The Federal Government will today present figures to Labour to back its minimum wage offer.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday directed the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, to calculate the cost implications.
The President gave the directive when he met with members of the Federal Government’s negotiation team.
The two labour centres – Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) – announced a suspension of the strike for a week after the President intervened.
The Tripartite Committee met to adopt an agenda mandating its members to continue an all-week-long negotiation as part of the pact.
The Senate promised to fast-track passage of a new Minimum Wage Bill when agreed upon.
Labour on Monday embarked on strike to register its displeasure over the outcome of last Thursday’s meeting by the wage committee.
The Federal Government and the private sector proposed N60,000, but labour demanded N494,000.
The strike led to the shutting down of the national grid and disruption of flights.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said President Tinubu asked Edun to provide the figures, which will guide the government’s negotiation with Labour.
At the meeting were Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu; Minister of State for Labour and Employment Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; and Group Managing Director of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari.
Idris said: “It’s been quite challenging, but we thank God that we’re at this point.
“We thank Labour that true to their words, they have suspended the strike.
“The President summoned a meeting of all those who negotiated on behalf of the Federal Government, led by the SGF.
“The President directed the Minister of Finance to do the numbers and get back to him between today (yesterday) and tomorrow (today) so that we can have some figures ready for negotiation with Labour.”
Idris stressed that the President was committed to a realistic and acceptable new minimum wage.
He said: “The government is not opposed to discussions or wage increase, but is desirous of ensuring that there is a balance.
“Therefore, we’ll work assiduously to ensure that whatever we do, whatever promises the government makes, will be kept. That’s the idea of this meeting.
“A wage award is not just that of the Federal Government. The sub-nationals are involved. The organised private sector is involved. Labour is involved.
“It was Labour that staged a walkout during those proceedings.
“Now that we’ve come back to the negotiating table, all of us will work together again, assiduously, within the next one week to ensure that we have a new wage for Nigeria that is acceptable, sustainable and also realistic for all Nigerians.”
The NLC and TUC decided to suspend the strike after an emergency National Executive Council meeting yesterday.
In a communique signed by NLC President Joe Ajaero and his TUC counterpart Festus Osifo, labour said it suspended the strike to create the right ambience for negotiation to continue unhindered.
The communique reads: “The NEC in session resolved that there is a greater need to create the right ambience for negotiation to continue unhindered.
“The indefinite nationwide strike action is, therefore, relaxed for one week from today (yesterday) to allow the Federal Government to commit to a concrete and acceptable National Minimum Wage; take definitive steps to reverse the electricity tariff hike back to N66/kWh and abolish the discriminatory classification of electricity consumers into bands.
“The NLC and TUC national leadership are mandated to continue to maintain open channels of communication with the Federal Government to negotiate and secure favourable outcomes for Nigerian workers and people.
“All affiliate unions and state councils are, therefore, directed to relax the indefinite nationwide strike and return to their respective workplaces immediately.
“The NEC-in-Session expresses profound gratitude to Nigerian workers and the general public for their unwavering support and solidarity in this critical struggle for improved living and working conditions.
“The NLC and TUC remain committed to pursuing all necessary actions to protect the rights and welfare of all Nigerian people and workers as we urge all to await further directives while the negotiation continues.”
Osifo said Labour was not fixated on N494,000.
Speaking on Channels last night, he said: “At the tripartite meeting last Friday, they told us they could not do more than N60,000. All pleas and reasoning fell on deaf ears.
“When that happened, we had no choice but to call the strike. On Monday, we met with the SGF where they committed to do more than N60,000.
“The government knows very well that we are not fixated on the N494,000 we proposed.
“We also know that not all stakeholders, I mean employers of labour, can afford that sum.
“What should determine where we will end is the principles. We want the government to apply common principles to her proposal.
“When you’re going for negotiations, you go with your best-case scenario.
“So, we have gone with our best case; it is now left for the government to come up with theirs.
“But what we will use for the national minimum wage borders on the principle of the value of whatever is being offered and we have a system of calculating it.
“Whatever the Federal Government will be offering us must not be less than the worth value of the minimum wage of 2011 and 2019 can take.”
We will consider capacity of states, OPS to pay
Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the lawmakers would speed up the legislative process on the new wage law when it comes.
He spoke during plenary following a motion calling on the NLC and TUC to suspend the strike.
It was sponsored by Senator Diket Plang (PDP – Plateau Central), who chairs the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment.
During the debate, information got to the chamber that the strike had been suspended, and the motion was stepped down.
Akpabio said: “Taking it (motion) will mean that we are jumping the gun and we are trying to settle the issues for them.
“There are many variables that they will look at – the capacity of states, local governments and the private sector to pay.
“The last minimum wage which was fixed at N30,000.00 by this parliament, but how many states were able to pay?
