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]

Inter Miami was inches away from a victory without Lionel Messi on Sunday.

David Ruiz’s right-footed shot in the 97th minute hit the top of the crossbar and bounced downward and away from the net in what could have been a goal that likely would have given Inter Miami the win and some much-needed help in the MLS playoff race.

Instead, Inter Miami’s postseason hopes remain fluid and uncertain – just like Messi’s playing status.

A header by Inter Miami’s Tomás Avilés tied the match three minutes into stoppage time, New York City FC’s Santiago Rodriguez scored in the 77th minute, and Inter Miami finished with a 1-1 draw on Saturday night at DRV PNK Stadium.

Messi sat pensively, wearing a pink shirt and a gold watch, behind the Inter Miami bench while missing his third straight game for the club, and fourth overall in September.

A lingering injury, the details murky and undisclosed, has kept Messi out of action and he’s considered day to day. Inter Miami’s next match is Wednesday night against Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field.

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino tried to dismiss a social media report stating Messi might have a hamstring tear, and that his MLS season could be over.

Martino, via translator, said time will tell “if what I say is right, or what the report says is right.”

“He feels better and better,” Martino said of Messi.

Inter Miami has begun to receive criticism for Messi’s layoff, understandably so with fans paying for expensive game tickets, travel arrangements, and merchandise during this recent stretch.

[Leadership]

Napoli’s social media executive, Alessio Fortino, has stepped down from his role amid the ongoing saga over the club’s trolling of Nigerian football star Victor Osimhen, on TikTok.

Osimhen, the club and Serie A’s leading scorer with 26 goals last season as Napoli won their first Scudetto in 33 years, was mocked in a TikTok video last week for missing a penalty in their 0-0 draw with Bologna.

The offensive video drew the ire of football fans across the world and led to Osimhen removing all Napoli-related posts from his Instagram account and his agent Roberto Calenda threatening legal action.

The Nigerian government also waded into the matter, saying it would reach out to the government of Italy, Napoli and Osimhen over the issue.

There were two videos, the first one showing the 24-year-old Super Eagles striker appealing for a penalty, with sped-up, child-like audio captioned ‘Gimme penalty please’ before showing him firing the spot-kick wide.

A second video from the club’s account compared Osimhen to a ‘coconut’ — widely viewed as a racial slur.
Although Osimhen has played in two matches since then and scored in both, and Napoli have claimed they meant no harm, Fortino has apparently paid with his job for the ill-advised action.

In a post via Instagram, Fortino said: “Today, after 805 days, my professional adventure with SSC Naples ends. For many this job would be comparable to a dream, for me it was simple daily reality: a reality built on commitment and fueled by the constant desire to learn and play.

“I cannot help but express my deepest gratitude to all the colleagues, collaborators, partners and supporters I’ve met along this long journey for making this experience so special.

“Leaving the company with a baggage of great memories and an excitement for the new adventures that lie ahead. Thanks again for everything and see you soon! Alessio.”

According to Italian outlet Il Corriere dello Sport, Osimhen is believed to have received a private apology from Napoli directors on Wednesday for the club’s behavior on social media.

[DailyTrust]

BUA Cement PLC on Sunday announced the reduction of the price of its cement product to N3,500 per bag starting from Monday, October 2, 2023.

It said the price reduction was in line with its commitment to spur development in the “building materials and infrastructural sectors”.

The company announced the price reduction in a statement posted on its X (formerly Twitter) page.

This development is coming weeks after the company’s chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu, after meeting with President Bola Tinubu, promised to review the price of the product.

The statement read in part, “We refer to our previous pronouncements regarding our intent to reduce cement prices upon the completion of our new lines at the end of the year, in order to spur development in the building materials and infrastructure sectors.

“As per the commitment made to reduce prices and following a periodic review of our operations for efficiency, the management of BUA Cement Plc wishes to announce and inform our esteemed customers, stakeholders, and the public that effective October 2, 2023, we have decided to bring the price reduction forward. As a result, BUA Cement would now be sold at an ex-factory* price of 3,500 Naira per bag so that Nigerians can begin to enjoy the benefits of the price reduction before the completion of our plants.

“Upon completion of the ongoing construction of our new plants, which would increase our production volumes to 17million metric tonnes per annum, BUA Cement PLC intends to review these prices further in line with our earlier pronouncements by the first quarter of 2024.”

[Punch]

On behalf of the people of Niger Delta and other concerned participant of the Nigerian project, this communique is written with a sense of urgency and responsibility. The current sociopolitical trajectory of the country has accentuated the already serious concerns regarding the future of the country, and we believe that swift and decisive action is imperative to stem the political and economic bludgeoning threatening to destroy the social fabric of Nigeria beyond repair. 

