Metro

Nigeria’s labour unions shun last minute moves by govt to stop strike

Published

7 months ago

September 30, 2023

Last minute efforts by the Nigerian government to prevail on organised labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trace Union Congress (TUC) to shelve their planned nationwide strike scheduled for October 3rd, were rebuffed by leaders of the two unions who boycotted an emergency meeting called by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong on Friday.

The planned nationwide strike is to force the government to address alleged insensitivity to the plights of Nigerians as a result of the removal of petrol subsidy and what the unions termed continuous demonstration of unwillingness and complete lack of initiative.

The minister, on behalf of the Federal Government, had invited the union leaders for an emergency meeting scheduled for 3pm on Friday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with the aim of persuading them to abandon the proposed plan and give the government more time to meet their demands.

However, the efforts turned out to be in vain as leaders of the two unions reportedly shunned the meeting with the excuse that government’s invitation came late as they had scheduled engagements outside the federal capital.

According to insider reports, the NLC and its TUC counterpart had received the government’s invitation in the morning of Friday through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and based on the short notice, could not get all its leaders across the country to proceed to Abuja for the meeting.

The organised labour had, on September 26, given notice to the government of its intention to commence an indefinite strike on October 3 to protest the cost of living crisis after the scrapping of petrol subsidy by President Bola Tinubu during his inauguration on May 29, 2023.

The unions had also directed their state chapters and affiliates to mobilise for a shutdown of critical facilities and infrastructure such as airports, seaports, electricity grids and fuel supply channels nationwide.

In a statement by the National Deputy President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, the union insisted that there was no going back on the industrial action.

“It’s going to be a total shutdown until the government meets the demand of Nigerian workers, and in fact, Nigerian masses,” the statement affirmed.

The unions also accused the government of trying to blackmail and armtwist its leaders by resorting to threats based on an existing court order to intimidate them.

The position followed a warning by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, that the proposed strike contravened a subsisting court order restraining the unions from declaring an industrial action.

The statement insisted that the labour leaders would not succumb to any threat by the government, noting that they were ready to go to prison in their fight for better living conditions for Nigerian workers.

They also accused the Federal Government of refusing to “meaningfully engage and reach agreements with organised labour on critical issues of the consequences of the unfortunate hike in the price of petrol, which has unleashed massive suffering on Nigeria workers and masses.”

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Metro

Nigerian troops neutralise 216 terrorists, arrest 332 in one week— Official

Published

6 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

The Nigerian Army Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops from different operation theaters across the country neutralised 216 terrorists and arrested 332 persons in the past one week.

A report released on Sunday morning by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed that troops also succeeded in arresting 24 “perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 161 kidnapped hostages across the country” in the week under review.

Buba noted that troops in the Niger Delta region denied oil thieves crude estimated to be worth the sum of Four Hundred and Forty Eight Million Five Hundred Fifty Seven Thousand Five Hundred and Ninety Naira.

According to the Army spokesman, troops in the oil rich region also discovered and destroyed 97 dugout pits, six boats, 20 storage tanks, two receivers, 16 drums and seven vehicles used in oil bunkering activities.

“Other items recovered incl 174 cooking ovens, one pumping machine and 8 illegal refining sites,” the report noted.

“Troops recovered 533,127 litres of stolen crude oil and 24,520 litres of illegally refined AGO,” he said.

Gen. Buba said that in other operation theatres, troops recovered 234 assorted weapons and 5,994 assorted ammunition.

“A breakdown of the discoveries include 131 AK47 rifles, 3 PKT guns, one M16 rifle, 43 locally fabricated gun, 21 dane guns, one 105mm gun, 2 automatic pump action guns, 18 locally fabricated pistols, 8 single barrel guns, 2 automatic pump action guns, one LG4 bomb, one MG skeleton, 3 explosive IED case, one MOWAG APC, one 81mm mortar tripod stand

“Others are; 3,120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 2,195 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 211 rounds of 9mm ammo, 99 rounds of 7.62 x 25mm ammo, 467 live cartridges, one rifle butt, 15 magazines, 2 baofeng radios, 10 vehicles, 38 motorcycles, 43 mobile phones and the sum of N871,500.00 amongst other items.”

He reiterated that the military is going to continue to be very kinetic and strong against terrorists in ongoing counter terrorism and counter insurgency operations across the country.

“Indeed, we will banish and defeat terrorism from the nation rather than bow to it.

“Troops are maintaining the momentum in neutralizing the terrorist leaders and commanders. Indeed, we remain focused in fighting for the basic safety and security of citizens of this country,” he added.

Metro

Mapanza traditional council shares positive outlook on media rights, freedom of expression

Published

1 day ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Jonathan Muchindu, a representative of the Traditional Council of Mapanza Chiefdom in Choma District, Southern Province, Zambia, asserts that the media in Zambia currently enjoys “total” freedom of expression.

Muchindu attributed this position to the advancement of civilization, which he identified as a significant factor in ensuring media freedom.

He emphasized the role of the media in providing citizens with the necessary information to make informed decisions.

In an exclusive interview with Zambia Monitor in Choma, Muchindu, who also serves as the Director of the Zambia Corruption Prevention Watchdog, described the media and its content as essential elements akin to “food on the table.”

“We are truly privileged to witness the advancements in civilization. Previously, the media was confined to the hands of a few individuals, and its reach was limited.

“However, with the advent of technology, accessing news through various platforms such as radio and television has become commonplace.

“The media has evolved into an indispensable source of information, and its participation is now integral to our daily lives,” he remarked.

When questioned about the operational landscape of the media, Muchindu expressed confidence that no media entity currently faces undue interference or censorship.

“From our perspective, both in rural villages and urban centers, we have not encountered instances where journalists or media outlets have been subjected to harassment or undue influence.

“This collaborative effort had ushered in a sense of enlightenment among the populace, allowing for open discourse on governance matters, particularly in the realm of politics.

“The media enjoyed the same freedoms as ordinary citizens, and there is unequivocal liberty in its expression,” Muchindu concluded.

The declaration by the Traditional Council of Mapanza Chiefdom underscored a positive outlook on media freedom in Zambia and reaffirmed the critical role of the media in fostering informed public discourse.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.