News
Labour Berates FG’s Failure To Pay New Minimum Wage …Says Buhari Has Swindled Workers
As Nigeria marks her 59th Independence anniversary, the organised labour has berated the Federal Government for failing to pay the new Minimum Wage of N30,000 as earlier agreed.
In a statement, yesterday, in Abuja, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, and Secretary General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, said, “We find it disturbing that months after the National Minimum Wage committee set up by the Federal Government to work on the new wage had submitted their report, government is still not committed to paying the new wage.
“We are beginning to think that signing it in the first place was because of the 2019 General Election. To talk about setting up another committee over the same issue makes us feel we have been swindled by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government. We have learnt our lessons.
“The argument on the part of government has always been that there is no money to pay minimum wage, whereas lawmakers have budgeted N5.6billion to purchase automobile that are not produced in Nigeria.
“Our belief is that government can actually pay if only the cost of governance will be reduced.”
The Trade Union Congress said military incursion into politics, corruption, ethnicity, religious crisis were major reasons inhibiting the nation’s growth.
The statement read, “The military incursion into politics, corruption, ethnicity, religious crisis, has worked against our national development. It is even more worrisome and unfortunate that at this time and age the crack is widening by the day.
“We must interrogate the reason why countries we were at par with have left us far behind. China, India, Indonesia were our contemporaries but they are now in the first league while we are dragging economic space with some countries in Africa.
“Although revenue from tax has improved significantly but unfortunately, instead of widening the tax net, the impoverished public is overtaxed, leading to despondency and despair.”
Also speaking, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) called on leaders and Nigerians to reassert her value and leadership in the continent and stand by the tenets of democracy.
In a statement in Abuja, yesterday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the anniversary of Nigeria, like the ones before it, offered an opportunity for serious soul-searching and very candid reflection.
According to him, in our journey to nationhood, Nigeria has had a number of highs and lows, saying while we should celebrate the highs, we must also ponder on the lows and pick useful lessons from them.
“It is important to celebrate the deconstruction of colonial rule and what independence offered the Nigerian nation and people.
“A priceless opportunity to pursue our dreams and rewrite the history of colonial evil by the strides of our post colonial existence,” he said.
Wabba said that the country started off on a trajectory of solid foundation laid by the country’s founding fathers, who he said were in a hurry to hurl her at par with development elsewhere.
He said that the founding fathers invested heavily to build the social capital of the country through their commitment to quality and universal public education and construction of excellent medical facilities.
The result, according to him, was top-notch human capital development as Nigeria became the doyen of intellectualism in Africa, producing world class scholars, professionals and workers in different sectors of the economy.
He stated that many of the country’s universities and hospitals were ranked among the best on the continent and in the world, adding that it attracted scholars and sick people from all over Africa and even beyond.
According to him, our founding fathers showed sincere commitment to industrialisation because they believed in the dignity of labour and wanted every Nigerian to be gainfully employed.
“Industrialisation was not the dessert but the main menu of governance, our founding fathers proved this by creating the enabling environment for industrialisation, by providing quality roads, mass electrification and security of lives and property.
Wabba, however, said that the 59th Independence anniversary offered Nigeria a moment to reflect, re-prioritise, re-strategise, re-position, and re-launch the Nigerian dream.
He said that as leaders and citizens, “we owe ourselves, and generations unborn the responsibility of bequeathing a nation of justice, equity and prosperity”.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Captain Sunday Adebomi (rtd), has appealed to the Federal Government to resolve all issues delaying the implementation of the N30,000 national minimum wage to avert industrial action by workers.
Adebomi, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen, yesterday, in Oye-Ekiti, while reacting to the threat by the leadership of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) over the delay in the implementation of the minimum wage.
It would be recalled that the JNPSNC had called on Nigerians to appeal to the Federal Government to implement the new wage, with adequate consequential adjustments, to avert the looming nationwide strike.
It was learnt that the council made the call following failure of representatives of labour to reach an agreement with the government over the percentage of consequential adjustment for workers on Grade Level 07 to Grade Level 17.
Adebomi urged the Federal Government to provide a lasting solution to the delay in the implementation of the wage for workers in the country so as to avoid the imminent industrial action.
The Ise-Ekiti-born community leader, who noted that any industrial action by workers at this time in the country would be a setback to the nation’s socio-economic development, called for the final resolution to the matter between the government and labour.
He emphasised the importance of workers as the engine room of any government, saying that they deserved enhanced welfare package.
The APC chieftain expressed the hope that both government and workers would continue to work together to ensure a more united and secured country.
He congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians on the 59th Independence anniversary of the country, calling on all the latter to keep supporting the governments at all levels for the growth and development of the country.
