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With the right interventions by the Federal Government, the pump price of petrol produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery may crash below N600/litre, crude oil refiners have said.
The Publicity Secretary of the Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria, Eche Idoko, told Sunday PUNCH in an interview that the association still has a strong belief that local refineries like Dangote and others can bring down the cost of petrol.
Idoko said the N898/litre claimed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited as the price it bought petrol from Dangote reflected the rising exchange rate.
He explained that the N898 would drop to N550 if the exchange rate is pegged at N1,000/$ for locally-produced petroleum products.
According to him, the PMS being sold by the Dangote refinery since last week Sunday was produced from imported crude and the ones bought locally in dollars.
“If you remember, we did say that if we begin to refine locally and there is a naira sale, the price of PMS will drop. We still stand strongly by that position. This particular batch of product that is being sold by Dangote, the crude was purchased in June at the international price.
“NNPC supplied 60 per cent of that crude and the remaining percentage was imported by Dangote at the international price. Now, when they refine that product, they have to sell at the international price because they are a business, they have to make money,” he said.
Even at N898, Idoko emphasised that the NNPC is buying at 300 below the usual landing cost of almost N1,200/litre.
“The pricing that you are seeing now is a reflection of what the international price is, less the cost of freighting. If you look at it now, NNPC was buying the product at N300 less; they’re paying N300 more for the product they were importing than what they are buying from Dangote at N889.
“That N300/litre was what I had mentioned before that local refining would take care of, even without any intervention,” he noted.
The CORAN spokesman added that the naira crude sale would automatically free up about 40 per cent of the nation’s foreign exchange which he said had gone into servicing the importation of petroleum products.
“If the financial sector is sincere, we should see an immediate climb by the naira against the dollar. And if the naira climbs against the dollar, without even the government pegging the price of the exchange rate for dollars in the pricing of that group, we will see a reduction in the price automatically,” he stated.
To crash the price of Dangote petrol significantly, Idoko advised the Federal Government committee working on crude sales to local refineries to sell the feedstock in naira at a discount and peg the exchange rate at about N1,000 to a dollar.
“But because we are not completely in touch with what happens in the financial sector, we have said to the government – two things you will do. You will sell in naira at a discount, and then at that discount, you will peg the price at a particular exchange rate to the dollar.
“For instance, you can say, you are using N1,000 as an exchange rate for this dollar deal, for the locally refined petroleum products. And like that, you will see a significant drop in the price,” he stated.
He noted that the special committee had gone back and was still working.
“So, whatever is happening now is outside whatever is being discussed by the government. And there is a whole lot of politics here and there. Some people are afraid that this would make Dangote become a monopoly. Dangote now is a member of our association and will play by the rules of our association. We would also control the chances of monopoly to start with. Then the NMDPRA is there as a major gatekeeper to control any form of monopoly.
“There are two more things I will say, rather than see what is happening as a minus, NNPC should be thanking the local players for coming in to rescue them. The NNPC should see Dangote and the other private players that have come in as a partner and work with them to solve this issue. Let us all work together and not try to gaslight the public against the other person,” he said.
Idoko condemned the imposition of levies and taxes on the PMS price by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority as reflected in the estimated prices released by the NNPC.
“In this price alone, about 25-30 per cent of that money goes to the government in levies. In that breakdown, you see that this money goes to taxes and levies from NMDPRA and other organisations. At a time when Nigerians are groaning, you reconsider these fees. When people’s purchasing power has been enhanced, then you can improve this. It happens all over the world, even in the United States. they give tax cuts every day,” he emphasised.
The refiner spoke further, “As it is right now, this pricing you see is a reflection of what the price will look like if there is no intervention at all, because of how the naira is doing and because of what crude is doing in the international market. But if the government intervenes by way of naira sales and pegging the dollar exchange rate for crude transactions at a reasonably low rate, you will see an improvement. This is different from paying money as a subsidy. You are only just putting mechanisms in place to ensure the product is cheap.”
Going mathematical, he analysed the breakdown of the estimated price released by the NNPC.
According to him, a litre of Dangote PMS is $0.52, which translates to N842.61 when calculated at an exchange rate of N1,637 to a dollar. He said this would have been N520 if the exchange rate was pegged at N1,000 to $1.
“The premium is $0.03, which should be N30 if the exchange rate is N1,000. The two will give you N550/litre as the gantry price. If the government removes levies and taxes, the product will be below N600, especially if the crude is sold at a discount.” he stated.
