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President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, charged Nigerians to bear the excruciating pain occasioned by harsh economic policies of his government.
According to Tinubu, the policies are necessary to put the nation on a sound economic position.
The President stated this in a national broadcast to mark the 25th anniversary of unbroken democracy in Nigeria and the 2024 democracy day.
The statement reads,
“My fellow Nigerians, let me begin by congratulating all of us for witnessing the celebration of another Democracy Day today, the 12th day of June 2024. This year also marks our nation’s 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.
“On this day, 31 years ago, we entered our rites of passage to becoming a true and enduring democratic society.
“Going through this passage was hard and dangerous. During the fateful six years that followed, we fought and struggled for our natural rights as human beings put on this earth by the divine hand of our Creator.
“We lost great heroes and heroines along the way. In this struggle, the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, the most significant symbol of our democratic struggle, his wife, Kudirat, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and Pa Alfred Rewane, among others sacrificed their very lives.
“They bravely surrendered their futures so that our nation might have a better one.
“Let us honour the memories of Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Commodore Dan Suleiman, Chief Arthur Nwankwo, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Frank Kokori, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Ganiyu Dawodu, Chief Ayo Fasanmi, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Chief Olabiyi Durojaiye, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chima Ubani, and others who have transited to the higher realm.
“The sacrifices of General Alani Akinrinade, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Professor Wole Soyinka, Chief Ralph Obioha, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, among many others, should never be forgotten. For at least six years, they bore the pains and difficulties of life in exile.
“While the exiled pro-democracy activists kept the fire burning, their comrades at home sustained the pressure on the military brass hats. Among the latter are Olisa Agbakoba, Femi Falana, Abdul Oroh, Senator Shehu Sani, Governor Uba Sani, Chief Olu Falae, and other National Democratic Coalition leaders such as Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Ayo Opadokun.
“The sacrifices they made, and the precious gift brought about by their selfless devotion can never be repaid. Neither shall it be forgotten.
“We could not have won the battle against military dictatorship without the irrepressible Nigerian journalists who mounted the barricades along with the pro-democracy activists. We celebrate them today, along with their media establishments such as The Punch, Guardian, National Concord, Tribune, The News/Tempo, and TELL Magazines. Military authorities proscribed these media establishments and jailed their journalists for standing for free speech and civil liberties.
“Despite the lethal might of the military government, what appeared to be high and unyielding walls of dictatorship came tumbling down. The dismal fortress exists no longer.
“The power of an idea, the power of the people proved more potent than all the guns and munitions, and the threats of the strongmen.
“The nation exited the yoke of military rule in 1999 to become the most populous democracy on African soil, the beacon of democratic self-determination for the black race and one of the largest democracies in the world.
“This change stands as a pivotal moment in human history. From this change, we shall never turn, nor shall the annals of mankind’s progress forget the sublime meaning of this great moment.
“Today, 25 years later, we celebrate the silver anniversary of our journey in democracy.
“We have steadied the course.
“Democracy is neither a foreign nor abstract concept devoid of real-life meaning for us. Neither can we afford to reduce or minimalise it to being nothing but the mere holding of periodic elections where one candidate and party outdo another.
“While elections attract dramatic attention, they are but one aspect of democracy. Democracy is a way of life that encompasses a broad outlook of which elections are but a part. As such, a nation can have elections without being democratic. But a nation cannot be truly democratic without holding elections.
“That we have established a tradition of holding transparent, open, and fair elections gives credence to our democratic bearing. That we have experienced peaceful transitions of government affirms our democratic temperament.
“Fellow Nigerians, true democracy shines its light into the daily lives of the people who live under its nurturing wings. It affords us the freedom and liberty to think as we want, live where we want and pursue whatever legitimate endeavour that suits us.
“Democracy does not assume some false or forced unity of opinion. In fact, democracy assumes that conflicting ideas and differing opinions shall be the order of the day. Given the diversity and variety of the human experience, there must be diverse perspectives and viewpoints.
