House in Heated Debate Over Motion to Shield Dangote Refinery, Others from Industrial Unrest

Hot Source
Hot News
October 22, 2025
0 Comments

•Probes over $1.8bn grants, $2.8bn received by Nigeria from global fund, USAID

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives was involved in a heated debate yesterday over a motion seeking to protect the Dangote Refinery and other strategic private investments from “adversarial” labour union activities.

Also yesterday, the House of Representatives resolved to investigate over $1.8 billion grant and $2.8 billion received by Nigeria from Global Fund and USAID from 2021 to 2025, for fighting HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and for supporting resilient and sustainable systems for health.

The motion seeking to protect the Dangote Refinery and others from adversarial labour union activities was in response to the recent industrial face-off between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery, which temporarily disrupted operations at the facility and also led to scarcity of fuel and Gas across the country.

The motion was jointly sponsored by Alhassan Doguwa (APC, Kano) and Abdulssamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto) at the resumed plenary yesterday.

Moving the motion, Doguwa said the strike action at the $20 billion Dangote Refinery in the Lekki Free Trade Zone disrupted production and resulted in a daily loss of about 200,000 barrels of crude oil for three days.

He expressed worry that continued union disruptions could discourage investors and undermine confidence in the Nigerian economy.

Doguwa described the refinery as a strategic national asset whose stability was critical to Nigeria’s energy security and economic growth.

The lawmaker was of the opinion that since the refinery operates within a Free Trade Zone, it falls under the regulatory framework of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), citing Section 5 of the NEPZA Act, which exempts employment in such zones from regular labour enactments.

Furthermore, Dogunwa pointed out that employment in the Free Zone was governed by rules and regulations made by the Authority and not subject to the provision of enactments relating to employment matters.

He argued that the actions by labour unions that disregard the legal protections conferred on Free Zone, under NEPZA Act, not only constitute a breach of law but also created a hostile investment environment that may deter future local and foreign investors.

The lawmaker warned that if private investment of strategic national importance was continually subjected to unlawful disruptions by adversarial unionism, Nigeria risks not only the failure of key economic assets but also the erosion of investor confidence necessary for national growth and development.

In his submission, the co-sponsor of the motion, Dasuki, reinforced the argument, citing Section 18(5) of the NEPZA Act, which prohibits strikes or lockouts for 10 years from the commencement of operations within a Free Zone.

“For the first time in our history, a Nigerian has built one of the largest refineries in the world. Yet, just two and a half years into operation, unions are shutting it down in violation of the law. The government’s decision to yield to union demands undermines the private sector and violates our own laws”, he said.

Contributing, the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, while supporting the motion in principle, cautioned against hasty conclusions.

On his part, Hon Ahmed Jaha urged the leadership of the House to intervene and mediate between Dangote Group and PENGASSAN.

His words: “This matter doesn’t need public confrontation. We’ve seen the leadership of this House successfully resolve disputes between ASUU and the federal government in the past. This one can also be settled amicably without investigation or enforcement. The leadership should bring both sides together and resolve it with dignity.”

His proposal to replace the investigative approach with direct mediation drew overwhelming support from members.

The House, therefore, adopted Jaha’s amendment and resolved that the leadership of the House should immediately engage both parties to amicably resolve the Dangote–PENGASSAN dispute through dialogue.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has resolved to investigate over $1.8 billion grant and $2.8 billion received by Nigeria from global fund and USAID from 2021 to 2025 for the response against HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and for supporting resilient and sustainable systems for health

The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion moved at plenary by Hon. Philip Agbese.

Presenting the motion, the lawmaker said Nigeria has received an estimated $1.8 billion in grants from Global Fund, from 2021 to 2025, for the fight against HIV, TB and Malaria, in addition to over $2.8 billion received from USAID to cover health threats such as HIV, malaria, polio, and tuberculosis between 2022 and 2024.

Agbese added that the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, founded in January 22, 2002, as an independent, multilateral financing entity designed to raise significant resources and accelerate efforts to end the HIV, TB, and malaria epidemics in the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

He explained that Nigeria also received over $6 billion in health assistance from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief from 2021 to 2025 to fight HIV/AIDS and build the capacity of Health and community Systems.

Agbese noted that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social welfare was responsible for the utilisation of the grants from USAID, while the Country Coordinating Mechanism Nigeria was responsible for utilising and implementing the Global Fund grants in Nigeria.

He expressed concern that with this huge investment in the nation’s response to HIV, TB and Malaria, Nigeria still bears a great burden in all these public health threats.

