Education
READ President Buhari Take on NLC Demands of N30,000 Minimum Wage
The NLC had asked President Muhammadu Buhari to submit the N30,000 NLC Minimum Wage implementation bill to the National Assembly for passage by December 31 last year or face a nationwide strike action.
BREAKING NEWS
NLC Ayuba Wabba – On NLC Minimum Wage
With the deadline unmet, the NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, had said the Tuesday strike had become imminent despite a federal government offer for a resolution meeting schedule for January 8.
Authoritative presidency sources, however, told NPBS NG Wednesday that the president is making efforts to resolve the NLC Minimum wage dispute, which threatens to further obstruct the nation’s fragile economy should the strike hold.
State governors under the auspices of Nigerian Governors Forum had objected to N30,000 NLC minimum wage as the baseline wage bill for the federation on the grounds that most of the states could not afford it.
Offering N22,500, the governors said anything more would send most of the states into insolvency. But labour disagreed, contending that N30,000 was a compromised figured, which if diligently pursued would be realisable.
Buhari, according to our sources, had intervened, asking the governors to reconsider their stand and find ways of acceding to the workers’ demand.
“The president met with the representatives of the governors and appealed to them to plug areas of waste as a way of securing the funds to meet the workers’ demand,” a source told us.
He said the governors had agreed to heed the advice of the president and had gone back to evaluate their finances, adding that what was needed was some more time for the governors to report progress to the president.
“Certainly, the governors need to come back to the president with their revised position before he could proceed to the National Assembly with an implementation bill,” another presidency source told our source.
Stating that time, though now a scarce commodity, was what was needed to resolve the logjam, he explained that even if the president was minded to proceed to the National Assembly with the bill as requested by labour, the federal legislators had been on Christmas break, adding that there was no way the NLC’s demand could have been met.
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“The National Assembly had been on break. And so, even if the president is to overrule the governors on this, there is no way the National Assembly can reconvene before the Friday deadline given by labour,” he said.
Wabba had called on the federal government wednesday to urgently transmit the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly for a speedy passage.
He said, “It is unfortunate that the federal government is yet to transmit to the National Assembly an executive bill for the enactment of N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.
“Government’s dilly-dallying on the issue has strained government-labour relations with a potential for a major national strike, which could just be days away.
“I want to appeal to the government to do the needful by urgently transmitting the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.
“We also would like to use this same opportunity to urge workers to fully mobilise for a prolonged national strike and enforce their right.”
Explaining that the strike would become inevitable as the last option for labour, the NLC president called on all Nigerians and businesses to understand and support it.
He, however, assured workers that their labour, patience and diligence would not be in vain.
Wabba said the NLC leadership remains committed to giving all it takes to ensure workers get just and fair wages in a decent work environment appropriate to their well-being.
STILL ON AYUBA WABBA’S HEROICS ON NLC MINIMUM WAGE
He added that the NLC leadership is similarly committed to social protection for workers.
According to him, “The new year presents great opportunities for workers, pensioners, civil society allies and their friends and families to put their numbers to good use.
“This is by voting out, not on the basis of tribe or religion but purely policy, any candidate that cannot serve their interest.
“In the year that is ahead of us, the NLC remains unequivocally committed to the national and workers’ goals which include the campaign for industrialisation, against selective enforcement of “No Work, No Pay” policy of government, among others.”
The N30,000 new minimum wage, which was a compromise figure arrived at by the Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee comprised of the government (federal and states), organised private sector and the organised public sector was contained in the report forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari. Labour had initially proposed N66, 500, while the federal government proposed N24,500 at the negotiation meeting before the N30,000 was adopted.
However, wednesday the federal government said it would meet with the union on Friday.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said government had invited executives of the organised labour for a meeting at the Conference Hall of the ministry.
General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, said the labour had received letter from the labour ministry for a meeting on Friday.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a notice to all its structures and organs to commence mobilisation for mass action against the federal government, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).
This was contained in a statement signed by the association’s president, Danielson Akpan.
The ASUU commenced a nationwide strike on November 4 after the lecturers accused the federal government of not implementing previous agreements.
The association had earlier issued an ultimatum of two weeks to the federal government, ASUU and ASUP on December 23, to call off the strike or face confrontation.
Customs Corner
Nigeria Customs Seeks Support of Traditional Rulers to Educate Subjects Against Smuggling
Author: Lucy Nyambi.
The Nigeria Customs Service has appealed to Traditional Rulers in border communities to support the service by educating their subjects against smuggling and assisting the NCS in its anti-smuggling activities.
