The Labour Party in Nigeria has called on the workers’ unions to re-negotiate with the government on a new minimum wage rather than embarking on industrial action.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Lagos State.

Ifoh said that the strike was not an option, noting that it would cause more hardship and suffering.

He stated, “Our immediate reaction is that organised labour should not throw Nigerians into more hardship.

“Nigerians are already grappling with a lot of challenges and we do not need to exacerbate the situation. I think the demand for N494,000 minimum wage is unrealistic. It is really unrealistic.

“It is a figure that cannot be sustained because it will imply that Nigeria will take all that money it has to pay the civil servants.”

Ifoh added that the labour union should continue to engage the Federal Government on a figure that would be acceptable to both parties.

“Negotiation should continue until they get something better. Asking Nigerian workers to stay at home will affect everything, including the cost of living and Nigerians cannot afford that now.

“Negotiation is not a one-off thing. If the Federal Government is not willing to go above N60,000 minimum wage, I think that the Organised Labour should work with what is available while it continues to negotiate.

“We know this government has not gotten it right. It is still trying to test the waters,” he added.

He said that the party is against actions that could further cause hardship.

Ifoh was reacting to the declared nationwide strike by the organised labour over its demand for a new minimum wage.

Recall that despite earlier pleas by the Federal Government for consideration, the organised labour on Monday commenced an indefinite strike to push for a new national minimum wage for workers.

The industrial action followed a series of unsuccessful negotiations involving the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the government’s representatives.

On May 28, representatives of labour walked out of the Tripartite Committee meeting on minimum wage after the government increased its offer from N57,000 to N60,000.

Recall that the government and the Organised Private Sector had initially proposed ₦48,000, then ₦54,000 and N57,000, which were all rejected by labour.

The organised labour had also proposed ₦615,000 as a new minimum wage, but later came down to ₦497,000 and then to ₦494,000, to reflect the current rising cost of living.

helinues:


Hahaha, see lame excuse.

Did they add government as their next of kin?

OkpaNsukkaisBae:
Total shut down!

DonXavi:

BadMaster:

Your delusion is not of this world, maybe from a parallel one.

Ofunaofu:


Because you are always online, you think life revolves around being online. Go out and work so that you can appreciate the work Labour is doing. 

helinues:


No, I give it to you.

When it comes to conspiracy theories, you mastered it

SadiqBabaSani:

The Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) has pegged Nigeria’s crude oil production quota for 2025 at 1.5 million barrels daily.

This is against the production benchmark of 1.78mbpd set by the Federal Government.

This was disclosed in a press statement released on Sunday June 2, 2024 after the cartel’s meeting in Vienna, Austria where it set the crude oil production for both OPEC members and the allies for the year 2025.

In the 2024 budget, the federal government set a benchmark production target of 1.78 million barrels of oil daily to achieve revenue projections. However, the country has been struggling to meet its quota of 1.5mbpd.

According to the document seen by Ripples Nigeria, the oil cartel and its allies would produce 39.7 million barrels daily with Saudi Arabia having the largest daily production quota at 10.4 million barrels followed by Russia with 9.9 million bpd.

OPEC members production level was pegged at 24.1 mbpd while non-OPEC members production quota was pegged at 15.5 mbpd totalling 39.7 mbpd.

Other decisions reached by the JMMC include; granting the JMMC the authority to hold OPEC and non-OPEC meetings regularly to review market conditions, extending the period of assessment for the year 2026 to November 2025 etc.

It stated, “Extend the assessment period by the three independent sources to the end of November 2025, to be used as guidance for 2026 reference production levels.”

“Reaffirm the mandate of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) to closely review global oil market conditions, oil production levels, and the level of conformity with the DoC, assisted by the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) and the OPEC Secretariat. The JMMC meeting is to be held every two months.”

“Hold the OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting (ONOMM) every six months in accordance with the ordinary OPEC scheduled conference.”