According to him, in 2023, approximately 15,000 AIDS-related deaths occurred among Nigerian children aged 0-14years, while 51,000 AIDS-related deaths were recorded in the country, with Nigeria ranking third globally in HIV deaths, and also with the highest number of HIV cases in West and Central Africa.

Agbese stressed that in the area of TB, Nigeria ranks first in Africa and sixth in the world, accounting for 4.6 per cent global TB burden, while the country also bears the highest malaria burden globally, accounting for an estimated 26.6 percent of global cases and 31 percent of malaria deaths.

He said the UN Sustainable Development Goal has established a target of 2030 for all nations to ensure the elimination of HIV, TB and Malaria in their Countries, for which if the status quo continues, Nigeria might likely not meet this target.

The lawmaker lamented that there has not been a coordinated and robust oversight of the implementers of these grants received by the country by the National Assembly.

Agbese said if something drastic was not done to reassess and reevaluate the utilisation and implementation of these grants with the 8th replenishment in view, Nigeria mighf continue to suffer huge burdens and continue to lose our population to these diseases, thereby failing in the elimination of HIV, TB, and Malaria by year 2030.

The House resolved: “To mandate the House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control to investigate the utilisation of the grants received by Nigeria from 2021 to 2025 for the fight against HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria and report back to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.

“Mandate the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare to provide the implementation plan and approvals granted by the National Assembly for the utilisation and expenditure of these grants.”

Hot Source

Hot Source
Hot News
October 22, 2025
2 views

Idle Hands, Dangerous Streets: Deadly Cost of Youth Unemployment!

By Ugo Inyama

Across Nigeria, a dangerous equation is playing out: rising youth unemployment equals rising crime. When a generation cannot find work, it finds something else to do — and too often, that “something else” threatens the peace of the nation that failed to employ them.

From Lagos to Kano, Aba to Maiduguri, the scenes are the same. Idle young men roam the streets. Graduates push wheelbarrows. Artisans abandon their trades. Thousands spend their days online chasing “quick money.” Beneath the humour of “hustle culture” lies exhaustion, anger, and despair. The tragedy is not that Nigerian youths lack ambition; it is that the country has denied them any structured outlet for it.

Official figures put youth unemployment near one-third of the workforce, but the reality is worse. Many “self-employed” are barely surviving — selling trinkets, driving tricycles, or working unstable gigs that feed neither ambition nor dignity. The informal economy keeps them alive, not fulfilled.

Where youthful energy is wasted, it festers. Where merit no longer matters and corruption mocks honesty, crime becomes both rebellion and survival.

When Survival Becomes a Crime

For many young Nigerians, crime begins with hunger, not hatred. Petty theft, cyber-fraud, and robbery often start as desperate acts in a system that offers neither jobs nor justice. “Yahoo Yahoo” online fraud — has become a distorted symbol of success. It is glamorised in songs, excused by peers, and tolerated by communities. But behind every celebrated “big boy” story lies a trail of victims and ruined futures.

Behind every scammer are hundreds who failed or died trying. Behind every armed robber is a disillusioned graduate who once dreamed of becoming a doctor or engineer. When legitimate doors remain locked, illegitimate ones look like opportunity.

Unemployment also feeds organised violence. From banditry in the North-West to militancy in the Delta, cult clashes in the South-South, and kidnappings in the South-East, idle youths become easy recruits for warlords, extremists, and politicians. For many, crime is now a job — a way to survive a system that forgot them.

The Price of Neglect

The cost of neglect is staggering. Families lose sons to crime or prison. Communities lose peace. The nation loses innovation and productivity. A generation that should be building industries is instead fuelling insecurity.

Economically, mass unemployment drains growth. A jobless nation consumes but does not produce. Socially, it breeds resentment — against the rich, the powerful, and eventually against the idea of fairness itself. Rising kidnapping, drug abuse, and ritual killings are not coincidences; they are symptoms of economic failure.

Nigeria’s prisons overflow with young men who should be in factories, farms, or classrooms. Each wasted youth represents a lost investment — years of parental sacrifice and public spending thrown away. As one economist noted, “Unemployment breeds insecurity, and insecurity buries investment.” Investors flee, jobs disappear, and the vicious cycle tightens.

The Way Forward

Fixing youth unemployment requires more than token empowerment schemes. It demands courage, vision, and reform. Job creation must be treated as a national security priority, not an afterthought.

First, align education with the real economy. Nigerian universities still prepare students for jobs that no longer exist. Curricula must shift toward technical, digital, and vocational skills — renewable energy, ICT, logistics, agriculture, and the creative industries. Certificates must give way to competence.

Second, empower small and medium-sized enterprises — the true job engines. Multiple taxation, unreliable power, and expensive credit are killing entrepreneurship. SMEs need affordable loans, steady electricity, and fair regulation to thrive.

