₦airaland Forum

Kalulu44:
Hmmm... I'm just reading this for the first time even though many quotes here shows the complain about this man has tey!
First of, as a former Bolt driver myself I doubt this man will be a fully registered driver on any of the e-hailing apps and after those barrages of complaint and he wouldn't have been caught.
When I was still into the driving, just one single complain from Riders and Bolt will either warn you, ban you from getting rides from some hours or sometimes days.
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I hear someone said he may have been getting the rides, but once at the pick up point he cancelled it so the app won't know the ride happened. Let me tell you, if you're used to cancelling trips every now and then, Bolt will suspend you indefinitely and you must get to one of their offices before you can be integrated back. So if he has been going offline while giving rides to his victims before committing the acts he's been accused of, even while the ride didn't take place as most of you claim, but Bolt/Uber knew he was ordered for at the first place so they'll take it from there.
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What most of you guys don't know, as far as you're a registered driver of any of the e-hailing rides, your total information is fully with them. Once you're online, they know exactly the spot your car is. So if truly this guy has been doing what they say he's doing, and he's a fully registered driver. They would have caught him since.
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So my conclusion is this: It's either this guy is using another means to get this his alleged victims, or those girls are gangs of friends who are hell bent to get back at him for what he may have done to one of them.
But saying he's a registered e-hailing driver and still haven't been caught, I doubt that.

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria has responded to concerns about the non-refundable nature of U.S. visa fees, stating that the policies align with global practices.

The embassy stated that fees cover application costs regardless of approval.

The statement comes amid public debates on transparency and fairness in U.S. immigration procedures.

However, the US, in a statement on its X handle on Tuesday, assured Nigerians that each case is reviewed thoroughly and fairly.

It said, “We hear your concerns regarding U.S. visa application fees. Like most countries, U.S. visa fees cover the cost of processing the application, regardless of the outcome.

“While fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, each application is reviewed thoroughly and fairly.”

For best results, the Mission urged Nigerian visa applicants to prepare their application carefully.

It also provided guidelines that will assist applicants in avoiding visa denial, revocation and cancellation.

It advised, “Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate  in their country of residence or nationality.

“Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J nonimmigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under U.S. law.

“Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation on Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on June 9, 2025, the United States is suspending or limiting entry and visa issuance to nationals of certain countries.”

“Applicants who are subject to this Presidential Proclamation may still submit visa applications and attend scheduled interviews, but they may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States.”

US Mission urged applicants to use resources on its website.

Recall the embassy in April 2025, revised visa interview requirements for Nigerian applicants

Accordingly, all applicants attending interviews in Abuja and Lagos must present a DS-160 visa application form featuring a confirmation barcode beginning with “AA” followed by two zeroes.

The embassy emphasised that the barcode must correspond with the one used to schedule the interview appointment online, and failure to present a matching barcode will result in disqualification from the interview.

The federal government has suspended the newly introduced free on board (FOB) levy collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on imported goods with immediate effect.

In a memo seen by TheCable, R. O. Omachi, permanent secretary, special duties in the office of the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, said the suspension follows “extensive consultations with industry stakeholders, trade experts, and relevant government officials”.

The minister of finance is also the chairman of the board of customs.

“It has become clear that the implementation of the 4% FOB charge poses significant challenges to the Nigerian trade facilitation, environment and economic stability. Many importers and businesses have raised concerns about the increased financial burden this levy imposes, with potential adverse effects on inflation, trade competitiveness, and the overall business climate in Nigeria,” he said.

Omachi said the suspension “will provide an opportunity for comprehensive stakeholder engagement and a thorough review of the levy’s framework and its broader economic implications. The Ministry of Finance looks forward to working closely with the Service and all relevant parties to devise a more equitable and efficient revenue structure that supports both revenue generation and economic growth and stability”.

On February 4, the NCS announced plans to implement a four percent charge on the FOB value of imports.

The plan was later suspended to allow for comprehensive stakeholder engagement and consultations regarding the implementation framework.

However, on July 23, 2025, the NCS announced it will replace its seven percent collection fees from the federation account and one percent CISS with a 4 percent FOB levy at the port.



