Shelve proposed warning strike, FG appeals to NLC

The Federal Government has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to suspend its proposed 2-day nationwide warning strike over economic hardship. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Simon Lalong, made the call at a news conference on Monday in Abuja. The NLC in a communique issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NLC) said it would commence a 2-day nationwide warning strike from September 5 to September 6. The NLC also threatened to embark on indefinite nationwide strike within 14 working days or 21 days from when the communique was issued unless the Federal Government addressed the excruciating suffering of Nigerians. Lalong said that the appeal had become necessary in order to ensure robust line of communication with Nigerians and in particular the organised labour to forestall a breakdown of industrial peace. He noted that the planned industrial action would no doubt reverse some of the gains already made by the administration. According to him, in this context, it has become pertinent to appeal to the leadership of the NLC to suspend its intended two days warning strike. “As such action would be detrimental to the gains already being recorded on our course to securing a greater future for Nigerian workers and citizens at large. “Furthermore, I would request that the Comrade Leadership of the NLC gives this government some time to settle and address the issues on the ground holistically. “It should be realised that the Cabinet of this administration was only recently sworn in by Mr President and all cabinet members have hit the ground running by receiving briefings from their MDAs. “Therefore, the issues raised by the leadership of the NLC are some issues that I and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment are being briefed upon,” he said. The minister however reassured Nigerian workers that this government would never take them for granted nor fail to appreciate their support and understanding. He also said that this administration would continue to pursue policies aimed at massive employment generation in all sectors of the economy. Lalong added that this would enable government look into immediate challenges that have emerged out of its policies, saying “we cannot do this in an atmosphere devoid of industrial peace. He also said that as a Minister of Labour and Employment, he was yet to be served official communication of the NLC communiqué, following its NEC meeting as required by law. He further urged the NLC to do the needful by following laid down processes for handling such matters since the cabinet was on ground. He assured that all the issues raised by the NLC would be looked into one after the other. “Allow me to first express my sympathy and that of the government of President Bola Tinubu to Nigerians and in particular the workers. “That is over the challenges that have arisen from the removal of petrol subsidy and other policies of the government aimed at renewing hope for the future of our dear nation. “In light of these matters, I would like to reiterate my appeal to the leadership of the NLC to suspend the warning strike and subsequent future actions. “To allow us to work together to amicably resolve these issues rather than embark on actions that would further worsen the conditions of the citizens of Nigeria,” he said. He therefore announced that government would be meeting with the NLC by 3 p.m. on Monday (September 4)

Gov Inuwa rounds-off 1st phase palliative distribution to 420,000 vulnerable persons

*Acknowledges receipt of N2bn from FG Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON says Gombe State has received N2 billion out of the N5 billion relief funds that the Federal Government allocated to states for the purchase of food items for distribution to vulnerable members of the public to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal. He however stated that the government awaits the receipt of the balance as well as the 1 billion Naira worth of maize which the Central Bank of Nigeria is selling to each state from the national strategic reserve. The governor disclosed this while speaking at round-off of the first phase of statewide palliatives distribution exercise embarked upon by his administration.  He applauded the Federal Government for providing the relief funds to each state of the federation out of which 48% is a loan that will be paid back over a period of 20 months at N120,000,000.00 monthly starting from November this year.  Assuring that his administration will ensure effective and judicious use of the funds, the Governor revealed that “We will set up a special committee under the Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau to ensure effective distribution of the FG’s palliatives to the deserving people of Gombe State”. Governor Inuwa also assured of his administration’s continued commitment towards addressing the plights of the people. “This exercise will continue, we will not relent in our efforts until our people are taken out of this difficult situation”, he stressed. He said the palliative distribution exercise was the 8th in the series of interventions carried out by his administration, adding that he will not relent in attending to the plight of his people. “I am not happy distributing palliatives to the people, I will rather be happy if every household in Gombe State would be able to meet their basic needs”, he added. “Our intention is to make sure that the palliatives we have provided reach the most-deserving people at the grassroots. We have provided an effective and efficient framework to achieve this by taking the exercise to the polling unit level. In every polling unit, 10 beneficiaries have been selected from making up the 30 thousand beneficiaries for this phase”, he noted. “Our ultimate target is to help not fewer than four hundred and twenty thousand (420,000) people in in this phase”, he added. He decried the lingering food crisis in the country, describing the ugly trend as a complex problem that calls for comprehensive solutions from all stakeholders, cautioning that distribution of palliatives from the government will only provide a temporary relief. “Despite series of palliatives distribution from the government, the problem of rising cost of food commodities persists, because that is not the way to go. Palliatives will not provide permanent solution to the problem. It is therefore pertinent on all stakeholders to find a permanent solution to the problem. He enjoined the beneficiaries to use the items judiciously, cautioning them about selling the items as this will defeat the intent of the exercise. “Use the fertilisers and insecticides on your farms to cultivate what can sustain your families and avoid selling them out. Look for potential places suitable for dry season farming and venture into irrigation agriculture. This is the way to go as we cannot continue to rely on handouts from the government”, he said. He used the occasion to call on famers in the state to avoid selling their farm produce during harvest period as the practice afflicts more hardships to the farmers and their families in the near future. Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Secretary to the Gombe State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi thanked Governor Inuwa for his magnanimity in attending to the plight of his people at this difficult time. “It is out of his sympathy and magnanimity that Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya moved to rescue his people from the grab of economic difficulties”, he said, calling on people to continue supporting the polices and programmes of the government. In his address, the Executive Secretary, Gombe State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, who is also the chairman state distribution committee, Abdullahi Haruna Abdullahi said the committee has succeeded in inaugurating the LG level teams and flagging off of the distribution exercise in all the 11 Local Governments Areas of the state. Mr Haruna promised to uphold the trust and confidence reposed in them by ensuring judicious distribution of the item across the state, explaining that the exercise will commence in earnest in every LGA that finished setting up its ward level committees. The chairman said, the Items distributed include bags of Fertilizer, insecticides, rice and spaghetti and will draw 10 beneficiaries from each polling unit in the state.