Third, state and local governments must stop waiting for Abuja. Rural youths can be productively engaged through local projects — road repairs, irrigation, recycling, and agro-processing. Every local government should have a youth employment desk that links skills with real work.

Fourth, the private sector must rise beyond profit. Corporations can fund apprenticeships, support innovation hubs, and partner with schools to build employable talent. Job creation is not charity — it is an investment in stability.

Restoring the Dignity of Labour

Mindset matters too. Too many young Nigerians still see vocational work as beneath them, chasing only “office jobs” or overnight riches. Yet every developed nation thrives on its welders, builders, farmers, and technicians. The shame lies not in labour, but in laziness.

Our obsession with sudden wealth — luxury cars, flamboyant weddings, designer lifestyles — fuels criminal temptation. Society must learn to celebrate productivity, not fraud. Parents, entertainers, and religious leaders must lead this value re-orientation. Real success is built, not stolen.

A Call to Action

Nigeria cannot arrest its way out of crime. You cannot police hunger or imprison frustration. The true antidote is work — jobs that pay, skills that empower, and systems that give people hope.

Law-and-order measures tackle symptoms, not causes. You cannot fight insecurity while breeding it through joblessness. The cost of creating jobs is far less than the cost of fighting the wars unemployment creates.

Every unemployed youth is a potential innovator or a potential criminal. Which side they fall on depends on whether the nation gives them reason to believe.

The choice before Nigeria is stark: employ its youth or be consumed by their anger.
The peace and prosperity of tomorrow depend on the jobs created today.

*Ugo Inyama writes from the African Digital Governance Centre, Manchester, UK.
www.africandgc.org

By Ugo Inyama Across Nigeria, a dangerous equation is playing out: rising youth unemployment equals rising crime. When a generation cannot find work, it finds something else to do —

Hot Source
Hot News
October 22, 2025
3 views

Senate Moves to Establish N4.7bn Sickle Cell Research, Therapy Centres Across Nigeria

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate has taken a major step towards addressing Nigeria’s heavy burden of sickle cell disorder (SCD) withthe second reading of a bill seeking to establish Sickle Cell Disorder Research and Therapy Centres in all six geo-political zones of the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The bill, sponsored by Senator Sunday Marshall Katung (Kaduna South), aims to create institutional and legal frameworks for the establishment, management and operation of centres dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, and research of the disease, which continues to claim thousands of lives annually.

Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill at plenary Wednesday, Senator Katung said his motivation for sponsoring the legislation stemmed from a deeply personal experience more than two decades ago when he witnessed the agony of a family grappling with the illness.

He said: “I once saw a child who had just been discharged after a crisis. His parents were arguing about whether to take him back to the hospital because they hadn’t paid the last bill.

“The child overheard them and said, ‘Mom, Dad, please allow me to die so that you can rest, and I too will rest’.

“That statement has stayed with me for 25 years. I promised myself that if I ever had the opportunity, I would bring this issue to public attention. That is why I introduced this bill.”

The proposed legislation seeks to establish research and therapy centres that would, in the first phase, operate in the six geopolitical zones, before eventual expansion to every local government area in the country.

According to Katung, Nigeria accounts for over 50 per cent of the 300,000 children worldwide who die annually from sickle cell complications before the age of five, making it the global epicentre of the disorder.

He said: “In Africa, Nigeria ranks first in the prevalence of sickle cell disease. The bill is meant to make treatment more accessible, improve early diagnosis, and raise awareness to prevent new cases, especially through public education on genetic compatibility before marriage.”

The senator emphasized that the centres would not only provide medical treatment but also serve as hubs for research, data collection, rehabilitation and community education.

He noted that while scientific breakthroughs have significantly improved outcomes for patients in developed countries, where more than 90 per cent of sufferers now live into adulthood, Nigeria continues to record high mortality due to poor diagnostic infrastructure and inadequate treatment facilities.

Katung lamented that many Nigerian families dealing with the condition face crushing financial burdens, forcing some to abandon hospital care.

“Treatment is expensive, and most families can’t afford it,” he said, adding that the proposed centres would help ease that challenge by providing affordable and accessible services.

The lawmaker also stressed the need for Nigeria to take ownership of finding a cure, noting that most research into the disease has been led by Western scientists, even though it primarily affects people of African descent.

“Sickle cell disorder is a black man’s disease, and because the white people are not sufferers, their efforts may not be as committed as ours should be.

“There was once a promising effort led by the late Professor Wonodi at the Pharmacology Centre, but it stalled after his death. This bill will help revive such research efforts,” he said.

