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ASUU Begins Mobilization For A Fresh Strike In Varsities

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It was discovered over the weekend that university lecturers are planning another walkout over the renegotiated 2009 deal with the Federal Government.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) National Executive Council is expected to convene on February 14 to examine the implementation of various components of the agreement and decide on industrial action.

The renegotiated deal is said to have five components, including finance for revitalization, university autonomy, and welfare.

Prof Munzali Jibril, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University Lafia, Nasarawa State, and Chairman, Team of Pro-Chancellors of Federal Universities, led the committee that renegotiated the agreement.

An ASUU leader, who preferred not to be named, said there had been a lack of progress in the agreement since it was re-negotiated last May.

The source said the government team on the committee proposed certain figures which were adopted with an assurance that the government team had the authorization to push through the agreement.

He said: “The government side proposed something (new salary) and ASUU asked the government team if they had the mandate of their principal regarding what they proposed and of course, they answered yes, but said they will have to go back to consult.

“After the re-negotiation had been concluded, they said they had to go back and discuss with their principal. That is where we are with negotiations on all five chapters.

“The five chapters of the 2009 FG-ASUU are funding for revitalization, the autonomy of universities, welfare of lecturers and four and five are related. These are things we bring up each time we go on strike.

“Let them go and sign the re-negotiated 2009 agreement. It has always been like this with the government.

“The antics of government regarding ASUU is always like this: We go on strike for government to come to the table for us to negotiate. After concluding the negotiation, we always have to go on strike for them to sign it and again go on strike for them to implement.

“It has always been like this right from 1992. It is not new; it is the character of the government.

“What is playing out now is what has been since 1992. Three stages: you will go on strike for them to negotiate, you will go on strike to get them to sign the agreement that they willingly negotiated then in the final stage you go on strike to get them to implement.

“This is not going to be the last strike. People should know that because after this, there will be another strike probably for them to implement that agreement.”

ASUU President Prof Emmanuel Osodeke dismissed as mere promises the comments by President Muhammadu Buhari that the Federal Government was committed to meeting ASUU’s demands to prevent another round of strikes.

Osodeke said the appeal for understanding by the president was a mere promise they have heard before.

The ASUU President, in an interview with The Nation in Abuja, said most of the demands of the union have not been met by the Federal Government.

He listed some of the demands to include: non-signing of the re-negotiated FGN-ASUU 2009 agreement, non-payment of the balance of Earned Academic Allowances, non-deployment of UTAS, non-payment of lecturers on sabbatical, and proliferation of universities by state governments.

Buhari had, during a meeting with members of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, led by Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, said the Federal Government was committed to honoring promises made to ASUU to prevent strikes in universities.

The President also appealed to the union to note the fiscal pressures that the government was currently facing.

The ASUU President accused government officials of wasting resources on foreign trips.

He said ASUU leadership would meet soon to make a decision.

Osodeke said: “We have heard him so many times and nothing happened. Except when we start seeing something concrete being done the plea will just be like any other plea we have heard; mere promises.”

BIG STORY

Imported Petrol Cheaper Than Dangote’s N990 Per Liter — Marketers

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The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has criticized the Dangote Petroleum Refinery for selling petrol at N990 per litre, describing the price as inconsiderate. The association pointed out that Dangote Refinery benefited from significant concessions in accessing foreign exchange during its construction.

PETROAN also argued that imported petrol is cheaper than Dangote’s N990 per litre. Major marketers recently revealed that the landing cost of imported petrol as of October 31, 2024, stood at N978 per litre.

On Sunday, Dangote Refinery accused PETROAN and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) of planning to import substandard petroleum products into the country.

In response, PETROAN Publicity Secretary, Joseph Obele, issued a statement on Monday, stating, “PETROAN will sell far less than the current selling rate of PMS in Nigeria when granted an import licence by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.”

Obele said the association had successfully incorporated a strategic business unit called PETROL.

While noting that PETROAN’s drive was solution-centric and patriotic following the pricing instability and turbulence in the downstream sector, the association said the reformative agendas of President Bola Tinubu were seen as inimical to advocates and beneficiaries of the monopolistic market.

“Consumers get the best value for pricing when competition is at its peak, hence Competition should be encouraged. Contrarily to competition, such a market will be exploitative and strictly for profiteering.

“The publication by Dangote refinery that PETROAN will import substandard petroleum products is not coming as a surprise to stakeholders, because such is his usual gimmick for maintaining a monopoly. The publication was coming after PETROAN and IPMAN announced plans to sell far less than the current Selling rate of PMS in Nigeria.

