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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has commended the federal government for granting import duty waivers to support the establishment of Zeetin Technologies’ cargo tricycle assembly factory in Abuja.

Speaking on Wednesday at the factory’s commissioning in Idu Abuja Jonathan praised the government’s support.

‘I understand that the federal government supported the establishment of this plant by granting duty-free imports. That is how it should be and it is quite commendable’ he said.

Jonathan delivered the remarks as chairman of the occasion.

Azibaola Robert chairman of Zeetin Technologies said the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and the Federal Ministry of Finance facilitated the import duty waivers.

Robert thanked the government for its support adding that the company planned to increase local component production over the next two years.

He said that between 70 and 90 per cent of the parts used in the company’s products would be produced locally within that period.

The factory’s commissioning marks a step in the company’s efforts to expand automotive assembly and engineering in Nigeria.

At the event Zeetin Technologies unveiled two cargo tricycle product lines the VZ150 and VZ200 series under a franchise arrangement with Indonesia’s Viar Motors.

The company also announced plans to introduce electric gas-powered and solar-powered models in the future.

Zeetin Technologies said it was focused on the automotive sector and intended to contribute to local manufacturing and the development of Nigeria’s automotive industry.

The commissioning was attended by dignitaries including Mrs Nenadi Usman national chairperson of the Labour Party.

The dignitaries expressed support for the company and its plans to expand local production.

The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have signed a $61 million gender-focused credit line to expand financing for women-owned businesses as part of efforts to improve access to funds and help more female entrepreneurs grow their enterprises.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of DBN’s seventh Annual Lecture in Abuja where the development finance institution also launched a new initiative DBN Action for Women in Nigeria (DAWN) to combine financing with business support credit guarantees grants and market access for women entrepreneurs.

Speaking at the event DBN Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr Tony Okpanachi said access to finance alone has not enabled enough women-led businesses to expand making it necessary to address other challenges they face.

‘DAWN is about moving gender-focused lending beyond intention and turning access into opportunity’ he said.

The initiative will support women-owned and women-led businesses through commercial banks microfinance institutions financial technology companies business aggregators cooperatives and direct channels.

Its priority sectors include agriculture and exports healthcare arts and creative industries technology and green businesses.

Under the programme beneficiaries are expected to access financing credit guarantees that help lenders manage risk technical assistance to prepare businesses for expansion results-based grants and connections to customers trade platforms and business associations.

The AfDB-DBN credit line is expected to strengthen the institutions’ efforts to make financing more accessible to women entrepreneurs. However the statements announcing the agreement did not provide details on its lending terms disbursement schedule or the number of businesses expected to benefit.

Beyond the gender-focused financing initiative DBN disclosed that it had disbursed a cumulative ?1.4 trillion to micro small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) through 84 participating financial institutions as of December 2025.

The bank also reported that its interventions supported the creation of about 1.6 million jobs nationwide.

Okpanachi said the bank would expand its reach under a new five-year strategy targeting more than two million MSMEs with specific attention to women-led businesses youth-led enterprises and states where access to financing remained limited.

He said the bank’s work aimed to ensure economic reforms translated into practical benefits for business owners rather than remaining policies on paper.

‘The major reforms are now in place. How do we make sure their benefits reach the trader in Onitsha the fabricator in Aba the farmer in Kebbi and the young founder in Yaba?’ he asked.

He said the success of reforms should be judged by whether businesses could use the opportunities created by government policies to improve their operations and expand.

He said entrepreneurs need loans with repayment periods long enough to buy equipment and invest in their businesses. At the same time financial institutions must be willing to lend to viable enterprises that might otherwise struggle to get funding.

He also said business owners needed the skills and proper records required to manage their operations and demonstrate their capacity to grow.

DBN was established to address these challenges through a wholesale financing model under which it works mainly with participating financial institutions including commercial merchant and microfinance banks.

The bank provides longer-term funding that these institutions can lend to MSMEs. At the same time its subsidiary Impact Credit Guarantee Limited offers partial credit guarantees to reduce lenders’ risk when financing viable businesses.

It also provides capacity-building support to financial institutions and entrepreneurs including through its Entrepreneurship Training Programme.

Okpanachi urged Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) to expand lending to underserved sectors and states arguing that broader access to credit was necessary to help more businesses benefit from economic reforms.

He called on policymakers and regulators to assess how their decisions affect enterprises. He urged entrepreneurs to formalise their businesses keep proper records and take advantage of available support programmes.

The DBN chief executive cited a national MSME survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria which found that small businesses account for close to half of the country’s gross domestic product and more than eight in every 10 jobs.

