National
Subsidy: Lukman asks Tinubu to eliminate distractions of strikes
*** Develop functional partnership with organise labour
A member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Mallam Salihu Lukman, has urged President Bola Tinubu to do all within his power to eliminate distractions that comes with strikes by orgarnised Kabour
The APC stalwarts also asked the President to immediately develop functional partnership with organise labour to facilitate consultations between the government and the unions.
In a statement released Tuesday in Abuja, titled “Nigerian Democracy and the Challenge of Governance,” Lukman said there are many policy issues that organised labour would be interested in adding that simple courtesy of being in the loop of policy design would help reduce frictions and tension between labour and APC governments and eliminate distractions that come with strikes.
Lukman who is also the North-west zonal vice chairman of the party called for a common template to be agreed upon between the government and the labour unions to guide consultations.
According to Lukman, it will be easier for organised labour to develop a functional relationship with APC and its governments at all levels and seek to defend and promote the interests of Nigerian workers than for NLC and its partners to reclaim the Labour Party and use it to sponsor candidates and win elections.
While commending the labour unions for the suspension of nationwide strike over subsidy removal, Lukman said the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and their partners would have been the first casualty had it been Peter Obi won the last presidential election.
He said: “Good enough, the young government of President Tinubu was able to open negotiations with NLC and TUC and already both NLC and TUC have agreed to suspend their planned strike action. However, beyond the suspension of the planned strike action, APC and the government of President Tinubu must consider developing functional partnership with organise labour.
“The partnership must be strategically to facilitate consultations between organised labour, APC as a party and the governments it controls both at federal and state levels. Common template should be agreed to guide consultations. There are many policy issues that organised labour would be interested and simple courtesy of being in the loop of policy design would help reduce frictions and tension between labour and APC governments and eliminate distractions that come with strikes.
Some would argue that NLC has already registered Labour Party. The truth is that NLC lost Labour Party a long time ago. What exists today as Labour Party is a corrupt representation of the Labour Party envisioned by the NLC in 2002. The Labour Party envisioned by the NLC in 2002 was a party to be controlled by people committed to Nigerian working class. For quite sometimes now, Labour Party is the political equivalent of stock market whereby every person aspiring to emerge as a candidate of the party for election, is free to bid so long as he/she has the resources.
“The reality is that the highest bidder wins the ticket of the party. This is what produced Mr. Peter Obi as the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections. NLC and all their partners had no say in the emergence of Mr. Obi and had he won the election, NLC and their partners would have been the first casualty.
“Besides, NLC and TUC need to come to terms with the fact that they must relate with the government of the day to promote and defend the interests of Nigerian worker. They must relate with the federal government both as a sovereign authority and as the largest employer of labour irrespective of the party in power.”
The APC chieftain believed that once negotiation is limited to getting organised labour to accept the new policy of withdrawal of fuel subsidy without contracting partnership agreement with organised labour aimed at securing functional relationship to negotiate the roll out of difficult policies, which would be considered necessary to move Nigeria forward, the old distractions of managing strike actions by organised labour would continue.
“Developing a functional partnership relationship with organised labour, and by extension other groups, require deeper political reforms in the country. To achieve that would also demand more focus in reforming the APC as a pollical party, which may have to compel President Tinubu to ask the APC leadership to organise mid-term National Convention earlier than schedule.
“Some of the changes for instance required to bring about new leadership who could lead the party to achieve its vision of being a progressive party can only be decided by the National Convention. If, for instance, the party want to correct the problem of having reactionaries and conservatives leaders such as Sen. Adamu and Sen. Omisore leading the party, organising a mid-term convention is necessary and compelling.
“The earlier this is done, the better for the young government of President Tinubu especially if he wants to run a progressive federal government, one that can guarantee the participation by Nigerians represented by their organised groups in his government as provided by the 1999 Nigerian constitution as amended.”
The Federal Government has inaugurated a 15-man Inter-Ministerial Committee to organise the celebration of Nigeria’s 63nd Independence Day anniversary.
The committee is headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume with the special adviser to the President on Policy and coordination Hadiza Bala Usman.
Speaking during the inauguration, Akume said the committee was constituted to plan, organise and execute all approved activities befitting Nigeria’s 63nd Independence Anniversary celebration on October 1, 2023
While reading his address Akume said,
“The celebration of the 63° Independence Anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the contributions and sacrifices of our national heroes and heroines who fought for the independence of Nigeria from the colonial masters.
