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Nationwide Blackout As Labour Unions Shut Down National Grid, Force Workers Out Of Station

By
Ayodele Oni
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Nigeria Labour Congress - NLC Strike

By Ayodele Oni

The Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN) has announced that Labour Union shut down the national grid early Monday morning causing power cut nationwide.

This is in compliance with the directive of the organized labour to embark on nationwide strike effective from Monday.

In a statement, Ndidi Mbah General Manager, Public Affairs stated that “TCN hereby informs the general public that the Labour Union has shut down the national grid, resulting in blackouts nationwide. The national grid shut down occurred at about 2.19 this morning, June 3, 2024.

“At about 1:15 this morning [sic], the Benin Transmission Operator under the Independent System Operations unit of TCN reported that all operators were driven away from the control room and that staff [members] that resisted were beaten while some were wounded in the course of forcing them out of the control room and without any form of control or supervision, the Benin Area Control Center was brought to zero.

“Other transmission substations that were shut down, by the Labour Union include the Ganmo, Benin, Ayede, Olorunsogo, Akangba and Osogbo transmission substations. Some transmission lines were equally opened due to the ongoing activities of the labour union.

“On the power generating side, power generating units from different generating stations were forced to shut down some units of their generating plants.

” The Jebba Generating Station was forced to shut down one of its generating units, while three others in the same substation subsequently shut down on very high frequency.

“The sudden forced load cuts led to high frequency and system instability, which eventually shut down the national grid at 2:19am.

“At about [sic] 3.23am, however, TCN commenced grid recovery, using the Shiroro Substation to attempt to feed the transmission lines supplying bulk electricity to the Katampe Transmission Substation.

“The situation is such that the Labor Union is still obstructing grid recovery nationwide.The sudden forced load cuts led to high frequency and system instability, which eventually shut down the national grid at 2:19am.

“We will continue to make effort to recover and stabilize the grid to enable the restoration of normal bulk transmission of electricity to distribution load centres nationwide.”

Zenith Bank Wins International Banker’s Awards As Nigeria’s Most Sustainable Bank 

By
James Orji
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Adaora Umeoji - Zenith Bank Female GMD
Zenith Bank Plc has been named the “Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria” in the International Banker 2024 Banking Awards, retaining the title for the second consecutive year.
Commenting on the award, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, said: “We are deeply honoured to be recognised as the Most Sustainable Bank in Nigeria for the second time in a row. This prestigious award underscores our steadfast commitment to sustainability and reinforces our belief that responsible banking is essential for long-term success and societal impact.”
She dedicated the award to the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR. She lauded the Bank’s stakeholders for their commitment and unwavering support in ensuring that Zenith remains a highly successful institution. She said, “This remarkable achievement is a testament to the visionary and impactful leadership of our Founder and Chairman, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR. His exceptional foresight and dedication have been the cornerstone of our success.
His ability to inspire and guide with strategic acumen has been instrumental in steering Zenith Bank to new heights. Along with the strategic guidance of our esteemed Board members, the unwavering commitment of our ever-diligent staff, and the steadfast support of our loyal customers, Dr. Ovia’s leadership has been pivotal in transforming our sustainability initiatives into a reality. We owe this success to his relentless pursuit of excellence and his deep-seated commitment to redefining the banking landscape in Nigeria.”
This recognition reaffirms Zenith Bank’s position as a trailblazer in sustainable banking practices, setting a benchmark for excellence within the Nigerian banking industry and beyond. The Bank has been a leader in monitoring and reporting sustainability impact. Since becoming the first Bank in Africa to publish a stand-alone sustainability report in accordance with the GRI Standards: Core Option in 2016, Zenith Bank has consistently published assured stand-alone sustainability reports. The Bank is one of the few institutions in Nigeria that tracks its carbon emissions using a certified tool built on the internationally recognised Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol.
Zenith Bank is deeply committed to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) values, subscribing to the Triple Bottom Line principle, which encompasses People, Planet, and Profit. As a leading financial institution that services various sectors of the economy, the Bank considers Environmental and Social (E&S) risk management critical to its sustainability strategy.
Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards, including being recognised as Best Bank in Nigeria for the fourth time in five years, from 2020 to 2022 and in 2024, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; the Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria in the Euromoney Awards 2023; being listed in the World Finance Top 100 Global Companies in 2023; being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the 14th consecutive year in the 2023 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria, for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023 in the World Finance Banking Awards; Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2022 and 2023; Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020 and 2022; Best in Corporate Governance Financial Services Africa for four successive years from 2020 to 2023 by the Ethical Boardroom; Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria in the International Banker 2023 Banking Awards; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation in Retail Banking, Nigeria in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.
Additionally, the Bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands 2020 and 2021; Bank of the Year 2023 and Retail Bank of the Year for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022 at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards. Similarly, Zenith Bank was named Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020, Bank of the Year 2021 by Champion Newspaper, Bank of the Year 2022 by New Telegraph Newspaper, and Most Responsible Organisation in Africa 2021 by SERAS.
Published by Finance Publishing Limited, the International Banker Magazine, United Kingdom, is a leading global source of authoritative analysis and opinion on banking, finance and world affairs. Its influence, integrity, accuracy and objective opinion have earned it global recognition. The International Banker Awards strive to recognise the most worthy financial institutions around the world – those not just doing their jobs well but exceptionally well – those operating at the industry’s cutting edge and setting new performance levels to which others will aspire. The 2024 Banking Awards focused on various criteria, including the provision of much-needed capital for economic growth, cutting-edge innovation to enhance security and efficiency, commitment to sustainability and ESG principles, as well as intelligent investing to maximise profits and shareholder value.

