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Hardship: Nationwide Protest Must Hold, DSS Can Keep Its Unsolicited Advice – NLC President, Ajaero
The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has explained why the labour union is determined to embark on the planned nationwide hunger protest across the country on February 27 and 28.
Ajaero, who gave the explanation on Friday evening while speaking on X space hosted by SaharaReporters, also clarified that the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had never been part of the planned protest from the beginning.
Asked of the specific challenges facing Nigerians that necessitated the declaration of the two-day nationwide protest and the position of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ajaero listed the high cost of food items, cement, transport, amongst others, which according to him were orchestrated by removal of fuel subsidy.
He said, “Clearly speaking, TUC has never been part of the action from conception. The only warning signal was the TUC coming out to say they are not part of it, even when we didn’t say they are part of it.
“For them to have gone further to deduce some letters disassociating themselves and leaking it to the media. Such statements were unprovoked. Their letter coming the same day the DSS sent a letter to us, warning us to shelve the protest, gives course to odd.
“The NLC at its National Executive Council last Friday, resolved to have a two-day protest on the cost of living on the high sea faced by Nigerians, and by implication, workers, to make their (NLC) position known, not just to the government but to every Nigerian.”
Ajaero said that the NLC in its response told the DSS “To keep their unsolicited advice; because history will not forgive NLC if we should keep quiet at this moment in Nigeria’s political history.”
On mobilisation for the planned protest, the NLC President said that all industrial unions in the country and 36 state councils and Abuja had resolved to organise the protest, adding that the union had started forwarding all the mobilisation materials to all the states, and had held several meetings with the union’s civil society allies.
Ajaero said that “The whole crisis of this hardship and hunger started with the removal of fuel subsidy,” stressing that “The moment that was touched, transportation and everything associated with it went up, that even if a wanted to go to a bush market to buy plantain, before she would transport it to the town, a lot of money has gone into it, and it will go out of the reach of an ordinary man.”
He said that this was further aggravated by the free float of the Naira “Where Naira today is getting to almost N2,000 per Dollar.”
According to him, “The implication of that is that every other neighbouring country’s currencies are higher than Nigeria in value and that has led to a very large extent, the issue of smuggling.
“For a businesswoman, no matter how primitive and local, who knows that if she sells a paint of garri for N3,000, if she takes it through the border between Nigeria and Cotonou or Nigeria and Niger Republic, she will sell it maybe for N7,000, she would find her way to that area. To that extent, food will no longer be cheap and available to the common man.”
The NLC President further noted that those who have their children abroad, some of the children are really suffering at the moment.
He said that this is “Because, assuming there is any worker that is earning N1 million in Nigeria, but I doubt, if you convert it, you will hardly get maybe $500. Now, you can’t even take care of your kids.”
He added that “In that circumstances, school fees seem to have jumped up. Cost of cement has jumped up. We may say that it is someone who has money that is building a house, the people who manage to build can’t rent it because of the costs of cement and other building materials.
“There is nothing that the Nigerian government has a competitive advantage that will make people import such products from Nigeria. The only one which is crude oil, the government has equally not been refining it here. A bag of rice now is about N70,000 and above.
“An average worker who holds a wage economy, some of them earn N30,000, and that N30,000 most states are not paying it. And that N30,000 is not enough for you to transport yourself to office to and fro for about 20 days. Those are the challenges we have.”
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Triple national stampede: Adopt realistic actions to tackle corrosive hunger- Reps Minority Caucus tell FG
…mourn victims of stampede across Nigeria
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The House of Representatives Minority Caucus has advised the Federal Government to adopt a more realistic approach to tackle corrosive hunger as it mourn those who paid the supreme sacrifice in the Okija, Ibadan and Abuja stampedes.
This was contained in a statement dated December 22, 2024, signed on behalf of the caucus by its Leader, Rep Kingsley Chinda stating that:
“The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives is deeply pained by the unfortunate triple disasters that occurred in Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja which led to multiple deaths, and many injuries during distribution of empowerment palliatives, and other giveaways.
” We are shocked at the severity of the pains, deaths, and injuries that happened at these respective locations while people were gathered to receive foods, and other items to mark the yuletide season.
“As a Caucus, it is saddening that in just few days, we lost about 70 people; including children, nursing mothers, women, and the elderly as a result of stampedes that happened at the distribution points.
” It is heartbreaking, and heartrending that these victims payed the supreme price in search of what to eat. Pathetic, and dehumanizing!
The caucus further stressed that: “Due to biting economic situation that has led to debilitating poverty, and corossive hunger, it is worrying that these terrible occurrences are gradually becoming the norm across the country.
