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Minimum wage negotiation: FG asks labour to avert mass sacking

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Minimum wage negotiation: FG asks labour to avert mass sacking

The Federal Government has urged the labour unions to negotiate a new minimum wage that would not lead to mass retrenchment of workers, or jeopardise the welfare of about 200 million Nigerians

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, while speaking at the opening of the 2024 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday, noted that the ₦250,000 minimum wage demanded by labour, could undermine the economy.

However, the labour unions refuted President Bola Tinubu’s claims during his Democracy Day broadcast on Wednesday that an agreement had been reached on the new national minimum wage.

Acting President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Prince Adewale Adeyanju,  while attending an International Labour Organisation conference in Geneva, Switzerland, said as of the time negotiations ended on June 7,  no agreement had been reached by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage.

“The NLC would have expected that the advisers of the President would have told him that we neither reached any agreement with the federal government and the employers on the base figure for a National Minimum Wage nor on its other components,” the NLC said in a statement by Adewale Adeyanju standing in for Joe Ajaero who is in Geneva, Switzerland, for the ILO Conference.

“Our demand still remains ₦250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand Naira) only and we have not been given any compelling reasons to change this position which we consider a great concession by Nigerian workers during the tripartite negotiation process.”

The NLC said it had not reached any agreement with the Federal Government on a new minimum wage.

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“There was none and it is important that we let the President, Nigerians, and other national stakeholders understand this immediately to avoid a mix-up in the ongoing conversation around the national minimum wage. We have also not seen a copy of the document submitted to him and will not accept any doctored document.”

The NLC maintained its stance on not accepting “any national minimum wage figure that approximates to a starvation wage”.

“We cannot be working and yet remain in abject poverty. We seek justice, equity, and fairness for all Nigerians and this we hope would also drive the actions of Mr. President who promised a Living Wage to Nigerian workers. This is an opportunity to show that he listens to Nigerians as he promised!” NLC’s statement read.

But speaking at the opening of the 2024 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday, the information Minister emphasised the imperative of a realistic wage system that safeguards against mass retrenchment while addressing workers’ needs.

Idris restated the government’s dedication to reassessing the minimum wage but cautioned against demands that could disrupt the economy.

He stated: “As I have repeatedly said, the Federal Government is not opposed to the increase of wages for Nigerian workers but we keep on advocating for a realistic and sustainable wage system for the workers – a wage system that will not undermine the economy, lead to mass retrenchment of workers and jeopardise the welfare of about 200 million Nigerians.

“We want the labour unions to understand that the relief that Nigerians are expecting, and that they fully deserve, will not come only in the form of an increase in wages.”

“It will also come as efforts to reduce the cost of living and to ensure that more money stays in the pockets of Nigerians. And this is where programs like the Presidential CNG initiative come in. That program alone, by replacing or complementing petrol usage with CNG, will cut transportation costs by as much as 50 per cent.”

Minimum wage negotiation: FG asks labour to avert mass sacking

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Unpatriotic politicians told Ado Bayero to challenge dethronement – Kano gov

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Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf

Unpatriotic politicians told Ado Bayero to challenge dethronement – Kano gov

Governor Kabir Yusuf of Kano State says the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, is being incited to go against the State government and constituted authority.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Sanusi Bature, Yusuf said some unpatriotic politicians implored Bayero to fight back after his dethronement.

Bature said the scramble for the emir of the ancient city was political and unnecessary.

He spoke when he featured on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Wednesday, stating that the unpatriotic politicians are behind the court case challenging Bayero deposition by the Kano State Government.

Bature recounted that Emir Muhammed Sanusi never challenged the former state government when he was deposed in 2019.

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Recall that Governor Yusuf had dethroned Aminu Bayero while reinstating Sanusi as the Emir of Kano in May.

This followed the decision of the state Assembly to repeal the 2019 Kano Emirate law.

However, Bature said: “We wanted him to vacate the palace because it’s used as a guest house and a graveyard, we want it renovated quickly so that it can serve its purpose. When the governor reinstated the Emir and had given 48 hours for all the other emirs to vacate their palaces.

“Ado Bayero in his own wisdom decided to remove his family and everything belonging to him from the palace. When I was there, the place was so empty when Sanusi entered.

“But some unpatriotic politicians from and outside Kano decided to ignite him to come back to Kano and strike a fight which is unnecessary. Some of the unpatriotic politicians are behind the filing of the court case, like it or not, there is politics here.

“Emir Aminu Ado Bayero was appointed after the dethronement of Sanusi but why didn’t Sanusi fight back at that time?”

