Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has announced plans to introduce a government-backed bulk food purchase scheme to reduce the cost of essential commodities, while promising to expand the state’s mass transit fleet to ease transportation challenges facing workers and other residents.

Abiodun disclosed this during a stakeholders’ meeting with organised labour representatives from the Ijebu axis in Ijebu-Ode, where he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare and policies aimed at improving the living conditions of residents.

The proposed bulk purchase scheme, which will be implemented through the planned Gateway Trading Corporation, is designed to enable residents to access essential food items and household commodities at more affordable prices through government-supported purchasing arrangements.

The governor said the initiative was conceived in response to the rising cost of living and followed a suggestion by the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hameed Ademola-Benco.

He explained that bulk purchasing would enable the government to negotiate more favourable prices for essential commodities, thereby providing economic relief to households facing rising food costs.

According to him, the initiative could also stimulate competition in the open market, as traders may be encouraged to review their prices in response to the availability of essential goods at lower rates through the government-backed platform.

Abiodun assured the labour leaders that his administration would work towards making the scheme operational, stressing that government policies must address the practical economic challenges confronting workers and other residents.

On transportation, the governor promised to increase the number of mass transit buses available to government workers and members of the public.

He said the planned expansion was in response to concerns raised by organised labour over the need for more buses to ease daily commuting, reduce transportation costs and improve the movement of workers and residents across the state.

Abiodun explained that improving public transportation remained an important part of efforts to enhance workers’ welfare and reduce the financial pressures associated with daily travel.

The governor also addressed concerns raised by the labour representatives over leave allowance and the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), assuring them that the issues were receiving the necessary attention.

On education, Abiodun described teachers as indispensable to the growth and development of Ogun State, noting that their responsibilities extended beyond classroom instruction to character formation, discipline and the preparation of young people for responsible leadership.

He said the quality of education in any society depended largely on the competence and commitment of its teachers, adding that their influence played a significant role in shaping the future of individuals and the nation.

Reflecting on his personal experience, the governor said quality teaching and proper upbringing had helped shape his values and contributed to his journey in life.

He disclosed that his administration had constructed and renovated about 1,600 classrooms, employed hundreds of teachers over the past seven years and introduced reforms aimed at improving teaching and learning in public schools.

Abiodun commended Ogun teachers for their performance, which he said had earned them recognition and awards at national and international levels.

He also applauded students from the state for their achievements in academic competitions and educational assessments, describing their performance as a reflection of the efforts of the government, teachers, parents and other stakeholders to sustain high educational standards.

The governor said the meeting was convened to appreciate organised labour for its support since the inception of his administration and to provide an opportunity for constructive engagement on issues affecting workers and the wider public.

He commended the labour leaders for their contributions and suggestions, stressing that regular consultations with stakeholders were essential to developing policies that addressed the needs of the people.

In their separate remarks, the Ogun State NLC Chairman, Comrade Hameed Ademola-Benco; the state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Akeem Lasisi; and the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Sewakanu Noah, alongside other labour leaders, commended the governor for what they described as development across various sectors of the state.

The labour leaders acknowledged the administration’s payment of salaries and allowances, regular promotions and settlement of outstanding gratuities and pensions.

They, however, called for a review of the Contributory Pension Scheme, the establishment of a Ministry of Labour Affairs and increased subventions to tertiary institutions.

The labour leaders also pledged their support for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections, expressing confidence in the party’s leadership.

They said they needed “someone who will serve with dignity, beautiful at heart and beautiful in character.”

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has urged state governments to stop relying on the Federal Government to resolve their electricity challenges, calling on them to establish functional power markets and attract private investment to improve supply.

Shettima said Nigeria’s ambition to build a competitive industrial economy would remain constrained unless electricity reforms delivered reliable power to businesses, households and public institutions.

He spoke on Wednesday while declaring open the National Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Electricity Act 2023 at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja

Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, the vice-president said the law gave states the opportunity to develop and regulate electricity markets within their jurisdictions, allowing them to design solutions suited to local needs and available resources.

He said, “Electricity supply must become a shared responsibility, pursued with innovation and accountability across the federation. Our States must shed the habit of waiting for Abuja to provide every answer.”

Shettima identified solar energy potential in Sokoto, Borno and Katsina, gas resources in Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa, and hydroelectric opportunities in Niger and Kebbi as resources states could exploit to expand electricity supply.

