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Organised labour grounds activities at Abuja airport

Published

6 months ago

November 9, 2023

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Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Thursday grounded activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International in Abuja.

The move is part of actions by the unions following an attack on the president of the NLC Joe Ajaero in Imo State.

The protesters blocked the airport’s entry and exit routes.

But what started as a state issue has now taken a national undertone as the protesting unionists stormed the venue around 8:58 a.m., grounding aviation activities in one of the country’s busiest airports.

They were at the airport to halt flights going to Owerri, the Imo State capital. While security operatives prevented them from entering the airport, the protesters blocked the airport’s entry and exit routes, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. Many of them abandoned their vehicles and instead trekked.

Organised labour’s action has left many Nigerians, including airport users, stranded.

The development is the latest in the faceoff between labour and the Imo State government which the unions had accused of using police officers to assault the NLC chief.

READ Again, six die, five missing in Niger boat accident

While police authorities in the state have denied involvement in the assault with with the government accusing Ajaero of meddling in politics, organised labour declared a nationwide strike for November 14th, 2023.

Critics and observers say the move would throw an ailing economy into more turmoil, but the NLC and TUC insist it would go ahead with the industrial action if the government failed to meet its demands, which included the resignation of police officials.

“We are worried that it has become criminal for workers in Nigeria to gather for a peaceful protest,” they said.

Recent strikes have had a mixed turnout. Last month the unions agreed to call off a planned strike in protest over rising living costs after the government offered a package of measures to cushion the impact of its economic reforms.

The NLC, an umbrella group of trade unions, had planned a demonstration in the Imo state capital Owerri on Wednesday over “non-payment of salaries and pensions for 44 months and violation of other labour rights,” spokesman Benson Upah told AFP.

READ Subsidy removal: Industrial Court bars NLC, TUC from embarking on strike

But state police said the protest had been banned.

The unions said “police personnel” attacked Ajaero after a crackdown on the demonstration.

NLC-abuia-airport
The Imo Govt has denied attacking the NLC chief Ajaero.

The union leader was taken to a police hospital and treated at the city’s Federal Medical Centre, the NLC said. It has since shared pictures showing Ajaero with a bruised face and a neck brace.

Leader of the opposition Labour Party Peter Obi condemned the attack, saying it “shows the level of lawlessness, impunity, criminality, and rascality that have engulfed our dear country”.

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UPDATED: Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as chairman of education loan fund

Published

10 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Ovia as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointment of Ovia, chairman of Zenith Bank, in a statement on Friday.

Ngelale said Tinubu believes that Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience to ensure that no Nigerian student suffers a paucity of funds in the quest for tertiary education.

On April 3, Tinubu signed the student loans amendment bill into law to provide Nigerians with quality and accessible education.

The law will allow Nigerian students in tertiary institutions to access low-interest loans for tuition and other academic needs.

Subsequently, the president appointed Akintunde Sawyerr as the managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of the fund.

Tinubu also appointed Frederick Oluwafemi Akinfala as the executive director of finance and administration, while Mustapha Iyal will serve as the executive director of operations of NELFUND.

READ Protests in Benue as youths block road over wanton killings by suspected herdsmen

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JUST IN: Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as chairman of education loan fund

Published

13 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jim Ovia as the chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointment of Ovia, chairman of Zenith Bank, in a statement on Friday.

More to follow…

READ Protests: NLC says meeting with Tinubu 'fruitful and productive'

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ICPC detains TETFund boss ‘over questionable N7.6bn project’

Published

17 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has detained Sonny Echono, executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

Demola Bakare, ICPC spokesperson, confirmed the development on Friday.

Bakare said that Echono was invited by the anti-graft agency on Thursday.

“The executive secretary of TETFund is here with us. He has been invited for questioning. He is still in custody. He was invited yesterday.” Bakare said.

“He was invited on Thursday. He has not been released. He’s still with us. Investigation is still ongoing.”

It was earlier reported that TETfund awarded two contracts to Fides Et Ratio Academy and Pole Global Marketing (PGM) within two months at the cost of N3.8 billion respectively without the approval of the federal executive council (FEC), which is required for the contract size.

The contract was to provide capacity building course and learning management systems to about 2 million students across higher institutions in the country.

READ Protest: Police warn against disruption of commercial activities in Lagos

In a rejoinder, TETFund said it did not award N7.6 billion contracts to two companies without due process.

The agency said it was wrong to say they were contracts, whereas they were ICT projects implemented under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which doesn’t require competitive bidding in public procurement.

TETFund further said its disbursement guidelines were approved by the president on the recommendation of the “Fund’s Board of Trustees and concurrence of the Honourable Minister of Education in line with the TETFund Act 2011″.

In an interview with TheCable, Echono said there was no form of irregularity in the N7.6 billion project.