“The Celebration also affords the government an opportunity to showcase its achievements in dealing with myriads of challenges in social and economic sectors confronting the nation.
“Based on the foregoing, it Is expedient to note that time is of essence regarding the preparation for the 63° Independence Anniversary Celebratigh.
According to him, the proposed activities for the celebration would be subject to finalization by the Inter-Ministerial Committee and would Involve the following to be anchored by sub-committees: Worid Press Briefing 25″ September
and Church Service 1st October, Juma’at Service 29″ September, Symposium/Public Lecture 28″ September, Presidential Broadcast 1st October and Parade 2nd October
“The Terms of Reference of each Sub-Committee and list of members would be sent by the Secretariat while Sub-Committee Secretaries would present their budgets for consideration and approval as soon as possible.
Members of the committee includes, Minster of information and national orientation, Minister of interior, minister of foreign affairs, minister of FCT, inspector General of Police, the Commander Guards Brigade. The director of DSS, special adviser to the President Policy and Cordination, Permanent Secretary General services, permanent secretary Ecological project office, permanent secretary Ministry of Health, permanent secretary special services office, permanent secretaries political and economic affairs office.
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has expressed deep grieve over the death of Nigeria’s first indigenous chartered accountant, Chief Akintola Williams who died on Monday in Lagos at the age of 104.
Akpabio in a condolence message signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Public Affairs and Communications, Rt. Hon. Eseme Eyiboh lamented that the nation has lost an icon, adding that the late Williams was an institution.
“I received the news of the loss of our first indigenous chartered accountant, Chief Akintola Williams with utmost sadness because there could not have been a better time than now that Nigeria needs to drink from his fountain of knowledge and savour his fatherly advice and wisdom.
“It is indisputable that no Nigerian has impacted the accounting profession as the late sage for his achievements are firmly entrenched on the sands of history and would remain indelible in the history of our country”, the Senate President stated.
According to Senator Akpabio, “Nigeria has indeed lost an icon, an institution and father of accountancy who stood for truth and honesty and proclaimed the principle of accuracy and integrity with passion.
“Chief Williams was a perfect gentleman, a professional to the core and a strict disciplinarian whose footprints will be difficult to be matched by any accountant in Nigeria. He symbolized hard work, resilience and determination.
“As the first indigenous chartered accountant, he played a significant role in etching Nigeria’s enviable place on the world map in the accounting profession. He was also a role model to many generations of accountants who took to the profession because of him.
“I join millions of well-wishers across the globe to condole his immediate family, the accounting profession and indeed the entire Nigerians on.the loss of this sage.
“May the Almighty God grant the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss and may He have mercy on the soul of Chief Akintola Williams and welcome him in His paradise, amen,” the statement stated.
By John Akubo, Abuja
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has congratulated a 10-year-old Nigerian pupil, Oluwademilade Odumuboni, who won the global grand prize for the 2022/23 edition of the Toyota Dream Car Art Contest.
Odumuboni, pupil of Corona School, Gbagada, Lagos, achieved the feat after beating 782,852 other contestants from 90 countries. The contest is organised yearly by Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan for pupils worldwide, challenging them to draw their dream cars with an inspirational idea.
Odumuboni’s waste converter drawing, with the concept of helping countries, especially African communities, in food production and ensuring clean environment, was adjudged the best. He was on September 2 honoured and presented with a prize money of $5,000, a trophy, and a certificate. His school, Corona, was also given $10,000 prize money.
Obi who tweeted on his verified Twitter handle, wrote: “Oluwademilade Odumuboni has carved his name on the global map at such a young age after creatively presenting a unique and truly inspirational idea.
“His story, therefore, reinforces my ever-consistent message on the overwhelming importance of education, especially at the basic level, and the need to invest aggressively in it.
“With over 18 million out-of-school children in different parts of the country, Nigeria misses out on the great opportunity of raising creative kids like Odumuboni, who will bring honour to the nation and grow to be responsible citizens, contributing to national development.”
“We will not only prioritise investment in education but ensure that every Nigerian child has access to at least, basic education, to be productive in today’s fast-changing world.
“I congratulate Master Oluwademilade Odumuboni, once again, and wish him the best in his future endeavours.”
He said with a future built on such bright upcoming stars, a greater Nigeria is Possible.
Culled from the Guardian
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