N500K Minimum Wage Will Cripple Economy, Says FG As NLC, TUC Begin Strike

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Bola Ahmed Tinubu - President
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has warned the organized Labour in the country that its demand for nearly N500, 000 minimum wage will cripple the nation’s economy.

The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale made the remark on Sunday while speaking on Channels Television Politics Today.

His comment comes on the heels of the resolve of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, to embark on an indefinite strike starting from Monday, June 3.

The Unions told journalists last night that the last-minute intervention by the National Assembly and state governors came too late.

The magazine reported that the Senate President Goodswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, met with the Labour leaders on Sunday with a view to stop the strike.

The tripartite meeting of the Organised Labour, Federal and state governments, and representatives of the private sector on the new minimum wage broke down on May 31 after they failed to reach an agreement on the demand for N494,000 by the labour unions.

The federal government had only offered N60,000 which the unions said was unrealistic considering the current economic hardship in the country.

Speaking yesterday on Labour demand, Ngelale stated that the demand of the unions could have a far-reaching economic implication for the country.

For instance, the president’s spokesman said the 20 times increase in wages, demanded by Labour would cause massive job losses, business closures, and unsustainable price increases for goods and services.

He stressed that President Tinubu understands the need for a better wage for Nigeria workers, saying however that the country cannot afford what they workers are demanding at the moment.

Ngelale said: “I think the starting point is to recognize that President Bola Tinubu would love to have a minimum wage in this country. That is even north of N1 million per month for every Nigerian, he would love to be able to do that. He does and his administration does have the highest regard for our people and he believes they do deserve the best.

“But he also recognizes that there are economic realities and fundamentals within the country right now that do not support what the organized Labour movement is advocating for and I want to be very clear this evening about what the consequences would be if organized Labour had its way.

“Right now there is this notion out there that the minimum wage conversation in the country is simply almost a conversation between a federal executive administration and organized Labour about a new minimum wage for the federal civil service. That is not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about a new national minimum wage for every Nigerian citizen, both within the formal economy as well as the informal economy.

“This has ramifications. Essentially, we’re moving from the current minimum wage where it is to, if Labour got its way, something north of N500,000 per month, you’re looking at almost 20 times, right?

“So the impact that would now have on the citizens of the country, we’re not talking about government now, we’re talking about our people, is, I want to be practical about this, if you’re thinking of the mom and pop shop that is dealing in chinchin and bakery and these kinds of goods and services.

“The idea that you are going to mandate them to 20 times whatever it is they’re paying their staff within that small business, you know that you are essentially mandating the closure of that business and you are literally, indirectly sacking the entire set of people who happen to be working there because that business is closing because they cannot live up to the minimum wages that organized Labour is asking for.

“I’ll be even more practical about this, aside from massive job loss across sectors, across our nation, at a time when we are looking for new job opportunities for the teeming youth population in the country.

“You’re also talking about private schools, for example, where you are now going to be mandating for not just teachers, but janitors, cooks and the like, a 20-times increase in the wages they will have to pay.

