News
All Sectors’ll Remain Shut As Workers Protest, Labour Insists
Barring last minute changes, the organised labour across the country has vowed that all sectors including aviation, banks, and others would be shut as workers would take to the streets, today, to protest Federal Government’s arbitrary increases in the pump price of petrol and electricity tariff.
The Deputy Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Amaechi Asogwuni, made this known at a news conference, yesterday in Lagos ahead of the strike.
“No airport will be in operation in Nigeria; banks are not expected to function, so, no business owners should risk himself for Nigerian workers have taken that decision.
“We are the workers and we are withdrawing our services; we have the right to do so because protests are our constitutional right.
“And I believe we will enforce it; schools shall remain closed until this action ends,” he said.
Asogwuni called on Nigerians to join the protest, saying it was part of their quota to democracy.
“We must ensure that all sectors remained shut as a voice to the government to respond to the cry of Nigerians.
“On the issue of PMS, what was expected of government was to engage its socio-partners which include labour as a stakeholder.
“The government did not do that at a time it ought to; it failed in its duty to engage labour before time.
“On the issue of electricity, the government had earlier had an interaction with labour in Kano and we discouraged it from proceeding.
“It was a big shock that it still went ahead to dare Nigerians; people depend on power and you cannot wake up overnight and strengthen suffering.
“We resist it and call on Nigerians to join because in a democracy it is our voice that makes the difference,” he said.
But just as the labour leader was speaking, the House of Representatives was meeting with various stakeholders in a bid to avert the strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) billed to commence, today, even offering organised labour some palliatives.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, at a negotiation meeting with labour, yesterday in Abuja, said the palliatives would be included in the proposed 2021 budget.
Also at the meeting were the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Peter Akpatason; and Chairman, House Committee on Labour, Hon Ali Muhammed.
The opening session began at 10:30am and ended at 10:52am.
The meeting also went behind closed doors and lasted almost one hour.
Speaking after the meeting, Gbajabiamila said that the budget would soon be presented to the National Assembly, stressing that some palliatives were being considered to cushion the effects of an increase in electricity tariff and fuel price hike.
The palliatives, according to the speaker, include distribution of food items, reduction of taxes on minimum wage, and payment of some special allowances.
Others are involved in the ownership of housing programmes through mortgage and distribution of special buses to public institutions that run on auto-gas.
Gbajabiamila said that the palliatives would go a long way to assuage the suffering of Nigerians.
He said the lawmakers would also make provision in the budget to tackle the eight million deficit of meters to enable Nigerians to access them.
Gbajabiamila, who described estimated billing as a scam, said: “I have never heard it anywhere in the world, so if we may have to provide for the deficit, we will have to do that.”
He appealed to labour to suspend the planned strike, saying embarking on industrial action at this critical time would not augur well for the citizenry.
“You know, you cannot go on strike at this time, if you go on strike, the people you think you are protecting will be at the receiving end, we share your philosophy regarding workers’ rights.
“We know what Nigerians are going through, our position on electricity billing is obvious, the only thing now is to continue to talk, I am concerned about the people out there.
“Shutting down the markets, banks and other places of work is my worry, I am concerned about the people,” he said.
Gbajabiamila said that there was the need for every Nigerian to be properly metered in order to capture the true cost, adding that the lawmakers would consider metering in the 2021 budget.
The President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said that the increase in electricity tariff and hike in fuel price had eroded the purchasing power of Nigerian workers.
He said the initial plan was that there would not be an increase in electricity tariff until meters were provided for Nigerians.
Wabba commended the speaker for the intervention, adding that he had consistently represented the interest of Nigerians.
The NLC president said there was a valid court judgment nullifying the electricity tariff, adding that the judgment of the National Industrial Court asking NLC to stop its planned strike could not be sustained.
Wabba insisted that the NLC would go ahead with the strike if its demands were not met by the Federal Government before the expiration of the ultimatum.
Emerging from the meeting, Wabba dismissed the various court rulings barring the workers from industrial action.
He said, “We have had a useful discussion with the leadership of the House of Representatives. We have shared our concerns and challenges with him (Gbajabiamila), especially the very challenges of the implication of the hike in the tariff of electricity and the (petrol) pump price. We also told him how the discussions with the Federal Government went and how the meeting was adjourned.
