Dangote Industries Limited has declared its strategic objective to attain self-sufficiency in key economic sectors in Nigeria, such as cement, agriculture, mining, and petroleum.

Dangote Unveils Plan For Petrol, Others In Nigeria

Mabogunje highlighted the conglomerate’s dedication to boosting the manufacturing sector instead of relying on imports, with the goal of improving economic growth and decreasing reliance on foreign products.

“Our focus is to bolster Nigeria’s capacity to produce what it consumes, particularly in sectors where we operate, to aid in stabilizing the economy and creating job opportunities,” he stated.

Mabogunje highlighted that the trade fair’s theme, “Achieving Economic Prosperity Through Business Connection, Trade, and Investment,” struck a chord with the Dangote Group as they prioritize manufacturing goods over importation, leveraging Nigeria’s abundant raw materials for production.

He emphasized that their extensive investments in various sectors have been enhancing raw materials and converting them into final products.

Mabogunje also said, “Our food subsidiaries, Dangote Sugar Refinery, NASCON Allied Industries (Dangote Salt) and Dangote Rice, are providing jobs through various schemes. Dangote Sugar Refinery, through its out-grower and backward integration schemes, has provided jobs to thousands of farmers in the host communities.

“The coming of Dangote Fertiliser has to a great extent helped to change the face of agriculture in Nigeria. Dangote Fertiliser within the short period it commenced operations has already become one of the market leaders.”

The Ogun State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (OGUNCCIMA) stated at the event that the Dangote Group is the main driving force behind the Gateway International Trade Fair.

The President of OGUNCCIMA, Engr Mike Akingbade, said, “A special commendation must be given to Dangote Industries Limited which has remained the major sponsor of the Gateway International Trade Fair for many years. The committed support of the Dangote Group is the elixir with which the trade fair is activated and OGUNCCINA is eternally grateful for the wonderful gesture of the company.”

He highlighted that building strong business relationships, engaging in trade endeavors, and strategically investing can open up new markets, boost economic growth, and improve overall prosperity.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has declared an India-based Nigerian couple, Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade and Rashidat Ayinke Owoalade, wanted for operating a cocaine cartel from India.

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Following the arrest of four cartel members in Lagos, including the recovery of a Sports Utility Vehicle, the agency has sealed two houses linked to the couple for forfeiture to the Federal Government.

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This information was shared in a statement by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, posted on the agency’s website on Sunday.

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“Two members of the syndicate: Imran Taofeek Olalekan and Ishola Isiaka Olalekan were arrested on April 3, 2024 following their bid to export 3.40kg cocaine on a Qatar Airlines flight going to Oman through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos.

 

“While Imran was the courier conveying the drug consignment to Oman, Ishola recruited him for the head of the cartel, which investigation has now revealed to be Alhaji Kazeem Omogoriola Owoalade whose Indian residence permit bears Abdul Qassim Adisa Balogun based in India.

 

“Efforts to dismantle his network in Nigeria paid off after five weeks of surveillance and follow up operations when another member of the syndicate, Hamed Abimbola Saheed, who works directly with the baron was arrested on Tuesday 14th May at Abule Egba area of Lagos. It was indeed Saheed who lodged Imran in a hotel a day before his aborted trip to Oman and equally dropped him and Ishola at the Lagos airport the day they were arrested.”

Two notable community leaders were killed by unknown assailants in Isu Village, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Fatal Shooting in Ebonyi: Councillor and Youth Leader Killed, Police Station Attacked

The victims were Stanley Akpa Nweze, a councilor for Enuagu ward, and Arinze Joshua Ugochukwu, the coordinator of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) for Onicha LGA. They were attacked while riding their bikes at the Amanator area of the Isu community.

The attackers shot the victims multiple times to ensure their demise before fleeing into the adjacent forest, firing shots into the air to deter any potential interveners.

Chidiebere Uzor Agwu, Chairman of Onicha Local Government Council, confirmed the killings, expressing shock and sorrow over the loss, and urged law enforcement to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.

On the same day, there was an attack on the Ohaukwu Police Division in Ezzamgbo, the headquarters of Ohaukwu LGA.

The police successfully repelled the attackers, but the assailants set several police vehicles ablaze.
Prince Ikechukwu Odono, Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government Council, confirmed the attack, stating that there were no casualties among the police personnel.

A local witness named Victor described a chaotic scene where gunfire forced him, the council chairman, and others to flee for their lives.

The Federal Government started paying N35,000 wage award in addition to the N30,000 minimum wage to workers.

Challenge: Labor disputes arise as 20 states refuse to implement wage award for workers.