“How many local governments were able to pay? How many employers were able to pay?
“We’ll be looking at those things holistically. We should not rest until we arrive at an amicable resolution of the issue.
“I want to thank Labour for listening to the voice of Nigerians and the international community by calling off the strike to enable negotiations to continue and we wish them well in the negotiations.
“We will continue to do our best by making contributions and at the same time awaiting the incoming Bill on Minimum Wage for us to enact for the benefit of all Nigerians.”
[TheNation]
•President orders minister to calculate cost, Labour gives one-week ultimatum
Organised Labour may settle for N100,000 minimum wage as the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage commences daily meetings for five days to reach a consensus.
Multiple sources in the labour movement told The PUNCH on Tuesday that the union leaders were willing to review their demand from N494,000 to N100,000, following the criticism and controversy that trailed their proposal which was considered outrageous and unrealistic.
In a statement by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim on Saturday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the proposed minimum wage would result in an annual expenditure of N9.5tn, a burden he described as untenable for the nation’s finances.
Despite the intervention of the leadership of the National Assembly, labour embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday, a development that grounded economic activities nationwide.
Banks, airports, public schools and courts were shut, forcing the Federal Government to convene an emergency meeting to find a way out of the impasse.
In a bid to move the negotiation forward, the unions on Tuesday announced the suspension of the industrial action for five days after President Bola Tinubu agreed to pay a national minimum wage higher than N60,000 and the tripartite committee pledged its readiness to convene daily until a new minimum wage is announced.
To show his commitment to the negotiation, the President on Tuesday directed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to present the cost implications for a new minimum wage within two days.
Tinubu gave the order at a meeting with the government negotiation team led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Speaking with The PUNCH in confidence because Labour had not formally presented its final offer to the tripartite committee, a senior NLC official confirmed that the unions would insist on N100,000 minimum wage.
Agenda setting
He stated, “Today’s (Tuesday) meeting was essentially to set an agenda and plan how to complete the assignment within the five days.
“The government representatives did not mention a raise in the N60, 000. They just set the agenda on what to do and how to go about the negotiation. There was no mention of any increment. But labour planned to close the negotiation on N100,000 minimum wage.’’
The Deputy Head of NLC Political Commission, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, also confirmed that the Tuesday tripartite meeting on minimum wage was to draw an agenda for the daily meetings.
“We met today (Tuesday) to draw up an agenda for the one-week daily meeting. We met today and drew the agenda because the agreement was that we meet daily for the meet one week and on our own, we said we are relaxing the strike not even suspending it.
“It’s more like putting everybody on red alert. It means we are not going to give any notice. Which means by this time next week, we are going on strike. There is a difference between relax and suspend. Relax is to stay on your duty post and put your hands on the trigger. It is tomorrow (today) that we are expecting the government to submit another proposal,’’ he explained.
The organised labour vowed to reject any little addition to the N60,000 offer by the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage.
The President of the Trade Union Congress, Festus Osifo, made this known on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.
TUC warns
When asked whether labour would accept a few thousand naira additions to the offer, the TUC boss said, “No, we also told them that it’s not that we’d get to the table and you start adding N1, N2, N3,000 as you were doing and we got some good guarantees here and there that they would do something good.”
Osifo added that labour was not fixated on N494,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the country but the tripartite committee must show seriousness and offer workers something economically realistic in tandem with current inflationary pressures.
Though the union leader refused to mention a specific amount, he said the new minimum wage must be equal in purchasing power to the value of N30,000 in 2019 and N18,000 in 2014.
But disclosing to journalists the presidential directive to the finance minister, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said Tinubu during the meeting directed Edun to provide the financial implications of the new minimum wage in 48 hours.
He noted, “The President has just summoned a meeting of all those who negotiated on behalf of the Federal Government led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The minister of finance was there, the minister of budget planning, the minister of information, the minister of budget and national planning, the minister of labour, and the NNPCL GMD.
“We were all there to look at all issues and the President has directed the minister of finance to do the numbers and get back to him between today and tomorrow so that we can have figures ready for negotiation with labour.”
Presidential directive
Idris assured of the President’s readiness to accept the committee’s resolutions, adding that “The President is determined to go with what the committee has said and he’s also looking at the welfare of Nigerians.
“The government is not against or opponent of labour discussions; the government is not an opponent of wage increase but what is there is that government is always there to ensure that there is a balance between what government pronouncement is and what the realities are on the ground.
“And therefore, we will work assiduously to ensure that whatever promises the government makes are promises that will be kept. That is the idea of this meeting.”
Furthermore, he said President Tinubu had directed the government representatives to work collectively with the organised private sector and the sub-nationals to achieve a new affordable wage award for Nigerians.
