News

Less Than 24 Hours To Strike, Labour Talks Tough, FG Begs

Published

2 years ago

June 2, 2024

Less than 24 hours after to start of the nationwide strike over a new national minimum wage and hike in electricity tariff, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has directed its state councils across the country to ensure total compliance.

This came to light on a day unions in the oil, electricity, financial and other critical sectors pledged total support for the indefinite strike declared by NLC and its counterpart, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC.

Recall that the two labour centres, last Friday, announced an indefinite nationwide strike from tomorrow (Monday) over the government’s failure to agree on a new national minimum wage and reverse the recent hike in electricity tariff.

NLC and TUC leaders had, on Workers Day, celebrations given the Federal Government a May 31 deadline to conclude the negotiations on a new national minimum wage or risk nationwide industrial unrest.

The tripartite committee on a new National Minimum Wage set up by the government failed to make a decision on a new national minimum wage after about four meetings.

Labour leaders had walked out of the meetings three times after rejecting government and the Organised Private Sector, OPS, offers.

Incidentally, the last walkout on Friday happened on a day the deadline labour gave the government to conclude a new minimum wage lapsed, as the old minimum wage of N30,000 that was signed into law by former President Muhammad Buhari on April 18, 2019, expired on April 18, 2024.

Earlier on May 31, organised labour negotiators had walked out of the meeting for a third time, over the refusal by government to make a new offer beyond the N60,000 it put forward.

It was gathered that the negotiations hit a brick wall when the government and the organised private sector, OPS, remained adamant on the N60,000 offers they made earlier on Tuesday.

Recall that organised labour’s negotiating team had, Tuesday May 28, for the second time in two weeks, walked out of the committee meeting after the Federal Government increased its offer to N60,000 from the N57,000 it offered on May 22.

Labour’s negotiating team had, on May 15, walked out of the tripartite committee meeting after the government offered N48,000 and Organised Private Sector, OPS, offered N54,000, against the N615,000.

Directive to state councils
NLC, in a circular by its General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, to all its state councils, among others, said “This is to inform you of the commencement of the proposed indefinite nationwide strike beginning on Monday, June 3, 2024, as a result of the failure of the Nigerian state to agree on a new national minimum wage and subsequently pass it into law before the end of this month as they were notified; Reverse the hike in electricity tariff without consulting the stakeholders as required by the law to N225/kwh back to N66/kwh and Stop the apartheid categorisation of Nigerian electricity consumers into Bands.

“We kindly request all State Councils to mobilise all their affiliates and members across the state to stay away from work commencing Midnight, this Sunday to ensure a comprehensive closure of all workplaces.

“Do please, set up joint Action Committees with the Trade Union Congress in your state for effective coordination of the strike action. We would be glad to receive continuous updates of your effort. Do remember that the success of this action is dependent on our collective determination and resolve.”

No agreement, no end

Also speaking on whether organised labour will call off action should government call and offer a higher amount, President of NLC, Joe Ajaero said: “Government can only call for a continuation of the negotiation not by an award. They can’t say come, we are giving you this.

“We have to sit down and negotiate from where we are today. It is like calling us tomorrow to say let us continue with the negotiation. Now we will negotiate from there, but not to call us to say we are giving you N10 or N20, that will be out of the concept of negotiation.

“Calling us does not mean agreement. Until we sign an agreement on what is mutually agreeable by the parties, action will be on. But action is not such that we will not equally negotiate, because the two parties are now going to negotiate under duress. We are under pressure. That is the meaning of this. So the earlier we resolve it, the better for us.”

On mobilisation at the state level, Ajaero said: “When you hear the National Executive Council, NEC, of any labour centre, it comprises all the states and all the unions. That is the situation, and that is where we got this mandate.

“You equally witnessed it on May Day when all workers gathered nationwide, and this pronouncement was made. In fact, it was a public one. it is not like there were two or three people. It was mass based.

“As of today, there is no minimum wage for Nigerian workers. Technically, the minimum wage had expired on the 18th of April. As of now, we are operating without any law backing up the minimum wage. They were talking about a 100 per cent increase.

“That is what they have offered, but the 100 per cent increase amounts to one loaf of bread per day for 30 days .They are not looking at the quality or the value of what they are offering to us.

“Those are the issues that we are looking at and all of us must address it because it is tight. There is nobody that can move on with this arrangement being done with inflation and devaluation. Everything is open.

“If we take even the N600,000 we are proposing today, by next week, it will not make any impact. So, we have to look at them holistically and see what we can do to save the working class in Nigeria. We are not doing a strike that will be one month without a bite.

“I’m not sure where you have labour centres in a country embarking on a strike for one month and you don’t listen to them.

“What we will be praying for is for the people who are suffering so much because they are some of our people. That was why we were reluctant. That was why we were virtually telling them to let us find a solution.