Asked if he is certain that the government can cap the dollar rate at N1,000, Idoko retorted, “For this intervention, yes. The crude belongs to the people now, and it’s NNPC’s crude. NNPC can give the crude for local refining at $1,000. You refine, the NNPC collects everything and stores it. The NNPC needs a strategic storage arrangement. We have depots in almost all the states in Nigeria. Load those depots with PMS for the rainy day.
“Right now, people don’t have the purchasing power. With the intervention, we can keep the price under N600, maintaining this N1,000 as the dollar benchmark for 36 months, after which we will review and go higher. What you are using to buy these things now are purely internal funds. You are not sourcing for dollars or anything; it’s Nigeria to Nigeria. The crude is your own. The currency you are receiving is your own.”
On Monday, NNPC announced that it would sell the petrol lifted from the Dangote refinery at a price above N1,000/litre in the far north.
Its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, disclosed this in a statement titled, ‘NNPC Ltd Releases Estimated Pump Prices of PMS from Dangote Refinery Based on September 2024 Pricing’.
Soneye explained that the price may go for as high as N1,019/litre in Borno State and N999.22 in Abuja, Sokoto, Kano, and others.
In Oyo, Rivers, and other areas in the South, it will be N960/litre. The lowest price, according to an infographic released by the NNPC, is N950 in Lagos and its environs.
Recall that the Dangote Group had disagreed with NNPC last week Sunday on the N898/litre PMS cost announced by NNPC as the price at which Dangote sold the product.
The Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, said the claim that Dangote refinery sold PMS at N898/litre to the NNPC was misleading and mischievous, saying it was deliberately aimed at undermining the milestone achievement towards addressing energy insufficiency and insecurity, which has bedeviled the economy in the past 50 years.
“We urge Nigerians to disregard this malicious statement and await a formal announcement on the pricing, by the Technical Sub-Committee on Naira-based crude sales to local refineries, appointed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, which will commence on October 1, 2024, bearing in mind that our current stock of crude was procured in dollars,” Chiejina noted.
He added that the PMS was sold to the NNPC in dollars with a lot of savings against what the company had been importing.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) claims it is “comfortably in an early lead” in the collation of results for the Edo governorship election.
In a statement on Saturday, Felix Morka, APC spokesperson, urged voters in Edo to disregard “bogus and highly speculative” election results in circulation.
Morka said certain political parties are peddling “bogus figures” of the results of the governorship election.
“We urge the Edo state electorate and the general public to disregard these bogus and highly speculative reports,” he said.
“Our great Party wishes to clarify that collation at the Ward level is still ongoing and has yet to be concluded.
“Certainly, Local Government level collation has yet to begin in most of the LGAs in the state let alone concluded.
“Consistent with the Electoral Act, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the sole authorised body empowered to collate results at the Ward, Local Government and State levels, and to officially declare the result of the Election.”
At the moment, collation of election results is currently going on at the ward and LGA levels.
As of 9:55pm on Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has uploaded 95.40 percent results from 4,519 polling units in the state on the viewing portal (IReV).
The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, says low voters did not turn out for the Edo State governorship election that held on Saturday.
He stated this in Benin City during an interview on Channels Television as the results started trickling in after the conduct of the off-cycle poll.
He described the situation as sad and disappointing, noting that most young people appear on the ballot.
“Majority of those who are actually on the ballot are young people, and it is just sad to see that there are not too many young people that showed up to cast their vote,” he said.
“If they did, perhaps we would have recorded higher turnout levels. You go to a polling unit of about 1,700 voters, you will see just a hundred or 200.”
Earlier, Yiaga Africa said its agents observed incidences of vote buying and polling unit disruption during Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State.
The group in a statement said it deployed 300 stationary and 25 roving agents to observe a representative sample of polling units across all 18 LGAs in Edo.
It noted that the observers were monitoring the results collation process at the LGA and state levels.
“Yiaga Africa observers reported incidents of vote buying in Ikpoba/Okha, Igueben, Esan West, Akoko Edo, Owan West and Uhunmode LGAs. APC and PDP party agents were seen bribing voters with cash (N10,000) at the Igueben – Idumoka Pri School polling unit (12-10-03-004) Ward 1 in Igueben LGA,” the statement read.
“Party agents for APC and PDP were also seen handing out cash (N10,000) in Enikaro – Enikaro Primary School IX Polling Unit (12-11-07-009) in Ugbekun ward, Ikpoba/Okha LGA.
“Voters halted the accreditation and voting process in the Ikpoba—Army Children XI polling unit (12-11-01-011) in Iwogban/Uteh Ward, Ikpoba/Okha LGA because INEC officials arrived without the official stamp.