A Coalition of civil society organisations has urged the Federal Government to take proactive steps towards addressing the persistent gas eruptions in Bille, Rivers.
The coalition, made up of the People’s Assembly and Bille Working Group, made the call in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, and read to journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Reading the letter, the coalition’s convener, Dr Isaac Osuoka, said that the persistent gas eruption in Bille had led to serious environmental and public health challenges.
Osuoka, also the Executive Director, Social Action, urged Tinubu to establish a presidential task force to investigate and contain the gas leak in Bille.
He also called for the immediate relocation of residents to safe shelters, provision of clean water, food and healthcare services.
Dr Emem Okon, the Executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, stated that gas had been bubbling from the ground, creeks, boreholes and hand-dug wells in the community since October 2025.
Okon said that the gas had triggered several fires and explosions, and that residents of the community had reported respiratory problems, vomiting and other illnesses associated with exposure to the emissions.
According to her, preliminary investigations by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) have yet to identify the source of the gas.
Mr Kentebe Ebiaridor, the Coordinator, Oilwatch International, called for the publication of results from preliminary soil and water tests conducted in Bille for the residents to know the nature and extent of the contamination.
Ebiaridor urged the Federal Government to deploy medical teams to screen and treat affected residents, and immediately commence an independent study on the health impacts of the leak.
He further called for the suspension of oil and gas operations around OML 18 and 24 until the source of the gas leak was identified and the affected areas declared safe.
Ebiaridor urged the government to hold current and former operators of the oil leases accountable for environmental damage on the community.
Another speaker, Dr Bieye Briggs, urged the National Assembly to fast-track the NOSDRA Amendment Bill, 2025 to provide the agency with statutory funding and stronger enforcement powers.
Briggs urged the Federal Government to activate the regional Spill Command Centre, and make the Upstream Remediation Fund accessible for the Bille crisis and other affected communities in the Niger Delta.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has banned drone operations and fireworks in Uyo and announced temporary traffic restrictions ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s visit to the State today.
The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, announced the measures yesterday while briefing journalists at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
He said the restrictions were part of security arrangements to maintain public order, protect strategic locations and ensure the smooth movement of the President’s convoy during his engagements.
“There will be total restriction on the operation and flying of drones within Uyo metropolis throughout the period of the visit. Members of the public, drone operators and service providers are advised to strictly comply with the directive,” he said.
The police commissioner also announced a ban on fireworks, knockouts and other explosive sound-producing devices within the state capital during the visit.
He said the measure would prevent panic and allow security personnel to respond effectively to genuine security threats.
The command also announced temporary restrictions on public access to designated routes and locations in Uyo to facilitate the movement of the presidential convoy.
The affected areas are Airport Road, Shelter Afrique Junction, Oron Road, Nung Oku Junction, Mbierebe Junction and Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
“Motorists are urged to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the corridors.
“Members of the public are advised to avoid the routes during the restriction and use alternative routes,” Azare said.
He also urged residents to plan their journeys, exercise patience and cooperate with traffic and security personnel deployed along the affected corridors.
The commissioner said the command, working with other security agencies, had put in place security arrangements to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free visit.
He appealed to residents to understand that the temporary restrictions were necessary security measures and not intended to cause hardship.
Azare urged members of the public to remain law-abiding, avoid restricted areas and report suspicious movements to the nearest police station or through police emergency channels.
Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom is a working visit during which he is expected to inaugurate major infrastructure projects executed by Governor Umo Eno’s administration under its ARISE Agenda. The projects cut across aviation, road infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, land administration and security.
Among the projects scheduled for inauguration are the international terminal building and airport hospital at Victor Attah International Airport, Aviation Village, ARISE Palm Resort, the 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road, Ring Road 3, the Command and Control Centre and the AkwaGIS building.
The state government had earlier announced plans for the President to inaugurate projects as part of activities marking Akwa Ibom’s 39th anniversary in September.
The airport projects are particularly significant to the state’s ambition to expand aviation, tourism and investment.
The international terminal is expected to strengthen the airport’s capacity to handle international operations, while the Aviation Village is intended to provide accommodation for aviation workers. The airport hospital is also among the facilities lined up for inauguration.
The road projects are also expected to improve connectivity. The 14.5-kilometre Nsit Atai–Okobo Road links communities in the two local government areas, while Ring Road 3 is designed to improve movement within Uyo and ease pressure on existing roads. The Command and Control Centre, meanwhile, is intended to strengthen security surveillance and coordination in the State.
The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.
He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.
“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.
Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.
The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.
On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.
Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.
With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.
Kevin Nengia
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