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Subsidy Removal: Organised Labour Angrily Storms Out Of Villa Meeting With FG

Published

2 years ago

July 28, 2023

The organised labour on Friday stormed out of the meeting of the Presidential Steering Committee on subsidy palliatives that was scheduled to take place at the presidential villa, Abuja.

The President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, had led his delegation to the Chief of Staff’s office, venue of the meeting at about 5pm but were soon on their way out of the villa.

Recall that the Steering Committee meeting had met with the government delegation on Wednesday where the two parties agreed to reconvene on Friday to get brief from the three subcommittees set up to look into various demands.

The Steering Committee was set up by the government to come up with palliatives that would cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal on the workers.

But the meeting could not proceed because according to some members of the Steering Committee, there was no quorum.

The labour union accused the federal government of using the meetings as a pretext to deceive Nigerians.

A source at the meeting confirmed that three subcommittees, the Mass Transit, the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Cash transfer subcommittees, were supposed to be present to brief the Steering Committee on the measures put in place to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal on the workers.

But labour claimed that government officials,who are members the subcommittees were nowhere to be found.

A visibly infuriated member of the Steering Committee from labour who spoke on the condition of anonymity said, “They are not prepared for the meeting. That’s the truth,” maintaining that the government representatives had insisted that the meeting should proceed even though no quorum was formed.”

He further said, “They are using cover to deceive Nigerians. There are supposed to be three subcommittees, mass transit subcommittee, the CNG, and the cash transfer, to brief us, the steering committee but government was not prepared for the meeting.

“In their introductory remarks they made excuses and they wanted the meeting to continue, the meeting did not form a quorum. We are a people that operate on the basis of process. So, if there’s no quorum in a meeting what do you do? You will adjourn for lack of quorum.

“There was nobody to meet with. The Chief of Staff was not there, they are taking us like small children.”

However, it was gathered that the Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila had earlier waited for the labour delegation with other members of the team at his Conference Hall.

He latter stepped out to attend to other official matters within the Villa while other members of the government team were waiting for the organised labour to arrive.

It was gathered that the organised labour delegation from the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, was delayed at the State House entrance gate otherwise known as Mopol gate for clearance.

Information has it that the names of the labour delegation were not sent to the gate for clearance which led to their delay for the meeting.

In fact, one of the leaders of the labour delegation had told journalists, “We were detained at the gate.”

The botched meeting would have been the fourth on the series of meetings they have held since the implementation of the petroleum subsidy removal.

It was ta continuation of the previous meetings over the initial increase of the pump price of petroleum to N520 per litre.

The organized labour has already scheduled a nationwide protest for August 2 to press home their demands over the petroleum subsidy removal.

The last meeting of the steering committee held last Wednesday but government representatives were
unable to convince the labour leaders to shelve their plan for the action.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero had insisted: “We are going ahead with the protest because we have to be emphatic on what we put in our communique, to say we’re commencing protests from the 2nd.”

On his part, the TUC President, Festus Osifo, said that both sides listened to the presentations from the Steering Committee secretariat and Labour made its input into it.

“Some of the things they presented we did not agree with them. So, the areas we did not agree, we also made our impute known because when you come to such meeting it is for government or its representatives to do a presentation.

“But it’s left for us to either agree or disagree. So, during the meeting, we gave them sufficient feedback. And they also agreed to go and look at those feedbacks and get back to us on Friday,” Osifo stated.

However, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Ms. Olu Verheijen, who spoke on the government side progress had been made in the discussion.

She explained: “We’ve agreed to continue to make progress. It was a very productive meeting. The focus was really around how we fasttrack a lot of the interventions that will bring relief, particularly around CNG, mass transportation, cleaner energy, transportation, and reduce the impact of the cost of transportation, the increased cost of transportation.

“So we’ve made good progress. And we’re going to continue to do so and so that we can start rolling out these opportunities and this relief and measures as quickly as possible.”

On why government is dragging its feet in rolling out palliatives, she said: “We have to get it right. It’s important that we do this well, and we keep our promises. So, it’s important that whatever is announced actually gets done. Because we don’t want to make big announcements that will continue to lose people’s trust.

“It’s important that we build trust, and that most of the announcements and the plans that we roll out are credible and impactful.”

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is working assiduously to address all of these issues. And as quickly as he can. He’s very empathetic, he is concerned about it, as you’ve seen all of us working round the clock here to make sure that we are able to announce these measures as quickly as possible. It’s a whole package of issues that we’re rolling out as quickly as possible,” the presidential aide had assured.

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JUST IN: Canadian Court Declares APC, PDP Terrorist Organisations

Published

2 days ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

The Federal Court of Canada has upheld a ruling that classified Nigeria’s two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as terrorist organisations, while denying asylum to a former member, Douglas Egharevba, over his decade-long affiliation with both parties.

In a judgment delivered on June 17, 2025, Justice Phuong Ngo dismissed Egharevba’s application for judicial review after the Immigration Appeal Division, IAD, found him inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, IRPA.

