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Labour Condemns, Rejects Increase In PMS Price

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The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned, and rejected the increase in the pump price of petrol, otherwise known as premium motor spirit (PMS).

The rejection notice was contained in a statement made available to Igbere TV on Thursday, in Abuja signed by President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba.

Igbere TV had reported that the federal government through the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), on Wednesday announced a new retail price band for oil marketers across the country.

In a circular dated July 1st, obtained by Igbere TV, the downstream regulator said oil marketers are now expected to sell petrol within the price range of N140.80 and N143.80.

But the NLC said the Nigerian government must not transfer its own “inefficiencies” to the Nigerian people, saying the Nigerian workers will not accept such an increment.

The organized labour, therefore, demanded an immediate reversal to the old price while calling for a national discourse on oil assets management and repairs of the nation’s dilapidated refineries.

Full statement,

“It was with great shock and consternation that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) received yesterday’s news of increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit commonly called ‘petrol’ from N121 to N143. The increase was reported to be consequent upon a “monthly review meeting” by the Petroleum Products Price Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).

In a press statement by the Executive Secretary of the PPPRA, Saidu Abdulkadir, purportedly released on June 28, 2020 and carried by many news platforms including the Premium Times of July 2, 2020, the PPPRA contradicted itself when it said that the latest price increase described as an “advisory” was meant to regulate a product that government claims had been de-regulated. That this new hike in the pump price of petrol was announced without the approval of the board of the PPPRA and the oversight ministry speaks volume of the arbitrariness and public contempt in the operations of PPPRA. We find this deeply disturbing.

It is also very embarrassing that the PPPRA boss while trying to defend the indefensible appeared to be out of sorts and ready to clutch at any available straws to sell his “ice block merchandise” to “Eskimos”.

Apart from contradicting himself that PPPRA is still trying to regulate a deregulated product through “advisories”, the PPPRA went on to exert more nails on the coffin of his own polemics when he argued that PPPRA was just like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) that would always act to protect the public interest. That was how far the niceties went. The rest of the statement by the PPPRA boss, as reproduced in the excerpts below, was about how PPPRA plans to protect investors and increase their profit.

“While the Market-Based Pricing Regime is a policy introduced to free the market of all encumbrances to investment and growth, it should not be misconstrued as to mean a total abdication of government’s responsibility to the sector and citizenry… that the new pricing regime would encourage oil marketers to resume supply of petrol, leading to further value creation in the downstream, foster job creation and ensure reasonable returns to investors”.

It is unfortunate that Mr. Saidu Abdulkadir did not even feign pretense that government has abdicated its responsibility to protect Nigerians from the cut-throat tendencies of neo-liberal market forces. Contrary to the provisions of Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution, PPPRA claims that the abdication is not ‘total’. When the statement by the PPPRA is juxtaposed with the recent killer electricity charges unveiled by DISCOs, Nigerians cannot help but feel the heat of a potent threat to run millions of Nigerians under. It is even worse that this is coming at a time when our people are living on the precipice of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nigerians would recall that the last downward review in the price of petrol was at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown. The economic benefits of the so-called “downward” review was hardly enjoyed by ordinary Nigerians who were mostly indoors. Just as the lockdown is being eased out and as soon as the inter-state travel ban was lifted, the government decided to hike petrol price. Nigerian people and workers are forced to interpret this move as grand mischief and deceit.

It is clear even to the blind that the crisis in our downstream petroleum sub-sector is ‘self’ nay “government-inflicted”. The refusal by successive governments to fix our national oil refineries is at the root of this problem. Government simply wants to transfer the cost of its own inefficiencies to the Nigerian people. Nigerian workers say “No” to such.

It is grand mischief and deceit to keep comparing apples with mangoes. There is no way Nigerians would accept a situation where we are charged international rates for a product which Nigeria is the sixth largest producer in the world. The extra costs that the PPPRA wants Nigerians to pay in order to promote “growth” and “investment” are actually the cost of profits made by countries that we ship our crude oil to, the cost of sea freight of the refined products, the cost of demurrage at our seaports when the refined products arrive, the cost of frequent devaluation of our national currency, and the cost of official corruption by gatekeepers managing the downstream petroleum sub-sector. Nigerians have groaned to pay these unjust costs for years. This latest increase might just be the last straw that would break the camel’s back.

We demand that the Federal Government reverts to the old price of petroleum especially given the fact that price of crude oil in the international market has only slightly increased from the previous price before the so-called downward review was announced two months ago. We also renew our call for a national conversation on the management of our oil assets which we insist must be in tandem with the provisions our country’s constitution which clearly mandates that the commanding heights of our national economy must be held by the government in the interest of the citizens of Nigeria. Finally, we demand that our four national petroleum refineries must be fixed without any further delay. Nigerian workers want to be appraised of the timeline set by government to ensure that this is effectively done.

Nigeria belongs to all of us. Workers are major stakeholders in the Nigerian project. Nigerian workers and people must not only be treated fairly but must be seen to have been so treated by their government.”

Business

Breaking: Kellysbookstore opens for business, to push boundaries….

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Kellysbookstore, an online bookstore has opened its online store for avid readers all over the world and the CEO of the company ,Miss Opemipo Fabiyi has opened up on why she joined other firms selling books online.