News
Mba Seeks Closer Synergy To Check Road Accidents
Worried over the high rate of accidents on Nigerian roads, resulting in the death of hundreds of thousands of people, the Governor of Enugu State, Barr Peter Mbah, has called for closer synergy and cooperation among security agencies to check the ugly trend and ensure safety on all the roads within the country.
Governor Mbah, made the call in an address at the Graduation Ceremony of Senior Course 2 of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Command and Staff College, Udi near Enugu.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Information, Chief Aka Eze Aka, governor Mbah noted that closer security and intelligence sharing on incidents on roads within the country by various security formations and agencies both military and para-military would lead to greater security and safety of lives and property on roads.
He stated that the state government had keyed into the FRSC vision of reduction in road crashes and fatalities, adding that it had equipped the state traffic officers with the same set targets.
“As an administration, we are making all efforts to fix and improve on all roads and road infrastructure within the state; while we are calling on the Federal Government to do the same.
“Our partnership with the FRSC for training and retraining of our road traffic officers will continue and be strengthened so that as a state it will also build its own capacity to deal with road traffic issues and challenges,” he said.
Governor Mbah, however, congratulated the graduating participants of the course, while commending the FRSC management for being in the forefront of raising the standard and quality of its staff.
According to him, “my administration will continue to partner with the FRSC and strengthen existing engagements of mutual benefits”.
Earlier, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, said that the event was significant to the Corps as it marked its commitment to continuously improve its educational and operational standard and capacity.
Biu, represented by the Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM) Bisi Kazeem, who is in-charge of FRSC Training, said that the Corps was building resiliency and increasing its service delivery capacity by equipping its officers with quality and international standard training.
By: Canice Amadi Enugu
News
PDP Opobo/Nkoro Hails Fubara On Peace, Projects
Stakeholders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Opobo/ Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State have commended the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for his disposition that has fostered peace in the State.
Rising from an expanded stakeholders meeting last Saturday in Opobo Town, the body in an eight-point communique signed by its Chairman, Hon. Benneth Daminabo, Chairman of Council, Rt. Hon. Enyiada Cookey-Gam and LG party Chairman, Warisenibo Godwin Pepple commended the governor for linking Opobo/Nkoro LGA to the national grid.
In addition, it lauded the effort of the governor in pursuing the 50.15 kilometre Dual Carriage Ring Road, Elelenwo internal road, Aleto-Ebubu-Eteo Road in Eleme and Andoni Road projects.
Despite the distractions, the stakeholders said they were impressed that the governor had equally done projects in health-the unveiling of Prof. Kelsey Harrison Hospital, Agric projects at Tai and Oyigbo and improving welfare of civil servants.
In their words, “members reaffirmed their unalloyed loyalty and implicit confidence in his administration.”
Condemning the unfriendly and discourteous utterances of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Tony Okocha in different fora in the State, the forum urged the duo to desist from such action in order not to heat up the polity.
The forum pledged to stand by the governor through, “thick and thin”, the stakeholders acknowledged the contributions of women, who through prayers for the government has impacted positively in the direction and posture of the governor.
Finally, the forum unanimously expressed gratitude to the Simplified Movement and other bodies that have thrown their weight behind the governor to ensure that the administration is stable and successful.
By: Kevin Nengia
News
‘Rivers People Are Now Breathing Fresh Air Under Fubara’
Aformer Caretaker Committee Chairman of Abua/Odual Local Government Council of Rivers State, Hon Elamo Arogu, says under Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the people of the State are now breathing fresh air.
Hon Arogu said Governor Fubara has given Rivers people hope, considering the impactful and people-oriented projects being carried out by his administration.
The former CTC chairman made the assertion during the Simplified Movement’s thanksgiving service and rally held in honour of Rivers State chief executive last Friday in Abua .
Arogu said under Governor Fubara, the Abua/Odual people have the confidence that the dividends of democracy will definitely get to them.
He noted that the Governor has the strong will to change the narrative in Rivers State, being the reason he is receiving massive support across the State.
“The people of Abua/Odual are strongly behind him. Our doors ate open for everyone because there is government in place to attend to the needs of the people. I believe that he will develop Abua/Odual and other Rivers council areas, hence, the massive support. This government is business- oriented and we are ready to encourage him succeed and invest in our land. The issue of a bank; road networks and other necessities of life bordering on development as demanded by the people will be considered by Governor Fubara”, he said.
He called on the opposition to team up with Governor Fubara to build a stronger, united and viable Rivers State.
He maintained that ward nine under his leadership is Simplified.
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