“At Ebua Market Square in Uhunwode LGA, an altercation between APC and PDP supporters over alleged bribery led to the suspension of voting and the destruction of the voting cubicle. Political thugs also disrupted voting at Anyaran Araromi Primary School in Akoko Edo LGA.”
Edo residents went to the polls on Saturday to elect who govern them for the next four years.
There are 17 candidates in the race for the Edo governorship seat, comprising 16 men and one woman.
Among the leading candidates are Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP), Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said 2,629,025 voters registered to cast their ballot.
Frank Mba, a deputy inspector-general of police (DIG), says there has been a large voter turnout in the Edo state governorship election.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, Mba, who is in charge of security for the election, said he witnessed a large voter turnout at some polling units visited.
“We’ve visited a couple of polling units, and so far, so good; we’ve seen a large turnout, but there are the places where the turnout was quite low,” Mba said.
The DIG also said the security situation during the election has been encouraging.
“For us, our major concern is the all-round security of the elections, and I am so far encouraged and impressed,” he said.
“In areas where we’ve received minor complaints, we’ve risen up to the challenge, and we’ve been able to fix those ones.
“We are still out to continue monitoring, and we are optimistic that all will end well.”
Seventeen candidates are battling for the votes of 2.2 million electorates in the race to succeed Godwin Obaseki, the incumbent governor of Edo.
Candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party (LP) are the major contenders in the election.
President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria’s daily consumption of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, reduced to about 30 million litres after subsidy removal.
Tinubu spoke on Friday during a meeting with a group of former lawmakers at the State House in Abuja.
He said although Nigerians are complaining about the current “petroleum crisis”, the country must achieve PMS security.
“Yes, we have fuel in the ground. But do we have the capacity to bring it up before we refine and distribute? Have we examined alternative sources of energy with all that the world has given to us?” he asked.
“When I resumed, I said the subsidy was gone. There was no subsidy in the budget handed over to me. I can’t be creative and look for magic lamp to create a budget. And ever since, we maintained that position.
“From several millions of litres (of petrol), now we are down to 30 something. We are now knowing the true consumption of how much we are taking.
“We are not here and we should not be here. And I know you are not one of them, the smugglers. Look at the prices across the countries — Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nije, Benin Republic to Ghana – check the prices.”
On July 18, 2023, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said petrol consumption fell to 46.38 million litres per day in June, from the average daily consumption of 65 million litres, largely due to the removal of subsidy.
‘SUBSIDY PREVENTED NIGERIA FROM INVESTING IN HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS’
Due to the subsidy cost, the president said Nigeria was unable to equip hospitals and build new classrooms.
“If we are spending this money on ourselves, I believe we will get better return, happiness, and development programme, even if we invest it in our infrastructure,” he said.
On May 29, President Bola Tinubu said the petrol subsidy regime is over.
Almost three months later, TheCable reported that Tinubu was considering a “temporary subsidy” on petrol as crude oil prices and foreign exchange rates soared.
However, Ajuri Ngelale, former presidential spokesperson, said there was no reintroduction of subsidy.
Also, on January 3, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited denied the return of petrol subsidy, saying it had been removed entirely.
However, on April 15, Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna state, said the federal government is spending more on petrol subsidy than before.
TheCable also reported on August 19 that Tinubu approved a request by NNPC to utilise the 2023 final dividends due to the federation to pay for the petrol subsidy — but NNPC denied the existence of petrol subsidy.
However, on the same day, the national oil company said the federal government owes it N7.8 trillion for petrol subsidy.
Olumide Akpata, candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the Edo state governorship election, has lost his polling unit to Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ighodalo polled 41 votes to defeat the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), who garnered 32 votes at polling unit 11, Ward 06, Oredo LGA in Benin City, the capital of Edo.
Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), scored 19 votes.
Earlier, Akpata asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a level playground for all candidates in the race.
He expressed optimism that every voter in the state would cast their vote peacefully.
“I was given my ballot paper, went to the booth, thumb printed, and dropped it in the ballot box. Everything went well,” Akpata said.
“I hope this is the experience of every Edo voter. I will wait for feedback from all the wards and polling units.
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“We are calling on INEC to ensure that the playing field remains levelled and that no candidate is given any undue advantage.
“All of our agents should be allowed into the collation centre. Nobody should be hindered or prevented from entering the collation centre, so that we can all witness the process and confirm it was carried out as prescribed by law—the Electoral Act and the Constitution.
“I’m calling on INEC. This is an off-cycle election, the only gubernatorial election taking place in the entire country, so they have no excuse. They have the luxury of deploying their resources to this state.
“They also have the latitude to ask security forces to focus on Edo state, so I would imagine that anyone given the tools and resources should be able to do a good job. All eyes are on them; the entire country is watching INEC.
