Disseminator

Organised Labour, made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and their civil society allies has given the Federal Government till 12 midnight of Tuesday, 17th May, to revert to the old pump price of petrol or face a nationwide shut down if the economy.



In a joint communique signed by the President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and his TUC counterpart, Bobboi Kaigama, they asked Nigerians to stockpile enough food item to last them a while for the prosecution of the current struggle against neo-liberal agenda in Nigeria.

They alleged that those they termed as neo-liberal forces have taken over the government and are determined to make the government collapse even before the four tenure.

If the government fails to accede to the demands of the unions, the NLC, TUC and their civil society allies resolve to commence the following actions with effect from Wednesday, May 18, 2016;
· Mobilize to the streets across the country, ordinary and helpless Nigerians to whom they owe the duty of protection;

· Shut down all Banks, Sea and Airports, Government and private offices as well as Markets.

· Commence indefinite nationwide strike action.

· Fight/resist the machinations and cruelties of the neo-liberal forces in the government as part of the process of saving the government from itself and the generality of Nigerians from slavery.

Nigerians were advised to stock sufficient food items that will last for a while for the prosecution of the ” current struggle against neo-liberal agenda in Nigeria”.

He said the singular act of “mindless pump price increase is a betrayal of trust on the part of the government.

He recalled that the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu had told the nation that subsidy has been removed for petrol through his ingenuity and that Nigeria was saving $1 billion from the process.

“Organized Labour wondered what has informed government’s sudden and dangerous policy summersault and its desperate attempt to convince the public that Labour was part of the decision that led to this price increase;

“In view of the fact that the board of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), which is statutorily vested with powers to recommend prices, has not been reconstituted, the price variation announced by any officer of the agency or outside the agency is not only ultra vires and illegal, it is a criminal imposition on the citizenry;

“The price hike from N86:50 to N145, representing 67.63% increase, is the height of insensitivity and impunity as there was no previous consultation with stake holders, especially the organized labour, or any justification for this reckless decision other than the fact that government believes it is accountable to no one”.

The NLC President faulted the statement of the Minister that marketers will have to source their dollars from the secondary market, pointing out that the attendant pressure on the dollar will lead to unimaginable rise in the prices of commodities and other services thus creating further hardship for the people.

“In view of the fact that in the past five years, there has been no increase in salaries or wages or pensions in the face of devaluations, spiralling inflation and other vagaries of the economy, this product price increase is unrealistic, unaffordable, unacceptable and is thus rejected;

“Government is unable to justify this price increase other than the puerile explanation that marketers need to recover their costs, without a thought for the aggregate or larger national interest including the need for local refining and creation of jobs;

“The government has remained incalcitrant in spite of a subsisting court injunction on the issue of the criminal increase in electricity tariff even in the face of ever-worsening power supply situation;
“From the foregoing, it is evident that the neo-liberal forces in the government have taken over the government and we should expect more inhumane policies which will further degrade the living standard of the average Nigerian. The punitive electricity tariff and PMS product prices may just be teasers;

“The implications are costly and far-reaching, with the first and most significant being that we have become dependent on massive importation of refined products to meet our domestic needs in contra-distinction to other OPEC members.

“Whereas most OPEC members significantly meet their domestic needs through domestic refining by an average of 80 per cent, Nigeria on the contrary, at the pace it is going, will continue to rely on about 90 percent of imported refined products in the foreseeable future;

“And because we are dependent on importation, the end-user price will always be influenced or determined by external factors such as the cost of refining abroad, transportation and others denominated in the dollar.

“As the Naira continues to depreciate against the dollar, so will the woes of consumers in Nigeria continue to increase, a situation the Marketers in classic greed will exploit to their advantage;
“Taking into account the utilitarian value of petroleum products in Nigeria, all sectors are going to be negatively affected by this mindless price increase as virtually all the stakeholders are agreed that the most significant contributor to the astronomical cost of doing business in Nigeria is the cost of energy.

“NLC, TUC and other civil society allies are not unaware of the positions taken by the Unions in the oil and Gas Industry. A process of engagement will be put in place in order to ensure the success of the struggle to protect the overall interest of the Nigerian people.