According to the Peoples Gazette, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness had argued that the APC and PDP were implicated in political violence, subversion of democracy and electoral bloodshed in Nigeria.

Court records showed that Egharevba was a PDP member from 1999 to 2007 before joining the APC, where he remained until 2017. He moved to Canada in September 2017 and disclosed his political history.

Canadian immigration authorities flagged his affiliations, citing intelligence reports linking both parties to electoral violence and politically motivated killings.

The IAD based its decision largely on the PDP’s conduct during the 2003 state elections and 2004 local government polls, when the party allegedly engaged in ballot stuffing, voter intimidation and killing of opposition supporters.

The tribunal found that the party leadership benefited from the violence and took no action to stop it, meeting Canada’s legal definition of subversion under paragraph 34(1)(b.1) of the IRPA.

Justice Ngo affirmed that mere membership in an organisation linked to terrorism or democratic subversion is enough to trigger inadmissibility under paragraph 34(1)(f) of the IRPA, even without proof of personal involvement.

Egharevba’s claim that political violence was widespread across all Nigerian parties was dismissed.

The court ruled that even flawed Nigerian elections constitute a democratic process under Canadian law and that undermining them qualifies as subversion.

The decision effectively ends Egharevba’s asylum claim, with deportation proceedings expected to follow.

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US Approves Sale Of Bombs, Others Worth $346m o Nigeria

Published

2 days ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

The United States Government has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Nigeria of munitions, precision bombs, precision rockets, and related equipment valued at $346 million.

The approval was contained in a statement from the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, dated August 13, but received via email on Thursday.

The agency said it has notified the US Congress of the potential sale.

“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Nigeria of Munitions, Precision Bombs, and Precision Rockets and related equipment for an estimated cost of $346 million. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today, ” the statement partly read.

Under the request, Nigeria seeks to purchase 1,002 MK-82 general purpose 500-pound bombs; 1,002 MXU-650 Air Foil Groups for Paveway II GBU-12; 515 MXU-1006 Air Foil Groups for Paveway II GBU-58; 1,517 MAU-169 or MAU-209 computer control groups for Paveway II GBU-12/GBU-58; 1,002 FMU-152 joint programmable fuzes; and 5,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II all-up-rounds.

“The Government of Nigeria has requested to buy one thousand two (1,002) MK-82 general purpose 500 lb bombs; one thousand two (1,002) MXU-650 Air Foil Groups (AFGs) for 500 lb Paveway II GBU-12; five hundred fifteen (515) MXU-1006 AFGs for 250 lb Paveway II GBU-58; one thousand five hundred seventeen (1,517) MAU-169 or MAU-209 computer control group (CCG) for Paveway II GBU-12/GBU-58; one thousand two (1,002) FMU-152 joint programmable fuzes; and five thousand (5,000) Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) all-up-rounds (AURs) (consisting of one each WGU-59/B guidance section (GS); high-explosive warhead; and MK66-4 rocket motor), ” it stated.

The package also includes non-major defence equipment such as FMU-139 joint programmable fuzes, bomb components, impulse cartridges, high-explosive and practice rockets, integration support, test equipment, and logistical and program support services.

The DSCA said the proposed sale aims to strengthen Nigeria’s capability to address current and future threats, including operations against terrorist organisations and illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. It added that the deal will not alter the military balance in the region and will have no adverse impact on US defence readiness.

“The following non-MDE items will also be included: FMU-139 joint programmable fuzes; bomb components, impulse cartridges, and high-explosive and practice rockets; integration support and test equipment; U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics personnel services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The total estimated program cost is $346 million.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a strategic partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“The proposed sale will improve Nigeria’s capability to meet current and future threats through operations against terrorist organisations and to counter illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria will have no difficulty absorbing these munitions into its armed forces.

“The proposed sale of this equipment will not alter the basic military balance in the region, ” the statement added..

The principal contractors for the potential sale are RTX Missiles and Defence, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and BAE Systems.

“At this time, the U.S. Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Nigeria.

“There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defence readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

“The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded, ” the statement concluded.

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Israeli Military Intercepts Missile From Yemen

Published

2 days ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

The Israeli military said on Thursday it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, with the Iran-backed Huthi rebels claiming responsibility for the attack.

Israel’s army said on Telegram that “the air force intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.

Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree later said the group had launched a “Palestine 2 hypersonic ballistic missile” targeting Israel’s Ben Gurion airport.

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Subsidy Removal: Organised Labour Angrily Storms Out Of Villa Meeting With FG

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Subsidy Removal: Organised Labour Angrily Storms Out Of Villa Meeting With FG

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JUST IN: Canadian Court Declares APC, PDP Terrorist Organisations

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US Approves Sale Of Bombs, Others Worth $346m o Nigeria

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Subsidy Removal: Organised Labour Angrily Storms Out Of Villa Meeting With FG

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