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“Regarding security, the massive deployment of security forces in Edo is a good sign for me.
“Now, it remains to be seen whether the deployment is for the people or to benefit certain individuals.
“I mentioned yesterday that I noticed two APC trucks parked outside the home of Senator Oshiomhole. That does not give me confidence.
“Two APC trucks—major equipment meant for the people—are outside his home. What are they doing in front of his home? That gives me cause for concern, but we are watching.”
![[PRESS RELEASE] Attorney General of Ondo State Denounces Unlicensed Security Outfits](/media/k2/items/cache/370b3c18ee628200d188b89922d79dec_S.jpg)
Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, the Attorney General of Ondo State, has firmly denounced the rise of unlicensed security outfits operating within the state. During a community policing summit in Abuja, Dr. Ajulo addressed the illegal activities of these organizations, particularly the recruitment of undesirable individuals by certain estate owners.
He nevertheless commended the Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, for prioritizing the security of the state's citizens, recalling the governor's efforts in providing numerous security vehicles and equipment to various law enforcement agencies.
Dr. Ajulo underscored that the laws regulating security outfits operations in Nigeria are explicit and that any violations pose a serious threat to public safety. He voiced significant concern regarding reports of harassment experienced by citizens from these unlicensed groups, urging law enforcement to take prompt action in profiling their personnel.
"When laws and regulations exist, they must be followed," stated Dr. Ajulo. "Any infringement must be met with enforcement and penalties to uphold the rule of law. The law must prevail—even if it means that heaven must fall."
He quickly reassured the public, adding, "Heaven won’t fall because the government’s powers, agencies, and structures are in place to ensure we maintain order and security in our communities."
The Attorney General called on all stakeholders to work together to tackle this urgent issue and create a safer environment for all residents of Ondo State.
[STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT] ‘I Didn't Come To Look For Money, I Came To Work’, President Tinubu Tells Forum Of Former NASS Presiding Officers
Admin![[STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT] ‘I Didn't Come To Look For Money, I Came To Work’, President Tinubu Tells Forum Of Former NASS Presiding Officers](/media/k2/items/cache/96dca490c2f9cf2675474e9625ae679b_S.jpg?t=20240921_113423)
President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration is focused on delivering tangible results and making a positive difference in the nation’s infrastructure, food and energy security, education and long-term economic stability.
At a meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, led by former Senate President Ken Nnamani, the President emphasised that he is not in office for personal gain but to serve the country.
''I didn’t come to look for money and exploit the situation; I came to work. I asked for the votes, and Nigerians gave them to me, '' the President, who was a former senator, told the meeting after a session of banters and handshakes with former parliamentary colleagues.
The meeting was attended by 16 former presiding officers, including former senate presidents, former speakers of the House of Representatives, former deputy senate presidents, and former deputy speakers of the House of Representatives.
The President acknowledged the support and encouragement from the Forum members, irrespective of party affiliations, and implored them to continue fostering unity and camaraderie to achieve national development goals.
Reflecting on the complex nature of legislative activities, constitutional reviews, and nation-building processes, the President expressed confidence that Nigeria can progress through collaboration and inclusiveness.
''Regardless of party differences of the past and difficulty of the present, you still believe in me and what we all plan for this country.
''I thank you very much; no one will do it better than us. I have travelled the world and seen how developed countries have done it for themselves through collaboration, inclusiveness and financial structure.
''Yes, there is hardship, but how did we get here? What did we do when we had very high crude production?”
“We neglected our communities; we neglected the goose that lays the golden eggs; we forgot even to give them a good standard of living.
''We forgot to educate our children. Go round and look at the dilapidated schools. The education environment must be decent enough for pupils to want to learn.
''We can complain from now till eternity that the school enrolment is low. But did we do anything to encourage the enrolment process? We must ask ourselves because it is a matter of conscience,'' he said.
The President outlined his administration's focus on addressing these challenges, including improving infrastructure, ensuring compliance with financial regulations, exploring alternative energy sources and providing energy security.
''We have come a long way, and I promise we must do our best,'' he said.
He urged the former presiding officers to continue sharing their wealth of experience in nation-building and governance, noting that they were uniquely positioned to provide "clear interpretations of where we are" to Nigerians.
Senator Nnamani, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, expressed full support for President Tinubu’s administration and its efforts to address Nigeria's pressing challenges.
He noted that the meeting was the president's first official engagement with the group since his assumption of office. Nnamani congratulated the President.
''Mr President, history has never been the burden of one man alone, but some are called to meet a special share of its challenges.
