Nigeria: Press spotlights 14-day strike notice of organized Labour, others

APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The report that the Nigerian Government on Thursday disagreed with the organised Labour on its threat to declare a nationwide strike in the next 14 days over the alleged failure of the government to implement the memorandum of understanding reached with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress in October 2023 dominates the headlines of Nigerian newspapers on Friday.
The Punch reports that the Nigerian Government on Thursday disagreed with the organised Labour on its threat to declare a nationwide strike in the next 14 days over the alleged failure of the government to implement the memorandum of understanding reached with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress in October 2023.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in an interview with The PUNCH, asked the unions to exercise restraint and allow the government to address their grievances.
He said, “We are calling on Labour to exercise patience. We will look at the grey area. Let them come and speak with us in the interest of our nation.
“We cannot afford to go on strike at this time. So we call on them and we are always to partner Labour for the progress and development of our country.”
Idris, however, declined to comment on whether the government would seek a court injunction to stop the strike.
After the removal of the fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023, the labour unions reached a 16-point agreement with the Federal Government on measures to cushion the pains of the subsidy removal on workers.
Among other things, the government agreed to pay N35,000 to all federal workers beginning from last September pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law.
The newspaper says that the World Bank has said seven states across the North-west and North-east regions of the country may suffer food crises due to high levels of insecurity and armed conflicts that has reduced the standards of living across the region.
The bank in its latest Food Security report also stated that most areas in West and Central Africa would remain minimally food insecure until May 2024.
This is coming amidst plans by the government to cultivate 323,000 hectares of farmland producing wheat, rice, maize and cassava for the 2024 dry season farming.
The states highlighted by the bank are Borno, Adamawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Yobe, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
It stated, “It is projected that most areas in West and Central Africa will remain minimally food insecure until May 2024, with some being categorised as Stressed IPC 2. Nigeria (far north of Adamawa, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara states) will be at crisis food security levels, mostly because of persistent insecurity and armed conflict and deteriorating livelihoods.”
Food inflation has been a reoccurring issue faced by several governments across the globe and inflamed by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
In Nigeria, the price of food products has increased in geometric progression.
The Guardian reports that the economic transformation of the African continent is achievable through the creation of the right conditions to turn opportunities into transformational projects in key development areas, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, said.
Speaking at the Abuja roundtable for economic transformation in West and Central Africa, yesterday, Edun noted that economic development could be achieved as African countries continue to confront multiple overlapping internal and external challenges.
The roundtable for economic transformation in West and Central Africa was co-hosted by the government of Nigeria and the World Bank Group (WBG).
The organisers said the roundtable was aimed at providing a forum for World Bank Governors to discuss how to make progress on ambitious priorities for development in the region; how the ongoing World Bank evolution could help accelerate this progress, and how Governors can engage and support an ambitious financing and policy package for IDA21.
“The roundtable discussed and reaffirmed key priorities for the region which include human capital improvement, job creation through private sector development, food security, and the need to further strengthen financial inclusion and expand safety nets. The importance of budget support to stabilize the economy and create fiscal space for investments were highlighted, and participants also recognized efforts by the WBG to remain engaged during crises,” the statement issued at the end of the meeting said.
The roundtable also stressed the critical need to invest in resilient infrastructure across the region. In particular, accelerating electricity access, digitalization and transportation connectivity will promote growth, increase social inclusion, and consolidate fiscal stability.
Participants recognised the need for strong national leadership and significant investments, primarily from the private sector.
The newspaper says that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have reached an agreement on the directive by the President for earnings from oil to be domiciled in the apex bank.
Amids rising economic crisis, especially the free fall of the Naira, the Nigerian leader Tinubu directed the CBN to handle crude proceeds.
A joint statement by the two bodies yesterday said NNPCL would domicile a significant portion of its revenues and other banking services with the apex bank.
The decision followed a meeting between the NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari and CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso in Abuja.
NNPC said the move would provide the national oil company with an improved platform for managing its cash holding obligor limits, aligning with directives from the Board of Directors.
The statement hinted that the CBN has introduced enhanced digital platforms and specific limits to oversee NNPCL’s transactions effectively.
The both expressed commitment to fortify collaborations and smoothen operations.
Meanwhile, the national oil firm has ruled out plans.
to increase the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (otherwise called petrol) amid scarcity concerns.
This comes despite slight adjustment of price by some markets in Abuja, yesterday, as motorists jostled for products at NNPC retail outlets, which sold N53 lesser.
In most stations, marketers were dispensing at about N670 per litre in the main city of Abuja, while those in the suburbs sold higher. NNPC sells at N617 per litre.
Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, in a statement, dismissed the impending increase in the cost of petrol.
He urged Nigerians to disregard speculations of an upward review of product price.
GIK/APA