There was dancing and rejoicing when Mele Kyari announced with glee that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had pulled through and what seemed impossible to the doubting Thomases and pessimists had become possible. The Warri Refinery machines were set to roar back to life. Kyari, the Group’s former Chief Executive Officer, beating his chest in triumph, on 30 December, led journalists on a tour of the facility in Warri. It was an event witnessed by stakeholders, comprising marketers in particular. He said on the occasion about the reactivation this column regarded trustingly as a New Year gift by NNPCL: “If you see the plant you will see the reality yourself. This plant is running; we have not completed it 100 per cent, but we are still in the process; we are on the other part of the plant as we progress, but currently this plant is running. You will see what is happening now and we are bringing products to the market.” He went on: “There are many people who don’t think this is real. People don’t believe real things can happen in our country. We believe that this is right for our country and all of us have a stake, including the media so this can become a greater place as it is already happening.” Turning to the journalists he said: “We want you to see that everything is real. I must congratulate our team for their determination and extreme belief that this company can restart this plant. This has brought the result we are seeing in collaboration with our contractors. We have proved that it is possible to restart a plant that you deliberately shut down. We have proved this.”

However, former President Olusegun Obasanjo hissed. He was swift in pouring cold water on our spirit, expressing serious doubts about the celebrative health feat of the refineries, both Warri and Port Harcourt. And what is the situation today about four months after the hallelujah chorus? According to a regulatory authority document a national newspaper sighted, the Warri Refinery has been shut down since 25 January, 2025. And Port Harcourt plant which resumed operation in November last year, just about a month before Warri has been operating below 40 per cent capacity. I will come back to this presently.

Commenting on the refurbishment of Warri Refinery, this column stated as follows on 11 January in the piece captioned ‘Fuelling Doubts’: “The ding-dong between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the NNPCL is good, disturbing as it may seem on the surface. It is a wake-up clarion call to NNPCL. The nation has suffered enough in its hands. The argument that may be seen as degenerating into a brickbat is still over the state of the refineries.

“The group chief executive officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, announced to the nation on 30 December, 2024, that Warri Refinery had been successfully, though partially, refurbished and was roaring back to life. The New Year gift by NNPCL to the nation took everybody by surprise, coming this soon after the old Port Harcourt refinery was reactivated and it became operational. Despite the stage of rehabilitation, it will produce 60 per cent of its installed capacity, which is 125, 000 barrels per day. GCOE Mele Kyari said with glee: “If you see the plant, you will see the reality yourself. This plant is running…”

The Punch comprehensive report on the state of the two refineries on Tuesday, however, does not give much signal for cheer in the horizon—provided the new helmsman, Bayo Ojulari, rolls up his sleeves and charts his own totally new course, and moves away from broken promises of the past.

The column did state: “Former President Obasanjo, who is not known to shrink from controversies, has thrust his chest out to count among ‘people who don’t think this is real’, that is, given his stature he is not perturbed if he is seen as leading the Doubting Thomases. He was swift in expressing doubts about the health feat of the refineries. He anchored his reservations on the aphoristic parable of a farmer and the size of his farm during planting season. The farmer made the world to believe that he had a large cultivation of yams. He boasted that he planted 200 yam mounds, whereas all he had were 100 heaps. At harvest the truth will inexorably catch up with him.

“So, if anybody tells you that they (the refineries) are working, why are they not with Aliko in the market? Aliko will make his own refinery work. Not only make it work, he will make it deliver”, Obasanjo said sarcastically.

“Whether we announce our own government refineries are working or not working, look, it is like they say in Yoruba adage, ‘the man who plants 100 heaps of yams and says he planted 200 heaps, they say after he has harvested 100 heaps of yam, he will harvest 100 heaps of lies.’

In response, however, the NNPCL leadership sure of itself, or so it appeared, said it would be pleased to have Obasanjo as a guest to be taken round the plants to see things for himself.

