Telecom Employees Union Criticizes 50% Telecom Tariff Increase The National Union of Postal and Telecommunication Employees (NUPTE) has strongly condemned the recent 50% hike in telecom tariffs, expressing concerns over its negative impact on Nigerian students and the broader economy. In an official statement, NUPTE President, Comrade Buba Nehemiah, labeled the tariff increase as harmful to national development and detrimental to the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians. The statement highlights: “This excessive increase not only places an unreasonable burden on Nigerians but also threatens the accessibility and affordability of essential telecommunications services, which are vital for communication, work, and economic activities in daily life.” NUPTE, joining the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in opposition, emphasized that this hike will worsen the struggles faced by Nigerians already grappling with rising living costs. “As a Union representing workers in the Postal/Courier and Telecommunications Sectors in Nigeria, we believe this punitive tariff increase undermines the socio-economic well-being of citizens, especially the working-class individuals who rely on affordable telecom services for communication, education, and business,” the statement continued. The tariff hike will particularly burden Nigerians in rural areas, where telecom services are often the only means of connection. NUPTE is calling on the Federal Government to urgently reconsider this decision and engage with key stakeholders—including consumer groups, labor unions, civil society organizations, and telecom operators—to find a more balanced and sustainable solution to telecom tariffs. “The Federal Government must act swiftly to protect the interests of all Nigerians and reverse this tariff hike, which could harm national development and the welfare of our people,” the statement urged. NUPTE reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights and well-being of workers in the Postal, Courier, and Telecommunications sectors, ensuring that the voices of the Nigerian people are heard and respected in matters that impact their daily lives. RAED ALSO: Follow the LMSINT MEDIA channel on WhatsApp: Join Our WhatsApp Group Hear: Chat on WhatsApp Join our Telegram Chanel.
The National Assembly has expressed deep dissatisfaction with the poor execution of capital projects in the 2024 budget, calling the current state disappointing. Lawmakers voiced concern over the significant gap between recurrent and capital expenditures, highlighting the low capital funding releases for ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). Both the Senate and House of Representatives urged the federal economic team to release more funds for capital projects immediately to ensure citizens benefit from government initiatives. This resolution followed a joint session involving the chairpersons of the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations and the Presidential Economic Team, where Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) and Abubakar Bichi presided over the budget review for 2025. The Finance Minister, Wale Edun, presented a report showing that only 25% of capital expenditure had been implemented compared to 43% for recurrent spending. Senator Adeola emphasized the need to shift budget allocations from the current 80% recurrent and 20% capital ratio to at least 60% recurrent and 40% capital, stressing that capital projects drive economic growth and directly impact citizens’ welfare. Adeola noted that withholding capital funds could hinder project completion and the success of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He warned that MDAs defending their 2025 budget without significant 2024 performance would face accountability challenges. Supporting these points, House Committee Chairman Bichi called for prioritizing capital projects, including schools, roads, hospitals, and other infrastructure, instead of focusing heavily on debt repayment. He argued that excessive recurrent expenditure primarily benefits only about 10% of the population, while capital projects impact over 200 million Nigerians. Finance Minister Wale Edun acknowledged the concerns and confirmed the pending release of capital funds but emphasized fiscal responsibility to avoid financial crises similar to those in France and Germany. Minister of Budget and Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, added that the large recurrent spending was linked to development challenges, such as security operations supporting agriculture and economic stability. Dr. Tanimu Yakubu, Director General of the Budget Office, attributed part of the recurrent spending to inherited financial burdens, including unpaid pensions, which the Tinubu administration had addressed. He suggested the possibility of legislative action to cap recurrent spending in future budgets. The meeting, attended by Minister of State for Finance Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite and senior ministry officials, also discussed tax waivers and holidays, which were noted to affect government revenue collection. READ ALSO: Follow the LMSINT MEDIA channel on WhatsApp: Join Our WhatsApp Group Hear: Chat on WhatsApp Join our Telegram Chanel.
Kindly Share:
The Federal Government (FG) has confirmed that it does not intend to resurrect the failed Nigeria Air project involving Ethiopian Airlines. This clarification followed public speculation regarding comments made by Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, during a recent handover ceremony in Abuja. Dr. Kana initially mentioned that his assignment involved two key objectives: making a national carrier a reality and improving airports nationwide. However, he later clarified his statement in an official release, stating he had no directive to revive the terminated Nigeria Air deal with Ethiopian Airlines. He explained that his remarks were a general reflection of the administration’s vision, emphasizing that a national carrier would only be reconsidered if beneficial to the nation and under the explicit guidance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo. Dr. Kana reaffirmed his full support for Keyamo and commitment to working collaboratively to advance the ministry’s objectives for a modernized and efficient aviation sector. The Nigeria Air project, initially introduced under former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, was suspended due to corruption allegations. On August 6, 2024, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa further halted the Federal Government’s plans to establish the national carrier, citing legal issues. READ ALSO: Follow the LMSINT MEDIA channel on WhatsApp: Join Our WhatsApp Group Hear: Chat on WhatsApp Join our Telegram Chanel.
