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Crisis Brews in TUC Over Confab Nominees

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12 years ago

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Crisis is brewing within the
peaceful and stable 25 affiliate unions of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) as 14 affiliate unions are challenging the sole power of its President General Comrade Boboi Bala Kaigama to unilaterally nominate TUC’s delegates to the ongoing national conference in Abuja.
According to a protest letter signed by the 14 affiliate unions leadership and addressed to the TUC National Secretariat obtained by The Tide from the union office in Port Harcourt, they accused the president general of single-handedly selected the congress representatives without due consultation with the affiliate unions as provided in the constitution of the congress.
The letter contended that TUC has no representatives at the ongoing national conference since no approval was given to any representative as enshrined in the congress constitution and no position taken by any organ of the union.
The protesting affiliate unions cited the TUC constitution under rule 9 (xv) which states “the Central Working Committee (CWC) shall open the recommendation of the National Administrative Council (NAC) approves the representatives of the congress of statutory commissions, boards and other important external bodies”.
The affiliate unions said they are worried at the manner the leadership of the congress under Boboi Bala Kaigama has been flouting the constitution of the congress since his assumption of office in June 2013 from the public sector.
The affiliates condemned in strong term the manner in which the President General and the secretariat are running the administration of the congress.
The concerned affiliate unions said the president general since assumption of office has refused to convene any regular meeting of the constitutional organs of the congress to deliberate on any issue affecting the TUC.
They alleged that the congress constitution states as follows rule 8(xx) “The National Executive Council (NEC) shall be meeting in every six months.
Rule 9(x) The Central Working Committee (CWC) shall meet in every quarter.
Rule 10(b) (vii) “The National Administrative Council (NAC) shall meet at least four times in every year”.
They stated that aside from the inaugural meeting of the NAC comprising all elected executive members meeting, the congress has never had any other meeting in the last nine months ago.
The affiliate unions said no argument, no matter how strong, could be used as an excuse to breach a functional constitution, stressing that the operations of the labour centre should be conducted in honest and transparent manner.
However, The Tide’s finding revealed that TUC is administered on a daily basis by the secretariat of the labour centre headed by the secretary-general who is a full-time appointed staff and assisted by departmental heads.
The union is directly supervised by the CWC or the NAC regarded as the lowest organ of the centre and made up of all elected national officials, including the secretary-general and heads of departments.
The CWC reports to the National Executive Council (NEC) the higher organ made up of the principal officers of the states’ councils, the union’s national officers, presidents and general secretaries of affiliate unions who are CWC members.
The TUC’s highest organ is the delegates conference that has over-reaching authority on every facet of the labour centre.
All efforts by The Tide to speak with an official of the TUC who is a national officer and member of the central working committee of the union proved abortive before filing the report.

Philip Okparaji

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Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations

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7 days ago

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January 12, 2026

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The Director, South South Zone National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacist Chujwuma P.Oligbu has said its  thorough implementation of its core mandate of monitoring has no link with witch-hunting or fault finding as perceived at some quarters.
 Oligbu, made this known when he spoke as as guest at the maiden Rivers state Supermarkets stakeholders’ Seminar/Workshop in Port Harcourt recently.
Rather, he said they were mere opportunities for education, correction and continuous improvement.
The Agency’s South South Boss, noted that  Supermarket operators who maintain transparent records, cooperate during inspections, and promptly address identified gaps demonstrate professionalism and commitment to public health standard.
He listed the deserving essence of supermarket operation to include the key aspects of supermarket operation that deserves emphasis is product sourcing.
“Supermarkets must ensure that all regulated products stocked on their shelves are duly registered with NAFDAC and sourced from legitimate manufacturers or distributors”, he said .
According to him, the presence of unregistered, expired, counterfeit, or improper labelled products undermines consumer confidence and poses serious health risks.
He pointed out that such has the likelihood of  exposeing supermarket operators to legal sanctions that could damage their reputation and financial stability.
The NAFDAC Operator, further enlightened the participants that mere registration of a particular product with the Federal agency do not guarantee absolute consumption safety.
“Temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, stock rotation, and proper shelving are not optional practice; they are essential components of compliance”, he said.
The South South zonal director also told the operators of supermarket that their employees rotine training on the basis of the product they display for sale is of utmost importance.
In her presentation a Breast Milk Nutrition Expert , Professor Alice Nte of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), was against the body’s prime attention to breast milk substitute or baby milk in supermarkets as well as its advertisement or promotion.
Nye jerked up  the importance of mothers breast milk to the newborn baby and added that it  help in fighting against childhood diseases, infections and combating cancer in breastfeeding mothers.
Meanwhile, NAFDAC Deputy Director, South – South Zone , Mrs. Riter Chujwuma educated the participants on the guidelines for global listing, and the need to adhere strictly to rules guiding global listing to avoid confiscation of their imported products.
By: King Onunwor
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BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS

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7 days ago

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January 12, 2026

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The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.

 According to the data, more than 4.3 million new BVNs were issued within the one-year period, underscoring the growing adoption of biometric identification as a prerequisite for accessing financial services in Nigeria.

NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.

Analysts linked the growth largely to regulatory measures by the CBN, particularly the directive to restrict or freeze bank accounts without both a BVN and National Identification Number (NIN), which took effect from April 2024.
The policy compelled many customers to regularise their biometric records to retain access to banking services.

Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.

The programme has been widely regarded as a milestone in integrating the diaspora into Nigeria’s formal financial system.

A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.

However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.

The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.

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AFAN Unveils Plans To Boost Food Production In 2026

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1 week ago

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January 9, 2026

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The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.
The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.
The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.
In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.
He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.
Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.
According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.
He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.
The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.
He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.
He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.
Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.
He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.
Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.
As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.
Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.
Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.
He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.
Lady Usendi
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