All Posts in "Day: November 10, 2024"

Minimum Wage:State Civil Servants Begin Strike December 1

Mohammed Shosanya

The Nigeria Labour Congress has directed its state councils where the national minimum wage has not been fully implemented to begin strike on December 1st,this year.

The action was conveyed in a communique issued at the end of the union’s National Executive Council
Meeting in Port Harcourt.

President of the union,Joe Ajaero,who signed the communique expressed deep frustration over the persistent delay and outright refusal by some state governments to implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act.

The communique quoted that:”This betrayal by certain governors and government officials across the country flies in the face of both legality and morality, as workers continue to be denied their rightful wages amidst rising economic hardship. It is a blatant disregard for the law and the lives of millions of Nigerian workers, who are being exploited by the very leaders sworn to protect them.

“The NEC therefore resolves to set up a National Minimum Wage Implementation Committee that will among others commence a nationwide assessment, mobilization and sensitization campaign, educating workers and citizens on the need to resist this assault on their dignity and rights.

The NEC expressed grave alarm at the increasing erosion of democratic norms and blatant disregard for the rights of Nigerian people to freely organize, associate, and express dissent.It noted that arrests, detention and trials on questionable grounds have become the order of the day.

The workers applauded President Bola Tinubu for his recent interventions,and implored  him to release all remaining protesters in various jails across the nation as we had severally demanded earlier and creating adequate safeguards to avert future occurrence.

The NEC condemned the political crises in Rivers State, where a recent Court order seeks to block the disbursement of federally allocated revenue to the state.

The workers reasoned that this punitive measure,may effectively cripple the state’s capacity to meet its obligations to workers and the wider population.

They said the development is an attack on the rights and welfare of the people of Rivers State and a dangerous precedent that could destabilize governance in any other state.

They added:”The NLC stands in solidarity with the workers and people of Rivers State. We demand an immediate resolution that allows the state to continue to have unfettered access to its rightful revenue allocations. Nigerian workers will not stand waiting while their livelihoods are threatened by political manoeuvrings and vindictive actions.

“We are not interested in the politics of who is right or wrong but only in protecting the interests of workers and the people. We must learn to separate “politicking” from existential issues as politics that hurts workers and the people cannot be the best for our nation. The Congress warns that the failure of the various institutions and actors to rein in themselves may lead to our escalating our response”.

The NEC  expressed appreciation to the federal government for providing Compressed Natural Gas buses to Congress but noted that they are grossly inadequate to address the huge gap in transportation focused at reducing costs for workers who daily commute to work.

 It also noted the apparent CNG infrastructure deficits around the country which may scuttle the entire CNG objectives.

The workers demanded the provision of more CNG buses to Congress and establish the needed infrastructure for fuelling and maintenance to provide cheaper transportation to Nigerian workers across the nation.

Online Editor by — November 10, 2024 in News 0
Price Of Petrol More Than Market Value-NLC

 

Mohammed Shosanya

 

The Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC, says  oil marketers are cheating Nigerians, as the current price of petrol is significantly higher than the real market price in the country.

 

 

 

Its President,Comrade Joe Ajaero,who said this in a signed communique issued at the end of the union’s National Executive Meeting in Port Harcourt,said the development reinforced the fact there may be a hang-up against Nigerians by fat cats in the oil industry.

 

 

 

 

According to the NLC,padding of costs and abnormal margins seems to be the order of the day on account of the revelations from the ongoing controversy between marketers and Dangote group.

 

 

 

The communique said:”It is entirely possible that Nigerian workers and masses are being ripped off by those who control the levers of Economic power in Nigeria which explains why the domestic public refineries may not immediately be allowed to come on stream.

 

 

 

 

“NLC demands appropriate pricing of petrol and calls for the Public domestic refineries in PH, Warri and Kaduna to quickly come back on stream to break-up the monopolistic stranglehold the big players have in the industry”.

 

 

 

 

The NEC expressed concern over the accelerating economic hardship inflicted upon Nigerian citizens as inflation continues to rise unchecked, with the costs of basic necessities spiralling beyond the reach of the average worker.

 

 

 

 

The workers lamented that millions of Nigerians are being driven into destitution, forced to choose daily between feeding their families and seeking healthcare.

 

 

 

 

The communique said:”Access to energy has become a mirage while workers become increasingly poorer even as they work longer hours to meet their other basic needs. As a result, nutritional diseases like Kwashiorkor and Marasmus have resurfaced in Nigeria”

 

 

 

 

The union demanded immediate, concrete interventions from the Federal Government, not token measures, to relieve the suffering.