“When we were in the meeting today (yesterday) we told them we have to be here and allow you to go and get a mandate.

“We are ready to sleep here to allow you to get a mandate to come back to this meeting. They said no, we should just allow them whenever they get a mandate. That it is difficult to see even the President and that they do not have access and all that. Then they did not come out with anything.

“We found ourselves in a helpless situation. So, that is where we are now. Everybody should be patient with us.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, NUBIFIE, and other critical sector unions have already written to their members to ensure total compliance.

In a circular to all levels of the union leaders, NUPENG’s General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, said: “We bring you fraternal greetings from the National Secretariat of our great union.

“This is to notify all our members and branches in all oil and gas installations, operations and services including distribution and marketing of petroleum products, that our great union is fully committed to ensuring total compliance with the directive of the Nigerian Labour Congress issued on Friday, May 31, 2024, for an indefinite nationwide strike commencing from Monday, June 3, 2024.

“As a union, we are deeply concerned and disturbed with the insensitive and irresponsive attitude of the federal government to the very critical issue of negotiating a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers in view of the various social economic policies of this administration that have impoverished the working people of this country.

“Leaders of our great union at all levels, from the units, Zones and Branches, should immediately put all processes in place to ensure total compliance with this directive Our solidarity remains constant because the union makes us strong. The struggle continues. And we shall overcome.”

Similarly, NUBIFIE, in a directive by its President and General Secretary, Abakpa Sheikh, said: “This is to inform all NUBIFIE organs that NLC has directed all its affiliates to commence an indefinite strike beginning from Monday, June 3, 2024. The import of the strike is to compel the federal government to agree on a new national minimum wage and subsequently pass it into law before the end of this month as they were notified, reverse the hike in electricity tariff without consulting the stakeholders as required by the law to N225/kwh back to N66/kwh and Stop the apartheid categorization of Nigerian electricity into Bands.

“In total compliance with the directives from the NLC, you are hereby directed to mobilize for effective participation in your respective Zonal Councils/Domestic Committee and ensure total compliance.”

Also, a notice by the President and Acting General of NUEE, Adebiyi Adeyeye and Dominic Igwebike, said “With reference to the circular from NLC dated May 31, 2024, we are to mobilise and embark on an indefinite nationwide strike starting Monday, June 3, 2024, by 0.00hour due to the following failure of the Nigerian government to implement and sign into law the new national minimum wage on or before 31st May 2024, Non-reversal of the electricity tariff which was hiked from N65/kwh to N225/kwh without consulting the stakeholders as required by the law and Apartheid categorization of Nigeria electricity consumers into bands.

“Given the above, all National, State, and Chapter executives are requested to start the mobilization of our members in total compliance with this directive to ensure the Government does the right thing as stated above.

“You are encouraged to work with the leadership of State Executive Councils (SEC) of the Congress in your various states to have a successful action. The withdrawal of services becomes effective Sunday 2nd June by 12.00 midnight.”

In the same vein, the President-General of MWUN, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, in a statement through the union’s head of Media, John Ikemefuna, directed members in the nation’s ports “to comply with the directive of both NLC and TUC to join in the indefinite total lockdown of the country commencing from Monday, June 3, 2024.

“The indefinite nationwide strike has become very imperative, given the failure of the federal government on the logjam and the inconclusive national minimum wage negotiation and refusal to reverse the hard biting hike in electricity tariff.

“Given the foregoing, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria has directed its members in all ports nationwide, jetties, terminals, oil & gas platforms to effectively ensure the total compliance of the strike as directed by the NLC and TUC. This is also to serve as notice to all our concerned stakeholders in the Maritime sector.”
VANGUARD

News

Nigeria Army Alone Cannot Defeat Bandits — Sheikh Gumi

Published

13 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has said the Nigerian military cannot defeat bandit groups through force, arguing that dialogue remains the only path to resolving insecurity in the northwest and other regions.

In an interview with the BBC, Gumi stated that modern armies worldwide struggle against guerrilla fighters, and Nigeria is no exception.

“But even the military says that in dealing with this civil unrest and criminality, only 25% is kinetic action; the rest depends on the government, politics, and local communities. The military cannot do everything,” he said. “Where have you ever seen the military defeat guerrilla fighters? Nowhere.”

His comments come as President Bola Tinubu’s administration introduces sweeping security reforms, including changes in military leadership and a nationwide security emergency aimed at tackling violent groups responsible for kidnappings, extortion and rural attacks.

Addressing accusations of maintaining ties with bandit leaders, Gumi said he has had no contact with them since 2021, when the federal government formally designated the groups as terrorists. “I never went there alone,” he said.

“It was in 2021 when I was trying to see how we could bring them together. But unfortunately, the government at the time, the federal government, was not interested. They declared them terrorists, and since that time we have completely disengaged from all contact with them.”