The service said that with the indigenously developed trade platform, it had no choice but to reintroduce the levy to enhance its operational efficiency and fund the technology and modernisation programme of the service.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) had kicked against the reintroduction of the 4 percent FOB charge, warning that the policy would significantly raise the cost of importing raw materials, machinery, and spare parts not available locally.

The association urged the government and the NCS to halt the implementation until December 31 to allow for a proper impact assessment and consultations with stakeholders.

In June, Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller-general (CG) of customs, said the 4 percent FOB will contribute N1.07 trillion to its proposed revenue target of N6.58 trillion for 2025.

The revenue target was eventually increased by the senate to N10 trillion.

Police have physically removed The Gambia's auditor general, Momodou Ceesay, from his office after he refused to give up the post, in a government reshuffle carried out by President Adama Barrow.

Ceesay, who has spent almost three years as auditor general in the West African state, says he had turned down Barrow's recent offer to become trade minister.

Yet the president insists that Ceesay originally agreed, but later changed his mind.

The row has angered many Gambians, with some accusing the president of trying to replace Ceesay with someone who will shield him from corruption allegations.

The president has promoted the Director of Internal Audit, Cherno Amadou Sowe, to the post of auditor general, but he has not reported to work following the public backlash.

On Monday, plain-clothes police were sent to the auditor general's office to arrest Ceesay and install his successor.

But Ceesay's staff confronted the officers and stalled them, in scenes that were broadcast live on the social media accounts of local news outlets.

It was not until back-up forces arrived that the auditor general was finally ejected from a press conference he was giving and escorted out of the complex to his lawyer's office.

This action triggered a swift response from young people, who called on the president to reinstate Ceesay, and threatened to take to the streets in the outskirts of the capital, Banjul, until their demands were met.

"He refused your appointment. Now you forcibly remove him out of the office? Are the Gambian people not watching?" asked Gambian activist Kemo Fatty, expressing his fury in a clip which is circulating online.

"If the auditor general does not return to office today, President Barrow will leave the State House today," he threatened.

In recent months, Barrow's government has been rocked by numerous protests following an investigation by a local newspaper, The Republic, alleging that assets belonging to the disgraced former President Yahya Jammeh had been distributed among close aides of Barrow. He has denied any wrongdoing.

In a statement, Barrow's office said the government remained "firmly committed to the rule of law, transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of public finances".

Ceesay's appointment as trade minister was "based solely on his qualifications and experience", and was not intended "to interfere with the operations of the National Audit Office".

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, have appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, insisting that the economic and political reforms currently causing hardship will ultimately yield prosperity.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Assistant to the President of the Senate on Media/Communication, Anietie Ekong.

The appeals came against the backdrop of concerns about the poverty levels in the country.

Since Tinubu announced the end of fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023, petrol prices have more than tripled, food inflation surged above 35 per cent, and the naira has continued a volatile decline against the dollar.

Speaking at the Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio acknowledged the turbulence but likened the process of rebuilding to constructing a cathedral, stressing that such a task requires time, sacrifice and resilience.

The former governor appealed to the masses not to despair over the current situation that Nigeria is going through but to look forward to a brighter future.

He said, “Let me seize this opportunity to urge my compatriots to be patient with your government as we lay the foundations of this house again. Do not despair when the winds blow strongly or the scaffolding shakes.

“For a nation is like a mighty cathedral—it is not raised overnight, but stone by stone, prayer by prayer, hand by hand. Let us, therefore, renew hope in the Nigerian enterprise.

“Let us believe again that our land can be great, that our children can inherit a future brighter than our present. Let us bind the wounds of division, banish the cynicism of despair, and walk together—Church and State, pulpit and parliament, faith and policy—towards the dawn.”

According to him, transformation is not the burden of one arm of society, nor the privilege of a select few.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, also shared his sentiment.

Akume, who represented Tinubu at the Catholic gathering, assured that the administration was working to stabilise the economy, attract investments, and cushion the impact of reforms.

“This administration came into office with a firm commitment to renew hope, strengthen our democratic institutions, and build a Nigeria that works for all.

“We have taken bold steps to stabilise the economy, attract investment, and implement reforms that will bring enduring benefits to our country,” he said.