As I did state at the time, given Obasanjo’s standing and public acclaim, and his own familiarization with the company as a former President, it is inconceivable that he would make comments on matters of this nature and on the company’s operations without intelligence reports and without gathering information from competent sources connected with the refineries. The former President was not the only person who harboured doubts. Some experts in the oil industry believed it must have been a miracle to succeed in bringing the refineries back to life. One said at the time: ‘We wait and see.’

Obasanjo hinged part of his doubts on his discussions with Shell that he had invited, while in the saddle, to take interest in running the refineries but Shell turned down the offer. One of the four reasons Shell gave was that there was too much corruption around the activities of our refineries and they would not want to get involved. They gave other reasons bordering on the productive capacity of the refineries which Shell considered too small.

NNPCL on its part allayed fears saying it had expanded beyond oil and gas to become an integrated energy company. The company went further to explain that what had taken place was not the accustomed Turn Around Maintenance (TAM), but a comprehensive overhaul. It was a comprehensive overhaul designed to meet what it described as world-class standards. And Chief Corporate communications officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye reinforced enheartening hopes and expectation by reminding the nation that NNPCL was no longer a government corporation. “Today,” he said, “NNPC Limited is a private entity that has transitioned from being a loss-making organization to becoming a profit -oriented global energy leader.”

Far back as 04 August, 2021, the Buhari Administration approved $1.48billion (US Dollars) for the rehabilitation of both Warri and Kaduna refineries, $897million for Warri and $586 million for Kaduna. For Warri, the rehabilitation was in phases of first, 21 months; then 23 months and the last 33 months.

As of the time of the announcement of the reactivation, the assurance of the readiness of the refinery to produce Premium Motor Spirit alias PMS but more widely known as petrol was glossed over, which was the major product the generality of Nigerians was ardently longing to have. ThisDay gave the hint that as of the time Mele Kyari and his team were on tour of the plant the refinery was going through a “test-run of its refining processes, and Naphtha had yet to be transferred to the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit for production of Premium Motor Spirit, (PMS) that is petrol or gas.

This column did admonish NNPCL to see any lingering doubts as expressed by former President Obasanjo and some experts in the oil industry as burden and a challenge they must quickly discharge. Indeed, the doubts must be seen as energy tonic to fasten belts and to fire them to disabuse the mind of everybody and prove the Doubting Thomases wrong, and beat their chest that the two refineries, Port Harcourt producing 75 per cent of 150,000 barrels a day and Warri producing at 60 per cent of 125, 000 barrels are back on stream. Were the claims to prove Obasanjo right and end as a hoax, not after President Bola Tinubu has described the development in Warri as a historic milestone, it would be the biggest scandal of the century.

NNPCL did not appear to have heeded my warning: Alas, Obasanjo may have been proven right. Pray that we may not witness all turning out a hoax after all!! Otherwise, how do you explain Warri Refinery being shut down barely three weeks its reactivation was celebrated–greeted with so much noise-making, glamour and laudation, especially by Bola Tinubu. NNPCL said what they did in Warri was total overhauling. Now it is a new song: The plant is undergoing repairs for efficient service delivery and ensuring optimal operations. It was a routine maintenance programme. That was in in February. “On January 25, 2025”, according to NNPCL in a statement, “operations at WRPC Area 1 were intentionally curtailed to carry out necessary intervention works on select equipment, including field instruments that were impacting sustainable and steady operations. These intervention works are essential to ensure the production of specification finished and intermediate products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil and Kerosine. The routine maintenance is progressing as planned, and 1t will be back in operation within the next few days.”

Listen to the President when Mele Kyari announced the return of Warri facility to production following the successful completion of its reactivation: “The restart of Warri Refinery today brings joy and gladness to me” Bubbling with excitement, he said that now that the reactivation of Warri had been accomplished, attention should shift to Kaduna Refinery and kick it also back to life. In the case of Port Harcourt when it rolled back to life in November, the elated President said the refinery coming back on stream would contribute towards energy sufficiency, ensuring energy security, and raise, indeed, enhance export capacity. He saw it as being in alignment with his vision of what is touted unceasingly as Renewed Hope Agenda which is focused on shared economic prosperity for all. Stakeholders are expressing dishevelment and concerned that despite years of investment, little tangible results have come out of the refineries. Production has been erratic, up today, down tomorrow. Hardly does it exceed 42.23 percent of its installed capacity in six months. They have described the situation as disconcerting and pressed for holistic staff review.

