News

SUBSIDY: Strike, Protest May Cause Total Breakdown Of Law, NECA Warms FG

Published

2 years ago

August 1, 2023

Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, has warned that any strike or mass protest in the face of the hardship and suffering in the country could potentially cause a breakdown of law and order with attendant risks for businesses and the nation as a whole.

The umbrella body for employers and voice of businesses in the country urged the government to urgently take immediate steps to ameliorate the economic trauma being faced by workers, Nigerians and organized businesses.

In a statement by its Director-General, Wale-Smatt Oyerinde, NECA argued that any disruption of businesses in the form of a strike or mass protest will exacerbate the current unemployment rate and drag many further down the poverty line.

Oyerinde recalled that businesses in the formal and informal sectors lost over N5 trillion due to the crass vandalism by unscrupulous elements who hijacked the purposeful #EndSARS protest in 2020.

“Any strike, the threat of mass action or civil disobedience that could potentially disrupt economic activities or businesses, especially those in the formal and informal sectors which could compromise sustainability and job creation, based on economic policies of the government which are non-employment related, will be counter-productive.

‘’While organized labour is at liberty to engage with government on behalf of its members on issues of welfare as they relate to the impacts of any economic policy, sometimes deadlock may hold sway. When that happens, the consequential action by organized labour should not, in any way, hinder anyone from going about their businesses peacefully or cause anyone to be intimidated or harassed.

‘Importance of dialogue’

“We re-emphasise the importance of social dialogue, a potent instrument of the International Labour Organization, ILO, and a globally accepted mechanism for dispute resolution.

‘’While it should be noted that various ILO Conventions, recommendations, international treaties and local legislations guarantee certain rights and privileges to social partners, a call for mass action or civil disobedience is certainly not one of them.

“We urge the government to, as a matter of urgency, take immediate steps to ameliorate the economic trauma being faced by workers, Nigerians and organized businesses. It is no gainsaying that many businesses are shut down and many others are on the verge of closing down, which will exacerbate the current unemployment rate and drag many further down the poverty line.

“We strongly request that a coordinated implementation of the various pro-growth and other palliative schemes should commence, without further delay, at the federal level to complement the efforts of some state governments and organized businesses.

“The need for transparent communication and the building of national consensus at this difficult time cannot be over-emphasized.

“Recent events that portend serious danger for the survival of sustainable enterprises, decent work, national development and our industrial relations system as a whole necessitated this urgent call.

‘’The parlous state of the economy and the recent mobilization for strike and civil action by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, is not only worrisome but also calls for urgent action by government and other stakeholders.

“Freedom of association is a fundamental and structural characteristic of the International Labour Organisation, ILO. In fact, without employers and workers, organizations that are autonomous, representative and endowed with the necessary rights that guarantee the defence of the rights of their members, and the advancement of their common welfare, the principle of tripartism would be impaired and chances for greater social justice would be seriously prejudiced.

“However, the rights enjoyed by social partners are premised on the basic understanding and respect for the social and economic rights of others.

“The complex employment inter-relationship between successive Nigerian governments, organized labour (NLC/TUC), and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, has been challenging, especially between government and organized labour.

“The goal of the interrelations to facilitate sustainable enterprise, decent work and economic growth and assist all parties to achieve their objectives, is menaced by incessant conflicts and numerous threats of strikes.

“While industrial conflict is inherently built into these inter-relationships, there are credible institutions, legislations, regulations and guidelines in place to arrest it and ensure sanity within the context of the labour and employment ecosystem.

“In view of the recent call by the NLC for strike and mass action, and the urgent need to protect the objectives of sustainable enterprise, decent work and national development, it is our candid view that social partners must respect the established institutions created to adjudicate and arbitrate labour matters in the country.

‘These institutions include but are not limited to the National Industrial Court, NIC; the Industrial Arbitration Panel, IAP, etc. Neglecting these institutions could potentially compromise our labour and industrial relations system and framework, with grave consequences for the economy.

“It is important for social partners to deference their jurisdictional and operational limits. A call for ‘strike and mass action’ by any social partner at this difficult time, in furtherance of the achievement of its objectives, could potentially cause a breakdown of law and order, with attendant risk for organized businesses and the nation as a whole.”