Akume also urged the Church to continue supporting the government’s efforts, pledging that Tinubu’s social investment programmes would ensure no Nigerian is left behind.

At the same event, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, praised the Catholic Church for its historical role in championing justice and democracy globally, while highlighting his administration’s initiatives to fight poverty and improve welfare for the poor and vulnerable.

The plenary, attended by the Apostolic Nuncio and Papal representative, Most Rev. Michael Francis Crotty, Catholic bishops from across Nigeria, federal lawmakers, state officials and hundreds of worshippers, offered the platform for political leaders to seek the Church’s support in navigating the country’s toughest economic transition in decades.

The Federal Government has said it is working to expand the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme to 50 million primary school pupils in 2026.

Aderemi Adebowale, National Programme Manager, National Social Investment Programme Agency disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

“We are working to include early years – primary 1 to 3, primary 4 to 6 – in the school feeding programme, and also out-of-school children, which we are handling step by step to integrate.

“So, by the year 2026, we are looking at feeding close to 50 million pupils in primary school in Nigeria.

“Ideally, school feeding should be between N500 to N1,000 per child.

“Even at N500 per child, you should be able to still give the children a nutritious and delicious meal on a daily basis,” she said.

Adebowale added that the agency controlled the price through the formation of an alignment of small-holder farmers, aggregators, supply chain and developing partners.

“With this alignment, we’ll be able to control price from the rock bottom. We are not going to be doing market prices.

“So, we have to agree on prices from our suppliers, agri-vendors and farmers to arrive at a reasonable cost per plate.

Once we do that, we will follow up on the payment and service delivery,” she said.

NAN recalls that on May 27, 2025, the Federal Government inaugurated the Alternate Education and Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Project, aiming to provide meals for 20 million out-of-school and underserved children by 2026.

The initiative was inaugurated in Abuja by the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.

Yilwatda is the current National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Party.

The programme was rolled out through the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme in partnership with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education and the National Identity Management Commission.

Yilwatda had highlighted the programme as one of the key components of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, introduced to mark President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office.

The Federal Government overspent its debt service budget by N2.74tn within the first nine months of 2024 despite earning far less revenue than projected.

This is according to the latest third-quarter budget implementation report for 2024 published by the Budget Office of the Federation.

Figures from the document obtained by our correspondent on Friday showed that actual debt service rose to N8.94tn as against a prorated budget of N6.20tn, showing the fiscal pressures confronting the country.

Saturday PUNCH observed that the debt service figure rose by 54 per cent from N5.79tn in the same period of 2023, representing an increase of N3.15tn.

This shows the surging burden of both domestic and foreign debt obligations on the nation’s finances.

The report also showed that the government had projected N25.88tn in revenue for the full year, with N19.41tn expected by the end of September.

However, actual inflows stood at N14.55tn, creating a shortfall of N4.86tn.

On a quarterly basis, the approved benchmark was N6.47tn, but actual collections were inconsistent, with N3.59tn recorded in the first quarter, N4.88tn in the second, and N6.08tn in the third.

The underperformance points to the persistent fragility of the revenue base, particularly oil income, despite improved non-oil receipts.

Debt servicing was the most significant driver of the fiscal imbalance, as domestic debt service amounted to N4.39tn, compared to the N3.97tn budgeted.

Saturday PUNCH notes that foreign debt service also climbed to N5.46tn against a projection of N2.06tn, an excess of N3.40tn.

This sharp rise reflects the impact of the naira’s depreciation on the cost of servicing dollar-denominated loans.

Together, the two categories pushed the subtotal for debt service to N8.93tn, far above the N6.04tn target.

The sinking fund provision of N167.75bn was not implemented, while interest on ways and Means bond got N3.05bn during the period.

“Total Debt Service in the first three quarters of 2024 stood at N8,934.30bn, higher than the prorated projection of N6,035.47bn in the 2024 Budget by N2,898.82bn (48.03 per cent). Interest on Ways and Means during the period amounted to N3.05bn.

“The sum of N4,386.09bn was used for domestic debt servicing, a difference of N411.31bn (10.35 per cent) from the prorated projection for the period, while N4,548.21bn was spent on external debt servicing during the period under review,” the report read without including the amount budgeted for sinking fund to retire maturing loans.