I do hope the new captains in the different refineries will realise that all eyes are on them; and will remove the stain on the NNPCL raiment with dispatch. They cannot afford to let the nation down! Warri Refinery shutting down so soon will be seen as scandal enough to alarm the nation after humongous $897.6million was expended to bring it back to production. In some quarters, the rehabilitation of both refineries is already been described as a scandal.

THE SPATE OF DEFECTIONS
I have followed the gale of defections by governors, commissioners and ranking politicians in parts of the country, particularly recent ones in Delta State. According to reports, the likeable governor of Akwa Ibom State who has admirably taken after his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel, in terms of resourcefulness, hard work and unremitted application to set goals, is rehearsing. I am referring to no other than Mr. Umo Eno. The world will soon hear from him when he finishes warming up. For now, the world is waiting with baited breath.

Those who have crossed the line from PDP to APC are the governor of Delta State, Mr, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori with his deputy and his predecessor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and their supporters. The PDP structure was dismantled. The defection leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. The most disgusting is that of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa who in 2023 missed only by a hair’s breadth being the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of PDP. And come to think of it, the defection Oborevwori called a movement was framed in triumphal jollity and shameless celebration. To receive the defectors were the Vice-President, Kashim Shettima and Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC national chair, undoubtedly bubbling with fixation on 2027, who only see this, not as a debasement of our polity and of the lofty tone of our environment, but rather as building up a rich harvest of votes. They cannot see the consequences of raising a future generation bereft of principles who will show utmost contempt for honour and wholesomeness as well as dignified carriage, above all wholesomeness of our people and our land.

David Umahi then Governor of Ebonyi State, now the Minister of Works, again a dedicated administrator and resourceful engineer, defected from PDP to the APC, the step ladder he used to climb to the high office of the state governor. He got away with it. About the same time Professor Ayade, governor of Cross River did the same. Justice Ekwo, a “reincarnation” of Conrard Idowu Taylor (J.I.C.), learned, true and courageous, asked Omahi and his deputy to vacate their office and return their mandate to the PDP that gave them the step ladder to their positions. because his electors were PDP the mandate they gave to him was on the platform of PDP. The higher court looking only at the letters of the law, and not the spirit, nor the loud and disarming wisdom undergirding the Justice’s pronouncement, overturned the judgment, arguing that the grundnom spells out procedures to go through to remove a governor. Who could have envisaged that any senior government functionary at that level would without qualms abandon the platform that saw them to the highest echelon of governance in the state? The framers of the constitution did not in the widest of their dreams, did not think that a governor would leave his party for another without first honourably resigning. Since there have been no consequences for such disgraceful behaviour, the shamelessness continues with increasing converts.

And so, the truism rings loud and clear: A shameless people cannot be embarrassed! Where there is no shame the word propriety has no meaning. The society becomes a world of anything goes in which the thick line between right and wrong is blurred. And the argument ensues that the the words good and bad are subjective when in fact they are absolute: What is good is good and what is bad is bad and we can all feel them to our fingertips. What we are witnessing everywhere is the state of our collective inner being despite our vaunted religiousity: Hollow!

Rotary International has named Mr. Ehi Braimah, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Naija Times and Lagos Post, among five new Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinators (ARPIC) for the 2025-2026 Rotary year in Africa's Region 27.

This region comprises nine Rotary districts across Anglophone West Africa and Egypt.

The announcement came via an official communication by Tamunoibim Semenitari, Rotary Public Image Coordinator (2023-2026), congratulating the incoming ARPICs and urging them to attend the upcoming Regional Team Learning Seminar (RTLS) scheduled for May 7–11, 2025, in Accra, Ghana.

Africa Zone 22, where Region 27 is situated, is one of Rotary International’s 34 global zones, and it is divided into three regions: 26, 27, and 28.