 

 

 

 

It also sought implementation of comprehensive social protection policies that shield Nigerians from poverty, provide affordable healthcare, and ensure a wage that reflects the true cost of living.

 

 

 

 

 

The NLC  expressed disgust over the recent military invasion of Oritsetimeyin Oil Rig,and demanded mmediate withdrawal of all forces of invasion now occupying the facility.

 

 

 

 

It further sought a cessation of further militarization of the nation’s workplaces and restoration of the workers forcefully ejected from the site including a quick compliance with the agreement faithfully negotiated and earlier signed by the parties.

 

 

 

 

 

Online Editor by — November 10, 2024 in Labour/Human Resources 0
African Alliance Prays Court To Nullify Dissolution Of Board

 

 

Mohammed Shosanya

 

 

African Alliance Insurance Plc has prayed a Lagos the Federal High Court,  to nullify the dissolution of its Board by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

 

 

 

 

 

The insurance firm is praying for a declaration that the purported board dissolution and removal of its Chief Executive Officer and executive directors on October 29, 2024 is unlawful,null and void.

 

 

 

The court  has not fixed date for hearing of the suit marked, FHC/L/CS/2008/2024

 

 

 

 

Defendants in the suit are the interim management board appointed by NAICOM, namely; Dr. Haruna Mustafa, Jacob Erhabor, Wasiu Amao, Oremeyi Longe, Anthony Achebe and Halimatu Khabee, as well as NAICOM Director of Legal, Enforcement & Market Development, Dr. Talmiz Usman and Minister of Finance.

 

 

 

 

 

The plaintiff is praying the court to determine whether NAICOM complied with the provisions of the National Insurance Corporation Act, the Insurance Act and the Prudential Guidelines for Insurers and Reinsurers in Nigeria 2015 in the purported board dissolution and removal of African Alliance CEO and executive directors and the appointment of the interim management board.

 

 

 

 

Through its counsel,Tayo Oyetibo (SAN),the plaintiff also asked the court to determine whether NAICOM acted in bad faith and unreasonably in exercising its powers under the laws.

 

 

 

 

 

Besides,the plaintiff is praying the court to hold that the act of NAICOM in seeking the approval of the Minister of Finance to take over the management of African Alliance while its application for consent to sell its assets in Pension Alliance Limited (PAL) was pending with the commission is unreasonable, in bad faith and unlawful.

 

 

 

 

 

The insurance firm prayed the court to nullify the dissolution of its board and the appointment of an interim management board as contained in NAICOM’s letter dated October 29 2024 and signed by Talmiz Usman for being unlawful, null and void.

 

 

 

 

It also prayed for an injunction restraining the defendants, especially the first to sixth defendants, whether by themselves, their representatives, privies or agents from dealing with or selling/disposing of any assets of African Alliance.

 

 

 

 

 

In its supporting affidavit to the originating summons,the insurance firm stated that NAICOM frustrated its efforts to raise funds and acted in bad faith in the dissolution of its management and board.

 

 

 

 

 

African Alliance stated that Pensions Alliance Limited (PAL) is a company that was incorporated in 2005 with two shareholders -African Alliance (49 percent shareholding) and FSDH Holding (51 per cent).

 

 

 

 

It said for reasons well known to NAICOM, PAL failed to hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) that would have allowed it to consider and declare dividends to the shareholders, which would have formed part of the operational funds of African Alliance as the investment in PAL was made in the interest of the company and its shareholders.

 

 

 

 

African Alliance stated that it submitted a Business Turnaround Plan (BTP) to NAICOM outlining its short-term, medium-term, and long-term plan to address the issues raised by the Commission.

 

 

 

The key component of the short-term plan was to secure bridge financing through the sale of the plaintiff’s 49 percent asset in PAL, following which NAICOM directed it to inject N6 billion into the company within 90 days from July 1, 2024.

 

 

 

 

According to the firm,NAICOM still went behind to publish a notice that it had put Africa Alliance under its Regulatory Order.

 

 

 

 

The insurance firm added: “The action of the Commission was done in bad faith to frustrate the plaintiff’s efforts in raising funds for the bridge financing.

 

 

 

 

 

“As a result, there was a run on the company which greatly depleted the plaintiff’s operational funds and also rendered all the plaintiff’s efforts at getting investors futile, leaving the plaintiff with the only option of the sale of its assets to raise the N6 billion bridge financing.

 

 

 

 

“This action of the Commission had serious ripple effects on the finance of the plaintiff, resulting in loss of customers and investors, serious financial loss and plunging the plaintiff into serious financial and investment crisis.