He said the sector’s importance meant policies that work for MSMEs would have a broad effect on Nigerians.

‘When reform works for MSMEs it works for most Nigerians’ he said.

At the lecture DBN also unveiled its MSME Data Assets an open data resource intended to help policymakers lenders and researchers make better-informed decisions about the sector.

The bank said the resource would provide a basis for evidence-driven decisions on MSME development. At the same time its newly launched Impact Report sets out the results of its financing interventions and areas where improvements are needed.

The three launches-DAWN the Impact Report and the MSME Data Assets-formed part of the bank’s seventh annual lecture themed ‘From Policy to Prosperity: Translating Economic Reforms into MSME Growth.’

The event brought together government officials regulators development partners financial institutions and entrepreneurs to discuss how economic reforms could improve business performance.

Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mrs Augusta Warrens Bekaredebo expressed optimism that the 2026 tax reforms would provide relief to many small businesses.

She said many enterprises could benefit from tax exemptions under the reforms adding that ‘a lot of businesses will be smiling’ by next year.

The Anambra State Government has deployed nurses to Chinua Achebe International and Cargo Airport and activated emergency hotlines to strengthen surveillance and response to suspected Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases.

Commissioner for Health Dr Afam Obidike disclosed this on Wednesday and assured residents that the government was strengthening measures to prevent the virus from entering the state.

He urged them to report suspected cases through the emergency hotlines: 08038818131 and 08039595988.

He said the Ministry was collaborating with the World Health Organisation UNICEF Médecins Sans Frontières the Association of Public Health Practitioners of Nigeria and other partners.

According to him the partnership will enhance surveillance promote early detection and coordinate responses to suspected cases.

‘The state has intensified surveillance at entry points including the airport and border communities as well as public awareness campaigns and refresher training for healthcare workers’ he added.

Obidike cautioned residents against unproven preventive practices including drinking or bathing with salt water stressing that such measures could not prevent Ebola infection.

He explained that Ebola could spread through direct contact with the blood and other bodily fluids of an infected person experiencing symptoms contaminated materials and certain infected animals.

The Commissioner advised residents experiencing symptoms such as fever headache weakness muscle pain and joint pain particularly after possible exposure to seek prompt medical attention.

He noted that the symptoms could resemble those of malaria and other illnesses making early medical assessment essential.

The Commissioner urged residents to remain vigilant avoid spreading unverified information and promptly report suspected cases through the designated emergency hotlines.

Obidike earlier reassured residents that no Ebola case has been confirmed in the state urging them to remain calm and observe preventive measures.

He said the state had been monitoring persons of interest identified through the national surveillance system.

According to him persons of interest are individuals identified for public health follow-up based on their travel or exposure history and their monitoring does not mean they have contracted the virus.

‘Being placed under monitoring does not mean a person has Ebola. Such individuals should not be stigmatised or described as confirmed cases’ he said.

The commissioner disclosed that as of Oct. 20 the state had monitored 40 persons of interest; 33 had completed the prescribed 21-day monitoring period and been cleared while seven remained under active follow-up.

He said designated surveillance officers coordinated by the State Epidemiologist maintained regular communication conducted symptom checks and documented findings throughout the monitoring period.

Obidike added that the monitoring exercise had been ongoing for several months with the state epidemiologist and other designated officers directly involved.

He also said members of the state surveillance team had participated in a two-day online training organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) on monitoring persons of interest.

According to him the training strengthened the team’s capacity to monitor document report and promptly escalate suspected cases.

‘We have three holding centres where we can monitor suspected cases in the state. We have also directed secondary and tertiary health facilities to identify and designate holding centres for suspected cases to prevent the spread of the virus’ he said.

The secretariat of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-Kehinde Olaosebikan Grassroots Movement (PBAT-KO Movement) located at the CICU Building Olomi-Olojuoro Road Oluyole Local Government Area Ibadan was attacked on Monday by hoodlums suspected to be agents of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

The secretariat the only visible campaign office for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election in the council area was vandalised; campaign banners boards and other materials were destroyed and its windows were shattered.

Members of the Movement discovered the attack when they visited the office after the incident.

A physical assessment revealed damage to campaign property.

The PBAT-KO Movement was established late last year by Kehinde Olaosebikan former Chairman of Oluyole Local Government.

Olaosebikan served on the Media and Publicity Committee of the Tinubu/Shettima APC Presidential Campaign Council Oyo State in 2023.

The PBAT-KO Movement is a hub for grassroots mobilisation for President Tinubu’s second term.

