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NTDC incessant workers’ strike: A shame of the sector 

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THE news filtered like a rumor two weeks ago that the workers of one of the parastatals  under the Ministry of Information, National Orientation and Culture being superintended by Alhaji Lai Mohammed , Nigeria tourism development Corporation, NTDC would not only embark on a protest but would shut down the complex.

And in confirmation of the supposed rumor, the Union officials on Wednesday ensured that they did not only embarked on the protest but equally made good their promise and shut the complex down located at the old Federal Government Secretariat, Area 1 Garki , Abuja.

One fundamental issue is the right of the workers to embark on a protest, strike or lockout. This right is even an internationally acceptable recognized one sanctioned by International Labour Organisation, ILO.

Hence only an illiterate by option will dumbly believe that a set of workers acting collectively or under an association has no right to make lawful and reasonable protest or embark on strike action within the ambit or the confines of the law to majorly talk about their welfare and canvass for better condition of service where there are defects.

Strike, sit outs, protests are legitimate tools created by law and as vistas for workers to peacefully and decently express their worries, call attention to their welfare, caution the management, make opinions, suggestions and call the attention of the management to progressive correctional issues.

It is only an irresponsible Union who will sit or stand akimbo and jolly with the management while the welfare, working condition, and rights of the workers are being trampled upon or not attended to.

Thus, it is not strange for Union leaders to call their members out either to strike, sit out, protest if there are genuine reasons and responsible justification for such.

And it is also trite in Unionism that strike, sit out and protest should be the last resorts after a sequential meeting, negotiation and ribbing minds have taken place and have broken down or there has been no point of equilibrium between the two parties – the management and the workers.

The essence of having a Union in an organisation is not absolutely for antagonism or troublemaking, Unionism is major to serve as a platform where the workers can collectively federate their observations, opinions, wish and suggestions and pass it through their leaders to the management which cannot because of time, situation and circumstances which do not allow a day to day or regular convention of the management and the workers.

In a sane clime unions are supposed to be partners in organisation development and they do because most of their leaders and officers are not just the run – off – the – mill members of the workforce but intelligent and resourcefully deep educated and enlightened men and women of integrity who cannot be bamboozled , intimidated , monetised , used or led by the nose.

Strike action is not supposed to be used as a means of blackmailing or intimidating the management. And union leaders are supposed to be clinical and detach steering off sentiment and personal loyalty when it comes to union issues, welfare and condition of service.

Union leaders should be loyal to the service not to the occupant of an office, particularly a political office as that of the Director-General.

Union leaders are first employees of the organisation before being a member of the Union and the essence of their employment is to serve the organization not to play politics.

The Union leaders should know where to draw the lines between playing Union and being dutiful at their post of responsibility.

Going by these propositions, one has no tiff with the fact that the NTDC Union leaders called their members to strike. Of course they have the rights. However, going by the pattern, trend, nature, proclaimed causes justification, sequential occurrence, intention and modus operandi of the strikes actions that have been embarked upon at NTDC tell the world that there is more to it than meet the eye .

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The urge to strike reared its head immediately Mrs. Sally Mbanefo was appointed as the Director-General, NTDC in replacement of Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, a media practitioner and a boisterous personality who has the history of fighting three Tourism Ministers to a standstill.

Her appointed did not go down the throat of some people because of many reasons which include, the larger than life image of her predecessor who was very nice to the media and who has a court or cult of, workers who deferred to him due to his generosity and goodness at the expense of the nation.

Also immediately, , Sally was appointed , economic recession took over which led to the shrinking of fund available to the corporation thus putting paid to access to free fund which can be employed and deployed to be a good DG either to the press, to staff in form of foreign trips and unnecessary free largesse and frivolous allowances and claims.

Also, there was the bitterness arising from the abrupt sack of her predecessor who seemed to be angry that Sally lobbied her out the job and who still nursing the ambition of coming back to NTDC as DG as if it is the only place he can perform or the only person who can be there.

With constant interaction with the workers and the Union leaders who Sally inherited, the intrigue of the bitterness of a displaced DG who still has a lot of blind followers in NTDC with the union leader and workers who were not happy that things were not the same again, the era of strike crawled in .

An examination of the reasons, modus operadi and demand of the workers will show that the whole strike actions being embarked in NTDC are out of tune, totally unwholesome and unethical.