“What that will now mean is that if those schools don’t just close or if they don’t have to go into a massive retrenchment exercise, what it will also mean is for the Nigerian citizen right now, who is currently grappling with what we all agree is an unsustainably low minimum wage as it is today.

“He or she is now going to be grappling with school fees that are 10 times plus what they presently are today, not to talk of the price of food items, not to talk of the price of so many other goods and commodities that our people, even if they’re in a struggling state, can kind of try and afford, it now becomes totally unsustainable.

“So these are, I think, some of the real pragmatic assessments that need to be made public so that everyone understands that this is not just a matter of government not wanting to bulge or government wanting to maintain as much of its revenues as possible. No, we’re talking about an existential issue to the Nigerian economy and it should be treated as such.”

The federal government said at the weekend that the demand by organised labour for N500,000 minimum wage will cost the country N9.5 trillion annually.

Labour Begins Nationwide Strike Today; Seaports, Airports Workers Join

By
James Orji
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Joe Ajaero - NLC President

The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, have embarked on an indefinite strike.

The strike which started in the midnight of June 3, came after the last-ditch efforts by the National Assembly and the state governors failed to stop the workers from carrying out their threat to abandon their duties.

The magazine reported that the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and representatives of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, on Sunday, summoned the leadership of the NLC and TUC to Abuja, the nation’s capital with a view to intervene on the issue.

No agreement was reached with labour who told journalists last night that the strike will proceed as planned.

Sources at the meeting with the NASS and governors informed the magazine that the intervention came late. “The NASS intervention was too little and too late. It fell short of our expectations, more so when we have already directed our affiliate unions to proceed on the action,” a top source at the meeting said.

The National Treasurer of the NLC, Hakeem Ambali had earlier noted that only President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s direct intervention could salvage the breakdown in the ongoing negotiation between the Organised Labour in the country and the government.

Recall that the negotiation broke down after the NLC and TUC rejected the N60,000 minimum wage offered by the federal government.

The unions had described the offer as very “insensitive” on the part of the government considering the current economic situation in the country.

The tripartite negotiation between the federal and state government, and the private sector representatives broke down on May 31 after the government failed to agree to the N494,000 minimum wage demand by the NLC and TUC.

Meanwhile, major trade unions in the country have said they will join the strike called by the NLC and TUC.

These include Maritime, Aviation, Transport workers among others, as the strike, according to those watching the polity said will paralyse economic activities across the country.

Kano Security; We Are On Top Of The Situation, Police Assures Amidst Foiled Attack On APC Chairman’s Residence

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Mohammed Usaini Gumel - Kano State CP

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

With the political temperature of Kano still on the high side police authorities have assured that they are on top of the security situation in the State.

They have, therefore, guaranteed maximum security coverage for all law abiding citizens.

The police assurance is coming on the heels of its revelation on Sunday, June 2, 2024, of the foiling of an attack on the residence of the State Chairman of the All Progressive Congress APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbass, himself a scion of the Kano Royal family, by suspected hirelings.

A statement issued by the Police Command Spokesperson, Abdullahi Haruna, said efforts are currently on to fish out those behind the attempted attack on  the  Gwale home of the APC Kano boss..

According to the Police statement, the swift response of a Police team led by the  head of Gwale Police formation ensured that the  attackers never succeeded in their evil  mission.

” At around 6 pm on May 31, a distress call was received from Chiranchi Junction in Gwale local Government Area of the ostate .

” It was reported that thugs armed with dangerous weapons were pelting people with stones and attempting to enter the APC Chairman’s house.” the statement noted.

The Police Spokesperson who said although no arrest has been made, however, revealed that preliminary investigation has shown that the entire incident revolves around a rival gang war ,with the masterminds identified as Abdul Yassar aka Jonny ,Birbiri and Jinji Aljan.

The Police authorities said efforts are being intensified to arrest the suspects, adding that a-24 hour surveillance has been put in place in the area and other places to forstall the breach of peace and security.

“The Police are working tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of all citizens in Kano State and this swift and decisive action is a testament to our commitment to protecting the community .

“We have mapped out security measures to enable residents to move on with their legitimate activities without threats to lives and property.

“We are, therefore, appealing to all law abiding and peace loving residents to volunteer timely and  credible information on the movement of suspicious characters in their midst  for prompt security actions”‘ the statement further reads.