“We are saddened that as a result of harsh economic realities, many people; who have fallen into untoward hardship, and penury throng any, and every empowerment palliatives event in search of what to eat.
“As a result of these disturbing trend, the Caucus strongly appeal to the Federal Government and various intervention agencies to take immediate actions towards increasing, and improving empowerment programmes.
“With the negative global attention these avoidable incidents have generated, we reiterate that the FG and State Governments should do more by ensuring that these palliatives percolate to the right people that need such.
“As we commiserate with the families of those who died at the stampedes, and identify with those who suffered various degrees of injuries, the Caucus calls for proper security arrangements; full-proof crowd management; and appropriate medical services at the venues of distribution of empowerment palliatives by governments, agencies, politicians, religious bodies, social groups, and individuals.
News
2.1 tons cocaine seizure: 4 drug barons get 28yrs in jail, forfeit VGC houses, N67m, $50,000+Photos
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
. Their conviction and forfeiture of their assets a historical blow to illicit drug trade, says Marwa
Four drug kingpins arrested in connection with the historic seizure of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine at an Ikorodu residential estate in 2022 have been convicted by a Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Justice Yellim Bogoro who sentenced them to various jail terms totaling twenty-eight (28) years with hard labour.
The convicts: Soji Jubril Oke, 71; Wasiu Akinade, 55; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu, 67; and Kelvin Christopher Smith, 44, a Jamaican, were charged with six counts in charge number: FHC/L/607C/2022 in October and December 2022, while the trial of the fifth suspect, Oguntolure Sunday arraigned along with them is still ongoing in court. The charges border on conspiracy to form and operate a drug trafficking organization (DTO); management and financing of a DTO; importation and possession of 2,139.55 kilograms of cocaine, among others.
Operatives of a special operations unit of NDLEA had in a well-coordinated and intelligence-led operation on Sunday 18th September, 2022 raided a house located at 6 Olukuola crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, Lagos where the over 2.1 tons of cocaine were seized, the largest singular cocaine seizure in the history of Nigeria’s anti-narcotic operations. The drug kingpins were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between the night of Sunday 18th and Monday 19th September, 2022.
After over two years of diligent prosecution, the trial judge handed the Jamaican, Kelvin Christopher Smith four years imprisonment with hard labour; Emmanuel Arinze Chukwu got a total of 16 years; Soji Jubril Oke got five years with hard labour and Wasiu Akinade three years with hard labour. The trial judge however gave the convicts varying options of fine with the exception of one of them who will serve his full jail term without an option of fine.
They were also to forfeit a grey colour Toyota Tacoma SUV marked AAA-734HT registered in the name of Emmanuel Chukwu; $50,000:00 USD (Fifty Thousand US Dollars) belonging to Chukwu; N55,099,509.50 (Fifty-Five Million, Ninety-Nine Thousand, Five Hundred and Nine Naira, Fifty Kobo only) also belonging to Chukwu; the sum of N9,003,168.06 (Nine Million Three Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Eight Naira Six Kobo only) belonging to Wasiu Akinade and N3,052,295.20 (Three Million, Fifty Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety Five Naira Twenty Kobo only), also belonging to Akinade.
The Agency also in another suit marked FHC/L/MISC/672/2024 and filed before Justice Bogoro on 9th December 2024 after an initial interim forfeiture order, secured the final forfeiture of two houses linked to members of the drug cartel.
According to the trial court: “That an Order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal
Government of Nigeria, Landed Property/House Number 6 Olokunola Street,
Sholebo Estate, Ikorodu Lagos, Lagos State, as contained in Exhibit NDLEA 2A, 2B,
and 2C attached to this application used for the storage and concealment of 2,139.55kg (More Than Two Tons) Cocaine, an illicit substance similar to Heroin and LSD.
“That an Order of final forfeiture and confiscation is granted in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Landed Property/House Number J9, Road 3, Close 1,
Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate, Lagos, Lagos State, as contained in Exhibit NDLEA 3
attached to this application reasonably believed to be bought with proceeds derived
from trafficking in illicit drug substances (proceeds of crime) as in relief 1 of this Motion.
“That an Order is granted directing the sale or disposal by any other means provided by law of the forfeited House/Landed Property by the Applicant and the payment of the proceeds
therefrom to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
While commending all the officers and men of the Agency involved in the extensive investigation and prosecution of members of the drug cartel, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the case is a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they’ll not only go to jail but will equally lose all their investments in illicit drug consignments including all the properties and wealth acquired through the criminal trade.
Triple national stampede: Adopt realistic actions to tackle corrosive hunger- Reps Minority Caucus tell FG
2.1 tons cocaine seizure: 4 drug barons get 28yrs in jail, forfeit VGC houses, N67m, $50,000+Photos
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