Let’s read excerpts from some newspapers on the previous strike 

On February 25, 2015, National newspaper under the Headline “NTDC workers’ strike enters the second week”, ‘The workers have vowed to continue with the industrial action until the agency’s director general, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, is removed from office.

Last week, official activities at the parastatals Abuja and zonal offices were stopped.

The workers, through their union, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), have made several allegations against Mrs. Mbanefo.

They accused her of starving the agency of fund under the guise that the Federal Government was no longer funding the parastatal.

The workers accused her of “going behind to collect huge allocation from the Federal Government”.

The NTDC Chapel Chairman of AUPTCRE, Sam Unwuchola Okpomo, said as at July 2014, the Federal Government released N52,014,821 as capital budget and N342, 654,807 for training and other logistics to the agency.”

In September 3, 2015, in the Hallmark newspaper under the Headline, “Fears of sack forces NTDC boss to back down …as workers call off strike”

“It would be recalled that the protesting staff, led by Comrade Anthony Benjamin, in a memo obtained by Hallmark accused the DG of not properly mobilizing funds for the activities of the corporation as it relates to administrative functions.

They accused her of incapacitating the staff with the claim of a shortage of funds to perform the statutory functions of the corporation but overhead will be released and go out through other sources.

The staff said,” the DG does not fund the zonal offices, she will visit the zone and stop at the airport to insult the staff of the zone to their integrity by asking them to go and source for funds from affluent individuals for the running of the office. She did not even appreciate the efforts of the staff in ensuring the success of her visit to the state.

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”We are tired of a DG who claims to be promoting domestic tourism but will not fund the zones offices where tourism potentials are domiciled organization but will tell the staff there in no money for official works but there is money for other fictitious travels by herself and her associates to different destinations.”

Daily Trust Sept 3 wrote 

Striking NTDC workers call for DG’s removal

By Mustapha Suleiman | Publish Date: Sep 3 2015 5:47AM

‘On their demand, Comrade Kunama said: “We want her removal. She is killing the tourism sector. Except the government is not serious with tourism, but if the government wants to tap into the potentials of tourism to diversify the Nigerian economy, they have to remove her and bring in a professional that has a vision for the sector.”

The Federal government seemed to have seen through the malevolent and malicious intent of the unions or the workers and refused to pander to the unreasonable demands of the workers and refused to relief Sally of her job.

Though Sally was removed in November 2016, it should be a matter of curious logic and interest that between November 2016 and May 2017 three DGs were in quick succession appointed and removed. Two of them, career officers and the other an outsider, none of them were accepted by the Union.

And according to a presidency source, they were all removed majorly “due to the unnecessary antagonism to their appointment by the Union who was being used and manipulated and workers who engaged in writing acrimonious petition with some outsider who was willing to come back to NTDC who took solace at sponsoring media attack against the appointees’.

And the Federal Government brought in Folly Coker, who has distinguished himself in the public sector, government and a memorable tenure as Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism.

The problem of Coker according to an investigation commenced when he was moved to NTDC and he announced his love for domestic tourism as against the floundering of the meagre fund of the Corporation on not so useful foreign fair and Travel market.

The Union or workers quickly realised that Folarin Coker too being a cosmopolitan person cannot be pushed around or intimidated to do their biddings without observing the normal procedure which guide strike commence an action of December 1, 2017 when he was on a National assignment abroad.

In December 1 2017 in the Nation’s online, under the headline “Protesting workers seek sack of NTDC’s DG’

‘Activities were paralysed at the headquarters of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), on Wednesday, following a protest by workers who called for the sack of its Director General, Mr. Folorunsho Folarin Coker, for incompetence.

The workers accused Coker of highhandedness, saying the DG had not improved their welfare since his appointment.

They said they were disappointed by the “ugly development” in the corporation.

The workers noted that Coker illegally set up a project unit, which, they claimed, is not part of the NTDC’s line of activity. They said the unit was a conduit to siphon public funds.’

A few online publications graced their platforms with this news under different slants.

A cursory examination and contextual synthesis of the grievances of the workers or union under Sally Mbanefo and Coker extensively exposed the rut of a corporation.

The sole reason is “The removal of the DG without any concrete allegation or advocacy for workers “

During the tenure of Sally Mbanefo, it is shameful that none of the allegation levelled against her held waters. All allegations were unfounded and malicious. The lady was never found wanting or guilty.

Going through the protest letter sent out in 2017 against Coker, one can see that it is not only watery but of no substance.

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The workers are being teleguided sheepishly by a Union which is being sponsored and used by some external elements who believe NTDC is their birthright and father’s property .