Gencos Threaten Blackout Over N2trn Debt

By
James Orji
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Power Generation Companies in the country have threatened that debt owed them may result in another blackout if not paid immediately.

The remark was made on Sunday in a statement by Colonel Sani Bello, the Chairman of the group.

At least, over N2 trillion is believed to be owed power generating companies by both public and private concerns across the country.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu had recently disclosed that lack of funds is crippling the operation of power companies in the country, particularly discos.

The federal government had also increased electricity tariff in the country by over 200 percent to ensure liquidity for the companies so that they can improve electricity supply.

Adelabu said the hike in tariff only affected a small number of electricity customers.

Bello who revealed that over 90 percent of debt owed Gencos by customers remained unpaid, stated that the problem is affecting the operations in their plants, calling for “immediate and expedited action” to solve the problem to avert a total blackout that could lead to security challenge in the country.

Gencos said: “The GenCos therefore called on the Federal Government and key stakeholders to urgently address the issue of inadequate payment for electricity generated by them and consumed on the national grid, insisting that the liquidity challenge threatens the continued operation.

“GenCos are of the position that the liquidity challenge threatening the continued operation of their power generation plants must be addressed urgently, and sustainably too. Besides being owed huge debts, GenCos also are operating under very harsh monetary and fiscal conditions, occasioned by the economic realities that face the country today.

“The flow of money within the power industry is one of the fundamental problems preventing Nigerians from enjoying continued and sustainable improvement in electricity supply.

“Expeditiously solving these issues would enable GenCos to meet their critical needs which would, in turn, ensure that they sustainably generate power, to enable Nigerians to have better access to reliable electricity supply. GenCos would like to re-emphasise that this request requires urgent attention.”

“You Can’t Go On Strike” AGF Warns Labour, Cites Court Order

By
James Orji
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The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, has urged the Nigerian Labour Congress, and Trade Union Congress, TUC to return to the negotiation table with the federal government.

The unions had declared a nationwide strike on May 31, 2024 after they failed to reach an agreement with the federal government over the new minimum wage.

The magazine reported that the leadership of the NLC and TUC disclosed that the nationwide will be total until the federal government offered a realistic wage to the Nigerian workers.

Recall that the tripartite negotiation between the Organised Labour, federal, state government, and the private sector representatives broke down three days ago after the unions were offered N60,000 minimum wage which they rejected.

The workers are demanding N496,000.

On Sunday the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and state governors made efforts to avert the strike. The meeting that is currently going on in Abuja, the nation’s capital between the leadership of the NLC, TUC, and representatives of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, have been on since afternoon.

But sources in the NLC and TUC informed the magazine that it’s almost impossible to stop the imminent strike.

Speaking on Sunday, Fagbemi said the strike is illegal, stressing that the minimum requirements for the strike to take have not been met by the NLC and TUC.

He cited Sections 41(1) and 42(1) of the Trade Disputes Act 2004 (as amended).

Fabemi also reminded the NCL and TUC of a subsisting interim injunctive order barring them from embarking on strike. The order was granted on June 5, 2023, he asserted.

He said, “I wish to further draw your attention to the fact that the conditions outlined by our national legislation for exercising the right to strike are in tandem with the International Labour Organization principles concerning the right to strike.

“It is the position of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association that the obligation to give prior notice, obligation to have recourse to conciliation, mediation and (voluntary) arbitration procedures in industrial disputes, etc are prior prerequisites for declaring a strike.”

He appealed to the NLC and TUC to return to the negotiating table.

Arewa Youths Urge Lawmakers To Enact Deäth Sentence On Public Infrastructure Vändäls

By
Akinwale Kasali
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House of Representatives

By Akinwale Kasali

Perturbed by the continued vandalization of Public Infrastructure across the North East which has plunged residents to total blackout for about two months, a group under the aegis of Arewa Youth Assembly, has called on the National Assembly to enact laws prescribing deäth penalty for public infrastructure vandals.

Usman Jada, the Group’s Coordinator in North East said those who vandalized  three additional power line towers along the Biu-Damboa 132kv transmission line are saboteurs determined to keep the North East region in darkness despite Government’s efforts to restore power.

According to him, “We join other voices of reason in the North East region to condemn the vandalization of three towers (T1690, T1691, and T1692) along the Biu–Danboa 132kV transmission line and the theft of 16 spans of conductors, which have continued to leave the North East region without a proper supply of electricity.