“What democracy demands is that we do not resolve differences through force and repression. But we make allowance for the legitimacy of views that differ from our own.
“Where other forms of government impose against the will of the people, democracy aims to make leaders sufficiently humble that they conduct themselves as servants of the common good, not as viceroys of the narrow interests of the mighty.
“My dear compatriots, Nigeria faced a decision of untold gravity twenty-five years ago: Whether to veer toward a better destination or continue aimlessly in the fog of dictatorship.
“We made the right choice then. We must continue with that choice now.
“As Nigerians, we must remind ourselves that no matter how complicated democracy may be, it is the best form of governance in the long run. We must also be aware that there are those among us who will try to exploit current challenges to undermine, if not destroy, this democracy for which so much has already been given.
“These people do this not to make things better but to subject all other people and things to their control and dominance until the point that, if you are not counted among their elite, then your life will be small and no longer owned by you.
“This is the great battle of our day and the major reason we specially celebrate this Democracy day.
“Fellow Nigerians, our Democracy is more than a historic fact. It is a living, breathing reality.
“The true meaning of this day is not to focus solely on the great deeds of the past that have brought us to this point.
“Yes, we pay eternal honour to those who laid down their lives, sacrificing everything to pave the way for the nation.
“I stand uniquely placed in this regard. I was among those who took the risk to midwife the birth of our democracy. I am now a direct and obvious beneficiary of the fruits of those historic efforts.
“As president of this nation, I am morally and constitutionally bound to preserve this precious form of governance. I vow to do my utmost best to protect your rights, freedoms, and liberties as citizens of Nigeria.
“Even more than that, I pledge to do whatever is necessary to cement democracy as our way of life.
“Although the challenges are steep and multiple, I am grateful to lead Nigeria at this moment in her history and point in her democratic journey.
“I come before you also to declare that our most important work remains before us. This real test has never been whether we would rise to challenge the slings of misfortune and grievous pain of dictatorship.
“The real test is whether we shall lower our guards as the shadow of despotism and its evident physical danger fade.
“I say to you here and now that as we celebrate the enshrinement of our political democracy, let us commit ourselves to the fulfilment of its equally important counterpart, the realisation of our economic democracy.
“I understand the economic difficulties we face as a nation.
“Our economy has been in desperate need of reform for decades. It has been unbalanced because it was built on the flawed foundation of over-reliance on revenues from the exploitation of oil.
“The reforms we have initiated are intended to create a stronger, better foundation for future growth. There is no doubt the reforms have occasioned hardship. Yet, they are necessary repairs required to fix the economy over the long run so that everyone has access to economic opportunity, fair pay and compensation for his endeavour and labour.
“As we continue to reform the economy, I shall always listen to the people and will never turn my back on you.
“In this spirit, we have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with organized labour on a new national minimum wage. We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as part of our law for the next five years or less.
“In the face of labour’s call for a national strike, we did not seek to oppress or crack down on the workers as a dictatorial government would have done. We chose the path of cooperation over conflict.
“No one was arrested or threatened. Instead, the labour leadership was invited to break bread and negotiate toward a good-faith resolution.
“Reasoned discussion and principled compromise are hallmarks of democracy. These themes shall continue to animate my policies and interaction with the constituent parts of our political economy.
“I take on this vital task without fear or favour and I commit myself to this work until we have built a Nigeria where no man is oppressed.
“In the end, our national greatness will not be achieved by travelling the easy road. It can only be achieved by taking the right one.
“The words of the American President Franklin Roosevelt certainly ring true:
“There are many ways of going forward. But only one way of standing still”!
“We dare not slumber lest the good things awaiting our immediate future pass us by. We dare not plant our feet in idle standstill in the middle of the intersection of hope and despair.
“We know the proper way forward and we shall take it!
“The initial rays of a brighter tomorrow now appear on the early horizon. An abundant future and our capacity to achieve that future lie within our reach. Democracy and the institutions it begets offer to take us to our profound destination.
“Let us board this progressive train together. Together, let us move Nigeria forward.
“Let’s continue to keep the fire of democracy burning. Let’s keep the torch lit for generations to come.”