And so, unless they are posted or re- posted or their goon is there, NTDC will not have peace.

It is also a shame of the successive superintending Minister who watch as NTDC is hijacked by the Union who seems to find listening ears and cooperation of the Minister.

The fact is that NTDC needs urgent and prompt surgical operation. It is a corporation full of old doldorous pantaloons and deadwood evil servants who are loyal to persons, not the office. Some of them have no particular assignment or solids scheduled duty. The Union has been a weapon, instrument for disgruntled, selfish, inordinate ambitious, greedy person who manipulate it at will to destabilize the Corporation.

NTDC is now a pot where executive miscreants who collect salaries for doing nothing other than gossip and making themselves the carrier and implementers of wishful ambition of never- do wells who believe that NTDC is their family’s property.

The same set of crop of people used the Union to work against Sally Mbanefo, The same Union worked against three of Sally’s successors on flimsy reasons and stupid thinking.

The same Union which is being sponsored is at work now on jejune and totally silly reasons asking not for welfare or a better package but sacking of the Director – General because he is not smiling at them.

Any serious government will not only refuse to harken to their silly demands but will go a step further by appropriately restructuring and rightsizing the workers by separating those who want to work for the nation from the goons who want to play cheap politics and those who love to be used as agent of destabilization.

NTDC should be clean and straightened up. The time to act is now.

However , the symbolism of the recent phenomenal changes being injected to NTDC by Folorunso Folarin Coker via the ‘Tour  Nigeria’  brand which has recorded intracontinental acceptance and  acknowledgement with the historic passing of the NTDC Bill by the Senate should not be truncated .

These are signs that if NTDC is cleaned of the system rats and evil servants who have nothing to contribute than engaging in unwarranted diversionary actions like illegal strike and protests , purposeful and goal getting minds  like Folorunso Folarin Coker will take the NTDC beyond the imagination of Nigeria’

Let’s the process of laundering the NTDC starts now.

Let’s reposition it for purposeful activation

Let create the ambience for  productive piloting.

For Folorunso Folarin Coker has within 6 months demonstrated and signposted the ability and sagacity of a reformer .

The ball is in the court of the President Buhari and the Minister, Alhaji Lai MOHAMMED

I rest my case.

By Adekunle Martins

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National Issues

16 Governors Back State Police Amid Security Concerns

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In response to the escalating security challenges plaguing Nigeria, no fewer than 16 state governors have thrown their weight behind the establishment of state police forces.

This development was disclosed by the National Economic Council (NEC) during its 140th meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, which took place virtually on Thursday.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, who briefed State House Correspondents after the meeting, revealed that out of the 36 states, 20 governors and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were yet to submit their positions on the matter, though he did not specify which states were among them.

The governors advocating for state police also pushed for a comprehensive review of the Nigerian Constitution to accommodate this crucial reform. Their move underscores the urgency and gravity of the security situation across the nation.

Similarly, the NEC received an abridged report from the ad-hoc committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control. This committee, headed by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, highlighted the areas of oil leakages within the industry and identified instances of infractions.

Governor Uzodinma’s committee stressed the imperative of political will to drive the necessary changes and reforms needed to combat crude oil theft effectively.

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Weak Institutions Impede Nigeria’s Sustainable Development – Says US Don

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Renowned academician, Professor Augustine Okereke, from the Medgar Evers College/City University of New York, has emphasised the detrimental impact of a lack of strong social institutions on Nigeria’s sustainable development.

Presenting a lead paper at the First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference hosted by the University of Ibadan, Professor Okereke urged President Bola Tinubu to foster robust institutions capable of combatting corruption and addressing social ills.

“All our institutions are on the decline,” warned Professor Okereke, underscoring the urgent need for effective structures to facilitate sustainable development. He highlighted the challenges faced by African countries, emphasising the risk of continued poverty, underemployment, and injustice without these foundational structures.

The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ibadan, Professor Ezebunwa Nwokocha, asserted the university’s commitment to providing intellectual, context-specific solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.

He called on state and federal governments to patronise researchers in the country, emphasising the faculty’s reputation for producing intellectual leaders.

Professor Nwokocha stated, “Our faculty is reputed for offering deeply intellectual, workable, and context-specific solutions to the challenges faced by Nigeria over the ages.” He emphasised the significance of the conference’s theme in aiding Nigeria’s navigation through its complex existential reality marked by despair, rising inflation, insecurity, corruption, and unemployment.