“In consideration of all of the above, we urge government to revert to the old price regime in order to reduce the suffering of the people and to consider this singular act of mindless pump price increase as a betrayal of trust;

“Revert to the pre-45 percent electricity tariff increase, make meters available to consumers and stop estimated billing and reconstitute the boards of PPPRA and NNPC without further delay and give them their statutory right to function alongside DPR in order to deepen the process of consultation, checks and balances in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry;

“Government must Intensify the prosecution of all those involved in subsidy scams with a view to recovery and sanctioning of the culpable; put in place enhanced local refining capacity within a specified period in place of endless importation as an enduring solution to the perennial problem of scarcity;

“They must reverse the entire deregulation and privatization process which foists on the nation, private individuals as drivers of the economy in contravention of the constitutional provision that says government shall be the driver of the economy and engage the organised labour in the process of negotiation on key policy issues;

“Government must wean itself from the overbearing influence of the neo-liberal elements in its fold who have not only staged a coup but are determined to make this government collapse even before the end of its four-year tenure;

“The President must uphold its electioneering promises to Nigerians instead of subjecting them to the vagaries of slavish policies such as full devaluation of the naira and total removal of subsidy as enunciated by the IMF and its agents in the system.”

Division in the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party has ensured that it broke into factions.

Twelve of its former governors and no fewer than 14 former ministers are leading a breakaway group, which is labelled, Concerned PDP Stakeholders Steering Committee.

The 57-man committee, named in Abuja on Saturday, is expected to take over the running of the party from May 21, when the tenure of the current members of the National Working Committee of the party comes to end.


Already, the NWC members led by the party’s National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, are planning for the national convention scheduled to take place in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

The party is expected to elect new national officers at the convention.

The former governors, who have formed the breakaway group are Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Bonnie Haruna (Adamawa), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Donald Duke (Cross River), Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto), Mahmood Shinkafi (Zamfara), Abdulkaldir Kure (Niger), Mohammed Makarfi (Kaduna), Achike Udenwa (Imo), Babangida Aliyu (Niger) Okwesilieze Nwodo (Anambra) and Gbenga Daniel (Ogun).

They have been joined by 14 former ministers who served under the PDP-led Federal Government when the party formed the government at the centre.

The former ministers are Prof. Tunde Adeniran (Education), Inna Ciroma (Women Affairs), Adamu Maina Waziri (Police Affairs), Prof.Jerry Gana (Information), Dr. Abubakar Suleiman (National Planning), Tanimu Turaki (Special Duties), Ishola Sarafa (Solid Minirals), Zainab Maina (Women Affairs), Joseph Anenin (Women Affairs), Ojo Maduekwe (Transportation), Prof. ABC Nwosu (Health), Dubem Onyia (Foreign Affairs), Bala Mohammed (FCT) and John Odey (Environment).

However, it was gathered that the list was still being complied and that more big wigs in the party were planning to identify with the group, which is working to stop Sheriff from emerging as the national chairman of the party on May 21.

Among those who have joined the former governors and former ministers are Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, Amb. Nkoyo Toyo, Shehu Gabam, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Rabi Ibrahim, Mairo Habib, Amb. Wilberforce Juta, Ibrahim Bunu, Sen. Joseph Akaagerger, Sen. Zigo Azeez, Sen. Ben Obi, Mrs. Remi Adiukwu and Sen. Ben Obi.

Also on the list are Dr. Bolere Ketebu, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa, Shittu Mohammed Kabiru, John Dara, Sen. Folashade Grace Bent, Awwal Tukur, Dr. Doyin Okupe, Dr. Patrick Okomiso, Sen. Anietie Okon, Alh. Aminu Yakudima and Mr. Nichola Msheliza.

Okupe, a former presidential spokesperson, revealed  on Saturday in Abuja, that the group would elect its officers next week.

He also said that the time and period of its inauguration would be determined during the week.

“The group would meet and elect its officers next week. We are serious about recovering the party from the grip of the few,” he added.

However, Sheriff had said that members of the group were “free to leave,” alleging that they never contributed to the success of the party in the first place.

He accused them of contributing to the deluge of problems facing the party now, adding that if they had worked assiduously with others in the past, perhaps, the party would not have lost power in 2015.

Sheriff, who spoke through his media aide, Inuwa Bwala, said, “Certain faceless groups have come up with different gimmicks trying to divert attention from the effects of what they did in the past leading to the squandering of the fortunes of the party, or to distract the attention of the chairman from pursuing very lofty and laudable programmes for the repositioning of the PDP or even just to cause mischief.