Idris explained, “The President has given a marching order that all those who have negotiated on behalf of the Federal Government and all those who are representatives of organised private sectors, the sub-nationals to come together to have a new wage that is affordable, sustainable and that is also realistic for Nigerians.
“The wage is not just that of the Federal Government as I mentioned earlier, the sub-nationals are involved, the organised private sector is involved; it was labour that stepped out during that procedure. Now we have come back to the negotiation table.”
The minister assured that all hands would be on deck to present a new minimum wage for Nigerians in one week.
“All of us will work together assiduously within the next one week to ensure that we have a new wage for Nigeria that is acceptable, sustainable and also realistic,” Idris said.
Meanwhile, Labour said it had “relaxed” its strike for one week to enable fruitful negotiations with the Federal Government on minimum wage.
The NLC and TUC announced this in a communique on Tuesday, after a joint National Executive Council meeting.
The suspension of the strike followed a six-hour meeting between the leadership of organised labour and the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday night.
The Federal Government had expressed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to raising the N60,000 offered as the minimum wage.
The agreement stated, “The President of Nigeria, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is committed to establishing a National Minimum Wage higher than N60,000; and the Tripartite Committee will convene daily for the next week to finalise an agreeable National Minimum Wage.”
The organised labour also agreed to “immediately hold meetings of its organs to consider this new offer, and no worker would face victimisation as a consequence of participating in the industrial action.”
The resolutions were signed on behalf of the Federal Government by the information, Idris, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.
In its statement announcing the strike suspension, the unions said there was a greater need to create the right ambience for negotiation to continue unhindered.
“The indefinite nationwide strike action is, therefore, relaxed for one week from today (Tuesday) to allow the Federal Government to commit to a concrete and acceptable National Minimum Wage; take definitive steps to reverse the electricity tariff hike back to N66/kwh and abolish the discriminatory classification of electricity consumers into bands,” the unions said.
Labour also mandated its affiliate unions and state councils, to return to their respective workplaces immediately
On the issue of the electricity tariff, the unions said they were deeply disappointed by the government’s silence and lack of concrete action regarding the reversal of the electricity tariff hike and the abolition of the apartheid classification of electricity consumers into Bands.
“The NEC reaffirms that these issues are critical to alleviating the financial burden on Nigerian workers and the general populace. The electricity tariff hike and discriminatory Band classification remain unacceptable and must be addressed alongside the wage increase.”
In their position on the minimum wage, opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives called on the Federal Government to implement a new minimum wage of more than N100,000 to assuage organised labour.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Tuesday, the Minority Leader of the House, Kingsley Chinda, lamented the condition of the average Nigerian worker, stressing that the failure to pay a living wage is a constitutional breach.
He said, “In Nigeria today, any wage below $200 (N298,800) is ridiculous. The Nigerian worker is heavily underpaid and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens. Failure to pay a living wage is unconstitutional as the welfare of citizens is neglected.
“Public and government officers should have their monthly wages while we consider the hourly rate for private or casual employees. The earlier the government concludes this matter with labour unions, the better.”
Like Chinda, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and the lawmaker representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Osun State, Oluwole Oke, also made a case for the payment of a living wage which he said would enable the majority of Nigerians to cope, given the current economic realities.
“The minimum wage the Federal Government should pay should be N120,000. I say this because wage increase has its linkages, effects and consequences. Nigerian workers deserve living wages,’’ he argued.
Not unaware of the challenges his proposal would attract, Oluwole who chairs the House Committee on Judiciary, urged the private sector to be taken into consideration.
“We need to look at productivity in the private sector. Would the private sector that feeds the government survive? We have a serious issue at hand,” he added.
Asked what is good enough to count as a living wage, the lawmaker representing Abuja Municipal/Bwari Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory, Chinedu Obika said, “N150,000 based on the current reality.”
Obika, a member of the Labour Party, further urged the Federal Government to consider the inflation rate in the past few years, when negotiating the new minimum wage for the workers.
In a bid to resolve the impasse on the minimum wage, the Senator representing Abia North District, Orji Kalu, has proposed a new minimum wage of N90,000.
Speaking during a brief plenary session on Tuesday, Kalu said a new wage in the region of N90,000 may be enough for workers to return to their duty posts.
Following a motion moved by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment, Diket Plang, Kalu urged the Senate to prevail on both parties to reach an agreement in the interest of the nation.
While calling for an end to the standoff, Kalu described the complete shutdown of the power grid by the labour unions as a “daring move” which should not have happened.
He said, “Sixty thousand might sound very good but let the entire Senate see how we can persuade both labour and the Federal Government to agree between N75,000 and N90,000
“If you go by N90,000, it means in the last five years in which this law (N30,000) was made, it means if you divide 200 per cent of N90,000 by 5, it will give you 40 per cent. The food inflation, purchasing parity and other things you have in the market are around 32 per cent to 33 per cent. So, labour should be very happy with what we are doing.
