Nigeria: Press focuses on effects of incessant strikes on businesses, others

APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The report that the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association has slammed incessant strikes by organised labour in the country, noting that incessant strikes are affecting the business environment is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Thursday.
The Punch reports that the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association has slammed incessant strikes by organised labour in the country, noting that incessant strikes are affecting the business environment.
NECA stressed its refusal to let either the Federal Government, with its persistent legal disputes, or organised labour, through recurrent strikes, continue to jeopardise legitimate businesses.
The Director-General of NECA, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said this on Tuesday while announcing the third edition of the NECA Annual Employers’ Excellence Awards with the theme ‘Against All Odds’ in Lagos State.
Oyerinde expressed disappointment in the government’s recklessness through the National Assembly, describing it as regrettable.
He urged both the Federal Government and the National Assembly to reconsider their continuous summoning of organised businesses, deeming it disruptive and unnecessary. He stressed that there are designated agencies responsible for regulating and engaging with these businesses.
Oyerinde emphasised the need for the current administration to deliver on promised reforms instead of continuously inviting employers to Abuja.
The newspaper says that the Federal Government and the United Nations, as well as other development partners, are to raise $5bn annually for Nigeria’s Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation announced on Wednesday.
It said the government, UN agencies, development partners, and ambassadors, among others, also committed to a coordinated approach and durable solutions for humanitarian response in Nigeria.
They resolved this during a humanitarian coordination meeting at the United Nations House, Abuja, where the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, engaged ambassadors, UN agencies, NGOs, etc, on their commitment to humanitarian crises in Nigeria.
“The meeting, which was at the instance of the minister, brought all the humanitarian responders in Nigeria under one roof, where they all committed to a durable, smart, and coordinated approach to humanitarian response.
“Part of the resolutions of the meeting was the commitment to raise $5bn annually for the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund in Nigeria by the Federal Government, other countries, private sector, donor agencies, and the development partners,” the ministry stated in the statement.
Edu conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s appreciation to the UN agencies and development partners for their contributions to easing humanitarian challenges in Nigeria.
She, however, stressed that the era of uncoordinated, unaccountable, and silotic approaches to humanitarian response in Nigeria was over.
The Guardian reports that as part of efforts to deepen and strengthen the strong relations between Nigeria and China, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has received a 20-person delegation from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and Guangzhou Chamber of Commerce, at the Commerce House in Lagos.
CCPIT president, Yang Yong, led the delegation.
China-Nigeria relations, which dates to the early 1970s, has progressed significantly in recent years, hitting almost $18 billion in the first three quarters of the year.
Currently, Nigeria is China’s third largest trading partner in Africa, while China is Nigeria’s largest source of imports.
Speaking, Yong praised the resilient entrepreneurial nature of Nigerians, adding that about 30 percent of Guangzhou’s trade with Africa was with Nigeria. He said the Guangzhou Chamber of Commerce was ready to collaborate with the LCCI to increase the volume of trade between both countries.
LCCI President, Dr Michael Olawale-Cole in his remarks, highlighted several areas for investment in Nigeria including agriculture, housing, transportation and renewable energy. He stated that Nigeria was open and ready for investments and the LCCI was ready to support all aspiring investors.
Director-General, LCCI, Dr Chinyere Almona, said the timely meeting provided the opportunity for LCCI and members of the delegation to reaffirm their joint commitment to the progressive improvement of trade, industrial, and other ties between China and Nigeria; foster friendships and understanding between the business communities of both countries as well as promote cooperation in trade, investment, technology transfer, services and industry between both business communities.
The outcome of the meeting was an agreement for a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between LCCI, CCPIT and the Guangzhou Chamber of Commerce. Key planned activities will include trade missions, technical training, B2B sessions and continuous engagement between all the parties.
The newspaper says that the Federal Government, on Wednesday, vowed to plug leakages and loopholes impeding the collection of accruable revenues in the solid Minerals sector as well as achieving its target of 50% contribution to the gross domestic product of the country.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development disclosed this in Abuja, during his familiarization tour to the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) an agency.
Dr Alake explained that the deliberate decision to plug all leakages and loopholes across agencies of the Ministry with the aim of reviewing and enhancing revenues is deemed imperative in view of government’s high expectation for revenue from the solid Minerals sector to facilitate implementation of programmes that will lift the people out of poverty, generate employment opportunities and create wealth under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.
He said: “We will take firm decisions in record time, plug all leakages and loopholes to enhance revenue, reviewing all fees paid by operators and businessmen with alacrity that will cut across all the Agencies of the Ministry.
“The Ministry is posed to meet its target projection of making the solid Minerals sector achieve its target of 50% contribution to the gross domestic product of the country. The solid Minerals sector, he restated, is the next oil. We will employ all legitimate means of sealing leakages.”
While commending the enviable contribution of the Mining Cadastre Office in the overall achievements of the Ministry, Dr Alake admonished its staff not only to brace up in maintaining the success achieved, but strive to achieve and surpass Federal Government’s target.
In his remarks, the Director General of the Mining Cadastre Office ( MCO), Engr. Simon Nkom, briefed the Minister on its activities and programmes achievements and challenges; citing the need to upgrade its e-MCO+ to the new system for efficiency in administrative management of Cadastre applications.
GIK/APA