Other appointees joining Braimah include Rtn. Bassey Ekpenyong Bassey from Rotary Club of Uyo Urban, Rtn. Olubisi Abosede Yomi-Layinka from Rotary Club of Ibadan Jericho Metro, Rtn. Kwesi Nyan Kittoe from Rotary Club of Winneba, Ghana and Rtn. Marwan Montasser from Rotary Club of Alexandria New Era, Egypt.

Braimah brings decades of strategic communications experience to the role. 

A former President of Rotary Club of Lagos (2018–2019) and current Assistant Governor in District 9112, he has held several public image-related roles, including Chair of the District Public Image Committee (2024–2025). 

He also served as District Secretary in 2021–2022 and has chaired numerous district-level committees.

He is the Managing Director/CEO of Neo Media & Marketing, a public relations and marketing management company; Deputy National President of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, and a respected public affairs commentator. Braimah was honoured with the distinguished Chancellor’s Alumni Award by the University of Roehampton, London, in 2024.

Public Image Coordinators play a vital role in Rotary by shaping how the organisation is perceived. They manage branding, create content, handle media relations, and ensure consistency across Rotary’s digital and offline platforms. 

They also educate members on Rotary branding, manage crisis communication, and promote community engagement.

Signed

Michael Effiong James

Assistant Rotary Public Image Coordinator (RI Districts 9111, 9112 & 9126)

Speculations over an alleged rift between Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, and his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, deepened on Thursday following the deputy governor’s absence at the 2025 Workers Day celebration in Minna.

Garba, the immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Niger State, has consistently attended Workers Day events since assuming office as deputy governor.

However, his conspicuous absence at this year’s event has further ignited rumours of a growing division between the two top officials.

Unlike previous celebrations, where Garba played an active role, he was missing at this year’s event held at the Trade Fair Complex in Minna. Governor Bago, however, was in attendance, alongside Senator Sani Musa, who represents Niger East senatorial district.

While some sources suggested that Garba was out of town on official duty, others claimed he may have deliberately stayed away to avoid further escalating the already tense political atmosphere in the state.

According to Leadership, Garba’s absence was particularly notable given his strong roots in the labour movement and his symbolic presence at such events.

Garba and Bago have been the subject of intense political speculation in recent weeks, with reports of strained ties over internal party matters and alleged marginalisation of the deputy governor in decision-making, especially concerning the upcoming November 2025 local government elections.

Despite denials from Garba, political observers believe Thursday’s absence adds weight to the ongoing speculation that all is not well within Niger State’s top leadership.

Meanwhile, Garba has denied reports that he is planning to resign from his position.

[NaijaNews]

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerian workers of his administration’s unwavering commitment to improving their welfare, describing them as the driving force behind the country’s economic and social progress.

In a Workers’ Day message delivered on Thursday, President Tinubu hailed the resilience, dedication, and contributions of Nigerian workers across all sectors—both public and private—as central to the nation’s development.

“You are the engine of our economy and the secret to our nation’s growth,” the President said. “Our administration has and will continue to prioritise workers’ welfare. Together, we will make Nigeria great again.”

He acknowledged the efforts of every Nigerian—young and old, entrepreneur or employee, formal or informal—who contributes meaningfully to the well-being of homes, communities, and the nation at large.

The President used the occasion to reaffirm his promise to build a more inclusive, fair, and productive economy, one where the dignity of labour is respected and rewarded.

As the country marked May Day, President Tinubu concluded with a unifying message: “Happy Worker’s Day, Nigeria!”

[Leadership]

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Thursday, revealed that only N28.8 billion was disbursed to students in various tertiary institutions instead of N100 billion released to the schools.

The anti-graft agency specifically said its preliminary investigations have uncovered that not less than N71.2 billion have been diverted by the management of different universities who had taken custody of funds.

The spokesman of the commission, Demola Bakare, told journalists in Abuja that key stakeholders, including the Director-General of the Budget Office and the Accountant-General of the Federation have been invited.

Bakare also disclosed that senior officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria as well as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of NELFUND were invited to provide documentation and explanations relevant to the case.

Daily Trust reports that the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, had two weeks raised the alarm that the universities were trying to sabotage the Tinubu-led government on the students’ loan scheme.