Despite criticism that his advocacy emboldens armed groups, Gumi maintained that negotiation with non-state actors is a global practice. “When they say we don’t negotiate with terrorists, I don’t know where they got that from,” he said. “It is not in the Bible, it is not in the Quran. America had an office negotiating with the Taliban in Qatar. Everyone negotiates with outlaws if it will stop bloodshed.”

He described the armed groups as largely “Fulani herdsmen” engaged in what he called an “existential war” linked to threats to their traditional livelihoods of cattle rearing. “They want to exist. That is their life.

They know where to graze and how to care for their cattle,” he said, adding that the crisis has grown from farmer–herder tensions into widespread criminality.

Gumi has long faced public backlash for his engagements with bandits and for remarks such as his earlier claim that kidnapping schoolchildren is a “lesser evil” than killing soldiers.

Meanwhile, Gumi, in the same interview, also restated his view that the abduction of schoolchildren by armed groups constitutes a “lesser evil” than attacks on Nigerian soldiers, while emphasising that both acts are unacceptable.

“I think part of what I said then is correct and part of it wrong,” Gumi said, referring to his controversial 2021 statement.

“Saying kidnapping children is a lesser evil than killing soldiers, definitely it is lesser. But all of them are evil. All evils are not the same.”

News

How France Helped Benin Foil Coup Detat

Published

14 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

France helped the authorities in Benin thwart a coup attempt at the weekend, an aide to President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday, revealing a French role in a regional effort that foiled the latest bid to stage a putsch in West Africa.

Macron led a “coordination effort” by speaking with key regional leaders, the aide, asking not to be named, told reporters, two days after Sunday’s failed coup bid.

France — at the request of the Beninese authorities — provided assistance “in terms of surveillance, observation and logistical support” to the Benin armed forces, the aide added.

Further details on the nature of the assistance were not immediately available.

A group of soldiers on Sunday took over Benin’s national television station and announced that President Patrice Talon had been deposed.

News

Reps Panel Grills TCN Officials Over Poor Grid Stability

Published

15 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating multi-billion-naira power sector reforms on Tuesday interrogated officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), exposing fresh gaps between Nigeria’s installed power capacity and the electricity actually delivered to homes and industries.

Appearing before the committee chaired by Hon. Ibrahim Aliyu, TCN Managing Director, Dr. Sule Ahmad Abdulaziz, dismissed widely circulated claims that Nigeria currently generates 13,000 megawatts of electricity. He stressed that the figure reflects installed capacity—not what the national grid has ever produced.

“The highest ever generated this year was 5,801MW,” Abdulaziz said. “Nigeria has never produced 13,000MW on the national grid. That number is installed capacity, not generated capacity.”

He explained that until April 2024, the National Control Centre responsible for daily generation and dispatch records was under TCN’s direct supervision, giving the company access to “accurate and verifiable” data.

Responding to scrutiny from committee member Hon. Abubakar Fulata, who questioned why only about 6,000MW is typically wheeled despite supposedly higher available generation, Abdulaziz insisted TCN had never failed in transmission.
“Our transmission capacity today is 8,600MW,” he stated. “At no time has power been generated that TCN could not evacuate. Anyone claiming otherwise should produce the data.”

On the company’s financial health, TCN’s Executive Director of Finance told lawmakers the company is weighed down by massive debts owed by electricity distribution companies (DisCos), revealing: N217 billion in electricity subsidy debt (Jan 2015–Dec 2020) taken over by the Federal Government
N450 billion owed by DisCos from Jan 2021 to date.

Clarifying controversies around grid instability, a senior TCN system operations official said the company recorded 11 grid collapses, contrary to the 22–23 often quoted.

Giving a breakdown of causes, he explained that six collapses were caused by generation issues, including gas shortages, four linked to vandalism of transmission towers, leading to sudden loss of load, one triggered by distribution network failures, often due to rainfall-induced feeder trips.

He emphasised that all three segments generation, transmission and distribution can trigger system collapse, adding that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), with Central Bank support, had implemented Service Level Agreement (SLA) interventions to address systemic bottlenecks.

TCN officials further disclosed the company has over 100 ongoing transmission projects, many of which are 65%–90% complete but stalled for lack of funding.
“Power infrastructure cannot be energised at 99%. It must be 100% complete,” an official noted.

“If outstanding debts are paid, we can finish priority projects and strengthen the grid.”

He added that TCN aims to expand wheeling capacity to 10,000MW by March next year through network upgrades and simulation-based grid optimisation.

Committee chairman Hon. Ibrahim Aliyu said the presentations had clarified earlier misconceptions about TCN’s role in the sector’s failures but expressed concern over the slow expansion of critical infrastructure, pledging the parliament intervention to address the anomaly in due course.