“It is important to set the records straight that PETROAN has never compared the price of Dangote PMS with any, other than the fact that Dangote’s PMS price wasn’t known until this morning at the press release by Dangote Refinery,” Obele said.

He insisted that “PETROAN has concluded plans with its foreign refinery counterparts and financial partners to import the best quality of PMS and then sell far less than the present selling rate of PMS in Nigeria. We planned to enter the market before December 2024, pending the approval of our import permit license by the regulatory agency and access to foreign exchange from CBN at the official rate.”

The PETROAN spokesman maintained that before now, the Dangote refinery had refused to make public its selling rate of PMS until IPMAN and PETROAN announced their readiness to sell at prices less than the current prices.

“The rate of N990 as announced by Dangote refinery was inconsiderate based on the fact that Dangote refinery enjoyed massive concessions for accessing foreign exchange during the construction of the refinery.

“The core determinant for setting the price is a consideration of the cost of production, then adding a fair margin. But this wasn’t the case for the determinant of PMS price by Dangote refinery as they said ‘the parameter was comparison with the international selling rate at the global market’.

“A nation that gave you a yet-to-be-disclosed concession for foreign exchange which was highly criticised by financial experts, such a country pricing template shouldn’t have been templated by the selling rate at the international market but rather it should have been the cost of production plus fair margin,” Obele stressed.

He added that goods from Chinese markets are not as costly as goods from the American market because the cost of production differs.

“The allegations that PETROAN will import inferior products and also that an international company is trying to establish a PMS blending plant in Lagos are all strategies for Dangote refinery to push others out of the market to achieve a monopoly for exploitation.

“A few months ago, the CEO of Dangote refinery said the NNPC LTD was importing inferior petroleum products, that his own was far better than what NNPC LTD was selling to marketers. In another press conference, he said the refinery in Malta was just a blending plant and not a refinery. All the allegations are intending to close the doors against other operators to enjoy monopoly,” it was stated.

PETROAN commended Tinubu for his commitment towards the revamping of the nation-owned refineries, saying the ongoing rehabilitation project never suffered funding under Tinubu.

The association maintained its position by counselling that the Port Harcourt and Warri Refinery plants be immediately privatised and handed over to a reputable firm with the technical capability, managerial skills and financial strength in partnership with PETROAN and other critical stakeholders after completion.

This, Obele said, will enable the operators of the government-owned refineries to withstand aggressive ballistic competition that will be poised by the known beneficiaries of the monopolistic market.

The statement read further, “Antecedents of the beneficiaries of the monopolistic market has shown numerous suffocating business owners crashing out of other sectors for a sole operator in the past. Stakeholders’ concerns are a prayer that the process of privatisation should be transparent using Indorama Petrochemicals as a model as against the Maintenance Repairs and Operations contract.

“A balanced market should be an all-inclusive market where the market leader is enjoying his lead, while the market challenger is servicing a certain degree of the consumers and the market followers are still surviving in the market at an affordable price.

“Therefore, it is penitent that the Federal Government should discourage and dismantle any attempt at monopoly in the downstream sector given crashing the current selling rate of PMS. The only catalyst to trigger PMS price reduction is by ushering in competition and PETROAN will support the Federal Government in achieving intensive competition in the sector.”

  • IPMAN reacts

In an interview (with The Punch), the National Secretary of IPMAN, Terlumun James, said the association did not have a blending plant in Lagos, calling on all stakeholders to unite and give Nigerians affordable energy.

James said there was nothing like building a depot to blend substandard fuel.

“There is nothing like that and I am not sure Dangote said all those words. I am always at the point of putting things correctly. You media people need to help us and help this country. If we come together, all these things will be solved. The common man is suffering a lot and that suffering has affected all of us. We all need to come together,” he said.

James added that IPMAN is still discussing with Dangote to commence lifting from the $20bn refinery.

“We are pursuing our import approval and we are discussing with Dangote,” the IPMAN secretary noted.

On Sunday, the spokesperson of the Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, said “An international trading company has recently hired a depot facility next to the Dangote refinery, with the objective of using it to blend substandard products that will be dumped into the market to compete with Dangote refinery’s higher quality production.”

When contacted, the NMDPRA refused to comment on the allegation.

Replying to a message form media house, the NMDPRA spokesperson, George Ene-Ita, said “No comment”.

