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Tag: Labour

  • Nigerians won’t bear burdens of your inefficiency, Labour blasts FG over decision to end N120bn monthly petrol subsidy

    Nigerians won’t bear burdens of your inefficiency, Labour blasts FG over decision to end N120bn monthly petrol subsidy

    Leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday night said it won’t accede to plans by the Federal Government to fully deregulate petrol pricing because it is no longer able to sustain the subsidy regime.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it will stop bearing the N120 billion monthly subsidy on the cost of petrol consumption by Nigerians.

    Group Managing Director (GMD) of the NNPC Mallam Mele Kyari said the subsidy era must end.

    He spoke during the ministerial briefing at the State House in Abuja.

    With him were Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva and Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Dr Bello Aliyu Gusau.

    TNG recalls that the minister on March 16, said in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital that petrol pricing would be fully deregulated before end of the year.

    “Deregulation of PMS (petrol) has continued to elude us. We expect that this year, we will be able to achieve that,” he had said.

    The NNPC boss on his part said the corporation absorbs the cost differential, which is recorded in its books.

    He said while the actual cost of importation and handling charges is N234 per litre, the product sells at N162 per litre.

    He said the burden had become too heavy for the NNPC to bear.

    According to him, after talks with the Organised Labour, the market forces would determine prices of petroleum products.

    Nigeria won’t bear burden of your inefficiency – NLC

    Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba in a reaction said the Federal Government should not pass the burden of petrol subsidy withdrawal to Nigerians.

    It said Nigerians cannot bear the cost of petrol hike because they have been impoverished, adding that citizens should not be made to pay for the inefficiency of the government.

    Wabba argued that an increase in the pump price of Petrol would erode the purchasing power of many Nigerians and further push them down the poverty line.

    He said: “Nigerians also cannot bear it (the cost of petrol hike) because they are so impoverished that they can’t also bear the inefficiency of our system for these numbers of years.

    “We are the only member of the Operation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that is importing refined products. It is because of the inefficiency of governments – both past and present – that we are not able to fix our refineries.

    “For sure, many people have been pushed below the poverty line. Not only that, anytime you increase the price of petrol, prices of goods and services will go up and not only that, the purchasing powers of many Nigerians will also be eroded. It is between the devil and the deep blue sea.

    “There must be a way to make sure that Nigerians don’t suffer the consequences of what they have not bargained for. Those are the clear issues i think should come out of these conventions.

    “You are aware that economies around the world – including that of Nigeria – just came out of recession and many businesses are not doing well or they have closed and many individuals, including workers, have been pushed almost to the wall.

    “The consequences of fuel price hike will be so grievous, it will bring about instability, insecurity because where families can’t take care of their needs you should know also that everybody will be on their own and it will lead to some social consequences.

    “We will not accept a situation where the burden will now be shifted from the government to Nigerians. We have submitted a document to point out that 159 countries still subsidise energy in this challenging period.

    “Government must find means to make sure that we don’t transfer this inefficiency to the Nigerian public.

    “The figure (N120b) also quoted are issues that are associated with the so – called subsidy because even how many litres we consume per day has remained a controversy. In this type of situation this is where accountability and transparency comes in.

    “The policy option of continuing to impose higher pay on Nigerians is not something that can be pushed down the throat of Nigerians at this very difficult time.”

  • NLC threatens to picket filling stations involved in causing artificial fuel scarcity

    NLC threatens to picket filling stations involved in causing artificial fuel scarcity

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to picket filling stations across the country over hoarding and creation of artificial petrol scarcity.

    The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, gave the warning at end of an emergency (virtual) meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Wabba said NEC had condemned the current hoarding and artificial scarcity of petrol by marketers in major cities.

    He said that NEC lamented the great hardship the situation was imposing on an already suffering and traumatised Nigerian workforce and people.

    Wabba said that Nigerians were being punished and impoverished to satisfy the greed of a few marketers of refined petroleum products.

    “NEC called on relevant regulatory agencies of government to rise up to the protection of the interests of the majority of Nigerians from the exploitative hands of market forces.

    “These market forces are bent on making maximal profits from the sufferings of fellow citizens.

    “The NEC also warned that should the current artificial scarcity persist that the various leadership structures of the NLC should picket petrol stations found to be inflicting pains on Nigerians,” he said.