“Let us send a Senate delegation to the Federal Government and Labour with the proposal of N90,000 and all the parties should agree to that.”
The lawmaker expressed dismay over the shutting down of the nation’s power grid by the unions as part of their demands for improved wages.
“Pulling down the national grid is not an easy job and it might take up to three to four days for it to come up. Shutting down and starting a national grid is a problem.
“The Federal Government and the Labour should be cautioned to agree. Though, it’s going to be difficult for the private sector to pay, they must manage,” he said.
On his part, Senator Ali Ndume urged the Senate to collaborate with the executive arm to sponsor a bill on a new wage. to address the situation.
Also speaking, former Senate President, Ahmad Lawan urged his colleagues to be mindful of the value of the naira, noting that a new minimum wage may not have much impact on the standard of living of Nigerians.
He insisted that emphasis should be paid on strengthening the value of the naira adding that the new minimum wage will be useless if the naira continues to depreciate.
“If it is N200 to a dollar, the impact will be more on the entire Nigerians, both the employed and the non employed”, Lawan stated.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio said though it was heartwarming that the strike had been suspended, the conduct of the unionists, he said, deserved condemnation.
“One of such excesses was the shutdown of the national grid which is more of an economic sabotage than agitation for a new minimum wage.
“Also, disruption or prevention of students from writing their West African School Certificate Examination by some labour unionists during the strike was bad because the examination is not organised by Nigeria but by West African Countries,” he said.
He also condemned the disruption of Hajj flights by the unionists, saying such a development must not occur again.
Weighing in on the matter, a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, noted that Nigeria’s level of productivity cannot support the N494,000 minimum wage organised labour is demanding.
Moghalu disclosed this on his official X handle on Tuesday.
Moghalu said the demand is deserving but not realistic and therefore recommended a minimum wage of N75,000 to N100,000.
“In the debates on the national wage in Nigeria, we miss the fundamental point: there is little or no productivity in the economy,” he said.
“If we had a truly productive economy, there is no reason we can’t have the kind of minimum wage of N400k or N500K that Labour wants. But we can’t, because the level of productivity in the economy cannot support it. Remember, the minimum wage is not just about government salaries.
“There are not more than 2 million, at most 3m civil servants in Nigeria. It is even more about what is paid in the private sector to household staff, etc.
“All of this is why, all things considered, including avoiding a minimum wage that multiplies already ravaging inflation (assuming such a wage can even be paid), I recommend a minimum wage of between N75,000 and N100,000.”
He further explained that productivity can be achieved by human capital development and electricity, amongst others.
“In fact, speaking about productivity, how productive is an average Nigerian worker? How skilled is he or she, and thus how much value does he or she create?
“I know we are all upset at our insensitive political class, who do not care about the masses and only for themselves. But the economics of it all is far more complex.
“Sadly, it is quite obvious that the political will to reduce the waste in governance does not exist.
“Human capital development, skills that create value addition, which is economically quantifiable. Wealth creation and profitability increase. Wages go up naturally and of course, the almighty electricity,’’ he stated.
[Punch]
The Enugu State Chapter of the Nigeria Red Cross Society has faulted the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its Chairman, Ugo Agballa, on the claim that it lost a baby in the process of demolitions at Holy Ghost, Enugu, where the state government is clearing the old motor park and some properties to build a modern transport terminal.
It also faulted the claim that it had over 100 children at the time of the demolition, saying they had only 14 children who had all been safely and temporarily relocated to another orphanage in the state capital, asking to be left out of Enugu politics.
It is recalled that the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the APC, Chief Ugo Agballa, had on Monday addressed the press at Holy Ghost where he levelled several allegations on Governor Peter Mbah Administration over some of the development projects in the state.
But reacting to the development, the state scribe of the Red Cross, Udegbu, said, “It is not true that any child died. We are healthy. The governor relocated us and they are working on our new site. And we do not play background politics. The Red Cross is an impartial body all over the world. And the role we play is auxiliary to the government’s role. So, we want to be left out of politics because we are not a partisan organisation.
“We do no have anything near 100 children. They are 14. “What happened that time wash that they were renovating a place for us at the old UNTH road. But that place was not ready when they came with a bulldozer. But when the governor got to know about the reality, he relocated the babies to Ken David’s Orphanage Home and they are working on that permanent place right now.
“So, by the grace of God, His Excellency, the Governor, has since relocated the babies to an orphanage they call Ken David’s Orphanage Home. And the children are there temporarily until they finish the new place.
“I thank the governor for taking a decisive action by making the babies comfortable when he got to know the truth.