“Grant the JMMC the authority to hold additional meetings, or to request an OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting at any time to address market developments, whenever deemed necessary.”

The 38th meeting of OPEC members and non-OPEC members would take place in December 2024.

The TUC President, Osifo, in an interview with Arise TV said President Tinubu told him and NLC President, Joe Ajaero that bloated cabinet and hiring of numerous SA's is his way of creating jobs and reducing unemployment.

PresidObi:
That's a measured distraction from the criminals in power

They will continue throwing up irrelevant issues and people will be so occupied that 8 years will pass without anyone noticing, hunger and poverty can be endured when people are tearing themselves apart with the fuel being poured in by the government.

That's the strategy of BAT

Former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has backed activist Aisha Yesufu’s stance against the new national anthem “Nigeria we hail thee.”

Ezekwesili vowed never to sing the new national anthem because President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly breached the Nigerian constitution.

A video of Yesufu had surfaced online where she refused to recite the new national anthem.

Sharing the footage on social media, the activist wrote: “#NotMyNationalAnthem.”

Reacting, Ezekwesili vowed to continue singing the abolished version of the national anthem.

Posting on X, she wrote: “@AishaYesufu, Definitely #NotMyNationalAnthem as I already publicly conveyed.

“In my case, whenever and wherever the National Anthem is called for, I shall continue to sing #AriseOCompatriots as #MyNationalAnthem.

“The Lawmakers @nassnigeria and the @NGRPresident grievously breached the Constitutional provisions and process for amendment of legislation and therefore cannot foist another National Anthem on us.

“I refuse to join them in the Kangaroo Act of violating the Constitution.”

helinues:


Hope you can see all those projects going on in Abuja for a starter. Just a year oo.

Wait for the next 3 years and see how projects would be scattered across Nigeria.

assholemods:

Look at how foolish you are, calling King Charles your rightful king. You are a very pathetic soul! You are a slave and you will remain a slave.

helinues:
NC been secured early.They are long time allies though

StOla:
Sensational headline.

Topic and content are in total disagreement.

Aisha Yesufu cannot respect the National Anthem. Let us see where all the nonsensical behavior will take her to. She may not understand the damage she is doing to herself and her family. Continue.

ChiefJusticeFuc:



Peter Obi will never ever be President of Nigeria.
Let that stick

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission is probing a former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwakwanso, over alleged N2.5bn pension fraud, The PUNCH has learnt.

Our correspondent gathered that Kwakwanso was invited and had been grilled by EFCC interrogators over the development.

A source in the anti-graft agency familiar with the matter but had no authourisation to speak, said, “The commission invited Kwakwanso over the alleged N2.5bn Kano pension funds. We have grilled Kwakwanso over the matter, and he has provided some details to interrogators.”

Another source noted, “Former Kano governor, Kwakwanso has been invited by the commission . He has been grilled, and we’re continuing with our investigation.”

When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale declined comment.

The PUNCH had reported in March 2023 that the Abuja Zonal Command of the EFCC handed over documents of properties and 324 houses recovered for the Kano State pensioners to them.

The EFCC spokesman said the handover of the houses was occasioned by a final forfeiture order granted by Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting Abuja.

He added that the forfeiture was a result of successful investigations carried out by the EFCC over a N4.1bn Pension Trust Fund contributed by the pensioners to own houses, which was fraudulently denied them by two successive administrations in Kano State.

Oyewale said, “The commission investigated a petition by Concerned Kano State Workers and Pensioners of alleged misappropriation of pension funds in the state. Findings by the EFCC showed that the state government entered
into a tripartite agreement with the Kano State Pension Trust Fund to build housing estates for an aggregate sum of N41bn, out of which the Pension Trust Fund was to contribute N4.1bn.

“However, the contribution of the pensioners was used to build the houses in three estates located in Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam Bandirawo city, Sheikh Nasiru Kabara (Amana) city and Sheikh Khalifa Ishaq Rabiu city, all in Kano State and two former governors of the state fraudulently discounted and sold the houses to their cronies and associates, leaving the pension trustees with low budget and uncompleted houses.