If You Can Spend ₦17 Trillion On A Project, Then Any Amount Can Be Paid As Minimum Wage – Lamido To FG
Admin
The former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido has stated that the Nigeria Government is rich enough to afford any amount as the new national minimum wage.
Recall that Organised Labour, which initially demanded ₦494,000, later reduced its demand to ₦250,000, while the government offered ₦62,000.
Amid the ongoing negotiations, state governors had declared that they couldn’t pay the ₦62,000 proposed by the government.
Reacting to the development on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television, Lamido argued that if the government could spend ₦17 trillion for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway without passing through the National Assembly, then it can afford to pay any amount as minimum wage.
He said, “Nigeria is very rich with resources and can overcome any problem and pay any amount we feel is responsible for Nigerians.
“If the government can embark on an N17 trillion project that is not in the budget, not advertised, not tendered for, or did not go through due process, it means that Nigeria got the money.
“How can a government execute a budget of N17 trillion without a budget or passing through the National Assembly, it means the money is there; there is money in Nigeria.
“If they can carry out such a project then they can pay any minimum wage.”
[NaijaNews]
Suspected Boko Haram insurgents have abducted passengers along Maiduguri/Kano highway.
Sources told Daily Trust that the insurgents struck between Garin Kuturu and Mannanari village near Auno, which is along Damaturu highway at about 5:50:pm on Monday.
They reportedly blocked the highway before forcefully taking away some passengers.
The incident left hundreds of travelers and commuters stranded on both ends of the ever-busy road.
They had to return to Benishek and Auno respectively.
“There was an incident between Mannanari and Garin Kuturu where some Boko Haram fighters came out to block the upcoming vehicles and some passengers were abducted.”
“We are not sure of the number as we speak but certainly there was an abduction on Monday evening.”
Residents narrated how many commercial drivers took refuge in their community momentarily when the insurgents were operating between Garin Kuturu and Mannanari villages.
“They came out with three wheelbarrow and I believe they were looking for food stuff. We don’t know how many people abducted but some commercial drivers came back and later returned to Maiduguri before reinforcement of military arrived.”
A passenger, who craved anonymity, said he alongside others were stranded for hours.
“We were heading for Kano from Maiduguri when the driver got hinted about the attack and took a detour,” he told Daily Trust.
“We have been waiting for the military to clear the road but we don’t know when. We are stranded here.”
[DailyTrust]
Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima was killed in a plane crash, the nation’s president said on Tuesday, after searchers located the wreckage of the aircraft in a foggy forest.
The military plane carrying Chilima, 51, and nine others disappeared on Monday, after it failed to land in the northern city of Mzuzu due to bad weather and was told to return to the capital, Lilongwe.
“The search and rescue team have found the aircraft … completely destroyed with no survivors, as all passengers on board were killed on impact,” Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera said addressing the nation.
The Tinubu Address
“Words cannot describe how heartbreaking this is,” he said, describing the accident as a “terrible tragedy.”
Photographs shared with AFP by a member of the military rescue team showed army personnel standing on a foggy slope near debris bearing the registration number of the Malawi Army Air Wing Dornier 228-202K aircraft.
Rescuers had been combing a fog-cloaked forest south of Mzuzu on Tuesday, after authorities located the last tower it transmitted to before the plane disappeared.
Earlier, army commander General Paul Valentino Phiri said other countries, including Malawi’s neighbours, had been aiding the search effort, with support including helicopters and drones.
The group departed just after 9:00 am (0700 GMT) from Lilongwe on Monday to attend the funeral of a former cabinet minister some 370 kilometres (230 miles) away in Mzuzu.
Malawi’s former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri was also on board.
– Widely loved –
Chakwera said he had previously flown on the same aircraft for similar trips. The crew had successfully operated it just hours before the accident, he added.
“And yet, despite the track record of the aircraft and the experience of the crew, something terrible went wrong with that aircraft on its flight back to Lilongwe, sending it crashing down,” he said.
