Energy
Makinde moves to review the salary of civil servants over fuel subsidy palava
Following the fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has constituted a committee to review the salary and allowances of the state’s civil servants.
The governor had met leaders of organised trade unions in the state before setting up of the committee.
The committee was given eight weeks to submit its report.
Makinde said the setting up of the committee had become expedient and instructive after the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
He said the fuel subsidy removal had made it imperative for the government to take another look at the salary structure to cushion its effects on workers.
“For us, with all sincerity, I think it is time to engage and ensure that we are proactive, irrespective of what is coming from the federal level.
“We are already prepared for it here and we can run our own programmes.
“Yes, the fuel subsidy removal is going to affect all of us but we do have control over certain things in Oyo State, and one of these is to be proactive and engage ourselves.
“They may call for strike or certain actions at the federal level but the labour leaders in Oyo State must be aware of our own situation.
“So, we must appreciate the fact that our economy is fragile.
“We must be proactive and set the tone without prejudice to whatever negotiation that is happening at the federal level,” Makinde said.
The meeting was attended by Oyo State chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kayode Martins and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Olatunbosun Olabiyi.
The governor stated further that “I can say it to the whole world that in Oyo State there is no trust deficit between the government and labour leaders.
“It actually goes both ways. If we agree on what to do, I don’t look back, and if you have my commitment on anything, you should not look back.
” Whatever that is happening at the national level should not create any trust deficit between us.
“So, I welcome you all to Omituntun 2.0.”
The governor also used the opportunity of the meeting to express his appreciation to the labour leaders for their support during his first term in office.
In his reaction, the NLC chairman said minimum wage review was overdue.
He then called on the state government to work towards its quick realisation.
Also at the meeting were the Deputy Governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal; Head of Service, Bunmi Oni; former Deputy Governor, Ambasador Taofeek Arapaja; former Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu; former Special Adviser on Labour, Bayo Titilola-Sodo; wife of former governor, Alhaja Mutiat Ladoja and traditional leaders, among others.
Former Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, has called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to come clean on its operations amidst the lingering fuel scarcity crisis.
Obi, in a statement, lamented the lack of transparency in NNPCL’s dealings, particularly regarding subsidy payments and fuel imports.
He questioned how a company that declared a N3 trillion profit in 2023 could fail to alleviate the fuel scarcity, citing incompetence and mismanagement.
The Labour Party chieftain urged the federal government to take decisive action, ensuring NNPCL’s operations are transparent and accountable to Nigerians.
He emphasized that the current fuel scarcity has inflicted hardship on citizens, and it’s time for those responsible to be held accountable.
Obi’s call for transparency and accountability is a clarion call for good governance and effective management of the nation’s resources.
By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
The Dangote Group of Companies has promised to boost the power generation at the national grid through increased energy production in the country.
This was contained in a press statement issued by the communication officer in charge of north, Dangote Group of Companies, Malam Jibril Abubakar, said the group general manager of Dangote Sugar Refinery (DSR) Numan in Adamawa state, Mr Bello Abdullahi Dan-Musa.
According to the statement, “The company operates an independent power system, and that excess energy will be redirected to the national grid.”
The statement stated further that “the power, from the Dangote Sugar Refinery, Numan, when redirected to the National Grid has the potential to contribute immensely to the rapid development of the economy of the entire Northeast”.
He added that the energy will bring about accelerated development and industrialization in the region.
“President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, had said that upon completion of the BIP projects, his sugar company will be able to create about three hundred thousand direct and indirect jobs, with positive multiplier effects on the national economy”.
The Group General manager added that “The Sugar Refinery (DSR) employs no fewer than 7,000 workers yearly in its Backward Integration Project (BIP) in Numan, Adamawa State
“The Dangote Group is Nigeria’s biggest employer of labour after the government.”
Mr. Dan-Musa said most of the employees are often engaged on a temporary basis during the cane production season.
Recently, he said the company paid over N500 million to the out-growers for the sugarcane they produced under the DSR Numan out-growers scheme.
The current capacity of the DSR Numan refinery of 4,800 Tons of Cane Per Day (TCD), he said, is being upgraded to 6,000 TCD by end of 2023, 9,800TCD by 2024 and subsequently to 15,000TCD.
According to Mr. Dan-Musa, Dangote Sugar Refinery Numan has contributed immensely in the realization of the Backward Integration program of the Federal Government.
He added that the company has acquired state of the art machines to support its production process, adding that its facilities are environmentally friendly.
The Group General Manager stated further that “its Backward Integration goal is to become a global force in sugar production, by producing 1.5M MT/PA of refined sugar from locally grown sugar cane for the domestic and export markets”.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has layed-off some top management staff who have less than 15 months to retire.
This is coming few days after the oil company announced the removal and replacement of three of the its Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs).
Those affected by the previous shakeup included Abdulkabir Ahmed, who was hitherto in charge of gas, power and new energies; Adokiye Tombomieye, who headed the upstream segment as well as Adeyemi Adetunji, who was in charge of the downstream.
They were replaced by Olalekan Ogunleye as EVP gas, power and new energies; Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan for the company’s upstream operations, while Adedapo Segun took charge of the downstream.
The NNPC, in a terse statement, indicated that the new change in the line up was in line with its aspiration to rejuvenate its workforce.
“In our bid to pursue effective organisational renewal to support the delivery of our strategic business objectives, it has become imperative to rejuvenate our workforce.
“Consequently, in addition to the recent exit of three executive vice presidents, other members of management staff with less than 15 months to statutory retirement will be exiting the company effective 19th September 2023,” the statement said.
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