Tinubu says new minimum wage ready for legislative action – Newstrends
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Tinubu says new minimum wage ready for legislative action

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Tinubu says new minimum wage ready for legislative action

President Bola Tinubu said on Wednesday that an agreement had been reached on a new minimum wage between the Federal Government and organised labour.

He stated this in his national broadcast to mark the 2024 Democracy Day in Abuja.
Tinubu added that an executive bill would soon be sent to the National Assembly to legalise the new minimum wage.

He said, “We have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with organised labour on a new national minimum wage.

“We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as part of our law for the next five years or less.”

He said his administration chose a democratic approach over dictatorship in addressing the demands of labour.

“In the face of labour’s call for a national strike, we did not seek to oppress or crack down on the workers as a dictatorial government would have done. We chose the path of cooperation over conflict.

“No one was arrested or threatened. Instead, the labour leadership was invited to break bread and negotiate toward a good-faith resolution. Reasoned discussion and principled compromise are hallmarks of democracy.

“These themes shall continue to animate my policies and interaction with the constituent parts of our political economy,” Tinubu said.

The President added, “I take on this vital task without fear or favour and I commit myself to this work until we have built a Nigeria where no man is oppressed.

“In the end, our national greatness will not be achieved by travelling the easy road. It can only be achieved by taking the right one.

“The words of the American President Franklin Roosevelt certainly ring true: There are many ways of going forward. But only one way of standing still.”

The labour had settled for N250,000 as new minimum wage, while the Federal Government team stayed on N62,000, both proposals were sent to President Tinubu at the close of negotiation on the issue.

This came after several failed meetings between the government and labour unions.

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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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Court orders extradition of Nigerian to US over wire fraud

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Court orders extradition of Nigerian to US over wire fraud

Attorney general of the Federation (AGF) has got the nod of Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to extradite Samuel Abiodun to United States of America to face trial for alleged wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Both offences carry a 20-year jail term.

Justice Akintayo Aluko gave the order on June 14, following AGF’s application filed and argued by Kehinde Fagbemi of Federal Ministry of Justice.

The Federal Government prayed for surrender/extradition of Abiodun, the respondent, to face two counts: “Wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code (U.S.C), Section 1343, carrying a maximum 20-year imprisonment. Count 2: Conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code (U.S.C), Section 1956 (h), carrying a 20-year imprisonment”.

Abiodun, through his counsel, Demola Adekoya, denied the allegations, and challenged, among others, the court’s power to order his extradition.

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But, evaluating the evidence against him, Justice Aluko said Federal Government had sufficient evidence to show Abiodun had a case to answer in America.

He noted the respondent misconceived the issues of the treaty between Nigeria and United States authorising the court to grant an extradition request.

Justice Aluko held: “Leveraging on decision of the Supreme court, the extradition treaty between United States and Great Britain signed in London on December 22, 1931, is binding on Nigeria and enforceable in the case.

“Against this background, the issue is resolved in favour of the applicant against the respondent.

“To this end, there is merit and substance in the application. Judgment is entered for the applicant.

“The application of Attorney General of the Federation for the surrender and extradition of the respondent, Samuel Abiodun, to United States is hereby granted.

“The respondent is further committed to prison custody and shall remain in Nigerian Correctional Service to await decision of the Attorney-General of the Federation for his surrender to United States to face his trial…’’

Court orders extradition of Nigerian to US over wire fraud

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