“The governor is the Patron of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Enugu Branch, by the Nigerian Red Cross Act 1960. So, those babies are his own too,” the Red Cross said
[Vanguard]
One year into his administration, President Bola Tinubu is yet to fulfill the pledges he made on women and youth inclusion in governance and empowerment, an Agora Policy paper has found.
Ahead of the 2023 general election, Tinubu launched an 80-page document on his ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ for the country.
The 2021-2026 national gender policy mandates 50 percent female representation in political spaces. In his campaign document, Tinubu earmarked a 35 percent slot for women but even this has yet to be met.
Only nine(18.75 percent) of 48 ministerial appointees are women while four females are special advisers.
“Nigeria’s ‘gender character’ cannot continually be overlooked,” Ejiro Otive-Igbuzor, a gender, social inclusion expert and a monitoring and evaluation specialist, wrote in the latest policy paper of Agora, a Nigerian think-tank.
“Just as the ‘Federal Character Principle’ enshrined in the Nigerian constitution provides for fair representation in appointive and elective offices among geopolitical zones, gender character needs to be engraved in laws and policy.
“Women, who comprise 49% of the population and who actively participated in the struggle for democracy, rightfully deserve a seat at the decision-making table. This is the fairness argument.”
NIGERIA’S GLOBAL STANDING IN GENDER EQUALITY
According to the 2023 World Economic Forum (WEF) global gender gap index, Nigeria ranks 130 out of 146 countries, representing a decline from the 2022 ranking of 123.
The Agora Policy paper said Nigerian men also enjoy higher labour participation with most women earning only 50 percent of men’s income, down from 58 percent in 2022.
Otive-Igbuzor said limited access to quality healthcare and social services has further compounded this problem.
Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births. This is a dire situation for millions of women who already grapple with limited access to reproductive healthcare services.
“It is also difficult to identify the concrete things that the administration has done in addressing gender-based violence, promoting STEM education for girls etc,” Otive-Igbuzor wrote.
The gender expert said political will needs to go beyond policies and rhetorics that echo the importance of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) but must translate to robust fiscal allocations.
Only 0.05 percent of the 2024 budget was allocated to the ministry of women affairs while 9.57 percent of the capital budget was apportioned to the ministry of humanitarian affairs.
“This disparity between promises and resource allocation highlights a systemic challenge in translating expressed commitments into tangible action,” the GESI expert said.
YOUTHS EQUALLY LEFT OUT
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates “that countries in sub-Saharan Africa have the potential to benefit up to $500 billion annually” from demographic dividends for up to 30 years.
Nigerians under 35 years are believed to account for 74.22 percent of the population with the youth population projected to exceed 200 million by 2050.
Experts say the youthful population represents an untapped economic asset. Tinubu had promised to use this as an advantage in his administration.
According to the policy paper, while there is positive action in certain areas, no concrete steps have been initiated in others.
One of the promises the president made was a 30 percent representation of young people in government appointments.
“This promise is yet to be fully redeemed but efforts in this direction are notable,” Otive-Igbuzor said.
“It is noteworthy that promises, efforts, and activities are not results. While the president’s efforts can be applauded, it is important to remember that inclusive policymaking and implementation of existing development policies remain the keys to sustainable development.”
POSITIVE SCORECARD FOR PWD INCLUSION
Assessing the president’s inclusive actions for persons with disabilities (PWDs), Otive-Igbuzor commended Tinubu on his efforts so far.
In 2023, the federal government launched an empowerment programme for PWDs to ensure they gain access to equal opportunities as their abled counterparts.
In November 2023, the president appointed Mohammed Isa as his senior special assistant on disability matters.
Tinubu said Isa’s expertise would enable him to integrate PWD needs into federal policies and programmes as well as collaborate with sub-national authorities.
“The onus is now on civil society, including the PWD community, to advocate and lobby policy implementers for compliance; monitor budget allocations, budget releases, and actual expenditures; and regularly show how well the government is keeping pace with its promises,” Otive-Igbuzor advised.
FULL INCLUSION OF DIVERSE GROUPS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
While the GESI expert lauded Tinubu for his efforts in improving inclusion, she noted that more can be done.
Otive-Igbuzor urged the president to fulfil his promise of 35 percent affirmative action for women and to effectively engage the country’s youthful workforce as part of the 30 percent inclusion pledge.
The monitoring and evaluation specialist also called for the prioritisation of PWDs and the involvement of sub-nationals to promote active ownership and coordination in implementing the country’s development plan.
“Beyond the ‘right speak’, concrete actions and accountability are crucial to ensure meaningful progress and full participation of marginalised groups in governance, and to ensure that no one is truly left behind by 2050,” she said, noting the importance of stronger political will.