Kindly Share:
No state should have an excuse for not paying the N70,000 minimum wage—NECA Adewale Oyerinde, the Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), has firmly stated that no state in the federation should have any excuse for not paying the newly approved N70,000 minimum wage. Oyerinde emphasized that state governments have received ample support from the Federal Government to ensure the implementation of the new minimum wage, which was signed into law in July 2024. The signing of this law increased the minimum wage for Nigerian workers from N30,000 to N70,000. Following President Bola Tinubu’s assent to the bill, several state governments promised to implement the wage increase, although some expressed concerns about their financial capabilities. However, during an appearance on Arise TV’s ‘The Morning Show’ on January 7, 2025, Oyerinde refuted claims that some states could not afford to pay the new wage. He stressed that the N70,000 minimum wage is now a permanent fixture. “We have shifted from the stage of hope, and now it’s time to confront reality. The reality is that N70,000 is the law, and all stakeholders, whether at the federal, state, or local level, must align with this law, except for those specifically exempted,” Oyerinde explained. He further highlighted that the issue of funding should not be a concern, as the Federal Government has consistently increased allocations to state governments. “State governments’ allocations have risen proportionally, so with some fiscal discipline, no state should claim it cannot meet the N70,000 wage approved by the president.” If any state governor fails to implement the new minimum wage, Oyerinde warned that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) may have to adopt new strategies to ensure compliance. READ ALSO: Follow the LMSINT MEDIA channel on WhatsApp: Join Our WhatsApp Group Hear: Chat on WhatsApp Join our Telegram Chanel.
Kindly Share:
Over 60 private jets owned by prominent individuals in the nation will be grounded by the Federal Government on Monday (today) due to unpaid import duties totaling several billions of naira. This action will be taken through the Nigerian Customs Service. The enforcement exercise would start on October 14th, 2024, according to documents that were exclusively seen by The PUNCH on Sunday and were exchanged between the NCS and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency. According to reports, most private aircraft in the nation do not have their duties paid; the NCS is attempting to recoup unpaid import charges totaling several billions of naira. The NCS reportedly conducted a one-month verification exercise on all private jet owners in the nation between June and July as a result of the development. The most recent decision to ground the private aircraft was made over three months following the NCS verification test. However, according to documents obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday, some wealthy businessmen, including chairmen and senior executives of certain institutions, would not be allowed to fly their private planes. The NCS has already formally informed the wealthy private jet owners who will be impacted by the decision. The records indicate that most of the aircraft affected are privately owned Nigerian aircraft with international registrations. Bombardier Challenger 604 CL-600-2B16, Challenger 3500, BD-700 Global 6000, BD-700 Global 6500, and BD-700 Global 7500 are a few of the high-end aircraft on the list. The projected cost of each Bombardier BD-700 Global 7500 is over$70m, compared to over $50m for the Global 6500 and 6000 versions. This occurred as it was reported that a few influential private aircraft operators had pressured the President prior to the grounding drill on Monday; nevertheless, our journalist discovered that the President declined to intervene. It was discovered that certain operators had started the process of paying the import duty as a result of the development. According to officials, a few owners of private jets promised to pay the levy this week. Operators of a major Nigerian bank’s Gulfstream G650ER aircraft, registered in the United States, have already They allegedly paid N5.3 billion in import taxes to get out of the clampdown. During a similar action in 2019, the Customs had retrieved some duties into the government coffers. However, the letters that were discovered on Sunday stated that unless the unpaid debts were resolved, private and corporate aircraft could not take to the air. The government anticipates making a sizable profit from this enforcement action. Nevertheless, it has been claimed that three of these aircraft, which are scheduled for grounding today, were flown outside of the nation. When the planes get back to the nation, though, they will be forced to land. The Nigerian Customs Act of 2023, according to officials who spoke under anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the subject, gives the The person paid N5.3 billion in import duties to evade the enforcement action. A similar operation was conducted in 2019 and the Customs had retrieved some duties into the government coffers. However, according to the letters discovered on Sunday, aircraft owned by well-known people and businesses were forbidden from taking to the air until unpaid bills were resolved. The government anticipates that this enforcement action will bring in a sizable sum of money. Three of these aircraft, which are supposed to be grounded today, have allegedly been flown out of the nation. But as soon as they get back in the nation, the planes will be grounded. Officials, speaking under anonymity because they lacked the authority to discuss the subject, claimed that the Nigerian Customs Act of 2023 gives the the owner or importer of any products brought into the nation unlawfully will be subject to penalties from the customs department. The NCS has sent demand notes to all impacted owners and importers, the spokesman continued, directing them to settle unpaid customs on their private aircraft. Some aircraft owners have made formal promises to pay the debts when they return to Nigeria, while others have started talks with the NCS to settle the unpaid balances. The NCS is expected to profit more than N260 billion from this enforcement action. According to the findings, the NCS had written to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, asking that the listed aircraft’s flight clearances be revoked until the outstanding charges were paid or the NCS issued new directives. Four of the seized aircraft are presently in negotiations with Customs, and their owners have agreed to pay the necessary duties, according to additional information obtained by The PUNCH. The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency admitted receiving a letter from the NCS about recovering import charges on private aircraft that were unlawfully imported, according to correspondence seen by our correspondent. In addition to ordering Air Traffic Control units to ground any non-compliant aircraft beginning on October 14, 2024, until cleared by the Nigeria Customs Service, the agency also sent out a Notice to Airmen. Additionally, NAMA asked that cleared aircraft details be sent as soon as possible to avoid problems and guarantee efficient cooperation. The agency stated that it would work with the government to improve aviation operations’ transparency and boost the country’s economy. In In July, Comptroller General Adewale Adeniyi of NCS announced that a few private aircraft were departing the nation in order to avoid the verification process. Since the announcement, very few of the private aircraft operators have shown up for verification, and we have information that many of them are fleeing Nigeria because they would not want to be validated,” he stated. The CGC clarified that more private jets were operating outside of legal boundaries, which is why the service launched the private jet verification exercise. We are bringing up this verification because we have observed so many of these aircraft flying and our records generally indicate that very few of them have showed up to pay duty,” he said. The CGC revealed that although a large number of private