Issa-Onilu alleged that no fewer than 51 tertiary institutions were implicated in illegal deductions and exploitation related to the NELFUND scheme, while calling on the anti-graft agencies to unravel the fraud and halt it.

Similarly, reports from the media also alleged that these institutions were said to have made unauthorized deductions ranging from N3,500 to N30,000 from each student’s institutional fees received through the loan fund.

Giving an update on the issue, the ICPC spokesman explained that the commission had since swung into action following the alarm, adding that those found culpable would be brought to book.

Bakare said, “The Commission confirmed that its Chairman’s Special Task Force immediately swung into action upon receiving the report.

“Letters of investigation and invitations were dispatched to key stakeholders, including the Director-General of the Budget Office, the Accountant General of the Federation, and senior officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“Additionally, the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of NELFUND were invited to provide documentation and explanations relevant to the case.

“Preliminary findings revealed a significant gap in the financial records of the disbursement process. While the Federal Government reportedly released N100 billion for the scheme, only N28.8 billion was disbursed to students, leaving an unaccounted sum of N71.2 billion.”

While giving the breakdown of the NELFUND’s records, Bakare said the ICPC’s strength of investigation revealed that the total money received by NELFUND as of March 19, 2024, was N203.8 billion.

“The breakdown showed that N10 Billion was an allocation from the Federation Allocation Account Committee, N50 billion was from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, N71.9B was from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, while another N71.9 billion was also from the same Tertiary Education Trust Fund,” the ICPC official told journalists.

According to him, responses received by the commission were critically analyzed, and interviews were conducted with the concerned individuals.

He noted that the ICPC, however, found that the total amount disbursed to institutions from inception to date is about N44,200,933,649.00, while a total of 299 institutions have benefited from the funds released.

“To date, the total amount disbursed to 299 beneficiary institutions stands at approximately N44.2 billion, with 293,178 students having benefited from the fund.

“The ICPC confirmed that a clear case of discrepancies has been established in the administration of the student loan scheme and announced that its investigation will now extend to beneficiary institutions and individual student recipients.”

He said the commission would from time-to-time provide further updates as the investigation progresses.

“Comprehensive investigations into the alleged discrepancies surrounding the disbursement of students’ loans under the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has commenced,” he stated.

[DailyTrust]

The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has reiterated the agency’s firm commitment to impartiality in the war against corruption, affirming that politicians across all party lines will be held accountable for financial crimes.

Appearing as a guest on Channels Television, Olukoyede emphasised that the EFCC remains fully within its statutory duty to investigate and prosecute individuals implicated in corrupt practices.

“If someone is found to have engaged in corruption or financial crimes, it is our duty to investigate. Where we establish sufficient grounds for prosecution, we proceed to trial. I have operated strictly within the bounds of this mandate, and I believe Nigerians can attest to that,” he stated, responding to perceptions of political bias in the Commission’s operations.

While acknowledging that EFCC actions may sometimes be seen through a political lens, Olukoyede maintained that the Commission is guided solely by evidence.

He noted that many of the Commission’s high-profile investigations have involved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), highlighting that political affiliation does not shield anyone from scrutiny.

“If Nigerians assess our work fairly, they will recognise that, based on the statistics of our investigations and prosecutions, particularly in high-profile cases, a notable number of individuals from the ruling party, the APC, are among those we have pursued. We must be judged fairly. It is not just members, but also prominent figures within the ruling party who have been investigated and charged,” he said.

Olukoyede also clarified that politicians under investigation cannot use party affiliation as a form of protection.

“It would be both unfair and unjust to turn a blind eye to individuals simply because they are not affiliated with the ruling party. Our responsibility is to ensure that justice is served, regardless of political leanings,” he added, urging Nigerians to evaluate the EFCC’s efforts objectively.

Reaffirming the agency’s position, Olukoyede stressed that no political group is exempt from investigation or prosecution.

“If we discover that you have stolen money, you must answer, regardless of whether you belong to the APC, PDP, Labour Party, NNPP, or SDP. If a member of the APC has stolen money, they must face the consequences. If a member of the PDP has committed theft, they too will be held accountable,” he warned.