Otive-Igbuzor said the failure of the president to prioritise these issues puts him at risk of repeating past failures.
[TheCable]
[STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE] President Tinubu Congratulates Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Election Victory
Admin![[STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE] President Tinubu Congratulates Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Election Victory](/media/k2/items/cache/3a1e041e223ceeeff23b9193fa86b628_M.jpg)
President Bola Tinubu extends his warm congratulations to the Prime Minister of India, His Excellency, Narendra Modi, on his epoch-making victory in the nation's parliamentary elections.
Prime Minister Modi's coalition - the National Democratic Alliance - won a majority of the parliamentary seats, paving the way for a third consecutive term, which is a rare feat and the second time an Indian leader will retain power for a third term after Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister.
The President states that the outcome of the elections is a resounding affirmation of Prime Minister Modi's exceptional leadership of the world's largest democracy.
On behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, President Tinubu congratulates the people of India and assures the South Asian nation of Nigeria's commitment to strengthening relations and advancing shared goals and values as strategic partners in the league of nations.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
![[PRESS RELEASE] CBN response to false allegations of license withdrawals](/media/k2/items/cache/d2c617517626bf7c156a366cf0bf298a_M.jpg)
The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to some information circulating in the public domain, suggesting that the CBN is set to revoke the licenses of three additional banks following its regulatory action against Heritage Bank Plc on Monday, June 3, 2024.
The CBN unequivocally states that these allegations are false and intended to trigger panic in the financial system.
The Nigerian financial system remains safe, sound, and resilient. Our banks have begun submitting implementation plans for the Banking Sector Recapitalisation Programme in compliance with the CBN Circular reviewing the minimum capital requirements for Commercial, Merchant, and Non-Interest Banks (CMNIBs). These plans are currently being reviewed by the Bank.
In addition to enhancing buffers to withstand economic shocks, this proactive measure by the CBN to require CMNIBs to recapitalize will result in increased capital for Nigeria’s banks, enabling them to provide much-needed credit to critical sectors of the economy. This will increase the financial system’s contribution to the growth and development of a $1 trillion Nigerian economy.
The CBN would like to reassure all stakeholders of its unwavering commitment to ensuring the financial system’s stability. Our financial system remains on a solid footing, and the CBN will continue to take all necessary steps to maintain its safety and soundness.
Hakama Sidi Ali (Mrs.)
Ag. Director, Corporate Communications
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has denied reports that it is set to revoke the licenses of Unity Bank, Keystone Bank, and Polaris Bank.
An online report claimed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would revoke the licenses of three banks, allegedly following the revocation of Heritage Bank’s license.
The apex bank, in a post via its official X account on Tuesday, urged members of the public to dismiss the report.
“The content is fake and not from the CBN,” the post reads.
Vanguard reported that on Monday, the CBN revoked the operating licence of Heritage Bank.
According to the CBN, the decision was made due to the bank’s failure to improve its financial performance.
The statement partly reads: “The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in accordance with its mandate to promote a sound financial system in Nigeria and in exercise of its powers under Section 12 of the Banks and Other Financial Act (BOFIA) 2020, hereby revokes the licence of Heritage Bank Plc with immediate effect.
‘This action has become necessary due to the bank’s breach of Section 12(1) of BOFIA, 2020.
“The Board and Management of the bank have not been able to improve the bank’s financial performance, a situation which constitutes a threat to financial stability.”
Two individuals were pronounced dead following an explosion involving a suspected Liquefied Natural Gas tanker at the Obiri-Ikwerre flyover on the outskirts of Port Harcourt in Rivers state.
The explosion occurred around 9:25 am when the tanker overturned while attempting to navigate the bypass at the flyover.
Almost immediately, it burst into flames, tragically engulfing a salon car with two individuals inside.
This unfortunate incident comes just a month after another devastating explosion caused by a fuel-laden tanker along the Eleme axis of the East-West Road.
The previous accident resulted in the loss of approximately five lives and the destruction of over 60 vehicles.
On the recent occurrence, the PUNCH quoted an eyewitness to have revealed that the two occupants of the car were unable to escape and were tragically burned to death.
“My office is just close by here. It was a terrible sight. Two persons inside a salon car parked nearby were burnt beyond recognition.
“The tanker was trying to negotiate through the flyover when it fell and the explosion occurred,” the eyewitness said.
Rivers Tanker Explosion
It is worth noting that the Obiri-Kwere flyover leads to the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa in the Ikwerre local government area of the state.
Another eyewitness, who identified himself as Lucky, said the sound of the explosion spread to residential areas near the flyover and caused panic.
He stated, ‘It was about past 9 am that I was driving towards the University of Port Harcourt that I saw the flames.
“I quickly made a u-turn because I was driving. Many vehicles started making a detour to avoid the scene of the fire, somewhere even videoing the fire with their phones”.