''Though not of your creation, it has fallen onto you to end the pervasive insecurity across the nation, the economic downturn that has resulted in hunger and anger, infrastructural decay due to years of neglect and myriads of other national challenges.
''As difficult as these problems are, we believe that with your experience, you can face the difficulties and surmount them.
''What gives us more hope is the courage with which you handled the issue of Local government autonomy, which has won you open admiration from friends and foes alike.
''We are convinced that you will dig in deeper again to eradicate these problems and restore Nigerians pride of place among the comity of nations,'' the former senate president said.
He added that the group has seen what elite complacency has caused nations and has resolved to unite across all divides to render whatever assistance it may be called upon to contribute to nation-building and ensuring enduring prosperity for our citizens.
''It is in this light and in the national interest that we wish to pledge our support as you work to restore national security, build an economy that works for all and strengthen the bond of unity amongst our disparate peoples, '' he said.
Nnamani also commended the President for his trust in appointing some of their members to critical national positions, recognising their vital role in nation-building.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
President Tinubu with Rt. Hon. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, a former speaker of the House of Representatives. Others in the picture, L-R, are Rt Hon Ahmed Idris Wase, Sen Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, and Rt Hon Sabur Oladimeji Bankole during the President’s meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly on Friday, September 20, 2024.
President Tinubu with Rt Hon Agunwa Anaekwe. Others in the picture Rt Hon Salisu Buhari, Rt. Hon. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, Rt Hon Sabur Oladimeji Bankole, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara and Sen Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, during the President’s meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly on Friday, September 20, 2024.
President Tinubu with Sen Ken Nnamani. Others in the picture are Rt Hon Agunwa Anaekwe. Others in the picture are Rt Hon Salisu Buhari, Rt. Hon. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, Rt Hon Sabur Oladimeji Bankole, during the President’s meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly on Friday, September 20, 2024.
President Tinubu with Senator Ameh Ebute. Others in the picture are Sen Anyim Pius Anyim and Sen Adolphus Wabara, during the President’s meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly on Friday, September 20, 2024.
The candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Olumide Akpata has denied his alleged withdrawal from the race.
DAILY POST reports that Akpata denied the allegation that went viral on social media that he had withdrawn from the governorship race.
While noting that he is still much in the race, he described his alleged withdrawal from the race as not only a falsehood but a fraud whose perpetrators must be uncovered.
Akpata, who read a prepared speech titled,” I remain steadfast in the race” opined that the allegation of his withdrawal was a falsehood of the evil machinations of those who have held the state captive for a quarter of a century and a demonstration of shallowness that has characterized their governance style.
According to him, I have been inundated with calls and messages from friends and supporters, which constrains me to release this statement to dispel the wicked rumour circulating that 4 have decided to step down and support the PDP candidate in tomorrow’s governorship election.
“The notion that I would step down on the eve of the election, after the overwhelming support received from the good people of our state, borders on delusion.
“This pathetic attempt at deception is so amateurish that the “Oluwole” forgers could not even get the date right, leaving “July 29, 2024” on their fraudulent document. Such incompetence would be laughable if it were not so.
“To the perpetrators of this fraud, your tactics only expose your fear. You claim I am a mere “spoiler”, yet you resort to such underhand methods. Your actions betray your panic at our unstoppable momentum.
“To the architects of this forgery, I will not rest until I uncover every individual involved in this criminal act. You will face the full force of the law, and justice will be served”, he said.
He, however, urged Edo people to disregard this so-called” last kick of a dying horse.
He also urged the people and members of the party to go out and exercise their franchise, noting that together, “we will overcome these underhanded tactics and usher in the transformative leadership our State so richly deserves.
The Labour Party governorship candidate further appealed to the supporters of the party and citizens of the state not to be swayed by desperate politicians and their ploys.
“To our steadfast supporters and all citizens yearning for change, stand firm and do not be swayed by these desperate ploys.
“Our resolve is unshakeable, our cause is just, and our vision for our great State remains clear and unwavering,” he stated.
The Committee on Consequential Adjustments in Salaries for civil servants met on Friday as regards the new minimum wage template and agreed that the effective date for implementation of new minimum wage be set at July 29,2024.
This is according to a Memorandum of Understanding issued at the end of the meeting which was sighted by our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.
The Committee also recommended that the wage award which was discontinued by the government should also be paid up till July 28,2024.
The Committee headed by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack noted that the government took note of the economic situation in the country before it took its decisions.
“The Committee held four meetings and considered all presentations by the Federal Government and Trade Union Sides. It also considered the economic situation and ability of Federal Government to pay and sustain any consequential adjustment in salaries arising from the implementation of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024 as well as the effect on other employers.”
