Nigerian press zooms in on plans by organized Labour to fight pains, hardship caused by govt, others

APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The warning by the Nigerian Labour Congress that it is ready to fight the economic pains and hardship caused by the Federal Government’s removal of the fuel subsidy dominates the headlines of Nigerian newspapers on Tuesday.
The Punch reports that groaning occasioned by the removal of the fuel subsidy grew louder on Monday as the Nigerian Labour Congress said it was ready to fight the economic pains and hardship caused by the Federal Government’s decision.
Also, university workers under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, the University of Lagos chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Congress of University Academics and protesting members of the Edo Civil Society Organisations lamented the subsidy removal and it attendant pains. The varsity unions decried the situation, saying the subsidy was ’unintelligently removed.’
The National Assistant Secretary, NLC, Chris Onyeka, said the Central Working Committee of the congress would hold an important meeting today and take a position.
He said all issues around the suffering of the masses because of the recent price hike in PMS price would be addressed at the meeting.
“We are going to give the Federal Government an ultimatum. We have given them enough leverage to take care of Nigerians and make amends, but they have refused to make amends. Let them prepare themselves because we are preparing. We are ready to fight back,” he said,
Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress has faulted plans to allow state governments to roll out palliatives to citizens to cushion the effects of the hardships caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.
President Bola Tinubu had during his inaugural address on May 29 announced the end of the fuel subsidy regime which instantly shut up the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit popularly known as petrol from N165 per litre to N540. The product currently sells for between N568 and N617 per litre.
The newspaper says that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has inaugurated an Ad hoc Committee to investigate the alleged $9.05 billion revenue loss from gas flaring in the last decade in Nigeria.
Abbas, at the inauguration of the House ad hoc committee on Gas Flaring on Monday, charged the committee to get to the root causes of gas flaring and make recommendations to end the menace.
He said that the probe is an acknowledgement of the urgent need to understand and mitigate the environmental, social, and economic impacts of this practice.
“The task before this ad hoc committee is a very critical one that lies at the heart of the health of our people and economic well-being of our nation.
“You have been charged with the responsibility of investigating, perhaps, one of the most harmful practices in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.
“Gas flaring and venting have been a significant environmental, economic, health and social concern in our country for many years.
“The flared gas represents lost revenue that could have been generated through its sale or utilisation. Official records indicate that we lose about 2.5 billion dollars annually to gas flaring,” he said.
The Guardian reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, in a damning verdict, said Nigeria has failed the African continent in particular, and the world in general.
Obasanjo stated this in Abuja while giving the keynote address at the public presentation of the book titled: ‘Reclaiming the Jewel of Africa,’ written by former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, who also served as Minister of Finance, Olusegun Aganga.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by his Special Adviser on Monetary Policy, Olawale Edun, unveiled the book with past and present senior government officials in attendance.In his remarks, which were presented virtually, Obasanjo said more Nigerians are being plunged into poverty due to good policies poorly implemented, bad ones and absence of policies.
Although no name was mentioned, Obasanjo’s comment is coming on the heels of hardship occasioned by fuel subsidy removal by President Tinubu – a decision described in some quarters as a good move taken without proper consultation.
The former President also said the prevailing insecurity and spate of out-of-school children had pushed Nigeria on the precipice, noting that the nation had failed to live up to its expectations since independence in 1960.
Obasanjo said: “Over the last 63 years, we have not lived up to expectations. We have disappointed ourselves; we have disappointed Africa; we have disappointed the black race; and we have disappointed the world.”
Obasanjo identified two of the major issues that were interrelated in terms of factors for all-round development. “These are peace and security, which we cannot achieve without justice, equity and inclusive society. And telling ourselves the truth, we have not done well on these scores in the recent past — in the last decade and a half.
The newspaper says that Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Federal Department of Fisheries have trained over 50 fish exporters, farmers and processors on the requisite skills to exploit in the export market.
Speaking at a technical session for fish practitioners on compliance to importing countries requirements in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak, said the technical session would give participants the opportunity to understand and adopt regulations of importing countries to avoid the high level of rejection of Nigerian exports.
Represented by the Director, Product Development Department, Mrs. Obidike Evelyn, he said the training being conducted in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Federal Department of Fisheries to equip fish farmers, processors and fish exporters would expose them on the right way of exporting their products without getting their fingers burnt.
“If you are exporting fish and fishery products, they have to comply with regulations of the importing countries. We are here to reach and train all the practitioners in the fish sector and we are starting with Lagos State. We want to let them know what is required of them so that they can comply and their fish would be accepted at the international market.
This is why we have brought in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Federal Department of Fisheries to tell them what the requirements are,” he said.
“We have over 50 fish processors here and plan to take them bit by bit; so we are starting with a sizable number that can listen and understand and get it right.
“NEPC is here to provide the relevant, requisite and current information for them to take advantage of the fish export business,” he added.
Also speaking, the Director, Federal Department of Fisheries, Dr Farouq Abdullahi, who was represented by the Deputy Director and Head of Quality Assurance, Lagos Liaison Office, Mrs. Oladosu Olanike, said the programme would introduce a roadmap for compliance of exporters of fish and fishery products to adhere to global best practices.
GIK/APA