Confirming the explosion, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, “Yes, I can confirm that two persons died in the tanker fire. Myself and the Commissioner of Police, are on the ground as I speak to you.
“The fire has been put out but the area is still dangerous because the gas is still licking.
“So motorists are advised to take alternative routes to avoid any further casualty. The investigation is ongoing. “
The Senate on Tuesday promised to fast track its consideration and passage of a new Minimum Wage Bill for the country.
This is even as the Red Chamber commended the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress for suspending its indefinite strike for one week.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio made these remarks during plenary in Abuja.
Akpabio’s comments followed a motion calling on the NLC and TUC to suspend the strike.
The motion was sponsored by Senator Diket Plang (PDP – Plateau Central), who chairs the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment.
However, during debate on the motion, information got to the chamber that the NLC and TUC have suspended their strike action for one week to allow for further negotiations with the Federal Government.
Following the information, the Senate stepped down the motion.
Akpabio said: “Taking it (motion) will mean that we are jumping the gun and we are trying to settle the issues for them.
“There are many variables that they will look at – capacity to pay and the ability of states, local governments and private sector to even pay.
“They will also be looking at the fact that if the minimum wage is too high, then the possibility of retrenchment of workers will occur and I think they will do comparative analysis to know that the last minimum wage which was fixed at N30,000.00 by this parliament as an Act of the National Assembly, how many states were able to pay? How many local governments were able to pay? How many employers were able to pay?
“We’ll be looking at those things because it’s important that holistic approach be looked at and I have taken the suggestion that we should not rest until we arrive at an amicable resolution of the issue and that the National Assembly should also continue to make its own contributions towards the ongoing negotiations.
“On that note, I want to thank the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress for listening to the voice of Nigerians and the international community by calling off the strike to enable negotiations to continue and we wish them well in the negotiations.
“On our part, we will continue to do our best by making contributions and at the same time awaiting the incoming Bill on Minimum Wage for us to enact for the benefit of all Nigerians.”
Oyo State Governor, Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde, has approved the appointment of Professor Razaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu as the substantive Vice Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso.
This was confirmed by the state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu, in a statement.
The statement, which was released on Tuesday, stated further that Prof. Kalilu is to serve as substantive vice chancellor for a single term of five years, with effect from June 12, 2024.
Recall that the governing council of the institution forwarded the name of the VC to Governor Makinde last week.
He said that the government looks forward to his hard work, diligence, and professionalism in realizing its mission for the institution.
Prof Kalilu is a well-established figure in the world of art and art history.
He joined the service of LAUTECH on September 1, 1992, and was pronounced a Professor of Arts and Arts History in the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, twenty-four years ago on October 1, 1999, and was appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor on June 12, 2023.
Kalilu, an alumnus of the prestigious University of Ife and the University of Ibadan, is a polymath and specialist in form and material technology. His administrative skills and leadership experiences are intense, integrous and ambidextrous.
He was the Head of Department of Fine and Applied Arts from 1998 to 2003; Dean of Faculty of Environmental Sciences from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2012 to 2016; Chairman, Committee of Deans in 2004; and from 2004 to 2006 the Chairman, Committee of Deans and Provosts; he was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of LAUTECH between 2006 and 2008.
Professor Kalilu is a recipient of many national and international prizes and awards, which include: the Gold Medal in the 1978–1979 All Africa Painting Contest; Elected Membership of the New York Academy of Sciences in recognition of his contributions to Science and Technology; Merit Prize in International Postage Stamp Design Contest in 1997; the Outstanding People of the 20th Century Outstanding Achievement Medal in 2000; and the Twentieth Century Achievement Award in 2001.
His other prizes and awards include his selection as one of the 1000 Leaders of World Influence for the 21st century in year 2000 and the distinguished and exceptional Universal Award of Accomplishment in 2000. Furthermore, he received the Development in Nigeria Merit Award in 2006.
Professor Rom Kalilu is a member of several academic and intellectual organisations, which include the Australian Ceramic Society, and the International Association of Astronomical Artists. and is a Fellow of the Society of Nigerian Artists.
More...
Fifty miners have been reportedly feared trapped at a mining site in Niger state. The incident occurred after a torrential rainfall on Sunday in Galkogo community in Shiroro local government area of the state.
Our Correspondent reliably gathered that the site belongs to “African Minerals and Logistics Limited.”
An impeccable source told our Correspondent that one person has already been confirmed dead while six others are also confirmed to have heard various degrees of injuries.
Meanwhile, an excavator has already been sent to the area for rescue operations.
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu said yesterday that the completion of critical infrastructure projects across Nigeria by his administration was a clear example of what the country was capable of achieving when its leaders decide to work together towards a common goal, irrespective of political divide and personal interest.