[TheNation]

The Football Association of England has announced that transgender women will be banned from participating in women’s football starting June 1.

The decision follows a ruling by the UK Supreme Court on April 16, which held that, under equalities law, a woman is defined by biological sex. The association cited this as a key factor in updating its policy.

In a statement released by the English FA on Thursday, the association said it remains committed to making football accessible but must align with the current legal definitions and ensure fairness in the women’s game.

“As the governing body of the national sport, our role is to make football accessible to as many people as possible, operating within the law and international football policy defined by UEFA and FIFA,” the statement reads.

it was further explained that the current policy, which had allowed transgender women to participate in the women’s game, was based on the principle of inclusion and supported by expert legal advice.

The FA disclosed that a review of its policy was inevitable in the event of any changes to relevant laws or regulations.

“This is a complex subject, and our position has always been that if there was a material change in law, science, or the operation of the policy in grassroots football, then we would review it and change it if necessary.

“The Supreme Court’s ruling on April 16 means that we will be changing our policy. Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women’s football in England, and this policy will be implemented from June 1, 2025”.

According to the statement, the FA acknowledged that the decision may be difficult for those affected.

“We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender with which they identify.

“We are reaching out to the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and discuss how they can continue to remain involved in the game,” the FA said.

Recall that the Scottish FA board has decided that starting from next season, only biological females will be permitted to compete in girls’ and women’s football under its jurisdiction.

This decision follows the UK Supreme Court ruling that a female is defined by biological sex under equalities law. Only individuals assigned female at birth will be allowed to play in women’s football in Scotland for players aged 13, and above.

[Vanguard]

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is pushing for amendments to the 1999 constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.

At the commission’s retreat with the joint committee of the senate and house of representatives on electoral matters, Mohammad Kuna, special adviser to Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, highlighted necessary reforms to the nation’s electoral legal framework.

Kuna said the commission should be given the power to appoint state directors of elections (SDEs). The president currently appoints resident electoral commissioners (RECs) to oversee polls in the states.

The SDEs would have the same powers as the RECs.

Kuna added that the commission is proposing to amend section 14 (3) paragraph F of the third schedule to the 1999 constitution.

The amendment aims to confer upon the commission the authority to appoint and discipline heads of state and federal capital territory (FCT) offices who would serve as state directors of elections.

“Amend Section 14 (3) Paragraph F of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution to Confer the Power of Appointing and Disciplining Heads of State and FCT Offices,” the statement reads.

“Amend Section 6 (3) of EA 2022 to confer the power of appointing heads of State and FCT Offices on the Commission.

“Developments in recent past and especially during and in the aftermath of the 2023 general election suggests the need for the commission to have greater powers to make appointments to the heads of state and FCT offices.”

The commission said the proposed changes are part of a broader effort to streamline electoral processes and ensure greater integrity and efficiency in future elections.

By virtue of section 16 of the Constitution of Nigeria, the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring: the promotion of a planned and balanced economic development; that the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good; that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group.and that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens.

Section 17 of the Constitution also provides that the conditions of work are just and humane, and that there are adequate facilities for leisure and for social, religious and cultural life; the health, safety and welfare of all persons in employment are safeguarded and not endangered or abused; there are adequate medical and health facilities for all persons: there is equal pay for equal work without discrimination on account of sex, or on any other ground whatsoever.

In utter violation of the economic objective of the State, the members of the ruling class have sold public enterprises and awarded oil blocks and granted licences for solid minerals to themselves.Thus, the State has engaged in concentrating the commonwealth in the hands of a few people contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution. However, some of those who lost out in the criminal diversion of the commonwealth through privatisation and award of oil blocks have engaged in the smuggling of solid minerals.

Even though the members of the ruling class have conspired to make the fundamental objectives and direct principles of state policy non justiciable in any court, the struggle of the Nigerian people for dividends of democracy has compelled the State to adopt policies and enact a numbers of laws that are designed to promote the welfare of the Nigerian people. Such welfare and labour include Labour Act 2004, Trade Union Act 2004, Child Rights Act 2003, Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act 2004 and Federal Mortgage Bank Act 2004, Factories Act 2004.

