to you off the record that we will finally be sitting on Wednesday. All the work done by the sub-committees will be reviewed. We hope to have a headway.”

Another, source who also confirmed the authenticity of the meeting, said, “Yes, we will be meeting on Wednesday.”

Speaking with our correspondent In Abuja, the National Vice-President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, noted that the unions still stand their ground on the proposal of N615,000 minimum wage while adding that the May 31, 2024 deadline remains sacrosanct.

“We are still standing on the N615,000 and the deadline of May 31 still stands,” he said.

Earlier, The PUNCH reported how top officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the issue, said while the organised labour was insisting on N615,000 minimum wage,  the government and the private sector were proposing between N60,000 and N70,000, resulting in a stalemate in negotiations.

But the NLC President, Joe Ajaero said the proposed N615,000 minimum wage by Labour was arrived at after an analysis of the current economic situation and the needs of an average Nigerian family of six.

He said the last minimum wage of N30,000 expired on April 18.

He had also described as mischievous the pay rise of between 25 and 35 per cent for civil servants across various consolidated salary structures announced by the Federal Government recently.

He added, “We should be in the regime of a new minimum wage as of today. Discussions were supposed to have been concluded.

“The Federal Government, through the National Assembly, legislated on it. But we saw that the discussion ‘entered voice mail’ because the Federal Government refused to reconvene the meeting that was adjourned.

“I think the (25 per cent) announcement now appears mischievous because there is no wage increase that the government is announcing. For them to announce it now, it is an issue that we are worried about at the NLC and even at the TUC.”

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Onwubiko, proposed a middle-of-the-road approach between the government and organised labour, noting, however, that the government seemed uninterested in negotiating with labour.

“Labour and the government have been discussing, but it looks like a monologue. It seems only one side is saying something, and the other side is not saying anything, at least to the knowledge of the public. And it doesn’t look like the government is very committed to labour issues, because first and foremost, the person who was appointed as the Minister of Labour left his job and was made a senator by a court, the Appeal Court, in a very controversial circumstance. He left his job and went to the Senate, and the President, since then, has not appointed a substantive Minister of Labour, meaning the government does not even consider issues that have to do with labour.”

However, Onwubiko argued that the N615,000 new minimum wage being demanded by labour was unrealistic.

He said, “That amount is unrealistic as far as the resources of Nigeria are concerned; it is quite unrealistic; it is unachievable. I think it is the beginning point for negotiation, but it doesn’t look like the government is even serious about negotiating. I think we need to reach a middle-of-the-road approach,” he said.

Says Dangote petrol price won’t be fixed

By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, has directed  petrol marketers to open Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, points at their filling stations to increase accessibility for consumers.

The Chief Executive, NMDPRA, Engr Farouk Ahmed who disclosed this during a meeting with key oil marketing companies in Abuja yesterday, said new applications for retail licences would no longer be approved without CNG points.

Ahmed who described the push by the Federal Government to encourage the use of CNG as an alternative to petrol as a revolution, said the government was determined to reduce the burden of petrol on the economy.

“We hope to see very soon CNG add-ons in most of our upcoming and larger petrol stations just like we have PMS, AGO and DPK so that we can have easy access for the consumers. But first, we have to address the supply side and we are working with the producing companies, our sister agency, NUPRC and NNPC Limited as well as GACN (Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria) to ensure that the product is also available at competitive cost to the consumers.

“This will align us with the President’s objective of transforming the country into more CNG for mobility rather than depending heavily on PMS. So, we are appealing to the companies to also invest and ensure that the point of sale for CNG is available to consumers.

“Once we are done with consultations, we will require that CNG add-ons be put in petrol stations and for new applications, one of the requirements will be that you must have CNG add-on in the petrol station”, he said.

On the recent shortage of petrol across the country, Engr. Farouk blamed it on the logistics problem faced by NNPC Limited in moving product from offshore to onshore depots.

He stressed that though the government was encouraging local refining of petroleum products to reduce imports, it would not compel oil marketers to buy from Dangote Refinery as the decision was commercial. 

“We allayed the fears of the marketers and we told them that Dangote refinery is a major achievement in our country because in the past we were importing every litre of petroleum products we required except those supplied by modular refineries. And as an oil producing country, we believe at NMDPRA that we should support our local industry. And that is why we encourage our marketers to patronize our local refineries.

“But, at the same time, it is a commercial decision that they will have to make between the suppliers and the clients. NMDPRA will not determine how much it is sold or how much you are buying. It is their own decision to go to Dangote refinery and purchase, and for Dangote refinery to determine the price it will sell. As a regulator, we are only interested that the nation is well supplied”, he added.