“Unfortunately, among such groups are self-styled elders and stakeholders led by Prof. Gana.

“I have seen him sweating on television, playing with language but at the end of the day saying nothing.

“I want to specifically say we kept sealed lips about some of the activities of this man believing that we could still find a rendezvous at which we could work together for the progress of the PDP.

“I must say, and there are witnesses, that this is one character that attempts to play role in every government since the time of the military.”

Bwala added that given his recent action, “It was glaring that Gana would not add value to the repositioning of the PDP.”.

Shocked!!! That was the  was the heart condition that welcomed me as I entered into the capital city of Ekiti sate; Ado Ekiti. I saw people,  both Old and young  in a posture that deserves a heavy laughter. Everyone walking through the street of ijigbo with there hands up.

It was called Operation “ka  wo soke” – Hands Up.
I was first baffled, until I was warned and compelled to fallow suit for my on benefits. The fierce looking Mopol and Police seated  across almost all corners of the street diligently looking for any entity that negates there command. I still couldn't comprehend what drove a civilized society into  this despicable state.

 Shouldn't citizens live in comfort and walk cross there father land with their shoulders high? Or Maybe the new posture of dignity is Walking through the street with all hands above, Just maybe... we never can tell
Until I stated asking questions from my co-trekkers. Alas they don;’t even have  the full gist.

Another question Hit me straight up, What should be the attitude of the learner-ed? Is it not to “know” and strive to eradicate all appearances of ignorance? Is the the new Ekiti where Ignoramus people supersedes the Learner-ed.
Well, after series of disappointments. I pocket my curiosity until I got into s places where I know for certain my hunger to know would be feed.

To cut the story short. The daily profit of a Driver’s Wife was snatched at sabo – where Hausa’s reside. Another woman was reportedly raped in the same area some weeks ago. Although the public are uncertain whether these cruel acts were done by Hauses or an hooligan used there community as an hide out. 

Therefore some groups called the “Irate Youths” are on rampage, burning the King’s market as an at of retaliation holding diggers and the likes restraining the Fire Extinguishers from performing their duties.
This unsettled acts lead the governor to declare a  dusk to dawn curfew – 6am to 6pm-

I wish  I could share some pictures from my experience of the “Operation Ka wo soke”. Behold, it was wiser to just be calm and not raise suspicion lest I should be sitting under a police van.

My desire for all Nigerian states is that may peace continually rain there in.  May the wave of Societal instability and insecurity never rock your abode.

Ekiti a gbe a ooo
Nigeria; One People, Great Nation.

Happy Birthday "Distant-Role-Model"

Barely few weeks after the jubilation that greeted the commencement of international flights at the newly upgraded Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu; the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made its first arrest and cocaine seizure.

The suspect, Chizoba Anselem Nwabuwa 32 year-old 400 Levels Fine and Applied Arts student was apprehended during the inward screening of passengers on an Ethiopian flight from Brazil enroute Addis-Ababa. He was found to have ingested liquid cocaine packed inside male condoms.

The head of the NDLEA at the Enugu Airport, Mr Nsikak-Abasi Udoh who confirmed the arrest said that the suspect excreted 25 wraps of a liquid that tested positive for cocaine. “The suspect excreted twenty-five (25) wraps of liquid substance. When tested with the United Nations drug testing kit, it tested positive for cocaine weighing 1.250kg. This first arrest and seizure is exciting to us because we just commenced operations” Nsikak-Abasi stated.

According to the suspect, “I am a 400 level student of Fine & Applied Arts at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. I wanted to use the half a million naira (N500,000) they promised to pay me in developing my Art Gallery. They assured me in Brazil that authorities will not be able to detect liquid cocaine, so I was confident. Unfortunately, things have turned-out the other way. I regret my involvement in drug trafficking”. Chizoba who is single hails from Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA Ahmadu Giade expressed satisfaction with the arrest. In his words, “the Agency accords high priority attention to all the airports. We shall continue to up-scale our operations at the airports and prevent drug trafficking syndicates from using the nation’s airports”.

Giade urged members of the public to pursue legitimate businesses at all times noting that a good name is far better than ill-gotten wealth. The suspect will soon be charged to court.
Source : 247ureports.com