• As Buhari prepares to spend N3.9bn on Aso Rock maintenance

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has suspended its nationwide largely unsuccessful protest organized against the hike in fuel pump price from N86.50 to N145.

Muzzled and weakened by division within the labour unions, the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba declared the suspension of the strike at the end of an emergency National Executive Council, (NEC), highlighting it was in deference to the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians, particularly, the Leader of All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; who had also assured of their support in NLC goals of ensuring that the Government does not continue to pursue anti people policies, which includes the increase in electricity tariff. He however emphatically justified the nationwide strike, pledging to take to another protest soon if Government neglects to play by the rules of engagement

“NEC after full consultation with its constituents, resolved to suspend with immediate effect, the action it commenced on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. The action is thereby suspended”, Wabash, declared in a communique he read,  adding that the Union would resume further negotiations with Government without delay

“Congress will resume negotiations with government on the twin issues of the hike in electricity tariff and an increase in the pump price of petroleum products and any other issue that may arise thereof.

“It similarly remains committed to genuine dialogue within the framework of internationally established and recognised principles of representation.

“The congress will continue to resist wrong legislations, policies and programmes and will always act in the best interest of Nigerians as it remains the only Pan Nigerian organisation not affected by religion, region, creed, partisanship and premedical sentiments.

“Congress urges the government to play by the rules in its engagement with its constituent parts, stakeholders and non-state actors as proof of its commitment to deepening our democracy and also in acknowledgement of the well-worn credo that what goes around, comes around.”

In the meantime, the President, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama has said his union backed out of the strike in the best interest of the system and Nigerians. Kaigama, who disclosed this at an interactive session with journalists in Jalingo, explained that Nigeria’s economy would have collapsed if the union insisted on the old pump price regime of N86.50 or embarked on strike. According to him, the old price regime was not sustainable, given the facts and figures presented to them by government team during negotiation. “Our economy is heavily dependent on crude oil sales and in the figures presented to us, NNPC made N550bn on sales of crude and only N50bn was remitted to federation account. The chunk of N500bn was used to import refined petroleum products. “That was the reason why the three tiers of government in the last federation account meeting shared what was considered to be the least to be shared in the last 16 years. “If we insisted on the N86.50, our members would not have received salaries in the next two months. So, when we saw this position, instead of remaining dogma, we opted for negotiation on how to move forward to avoid the collapse of the economy.

So, we give it to Nigerians to judge,” he said. Kaigama informed that the union signed agreement with government to address the issue of minimum wage and palliatives to cushion the effects of the increase. “We also signed agreement for the reconstitution of the board of Petroleum Products, Pricing and Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, to include members of organised labour so that we can monitor the template for the distribution of petroleum products from depots to the retail outlet. “Part of that agreement was that all refineries must be brought to life and enabling environment provided for modular refineries to operate around the existing refineries. These modular refineries would go a long way to help in the supply of our local consumption need,” he added. He used the forum to advise state governors to look inward on how to improve on their Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, warning that the union will monitor closely the disbursement of bailout funds and would report any state that diverted the funds to EFCC and ICPC.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari will spend N3.914bn on the maintenance of the Presidential Villa, Abuja this year.

This is apart from another N282.962m he has already set aside for the  General Maintenance Services of State House (Headquarters); and the N41.844m budgeted for General Maintenance Services of State House Operations (Vice President).

These figures are contained in the details of the 2016 Appropriation Act recently signed into law by the President and made available on the website of the Budget Office.

According to the details, the Federal Government will pay the N3.914bn to a construction giant, Julius Berger Plc, saddled with the responsibility of maintaining the seat of power.

The amount is tagged Annual Routine Maintenance of Villa Facilities.

The State House Operations (President) got a total allocation of N1.698bn in the budget while State House Operations (Vice-President) got a total allocation of N289.617bn.

Out of the N282.962m budgets for General Maintenance Services of State House (Headquarters), N182.079m will be spent on maintenance of motor vehicles/transport equipment; N11.545m for the maintenance of office furniture; N27.846m for the maintenance of office/Information Technology equipment; N13.620m for the maintenance of plants/generators and N47.870m for “other maintenance services.”

The breakdown of the N41.844m budgeted for General Maintenance Services of State House Operations (Vice President) shows that N27.139m is for the maintenance of motor vehicles/transport equipment; N1.451m for the maintenance of office furniture; N4.422m for the maintenance of plants/generator; and N8.832m for “other maintenance services.”

Under Materials and Supplies, N103.470m is budgeted for foodstuff/catering materials supplies; N321.070m for miscellaneous; N276.879m for honorarium and sitting allowance; while N44.190m is allocated to publicity and advertisement.

N32.368m is allocated to General Consulting and Professional Services.

Under that category, financial consulting got N25.063m; N2.713m allocated to legal services; and N4.591 budgeted for budget preparation.

The Federal Government will also be buying recreation materials worth N12.075m for the Presidential Villa during the year.

Additional report from Punch