15 states have not implemented this payment, while seven initially paid but then stopped.

The aim of the wage award was to alleviate economic hardship for citizens until a new minimum wage was implemented.

The Nigeria Labour Congress criticized states that have not paid the wage award, citing insensitivity to the suffering of workers.

15 states are paying wage awards ranging from N10,000 to N40,000 to their workers.

Non-paying states are distributed as one in the South-East, four in the South-South, three in the North-East, two in the North-Central, and five in the North-West.

States that paid briefly and stopped include Delta, Niger, Plateau, Kaduna, Bauchi, and Nasarawa.

States currently paying the wage awards are Lagos, Edo, Bayelsa, Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Kano, Kwara, Cross River, and Taraba.

Tinubu’s plea

President Bola Tinubu, during a working visit to Minna, Niger State in March, encouraged the 36 state governors to initiate the payment of wage awards to workers in their respective states. He emphasized that this action would help ease the hardship in the country.

Notable governors present at the event included Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara. During the visit, President Tinubu specifically addressed AbdulRazaq, who serves as the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

“I have been paying wage awards pending determination of the new minimum wage. Let all the sub-nationals start paying that. The wage award, with whatever they are taking now, will relieve the public. I am not giving an order, I am appealing to you sub-nationals. It’s a relief to the people.”

States not paying

Despite the president’s plea, several states have not started implementing wage awards for their employees.
In Delta State, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, announced that the state government plans to establish a committee to address wage-related matters.

He said: “Governor Sheriff Oborevwori said during Workers Day that a committee would be set up to look into it so that, at the end of the day, we can be able to be on the same page with labour and workers; that is the line we are following.”

Osuoza mentioned that the committee will consider examining wage awards along with the minimum wage.

“Anything that has to do with emoluments for workers, the committee will look at it.”

Rivers and Akwa Ibom state governments stated they were awaiting an official declaration by the Federal Government regarding the wage increase, whereas the Delta State government had established a committee to assess workers’ salaries.

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State affirmed that his administration would adopt the new minimum wage for workers once it is implemented.

“We have directed the compilation of casual workers in the state. We will continue to ensure that we support our workers, and we will continue to do our best to make them happy. We will ensure that we continue to improve our workers’ welfare.

“And on the minimum wage, we will wait for the Federal Government and then we will key into it and come to terms with the minimum wage for Akwa Ibom civil servants,” the governor stated on Workers Day.

The Rivers State Government is currently waiting for the results of the tripartite negotiations involving Labour, Organised Private Sector, and the Federal Government regarding the minimum wage. This will help determine the state government’s next steps.

Labour is proposing a minimum wage of N250,000, whereas the Federal Government and OPS have suggested N62,000. President Tinubu, in his Democracy Day address, mentioned that he plans to submit an executive bill to the National Assembly on this matter shortly.

According to Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson;

“With the robust relationship existing between government and workers in the state, we are only waiting for the outcome of ongoing negotiations between Labour and the Federal Government to do the needful. We will take a position when the parties decide what to pay the workers. We will look at the size of our portfolio and decide on what to do.”

President of the Rivers State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Clifford Paul, informed Vanguard that Governor Sim Fubara had sanctioned the disbursement of N35,000 to workers. Paul mentioned that Fubara made this announcement during a meeting with NULGE leadership and principal officers of the local government councils at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

“The governor also approved immediate implementation of the N35,000 wage award approved by the Federal Government to cushion the effect of the removal of .”

Alex Agwanwor, the chair of the NLC in the state, expressed regret that the governor had not started implementing the plan due to political distractions.

He said: “The state government has not started the payment but plans have been concluded. The problem we have now is the political unrest in the state. The political distraction in the state is much and I think it is affecting the implementation.

“We are not bothered about that now. It is not our priority now. What the governor is doing for the workers in the state is even more. We cannot assess his performance based on that because he is taking care of the welfare of the workers with a good heart,” he said.

Workers plead with Otti

In Abia state, NLC Chairman Okoro Ogbonnaya appealed to Governor Alex Otti to authorize the payment of the N35,000 wage awards to alleviate the challenges faced by workers due to the severe economic difficulties in the country. Governor Otti assured that he would review the workers’ request and respond promptly.

Kebbi sets up minimum wage committee

In Kebbi State, the state government has not started paying the wage award yet. However, on May 1, 2024, the governor established a committee to develop a sustainable minimum wage for workers.

Borno, Yobe distribute foodstuff, palliatives

While Borno and Yobe states, led by Governors Babagana Zulum and Mai Buni, have not yet paid wage awards to civil servants or pensioners, they have procured and distributed food and non-food items to the people, including civil servants and pensioners, to alleviate economic hardship.