    Wabba also said the attention of the entire working class in Nigeria had been drawn to a bill which was listed in the House of Representatives as HB 950.

    He said the bill, which was sponsored by Mr Garba Datti of Sabon Gari Federal Constituency, Kaduna State had passed the first and second reading in February.

    He noted that the NEC considered Datti as only a hireling in the plot by his sponsors to disorient, injure, and exterminate Nigeria’s working class.

    “Any attempt to move the National Minimum Wage from Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent Legislative List will make Nigeria a laughing stock in the comity of nations.

    “NEC resolved that if the National Assembly give credence to a Bill seeking movement of the minimum wage from the Executive Legislative list, to Concurrent Legislative list, workers may embark on strike,” he said.

    Wabba noted that any attempt to move the minimum wage was an attempt to plunge the country into chaos and make Nigeria a laughing stock in the international community, as minimum wage was a global standard.

    He added that the major reason behind the call to move the minimum wage to the Concurrent Legislative list was to enable states negotiate and fix their minimum wage.

    He said that the National Minimum Wage was a global standard adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) through Convention 26 which was ratified by Nigeria on June 16, 1961.

    He, therefore, said that Nigeria as a Sovereign gave effect to the National Minimum Wage by putting it in the Exclusive Legislative List.

    He also said the NEC called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow fifth columnists masquerading as politicians to derail his government by railroading the legislature into removing national minimum wage from the exclusive to the concurrent list.

    Wabba also said NEC rejected in its totality, a bill with the number HB. 1062 sponsored by Mr Abbas Tajudeen representing Zaria Federal Constituency of Kaduna State.

    The bill he said was seeking a constitutional amendment to allow for establishment of State Judicial Councils.

    “The NEC submitted that the passage of the bill would occasion a further exacerbation of the institutional crisis in our country, constitute an existential threat to our democratic experience and greatly imperil the corporate existence of Nigeria.

    “The NEC also reasoned that given the heterogenous nature of Nigeria in terms of culture, religion, and ethnicity, it would be difficult if not impossible to manage the fallout from the decentralisation of our judiciary,” he said.

    He added that NEC after a careful consideration of the issues on their implications to the working-class, decided that there will be a national protest.

    He said the action would commence from the March 10 in the Federal Capital Territory to the National Assembly.

    “The protest is to make a strong statement that Nigerian workers would not lie low and watch hard fought rights which are of global standards bastardised by opportunistic and narrow thinking politicians.

    “The NEC resolved that the national protest action will be concurrently held in all the 36 states of the federation and to the different State Houses of Assembly across Nigeria,” he said.

    NEC resolved that all the resolutions and decisions adopted at the emergency meeting should be pursued in collaboration with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the overall interest of all Nigerian workers,” he said

  • Just in: Labour activist Didi Adodo dies of COVID-19

    Just in: Labour activist Didi Adodo dies of COVID-19

    Didi Adodo, a former Commissioner for Establishment and Special Duties in Edo state, is dead, reportedly of CoVID-19 complications.

    Adodo who served during the two terms of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole’s administration died in the early hours of today after a brief illness.

    He died of complications from COVID-19.

    It was gathered that he took ill five days ago, but could not make it.

    The death of the frontline labour leader, is a big blow to the labour unionists.

    Until his demise, Adodo was the General Secretary of Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN).

    He was also a former General Secretary of the United Labour Congress (ULC).

    Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had while swearing-in Adodo as Commissioner in Edo state, described him as a very warm, complete gentleman.

    “He is a very warm, complete gentleman, rich in humour, absolutely loyal and dedicated and totally committed to our shared vision to reposition this great state and take it to the next level.

    “Didi is one fellow that I can write his testimonial in the sense that we both come from the Trade Union Movement and having him back is like having your partner back.

    “I also believe by assigning him to Establishments, the avoidable gap in communication between government and trade unions and the central labour organisations in the state and outside the state will now be a thing of the past and there will be more effective liaison and a coordinated attempt to issues as they arise,” Oshiomhole had said.

    READ ALSO COVID-19 death toll tops 700,000 in another grim milestone

    According to his Facebook page, Adodo who hailed from Iruekpen, Esan west local government area of the state, attended Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongida-Ora and graduated in 1979.

    He later attended University of Benin (UNIBEN) where he graduated in 1986.

