₦airaland Forum

FG blames NLC for blocking sale of refineries to Dangote in 2007

Presidency on Tuesday blamed the current state of the nation’s refineries, including Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries on the opposition by labour to federal government plans to sell them to Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola.

Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, revealed this, while reacting to claims of human rights abuse leveled against the present administration by the Trade Union Congress of the United Kingdom, over the arrest of Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The NLC President was unable to attend the meeting organised by the Trade Union Congress in the United Kingdom which opened on Tuesday, following his arrest.

Onanuga while condemning th claims that the government was against human rights, accused the labour unions in Nigeria of pursuing narrow interests that had in the past, only stunted the economic growth and development of the country and even compromised the material well-being of the workers and the poor people they protect.


Onanuga cited the case “the strong opposition of the NLC and TUC to the sale of Port-Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries to Bluestar Consortium, promoted in 2007 by Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.



According to him, “Seventeen years after the labour movement forced the successor government of Umar Yar’Adua to cancel the sale of the two refineries, none of the four government-owned refineries worked.


“In the obverse, Mr. Aliko Dangote, one of the promoters of Bluestar, has built the largest single-train refinery in the world. In a twist of fate, the same Labour Movement that fiercely opposed Dangote from taking over the two refineries in 2007 hailed him on completing his 650,000-bpd refinery in Lagos,” Onanuga said.

The refineries since remain comatose, despite having gulped about $25b in maintenance costs.

He however, maintained that the administration of President Tinubu will continue to promote the best economic interest of Nigerians despite the current challenges. It will also continue to pursue policies and programmes that will expand national economic output and create prosperity for our citizens.


“The Trade Union Congress in the United Kingdom opened its conference in London, with its leader making false claims about human rights abuses and violations in Nigeria.


“The Nigerian government was wrongly and falsely accused of rights abuse because the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, was stopped from travelling abroad after he snubbed the invitation of a law enforcement agency conducting an ongoing investigation.

“Ajaero, who probably considers himself above the law, was slated to speak at the same conference where the UK TUC leader attacked Nigeria. His actions, however, have serious consequences, as no one is above the law in Nigeria.

“Clearly, under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended), no person is above the summons of law enforcement agencies and lawful investigation. Like the United Kingdom and other civilised nations, Nigeria is a country of law governed by the Constitution.


“We are not aware that there is anyone in the United Kingdom or anywhere in Europe and the United States, trade union leaders inclusive, who will flagrantly ignore the invitation or summons of MI5 or Scotland Yard or treat the FBI with the level of disdain Mr Ajaero has subjected law enforcement agencies in Nigeria.”

He also cited the case in United States, where former President Donald Trump has been the subject of numerous investigations and prosecutions in courts in several states since he left office. Mr. Hunter Biden, son of the President of the United States, has been the subject of a lawful investigation by the FBI.

“We, therefore, reject any notion and allusion to human rights violations in Nigeria. The accusations made by the Trade Union Congress in the United Kingdom are, thus, unfounded and based on a misunderstanding of the situation,” he said.

” Besides, the Nigerian Government is being led by a pro-democracy activist president who will do everything to protect civil liberties and the rights of all citizens.

“There is no adversarial relationship between the Labour Movement in Nigeria and the government.

“While labour unions and the government may not always agree on policy direction, the government has consistently shown readiness to engage on any issue with labour despite the latter’s political partisanship.


” Contrary to the erroneous impression being created, the invitation extended by the Department of State Services to Mr. Ajaero has nothing to do with his role as the President of NLC.

“As a responsible citizen of Nigeria, Mr Ajaero should honour any invitation from our security agencies and resolve any issues that may arise during the investigation instead of stirring adverse public opinion against the security agencies.