States that paid partially and stopped

Niger State:

Government paying N30,000 minimum wage.
Governor Muhammed Bago gave N20,000 as a one-time palliative to workers.
Inaugurated a committee led by the state Head of Service to determine acceptable minimum wage and salary structure.

Katsina State:

Achieved some compliance in providing palliatives to workers.
Governor Umaru Radda paid N15,000 wage palliative twice to state and local government workers.
Pensioners received N10,000 twice, first in February and second as Ramadan/Sallah package.

Nasarawa State:

Paid workers N10,000 twice as a wage award.

Bauchi State:

Paid N10,000 to civil servants during Sallah celebration.
Provided food items as palliatives at other times.

Plateau State:

Government distributed N12,000 as a palliative to each worker for six months.

States paying wage awards

Edo and Bayelsa states have announced an increase in wages for civil servants.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State surprised workers with a new minimum wage of N70,000 announced on April 29.
The new wage scheme in Edo State started in May with a promise to adjust if the negotiated federal wage was higher.
Bayelsa State also approved wage awards for its workers based on different grade levels.
Workers in Grades 1–14 in Bayelsa received N20,000, those in Grades 15–17 got N30,000, and Permanent Secretaries received N100,000.
The chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Bayelsa, Julius Laye, confirmed the wage increment.

“In Bayelsa State, the payment started last month, although those at the local government received about five months, and it stopped.”

Imo raises wages with N10,000

Governor Hope Uzodinma increased Imo workers’ minimum wage by N10,000, now totaling N40,000.
The Imo State government introduced a free transportation scheme for workers to help offset the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

Mbah pays N25000, N10,000 in Enugu

In Enugu, Governor Peter Mbah has been issuing wage awards since December 2023 to state government employees, local government workers, and primary school teachers. The state government pays N25,000 to each state civil servant, while local government employees and primary school teachers receive N10,000. Ben Asogwa, Chairman of the TUC in the state, expressed that workers are pleased with the payments, indicating the governor’s dedication to workers’ welfare.

Ebonyi workers get N10,000 extra

Governor Francis Nwifuru in Ebonyi State increased civil servants’ salaries by N10,000 through a wage award.

Ondo pays N35,000 to workers, N10,000 to pensioners

In Ondo State, the government is granting a N35,000 wage award to workers and N10,000 to pensioners. The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Ebenezer Adeniyan, mentioned that the payments commenced in October last year. Adeniyan further explained that although it was initially planned for three months, the governor decided to extend it. Additionally, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration has provided shuttle buses for workers and schoolchildren throughout the state.

Osun pays N15,000 to workers, N10,000 to pensioners

In Osun State, the government pays N15,000 to workers and N10,000 to retirees as a wage award. The governor approved this payment since December 2023 and has been consistently paying this amount up to the present time.

It’s N10,000 in Ogun

The Ogun State government is providing a N10,000 wage award to all workers in the state.
Mr. Lasisi Akeem, Chairman of the TUC in Ogun State, mentioned that the government has been giving a N10,000 transport allowance to all civil servants for the last nine months, along with N10,000 to pensioners.
Additionally, 40% of the basic salary of workers in the state has been paid as a Peculiar Allowance by the state government to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

Oyo, Kwara, Anambra workers get boost

In Oyo State:

State government pays N25,000 to workers and N15,000 to pensioners.
Governor Seyi Makinde began payments in November 2023.
13th month salary was approved for workers.
Buses were released at subsidized rates to major parts of the state.
Palliatives extended for one year after the initial six months.

In Kwara State:

Civil servants receive N10,000 wage award from the state government.
Payments started after subsidy removal.

In Anambra State:

Governor Chukwuma Soludo paid N12,000 for four months from September to December 2023.
Earlier announced a 10% salary increase starting from January 2023.
Workers expressed disappointment when the wage increase was stopped at the end of the previous year.
NLC chairman requested Governor Soludo to reintroduce the wage increase due to inflation and pending new minimum wage discussions.

Lagos pays N35,000 wage award

Workers in Lagos have been receiving a wage award of N35,000 since December 2023, in addition to the existing minimum wage of N35,000. The Commissioner for Establishment, Training, and Pensions, Afolabi Ayantayo, mentioned that this payment reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s dedication to the welfare of workers.

“This is in addition to a three-day work week for Levels 1-13 civil servants, which was introduced this year. This measure aims to provide relief and flexibility reflecting the state government commitment to the workforce’s well-being,” he added.