    He is survived by his wife and children.

    Family members of the deceased could not be reached for comments as their mobile phones were switched off.

  • Fuel/Electricity hike: Wny we can’t embark on nationwide strike now – Labour

    Fuel/Electricity hike: Wny we can’t embark on nationwide strike now – Labour

    Organised Labour says it has not yet adopted nationwide strike as the next line of action in spite of the breakdown of dialogue between government and organised labour on the hike in the petroleum pump price and electricity tariff.

    Mr Joe Ajaero, Deputy President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said this at a news conference jointly organised by NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Monday in Abuja.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Organised Labour on Sunday at a reconvened meeting with Federal Government aimed at addressing the increase in price of fuel and electricity tariff staged a walkout.

    The meeting was necessitated by the recent increase of pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, from N160 per litre to N170 and the increase of electricity tariff.

    Ajaero said that Federal Government has violated the agreements reached with the Organised Labour, adding that the Congress will not at the slightest provocation start talking about strike.

    “Our strike was suspended on Sept. 28 based on certain understanding and those understanding were being violated and that was why we raised that alarm yesterday, which led to the walk out.

    “We cannot call you out here to announce a strike and the next strategy as if the unions are one man organisation. Part of what we are doing in terms of engagement is to reach out and if every other means fails, strike is usually the last option by any union.

    “We do not just at the slightest provocation start talking about strike. I think that is not what is on the table now. There are certain disagreements which we are trying to address.

    “We say that we can’t accept deregulation that is import-driven and that the refineries must work before you think of it and then you go into price fixing.

    “Price fixing is not the same thing as deregulation, you cannot regulate in a deregulated market. If they have deregulated, the price of product in Sokoto will not be the same thing with that of Abuja, there will be variations,” he said.

    Speaking, Mr Muhammed Idris, NLC Deputy President, also explained why labour walked out of the meeting with government on Sunday.

    Idris said that what they had prioritised as urgent was the increment of fuel price and electricity tariff before delving into the issue of palliatives.

    He said that all efforts to make the government see reason failed and given the tense situation, labour had no option than a walk out.

    “This is in spite of the patriotic understanding of labour which has drawn the flak of the public which think we are not doing enough to protect their interests on the issues of petroleum products and electricity tariffs.

    “The terms and conditions for putting the protest on hold were clearly spelt out in the Memorandum of Understanding.

    “The conditions include fixing the existing refineries, entrusting them to efficient managements, creating an enabling environment for new refineries, and doing all positive things that would ensure enhanced and sustainable local refining capacity.

    “Furthermore, Government and Labour Committee was setup to review the increase in electricity tariff,” he said.

    He however, noted that the letter and spirit of the terms and conditions of the agreement presuppose that contemplation of an increase or an increase would constitute a breach of the dialogue process.

  • EndSARS, StartSWAT, labour and a wrinkled leadership, By Owei Lakemfa

     

    By Owei Lakemfa

     

     

    The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, thinks Nigerian youths are lazy and want to be spoon-fed like babies. Some other arms of the country’s wrinkled leadership believe that the youths are hooked on Big Brother Naija and other inanities. So it came as a shock when the youths rose 12 days ago to demand an end to impunity by insisting that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, be scrapped for degenerating into an extortionist agency and a killer squad.

     

    Not many took notice of the protests that took off on a small scale. Within days, like a wild Australian dry season fire, it had become a wildfire raging out of control. Misreading the issues, the Buhari government thought all it needed to do was to announce the disbandment of SARS and the establishment of a supposedly new outfit called the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, SWAT. It was poor comedy. What special weapons are to be deployed or used differently from those of SARS? What new tactics different from those of SARS? Structures, especially national ones, are not conjured; they take some planning and execution, so when the Inspector General of Police, IGP, announced the scrapping of SARS and simultaneously, the birth of SWAT, it only meant that SWAT was existing side by side with SARS. Otherwise, it was a renaming ceremony of the SARS; a rebottling of old wine with the liquid content remaining the same.

     

    It is incredible that the Buhari government could not read the youths. That it did not know the open truth that ‘EndSARS’ was actually a demand for an end to impunity, unimaginative governance and reckless increases in fuel and electricity prices. How can a government fail so abysmally to understand that ‘EndSARS’ was symbolic; a mere rallying cry for a youth movement that is alive, creative and smart? Nine days before the EndSARS protests began, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, had aborted national strikes and protests against the suffocating cost of living. At that time, the Buhari government must have congratulated itself for scuttling the protests. But if it is critical in thinking and reflects, it would have wished the trade union-led protests went on because they had an identifiable leadership it can talk and negotiate with.