Since its establishment the Movement has been mobilising across Oluyole Local Government and beyond to build on the votes President Tinubu garnered in 2023.

Speaking to journalists gathered around the building the Movement’s Publicity Secretary Comrade Femi Omolola said the Movement remains resolute despite the attack.

He said ‘We are undaunted. We are totally committed. Nothing can stop us from giving our very best in support of the President. The convener of the PBAT-KO Movement and our leader Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan and all his followers are fully committed to tripling President Tinubu’s votes in the election and nothing will stop us.

President Tinubu is not just the best among the candidates; the President is the most suitable leader to lead this country. In the last three years he has laid a solid foundation for a prosperous and great Nigeria. We are confident that President Bola Tinubu will deliver the Nigeria of our dreams.

‘In addition to his unmatched sterling qualities President Tinubu is contesting on the ticket of the most formidable and best organised party in Africa the APC. We are certain that President Tinubu would make mincemeat of all his opponents on the 16th of January 2027.’

The Southern Senators’ Forum has mourned the death of elder statesman educationist and pro-democracy advocate Pa Reuben Fasoranti describing his passing at age 100 as a great loss to Nigeria.

In a condolence statement signed by its chairman Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru the forum extended its sympathies to the deceased’s family the Afenifere family the Ondo State Government and people the Yoruba nation and Nigerians touched by his life of service.

It described Fasoranti as a symbol of integrity courage and principled leadership who remained committed to democracy justice good governance and the pursuit of a Nigeria founded on equity fairness and mutual respect.

According to the forum the late elder statesman’s contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey and his unwavering commitment to national development would continue to inspire present and future generations.

‘His passing is a profound loss not only to the South-West but to the entire nation’ the statement said.

The senators noted that Fasoranti’s wisdom convictions and lifelong dedication to democratic ideals had earned him a place among the country’s respected statesmen.

They prayed to Almighty God to grant his family loved ones and the nation the strength to bear the loss and to grant the deceased eternal rest.

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has raised the alarm over an alleged plot involving influential members of the ruling party to destabilise its structures and undermine efforts to build a formidable opposition coalition capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued on Thursday the National Chairman of the PRP Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed accused unnamed political interests of recruiting disgruntled former members and strategically positioning serving officials to sabotage the party’s electoral prospects.

Baba-Ahmed warned that the alleged scheme aimed not only to undermine the PRP but also to frustrate efforts to forge a credible opposition alliance capable of mounting a serious challenge to the ruling party in 2027.

According to him the party has uncovered attempts to manufacture internal crises through former members and serving officials allegedly working with external political interests.

‘The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has been following attempts to subvert it and cause irreparable damage to its electoral fortunes and its place in the popular attempt to build a credible opposition coalition’ he stated.

He added that some senior members of the ruling party were allegedly being approached to bankroll the operation with substantial financial resources.

‘These efforts are being linked with senior members of the ruling party who are being persuaded to fund this scheme with hundreds of millions of Naira’ Baba-Ahmed alleged.

The PRP chairman consequently cautioned party members candidates and supporters against falling victim to inducements or participating in activities that could compromise the party’s independence and electoral integrity.

He warned against unauthorised individuals attempting to recruit polling agents in the name of the PRP describing such activities as part of the alleged wider scheme to infiltrate and compromise the party’s electoral machinery.

Baba-Ahmed also raised concerns that compromised party officials could deploy substantial financial inducements to influence members to support candidates outside the party’s legitimate electoral arrangements.

‘Huge amounts of money may be available to buy members’ support for opposition candidates by party officials. These efforts should be resisted and exposed’ he warned.

He said individuals within the ruling party allegedly linked to the operation had been cautioned against interfering in the PRP’s internal affairs or providing financial backing for unauthorised political activities.

According to him those involved had also been warned against attempts to establish what he described as a ‘fictional PRA’ using funds and political connections associated with the ruling party.

The chairman further warned that serving PRP officials found to be collaborating with external interests to undermine the party would face disciplinary action in accordance with its internal regulations.

He maintained that the leadership would not tolerate activities that could jeopardise loyal members’ sacrifices or weaken the party’s ability to participate effectively in the emerging opposition coalition.

Reaffirming the PRP’s commitment to the 2027 political contest Baba-Ahmed assured candidates and supporters that the party would neither compromise its principles nor trade away their political interests in exchange for financial inducements.

‘The leadership of the PRP wishes to assure its candidates and Party supporters that it will not sacrifice their commitments and loyalty at any price’ he declared.

He insisted that the party remained determined to contribute to the emergence of a strong and potentially victorious opposition alliance in the next general elections.