“It is worth reminding Nigerians and the global community that the federal government recognises that the labour movement exists to protect and defend the interests of its members. What is also worth noting is that Labour, in most cases, only advances ideological positions that fly in the face of economic realities.”

https://businessday.ng/news/article/fg-blames-nlc-for-blocking-sale-of-refineries-to-dangote-in-2007/

Onanuga cited the case “the strong opposition of the NLC and TUC to the sale of Port-Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries to Bluestar Consortium, promoted in 2007 by Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

According to him, “Seventeen years after the labour movement forced the successor government of Umar Yar’Adua to cancel the sale of the two refineries, none of the four government-owned refineries worked. The refineries since remain comatose, despite having gulped about $25b in maintenance costs.

Today, same NLC/TUC is accusing FG of not getting the refineries to work and crying that foreigners are taking their jobs. Smh.

This is why FG doesn't take them serious. Same thing would have happened to the electricity sector too but for the strategy FG used to defeat them and eventually implemented the privatisation of the defunct NEPA that would have been like the moribund refineries and the constant electricity we now enjoy would have been impossible.

“Ajaero, who probably considers himself above the law, was slated to speak at the same conference where the UK TUC leader attacked Nigeria. His actions, however, have serious consequences, as no one is above the law in Nigeria.
He thought there will be fire and brimstone if he is held to account for crimes he is alleged to have committed in his personal capacity and not as the President of NLC.

It is the height of impunity that he declined invitation that would have afforded him an opportunity to assist the investigators with necessary information yet planned to jet out as if he's above the law.

For God's sake, invitation is not a verdict of guilt and that is why everyone is shocked on why he's making a drama of invitation when we already presumed he is innocent of the crimes he allegedly committed until it's proven in court.
May God bless Nigeria for ever! Check my signature for free stuffs!

While Tinubu sponsored, funded and organized protests and civil disobedience against the removal of fuel subsidy in 2012

And the blame game continues.
Let past tense be past tense.
We ought to find solutions to our present problems and move forward.
PMS is been sol at 1,300 at my location today.
We can't continue like this

Clowns in power....

Waiting for APC to blame Late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, and Co.

Shameless incompetent morons with overbloated egos.

Bobloco:
While Tinubu sponsored, funded and organized protests and civil disobedience against the removal of fuel subsidy in 2012

Oblivious Hypocrisy as usual, it must be Tinubu your master’s fault.

Keep deceiving yourself as usual.

https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/the-2012-nigeria-labour-congress-nlc-anti-subsidy-removal-strike-action-and-its-implications-for-development-communication/187928

Yes there were pressures from different quarters on late president Umar Ya'rdua to block the sales of refineries but it's disingenuous for Bayo Onanuga to solely blame the NLC and TUC for the cancellation.

The blockage was due to political interest of the bigwigs at the power corridors

gaby:
Clowns in power....

Waiting for APC to blame Late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Co.

Shameless incompetent morons with overbloated egos.

The irony is that if you where any better than the so called clowns, you would have been the persons in power.

Maxymilliano:
Yes there were pressures from different quarters on late president Umar Ya'rdua to block the sales of refineries but it's disingenuous for Bayo Onanuga to solely blame the NLC and TUC for the cancellation.

The blockage was due to political interest of the bigwigs at the power corridors

As usual commit & deny.
https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/the-2012-nigeria-labour-congress-nlc-anti-subsidy-removal-strike-action-and-its-implications-for-development-communication/187928

favor914:
The irony is that if you where any better than the so called clowns, you would have been the persons in power.

Ironically, I am doing and faring very well better without "clowning" in power like your gods...

gaby:
Ironically, I am doing and fairing very well better without "clowning" in power like your gods...

Wetin concern me with your existence in the open Zoo?

Na you dey complain about the purported clowns in power.

Mumu forgot that those guys didnt follow due process and there where shady dealings that prompted yaradua to cancel the contract.

Onanuga wants to take over from femi kayode.

So it's nlc that reversed the sale not Yaradua

favor914:
Wetin concern me with your existence in the open Zoo?

Na you dey complain about the purported clowns in power.