 

Credit: The Punch

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BIG STORY

JUST IN: Ekiti State’s Chief Judge Oyewole Adeyeye Is Dead

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Oyewole Adeyeye, the chief judge of Ekiti state, is dead.

Adeyeye reportedly died in the early hours of Tuesday.

It was gathered that the late chief judge has been unwell since July 12, 2023.

The illness followed severe injuries he sustained when a section of the state high court complex collapsed on him.

 

More to come…

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Protesters Demand Mele Kyari’s Resignation At NNPCL Headquarters

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A group of youth protesters stormed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) headquarters on Monday, demanding the immediate resignation of Group CEO Mele Kyari.

The protesters, backed by Civil Society Organizations, criticized Kyari’s leadership, citing rising fuel prices, persistent fuel shortages, and the overall economic hardship in Nigeria.

The protesters carrying placards with different inscriptions such as “we demand the immediate resignation of Kyari,” among others, said the leadership of the NNPCL boss has failed.

The aggrieved youths led by Abdullahi Bilal of the (Two Million Man March Against Oil Scam Cabal) and Barrister Napoleon Otache and Olayemi Isaac from Citizens and Economic Freedom Rights Activists in Nigeria demanded immediate action to address what they described as failed leadership in managing the country’s oil sector.

Central to the protests were grievances over skyrocketing fuel prices and the never-ending queues, which they argued have driven inflation and plunged millions of Nigerians into poverty.

They also decried the importation of adulterated fuel, which they said is a corrupt practice that harms citizens by damaging vehicles and businesses.

They demanded an immediate halt to these imports and accountability for those responsible, questioning how substandard fuel continues to enter the country despite quality control assurances.

Additionally, the group criticized the unfulfilled promise of the Dangote refinery to resolve Nigeria’s fuel crisis, expressing frustration over the billions of dollars spent on refinery development and refurbishing existing facilities.

They argued that despite these investments, fuel shortages persist, leaving Nigeria reliant on costly imports even as an oil-producing nation.

They urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene by overhauling leadership in the oil sector, enforcing greater accountability, and putting citizens’ needs first. The protesters vowed to continue mobilizing until their demands for reform and transparency are met.

Speaking to journalists during the mass demonstration, Abdullahi Bilal said, “The Two Million Man March stands as a united voice for every citizen who has been betrayed by a system that continues to enrich a few at the expense of many.

“Today, we call for the immediate resignation of the current leadership in the country’s oil sector. Their management has failed Nigerians.

“Under their watch, we have seen fuel prices skyrocket without consultation or consideration of the devastating impact on the people. We have endured fuel scarcity while substandard, adulterated fuel is imported, causing further hardship.

“We demand the complete removal of the fraudulent fuel subsidy regime that has only served to enrich a select few. Full deregulation is necessary to introduce transparency, competition, and fairness to our oil sector.”

On their part, Otache and Isaac, insisted, “This act of economic sabotage has led to endless fuel queues, skyrocketing fuel prices, and unprecedented disruptions in the daily lives of Nigerians.

“We demand an immediate end to fuel queues, transparency, and accountability from all involved parties. We want to know how substandard fuel continues to enter the country despite assurances of quality control.”

On July 7, 2019, former President Mohammadu Buhari appointed Kyari as the 19th GMD of NNPC, but with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act, his current portfolio is without recourse to previous employment ranks in the company.

  • NNPCL reacts

Reacting, the NNPCL spokesperson, Femi Soneye, said the protestors lack understanding of the sector.

He explained that contrary to their agitation, the GCEO ensured Nigerians had access to fuel at N620 per litre for over a year, even when the landing cost was above N1,100.

Responding via a chat, Soneye said, “Unfortunately, they lack understanding of the sector. If they were informed, they would know that the GCEO is not responsible for the fuel price increase; in fact, he ensured Nigerians had access to fuel at N620 per litre for over a year, even when the landing cost was above N1,100.”

He also urged the group to provide pieces of evidence supporting their claim that the national oil firm currently imports adulterated fuel.

“NNPC Ltd does not import adulterated fuel. If anyone has evidence to the contrary, they should bring forward samples of any such fuel imported by NNPC.

“I won’t waste time engaging with individuals motivated by selfish interests. We have more pressing projects to accomplish to ensure energy security for our nation, rather than focusing on inconsequential groups. We are committed to implementing President Bola Tinubu’s roadmap for the sector, and no group will deter or distract us from achieving this goal,” Soneye added.

Credit: The Punch

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