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Minimum wage: We accepted N70K in place of an increase on fuel price-Ajaero reveals
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on Friday, said that during the meeting on the new Minimum wage with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, the organised labour turned down the offer of an increase in petrol pump price to accept N70,000 as the new minimum wage.
Recall that the organised labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, had insisted on N250,000 as the new minimum wage but later settled for the offer of N70,000 from the President.
Fielding questions during the Morning Show on Arise News on whether the President betrayed the trust of the NLC in the negotiations by increasing the petrol pump price despite the alleged ‘agreement’ with him, the NLC President said:
“I have to narrate the scenario to you, and then we now choose the appropriate word, whether betrayed, deceived or whatever.
” While we were discussing because we stalemated at 62,000 Naira, even the states were saying they won’t pay, so there was a stalemate that took us to Mr. President.
“And we insisted on 250 (Thousand Naira) and Mr President at the meeting, turned to me and said, Ajaero, you are the person holding my hand from increasing further.
“I said increase what? He said, since I said subsidy is gone, we should have gotten the appropriate price. We should have increased. I want to sponsor you people, labour, to travel to these West African countries and know how much they are paying.
“Some are paying 2,000 (Naira), 1,800 (Naira), 1700 (Naira). As he announced it, we declined immediately that we are not going to take that sponsorship.
“He said, okay, I will go to my office for one hour. You guys decide if you agree for me to increase, I will pay you 250 (Thousand Naira), if not, you take this 62 (Thousand Naira). He stood up and we said, Mr. President, no, we can’t sit down here to decide in your office, we will take about one week to go back and discuss and get back to you, which was exactly what happened, ask anybody, and we adjourned for one week.
“He said, oh, I’m supposed to travel, but because of you, I will cancel my trip until after one week, and when we, reconvened, we were clear to Mr. President that we didn’t have any mandate to come here to discuss a price of a petroleum product or increase, we’re only here to discuss minimum wage and minimum wage alone we’re going to discuss. And we agreed on the basis of that we accepted 70,000 (Naira).
Ajaero also said that the organs of the NLC will meet next week to discuss the new pump price increase, adding that no single person in the labour movement can take a decision without the involvement of all the organs.
On why he has not declared a strike after the new price hike, the NLC President said, “No NLC President will come out and say, we are going to start strike tomorrow or next tomorrow without the organs meeting. In instances, either the CWC (Central Working Committee) or the NEC (National Executive Council), so we are following that process.”
Asked whether the Congress has started consultations in-house on that, he said, “By latest next week we should be able to meet and have a conversation around this so that the personal view of the leader (NLC President), does not becloud the position of the of the members.”
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TALL Forcast: 2025 Budget will bring down inflation to 15%, dollar to N1,500-Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has said that the 2025 budget forecasts that inflation will decline from current 34.6% to 15% next year.
He said this during his presentation of the N47.9 trillion 2025 budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.
The President also said that the exchange rate will improve from approximately N1,700 per dollar to N1,500.
According to Tinubu, “this is an ambitious but necessary budget to secure our future.”
“The Budget projects inflation will decline from the current rate of 34.6 per cent to 15 per cent next year, while the exchange rate will improve from approximately 1,700 naira per US dollar to 1,500 naira, and a base crude oil production assumption of 2.06 million barrels per day,”Tinubu said.
He said the budget projections are based upon observations such as reduction of petroleum products importation, increased export of finished petroleum products, bumper harvest driven by enhanced security, reducing reliance on food imports, among others.
Tinubu listed highlights of the budget to include defence and security – N4.91tn, infrastructure – N4.06tn, health – N2.4tn, education – N3.5tn, among others.
Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship following incessant increase in inflation and volatile exchange rate that has seen dollar exchange as high as N1,700 in recent days.
On Monday, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 34.60% in November 2024 from 33.88% in October 2024.
The November inflation rate showed an increase of 0.72% points compared to the October 2024 inflation rate, according to NBS’s latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report which measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services.
“On a year-on-year basis, the Headline inflation rate was 6.40% points higher than the rate recorded in November 2023 (28.20%). This shows that the Headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in November 2024 compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., November 2023),” the Bureau said.
Significantly, food inflation rate in November 2024 was 39.93% on a year-on-year basis, 7.08% points higher than the rate recorded in November 2023 (32.84%).
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Finally, PDP Flushes Out Suspended National Vice Chairman, Ali Odefa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Oguduokwor Ward in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has formally announced the expulsion of the suspended National Vice Chairman (NVC) of the party in the Southeast, Mr. Ali Odefa from the party.
Ali Odefa was suspended from the party on September 11, 2024 by the Ward Executives of the party for his engagement in various anti party activities. The Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki while ruling on suit NO: FHC/AI/CS/182/2024 further affirmed the suspension on November 29, 2024.
Announcing the expulsion of Mr. Odefa at a well- attended press conference on Wednesday, the Acting Chairman of the PDP Oguduokwor, Hon. Onyedikachi Herbert Ovuta flanked by other Ward Executives stated that the expulsion of the erstwhile NVC follows the recommendation of the Party’s disciplinary committee that affirmed the allegations of anti-party activities leveled.
According to the party chairman, “The expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa follows the report, findings and recommendations of the Ward Disciplinary Committee of the party which is in line with the provisions of the party constitution.”
The party announced that Mr. Ali Odefa by the virtue of his suspension, therefore “ceases to be a member of the party.”
The party’s statement reads in part:
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oguduokowor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State hereby announce the expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa, the suspended National Vice Chairman of the PDP, South East Zone from the party which takes immediate effect.
“The expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa follows the report, findings and recommendations of the Ward Disciplinary Committee of the party which is in line with the provisions of the party constitution.
“Recall that Chief Ali Odefa was suspended from the party by the Ward leadership on 11th September 2024.
“Consequent upon the judgement of the Federal High Court Abakaliki in suit number FHC/AI/CS/182/2024 which affirmed the suspension of Chief Ali Odefa, the Disciplinary Committee of PDP Oguduokwor Ward after their sittings on the above subject matter unanimously recommended that Chief Ali Odefa the Suspended PDP National Vice Chairman South East Zone be expelled from the party.
“The Executive Committee of PDP Oguduokwor Ward on 11th December 2024 after receiving the report, findings and recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee of PDP Oguduokwor Ward unanimously approved the expulsion of Chief Ali Odefa from the party which is compliance to section 58(1) and section 59(1) of the PDP constitution.
“Henceforth Chief Ali Odefa, seizes to be a member of our party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
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