 

 

 

 

“In a bid to raise the N6 billion bridge financing, the plaintiff had to put up its shares in PAL for sale and got offers from two companies: Sea Global Energy Company Nigeria Limited and Ovie-B Investment Limited.

 

 

 

 

 

“By a letter dated October 22, 2024, the Commission refused its consent to the sale of the assets to the prospective investor not because the timeline it gave the plaintiff had expired but on the grounds that it was not satisfied with the information about the prospective purchaser and further asked for onerous conditions which include but not limited to getting consent from PENCOM when the applicable Guidelines did not provide for PENCOM’s approval as a condition precedent to the grant of the Commission’s consent.

 

 

 

 

“Upon receipt of the Commission’s letter, the plaintiff contacted Sea Global Energy Company Nigeria Limited to see if they are willing, able, and ready to fulfil their offer of N30 billion for the assets and N5.85 billion to buy out the majority shareholders of the plaintiff, and they confirmed their readiness to fulfil their offer.

 

 

 

 

 

“By a letter dated 30 October 2024, the plaintiff wrote to the Commission to inform her of the offer from Sea Global Energy Company Nigeria Limited and their readiness to purchase the assets.

 

 

 

 

“Surprisingly, shortly after the delivery of the plaintiff’s letter to the Commission, the plaintiff received a letter from the Commission notifying it of the exercise of the powers under sections 41, 42, and 50 of the National Insurance Commission Act on the same 30th October 2024 to: dissolve the management and Board of the Plaintiff and remove all members of the Board, including the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Directors; appoint an interim Management/Board to steer the affairs of the company.

 

 

 

 

“After the receipt of the letter of the Commission, the plaintiff discovered that while the Commission was engaging with the plaintiff on the sale of the company’s assets, the Commission was, at the same time, seeking the approval of the Minister of Finance to take over the management of the plaintiff.

 

 

 

 

“The plaintiff also discovered that the plan of the Commission and its officers from the outset was to take over the management of the plaintiff through an interim management board and sell the assets of the company to their nominees at gross undervalue.

 

 

 

“The act of the Commission in seeking the approval of the Minister of Finance to take over the management of the plaintiff while still engaging the company on the sale of its assets to raise funds to meet its obligation is unreasonable and in bad faith.”

 

Online Editor by — November 10, 2024 in Law/Human Rights 0
Adequate Security Measures In Place For Nov.16 Ondo Guber Election-Police

 

 

  Mohammed Shosanya

 

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun,has assured the public of the Nigeria Police Force’s  readiness to ensure a peaceful and orderly election process in Ondo State.

 

 

 

 

The election is billed for November 16, across all 18 local government areas, 203 wards, and 3,933 polling units in the state.

 

 

 

 

He has confirmed that comprehensive plans have been set in motion to guarantee a smooth election, including the strategic deployment of adequate personnel, resources, and state-of-the-art equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

Olumuyiwa Adejobi,Force Public Relations Officer,Force Headquarters, Abuja,conveyed the security strategies in a statement on Sunday.

 

 

 

 

The deployment,the statement said,will see officers from various specialized units,including the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (SPU), Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, K-9 Unit, Federal Investigation and Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), and Federal Intelligence and Security Task Force (FID-STS), working in concert with other security agencies.

 

 

 

These agencies will adhere strictly to the guidelines of the Electoral Act, 2022, ensuring that all measures taken align with the principles of fairness, transparency, and order.

 

 

 

The statement said,in addition to ground personnel, aerial patrols will be conducted with police helicopters, while gunboats will patrol the state’s waterways and riverine areas to ensure security across all terrains.

 

 

 

 

These comprehensive measures will serve as a deterrent to any attempt to disrupt the electoral process and will enhance the overall stability of the elections, the statement also said.

 

 

 

 

It added:”The IGP has also issued a stern warning to political thugs and any individuals or groups who may contemplate acts of violence or disruption before, during, or after the election: they will face the full force of the law. The message is clear—those who attempt to jeopardize the peace and security of the state will not go unpunished.

 

 

 

“Furthermore,the IGP reaffirmed the established guidelines governing election security management in Nigeria, stressing that no quasi-security organization, including state-backed groups like Vigilante Corps or Amotekun, will be permitted to participate in the election process. The security of this election is a responsibility entrusted solely to the Nigeria Police Force and other federal security agencies, along with the broader membership of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

 

 

 

 

“The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other federal security agencies, remains committed, vigilant, and fully prepared to ensure that the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election proceeds smoothly, without incident, and in accordance with the highest standards of electoral integrity”.

 

 

 

 

Online Editor by — November 10, 2024 in News 0