News

Femi Falana’s ASCAB Backs NLC’s Protest Against Naira Scarcity

Published

2 years ago

March 26, 2023

National Chairman, Alliance on Surviving Coving and Beyond (ASCAB) and human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana has thrown his weight behind the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over planned industrial action against the naira scarcity caused by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) naira redesign policy.

In a recent letter titled, ‘Solidarity with the NLC For Planned Action Over to the Cash Crisis’, addressed to Joe Ajaero, NLC President, Falana lamented that two million Point of Sales jobs (PoS) have crumbled because of the naira scarcity.

He, then, said ASCAB would give all its support to NLC to call for members nationwide to sit at home from Wednesday, as a protest to challenge CBN over the hardship it has brought on millions of Nigerians.

The statement read, “I am pleased to be able to send solidarity greetings from ASCAB to the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). These are for the decision to call for action by your members over the lingering cash crisis. We hope that this action will be implemented, as planned, and as soon as possible, as we cannot overemphasise the trauma that the cash restriction policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is causing, especially to poor families.

“We understand that many of the members of your member bodies have faced severe dally difficulties in finding cash to travel to work over the last two months. So calling for members of the public sector trade unions of NLC to stay at home is nothing less than necessary and practical advice.

“For people working in the informal economy the cash restrictions have been nothing less than catastrophic. The whole POS business sector, for example, that employed approaching two million people, has now been put out of business. Markets and other areas of the informal sector have also been extremely affected by the lack of cash. Millions of poor people are now Suffering a further significant cut in their merger incomes.

“This means that millions of people now go hungry on a daily basis, whilst 60% of the population were merely multi-dimensionally poor before the cash crisis started. Like the lock-down and the closure of the boarders in 2020, this is another devastation forced on the mass of poor people by the Government.

“Millions of members of the NLC member trade unions are now suffering a further reduction in their living standards that they can afford. Over the last four years, since the minimum wage should have been last increased, prices generally have a least doubled- or putting another way, workers can now only buy half of what they could in early 2019.

“This shows how important it is that the minimum wage is increased again, as soon as possible. In fact the International Labour Organisation (ILO) says that such minimum wages should be increased every year and this does in fact happen in most countries in this situation, it is catastrophic for most working familles that they have to struggle to find cash every day to travel to work, to buy food and to try and cope with the situation when any of their family falls ill, it is vitally important that the NLC has now called action over this issue and we hope that the promised action is carried through as soon as possible.

“The immediate prospects for working people do not look good. The president elect has promised that he will end the fuel subsidy in June. The National Bureau of Statistics recently said that the price of petrol has increased by over 50% in the last year. The price of diesel, now at well over N800 per litre, gives some indication of the likely impact of the end of the fuel subsidy. We hope that the NLC will take appropriate action to address this threat.

“ASCAB provides its full solidarity for the action promised by the NLC which if anything is over due. We look forward to being able to assist with the pickets of the CBN offices in every state and providing any support that we can for the planned stay at home action from next Wednesday, 29th March.

“We look forward to future co-operation between ASCAB and the NLC.”

News

FG Makes History Compulsory Subject In Primary, Secondary Schools

Published

13 hours ago

September 17, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government has announced the reintroduction of Nigerian History as a compulsory subject from primary to senior secondary school, 16 years after it was removed from the curriculum in 2009, under the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration.

The Federal Ministry of Education announced this in a statement posted on its X handle on Wednesday.

It said the reintroduction aimed at strengthening national identity, unity, and patriotism among diverse citizens.

“For the first time in decades, Nigerian pupils will study History continuously from Primary 1 to JSS3, while SSS1–3 students will take the new Civic and Heritage Studies, integrating History with Civic Education.

“Primary 1–6: Pupils will learn about Nigeria’s origins, heroes, rulers, culture, politics, economy, religions, colonial rule, and post-independence governance.

“JSS1–3: Students will study civilisations, empires, trade, European contacts, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values,” the statement read.