‘The Party is committed to providing a befitting challenge to the continuation of this administration beyond 2027 as well as its role in building a potential winning coalition’ Baba-Ahmed stated.

The PRP however did not identify the ruling party figures or former members allegedly involved in the plot nor did it provide documentary evidence of the claimed financial arrangements.

The officer in charge of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) detention facility in Niger State Assistant Superintendent of Corps (ASC) Usman Isah Ndamaka told a judicial commission of inquiry that fear of being overpowered by detainees prevented him from opening the cell despite hearing detainees scream and shout before 37 suspected miners died in custody.

Ndamaka who broke down in tears while testifying before the Justice Mohammed Mohammed Commission of Inquiry in Minna admitted that he failed to prevent the tragedy and apologised to the bereaved families and the Niger State Government.

‘An error is already committed. I’m very sorry sir for the death of the miners under my custody. It is unfortunate that this happened under my watch’ he told the commission.

He added ‘I’m pained and it is very unfortunate it happened. I’m very sorry. I admitted my mistake.’

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the incident Ndamaka said authorities brought 58 suspects 33 males and 25 females to the command although the detention facility could accommodate only 28 to 30 people.

He said authorities attempted to separate the female detainees from the males by moving them to another facility but accommodation remained inadequate.

According to him the suspects arrived late in the evening amid a heavy downpour making it difficult to accommodate them in the available cells.

Ndamaka also told the commission that efforts to transfer some of the detainees to the old command facility failed after the Mining Marshals rejected them.

He said he was afraid that opening the overcrowded cell could expose him and the available personnel to being overpowered by the detainees.

His testimony has brought the conditions inside the detention facility and the officers’ response to the detainees’ distress to the forefront of the commission’s investigation into the deaths.

The inquiry is seeking to establish the circumstances surrounding the arrests detention and deaths of the 37 suspected miners on September 17 2026 and to determine whether lapses or misconduct contributed to the tragedy.

The Head of the NSCDC Investigation Unit Chief Superintendent of Corps Sunday Oluwadere also appeared before the commission telling the panel that he profiled and investigated the arrested miners and seized exhibits during the investigation and expressed regret over shortcomings in how he handled the matter.

The commission is examining evidence from personnel involved in the arrests investigation and detention of the suspects as it works to establish what happened before the deaths.

The cause of death has yet to be conclusively established from the evidence reported in the proceedings.

The Chief Consultant Pathologist at the General Hospital Minna Dr Alfa Sule had earlier told the commission that post-mortem examinations were required to establish the cause of death explaining that these examinations required the approval of a coroner while the collection of samples from the deceased for toxicology and histology analyses required the consent of their families.

According to him the samples would be sent to a forensic laboratory in Lagos for further examination with the results expected after the analyses.

The commission’s findings are expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the deaths and establish whether any individuals or institutions bear responsibility.

The House of Representatives on Thursday asked the Federal Ministry of Works to immediately begin construction of the East-West Road from Oron in Akwa Ibom to Calabar in Cross River State to boost economic activity in the area.

In a resolution following a motion by Mark Esin (APC Akwa Ibom) the House asked the Ministry of Works to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Finance to include the construction of Section V Phase I of the East-West Road from Oron Akwa Ibom to Calabar Cross River State in the 2027 budget estimates.

Presenting the motion Esin said the East-West Road is a major federal highway intended to connect communities and economic centres across the Niger Delta region and facilitate the movement of persons goods and services.

He recalled that the Federal Executive Council under former President Godluck Jonathan approved the award of the contract for the construction of Section V Phase I of the East-West Road from Oron in Akwa Ibom State to Calabar in Cross River State on 22 October 2014 at a contract sum of N165.3 billion.

He disclosed that on 3 December 2014 the Federal Executive Council approved an additional sum of N661.33 million for the engineering supervision of the said section of the road adding that Section V Phase I covering the Oron-Calabar corridor was conceived as the final stretch required to complete the East-West Road and strengthen its connection across the Niger Delta region.

He said that despite the Federal Government’s approval of the contract more than a decade ago the Oron-Calabar section remains incomplete leaving a critical transportation link between Akwa Ibom and Cross River States unrealised.

He said the project’s non-implementation has continued to constrain the movement of people and goods between the two States limiting the full economic and developmental benefits envisaged from the East-West Road.

According to him the Federal Executive Council approvals of 22 October 2014 and 3 December 2014 respectively established the authority to take the necessary steps to construct the Road from Oron Akwa Ibom State to Calabar Cross River State.