The MOU further recommended that, “The NSIWC will generate the appropriate salary templates for other consolidated salary structures for implementation: that the effective date of the implementation should be 29th July 2024, that the payment of the wage award issued vide NS/WC Circular SWC.04/T/33 dated 19th October 2023 should continue to be paid until 28th July 2024.
“That the Federal Government should take appropriate measures to alleviate the plight of Federal workers as a result of the recent increase in PMS, including the consideration of tax waivers and other incentives; and that the NSIWC in collaboration with other stakeholders should commence monitoring of the implementation in line with the provisions of the Act.”
But reacting in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Head of Information of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Benson Upah, faulted the decision of the government, describing it as unacceptable.
“The backdating to July is not fair. It is not acceptable,” he said.
Also, the National Vice President of the Trade Union Congress, Timmy Etim, criticised the government’s move.
He said since the Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, had told workers on May Day that the new minimum wage would take effect in May, it was unfair for the government to renege on the promise.
“The Minister of State for Labour, during the May Day, said that the payment of the new national minimum wage would take effect from May 1st. I am surprised if they have changed and I don’t know the parameter they used for the change. But it will be unfair for the government to do that taking cognizance of the socio economic challenges.
“I think the government should walk the talk. If they say that the effective day is May, I believe that should have been effected. Even when they had deviated from May, it should have been from the date of which the Act was signed into law. But be that as it may, even the N35,000 should be applied till the effective date. If that is considered, I think it is reasonable,” Etim stated.
In the meantime, some civil servants have lamented the delay in the implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage.
Some of them, who spoke to our correspondent in Ogun State on Friday, said that the delay underscored the insensitivity and the long term “I don’t care attitude” of the government to the suffering of the people.
A single mother of three and teacher in one the public schools in the state, who identified herself as Ms Oladele, said that her family had been surviving the increasing economic hardship miraculously.
“It’s height of wickedness on the part of the government to have refused to do something meaningful since last year when it removed subsidy from petrol and also floated the naira which comes with the attendant increase in prices of everything,” she stated.
Another worker identified simply as Adesola also berated the government for looking the other way while many Nigerians battled with the economic hardship.
Adesola said, “It is just so sad that the government has continued to foot-drag on the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage which is generally considered too meagre for the inflation ridden economy.”
A civil servant, who works with the Ministry of Water Resources in Osun State, said the new wage implementation delay amounts to shortchanging the workers.
The staff, who pleaded anonymity to avoid being punished by the ministry, said the delayed implementation had made the poor poorer.
He said, “Federal Government caused this problem. It has kept increasing prices of fuel while nothing serious is being done regarding implementation of the new minimum wage.”
A staff of the National Identity Management Commission, who gave his name as Oyas in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said life is no longer what it used to be especially with the high cost of fuel.
He said, “The salary is nothing to write home about because of the price of fuel. As I talk with you now I have packed my vehicle for sometimes to be using public transport. The announcement of the minimum wage have increased price of commodities.”
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Most filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory have implemented the Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) third pump price hike under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
DAILY POST gathered on Friday that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company retail outlets and independent marketers such as AA Rano, Shema, Ranoil, Total and others have commenced implementation of the third fuel price adjustment.
Analysis by DAILY POST showed that the price had moved from N238 in May 2023 to between N950 and N1,100 per litre in September 2024.
Many Nigerians and motorists now buy petrol between N950 and N1,100 per litre in Abuja, according to a DAILY POST survey on Friday.
This represents an increase of N862 or 362 per cent compared to the N238 per litre of petrol sold in May 2023 when Tinubu was elected.
A resident, Benjamin Njoku, said the latest hike in pump price is the new normal for Nigerians under Tinubu.
“In September only we had two hikes. On September 3, 2024, and this recent one. It is painful. Hike in transportation will jump astronomically,” he said.
Abdul Abubakar, a resident of Niger State, expressed the same frustration.
The price may be higher in states such as Borno, Enugu and Benue states.
This comes as NNPCL on Monday announced a fresh price list across its retail outlet after lifting PMS from Dangote Refinery.
NNPCL had lifted petrol from Dangote Refinery upon its inaugural distribution.
However, the state-owned firm had engaged in a battle with Dangote Refinery over price.
While NNPCL insisted it bought, Dangote Refinery Petrol at N898, the 650,000 per day Lagos-based refinery disagreed. The development created confusion in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
This situation has led to petroleum marketers looking to import, ignoring Dangote Refinery’s product.
But refiners had kicked against the marketers’ move to import.
