The Harbingerngr News

*NLC insists on reversal, urges citizens to revolt against hike  *VAT, fuel price hikes’ll worsen Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis – Atiku *Complete refineries by Sept or sue contractors, Falana tells FG *As SERAP calls for reversal of unlawful fuel price hike THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, have warned that the increase in petrol price by the federal government has put most Nigerians on a breaking point. This came as human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, yesterday urged the Federal Government to ensure completion of rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries by September 2024 or take legal action against the contractors for breaching their contracts. This is even as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, also yesterday, asked President Bola Tinubu to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to immediately reverse the apparently “illegal and unconstitutional” hike in the pump price of petrol ...

NIGERIA Labour congress, NLC, and its Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart, have given the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, till May 12 to withdraw the recent hike in electricity tariff or face unprecedented industrial action. The ultimatum was issued in a joint letter to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, dated May 3, 2024, and copied the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, the Ministers of Labour and Power and the electricity distribution companies, DisCos, among others, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, President of NLC and its TUC’s counterpart. The letter read:  “This is to refer you to our May Day address where we expressed grave concerns regarding the recent announcement of an astronomical hike in electricity tariff across the nation from N65/kwh to N225/Kwh by your commission.  ‘’We believe that this decision is not just morally reprehensible considering the difficulties Nigerians are faced with currently, but it blatant...

LEADERS of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, yesterday, stormed the Lagos State Government House, in Alausa, protesting the continued ban on the activities of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, and the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW. Among labour leaders at the protest were Secretary General of TUC, Nuhu Toro; Deputy General-Secretary of NLC, Ismail Bello; President of TUC/Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo, and Lagos State Chairman of TUC, Gbenga Ekundayo.  Toro explained that the labour leaders were at the Lagos government house to demand the unbanning of both RTEAN and the NURTW by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, among others. Mr Olasunkanmi Ojo from the Ministry of Transportation, who received the protest letter on behalf of Governor Sanwo-Olu, assured the labour leaders that the Governor would look into their demands. Toro said: "...

*It’s shocking — NLC Approval creates room for suspicion — TUC *We approved advances to avert govt shut down — Lawan, *Adds move’ll allow NASS consider pending 2022 Supplementary budget THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, yesterday, picked holes in the Senate’s approval of President Muhammadu Buhari’s controversial N22.72 trillion Ways and Means request, describing it as shocking and suspicious. The Senate had, yesterday, caved in to pressure and approved President Buhari’s request to restructure the sum of N22.72 trillion Ways and Means advances made to ensure government was not shut down. Approval creates room for suspicion — TUC Pooh-poohing the move, TUC Secretary General, Nuhu Toro, said: “It is ridiculous and creates room for suspicion. We don’t think this is necessary, especially on the eve of this administration’s departure. This leaves us with the question of whether governance is a continuous exercise or not.” Senate’s approval is sho...

Chris Ngige, Quadri Olaleye and Ayuba Wabba ...as FG promises suspension of new electricity tariff *Labour vows to resume action if FG fail promises By Abimbola Oloyede Facts have emerged why Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, have suspended strike and mass protest already scheduled to begin on Monday.  According to TUC chairman, Lagos State chapter, Gbenga Ekundayo, “the strike was suspended to see what the government will come up with in two weeks. “When labour leaders go into a negotiation, it is for a purpose, and when that purpose is not served, we press home the demands by withdrawing services of our members. “Our national leaders went into further negotiations... An understanding has been reached and the strike was called off.  “But Nigerians should not lose faith in the organised labour,” he said. The unions suspended the strike and mass protest after a technical session that started on Sunday midnight and lasted till Monday. The decision ...