The Comptroller-General Customs Service (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, made the appeal at a one-day workshop for the creation of Nigeria’s Platform for Local Authorities Along Nigeria-Benin International Boundary on Monday, 26 February 2024. In Ibadan, Oyo State.
The workshop had in attendance, His Excellency Adebayo Lawal, Deputy Governor and Chairman of Oyo State Boundary Committee, Her Excellency Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Deputy Governor and Chairman, Ogun State Boundary Committee, Adamu Adaji, Director General, National Boundary Commission, Traditional Rulers, Local Government Chairmen of Border Communities, representatives of heads of security agencies, among others.
Speaking at the event, the CGC, who was represented by the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, ACG Hammi Swomen, emphasized the importance of the workshop to the mandates of the service.
He stated that the workshop is timely and the Service views it with great importance, “it is significant in view of our mandates in controlling movement of goods across our borders in and out of the country, protection of Nigerian Economy, collection of revenue and accounting for same, trade facilitation and implementation of National and International protocols, including the ECOWAS protocols on the free movement of persons and goods.”
He noted that the Service is working increasingly to educate border communities and doing so with strategic stakeholders such as traditional rulers, local and state governments.
He, therefore, appealed to traditional rulers to give the service the needed support by educating their subjects against smuggling and assist the NCS in its anti-smuggling activities.
His words, “I will, at this point, like to appeal to the traditional rulers to give the Service the necessary support in educating their subjects against smuggling and assist the Service in its anti-smuggling activities. It will greatly help the Service and other security agencies where development is brought to our border areas”.
On his part, the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Adebayo Lawal, urged the DG National Boundary Commission to come up quickly with a Bill to be presented before the National Assembly in a way that will increase the budgetary provisions annually to cater for all the challenges faced by border communities.
Adamu Adaji, DG National Boundary Commission, stated that the workshop is intended to sensitize the people on unity and integration along the borderline.
“It is a workshop intended to sensitize our people to the fact that we have a boundary, but it is not unmindful of the fact that the people of Nigeria and Benin Republic share so much in common.”
“We want to take advantage of the oneness of these people along the border corridor, to see how we can enhance corporation which will help a long way to combat security challenges and promote cross border corporation and development of the border areas of the two nations.” He concluded.
Author: Muhammad Bashir.
The Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC) Gwagwalada, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Kingsley Egwuh, lauded the unwavering support of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR for the College’s training initiatives.
ACG Egwuh extended his commendation during a recent interaction at his Office on Wednesday, February 7th, 2024, following a two-day capacity-building workshop focused on installing Virtual Reality Technology systems.
He said, “Under CGC Adeniyi’s leadership, the NCCSC has undergone significant advancements, including the establishment of a Language Lab, the provision of advanced training for officers, and the introduction of new courses.”
The Commandant added, “These transformations reflect the CGC’s commitment to equipping customs officers with contemporary knowledge and skills essential for effective service delivery.”
Emphasizing the significance of the VRT training supported by the World Customs Organization and Customs Corporation of Korea, ACG Egwuh underscored its role in enhancing Officers’ understanding of physical inspection procedures at ports.
He highlighted the pivotal role of trained officers in disseminating acquired knowledge to facilitate broader adoption of technology-based capacity-building initiatives within the Customs Service.
ACG Egwuh applauded CGC Adeniyi’s strategic policy framework, centered on consolidation, collaboration, and innovation, to enhance Officers’ exposure to technological advancements.
Describing his appointment as a call to service, he emphasized the critical role of the NCCSC in training and retraining Officers, as well as grooming middle-level Officers for higher responsibilities, especially in leadership and weapon handling, amongst other fields.
With an annual training capacity of at least 250 Officers, comprising Superintendents of Customs and Chief Superintendents, the Commandant highlighted the College’s pivotal role in upholding service standards and enhancing the reputation of the Nigeria Customs Service.
He reiterated CGC Adeniyi’s steadfast support for the College’s programs, underscoring its significant contribution to the Service’s operational excellence.
Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, on Sunday said a total of 1,837,011 candidates were successfully captured in the registration for the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) programme
An estimated revenue of a total of N8.6 billion was generated. Out of the lump sum, a total of 776 computer-based test centres that took part in the exercise will share an estimated amount of N1.3 billion at the rate of N700 per candidate registered by each of the centres.
The Board also pledged support for the CBT centre owners over the sudden increase in the prices of diesel and the erratic power supply suffered nationwide recently.
Read Also: JAMB Announces Date for 2022 UTME, DE Registration
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