The issues at hand are complex and multifaceted, encompassing matters such as governance, decentralization of power and equitable representation, security and social justice, resource management and economic stability, judicial independence and effective separation of powers. It is evident that our existing constitutional framework no longer adequately addresses the challenges facing the country, and all political malfeasance is largely due, if not all together as a result of this illegitimate constitution. 

The Nigerian people deserve a government that is responsive, accountable, transparent and is willing to adhere to this social contract. 

In light of these, we hereby demand the immediate convening of a constitutional conference. The proposed Constitutional Conference would serve as a platform for representatives from all the ethnicities, religions, socio-economic backgrounds, political leaders, legal experts, civil society representatives, our traditional leaders, technocrats, women, youths and citizens from all walks of life. Its primary purpose should be to critically examine our current constitution, identify its shortcomings, and propose necessary amendments as a means to advance the deteriorating social cohesion and consolidate political reforms which would capture the aspirations, values and inalienable rights of Nigerians. 

We firmly believe that a constitutional conference will provide a platform for constructive dialogue and consensus-building necessary to address the multifaceted challenges facing our nation. We implore you, our esteemed leaders, to heed this call for action and initiate the process of convening such a conference without delay. 

Arsenal eased to a 4-0 victory in the sun away at Bournemouth as Mikel Arteta’s side remain unbeaten and oozed class throughout.

Bukayo Saka headed home and Martin Odegaard made it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the first half, then Kai Havertz also converted a spot kick and Ben White scored late on as the Gunners won at a canter and it could have been seven or eight in their favor.

Arteta’s Arsenal have now picked up 17 points from a possible 21 to start the season as they’ve won five of their seven games.ARSENAL eased to a 4-0 victory in the sun away at Bournemouth as Mikel Arteta’s side remain unbeaten and oozed class throughout.

Bukayo Saka headed home and Martin Odegaard made it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the first half, then Kai Havertz also converted a spot kick and Ben White scored late on as the Gunners won at a canter and it could have been seven or eight in their favor.

Arteta’s Arsenal have now picked up 17 points from a possible 21 to start the season as they’ve won five of their seven games.

[Nation]

For decades, Nigerians would dance on the streets to loud music on October 1, waving the country’s flag in pride to celebrate its independence from the United Kingdom. On the 63rd anniversary of that moment, the country’s streets are bereft of the usual celebratory atmosphere.

In Abuja, the capital, there were often banquets and concerts, sometimes backed by the government. But this time, as in recent years, the streets are quiet save for the flow of traffic as churchgoers throng Sunday masses. Over the speakers, some clerics can be heard soliciting divine intervention to rescue Nigeria from the pits.

For Olive Chiemerie, a 23-year-old bookstore manager resident in Ikeja, Lagos, it is pointless to celebrate. She was born just as Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 and used to participate in commemorative activities at school but has become disillusioned in adulthood.

“Becoming an adult in Nigeria under Buhari’s government makes it feel like I have been robbed of my entire future and I can’t do anything but to look on hopelessly as the country falls into disrepair,” Chiemerie told Al Jazeera.

Many youths share similar sentiments.

Africa’s largest economy has long been in free fall since the Muhammadu Buhari administration, as youth unemployment, inflation, and debt are at an all-time high and continue to climb. More than 60 percent of the country lives in what the United Nations calls “multidimensional poverty”.

Electricity is still abysmally poor; the national grid has collapsed multiple times this year and uninterrupted power remains a myth. Buhari’s successor Bola Tinubu came to office in a disputed election marred by allegations of vote-buying, voter intimidation, and collusion with institutions of state, by the opposition.

Early reforms, like the removal of a fuel subsidy and devaluation of the naira, were implemented by Tinubu immediately after he took office in May. They were hailed by industry watchers as a welcome development, but people say they have brought them untold hardship.

Tinubu has scaled back some of the reforms but nevertheless doubled down on the need to carry out agonising reforms.

“Reform may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require,” he said in his Independence Day speech. “We now carry the costs of reaching a future Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few.”

‘Moving backwards’

When the Union Jack, the British flag, was lowered down and replaced by Nigeria’s green-white-green one, Augustine Okofu was a 14-year-old schoolboy in Osisa in what is today’s Delta state. A rally went on in his town for three days and he joined in the merriment.

Okofu went on to be such a believer in Nigeria that when war broke out in July 1967, he fought for federal troops against the secessionist nation of Biafra.

He remembers rallying with the people of his township for days. But now, the day does not hold much meaning to him.

“We were very happy thinking that Nigeria will be better in the future. But instead of things to keep getting better, it is getting darker. The people who think they are wise are finding the ways and manner to change everything,” said Okofu, now 77.

These feelings of disenchantment from the different demographies that Chiemerie and Okofu belong to, stem from the belief that the country should be far more developed, according to Mark Amaza, spokesperson for Yiaga Africa, an Abuja-based civil society.

“If one of the promises of independence back in 1960 was for us to chart our own course, that hasn’t panned out as much as we expected. People can’t see what excites them about independence if we are still grappling with so many issues and moving backwards,” he said.