Unpatriotic politicians told Ado Bayero to challenge dethronement – Kano gov

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Oyo begins recruitment of 7,000 teachers, opens portal

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Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde

Oyo begins recruitment of 7,000 teachers, opens portal

The Oyo State government, on Tuesday, opened a portal for the recruitment of 7,000 teachers for the state’s public primary schools.

The Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Nureni Adeniran, told newsmen that the job portal was scheduled to come alive at 6 pm on Tuesday.

The site link for the application is subeb.jobportal.oyostate.gov.ng.

Adeniran said the recruitment was part of the state government’s bid to reduce unemployment among its citizenry.

The portal, according to Adeniran, would register each candidate with his/her email, phone number and National Identification Number, among other requirements, with a view to providing them with jobs suitable for them, either as teachers or caregivers.

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“The government of Oyo State wants to expand the job space in the basic education sub-sector and those who are interested in working as caregivers.

“Education is a major pillar of Governor Seyi Makinde ‘s administration. We are going to have an inclusive government that will utilise valuable potential that abounds in the state and that’s why we are employing new primary school teachers.

“Applicants can channel their complaints, or challenges encountered in the process of the online application through the support service to the phone number and email provided on the website for free support services,” Adeniran said.

Oyo begins recruitment of 7,000 teachers, opens portal

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FG engages local refiners on products pricing, dismisses dirty fuel import report

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FG engages local refiners on products pricing, dismisses dirty fuel import report

The Federal Government has met with local refiners of crude oil on a number of issues including pricing of their products and exportation to other countries.

The meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday also involving oil market provided an opportunity to clear the air on a report of dirty fuel being imported into the country as claimed by Dangote Refinery.

Oil marketers stated the meeting that though local refineries were producing some refined products, it would not stop them from patronising other sources, in addition to buying from the indigenous producers.

The Federal Government through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, while reacting to claims of dirty fuel importation to Nigeria, said the refined petroleum products with high-sulphur contents were last imported in February.

This, it said, had since been addressed by the regulator.

Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, NMDPRA, Ogbugo Ukoha, said

“The NMDPRA today engaged with select marketers who are involved in the importation of AGO (diesel), ATK (aviation fuel) and PMS (petrol), as well as refiners of these products. The singular objective is to continue to collaborate in a manner that guarantees energy security within the country,” he stated.

He said discussions at the meeting covered issues of pricing and competition, adding that the agency would continue to engage with operators “to see that we land at a place where it is ultimately beneficial to Nigerians.”

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He added, “On May 14, 2024, the authority hosted a meeting with marketers. We also had an engagement with refiners separately. What is different today is that both refiners and marketers are around the table, and the singular objective of today’s meeting was to continue to deliberate on how we will guarantee fuel supply stability within a fairly priced market.

“There are several issues that came with that, such as pricing issues, competition, quality, etc. Some of these issues will be ongoing, but all it requires will be continuous engagements and consultations.”

He also spoke on claims that the government was trying to force marketers to buy products from a refinery in Nigeria.

The NMDPRA official said, “What we have in Nigeria is a deregulated market that remains open.

“The law that governs us, which is the PIA, makes several provisions and the authority continues to work towards operationalising all of them. So that’s the guarantee we give, that in the fullness of time, all aspects of the PIA will be operationalised.”

Asked to state the refined product that was considered by parties at the meeting, Ukoha said, “Currently, the refiners locally are producing substantial volumes of AGO (diesel), ATK (aviation fuel) and we have assurances that shortly PMS will also kick in. There are also other intermediate products being produced.”

“There is no dirty fuel that is being brought into Nigeria,” Ukoha declared when asked to react to the allegations levelled against the NMDPRA by a senior official of the Dangote refinery.

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It was reported on Monday that the Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority of granting licences indiscriminately to marketers to import dirty refined products into the country.

Responding to this on Tuesday, the Federal Government’s agency insisted that it had adopted all the stipulated procedures required for the importation of refined petroleum products into Nigeria to halt the inflow of dirty fuels.

It further stated that refineries in Nigeria were also taking steps to see that the refined products that they produce conformed with the standards approved by ECOWAS for the region.

The Group Managing Director, RainOil Ltd, Gabriel Ogbeche, said marketers were free to source products anywhere, but noted that local refiners were being patronised.

“One of the things we’ve agreed is that there’s going to continually be a level playing field between the marketers and refiners. We will continue to collaborate for the best interest of the industry,” he said.

Asked to state the challenges faced by marketers operating in the downstream sector which they would want the government to address, Ogbeche replied, “Up till today we have options and I can assure you that all the major marketers have been patronising the local refineries and we will continue. We also have the option of getting products from other sources and to the best of our knowledge that has not changed, even though conversations around that are ongoing.”

FG engages local refiners on products pricing, dismisses dirty fuel import report

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