News

Fuel Subsidy Threatened Nigeria’s Survival, Made Marketers Rich — TUC

Published

11 months ago

June 12, 2023

The Deputy Chairman, Lagos State chapter of Trade Union Congress, Comrade Idogen Emmanuel, said the realisation that neighbouring countries were benefiting immensely from Nigeria’s subsidised fuel informed the decision to shelve the planned strike of the congress.

While noting that the fuel subsidy regime threatened the survival of the country, he added that marketers were feeding fat on it and smiling to the bank.

Speaking to journalists in Benin at the weekend, Emmanuel said while the removal of the fuel subsidy was painful, the nation cannot continue to subsidise fuel for citizens of Cameroun, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, and Senegal.

Emmanuel. however, urged the government to take a holistic approach to cushion the removal of the subsidy.

He said, “Initially, the union did not believe that there is anything like subsidy, but after finding out that petroleum marketers take the products to African countries like Cameroon, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and up to Senegal and make more money, the union decided to back down.

“The government should consider holistic measures such as the provision of mass transit buses, as well as plowing funds into education, health and agriculture sectors to boost learning, well-being and food sufficiency in the country.

He observed that the Nigeria Labour Congress, in calling out workers for the suspended strike action did not follow due process, as it ought to have given the government mandatory 14 days strike notice including three days warning strike.

“The TUC also observed that the NLC did not give the mandatory 14 days before strike action. That was why we decided to rescind our decision to embark on strike. This was why we also asked all the stakeholders to go back to draw a plan since the minimum wage will not benefit every common man on the streets,” he added.

The Lagos TUC deputy chairman also disclosed that he was in the Edo State to pick the intent form to contest the September 19, 2023 Local Government Elections in the state for the position of Chairmanship on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said he decided to contest for the office Esan South East local government has over the years been “politically rapped” by past administrators who governed the council.

He said if elected he would use mechanized farming as a means of creating gainful employment in the local government area given its rich and vast arable land, while also boosting its IGR

Headline

Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

Published

3 days ago

May 11, 2024

Alero Danjuma

Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.

The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.

Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.

Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.

News

Senate approves death penalty for drug traffickers

Published

5 days ago

May 9, 2024

Alero Danjuma

Senate on Thursday, May 9, approved the death penalty for those convicted on the charge of drug trafficking in the country.

The punishment prescribed in the extant NDLEA Act is a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of a report of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs and Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters presented the report during plenary, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North).

The bill, which passed its third reading, aims to update the list of dangerous drugs, strengthen the operations of the NDLEA, review penalties, and empower the establishment of laboratories.

Section 11 of the current act prescribes that “any person who, without lawful authority; imports, manufactures, produces, processes, plants or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life” was amended to reflect a stiffer penalty of death.

Although the report did not recommend a death penalty for the offence, during consideration, Senator Ali Ndume moved that the life sentence should be upgraded to the death penalty.

During a clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, put the amendment on the death penalty to a voice vote and ruled that the “ayes” had it.

But Senator Adams Oshiomhole objected to the ruling, saying that the “nays” had it.

He argued that matters of life and death should not be treated hurriedly, but Barau said it was too late, as he failed to call for division immediately after his ruling.

The bill was subsequently read for the third time and passed by the Senate.