First elected vice president in 2014, the charismatic yet stern-talking Chilima was a widely loved figure in Malawi, particularly among young people.
But in 2022, during his second stint in the job, Chilima was stripped of his powers after being arrested and charged with graft over a bribery scandal involving a British-Malawian businessman.
Last month, a Malawian court dropped the charges and he resumed his official duties.
“Chilima was a good man, a devoted father and husband, a patriotic citizen who served his country with distinction and a formidable vice president,” Chakwera said.
“I consider it one of the greatest honours of my life to have had him as my deputy and counsellor for the past four years.”
The approval of former President Muhammadu Buhari for the re-design of Nigeria’s currency, the Naira, was on Tuesday tendered and admitted as exhibit before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja.
The approval dated October 6, 2022 from the State House and personally signed by the former President was conveyed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under Godwin Emefiele as governor to proceed with the project of redesigning and printing of the currency.
The Chief of Staff to President Buhari was said to have transmitted the written Presidential approval to the CBN.
Also tendered and admitted as exhibits are samples of the re-design currency as approved by Buhari.
The documents were tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its witness and former Director of Currency Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Ahmed Bello Umar.
The witness was led in evidence by EFCC’S lead counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
Umar who claimed to have authored some memos in relation to the project, however revealed that Emefiele partly departed from the approval of the former President.
Among others, the witness said that while the portraits in the samples endorsed by Buhari were on the right side, those printed have the portraits on the left side.
The former Director of Currency Operations at the CBN also claimed that the numbering styles for the currency adopted by Emefiele were different from the modes adopted by CBN under Emefiele.
Similarly, the witness said that while the approved samples have QR code, those printed did not have the features.
Under cross examination by Mahmoud Magaji, SAN, counsel to Emefiele, the witness admitted that Buhari actually approved the Naira redesign project.
He also admitted that Buhari on December 29, 2023 publicly launched the re-designed Naira currency for the use of Nigerians as legal tender.
The witness also admitted that the re-designed currency has his own signature as Director of Currency Operations adding that no currency becomes legal tender without his own signature.
The EFCC had on May 15, 2024 arraigned Emefiele on a four count charge before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the FCT High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
Emefiele however denied the charge and was admitted to bail in the sum of N300 million.
In the four count charge, the anti-graft agency claimed that Emefiele embarked on the Naira redesign without the approval of the Board of the CBN as well as then President, Muhammadu Buhari.
Specifically, the EFCC accused Emefiele of approving the printing of various quantities of the new Naira notes “without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence”.
While in count one he was accused of approving the printing of 375,520,000 notes at the cost of N11 billion, in count two he was accused of approving the printing of 172 million coloured swapped N500 notes at the cost of N4.4 billion.
Also in count three, the former CBN boss was alleged to have approved for printing 137,070, pieces of coloured N200 notes at the cost of N3.4 billion.
He was, in count four, alleged to have withdrawn the sum of N124, 860, 227, from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in a manner not prescribed by the National Assembly.
A former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Director of Currency Operations, Ahmed Umar, has disclosed that the immediate past governor, Godwin Emefiele, printed his own design of the naira.
Umar disclosed this while giving evidence at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting in Maitama.
The former CBN director said the features in the design approved by former President Muhammadu Buhari was different from the one Emefiele ordered to be printed.
Umar said, “The design approved by the President had a QR code, which the currency in circulation does not. The positioning of the portrait was on the right side, that printed by the CBN was on the left and the number scheme approved by the President is different from what the CBN produced.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on May 15, arraigned Emefiele on a four count charge before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the FCT High Court.
Emefiele however denied the charge and was admitted to bail in the sum of N300 million.
Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara, says President Bola Tinubu is not getting proper security briefing on the operations of bandits in the state.
After meeting with the president on March 26, Lawal described Zamfara as the “centre of banditry” in northern Nigeria.
He said the spate of insecurity in Zamfara may consume the northern part of the country if not urgently addressed.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Lawal said if the government is committed, banditry could be eradicated in two weeks.