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During the conference’s opening, Vice Chancellor Professor Kayode Adebowale noted the relevance of the theme, “Social Science, Contemporary Social Issues, and the Actualization of Sustainable Development,” urging participants to generate transformative ideas for Nigeria.

Acknowledging the nation’s progress over 63 years, he expressed concern over setbacks in the economy and social indices, hoping the conference would proffer solutions.

In his keynote address, Professor Lai Erinosho stressed the rapid worldwide social change in the digital age, citing both benefits and unanticipated consequences for human survival. He cautioned against embracing same-sex relationships, citing dangerous implications for humanity.

The First Annual Ibadan Social Science Conference convened a diverse array of participants to explore solutions and intellectual leadership in addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges.

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National Issues

Nigerians’ Wallets Under Strain As Inflation Soars to 28.92%

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As the country grapples with economic challenges, the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed a surge in the inflation rate to 28.92%, according to the December 2023 Consumer Price Index (CPI) released on a Monday afternoon.

The CPI, tracking the fluctuation in prices of goods and services, illustrates a notable increase from the previous month’s 28.20%, underscoring the pressing concerns surrounding the nation’s economic stability.

In a recent report, the Statistics Office revealed a notable uptick in the headline inflation rate for December 2023, marking a 0.72 percentage point increase from the previous month’s figure in November 2023.

On a year-on-year basis, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) highlighted a significant surge, with the December 2023 rate standing at 7.58 percentage points higher compared to the corresponding period in 2022.

December 2022 witnessed an inflation rate of 21.34 percent, underscoring the economic dynamics at play.

“This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in December 2023 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., December 2022),” NBS said.

In a further revelation, the bureau disclosed that the month-on-month headline inflation rate for December 2023 experienced a 2.29 percent surge, surpassing November 2023 by 0.20 percent. This indicates a swifter rise in the average price level compared to the preceding month.

The report highlighted a concerning acceleration in food inflation, reaching 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis for December 2023. This marked a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from December 2022’s rate of 23.75 percent. The data underscores the persistent upward trend in food prices, a trend exacerbated by various government policies, including the removal of subsidies on petrol.

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Notably, in July 2023, President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency on food insecurity to address the escalating food prices. Taking decisive action, the President mandated that issues related to food and water availability and affordability fall under the jurisdiction of the National Security Council, recognising these as essential livelihood items in need of urgent attention.

In Monday’s inflation report, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) detailed the key contributors to the year-on-year increase in the headline index. The leading factors include food & non-alcoholic beverages at 14.98 percent, housing water, electricity, gas & other fuel at 4.84 percent, clothing & footwear at 2.21 percent, and transport at 1.88 percent.

Additional contributors encompass furnishings & household equipment & maintenance (1.45 percent), education (1.14 percent), health (0.87 percent), miscellaneous goods & services (0.48 percent), restaurant & hotels (0.35 percent), alcoholic beverages, tobacco & kola (0.31 percent), recreation & culture (0.20 percent), and communication (0.20 percent).

The report highlighted a substantial 24.66 percent change in the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month period. This represents a significant 5.81 percent increase compared to the 18.85 percent recorded in December 2022, indicating ongoing inflationary pressures in the economy.

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Food Inflation

In a concerning trend, the food inflation rate for December 2023 surged to 33.93 percent on a year-on-year basis, marking a substantial 10.18 percent points increase from the same period in 2022, when the rate stood at 23.75 percent.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) attributed this rise in food inflation to notable increases in the prices of various essential items. Key contributors include bread and cereals, oil and fat, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, fish, meat, fruit, milk, cheese, and eggs.

These price hikes collectively contributed to the intensified strain on consumers, highlighting the complex dynamics driving the upward trajectory of food prices.

“On a month-on-month basis, the Food inflation rate in December 2023 was 2.72 percent, this was 0.30 percent higher compared to the rate recorded in November 2023 (2.42 percent),” it said.

Clarifying the dynamics behind the recent uptick, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) explained that the month-on-month increase in food inflation for December 2023 was spurred by a heightened rate of escalation in the average prices of oil and fat, meat, bread, and cereals, potatoes, yam, and other tubers, as well as fish and dairy products like milk, cheese, and eggs.

“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending December 2023 over the previous twelve-month average was 27.96 percent, which was a 7.02 percent points increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in December 2022 (20.94 percent),” the report added.

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