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Anger as FG Delays Minimum Wage Template, Levels Terror Charges on Ajaero

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By David Torough, Abuja

Failure to release the consequential adjustment template for the implementation of the New Minimum Wage Bill signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 29th July is causing concerns in the organised labour.

Even as this has already created anger among workers, the police have compounded the problem by invading the Labour House and linking the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero to terror charges.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu in early June presented the cost implications of a new national minimum wage to the president.

Since then the template for the consequential increase of the payment structure has yet to be communicated by the Federal Government to organized labour.

Labour therefore accuses government of deliberately delaying the release of a template for the new pay package.

The NLC Head of Information and Public Relations, Benson Upah yesterday said the implementation of the new national minimum wage would have taken effect.

He said, “We are wondering why the delay. We’re planning a meeting with all the state chapters aiming to ensure the agreement they will reach with their State government will be uniform.

“We are urging all state governments to expedite action towards a reasonable consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage for workers, most importantly the implementation.

“At the national level, we are doing our best to know what the Federal government is doing towards releasing the consequential adjustment template.

“But we are expecting the government to make an announcement very soon. We also expect the figure of the consequential adjustment template to be reasonable and the implementation to commence soon.”

Similarly, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) admonished the federal and state governments to expedite action towards implementation of the new minimum wage immediately.

The TUC Deputy President, Tommy Etim Okon said labour said, “It’s the statutory duty of the National Salary Income and Wages Commission to come up with the template for the implementation while the Joint National Public Services Council will engage with the government on the consequential adjustment to cover all grade levels in the service.

“To achieve the above, the Trade Union Congress has been engaging and pressuring the government to release the template for the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage because of the socioeconomic challenges and the need to ensure that the purchasing power of the average worker has improved.

“The TUC is not happy with the delay in the implementation and that is the reason why it’s mounting pressure on the government to urgently provide the template for the implementation and follow suit.”

Also, the Director, Information and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga said the Ministry of Finance had done what it was supposed to do on the new minimum wage.

The Public Relations Officer, National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku said concerted efforts were ongoing for implementation of the new minimum wage.

While all this is happening, NLC on Tuesday asked its members to be ready to commence a nationwide strike if need be following the ongoing face-off between it and Nigeria Police.

The labour centre said in a communique issued after its emergency National Executive Council in Abuja that it had directed all the state chapters and affiliates to mobilise workers for an indefinite strike if anything happened to the NLC President who was invited by the police for questioning over terrorism financing allegation.

The police invitation to Ajaero came weeks after policemen conducted a night raid on the NLC national secretariat in Abuja.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, while justifying the raid, said the police were on the trail of one of the terrorists who masterminded the crisis in Sudan.

The police added that the raid was to search for seditious materials in connection to the recent nationwide #EndBadGovernance or hunger protest, which turned violent in parts of the country, particularly in the North, where some protesters were seen waving the Russian flag and demanding President Bola Tinubu’s resignation.

On Monday, the police said Ajaero should appear for questioning at 10:00am over allegation of terrorism financing and treasonable felony.

The NLC National Executive Council, after reviewing Ajaero’s summon termed it as “a clearly unfounded and politically-motivated investigation.”

In the communique signed by NLC Deputy President, Ado Sani Minjibir, the congress warned that “it will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labour movement.

“The NEC directs all affiliates and state councils to immediately commence the process of mobilising their members across the nation.

“The congress will not hesitate to take all necessary actions, including mass protests and industrial actions, to protect the integrity and independence of the labour movement.

“If anything happens to the President of the Congress or any other leader of the congress in furtherance of these tendentious allegations by the state.”

The meeting expressed grave concern ‘that rather than extending the demand by the congress for the earlier invasion of its national headquarters by security agencies, the Nigeria Police has chosen to embark on this spurious and fortuitous journey of intimidation, harassment, and witch-hunt.

NLC said that it had decided to honour the police invitation as a responsible labour centre committed to the rule of law and due process.

It however added that it would not sit idly while the rights and freedoms of its members and leaders were trampled upon with impunity by the state.

“The NLC shall honour the invitation extended to its President by the Nigeria Police but will demand for extension of time given the nature of the invitation.

“However, we wish to state unequivocally that this does not in any way legitimise the baseless allegations levelled against him.”Femi Falana (SAN) who wrote the police on behalf of NLC asked that Ajaero’s interview be shifted to August 29.

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UBA Raises N157bn Via Rights Issue to Boost Capital Base

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United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has announced plans to raise N157 billion through a rights issue.The disclosure was made via a notice to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd (NGX).It said in a statement on Thursday that its stock brokers, United Capital Securities Ltd., had submitted an application to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd.

to that effect.
It added its stock brokers had requested for approval and listing of a Rights Issue of 3,156,869,665 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N50.
00 per share“Trading License Holders are hereby notified that United Bank for Africa Plc, through its Stockbrokers, United Capital Securities Ltd., has submitted an application to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd.” in that regard.
“The rights issue will be on the basis of one new ordinary share for every 13 ordinary shares held as of the close of business on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.“The qualification date for the Rights Issue is July 16, 2025,” the bank noted.The move is part of UBA’s strategy to strengthen its capital base and support its expansion and growth objectives across Africa.(NAN)

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Benue Uncovers Over 4000 Substandard Schools

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From Attah Ede, Makurdi

Over 4000 substandard and illegal schools have been uncovered and ready to be shut down across the state.The chief press secretary to the Benue State Governor, Tersoo Kula disclosed this at a press conference in Makurdi.Kula was reacting to a statement credited to former commissioner for education and knowledge management, Prof.