“While we are trying to take care of the situation, somebody, somewhere, somehow, behind our back, is negotiating with bandits… as a governor of a state, without my knowledge,” he said.
“When the situation really got bad, I had to meet Mr President and complain one-on-one, and I told him the true situation of what Zamfara is facing in terms of security.”
When asked if he believes the president is “properly briefed” on the actual state of things, the governor said: “Based on the conversation we had, the answer is no. And I had to explain everything to him, what we are going through and what needs to be done.
“Zamfara state has become the hub of banditry in northern Nigeria. If you can take care of Zamfara today, believe me, you’d have solved 90 percent of the banditry issue in northern Nigeria as a whole.
“If we are committed, if we are serious, we can take care of this situation within two weeks maximum. But the political will is not there.”
THE STATE POLICE DEBATE
Lawal said as a governor, he does not have control over the military, police or personnel of the civil defence.
He said such a situation has rendered his government helpless in suppressing the operations of bandits in Zamfara.
“In most cases, you get frustrated in terms of where do you get help from,” he said.
“When you need these people, they would be nowhere to be found. And therefore the best thing to do is to set up that kind of security outfit.
“There are a lot of security undertones in the security issues. Some of you find it difficult to come and say but I know what we are going through. But like I said, sometimes you are helpless and when you need them they are not there or even when they are there, they are given certain instructions on what to do and not to do.”
[TheCable]
Reassures public about safety of their bank deposits
The Central Bank of Nigeria yesterday said there are no plans to revoke the operating licenses of Fidelity Bank, Wema Bank, Polaris Bank and Unity Bank
Acting Director of Corporate Communications of CBN, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali stated this in a statement averring that rumours of a plan to revoke the licences of the banks were false.
She also noted that a circular issued by CBN on January 10, 2024, notifying the public about the dissolution of the Boards of Union, Keystone, and Polaris Banks, was being re-circulated as though it was issued on June 10, 2024.
She blamed unscrupulous people for the development aimed at creating panic in the system.
Sidi Ali reassured members of the banking public of the safety of their deposits stressing that the banking system is resilience.
She emphasised that the defunct Heritage Bank was an isolated case, adding that allegations of further revocation of licences prior to the completion of the bank recapitalisation exercise were mere fabrications of those who didn’t wish the banking sector well.
She added that even customers of Heritage Bank needn’t worry about the safety of their deposits, adding that the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) had commenced payment of the bank’s insured deposits.
Mrs. Sidi Ali, therefore, urged the public to continue their regular banking activities without concern, dismissing any false reports regarding the health of specific Deposit Money Banks.
She confirmed that the CBN, with its robust regulatory framework, was proactively ensuring the stability of Nigeria’s financial system, thereby guaranteeing the safety of depositors’ funds in all Nigerian financial institutions.
While reiterating the assurances of the Governor (Olayemi Cardoso) that the recapitalisation of banks in Nigeria was intended to bolster the banking system and safeguard the sector against risks, Sidi Ali urged all stakeholders to cooperate in ensuring the success of the process, which she noted would be for the overall growth of the Nigerian economy.
She said: “Without prejudice to the ongoing recapitalisation process, I want to restate that the Nigerian banking industry remains resilient. Key financial soundness indicators remain within current regulatory thresholds.
“Customers are, therefore, encouraged to proceed with their transactions as usual, as the CBN is committed to ensuring the safety of the banking system.”
Ex-Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has attacked President Bola Tinubu describing the president as being helpless and displaying nonchalance in the face of routine acts of banditry and terrorism.
Atiku was reacting to the attack in Katsina State on Monday. The attack reportedly led to the deaths and kidnapping of some women and children.
While condemning the attacks on Tuesday, Atiku in a statement he shared on social media expressed sadness “by reports of the attack on Yargoje village in Kankara LGA of Katsina State, which claimed scores of lives and the kidnapping of vulnerable women and children.”
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lamented that “It is also sad that the bandits ambushed the police armoured personnel carrier responding to the distress call at Gidan Tofa and Dan Nakwabo villages, killing four police officers and two members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps.”
