News

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

Published

3 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

UNIMAID, Federal Polytechnic Matriculate 82 Degree Students

Published

19 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in affiliation with the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi has matriculated 82 students into the degree programmes across five courses.

Speaking during the matriculation ceremony at the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi on Tuesday, Professor Muhammad Laminu Mele, the Vice chancellor, University of Maiduguri, charged the matriculated students to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations guiding the two institutions to enable them achieve the set objectives.

The VC, who was represented by Professor Muhammad Ahmad Waziri, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Services, warned that any student or group of students trying to breach the peace of the two institutions would face the full wrath of the law.

The Don further assured that the University and its affiliated institutions would continue to make easy access to higher quality education to the teeming population across the country.

In a remark, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Alhaji Sani Usman, said they were affiliated with the university to pursue academic excellence, describing the affiliation as a huge pillar in the education reforms.

The Rector, who was also represented by Dr. Dalhatu Saidu, the Deputy Rector of the Polymeric, commended the university of Maiduguri for not only improving the UNIMAID’s conducive learning environment but expanding the horizon to different higher institutions of learning across Nigeria.

He therefore advised the newly matriculated students to pursue knowledge, to interact freely with the Polytechnic staff, be vigilant and be a brother’s keeper, adding that this would help to achieve the desired objectives.

The affiliated courses included BSc Mass Communication, BSc Accountancy, BSc Public Administration, BSc Business Administration and BSc Banking and Finance respectively.

News

Trouble Looms As Egbesu Group Drags FG To Court Over Resource Control, Others

Published

19 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

Group known as Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has dragged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to a Federal High Court, Yenagoa, over failure to create additional 24 Local government councils in Bayelsa State as the need for Ijaw to control natural resources in its territory.

The Originating Summons marked: FHC/YNA/CS/63/2026 was filed on Tuesday April 21, 2026 by the plaintiffs including; Felix Tuodolo, Weri Digifa, Ebi Waribigha, Kabowei Akamade, Rosebella Jackson, Thomas Jacklloyd, Primrose Kpokposei, David Imole and Welman Warri at the Federal High Court Yenagoa.

Joined as defendants in the suit are the National Assembly, the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Attorney General of the Federation.

In the court documents, the Egbesu Assembly premised their action on the alleged failure of the federal government particularly the National Assembly to deliberate, approve and amend the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

This, according to them, is to allow for resource control as well as the creation of additional LGAs in the state to fulfil the requirements in line with the Constitution.

The group is therefore seeking, among others, the amendment of the constitution by the National Assembly to allow for the right to resource control.

The Supreme Egbesu Assembly described the suit action as a promise kept.

Mranwh, In a press statement announcing the institution of the lawsuit on Tuesday, the Egbesu Assembly recalled that, on 12th February 2026, it wrote to both the Federal Government and the National Assembly wherein its gave a 21-Day ultimatum for the duo to respond to the age-long demands for resource control and creation of additional LGAs or face a lawsuit.

The statement partly reads: “Recall that on 12th February 2026, we did inform you that we have written to the National Assembly and the federal government on the need for the creation of an additional 24 Local Government Areas in Bayelsa State as well as the control of our God-given natural resources in Ijaw territory.

“We promised that if the National Assembly and or federal government did not respond to these age-long demands, we were going to seek legal actions to address our demands.

News

BREAKING: Tinubu Sacks Wale Edun, Dangiwa As Ministers

Published

20 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved a minor reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council, removing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, from their cabinet positions.

Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yomi Odunuga, said the development was contained in a memo signed by the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

According to the memo, Taiwo Oyedele has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

Also appointed is Dr. Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for Housing and Urban Development.

The memo directed the outgoing ministers to complete handover processes to their respective successors or supervising officials.

It stated that all handing over and taking over activities must be concluded on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.

Explaining the decision, Akume said the changes were aimed at improving coordination and strengthening delivery across key sectors of the economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Akume stated.

He added that President Tinubu acted in line with his constitutional powers as provided under Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The SGF also conveyed the President’s appreciation to the outgoing ministers for their service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours, noting that the process of cabinet reinvigoration would remain continuous.

The statement further noted that Taiwo Oyedele was appointed as Minister of State for Finance in March 2026, while Edun was among the ministers appointed on August 16, 2023.