And while patriotic joy has been on the decline in recent years, experts say things have deteriorated this year. Beyond the state of the economy, lingering ethnic tensions exacerbated by political differences during the last election cycle have contributed to the muted commemorations, they say.

Experts say Nigerians have usually bonded together in times of economic boom and that translated to periods of peak patriotism when the independence anniversary resonated with Nigerians.

Joachim MacEbong, a senior governance analyst at Lagos-based Stears Intelligence, points to three periods in particular – the period after independence in 1960 till the civil war began in 1967; the 1970s when there was a boom in crude oil revenues as the commodity displaced agriculture as Nigeria’s top export; and the first stretch of the post-military era from 1999 to 2007.

“There was a lot of optimism in the country and a lot of people were coming back to the country from the diaspora looking at Nigeria as a place of opportunity,” he said. “But every other time after that, we have had that decline in optimism.”

Eroding affection

That decline is particularly heightened this year, especially among the youths whose purchasing power has rapidly decreased during their lifetime.

In the 1980s, the naira was at par with the dollar. Today, $1 is approximately 1,000 naira.

A frustrated Chiemerie has now started plotting to Japa — a Yoruba word that means to escape — as emigration abroad is colloquially called.

“Every morning I wake up, I am despondent,” she told Al Jazeera. “I feel like my life is stuck in a place and I don’t care what I have to do to get the money to get out of here … why should it be the African dream to escape Africa with as much national resources as we have?”

Sentiments like Chiemerie’s should be a challenge to government across all levels, according to Amaza. But most officials behave like the proverbial ostrich with the head in the sand, hiding themselves and denying the obvious, he told Al Jazeera.

MacEbong agrees, saying the only way to improve is for the government to begin working for the majority as opposed to just a select few, to promote inclusiveness.

“If the government continues to cater to the whims of just a few people, that is not independence, that is just really trading one side of the shackle from colonialism to people who look like us. If the government works, people will be able to celebrate Independence Day the way they should,” he said.

In Lagos, Chiemerie has decided to spend the day visiting her aunt after church service.

“I will go on as if nothing is happening in the country,” she said. “If anyone thinks I am disloyal, Nigeria does not care about me so I won’t go out of my way to celebrate.”

[Aljazeera]

NIGERIA’S sports industry stakeholders have provided insights into why the country lost its bid to hold the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Two North African countries, Algeria and Morocco, including Zambia, vied to host the tournament against a joint bid from Nigeria and Benin.

But Morocco eventually won the bid.

The North African side will host Africa’s flagship event for the second time, 35 years after the country hosted the competition in 1988.

Meanwhile, the rights for the 2027 edition were handed to a co-bid from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The joint East African bid returns the tournament to the region for the first time since 1976.

They beat Botswana, Egypt and Senegal in a vote of the CAF executive committee.

Stakeholders’ reactions to Nigeria’s failed bid

A sports administrator, Peter Iweze, recalled how he and ex-international Segun Odegbami sought a joint bid for the country with South Africa ahead of the 2010 World Cup, saying they started the bid early.

He described Nigeria’s bid for the 2025 AFCON as impromptu, adding that early preparation would have conferred some advantages on the nation over its peers.

“We are not ready to do anything like that. Is that our priority? You don’t bid for events like that; you start early. When we bid for the World Cup for the West African joint bid, Odegbami and I went to the whole of West Africa. We took time for the World Cup in 2010; we started in 2002,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria is suffering from an economic downturn, and its failure to secure the hosting rights would help salvage its economy.

“So it is good savings for us. Right now, Nigerians are suffering. They don’t want unnecessary expenditure of funds. I am not surprised that we lost,” he said.

Also, a veteran sports journalist, Maxwell Kumoye, explained that hosting AFCON tournaments demands quality sporting infrastructures like good stadiums, airports and hotels.

He argued that the country could not boast of these.

“At the moment, look at the state of our facilities. What facilities were they putting forward to host AFCON besides UYO, Abuja, Stephen Keshi and Samuel Ogbemudia Stadiums?

“The stadiums in Lagos are nothing to write home about. They are not ready for major international events like AFCON. Yes, we may have hotels and airports, but our sporting facilities are below the mark,” he said.

He faulted the country’s bid, saying it was dead on arrival.

“We were thoroughly disgraced in the sense that we hurriedly put up that bid and indicated that it was dead on arrival from the start to the end.

“What did we do right? Certainly, we did not do anything right. Perhaps the board felt, ‘let’s put this together to tell the world we are doing something.’ For me, that bid had no substance. What was in that bid was that we were seeking the help of the Benin Republic to bid for our AFCON.

“Those doing this were not doing it for the country’s sake. They were doing it for their own to be relevant in the international scene that Nigeria is putting up a bid,” he added.

[ICIR]