And I'm supposed to be engaged in a back and forth with you?

You had better take note of this moniker and refrain from quoting or mentioning me going forward.

I have never seen and irresponsible and clueless govt like that of the APC, botu Buhari and tinubu, Buhari spent 8 years shifting blames, claiming he's "unawiya" of what was going on


This same administration that's now glorifying subsidy removal now fought hard against it in 2012 when it was removed by GEJ, this catastrophe of a human organized the biggest protest known to Nigeria till date until the subsidy was restored.


They never take responsibility for their failures and cluelessness.


If you witnessed Buhari regime and you think APC have solution to Nigerias problems then you should have your brain checked

Yes, the NLC also blocked dangote from selling petrol to the general public in August. We're in September now, yet they're not allowing him after he had officially commenced refining of petrol. APC can blame anything for their failure

Likewise, same NLC blocked those refineries from being sold to private firms, after spending 2bn usd on TAM under buhari who was also the petrol minister and timipre sylva his amugba lęgbę.

FreeStuffsNG:
■Onanuga while condemning th claims that the government was against human rights, accused the labour unions in Nigeria of pursuing narrow interests that had in the past, only stunted the economic growth and development of the country and even compromised the material well-being of the workers and the poor people they protect.
Onanuga cited the case “the strong opposition of the NLC and TUC to the sale of Port-Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries to Bluestar Consortium, promoted in 2007 by Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to him, “Seventeen years after the labour movement forced the successor government of Umar Yar’Adua to cancel the sale of the two refineries, none of the four government-owned refineries worked.
“In the obverse, Mr. Aliko Dangote, one of the promoters of Bluestar, has built the largest single-train refinery in the world. In a twist of fate, the same Labour Movement that fiercely opposed Dangote from taking over the two refineries in 2007 hailed him on completing his 650,000-bpd refinery in Lagos,” Onanuga said.
The refineries since remain comatose, despite having gulped about $25b in maintenance costs.

This is the reasoning of one who has absolutely nothing reasonable to offer anyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am8DroTa40I?si=_FsYmP_m2ZiDLSQ_

The blame game continues...

This Onanuga sef

Buhari had Lai Mohammed.
Tinubu has Onanuga.

Both suffer from verbal diarrhea & chronic🤥

Basket mouth

Seems we can't successfully do business and thrive with politics!

Maxymilliano:
Yes there were pressures from different quarters on late president Umar Ya'rdua to block the sales of refineries but it's disingenuous for Bayo Onanuga to solely blame the NLC and TUC for the cancellation.

The blockage was due to political interest of the bigwigs at the power corridors

This is a weak defence.

It also implies that labour is presently being controlled by political actors who recently lost at the polls.

This old man Bayo Onanuga just switches on his data and then switches off his brain.

sycophancy at it's best.

Artscollection:
Mumu forgot that those guys didnt follow due process and there where shady dealings that prompted yaradua to cancel the contract.

Onanuga wants to take over from femi kayode.

They don't follow due process.

This is almost 20 years later.

The same excuse Jonathan gave when power supply was improving in Nigeria.

” Besides, the Nigerian Government is being led by a pro-democracy activist president who will do everything to protect civil liberties and the rights of all citizens.

Was that why you kept some protesters behind bars ever since?

When foolish people are in government, they will always blame someone somewhere for their chicken heart and failures.
Did Obasanjo not warn them against spending on the refineries? Did they not insult him and promised they would perform wonders?
What kind of kids are these people?

I was thinking they have only lai Mohamed but never knew they have million of more hell bent life purpose genealogical and deadly liars, which Bayo Oninnuga is one.

We are in trouble. How can all of them chose lying over truth. This country is gone

Henry didn't Blame Tinubu and his cohorts for blocking the removal fuel subsidy in 2012.

Adams Oshiomole was NLC chairman in 2007.
Who gained relevance for fiercely opposing Obasanjo’s government