News

May Day: We’ll Support Any Candidate Who Priortises Workers’ Welfare – NLC, TUC

Published

3 years ago

May 1, 2022

Editor

The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, have said they would gladly trade their voting rights to any candidate or political party that would prioritise the welfare of workers in the country.

Part of other conditions outlined by the unions at their May Day festivities, which were held at the Eagle Square, Abuja on Sunday, is that their charter of demands must be met.

For the 2023 general elections, the organised labour specifically boosted that they have over 16 million block votes cutting across workers, pensioners and other circles of influence in the country.

They equally vowed to ensure Nigerians no longer suffer social injustices as a result of the action or inaction of governments, by proceeding to mobilise the citizenry against any poorly performing government without waiting for elections to vote them out.

In a joint address read by President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comrade Quadri Olaleyi, listed the core labour issues still confronting Nigerian workers and the masses to include; the failure of some state governments to implement the national minimum wage especially Abia, Taraba, Cross River and Zamfara states.

Other core issues also listed were: abuse and humiliation meted out at pensioners; decent work deficits; violation of human, workers and trade union rights; and the consistent and unabating industrial crisis in the university system involving academic and non academic staff unions.

Labour said: “It must be our collective endeavour to put the Workers’ Charter of Demands at the front burner of 2023 politics. We can make this happen by mobilizing every Nigeria worker and pensioner to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) ready.

“We must be ready to engage political parties especially working class friendly parties and progressive political interests across the country to ensure that a significant number of candidates who would be for elective positions in 2023 subscribe to the provisions of our Charter.

“Beyond engaging the politics of 2023 general elections, Nigerian workers just accept partisan politics as a fundamental way of life for the protection, survival and flourishing of the working class.

“We will no longer wait for elections to mobilize Nigerians to take charge of the destiny of the destiny of their country. We will be more proactive and pronounced in the daily political undertakings of our country. We will mobilize the Nigerian people to monitor and engage the performance of those we elect into political offices. We will match the performance metrics of the political class against Workers’ Charter of Demands. Their readings on our scale will determine the swing of the pendulum of workers’balot.

“Pursuant to the foregoing, organised labour is energizing it’s structures down to the grassroots. We are facilitating the emergence of a progressive pro-Nigerian Workers’ political coalition. If your political party is truly progressive and worker friendly, you will be discussing with us. The over 16 million block votes of Nigerian workers, pensioners, our families and other circles of influence will go to political parties and candidates that assure us that the dreams of Nigerian workers and people would no longer be treated as governance addendum or as objects to be trampled under.”

Labour further noted that after a series of serious discussions with progressive political parties and groups in the country, it has resolved to rescue Nigerians from the “grips of continuous misrule and bad governance,” through its political party, the Labour Party.

“Workers can no longer play the ostrich while a section of our professional political class play the roulette with the welfare of workers and the destiny of our country. History will be very unkind to us if we continue to stay outside the rings of politics and trust that our placards and protests will change the ironclad determination of many of our politicians bent on looting, enslaving and leaving in their wake smokes of destitution and despondency. Given the scale of disappointing returns on governance and national development, we must now do the needful.

“There is no better time than now to enter the political rings and engage more vigorously with the questions of our collective survival as a people and as a working class who produce the wealth that the political class squanders at whim.

“Instead of engaging in the issues of physical security, social protection, decent wages, unemployment and poverty eradication, fixing the economy, our politicians are more interested in zoning of political offices and threatening the peace of our country which is already greatly imperiled. Clearly it is a failed political class that would wish to keep the masses, workers and the daily socio-economic struggles we face as footnotes in the 2023 political agenda,” both unions insisted.

News

Lagos Unveils Artisan Certification To Curb Building Collapse

Published

10 hours ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory has launched a new certification and training programme for artisans in the construction industry as part of efforts to stem the spate of building collapses in the state.

The initiative, known as the Certified Structural Integrated Programme, was unveiled at a stakeholders’ forum held in Ese-Offin and Badagry, where block moulders, bricklayers, concrete mixers, steel fabricators and welders converged to pledge support for safer construction practices.

In a statement on Thursday by the Lagos Government, General Manager of LSMTL, Olayinka Abdul, said the programme marked a decisive step in tackling recurring tragedies linked to substandard construction materials.

“Without artisans, there is no construction. But with you, we have the power to ensure every construction is safe, sound, and secure. We need to earnestly curb episodes of collapse in high-water-prone communities, and we do not want such in your community. It ends today,” he said.

According to the statement, the CSIP is a five-year assessment programme aimed at certifying construction materials as fit-for-purpose.

It will also produce an official directory of approved block moulders, concrete mixers and steel fabricators, to whom developers will be directed for supplies.

“This is not just about enforcement; it is about partnership and empowerment. Together, we can forge an unbreakable alliance that makes Lagos a model for building safety and integrity,” Abdul added.

Technical experts at the forum highlighted the scientific backing for the initiative. Director of the Soil and Geotechnics Unit, Engr. Abimbola Adebayo, stressed the need for mandatory soil tests before construction.