He urged state governments to turn these advantages into investments that would support agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and education.

The vice-president warned, however, that passing legislation alone would not improve electricity supply, urging states that had yet to establish regulatory institutions to begin the process without delay.

“Legislation cannot implement itself. States yet to act must begin their legislative and institutional preparations promptly,” he said.

He also proposed a National Electricity Reform Peer Review and Implementation Framework involving the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Federal Ministry of Power, Nigeria Governors’ Forum and state electricity regulators.

According to him, the voluntary framework would enable states to share experiences, strengthen regulatory capacity and assess progress in investment, consumer protection, electricity access and market development.

“No state needs to purchase with failure the knowledge another state has already acquired,” Shettima said.

He stressed that private investment was essential to meeting the country’s electricity infrastructure needs, noting that government funding alone could not finance the required transformation.

“Government cannot finance this transformation from the treasury alone; private capital must arrive with technology and expertise,” he said.

Shettima added that transparent licensing, predictable regulation, commercially viable markets and effective dispute resolution would help build investor confidence.

He also called for stronger consumer protection against arbitrary billing, poor service and unfair commercial practices, insisting that electricity operators must be held accountable for the quality of service they provide.

“The final verdict on this law will be delivered wherever a Nigerian reaches for a switch. Entrepreneurs need dependable power, young Nigerians need employment, and investors need transparent rules under which enterprise can prosper,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Abdulateef Shittu, said the forum was working to improve coordination between federal and state institutions in implementing the Electricity Act.

Shittu disclosed that efforts were under way to develop a standard tariff framework for states to protect consumers while supporting investment and commercial sustainability.

Imam Dahiru Abubakar of a mosque in Madina quarters of Bauchi metropolis has been removed from his position for campaigning for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.

The imam was said to have been subtly campaigning for Tinubu’s reelection during preaching after every obligatory prayer.

He was, however, suspended after he repeated the act following the early morning prayer (Subhi) on Sunday.

“He would tell the congregation after prayer that Tinubu did not cause insecurity and he deserved to be reelected.

A committee was set up after he did the same thing last weekend and he was subsequently removed,” a source said.

Abubakar reportedly said he had been telling the people in his preaching that President Tinubu was not the problem because the hardship and insecurity were caused by “end times phenomenon.”

He said, “I have been preaching to the people to stop castigating President Tinubu for the insecurity and economic challenges. They prepared to vote for him and give him another mandate in 2027 to continue his mandate.

“My preaching centred on telling people to embrace fear of God and stop blaming leaders for the insecurity, particularly President Tinubu, because only God’s intervention can stop the challenges with the power of prayers, and that didn’t go down well with the committee of the mosque.

“My preaching priorities are fear of God and our day-to-day activities. I cited examples of what is happening, especially insecurity in African countries like Sudan, Chad, Mali and others facing crisis. I asked whether President Tinubu was responsible for their insecurity.”

Confirming the incident, chairman of the mosque committee, Imam Abubakar Jibrin, said, “Our major challenge with him was not only his campaign for Tinubu but the way and manner he gathered many people in front of the mosque and sometimes entered the mosque purposely to discuss politics.”

He added, “The mosque committee sat down with him and cautioned him against turning the mosque to a political platform because of the Quranic verse which says the Mosque is solemnly for worship of Allah alone. We vehemently rejected the use of the mosque for political meetings. We have warned him not once or twice but many times, but he didn’t heed our pleas.

“Even though we believe that politics is the process of producing leaders in the country, there are laid down procedures, which are political parties, and the activities should take place in their political party offices and not in the mosque.”

Jibrin also said that, apart from campaigning for the president, he was also insisting on changing the name of the mosque from Abdullahi Bin Zubbair mosque to Masjid Imam Bola Ahmed Tinubu mosque.

“All the committee members said ‘no’ because the mosque belongs to the community. This mosque has a committee of which I am one of the members, and when he insisted, we rejected the idea and resolved that the mosque name would remain Masjid Abdullahi Bin Zubbair.” Jibrin said the committee had removed Abubakar from the position and would not reinstate him.

“He should go and build his personal mosque, or politicians should go buy a mosque for him; that is not our business. Let me clarify that we, members of the committee of the mosque, are not against the candidate of any political party. Our prayer is to Allah to choose the best for the country, be it President Tinubu or any candidate among the presidential candidates that would become a blessing to the country,” Jibrin added.