He added, “Most worrisome to me is that these acts of banditry and terrorism have become routine, with the government seemingly helpless and nonchalant about it despite the enormous annual budget for defence.”
He expressed sympathy and called “on the government to be alive to its responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizens.”
The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, June 12, as a public holiday to commemorate the 2024 Democracy Day celebration.
The announcement was made on Tuesday in Abuja in a statement signed by Dr. Aishetu Ndayako, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior.
Dr. Ndayako conveyed the declaration made by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who congratulated Nigerians on the occasion.
Tunji-Ojo was quoted as saying, “As we mark another Democracy Day in the history of our dear country, let us all reflect on the efforts of our founding fathers and ensure that Nigeria remains a united, secure, peaceful, and indivisible entity.”
He emphasized the importance of unity and security, urging Nigerians to appreciate the progress made and look forward to a brighter future for the nation’s democracy.
The minister also highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to implementing positive reforms aimed at reviving the economy and enhancing security.
Historically celebrated on May 29, former President Muhammadu Buhari changed the date to June 12 in honour of MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election annulled by the then military president, Ibrahim Babangida.
Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had won the election against Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC).
However, Abiola was never declared the winner and died in detention while striving to actualise his mandate.
More...
A special task force of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to commence a full-scale investigation into the alleged fraud case involving former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Naija News understands the task force held a long session on Monday, during which it considered the content of the Ad-Hoc Committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, which indicted the former Governor for alleged misappropriation of N423 billion.
According to a source quoted by The Nation, the EFCC is set to invite El-Rufai and others who worked with him during his administration for questioning.
Others set to be questioned include individuals who held the position of Finance commissioners between May 29, 2015, and May 29, 2023; all the accountant generals during his eight-year tenure, and the chairpersons of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) from 2018 to 2023.
Others include all former managing directors of the Kaduna Market Development and Management Company Ltd within the period from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023, and the former managing directors of Kaduna Roads Agency (KADRA) from October 11, 2017, to November 2021, with the exclusion of Amina Ja’afar Ladan, an engineer who had a brief one-month tenure.
“We are in receipt of a petition from an NGO. So, we have started investigation in the matters raised in the petition.
“The report of the Ad-Hoc Committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly is also handy. We will soon invite el-Rufai and some members of his team for interrogation.
“The Special Task Force on Monday (yesterday) held a long session on the contents of the petition and the report of the Ad-Hoc Committee.”
“The report of the House of Assembly has actually laid a solid foundation for the probe by our team,” the source said.
The ongoing dispute over the new minimum wage and electricity tariff hike in Nigeria is reaching a critical juncture as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) approach the end of their five-day strike relaxation period.
The organized private sector, represented by the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), has issued a stern warning to its workforce about the potential enforcement of the ‘No Work No Pay’ rule if the strike action resumes.
The Director General of NECA, Adewale Smatt-Oyerinde, highlighted this position while speaking at the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland.
He emphasized that employers are legally backed by the Trade Dispute Act, Section 43, which allows for the withholding of pay for days not worked during strikes.
“The employers in the Trade Dispute Act Section 43 have the right not to pay for work not done. It is part of our law,” Smatt-Oyerinde stated.
This announcement comes amidst heightened tensions as the labour unions have provided the Federal Government with a five-day ultimatum to meet their demands, which include an acceptable new wage for workers and a retraction of the new electricity tariffs.
However, the government’s offer of a ₦62,000 minimum wage has not satisfied union leaders, prompting threats of renewed strike action.
Smatt-Oyerinde questioned the practicality of paying employees during a strike, especially when no production activities are taking place.
“Where would the employer get the money to pay when work is not done? It is a rule of justice. Where do I get the money to pay from?” he queried.
Moreover, the NECA director general pointed out that both international and local industrial laws regulate the right to strike. He mentioned that the issue of strike rights is currently being contested at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) level and has been referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for further interpretation.