Analysis of the figures shows that debt service consumed 61 per cent of government revenue in the period under review.

This means that out of every N1 collected by the government, about 61 kobo was spent on debt obligations.

“Debt service-to-revenue ratio remains elevated; fiscal space is constrained, requiring urgent revenue mobilisation and expenditure reprioritisation,” the report read.

The weight of debt was also visible in relation to recurrent expenditure. Out of N14.44tn spent on recurrent costs in the three quarters, debt service alone accounted for 62 per cent, leaving little room for personnel, overheads and other essential obligations.

The PUNCH earlier reported that Nigeria spent 4.1 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product on debt servicing in 2024, according to the Country Focus Report by the African Development Bank.


The figure represents an increase from 3.7 per cent recorded in 2023 and reflects the rising cost of borrowing amid tightening global financial conditions and high domestic interest rates.

According to the report, the increase in debt service obligations was driven by higher interest payments on government securities and fresh borrowings to finance the budget deficit.

It added that the increased expenditure was largely driven by debt servicing costs, which consumed a larger share of public finances despite recent fiscal reforms. Public debt rose sharply to 52.3 per cent of GDP in 2024, up from 41.5 per cent in 2023, largely due to increased financing needs and a weaker naira.

According to the report, “Debt servicing increased to 4.1 per cent of GDP from 3.7 per cent in 2023. The debt servicing-to-federal-government-revenue ratio stood at 76.8 per cent in 2023, rising slightly to 77.5 per cent in 2024.”

The AfDB warned that this trend could limit the government’s ability to invest in critical infrastructure and social development.

Debt service obligations gulp a significant portion of Nigeria’s fiscal resources, the report stated, noting that limited fiscal space is constraining the capacity to meet pressing development priorities.

The Federal Government has said Nigeria is on the road to sustainability in the power sector.

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, stated this in Abuja during the inauguration of two blocks housing five training workshops and a 104-room hostel at the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN).

He said the development is a milestone for the institute and the sector, adding that President Bola Tinubu’s administration had demonstrated genuine commitment by “walking the talk and converting vision into action.”


According to him, the government’s efforts were already yielding results with the country recording the highest power generation and transmission in its history.

“In no time, we are going to witness a country where there is 24/7 uninterrupted power supply. This is possible and we have certainly seen the signs,” he said.


The minister said the government was lighting up universities, teaching hospitals, primary health centres, public institutions and communities, stressing that power supply remained the driver of other critical sectors of the economy, including education, health and aviation.

“We have what it takes to start manufacturing our own meters, cables, transformers, transmission transformers and batteries. We have the brain. We have the people. We must be self-reliant and sustainable, and we are very close to achieving this,” he said.

The minister said the new facilities underscored government’s commitment to developing a highly skilled workforce capable of addressing challenges in a fast-changing energy landscape.

He added that the training centres and hostel would equip young Nigerians with modern tools and knowledge to drive innovation and job creation.

Director-General of NAPTIN, Ahmed Nagode, said the projects represented a foundation for a brighter future in the power sector.

He disclosed that the institute planned to explore partnerships to implement the Next Generation Rescue Programme to train and empower young Nigerian leaders.

Nagode praised the European Union (EU) and the French Government, who, through Agence Française de Développement (AFD), provided funding and technical support for the facilities.

EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, said the bloc committed €8 million to the project as part of its support for Nigeria’s power sector reforms. He said the EU had helped NAPTIN develop 95 courses, including 65 technical and 30 non-technical ones, and had invested over €200m in Nigeria’s power sector since 2008.

Mignot said the EU’s latest renewable energy package for Nigeria, worth €100m, was designed to add 400 megawatts of renewable energy by 2027, benefitting over five million Nigerians.

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike Travels To UK For Medical Attention, Four Years After Saying ‘No Need For Overseas Care’

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has travelled to the United Kingdom for medical attention, SaharaReporters has learnt.

Sources privy to the minister’s health status told SaharaReporters that Wike has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure and is currently under medical management.

Doctors reportedly recommended a bypass surgery, but Wike declined the procedure over concerns about being away from his duties for an extended period and the possibility of being replaced during his absence.