     

    The EndSARS protest also show that the trade unions do not have a franchise for street protests and that whenever a vacuum occurs, others will fill it. This is not new in our contemporary politics. In the critical days of July and August 1993 after the military had annulled the June 12 presidential elections, a deadly war raged between the rabid generals that wanted to continue military rule, and the Nigerian people who wanted democracy. The leadership of the trade unions under Comrade Paschal Bafyau not only refused to side with the people, but openly supported continued military dictatorship. Pro-people civil society organisations and patriots led by the Campaign for Democracy, CD, moved in to play the vanguard role. It succeeded in mobilising millions of Nigerians in street protests, surpassed in our history only by the January 2012 strikes and protests. In those days, only the National Union of Bank, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees, NUBIFIE, openly called out its members to fight on the side of the people.

     

    When military misrule continued under the Abacha regime and that gang refused to de-annul the presidential election, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, in July 1994, broke ranks with the Trade Union Movement to call spectacular strikes against the military dictators.

     

    The Buhari government became quite desperate last week to stop the EndSARS protests. It sought to negotiate with the leadership, but the protests and their leadership, like fuel price, are de-regulated. It then called an advertised meeting with some official civil society leaders who, despite a communiqué, could not stop what they did not start. Then in desperation, it turned to music star, Davido, presenting him as the protest leader they could negotiate with. It was a disaster particularly for Davido who merely rambled and read a five-point demand by the protesters which was a waste of time. This is because the demands were well known and variously published. Even the IGP he read it to must have had several copies of the demand before Davido met him. I felt sorry for Davido, an otherwise talented young man who did not put on his thinking cap.

     

    I knew Davido’s grandfather, Comrade Ayodele Adeleke. He was Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives. On the eve of the country’s independence, the trade unions were split into two acrimonious centres: the radical All Nigeria Trade Union Federation, ANTUF and the conservative National Council of Trade Unions of Nigeria, NCTUN. The two centres on March 7, 1959 at the Dayspring Hotel, Enugu met to see if they could sort out their differences. Davido’s grandfather chaired the meeting and applied so much wisdom that both centres agreed to dissolve themselves and establish a single centre, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC. Comrade Adeleke, who in the Second Republic became a Senator, applied a lot of wisdom in helping to resolve the labour crisis; it is that wisdom Davido lacked when he agreed to stop a national protest he merely bumped into; how was he to talk to the demonstrators in the streets when he does not even know them?

     

    These strategies having failed, last Tuesday, government sent the army to stop the protesters who were singing and dancing on their way to the National Assembly. The soldiers brutalised the protesters but could not break them. Next day, armed thugs were assembled and unleashed on the protesters in Abuja. Then last Thursday, thugs armed with machetes, guns, knives and sticks were driven in beautiful buses to the Alausa protest ground in Lagos, and unleashed on peaceful protesters. Armed thugs were similarly let loose in Kano where the youths were protesting against insecurity.

     

    Then the Nigeria Army which tagged the peaceful protesters “subversive elements and trouble-makers” threatened to further brutalise them. Somehow, the leadership of the army still manages to live in the inglorious past of military misrule with its warped logic that the army’s loyalty is to whoever is the President and not to the Nigerian people.

    The Buhari government also banned protests in Abuja; where did it derive such unconstitutional powers?

     

    These protests may just be the beginning. Bob Marley in ‘Natural Mystic’ sang: “There’s a natural mystic blowing through the air. If you listen carefully now you will hear. This could be the first trumpet, might as well be the last”.

  • Subsidy removal 2020 and the end of organised labour – Dele Sobowale

    Subsidy removal 2020 and the end of organised labour – Dele Sobowale

    By Dele Sobowale

    “They came forth to war; but they always fell.” James Macpherson, 1736-1796.

    VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 267.

    The coincidences are unbelievable. James was the father of Sir John Macpherson, who was the second to the last Governor General of Nigeria, Sir James Robertson, who handed power to Tafawa Balewa on October 1, 1960. The sixtieth anniversary of Nigeria’s independence has dealt the nation’s organised labour a terrible blow from which it will take a while for it to recover.

