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COVID-19: ‘Insist on mass testing of civil servants’, Oyo SPN charge NLC, TUC, ULC
The Socialist Party of Nigeria, (SPN) Oyo State Chapter on Wednesday charged the state leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and United Labour Congress (ULC) to insist on mass testing of all the civil servants in the State as a condition for their resumption.
While noting the decision of the Seyi Makinde-led government to make the wearing of face mask compulsory for all residents engaging in public or outdoor activities across the State, the SPN, however, observed that this decision which was purportedly conceived in order to ensure an effective containment of the spread of COVID-19 in the State will never be enough except equal or possibly greater attention and priority is given to the provision of facilities for mass testing and decent Centers for isolation and treatment across the 33 local government areas in the State.
According to the statement credited to Mr Taiwo Adisa, the Chief press secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, the decision was reached as part of the resolutions of the meeting of the Six (6) Southwest Governors convened few days ago to discuss how to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 in the region.
The statement further revealed that the state government is set to train 100 local tailors and engage them for the production of 1million facemasks as part of the effort towards the enforcement of the order which would take effect immediately. Also announced is that 27th April, 2020 is now the “tentative” new date of resumption for the civil servants in the state against the earlier date of 20th of April, 2020 which was opposed by SPN.
The party in a statement signed by its state secretary, Ayodeji Adigun and made available to Mega Icon Magazine welcomed the order for the use of face mask for all residents engaging in public outing or activities in the state but frowned at the enforcement of any law that will criminalize non-use of face mask in the public whether now or in future.
The statement reads, “Despite the fact that we are aware that the use of face mask is not meant according to the WHO, for all individuals except those who are symptomatic and in health care setting, we strongly believe that this measure is necessary at this point in time in the State when there are now indications that number of cases of the virus is possibly higher than the official figure reported and the spread is now at the phase of community transmission. Besides, the fact is that the accurate number of cases of COVID-19 in the State cannot at this moment be ascertained owing to the poor state of health sector in the State and lack of adequate facilities for mass testing and decent centres for isolation and treatment across the State.
“It is in the consideration of this, we hold that except this measure of encouraging the use of facemask is combined with the provision of free hand sanitizers to ordinary people and hand washing facilities in communities and markets as well as provision of adequate facilities for mass testing and decent centres for isolation and treatment, the use of facemask alone can never be enough for the effective containment of the spread of COVID-19 in the State.
“We also hold that the use of face masks is not yet a substitute for a definite lockdown with the provision of cash grant of N50, 000 for every household for an effective compliance which is necessary for an effective mass testing for early detection and the isolation of cases and their contacts. Just having one walk-in sample collection centre located in Adamasingba Ibadan is not only grossly inadequate for Ibadan let alone the entire State but also undermines and disregards the measure of social distancing as advised by the WHO and NCDC as people including potential carriers of the virus have to travel in public transports to the venue.
“Again, as much as we agree that the use of facemask is necessary, we reject the government plan to enact a law with a view to criminalize residents who default. It is our opinion that government can encourage effective compliance by adequate and sufficient provision of free facemasks for the over 6milion residents in the State, not with the use of coercive measure like law.
“It is in the consideration of this we fault the decision of the Engr Seyi makinde-led government to limit the production of free facemask for the population of over 6million people to just 1million pieces. We advocate for the provision of adequate numbers of free facemask per resident. Given this background, the 100 local tailors the government intend to train and engage for the production of the facemask will never be enough. We hereby demand recruitment and engagement of more local tailors for the purpose of the production of the free facemask while we equally propose that their selection should be done through their Unions and the NLC which is the umbrella of all artisan associations in the State.
“Except the production of the free facemask is combined with other measures as stated above, we of the SPN will believe that the plan for the production of the facemask is either a ploy by the pro-capitalist politicians to award to themselves public fund under the pretense of a fight against COVID-19 or to downplay the growing demand for provision of facilities for mass testing and decent isolation Centers.
“This is more so that the attitude and body language of the Engr Seyi Makinde-led government suggest that it is eager to reopen the State secretariat when it is obvious that the cases of COVID-19 in the State have increased significantly compared to just a case recorded when the civil servants were asked to proceed on compulsory leave. It is in the light of this that we of the SPN reiterate our opposition to any resumption that will endanger the life of civil servants in the State while at the same time calls on the leadership of the NLC, TUC and ULC in the State to insist on a demand for mass testing of all the civil servants in the State as a condition for their resumption”, the statement concluded.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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