“Wike has travelled to the UK to seek medical attention,” one of the sources said.

“They said he’s got congestive heart failure, which is being managed. He refused to do the bypass surgery recommended because he doesn't want to be gone for too long or replaced.”

The minister’s decision to seek treatment abroad comes amid growing public interest in his health and capacity to continue in office.

In April 2021, Wike, then Governor of Rivers State, declared that he would not travel abroad for medical treatment, asserting that all the necessary equipment for examinations and care was available at the Government House.

He made the statement during a courtesy visit by the accreditation team of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to the Rivers State University College of Medical Sciences at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

He said, “It is unfortunate where we are. I don’t want to comment on people who are travelling for medical check. I have not travelled for the past two years.

“If we have all these things here, why do we have to travel? We have all it takes to provide it. Why will I go out to do my check (overseas) when I have all the facilities in Government House?

“I don’t need it. Everything that is required for me to undergo any test is here. The resources we have it. Why can’t we provide it for our people?”

In October 2021, while inspecting construction work at the Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Diagnostic and Treatment Centre in Port Harcourt, then-Governor Wike emphasized the government’s responsibility to ensure citizens have access to quality healthcare.

He highlighted the importance of a well-equipped healthcare delivery system and adequate support for medical professionals to safeguard lives.

Wike noted that Nigerian doctors and medical experts can deliver effectively if provided with an enabling environment and proper incentives.

He stressed that the country already had the resources and facilities needed to improve the health sector, and emphasized the importance of training and retraining medical personnel.

Wike pointed to the Government House Hospital in Port Harcourt as an example, highlighting how patients continued to visit due to the availability of basic facilities and the dedication of its doctors.

According to Wike, “if you give our people the required environment and give them the facilities, the tools to work with, there is no need for us to travel overseas”.

Earlier this year, reports emerged that Wike had collapsed and was immediately flown abroad for treatment. However, the minister later dismissed the claims, describing them as false and politically motivated.

In April, during an inspection tour of some projects in the nation’s capital, Abuja, Wike said, “I don’t want to give credence to people who are only interested in spreading rumours. First of all, I’m a human being, not a ghost. If someone collapses, it is a human being that collapses, not a ghost. Unfortunately, I did not collapse.”

“There was never a time I collapsed. There was never a time anybody took me anywhere for medical attention. People who spread such remorse should focus on reality,” he stated.

Wike accused his political detractors of fabricating the story to distract the public from the country’s real issues, dismissing their claims as baseless.

“I will sign their condolences,” he said.

ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has expressed concern over the growing resort to early campaigns by politicians and their surrogates in clear violation of extant laws.

INEC national commissioner and Chairman, Board of The Electoral Institute TEI, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at a stakeholders roundtable convened to examine ‘The Challenges of Premature Political Campaigns”.

According to him, early campaigns are now disguised as “appreciation” or “philanthropy”, done via billboards, social media and even in physical gatherings.

Katsina Governor Radda Confirms Negotiations With Bandits To End Insecurity Crisis

Despite years of killings, displacement, and destruction of livelihoods in Katsina, the state government has confirmed that it is in "active negotiations" with bandits terrorising several frontline communities.

Governor Umar Radda, who had previously distanced his administration from talks with the criminal groups, openly admitted that the truce has already restored stability in some affected areas.

The governor revealed this while unveiling an 18-month European Union-funded project, Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience in Katsina, which is being implemented by the International Organisation for Migration in collaboration with the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) and Mercy Corps.

The project is aimed at fostering peace and socio-economic stability in Katsina and Zamfara states.

According to Radda, “This project is not a top-down intervention. It is community-owned, locally-led and culturally sensitive."

"From the onset, we have ensured that community voices, especially those of women, youths and persons with disabilities, are central to planning and implementation. So, the state government has already gone far in this."

The governor further explained that through community-based peace initiatives, his administration has managed to reach a level of stability in some parts of the state.

“I can assure you that due to this locally made community peace initiative, we are able to resolve crises in four of our frontline local governments out of the eight that we already have, and negotiation is going on in two additional frontline local governments."

Radda painted a grim picture of the havoc already caused by the bandits in Katsina communities, highlighting the heavy price residents have paid for years of violence.