Accordingly, he noted that the commissioning of the expanded outer southern expressway, OSEX, completed by the FCT administration, was a testament to the power of collaboration and partnership that goes beyond political and other affiliations.
The President stated this at the presidential commissioning ceremony of the full-scope development of OSEX from Villa roundabout to Ring road 1 (RR1) in Abuja.
Tinubu, who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, noted that the expanded outer southern expressway held profound significance for the FCT, its residents and visitors.
“The completion of this project is not only a piece of engineering but a testament to the power of collaboration and partnership.
‘’It is a shining example of what we can accomplish when we work together towards a common goal, transcending political divide and personal interest for the greater good of our nation,” he declared.
“I thank the Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, and his team for quickening development and giving the residents of Abuja renewed hope,” he stated, reaffirming his administration’s dedication to enhancing the quality of life for all Nigerians,” he added.
Airline activities have fully resumed at the Murtala Muhammad Airport’s local wing in Lagos.
Naija News reports that this follows the suspension of the nationwide industrial strike by the organized labour group.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced on Tuesday (today) the suspension of the strike that began on Monday.
The strike resulted in the halt of all flight activities throughout the nation as the aviation unions participated in the walkout.
Nonetheless, airlines have begun to resume their services after losing a full day by grounding their planes.
According to Daily Trust, reporters who visited the MMA2 on Tuesday by 11:00 am, observed that numerous passengers were waiting at the entrance for the Labor Union to cancel the strike.
However, with the strike put on hold for a week, flight operations are slowly picking up.
As of the moment this report was written, a ValueJet flight to Abuja was preparing to take off, and another was scheduled for Port Harcourt.
It was further observed that the airport was relatively quiet after the strike was called off, but there are signs that operations are starting to get back to normal.
In a separate statement, the General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Ocheme Aba, confirmed the end of the labour strike, saying all members have been mobilized back to their offices.
“Due to the agreement with the presidency, the strike will be relaxed for one week starting from now to enable the tripartite committee concluded deliberations on the minimum wage negotiation so, flight operations will resume now, have resumed actually because all the blockages have been removed,” he said.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has acknowledged Muhammadu Sanusi II as the rightful ruler of the Kano emirate amidst the ongoing power struggle for the throne.
Besides the recognition from all district heads in Kano’s 44 local government areas, council chairmen, commissioners, and prominent Kano and Nigerian citizens, the NBA has also affirmed Sanusi’s status as the 16th Emir of Kano by inviting him to their ongoing annual conference in Kano.
The conference, held at Amani Event Centre in Kano, was attended by notable figures including the President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Benedict Bakwaph Kanyip, NBA President Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, Chief Judge of Kano State, Justice Dije Aboki, and other legal luminaries.
This event marks the first annual NBA conference for the entire northern region.
In light of the event’s significance, the NBA extended an official invitation to Emir Sanusi, requesting his presence, royal blessing, and an address to the attendees.
Emir Sanusi, speaking at the NBA conference through his representative Mahe Bashir Wali (the Walin Kano), warmly welcomed the participants and highlighted Kano’s long, enviable history as a cultural and commercial nerve center of the northern region.
The monarch stated that the conference’s theme, ‘Administration of Justice in Nigeria: Challenges and Reforms,’ was apt, emphasizing that peace, a prerequisite for progress and development, can only be achieved through justice in the land.
State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf saw the conference as a good opportunity to challenge NBA members on the conflicting court orders regarding the Kano emirate tussle, emphasizing that the case is purely a state affair.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Bappa Bichi, the governor urged legal practitioners at the conference to tell their clients the truth about bad cases, even if it is bitter, rather than satisfying them by pursuing actions outside the ambit of the law.
To tackle the challenges facing the administration of justice in Nigeria, the Governor emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law and implementing comprehensive judicial reforms.
Barrister O.M. Femi, speaking on the emirate tussle, noted that while the NBA is aware of the situation, it’s crucial for the court to decide to prevent further grievances among involved parties, setting a precedent for future cases.
He emphasized that the current Emir of Kano is His Royal Majesty Muhammadu Sanusi II, evident from his representation at the ongoing NBA annual conference, which signifies the recognition accorded to him by legal practitioners.
Barr Femi said “The NBA is not unaware of what is happening, but it is good that the court is to decide, so that non of the parties involved would be aggrieved again. The ruling will set a precedence for lawyers and judges on such matters.
“However, you don’t need to be told or to wear binoculars to see that His Royal Majesty Muhammadu Sanusi II is the current Emir of Kano.
“Nothing explains this fact more than what could be deduced from the ongoing NBA’s annual conference attended by Muhammadu Sanusi II by proxy. The recognition accorded him by the legal practitioners of our land tells it all.”