News

NAF Neutralizes Bandits At Turba Hill, Kachalla Dogo Sule Camps

Published

2 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Air Force, (NAF, under the auspices of the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Sector 2, has neutralized armed banditry through the execution of two high-impact precision Air Interdiction (AI) missions.

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, said in a statement that the armed bandits met their Waterloo following credible, multi-source intelligence at Turba Hill and Kachalla Dogo Sule’s Camp, both in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The statement said the first strike targeted Turba Hill, a confirmed bandit hideout, adding that persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance revealed significant human activity and an operational zinc-roofed structure assessed to be central to the enclave’s activities.

News

Doris Ogala: How Pastor Chris Knelt Before Church, Begged For Forgiveness [Video]

Published

2 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

Pastor Chris Okafor, founder of Grace Nation Bible Ministry, has reportedly apologized and asked for forgiveness following allegations made against him by Nollywood actress Doris Ogala.

In a video shared on Facebook by Ogala on Sunday, the cleric was seen kneeling before members of his church as he expressed remorse over what he described as mistakes made in the past.

Recall that the Nollywood actress had called Chris Okafor out after he dumped her for another woman despite promising her marriage.

While maintaining that many of the allegations against him were untrue, Pastor Chris said he was apologizing to anyone who felt offended by his actions.

“I am not joining issues,” he said, referring specifically to Doris Ogala. “Mistakes have been made in the past, and I tender my apology to everybody. But everything that was said is not true. There are so many lies in most of the things that were said.”

Despite disputing the claims, Pastor Chris reiterated his willingness to make amends, stating that he was ready to offer restitution to any woman he may have offended.

“To Doris Ogala, I will apologize, and I also apologize to everyone. I am ready to make a restitution to anyone and anybody, any lady, anywhere I’ve offended,” he said.

The pastor acknowledged his imperfections and appealed to the congregation and the public for forgiveness and prayers, noting that he had experienced a “new beginning” following the influence of senior Christian leaders he described as “fathers of faith.”

“I’m kneeling down before everyone and before the church. Forgive me. You can judge me. Pray for me,” he added.

Watch the video here

News

Actress Doris Ogala Rejects Alleged $10,000 Settlement From Pastor Chris Okafor [VIDEO]

Published

3 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

Popular Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala, has rejected the $10,000 settlement from the founder of Grace Nation Bible Ministry, pastor Chris Okafor.

The actress made this known in a video made on Tuesday December 23 2025, and shared on her Instagram page Saturday morning.

Speaking in the video, Ogala stated that the clergy man brought the money as settlement and also begged her to publicly debunk everything she had said about him.

While revealing the outcome of their table talks, she alleged that pastor Chris urged her to lie that she was sent by some pastors to lie against him.

“Chris, you’ve seen me finish ooo, honestly, you have seen me finish. This is $10,000, he gave me this $5,000 last night after we talked and he was pleading and all that. Then he gave me this $5,000 this afternoon.

“This man is just mad. You can imagine this man wanted me to come and say that all the pastors or a few pastors
were the ones who sent me to come and fight him. I should put it on the pastors’ head, then I will come out and debunk everything that I have said. Come on, you want me to take a fool? After all that I have said?

“Chris, you see this money that you gave me, it will never be a transaction of anything in my life or transaction of any part of my body. I cancelled every evil altar that you are coming from. He that is in me and protecting me is greater. I deliberately collected this money to tell you that everything i have said is the truth. I’m not lying and I will never lie. Chris, I’m not as cheap as you are, ten thousand dollars is nothing to me, and I’m not blackmailing you but I wanted the world to see that you actually gave me money. Chris, I will not lie on any pastor or put it on any pastor’s head. So, this is the money he gave to me with the Zenith bank envelope just now. Today is 23 December 2025, and I’m making this video by 5;39 pm”, she stated.

According DAILY POST, the development came a few days after Doris Ogala disclosed that table talks and resolution is ongoing between them.

Recall that Doris called Chris Okafor out after he dumped her for another woman despite promising her marriage.

Watch the video