“The EFCC stepped in and upon completion of investigation, filed for and acquired a final forfeiture order of the 324 properties to the Kano State Pension Fund Trustees.

“While handing over the documents of the 324 properties worth N4.1bn to the pensioners on Monday, March18, 2024, the Abuja Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Adeniyi Adebayo, assured that the EFCC would continue to do its best to rid the nation of fraudulent practices.

“Representatives of the Kano State Pension Board, Alhaji Hassan Muhammed Aminu, Kubra Ahmad Bichi and Salisu Yakubu Abubakar, who received the documents on behalf of the workers and pensioners, expressed delight and joy with the EFCC for assisting them in recovering their houses.”

The EFCC probe of Kwankwaso comes amid political tension between the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party he leads in Kano and the All Progressives Congress led by the immediate-past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Last week, the state Assembly loyal to Kwankwanso’s political godson and incumbent governor, Abba Yusuf, reversed the splitting of the Kano emirate into five by Ganduje in 2020.

Yusuf restored a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, who Ganduje dethroned as the Emir of Kano during his administration in 2020.

DonMarkuzi:
Fear of the TVC phonetics lady make guyman Japa.

Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, has denied snubbing newsmen who honoured his ministry’s invitation for a news conference in Abuja.

Recall the minister allegedly walked out on the newsmen during his turn to present this ministry’s scorecard after one year of President Bola Tinubu’s Presidency.

However, Umahi, while speaking with newsmen in Abakaliki after participating in activities marking Gov. Francis Nwifuru’s one year in office described the allegation as untrue.

The minister said he only wanted to appreciate selected media houses for their commendable coverage of his ministry’s activities.

“They all worked hard for us during President Bola Tinubu ‘s inauguration of projects in Lagos and I wanted to thank them profusely.

“I wanted the appreciation to be surprising to the selected media houses but my media aide didn’t handle it properly.”

He said the event was fixed for 2 pm on May. 28 but his aide told him that those set of journalists were covering an inauguration.

“We then shifted the event to 3 pm though my flight to Ebonyi for the governor’s inauguration of projects was also slated for the same time.

“My aide informed me that the event was set for 3.30 pm but when I got to the ministry’s hall, there was no single camera.

“The only camera on sight was from my ministry and I became very angry with the aide,” he said.

Umahi said he demanded that the event be shifted to Monday, June 3 because if it had been held, the surprise element would have been defeated.

“I will also be faced with a number of journalists that I couldn’t handle so my media aide did not handle it properly.

“Reports of shunning journalists, therefore, do not exist because I cannot invite and shun them at the same time,” the minister added.

He said that he would still offer appreciation to the group of media houses he considered special to the ministry.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has revealed that the Kaduna Refinery was not calibrated to process Nigeria’s crude oil.

Lokpobiri made the shocking revelation on Wednesday when he featured in a Channels TV programme to speak on President Bola Tinubu’s first year in office.

“What I said was that Nigeria had always imported crude based on the peculiarities of the refineries. And that is why I was giving example of the Kaduna Refinery. We were importing crude oil from Venezuela.

“Nigeria’s crude is one of the lightest crude in the world. It is one of the sweetest crude in the world. Some refineries are not calibrated for that.

“That was why the Kaduna Refinery was one that was meant to refine very thick crude oil. So, they were importing from Venezuela. So, it is not happening for the first time,” Lokpobiri said.

When I wanted to do primaries, one man, a fellow contestant, gathered his supporters and friends together and then said, "All that is needed is energization. Once I do that I will win." So he then brought money and energized everybody. When the primaries was done, the man who energized everybody only got 4 votes. After the primaries, the man came to meet me. He said, "I only got 4 votes, and one of the votes was an invalid vote, so I only got 3 votes. 3, after I energized everybody, ah"? So let us learn to energize our people. I don't mean energize with money, 0! I mean with good governance.