    First, Labour’s most charismatic leader – Adams Oshiomole – who climbed on the shoulders and broken skulls of union members to great fame and stupendous fortune only to betray his Comrades met his Waterloo this year. His humiliation was well-deserved given his unprecedented swindle of Nigerian workers during his reign as the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC – as will soon be demonstrated.

    Second, organised Labour, be it NLC, ASUU or TUC, had long ago been a force fighting for workers. The leaders of the various unions have long become robber barons fighting for their own pockets. They learnt their lessons from Adams – who retired a multi-millionaire while claiming to champion the causes of millions of duped workers. The Labour Transport which was started while he was in office with the hope of being transformed into a major transport company employing thousands of people is moribund now. Those who wanted the accounts of Labour Transport audited while the “Emperor” reigned have gruesome tales to tell. Those who cannot manage their own business and grow it have developed the effrontery to challenge Chevron when the company seeks to downsize. That was the sort of hypocrisy on which Nigerian unionism was based.

    I was confident of the outcome when Organised Labour announced a strike unless the Federal Government reversed itself on fuel price. A fuel price increase was inevitable and Labour was only fooling Nigerians as they have done since 2000. How much more was the only thing in doubt? I even gave Labour some credit. I assumed they will obtain some price reduction. Total surrender after mid-night Sunday, after calling for a national strike starting Monday morning, was the latest twist in a long drawn-out game of fooling all Nigerians most of the time.

    Labour’s “victories” since 2000, with respect to fuel price increases had been obtained by deceit and fraud in a conspiracy which included the Federal Government, Organised Labour, FG’s Media staff and the Media – especially those on the Labour desk during Oshiomhole’s presidency. Fuel price was N22 per litre when Obasanjo first proposed subsidy removal and quantum jump in pump price. Oshiomhole led the first strike and after prolonged negotiations the fuel price settled at N30 per litre. Despite the 36 per cent fuel price increase, our colleagues on the Labour Desks in all the newspapers made us to believe a major victory had been secured by Oshiomhole for workers. Even if it was, and that is doubtful, it was the last honest triumph of Labour.

    LATE TUNJI OSENI OPENED CAN OF WORMS

    “Every man has his price.” Anonymous American cynic.

    What follows is a recollection of what late Mr Tunji Oseni, a senior brother from Lagos and Senior Special Adviser to OBJ told me aftr he left office.

    By the time Obasanjo left office in 2007, another attempt at fuel price increase had taken place. The foxy former President had taken a good measure of the Labour leaders who confronted him the first time he tried to increase pump price. It occurred to government that if Labour was prepared to negotiate after FG announced new price, why not engage them BEFORE the price increase is announced; bargain with them; announce a higher price than the intended figure; allow Labour to play to the gallery; fool Nigerians and then announce the price. That became the model for fuel price increases thereafter. The only fools were the Nigerian masses who believed that the NLC actually secured a price reduction for them. Fuel price was N22 when Oshiomhole called workers out on the first strike. It was N79 when he left office. But, he was called a hero by the media –especially Labour desk officers. Those of them still alive know the truth about how failure was advertised as success for so long. It was a conspiracy of silence and fraud. On that conspiracy the myth of the NLC fighting tooth and nail for the masses was built.

    Yar’Adua also tried the same trick with success when he first increased price on account of crude hitting N145 per barrel. The late President must have been informed about the template for getting fuel price increase without sweating.

    Somebody failed to tell Jonathan about the template when he pulled the trigger on January 1, 2012. At any rate, that was the most ridiculous time to do it. Millions of Nigerians had travelled expecting fuel and transport costs to remain stable until they returned to base. Almost doubling pump prices and getting people stranded was the most foolish thing anybody could do. Many people never forgave him for it. The 2012 fuel price increase was the only one for which Labour could not claim sole credit and perhaps it was opportunity lost to “come and eat” at Aso Rock.

    Unfortunately for Labour and the masses, organised Labour has become a toothless tiger. It took them three years to get Minimum Wage Bill passed promising N30,000 per month. We are close to twenty months since President Buhari ordered “immediate implementation”. Still, about thirteen states have not started paying; eighteen owe staff months of unpaid salaries and entitlements and the sky is not falling. One of their self-deluded leaders boasted last year that Governors refusing to pay the Minimum Wage may go to jail. No Governor has been charged yet. Surprisingly, he is one of the most enlightened.