Kano, Taraba workers get wage awards

In Kano State, the government has been providing workers with N20,000 and pensioners with N15,000 as wage awards.
In Taraba, the state government is implementing the N30,000 minimum wage and offering workers a salary increment ranging from N10,000 to N15,000.

Governors not paying are insensitive –Labour

In response to the progress, an NLC official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization, stated;

“It is a fact that many state governors are not implementing the wage award which was a product agreement Organised Labour reached with the Federal Government on October 5, 2023. This was a product of the understanding of the huge negative consequences government’s policies had foisted on Nigerian works across the nation. This was supposed to be cascaded down to the states by the governors in a dialogue with NLC and TUC in their respective states.

“Governors that are not complying are mainly those who have continued to demonstrate serious disdain and contempt for the plight of workers who create wealth in their states. It is insensitive for a governor who has adjusted upwards the wages of political appointees in their states to believe that workers do not have the right to have a fair share of the resources of the state.

“It is worthy of note that all the governors are beneficiaries of the increased revenue from FAAC as a result of the hike in the price of PMS which created multiples of revenues to the state treasuries. However, because the welfare of the workers are not prioritized by the governors, they divert them into other projects which sometimes are wasteful.

“It is unfortunate that many Governors have continued to see workers’ salaries as charity which it is not. This has shaped their mindset into believing that salaries are a waste instead of an investment which it should be for the state because when workers are paid well, productivity increases and vice versa.”

Recent Events in Umuihueze and Anioma Isu Communities

Umuihueze Autonomous Community:

Monarch Selection Causes Confusion in Abia and Ebonyi Communities

Residents protested the alleged imposition of Chief Daniel Nwauzor as their new traditional ruler.
Anioma Isu Autonomous Community:

Two individuals, High Chief Dr. Wisdom Okorie and Mr. John Uzo Igwe, were crowned as traditional ruler-elect, causing a brewing crisis.

Elder James Njoku, in charge of the crowning process, approved and crowned both individuals, leading to tension in the community.
Concerns Raised:

Supporters of both monarchs-elect are now claiming the throne, escalating the situation.

Chief Wisdom Okorie’s Response:

Expressed surprise at being crowned as the Igwe only to have another person also crowned by the same individual.
Stated that he met all criteria set by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters for the title.
Urged state government intervention to resolve the dispute promptly.

He said: “Following the approval of the State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru that the communities without traditional rulers should strive to elect theirs, the people of Anioma Isu autonomous community after some deliberations, unanimously adopted me to be their ruler.

“After much pressure, I decided to accept it since it was coming from my community but was surprised that after I was crowned Igwe, the same man that crowned me went and crowned another person. Honestly, I don’t know his reason for such an act.

Efforts to reach the other crowned as Igwe, Mr. James Uzo Igwe proved abortive as calls placed across to was not successful as he was said to be switched off.

In Umuihueze autonomous community in Abia State, SEV reported that the community has been without a traditional ruler for over 40 years. In a plebiscite, Chief Daniel Nwauzor received 9 out of 12 votes, defeating Chief Enyinnaya Ogbulu who only got one vote. Votes from the other two villages were canceled due to insufficient representation.

The State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, oversaw the plebiscite that elected Chief Daniel Nwauzor as the traditional ruler of the community. However, some community chiefs claimed they had nominated Chief Augustine Enyinnaya Ogbulu as the Eze-elect pending government approval.

The Palace secretary, Ogbonna Chijiuche, criticized the Commissioner’s actions and accused Chief Chris Nkwonta of influencing the decision. He appealed to Governor Alex Otti to intervene and prevent potential unrest in the community.

“What must have changed from the earlier approval the community got on the matter? This move is contrary to the dynasty of succession and traditions of Umuihueze Akwete Ndoki”, the palace secretary said.

When reached for comment, Chief Chris Nkwonta, the representative for Ukwa West/Ukwa East Federal Constituency, referred to the protesters as sore losers who distort the truth. He refuted claims of influencing the selection process, highlighting that the community has been without a monarch for over 40 years. Nkwonta emphasized the importance of the new monarch fostering unity and making decisions that benefit the entire community.

Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, Abia State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, dismissed allegations of financial influence from the lawmaker and defended the legitimacy of the plebiscite despite the protests. He explained that the state government conducted the plebiscite to resolve conflicts arising from traditional ruler selections, urging all parties to prioritize harmony over personal agendas.

Nwachukwu reassured that the state government remains impartial in selecting traditional rulers and is committed to maintaining order across the state. He called on the protesters to cease hostilities and back the newly appointed monarch for the community’s welfare.