Others include Employees Compensation Act 2010, Pension Reforms Act 2014, National Senior Citizens Act, 2017, National Housing Fund (Establishment) Act, 2018, Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, National Health Insurance Authority Act, 2021, Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re-enactment) Act 2024 and National Minimum Wage Act, 2024.

In addition to the above laws, Nigeria has ratified and enacted the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. Articles 15, 16, and 17 of the law provides that every individual shall have the right to work under equitable and satisfactory conditions, and receive equal pay for equal work as well as the right to health, and right to education.Furthermore, section 254(C)(1) of the Constitution has conferred exclusive jurisdiction and power to deal with any matter connected with or pertaining to the application of international best practices and international Convention, treaty or protocol of which Nigeria has ratified relating to labour, employment, workplace, industrial relations or matters connected therewith, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Constitution.

It is regrettable to note that the above laws are observed in breach by the Nigerian neocolonial state to the detriment of the working people. An example is the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act which has imposed a legal duty on the federal and state governments to ensure that every child is given free and compulsory education from primary school to junior secondary school. The immediate past Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, during his presentation of the 2020 and 2023 budget implementation report to the Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education in Abuja, disclosed that N135,540,905,308.92 in matching grants have not been accessed by states in the last few years.

Owing to the refusal of state governments to contribute counterpart funds to access the matching grant of about N135 billion in the UBEC Account as stipulated by the law, Nigeria has 20 million out of school children. The Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) dragged the Federal Government and the 36 state governments to the Federal High Court seeking to compel them to comply with the education laws. Since there is no defence to the case, the defendants have challenged the locus standi of the plaintiffs to institute the action. The implication of the preliminary objection is that the state governments are not prepared to provide education for the children of the poor and vulnerable people.

In the public service, top public officers augment their salaries and allowances with payment of security votes and estacodes from foreign trips. Even though the National Minimum Wage Act is a valid and substiting legislation, about 20 states have yet to implement the N70,000 new minimum wage for local government workers and primary school teachers. Several employers of labour have equally refused to comply with the provisions of the National Minimum Wage Act. The federal government has refused to ensure full compliance with the law.

Furthermore, the recent data released by the National Pension Commission show that total assets in the Nigerian Pension industry rose by 23% year-on-year to N22.5 trillion in December 2024. instead of ensuring that pensioners are promptly paid their pension, the federal government has borrowed N10 trillion from the fund. Worried over the concern of pensioners, the House of Representatives has resolved to recover the loan on the ground that most pensioners are unable to access their retirement funds despite complying with the requirements of the contributory pension scheme.

Specifically, the House Committee was mandated to investigate the status of the pension fund assets of over N15.5 trillion with a view to ensuring that the N10 trillion loaned to the federal government from the pension fund is duly recovered and modalities are put in place to hinder the collapse of the pension schemes.

Under the Federal Mortgage Bank Act, workers are required to contribute to housing primarily through the National Housing Fund (NHF), where a mandatory 2.5% of their monthly salary is deducted and remitted to provide affordable housing loans to eligible workers. The contribution, together with other contributions from other lowly placed citizens, helps to fund the NHF.

The National Housing Fund (NHF), like other interventionist administering programmes, has become a subject of abuse and fraudulent practice. In November 2024, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo, former chief executive officer of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), for allegedly diverting $65 million housing funds. The money was for the construction of 962 units of residential houses at the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy City in Kubwa, a satellite town in Abuja.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress should closely monitor the trial and request the ICPC to investigate the allegation made in 2012 by Mr. Gimba Ya'u Kumo, that some "unscrupulous employers" had milked the fund dry to the tune of N100 billion. The NLC and the TUC owe workers a duty to ensure that the stolen sums of $65 million and N100 billion are recovered and utilised for building houses for workers.

It is indisputably clear that the enforcement of the above welfare and laws as well as international instruments will go a long way to improve the living conditions of the Nigerian people. Therefore, it is high time that the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress mobilised workers and allies to mount sufficient pressure on the federal government to enforce the welfare laws and international instruments.