“This is an act of deliberate sabotage to frustrate the TCN’s effort to meet the May 27th deadline for fully restoring power to the North East, and it is no coincidence that it happened at such a time when the TCN is making massive efforts to reconstruct the already vandalized towers.

“These vandals must be stopped, and therefore we are calling on the National Assembly to enact laws carrying the death penalty for anyone found vandalizing any facility. Otherwise, they will keep destroying facilities meant for the public, thereby exposing host communities to the dangers of destroyed towers and unending darkness.

“It is also paramount for North East stakeholders, the Vice President, the National Security Adviser, and North East Governors to rally support for the Minister of Power and TCN Management to ensure the protection of critical government facilities and installations in the North East.”

Jada mentioned that the group will soon commence a sensitization campaign across the region on the importance of safeguarding public infrastructure.

He also noted that if the activities of the vandals remain unchecked, they could escalate from destroying power towers to other public infrastructure, which might hinder the growth and development of the region.

He further appealed to security agencies responsible for the protection of public infrastructure to apprehend those responsible for the power line vandalism across the region.

Nationwide Strike: Akpabio, Govs Summon NLC, TUC In Last Ditch Effort To Stop Labour

By
James Orji
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Godswill Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Chainman of the Nigerian governors’ Forum, NGF, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq  are believed to be in an emergency meeting with the Organised Labour in the country in the last ditched effort to avert a nationwide strike.

The meeting, the magazine has learned, was called by Akpabio and the leadership the 36 state governors in the country to appeal to the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC to shelve the strike which begins tomorrow.

Also in the meeting that was started this afternoon are some governors from the six geo-political zones of the country.

The NLC and TUC had directed their members to embark on an indefinite strike, starting from Monday June 3, 2024 after negotiation over the new minimum wage broke down.

The last meeting between the workers’ leadership, the federal, state, and private sector broke down on May 30, 2024.

The NLC and TUC had accused the representatives of the government to be ‘unserious’ with the negotiation, due to the N60, 000 minimum wage offered the workers, instead of the N494,000 they are demanding.

The labour leaders also said on Saturday that the only way forward in the ongoing negotiation is for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene directly.

According to Hakeem Ambali, the National Treasurer of the NLC told journalists that Tinubu should direct the federal government representatives to be more reasonable with what they are offering worker, stating that the N60,000 that the government has offered was not with current economic reality in the country.

Ambali stated that the federal government had all the opportunity to avert the strike until the ultimatum given by the Organised Labour expired three days ago.

“For a whole month, we have been going forward and backward between FG and Labour. Labour shows concern and perseverance. You will recall that on May 1, Labour gave an ultimatum that we would embark on strike after the last day of May. Those in government should have done what was needed to avert this. As of today, labour has taken a decision,” he said.

“Within 24 hours, the FG and Mr President can avert the strike if he (Tinubu) shows direct interest. He has the final say. The buck stops at his table.”

Meanwhile, those currently watching the face off between the NLC and TUC have warned that the imminent strike has the potential to destabilize the fragile economic situation in the country if not quickly averted.

Autonomy For LGs Will Save Them From Paralysis – Shehu Sani

By
Ayodele Oni
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Shehu Sani

By Ayodele Oni

Former Senator who represented Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has lent his voice to autonomy for Local Governments in the country saying their autonomy is the only way to strengthen governance at the grassroots and save Council Areas from paralysis.

Sani, who spoke in an interview on Sunday had served in the Eight National Assembly as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.

He pointed out that the step by the Federal Government has the potential to restore development at the grassroots and strengthen the local government system.

“Local Government autonomy is the only way to save the LGs from bankruptcy and paralysis.

“Poverty and insecurity in the country is rooted in the destruction of the local government system.”

According to him, most council chairmen only go to their offices when federal allocations are released.

He said the lack of financial and administrative autonomy for the local government affected the performance of the third tier of Government.

He described Federal Government’s proposal that State Electoral Commissions (SIECs) should be scrapped as a good move, saying scrapping SEICs would deepen democracy at the grassroots.

“The scrapping of SIECs is a step in the right direction. It has become impossible for opposition parties to win elections at the local councils level because of the institutional rigging and imposition of candidates by State Governors.

“The Chairmen of SIECs and staff of SIECs are all agents of the state governors and of the ruling party in their respective states.”

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi is currently in court seeking legal backing for the 774 Local Councils in the country.

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