    Meanwhile, Labour leaders announced that strike might start if FG fails to reverse the price. Nobody believes them; nobody will respond if they call for strike now. Obviously, N160 fuel is here to stay – until FG moves it up. Predictably, prices of goods and services have started escalating. If the Minimum Wage was regarded as inadequate before now, the economic disasters befalling Nigeria have already combined to guarantee deepening poverty on a massive scale. Perhaps now it is dawning on Nigerian workers that they are being badly led by people who are only interested in collecting their check off dues without rendering any service in return.

    Yes, it is absolutely true that “You can fool some of the people all the time; you can fool all the people some of the time; but you can’t fool all the people all the time.”(Lincoln ). Labour’s days of fooling the masses is coming to an end. Henceforth, no worker in his right senses will believe them.

    “What next, after two weeks? – Tunji Adegboyega

    THE NATION, Sunday October 4, 2020, p 11.

    My colleague, Tunji was right to ask the question. But, as an older columnist, the answer was obvious – NOTHING.

    Last week, the Federal Government heaped praises on Labour for calling off the strike and lashed out at those who were disappointed it was called off. Invariably, when the winner in any negotiation heaps encomiums on the other side, you can bet somebody had sold out. In this case, it is clear that the masses have been sold down the river by organised Labour.

  • BREAKING: Labour suspends planned strike as FG reverses new electricity tariff

    BREAKING: Labour suspends planned strike as FG reverses new electricity tariff

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have suspended the nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Monday (today), September 28.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that labour’s decision to suspend the planned nationwide industrial action followed an agreement reached with the Federal Government at a meeting which started at 8.30pm on Sunday and ended at 2:50am on Monday (today) morning.

    Sen. Christ Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment said this while reading a joint communique on the resolution of the Trade Dispute between the Federal Government and the organised Labour on Monday in Abuja.

    Ngige said the resolution reached with the organised labour was an outcome of a fruitful deliberation.

    According to him, on the issue of electricity tariff reforms, the parties agreed to set up a Technical Committee comprising Ministries, Departments, Agencies, NLC and TUC, which will work for a duration of two weeks effective from Monday, Sept. 28.

    “The committee is to examine the justifications for the new policy in view of the need for the validation of the basis for the new cost reflective tariff.

    “The technical committee membership included Mr Festus Keyamo, Minister of State Labour and Employment, as chairman, Mr Godwin Jedy-Agba, Minister of State Power, Mr James Momoh, Chairman National Electricity Regulatory Commission,

    “Others were Mr Ahmad Rufai Zakari, SA to Mr President on Infrastructure, Dr Onoho’Omhen Ebhohimhen, Member, NLC, Mr Joe Ajaero NLC, Mr Chris Okonkwo, TUC and a representative of DISCOS.”

    The minister said the committee should also look at the different Electricity Distribution Company (DISCOs) and their different electricity tariff ‘vis-à-vis NERC’s order and mandate.

    Ngige, on the issue of the downstream sector deregulation, said all parties agreed on the need to expand the local refining capacity of the nation to reduce the over dependency on importation of petroleum products

    He said NNPC was directed to expedite the rehabilitation of the nation’s four refineries located in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna and to achieve 50 per cent completion for Port Harcourt by December 2021, while timelines and delivery for Warri and Kaduna will be established by the inclusive Steering Committee.

    According to him, the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) will be integrated into the Steering Committee already established by the Corporation.

    “The Federal Government and its agencies are to ensure delivery of one million CNG/LPG AutoGas conversion kits, storage skids and dispensing units under the Nigeria Gas Expansion Programme by December 2021 to enable delivery of cheaper transportation and power fuel.

    “A Governance Structure that will include representatives of organised Labour shall be established for timely delivery,” he said.

    Ngige also said on the issue of general intervention that the government will facilitate the removal of tax on minimum wage as a way of cushioning the impacts of the policy on the lowest vulnerable.

    He said the Federal Government would give the labour unions 133 CNG/LPG driven mass transit buses immediately and ‘provide to the major cities across the Country on a scale up basis, thereafter to all States and Local Governments before December 2021.’