"In Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, Kankara, Safana, Sabuwa, Faskari, and Dandume Local Governments, our frontline communities, community schools have been closed down, farms abandoned, markets shut down, children have missed education, parents have buried their children, and elders have fled their ancestral homes due to this conflict."

His comments came after the Chief of Defence Operations, Maj Gen Emeka Onumajuru, clarified that the Nigerian Armed Forces are not part of any arrangement to pay money to bandits operating across the country.

Speaking on Sunrise Daily on Channels Television, Onumajuru said such payments had proven ineffective in addressing insecurity.

“The armed forces of Nigeria do not support the payment of money to criminal groups. The armed forces of Nigeria are not part of that arrangement,” he stated.

According to him, instead of monetary inducements, the military is pursuing a national Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) programme anchored around Operation Safe Corridor in Gombe State for the North-East, and Zamfara State for the North-West.

“However, the armed forces of Nigeria have a DDR programme with other stakeholders, the Ministry of Justice, and the Office of the National Security Advisor for criminals that have shown remorse and want to toe the line for peace, to surrender their weapons, undergo a thorough profiling to ensure the extent of their culpability, and then they are transferred for the DDR programme,” he explained.

He added that the DDR framework provides an alternative for those seeking to renounce criminality.

"The essence of this national framework is for bandits who clearly want another route to leaving criminality. You surrender your weapons, and you are profiled in detail.

“Those who are found really culpable face the law. Now, this is coordinated by the Ministry of Justice. Don’t forget that some of the people were forcibly conscripted, kept in the bust for God knows why.

"Once it is decided that this set of people is not really culpable after a detailed profiling, they are transferred to the DDR centres in Gombe, and they start going through the DDR process,” Onumajuru said.

The leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPEND) is yet to honour the invitation extended to it by the Federal Government over the planned strike by oil workers.

The meeting, which was summoned by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, in order to resolve the dispute between the union and the Dangote Group, was billed to hold at the headquarters of the Ministry, Abuja.

Daily Trust reports that the Federal Government, on Sunday appealed to NUPENG to reconsider their stance on the declared commencement a nationwide industrial action, saying it has waded into the dispute.

The government had also pleaded with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw the red alert it issued to its affiliate unions to be on standby for a nationwide strike in solidarity with the petroleum workers.

Specifically, the dispute borders on Dangote Group company’s policy against unionisation by its employees, with NUPENG insisting that no oil worker will work with Dangote group without being unionised.

The union, while protesting alleged anti-workers and anti-union agenda of the Dangote Group, argued that the company’s policy was meant to enslave the oil workers it employed to render critical services in its refinery.

However, our correspondent reports that the peace meeting, which was supposed to commence by 10:00am, according to the spokesperson of the ministry, Patience Onuobia, was yet to start as at 2:30pm on Monday when filing this report.

Onuobia had earlier Monday morning in a formal invitation to journalists disclosed that the conciliation meeting would hold by 10:00 am at the Minister’s Conference room.

“The Ministry of Labour invites you to cover NUPENG/NLC/Dangote Group conciliation meeting. Venue: Minister’s Conference Room, Federal Secretariat CBD Abuja. Date Monday 8 September, 2024 (today) Time: 10am prompt. The late invitation is regretted,” she had said.

Sources within the Labour House told Daily Trust that representatives of NUPENG who would attend the meeting were still in Lagos as 1:30pm, coordinating how to make already declared strike effective.

“That’s not how things are done. The government is not serious about handling critical issues. How can you allow them to declare strike first before looking for a way to resolve it.

“These people didn’t just declare strike. They had since notified necessary quarters including Labour ministry about their planned action but nothing was done till last minute. That’s not the way to go.

“I’m not blaming the government but if at the government would wade into the dispute, it should have been done earlier than now, not when everything has now scattered that you will now be looking for a way forward,” the source said.

Another source said, “Even if they will attend the meeting, not today, because you can’t expect them to fly into Abuja today and still rush to attend a meeting. They have to first settle down, meeting the NLC leadership before anything.”

Meanwhile, our Correspondent observed that the Minister, Dingyadi has been holding a closed-door meeting with representative of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) while journalists are still waiting for NUPENG/FG’s meeting.