Earlier in May 2024, the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, had said that the kickoff of petrol in his refinery meant an end to the product imports in Nigeria.
The National Bureau of Statistics data showed that petrol pump price stood at N238 per litre in May 2023.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, is under fire after being linked with terrorism in the country.
Matawalle is alleged to have procured vehicles for bandit leaders, including a notorious kingpin, Bello Turji, and others while serving as Zamfara State Governor.
The current state governor, Dauda Lawal, who appeared on TVC, a national television station, on Wednesday, urged the minister to resign.
He said, “If I were him (Matawalle), I would resign and face all the allegations against me because, from all the information we are getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry.”
According to Lawal, the former governor kept terrorists at the government house, and ransom was paid to terrorists through the government.
“In May 2023, there was this allegation of misappropriation of N70bn. We realised that the N70bn was a child’s play compared to what we have. This information is before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and I wonder how this guy was cleared by the security operatives to become a minister.
“We are still waiting to hear from the EFCC; the case has been on for a year now. This is people’s money; we need the money in Zamfara to address the challenges we are facing.”
A presidential aide contacted to speak on the matter declined comment.
“You will get the answer to your question when the President announces the new cabinet list soon,” the source said.
Previous accusations
It is not the first time Matawalle will face accusation of sponsoring banditry.
In January 2022, while serving as state governor under the All Progressives Congress, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party had called for Matawalle’s resignation over alleged banditry sponsorship.
The APC had countered the allegation, insisting it was because he defected from the PDP to the party at the time.
An Islamic cleric, Bello Asada, also accused him of sponsoring bandits.
In a video seen by Saturday PUNCH, Asada, who spoke in Hausa, alleged that Matawalle procured vehicles for Turji and other bandits.
He said, “You didn’t love especially because of God. Murtala Bello said your godfather has bought vehicles for terrorists, among them is this Halilu Subububu. The defence (state) minister has bought a brand new car and given it to him (is he not the one who’s called ‘Wankin Dan Kanoma’). There is also Ada Aleru.
“I know that he has purchased about 34 vehicles and distributed them to leaders of terrorists. He (Halilu) who I was accused of purchasing a car; was the Zamfara State governor who gave him a brand new 2019 model Hilux, not a second-hand car. People like Ado Aleru were given. I was with the police; Bello Turji was given.
“Decent people like the police, military, and civil defence who are looking for Hilux were not given, only for them to use our money to buy brand new Hiluxes for terrorists.”
Asada further questioned why Turji, despite being a notorious criminal with a visible presence on social media, had not been captured.
Turji has terrorised Zamfara State by killing, kidnapping, and extorting residents for nearly nine years.
His activities gained public attention after a series of videos surfaced on social media, where he also accused Matawalle of sponsoring banditry in the state.
Matawalle’s amnesty
The minister had between 2019 and 2023 initiated amnesty for terrorists in Zamfara State while serving as governor.
But Turji, in a video in July 2024, claimed that the scheme only empowered some of his colleagues.
Premium Times reported that Turji said he killed one of the bandit leaders in his Shinkafi LGA for peace to reign, but the governor later allegedly sabotaged his efforts.
He said, “Any person living in Shinkafi, Zurmi, and Isa (Sokoto State) cannot deny this claim. There is a particular group of bandits whom the former governor pampered. I chased the group from Shinkafi, I killed their leader, Dudu, for peace to reign in Shinkafi. The group had 200 arms, but the governor later hosted them (Dudu’s boys) at the Government House.
“But the government failed to ask the group to surrender their weapons. Another group led by Bashari Maniya has over 300 guns. I seized 30 from them. Where are the remaining? And they never surrendered their weapons to the government.”
He alleged that some of the bandit leaders involved in the peace truce moved to the Sokoto metropolis after giving their arms to their boys kidnapping for ransom. He said the boys were making returns to their leaders living in Sokoto town.
He named some of them as Bashari Maniya, Kabiru, and Buhari.
Matawalle’s dealings with bandits – aide
But an aide to the minister, Dr Suleiman Shuaib, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH, described the allegations as baseless, stating that Governor Lawal was out to witch-hunt his boss and smear his image.
According to Shuaib, Matawalle had never sponsored banditry or terrorism either as governor or minister, adding that he was committed to securing the lives and property of the people of Zamfara State and Nigerians at large.
Shuaib explained that Matawalle only engaged in dialogue with bandits during his early days as governor, in a desperate move to restore peace and security to the state.
He added that Matawalle waged war against some of the bandits when they reneged on their promises, noting that it was wrong for anyone to use his efforts against him for political gain.