    He said 10 per cent of the ongoing Ministry of Housing and Finance housing initiative would be allocated to Nigerian workers under the NLC and TUC.

    According to him, a specific amount is to be unveiled by the Federal Government in two weeks’ time, which will be isolated from the Economic Sustainability Programme Intervention Fund that can be accessed by Nigerian Workers with subsequent provision for 240,000 under the auspices of NLC and TUC.

    “This is for participation in agricultural ventures through the CBN and the Ministry of Agriculture. The timeline will be fixed at the next meeting,” he said.

    In his remark, Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President said that both the government and organised labour have looked into the issue of fuel price hike and what was needed to be put in place in order to address the issue of the increase.

    “We have discussed the state of our refineries and how to achieve sustainable refineries.

    “We have also looked at the issue of the tariff hike and other challenges.

    “We agreed to suspend the strike, and we agreed to also put a committee in place to work out lasting solution in addressing these challenges, including the issue of metering and importantly also is to bring about the issue of efficiency.

    “We also reviewed the process of privatisation and other issues such as clear palliatives that were needed to be extended to our members and Nigerians to cushion the effect of these policies,” he said.

    Wabba, therefore, called for social dialogue as a way of addressing issues of industrial relations, socio-economic issues and also issues of development.

    According to him, the labour hopes that the communique will be implemented, and therefore, the decision of the organised labour as represented here is to suspend the action.

    “We are going to convey our Central Working Committee meeting to present the communique to them,” he said.

    Also, Mr Quadiri Olaleye, TUC president noted that based on the agreement signed between the government and the labour, the planned industrial action would be suspended for two weeks.

    He added that the planned industrial action was called to draw the attention of the government to certain issues.

  • Labour ready for nationwide strike – NLC

    Labour ready for nationwide strike – NLC

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, on Sunday confirmed that all affiliate unions of the organised labour were ready for the nationwide strike.

    He made the declaration in Abuja at a meeting with the House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, NAN reports.

    Wabba said the NLC would go ahead with the strike if its demands are not met before the expiration of the ultimatum.

    The deadline expires on Sunday night.

    Wabba said the increase in electricity tariff and hike in fuel price had eroded the purchasing power of the Nigerian workers.

    The labour leader noted that the initial plan was to ensure that there was no increment in electricity tariff until meters are provided for Nigerians.

    He added that there was a valid court judgment nullifying the electricity tariff.

    To this end, Wabba said National Industrial Court judgement asking NLC to stop its planned strike could not be sustained.

  • Fuel, electricity hike: Again, FG, labour talks deadlocked, postponed

    Fuel, electricity hike: Again, FG, labour talks deadlocked, postponed

    The meeting between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour over the recent hike in fuel price and electricity tariff has been postponed till Monday, Sept. 28, for further deliberation.

    Labour leaders and the Federal Government had met in Abuja on Thursday to deliberate on the development after organised labour threatened to shut down the economy on Monday, Sept. 28, if the hikes were not reversed.

    But with the duo unable to reach an agreement during the closed door meeting, Mr Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigeria Congress (NLC), told anxious newsmen that discussions would continue on Monday.

    “The discussions will continue on Monday, by 3 p.m,” he said.

    NAN reports that shortly before the bilateral talks went into the closed door session, Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), had appealed to the organised labour to “show understanding on the issues”.

    “The recent increase in electricity tariff and petroleum pump price was not intended to cause pain or harm. The decision was taken in the utmost interest of all people and the working class.

    “I had the privilege of working in the Presidential Transition Committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari and I remembered some of the decisions that were presented to him.

    “One of the decisions by the team considered as low hanging fruit in 2015 was deregulation. President Buhari objected to it. Thereafter, the issue was reflected in the final report.

    “There was the need to consider seriously the issues relating to deregulation of petroleum sector and the need to look at energy sufficiency and efficiency, and what needed to be done.

    “When the report was submitted to President Buhari, his reaction was that the Nigerian people elected him not to inflict pain on them.

    “Five years down the line, that decision has become imperative and cannot be tampered with, it is a decision that must have been painfully considered.

    “I am just sharing this reflection in order to put in perceptive the fact that the decision was never intended to cause great pain,” he said.

    He also noted that the National Minimum Wage was implemented over a year ago but that the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic had affected the entire world and had disrupted the strongest economy.