 

Kellysbookstore, an online bookstore based in Lagos has now officially opened its store and the firm promises to change the way online bookstore operates in Nigeria and other parts of the world. The bookstore according to its President and CEO, Miss Opemipo Fabiyi stocks books from different genres viz; Children, icton,business,religous,non-fiction,biography,classics and so on.

 

Opemipo whilst speaking to CityNews Newspaper states that Kellysbookstore ”is out to become the number one marketplace for books in Nigeria. Our customers and would-be customers alike can search for a book by title or author using their web browser, add it to their shopping cart, and then purchase it using a debit or credit card transaction. According to Opemeipo ‘we deliver a unique experience to our customers as we have put in place structures that support book lovers who wish to patronise us.We are out to do things differently in our sub-sector”.

Customers can reach on using our different social media handles.

 

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Man’s Inhumanity to A Teenage Girl – Olori Janet Afolabi

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Labake is a mentally challenged teenager. Two years ago someone took advantage of her condition, impregnated and abandoned her. She was begging for food and money to survive.

The first time l saw her was in October 2020 when she strayed into my event. She was being dragged out by security men when she caught the attention of Kafayat Oyetola, Osun state , First Lady,who was my guest.

The First Lady took Labake to Oshogbo,rehabilited, took care of her till she delivered. Then she brought Labake back to Apomu,headquarters of Isokan local government area of Osun state.

This year again,2022, an unknown man whose name according to Labake is “Operator” impregnated her and disappeared.

On Thursday November 3, l was told Labake was at the Palace gate.I thought it was her usual visit for support. I asked my staff to take some things to her.He came back with a paper and said Labake was crying profusely.

The paper was the Scan result which showed among other things that she had been due since October 24 and the baby’s breech position in her womb posed great danger to her life.The baby’s head was up instead of down.The ideal position for birth is head down.

I asked the security to let her in. When l saw her, l didn’t need to be told that she was in great pain.l called Julius Edet and Moses Bello (both members of the Medical team l set up for my project “Initiative To Stop Teenage Pregnancy,) to come to the Palace .

They took her to the Health Center. After payment was made for registration and tests, the officials said there was no doctor to attend to her.

She was taken to another Health centre.The Matron spoke to me.She said Labake’s condition was beyond them.She advised that Labake be taken to a private hospital or General hospital Oluyoro in Ibadan because the only way she could give birth was through operation.

For me Ibadan was not an option at all because of distance and gridlock.Labake may not have have survived the stress in the condition that she was.

I decided to call Goke Odetunde, Chairman of our local government .He responded immediately.l told him the situation on ground.He said Labake should to be taken to a private hospital in a neighbouring community.
He also paid the bill.

To the glory of Almighty God,the operation was successful.She delivered a baby boy.Mother and child are alive.

But the journey to save Labake has not ended.I would like to rehabilitate and provide a secured shelter for her.She can then acquire a skill or start a trade.

I want to thank the Chairman for the rapid response and kind gesture.Julius and Moses for devoting their time and attention to be with Labake throughout her agonising hours.

I want to appeal to the men who keep talking advantage of Labake’s mental condition to sexually harrass/ abuse/ impregnate her, to desist. If she were your sister or daughter l do not think you will be happy if someone does that to her.

Most likely, you would describe such action as man’s inhumanity to a vulnerable teenager girl.

Olori Janet Afolabi is a CNN Award Winning Journalist, Author and Queen of Apomu Land.

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What You Should Know About King Charles III

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Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history recently died at the age of 96, according to a statement by Buckingham Palace.

Following the demise of the queen, she is expected to be succeeded by Prince Charles, the eldest of her four children with her late husband, Prince Philip.

Prince Charles III also known as Charles Philip Arthur George was born on 14 November 1948 and was heir and Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay from 1952. As the oldest and the longest-serving heir apparent in British history, he has since held the title from July 1958.

Early life

As the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, he was born in Buckingham Palace and attended Cheam and Gordonstoun schools, just like his father, Prince Phillip before furthering at the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia.

He became the Prince of Wales in 1969, among other royal titles, after he had spent a term at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth, where he learned to speak Welsh. Two years later, Charles took his seat in the House of Lords, the upper house of the parliament of the United Kingdom.

Upon earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge, Charles served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976.

Family and personal life

In 1981, Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, who became the Princess of Wales and together, they had two sons, William and Harry, who are second and sixth in line to the throne.

In 1992, the couple agreed to separate in late 1992, and their marriage was dissolved about four years later.

In 2005, Charles married Camilla, who became known as the Duchess of Cornwall and the couple lived together in Clarence House, a British royal residence on The Mall in London. However, they are expected to move into Buckingham Palace now that he is king.

Charles has five grandchildren from both of his sons.

Special interests

With a particular focus on global sustainability, he has spearheaded a number of initiatives and charitable work over the years.

In 2007, he started an initiative called Mosaic, which offers mentoring programs to young people growing up in deprived communities.

In 2010, he also launched the Campaign for Wool to promote awareness of the environmental benefits of wool and expand the market for British sheep farmers who are struggling to make ends meet.

Charles and Camilla, 75, are also expected to be coronated side-by-side, per Elizabeth’s request that Camilla becomes queen consort – the title given to the wife of a reigning king.

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