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Tinubu Scheduled to Meet with Organised Labour on Thursday over Minimum Wage

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[FILE] L-R: NLC President Joe Ajaero, President Bola Tinubu, TUC President Festus Osifo, and NUPENG President NUPENG National President Williams Akporeha at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, August 2, 2023.

President Bola Tinubu will meet with the Organised Labour in Abuja on Thursday to further discussions on a new minimum wage for workers in Nigeria.

A top labour ssaid that the President invited the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to the meeting expected to be held at the Aso Villa in the nation’s capital city.

The President is expected to make a decision on the ₦62,000 proposal of the government and private sector side; as well as the ₦250,000 demand of the Organised Labour.

The Thursday meeting is coming about a month after the President said in his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, that an executive bill on the new national minimum wage for workers would soon be sent to the National Assembly for passage.

 

On June 25, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by the President stepped down from consideration and deliberation on the memo on the new minimum wage to allow for more engagement with stakeholders.

 

Two days after, Tinubu and Vice President Kassim Shettima, at the 141st meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), met with governors of the 36 states of the Federation and ministers to deliberate on a new minimum wage for workers.

Long Walk To New Wage

Talks for a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers have been on for a while. The Minimum Wage Act of 2019, which made ₦30,000 the minimum wage, expired in April 2024. The Act should be reviewed every five years to meet with contemporary economic demands of workers.

 

President Bola Tinubu in January set up a Tripartite Committee to negotiate a new minimum wage for workers. The committee comprises the Organised Labour, representatives of federal and state governments as well as the Organised Private Sector.

 

However, the committee members failed to reach an agreement on a new realistic minimum wage for workers, forcing labour to declare an indefinite industrial action on Monday, June 3, 2024. Businesses were paralysed as labour shut down airports, hospitals, the national grid, banks, National Assembly, and state assemblies’ complexes.

 

FILES: Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)

 

The labour unions said the current minimum wage of ₦30,000 can no longer cater to the well-being of an average Nigerian worker, saying the government should offer workers something economically realistic in tandem with current inflationary pressures, attendant effects of the twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of the forex windows of the current administration.

 

Labour “relaxed” its strike on June 4, 2024 following assurances from the President that he was committed to a wage above ₦60,000.

 

Both the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leadership subsequently resumed talks with the representatives of the Federal Government, states, and the Organised Private Sector.

 

On Friday, June 7, 2024, the two sides (labour and the government) still failed to reach an agreement. While labour dropped again its demand from ₦494,000 to ₦250,000, the government added ₦2,000 to its initial ₦60,000 and offered workers ₦62,000.

 

Both sides submitted their reports to the President who is expected to make a decision and send an executive bill to the National Assembly to pass a new minimum wage bill to be signed into law by the President.

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Vardy Reveals Former Teammates, Ndidi And Iheanacho Use Juju Cream

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Former Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has shared an amusing anecdote about the unique injury treatment preferred by his Nigerian ex-teammates, Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi.

 

Iheanacho and Ndidi became integral members of the Foxes squad after joining in 2017, playing a crucial role in the club’s historic 2021 FA Cup victory.

The duo shared a strong bond with Vardy during their time at the King Power Stadium, often engaging in light-hearted banter with their teammates.

Vardy, a Leicester City legend after 13 years with the club, departed last summer for Serie A side Cremonese. Iheanacho and Ndidi have also since moved on from the Foxes.

Speaking on a recent podcast, Vardy recounted how the Super Eagles stars had a peculiar remedy for minor injuries.

He explained that Iheanacho and Ndidi would insist on using a special “juju cream” brought back from Nigeria, refusing any other oils or balms offered by the club’s medical staff.

“They used to get injured, just little knocks, then they’d go back to Nigeria for one day literally, come back, and then they’ve got a nice big tub of juju cream,” Vardy said.

“That was the only thing that the masseuses were allowed to massage on the injured areas. They used to tell us that they used to get it from a Nigerian witch doctor.”

While Vardy’s story adds a humorous, if slightly controversial, layer to the players’ time at the club, the “juju cream” was likely part of a running joke.

Ndidi later clarified on social media that the substance was simply local shea butter, known as ‘ori’ in Nigeria.

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Ondo Gov’s Loyalists Drag APC To Court Over NASS Primary Results

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Some aspirants loyal to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who failed to secure the All Progressives Congress (APC) tickets in the recently concluded National Assembly primaries, have approached the court to challenge the outcome of the exercise.

 

The aggrieved aspirants are challenging the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the results of the primaries and the list of candidates submitted by the party to the electoral body.

Report quoted sources within the party as saying the aspirants decided to seek judicial redress after expressing dissatisfaction with the outcome of the primaries.

The aspirants have reportedly engaged the services of the law firm of Remi Olatubora, SAN, to challenge the outcome of the exercise, the report also mentioned.

Those involved include Gbenga Elegbeleye (Ondo North Senatorial District), Dr Taiwo Fasoranti (Ondo Central Senatorial District), Leke Akingboye (Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency), Rasaq Obe (Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency), Kayode Ijalana (Owo/Ose Federal Constituency), Oyerinmade Matthew (Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo/Odigbo Federal Constituency), and Olumuyiwa Daramola (Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency).

The legal action has reportedly generated concerns among some party stakeholders, who fear it could affect the APC’s preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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Falana Declares FG’s House Gifts To Judges Illegal

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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has slammed the Federal Government over its gifts of houses to judges.

 

Speaking at the Housing TV Africa on Thursday, Falana demanded the provision of the law that stipulated such a gesture.

He charged the Federal Government to also build houses for university professors and other civil and public servants, noting that what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.

“”We have got to a stage in the country where we have to challenge the special privileges given to the rich and top public officers in the country.

“I was very sad when I saw that the Federal Government was handing over the keys of houses to judges, and I asked myself, ‘Under what law are we operating?’ Because it’s discriminatory and illegal.

“You treat everyone equally in our country. So you can’t take out judges. Judges are entitled to accommodation by the way. They must live comfortably and we’ll secured.

“But, other citizens must be equally provided for. If you don’t do it, you can be challenged, and that is going to happen very soon because what is good for the goose is good for the gander,” he said.

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