    Boss added that due to the pandemic, countries of the world were still trying to find solutions to the economic disruption that COVID-19 had brought to the entire world.

    “Nigeria does not survive in isolation. We, as a government and as a people and those of you on the other side of the divide, are part of the government, because you are leaders in your own right in the places you operate and in the spheres where you exercise influence.

    “So, it is for this reason that today we will resolve matters relating to the issues that have made us gathered here, because today, I am confident that each and everyone has Nigeria at heart.

    “The leadership of NLC, TUC and other leaders should assist the government toward arriving at a conclusion on these issues.

    “I understand the hardship that certain decisions of the government will always bring and I believe that in the course of these hardships, there are opportunities that will ameliorate the hardship,” he said.

    Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, in a remark, noted that the government representatives at the meeting had been enlarged to discuss how to ameliorate the pains that the modulation of the petroleum price and the increase in tariff had brought.

    “Today’s meeting is a bilateral meeting and it has a new colouration in that some specific items had been listed.

    “We will like to assure the labour unions that we we are addressing the issue and we think that we can resolve the issues and nobody will be in the mood to go on strike or go on demonstrations in the streets as this country belongs to all of us.

    “So, whatever is going to be discussed here, it will be for the furtherance of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, especially the section that talks about welfare and security of the citizens of the country,” he said.

    In his remarks, Wabba, NLC boss, said that the best way to address social economy or labour issues and challenges was to proactively engage Labour unions and have their perspective.

    READ ALSO NLC suspends planned protest

    “The last time we were here, we also had a lot of discussions about what we expect that should have been done; we have been on the same issue for over 30 years.

    “I think the argument has been the same – people want to see reduction in those prices, which will bring improvement to the lives of Nigerians, particularly workers.

    “Clearly, part of the challenge is that this new increase has also reduced our purchasing power and eroded the gains that we have been able to make with the minimum wage. As we speak, many states are yet to implement it,” Wabba said.

    Mr Quadir Olaleye, TUC President, in his contribution, said that government must first revert to the previous price template for both fuel pump and electricity tariff before labour will dialogue with it on the economic recovery solutions.

    He insisted that TUC maintains its last week’s position on embarking on nationwide protest or proceed on strike if the government refused to reverse the increase in electricity and fuel pump price.

    Olaleye called on the government to diversify the economy and increase its revenue base

  • Strike looms as FG, Labour meeting ends in deadlock

    Strike looms as FG, Labour meeting ends in deadlock

    The meeting between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour over the removal of petrol subsidy and the increase in electricity tariffs, ended in a deadlock on Monday.

    While receiving the labour leaders to the meeting held at the Bouquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, in Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, compelled stakeholders to join heads and deliberate how Nigeria can survive the economic challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Ngige said the meeting is “a bilateral dialogue between us as Nigerians to consider the state of the economy and events that have necessitated recent increases in electricity tariff and the price of petrol.”

    The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, also urged the labour to show more understanding with the government over its policies.

    Sylva noted that Nigeria lost about N1billion daily between 2016 and 2019, as a result of fuel subsidy and N3.74billion daily before 2016.

    “There are a lot of issues to discuss; from 10 o’clock we haven’t been able to trash out all the things; I think it will be right to set committees to further deliberate and resolve them,” he said.

    But the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, maintained that the recent hike in cost of fuel and electricity tariffs further intensified the economic hardship facing Nigerians.

    Wabba said workers who have lost their jobs and sources of income due to COVID-19, are being forced to make further sacrifices.

    “Those issues that constitute the price are part of the inefficiency in the system which the government hitherto has been paying and christened subsidy. The government cannot transfer the inefficiency to the people. Nigeria should refine its products,” he said.

     

    “At this point, what do you have on the table to cushion the effects on workers – their families because they have been pushed to the wall and already at the edge. Do you have anything for us? So that we can now say that despite these challenges, this is what I have for Nigerian workers that they can have something that can cushion this effect for them.”

    According to him, “Already the value of minimum wage had been eroded. The purchasing power parity, when you compare with all West African countries, we are already on the ground.

    “That is the reality. In Ghana, compare their minimum wage with our own; in all West Africa countries, including Niger Republic that has just started refining recently, they are now serving us with products. That is not how we ought to be.”

    The meeting ended with no settlement reached, while no date was fixed to continue the talks.