The Ministry said the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, CON, together with the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing the reform.

“They emphasised that History is not merely a record of the past, but a vital foundation for shaping responsible and patriotic citizens.”

According to the Ministers, the reform is a priceless gift to the nation, reconnecting children with their roots while inspiring pride, unity, and commitment to national development.

The Ministry has released the revised curriculum and will retrain teachers, provide resources, and strengthen monitoring.

The former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua-led government in 2009 removed history from Nigeria’s basic education curriculum.

Then, it was justified that students were avoiding it with the claim that there were few jobs for history graduates, and that there was dearth of history teachers.

In 2022, the Ministry of Education under former Minister Adamu Adamu inaugurated the reintroduction of the subject.

The Ministry also trained history teachers at the basic education level in Abuja.

However, history has always remained optional in the few schools that offer it.

News

Police Announce Burial Arrangements For Ex-IG Arase

Published

14 hours ago

September 17, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force has released the burial arrangements for former Inspector-General of Police Solomon Ehigiator Arase, who died on August 31, 2025, at the age of 69.

Arase, who served as the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police, was described by the Force as a dedicated officer remembered for his leadership, philanthropy and commitment to police reforms.

According to the programme of events signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, released on Wednesday, the burial rites will begin in Abuja on September 24 with a Day of Tribute at the Nigeria Police Resource Centre, Jabi.

A requiem mass will follow on September 26 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, while a lying-in-state is scheduled for September 27 at his Abuja residence. His body will then depart for Benin City, Edo State.

In his hometown, Sabongida Ora, a candlelight procession is slated for September 29.

A valedictory session organised by the Edo State judiciary and the Nigerian Bar Association will hold at the Edo State High Court, Benin, on October 2.

Other activities include a service of songs at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Airport Road, Benin, on October 2, followed by a family lying-in-state.

The funeral mass will take place on October 3 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, after which interment will be held at his private residence in Benin City.

A reception is planned at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, while a thanksgiving mass will round off the events on October 5.

Arase, who held national honours including CFR, and was also a PhD holder, was appointed Inspector-General of Police in April 2015 and retired in June 2016.

He died at Cedarcrest Hospital in Abuja after a brief illness.

News

Lagos Begins Monitoring As Schools Resume

Published

14 hours ago

September 17, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Education Quality Assurance, has commenced the monitoring of schools for compliance with standards as students resumed activities this week.

The OEQA spokesperson, Adepeju Adeyemi, said in a Wednesday statement sent to newsmen that the inspection began on Monday across the state for schools below the tertiary level.

The monitoring team, led by the Coordinating Director of OEQA, Remi Abdul, visited several schools, including Dolphin Senior High School, Lagos Island, where the team was received by the Principal/Director, Comfort Agunlejika.

Abdul explained that the purpose of the monitoring was to ensure compliance with the approved resumption date as stated in the Year 2025/2026 Harmonised Academic Calendar.

The PUNCH reports that basic and secondary schools in Lagos resumed on September 15, 2025, for the First Term of the Y2025/2026 session.

According to the approved 2025/2026 harmonised calendar made available to our correspondent, the First Half of the term is scheduled for September 15 to October 31, 2025, with a duration of 34 days. The second half will commence from November 10 to December 19, 2025, with a duration of 34 days. In between the halves are Open Day and Mid-Term Break.

Abdul noted that the monitoring team deployed was also verifying whether school administrators held pre-resumption meetings and whether key teaching and statutory records, such as lesson notes, diaries, and makeshift attendance registers, were in place for the smooth take-off of the new academic session.

“While addressing SSS 3 students, Abdul encouraged them to take their academics seriously, noting that how well they perform this term would determine their transition to higher education. He urged them to read well, stay focused, avoid skipping classes and begin early preparation for their WASSCE examinations,” the statement said.

He also encouraged teachers to remain dedicated and committed to delivering quality education.