He said, “I want to call on Nigerians, including Governor Dauda Lawal, to desist from witch-hunting their predecessors. This is a mere allegation and an act of witch-hunting. This sends a very bad message to the younger generation. It is uncalled for; I am advising Governor Lawal to stop witch-hunting his predecessor.
“The main objective of Governor Lawal and Matawalle is to secure and protect the lives and property of the people of Zamfara. The Governor should focus on the promises he made during his campaign instead of chasing shadows. His duty is to provide security in the state, and the major challenge we have is banditry.
“Zamfara State is on the brink of being swallowed by insecurity, and I want the governor to focus on that. He should work hand-in-hand with Matawalle to bring an end to the insecurity in Zamfara.
“When Matawalle became the governor of the state, the most important issue to address was insecurity. People advised him to call the bandit leaders for dialogue, and he accepted. That was when he met the bandits in Government House; he didn’t know them before.
“The dialogue worked for nine months before some bad actors influenced certain bandits to make outrageous demands, which Matawalle, as the governor, couldn’t meet. Those bandits took up arms again, and the Governor confronted them. He was, and is, never involved in banditry.”
Analyst react
The Managing Director of a security firm, Beacon Consulting Limited, Kabir Adamu, said the accusations against Matawelle were indications of the weaponisation of insecurity in the country.
He stated that the Federal Government and the Zanfara State Government were pursuing very different policies on security.
“The state government has indicated clearly that it is not negotiating with bandits. However, there is evidence and facts that show that at least some officials at the federal level are negotiating are in contact with the bandits, and have even exchanged funding in some instances with them”, he added.
The spokesperson for the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Ladipo Johnson, said the inclusion of Matawalle in Tinubu’s cabinet spoke volumes about the President’s respect for Nigerians and integrity.
“One wonders what the thought process of Mr President and his inner team was for putting a person like Matawalle in the cabinet to man the Ministry of Defence”, said Johnson.
He noted that there had been many questions about Matawalle, which were enough for Tinubu to ask the minister to clarify the allegations against him.
However, Johnson said he was not expecting the minister to resign or talk about the allegations against him because Tinubu did not also speak on his certificate saga.
He said, “It is indicting that the Governor of Zamfara State came out to accuse Matawalle openly. You will recall that this matter has been around for a long time. With such rumours, how would you put that person in the Ministry of Defence?
“There are many questions about him (Matawalle), especially now that the governor and Islamic cleric have come out to accuse him. It is enough for Mr President to ask him to address the allegations. That is what a proper government should do. But this government don’t care about what we think or say as a people. Matawalle should come out to address the allegations and set the record straight.”
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a defection suit instituted against the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
The suit seeking to replace the 27 lawmakers on account of their alleged defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was on Friday thrown out on various grounds.
Among others, Justice Peter Lifu who delivered the judgment held that the suit instituted by the Action People’s Party APP was statute-barred, having not been filed within the 14 days allowed by law.
While the defection was said to have been carried out in December last year, the APP filed the case on July 12, a period of 8 months after the cause of action emanated.
Besides, Justice Lifu held that the case was a gross abuse of court processes on the ground that several suits on the alleged defection of the same 27 lawmakers had been adjudicated upon by the federal high court.
The Judge who quoted the previous judgments of the federal high court said the request for replacement of the lawmakers had earlier been rejected due to lack of sufficient evidence to establish the defection of the legislators.
He specifically recalled the judgment of Justice James Omotosho of the federal high court in Abuja delivered in July this year where the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC was restrained from declaring the seats of the lawmakers vacant and from conducting any fresh election to replace them.
Justice Lifu said that since the judgment has not been set aside and not appealed against, it remains binding with the force of law as far as the issue of defection is concerned for the 27 legislators.
He said that it would amount to a display of judicial rascality for him to sit as an appeal court in the judgment of the same court.
The Judge subsequently dismissed the suit on the three major grounds.
President Bola Tinubu has insisted that he did not contest for the position in order to enrich himself.
According to Tinubu, he came to “work” after Nigerians “gave” him their votes.
The president stated this on Friday, during a meeting with the Forum of Former Presiding Officers of the National Assembly, led by former Senate President, Ken Nnamani.
Tinubu assured that his administration was determined to deliver tangible results and make a positive difference in various sectors including education and long-term economic stability.
”I didn’t come to look for money and exploit the situation; I came to work.
“I asked for the votes, and Nigerians gave them to me,” Tinubu said.
In attendance were 16 former presiding officers, including former senate presidents, former speakers of the House of Representatives, former deputy senate presidents, and former deputy speakers of the House of Representatives.