Dennis Ityavyar, said that Governor Alia has stabilised the educational sector since coming on board two years ago.
”No more strikes. Schools are moving on smoothly and in a bid to bring teaching and learning closer to the people and address the problem of younger school leavers in securing admission into tertiary institutions, the governor has established a new university.
”The establishment of University of Agriculture Science and Technology Ihugh, Vandeikyaa LGA is real..The governor has secured the licence, acquired land and made appointments of principal officers.”This is to address the issue of providing admission for the teeming Benue indigenes seeking admission into Nigerian universities.”The Governor has employed over 9700 teachers to energize public primary schools in the state. Apart from the fact that our primary schools would be energized, 9700 youths have been taken off the streets.”The government of governor Alia has also paid the 38 months earned allowance owed to lecturers at the Moses Adasu University, formerly Benue State University Makurdi”, he said.He maintained that renovation of government secondary schools and colleges across the state are ongoing where ongoing construction of new structures is in some public primary and secondary schools to ensure conducive learning environment.”Public primary schools teachers are trained on ITCs to enhance the teaching and learning of information and technology innovations at elementary level.”This government has been able to identify over 4000 substandard schools in the state and have secured insurance cover for Benue State students and paid bursary allowances in law school students in the state”, Kula stated.Benue Moves to Domesticate National Policy on IDPsThe Benue State Government has commenced a validation process to domesticate the newly federal government policy on Internally Displaced Persons (PDP) in the State.Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management in the State, Aondowase Kunde, stated that upon stakeholders’ inputs into the Internally Displaced Persons policy document, it would be fully launched.He added that the aim is to improve the welfare of the displaced population in the state.Kunde stated this during a two policy validation meeting held at Benue Hotels Makurdi yesterday.He maintained that the document which was passed into law by the national assembly needed to be domesticated in the state in line with the peculiarities of the state.In his remarks, the chairman, House Committee on Humanitarian and Disaster Management, Benue State House of assembly, James Abu Umoro, noted that the state has suffered so many natural and man-made disasters that it requires the policy to be domesticated in the state.Umoru insisted that the house will not hesitate to pass the document into law when presented by the executive arm of government.He said the issue of IDP in the state is a concern for everyone and must be given accelerated consideration at any point in time.On his part, House committee chairman on SDG and Donor Agencies, Peter Uche, noted that in most cases, communities have suffered attacks for more than ten years.”Let me therefore, call on all to support the implementation of the policy document for the displaced to return to their ancestral homes to start their normal farming and business activities”, he stated.The Director General, Sustainable Development Goals, John Akuse, who spoke at the occasion, said the validation of the IDP policy document is vital in paving the way for the displaced population to be adequately taken care of regarding their peculiar needs.

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Tinubu Honours Buhari, Renames University of Maiduguri after Late President

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By David Torough, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has approved the renaming of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State as Muhammadu Buhari University.

“May we now adopt the University of Maduguri as the Muhammadu Buhari University,” Tinubu said at the close of a special session of the Federal Executive Council held to honour Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Thursday.

The President paid a glowing tribute to Buhari, describing him as “a good man, a decent man, an honourable man” whose legacy of discipline, patriotism and moral uprightness would endure for generations.

Tinubu said although the late president was not without flaws, his unwavering commitment to national service set him apart.

“President Buhari was not a perfect man, no leader is, but he was, in every sense of the word, a good man, a decent man, an honourable man.

“His record will be debated, as all legacies are, but the character he brought to public life, the moral force he carried, the incorruptible standard he represented, will not be forgotten.

“His was a life lived in full service to Nigeria, and in fidelity to God,” he said.

Reflecting on Buhari’s time in office and his long military and civil service, Tinubu praised the late leader’s simplicity, humility, and stoic resistance to the trappings of power.

He said, “He stood, always, ramrod straight; unmoved by the temptation of power, unseduced by applause and unafraid of the loneliness that often visits those who do what is right, rather than what is popular.

“His was a quiet courage, a righteousness that never announced itself. His patriotism lived more in action than in words.”

Tinubu also recounted their political alliance, which culminated in the historic 2015 elections that marked Nigeria’s first democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another.

“We stood together, he and I. Alongside others drawn from across the political spectrum, regions and tongues, we formed an alliance that enabled Nigeria to experience its first true democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another.

“When he was sworn in as our party’s first elected President, he led with restraint, governed with dignity, and bore the burdens of leadership without complaint,” he said.

The President expressed admiration for Buhari’s post-office modesty, noting that he returned to his hometown, Daura, without seeking to wield influence behind the scenes.

“When his tenure ended, he returned to Daura; not to command from the shadows or to hold court, but to live as he always had, never seeking to impose his will but content to let others carry the nation forward.

“Even in death, he maintained the serenity that defined him in life: not a sigh, not a groan, just a quiet submission to the will of God. Such was the man Nigeria has lost. Such was the man for whom our nation now mourns,” he added.

Tinubu thanked the Inter-Ministerial Committee and Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, for organising a befitting state funeral within 48 hours, describing it as a “profound honour” to lead the burial procession in Daura.

He concluded his tribute with a prayer: “Mai Gaskiya, the People’s General, the Farmer President, your duty is done. May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannah Firdaus. May his life continue to inspire generations of Nigerians to serve with courage, conviction, and selflessness. President Buhari, thank you. Nigeria will remember you.”

Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, at the age of 82.

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