Similarly, Kayode Akinfeleye of the Technical Services Department advised builders to ensure architectural drawings are obtained and preserved, describing them as “a core requirement in the Lagos building process.”

Artisan guild leaders welcomed the initiative. Chairman of the National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria, Alhaji Fabiyi Oyeleke, described frequent collapses as “disheartening” and commended the forum as a step in the right direction.

On his part, Chairman of the Lagos State Bricklayers Association, Mr. Fashina Aro, noted the peculiarities of Lagos’s swampy terrain and urged all stakeholders to ensure materials and soil tests are completed before bricklayers commence work on any site.

Building collapse has been a persistent challenge in Lagos, with many lives lost and substantial property damage over the years.

In recent incidents, emergency responders have had to rescue workers from collapsed structures.

PUNCH Online reports that rescue teams pulled eight workers from the debris of a collapsed building in September.

Reports by the Building Collapse Prevention Guild show Lagos accounts for about 55% of recorded building collapse incidents in Nigeria over the past several decades.

In response, Lagos has taken steps to strengthen bodies like the Lagos State Building Control Agency, enhancing enforcement, monitoring, and regulation of building standards.

News

Edo deputy gov warns MOWAA Against encroachment

Published

11 hours ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, has warned management of Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) to adhere strictly to laid-down demarcation between the museum and the Edo Specialist Hospital (ESH).

Idahosa, who gave the warning when he visited the site on Thursday, expressed displeasure over MOWAA’s alleged encroachment on ESH land despite earlier directives.

The deputy governor stressed that governor Monday Okpebholo had mandated him to ensure compliance with the demarcation lines.

“Governor Okpebholo asked me to advise and also warn the MOWAA management to stick to the demarcation lines between the ESH and the MOWAA institution,” the deputy governor said.

During the visit, Idahosa supervised the demolition of parts of the obsolete tuberculosis building at the hospital and monitored debris clearance to facilitate the hospital’s expansion project.

Recounting earlier efforts, he said: “Few weeks ago, we were here to give demarcation on the boundary between MOWAA and the ESH.Apparently, the MOWAA management decided to encroach on the land given to ESH.

“We came to let them know that the Edo State Government is firm on it, and we have given them the right coordinates. We have also sealed the part that belongs to the ESH, so MOWAA, at this point, can no longer encroach.”

Idahosa emphasized that the government’s priority remains the security and health of Edo people, noting that compliance with lawful boundaries is in the interest of both institutions.

“This is not a witch hunt. The governor is fair enough to allow MOWAA to continue with whatever we met on ground. He has not encroached or done anything contrary to the law. Hence, they should also stick and abide by the law,” he said.

The Chief Medical Director of ESH, Dr. Anthonia Njoku commended Okpebholo for protecting the hospital’s expansion interest.

Similarly, the Managing Director of the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency, Mr. Imoisili Igabali noted that negotiations had been ongoing with MOWAA over the demarcation and that a temporary perimeter wall had been set up in the meantime.

“As an agency, our responsibility in the state is to ensure that development in the state is done according to laid down rules and regulations,” Igabali stated.

News

Police Begin Enforcement Of Tinted Glass, Siren Regulations In Edo, Delta

Published

11 hours ago

October 2, 2025

Editor

The Zone Five Police Command have begun enforcing the ban on the unauthorised use of sirens and tinted glass permit regulations.

NAN reports that the zone five command located in the South-south Geo-political Zone comprises Edo and Delta.

This is contained in a statement by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tijani Momoh, in Abuja.

The exercise, the command said, is in line with the existing laws and directives of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, which apply to all vehicles with tinted glasses, whether factory or non-factory fitted.

Momoh quoted the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the zone, Salma-Dogo Garba, as saying that the enforcement would also affect the subsisting ban on the unauthorised use of sirens.

According to Garba, there will also be strict enforcement on the use of revolving lights, Police SPY and unallocated official number plates, as well as the use of unregistered vehicles.

“In view of the above, motorists yet to register their vehicles with tinted glasses are strongly advised to do so at www.possap.gov.ng.

“Thereafter, they should proceed to their state command headquarters for physical verification.

“Those who are not desirous of obtaining the tinted glass permit are advised to remove such tints or replace the factory-fitted glasses with transparent ones, as legally provided by the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act 2004.”

The AIG warned field operatives and their supervisory officers to ensure that the exercise was carried out with utmost professionalism, devoid of any form of harassment or extortion of motorists.

He stressed that any officer found wanting would be duly sanctioned, while the concerned supervisory officer would be held liable.

Garba further urged motorists to cooperate with the Police during the exercise in order to ensure public safety and national security.

He also charged residents to promptly report any form of harassment, extortion, or other unprofessional conduct to the nearest police station, the commands CRUs, or the ZPPRO.

NAN reports that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced that strict enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit requirement will begin across Nigeria on Thursday.

The directive comes under the authority of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 2004, a law intended to bolster security and curb criminal behaviour.

Under the new mandate, all vehicles with tinted windows are expected to carry valid and verifiable permit documents, which must be presented whenever requested by law enforcement.

NAN