“The context of ultimatum, context of strikes, these rules were guided by law, were guided by framework, in the ILO, it is the convention. In Nigeria, it is the Trade Dispute Act. We will wait for ICJ to come back.”
He said all parties must work within the legal framework, adding that a subsisting order exists at the National Industrial Court (NIC).
“We saw the letter by the attorney general of the federation, and our view is this, if you don’t align with it, you will go back to the court where he gets the order to contest it, but the moment I don’t context it, then I have gone way beyond the legal framework,” he said.
He said all parties must work within the legal framework to have an equilibrium society devoid of anarchy.
According to him, the International Labour Convention 87 gives the right to organise, “but workers felt it includes the right to strike and that is what we are demanding interpretation from the ICJ.
“Our position is that we cannot be party to rubbish those institutions created to regulate the industrial process, we have the NIC and the Industrial Arbitration Panel (AIP), we must follow those institutions before escalating issues.”
The NECA boss said the employers aligned with the Federal Government on N62,000 because that is what is feasible for the members of the OPS.
“After going back and forth, the employers painfully came to N62,000. I say painfully, judging by the current state of employers in the country, business closing shops, business relocating. Two objectives inform our decision, can we afford to pay, jobs and create jobs and three, it is a deeper economic reason for us.
“Even in the ILO, the importance is to make sure that the developing economy is not left behind. This is done through transiting those in the informal to formal sector.”
Oyerinde said anything above N62,000 would be detrimental to the Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) that form the bulk of the informal economy.
He said though both the governors’ forum and organised labour have different proposals, the NECA director general said the president would have the final say.
“The work of the committee is to make recommendations to the Federal Government and not force anything down the throat of the Federal Government. What we are to negotiate is minimum wage. The economy must be able to drive it.
“It is now left for the President to make his recommendation to the National Assembly. It is not compulsory that all the tripartite members should submit the same amount,” noting that in 2019, only labour and employer agreed on N30,000, while the governors’ forum said N22,000, but N30,000 was eventually approved by the National Assembly.
The military plane carrying Malawi’s Vice President, Dr. Saulos Chilima, has been found.
Sources close to the government have revealed that the plane has been located, and sadly, all passengers on board have perished.
A Zimbabwean journalist with X handle @daddyhope, disclosed that Former President Bakili Muluzi, whose ex-wife, former First Lady Shanil Dzimbiri, was on the flight, has confirmed the tragic news.
The incident has sent shockwaves across the nation, with President Lazarus Chakwera set to address Malawians at 12 noon today.
Recall that the plane, which was carrying 10 people, including the Vice President, went missing on Monday while flying over the northern region of Malawi.
Search efforts have been ongoing since then, with the military and government officials working tirelessly to locate the aircraft.
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has declared that organized labour would not go on strike on Tuesday regarding the current new minimum wage dispute with the government.
Giving the reason for the decision, Ajaero said labour would not go on strike yet because the figures are currently on the table of President Bola Tinubu and a feedback is being expected.
Naija News reports the NLC president made the decision known while speaking on Monday at the International Labour Conference taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.
Citing examples of previous administrations, Ajaero said it is still possible for the President to increase the proposed figure before him.
However, he called out Governors who have declared they can’t pay the proposed N62,000 new minimum wage, which is currently what the federal government is offering, and labelled them as lazy.
In his words, “We cannot declare strike now because the figures are with the President.”
“During the tenure of the immediate past President, the figure that was proposed to him was N27,000 by the tripartite committee but he increased it to N30,000. We are hopeful that this President will do the right thing. The President had noted that the difference between N62,000 and N250,000 is a wide gulf,”
“How can any governor say he cannot pay? They cannot also be calling for the decentralization of the minimum wage.
“Are there wages decentralized? Governors whose states are not contributing a dime to the national purse and who generate pitiable Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) are collecting the same amount as governors whose states are generating billions of dollars into the FAAC.
“They should decentralize their salaries and emoluments first.”
“So, where is the governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki getting his money from? He is paying N70,000 minimum wage. This is the type of governor that should be emulated and not the lazy ones.”