The Sickle Cell Disorder Research and Therapy Centre Establishment Bill 2025, which comprises 27 clauses, provides for the setting up of a governing board, the appointment of professional and administrative staff, financial provisions, and operational guidelines for the centres.

The estimated cost of setting up the centres, according to Katung, is N4.7 billion, which will be borne by the Federal Government. However, he noted that the figure could be reviewed during the public hearing phase to ensure cost-effectiveness.

He revealed that some senators, including Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central), had suggested that the proposed centres be attached to existing teaching hospitals to reduce startup costs and leverage existing infrastructure.

“All such recommendations will be considered at the public hearing to determine what works best for the country,” he said.

Katung appealed to his colleagues for bipartisan support, stressing that sickle cell disease is a national health crisis that transcends political, ethnic and religious boundaries.

“With humility, I urge all my distinguished colleagues to support this bill wholeheartedly. It is not just about healthcare, it is about giving hope to millions of Nigerian families living with this burden,” he said.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, commended the sponsor for what he described as a “compassion-driven initiative” and referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) for further legislative work.

Nigeria, according to medical experts, has the highest number of sickle cell cases globally, with an estimated 150,000 newborns affected each year. Public health advocates have long called for a coordinated national strategy to address the disease through early screening, public education and improved access to affordable treatment.

If passed into law, the Sickle Cell Disorder Research and Therapy Centre Act is expected to serve as a landmark framework for managing the disease in Nigeria, offering not only a lifeline for sufferers but also a renewed national commitment to scientific research and healthcare equity.

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja The Senate has taken a major step towards addressing Nigeria’s heavy burden of sickle cell disorder (SCD) withthe second reading of a bill seeking to establish

Hot SOURCE News

Or check our Popular Categories...

Hot SOURCE News

Or check our Popular Categories...

House in Heated Debate Over Motion to Shield Dangote Refinery, Others from Industrial Unrest

Related

Hot Source

Related Posts

Idle Hands, Dangerous Streets: Deadly Cost of Youth Unemployment!

Senate Moves to Establish N4.7bn Sickle Cell Research, Therapy Centres Across Nigeria

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Business & Economy

International investors are frustrated with Taiwo Oyedele – Reports

U.S. government shutdown: How it impacts emerging market currencies

55 Stories of Legacy and Impact at Leadway (Part 1)

The $1.5 Trillion Secret: Why Africa’s payments evolution is a blueprint for the world

Lagos Angel Network and African Angel Academy launch Flagship Fellowship to Empower Nigeria’s Next Generation of Investors

Nigeria’s digital payment boom faces rising cybersecurity threats

Service review: OPay’s approach to secure payments for its over 60 million users

Singapore imposes 180-day renewal deadline for permanent residents

CBA Foundation rallies support for widows with 10th Anniversary Conference

MTN, Airtel, others face rising investment pressure as data consumption surges

FG launches “Federal Treasury Receipt (FTR)” to curb revenue leakages

The Blueprint for Wealth: TenTrade Africa Partner Conference Defines the Next Era of Partnership in CFD Online Trading

Gold sheds over 5% after strong rally, worst daily decline since 2020

Naira holds below N1,500/$ in unofficial market

ASUU suspends two-week warning strike

NCDC reports 172 deaths from Lassa fever in 21 states

INEC: Imo, Lagos lead as over 8 million Nigerians begin voter registration

Speaker Abbas seeks Algeria visa-free deal for Nigerians to boost trade, research

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Atlas, an AI-powered web browser to rival Google

FAAN targets full ISO certification for all Nigerian airports by Dec 2025

Shoprite Nigeria struggling under new owners as shelves go empty, stores close

FG launches revenue recovery drive to strengthen fiscal governance

How to profit from govt. policies: CGT, FG borrowings, Naira gains

BUAFOODS, other heavyweights gain as All-Share Index smashes 150,000, attains highest level ever

Golden Penny Foods Marks 65th Anniversary with N4B Promotion

Glenfiddich, Aston Martin F1 Unveil Partnership

Standard Chartered Unveils Global Brand Campaign

Heirs Insurance Group Announces Winners of its Essay Competition,

Capital Express Life Assurance Grows Fund by 53%

NB Plc Reaffirms Commitment to Excellence, Customer Satisfaction

Snake Island Port Hosts NPA, Reaffirms Commitment to Economic Growth

MTN Nigeria to shut 101 sites for network maintenance on October 25

Rencap projects 2million bpd by 2026 for Nigeria

Aradel Holdings rated ‘Buy’ by Rencap with N1,040 target

NDLEA rolls out e-portal to process visa clearance, drug test certificates

Cybercrime Charge: Court adjourns Senator Natasha Akpoti’s objection hearing to November 24