Restructuring Compliance Enforcement and Integration of Industry Self-Regulation in the Nigerian Point-of-Sale (POS) and Agency-Banking Ecosystem to Safeguard Security: Hon. Mark Udo Esset: The House: Notes that agent banking is essential to Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive providing livelihoods for millions of citizens across urban and rural communities; alarmed by the rapid increase in the use of POS terminals to facilitate financial fraud ransom payments for kidnappings identity theft and other unauthorised transactions thereby threatening the integrity of Nigeria’s national payment system; Concerned that the principal loophole driving the surge in financial fraud is the existence of unprofiled unregistered and highly mobile POS operators who evade regulatory checks and are difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace: Aware that the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) pursuant to the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 requires POS operators to register their businesses to promote accountability; also aware that integrating registered independent Business Membership Organisations (BMOs) and trade associations into the regulatory framework can strengthen industry discipline combat fraud and reduce compliance costs for micro-merchants; resolves to: (i) urge the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to require a valid EFCC Retail Payment Compliance Certificate (ERPCC) and compliance with applicable business-registration requirements as conditions for the onboarding renewal and continued operation of POS agents and other relevant participants in the agency-banking and retail payment ecosystem and to identify and deactivate terminals operating in breach of those requirements; (ii) also urge the Central Bank of Nigeria to impose appropriate regulatory sanctions on fintech aggregators mobile money operators and super-agents that knowingly onboard or facilitate settlement payments for unprofiled or unregistered POS operators in collaboration with the CAC EFCC NFIU and other relevant stakeholders and to establish a unified compliance verification portal within four (4) weeks; (iii) further urge the Central Bank of Nigeria to recognise POS operators and Agent-Banking entities that maintain active membership in a registered and recognised Business Membership Organisation or trade association to promote industry discipline self-regulation standardised training and accountability; (iv) mandate the Committees on Banking Regulations Digital and Electronic Banking and Financial Crimes to monitor implementation of these resolutions and report within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is seeking ways to remove barriers to cross-border payments and strengthen banking ties with China to increase financial transactions investment and access to financial services between the two economies.

The CBN said Nigerian and Chinese business leaders discussed the difficulties of conducting financial transactions between the two countries at a high-level business and financial roundtable in Beijing on Wednesday.

A CBN statement on Thursday in Abuja said the meeting examined how more efficient payment arrangements stronger banking relationships and improved investment channels could make it easier for businesses operating across the two markets to move funds and pursue investment opportunities.

The roundtable held at the Pan Pacific Beijing was organised under the theme ‘Strengthening the Nigeria-China Financial Corridor.’

The engagement comes as the CBN intensifies efforts to deepen Nigeria’s financial relationships across Asia and improve connections between Nigerian businesses and international financial markets.

Participants discussed the need for more efficient cross-border payment arrangements and stronger banking links to support transactions between Nigerian and Chinese companies.

Participants also considered the potential benefits of a larger Nigerian banking presence in China which could improve financial connectivity and access to banking services for businesses operating in both countries.

CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso said direct engagement with businesses was important for understanding the practical difficulties affecting financial activities between Nigeria and China.

The discussions gave companies operating across the two markets a chance to share their experiences and identify financial and institutional challenges to address to strengthen economic ties.

The CBN said participants’ feedback would guide its further engagement with relevant financial institutions and regulatory authorities particularly in areas where it could pursue practical cooperation within its mandate.

The Bank did not announce a concluded agreement on a new cross-border payment system or an approved expansion of Nigerian banks into China. Instead the discussions aimed to identify obstacles and potential areas of cooperation that could support stronger financial flows.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday picketed Chinese-owned Wizchino Engineering Company Limited in Abuja over alleged anti-worker and anti-union practices accusing the company of denying Nigerian workers their labour rights and subjecting them to poor working conditions.

The protest led by the NLC and its affiliate the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) followed what union leaders described as repeated unsuccessful attempts to engage the company on workers’ welfare safety and conditions of service.

Addressing protesters the Acting General Secretary of the NLC Comrade Benson said companies operating in Nigeria must comply with the country’s labour laws and respect workers’ right to freedom of association.

He alleged that Wizchino prevented workers from joining unions lacked a proper pay structure and failed to provide adequate health and safety conditions.

‘We understand that Wizchino Company embarks on slave labour. It does not permit workers to unionise. There is no pay structure. There is no law and order here. No health and safety conditions’ Benson said.

He warned that the NLC could mobilise its affiliate unions for a wider shutdown if the company failed to negotiate with the construction workers’ union.

‘We will be here today we will be here tomorrow we will be here the day after. And if necessary all the affiliate unions of Nigeria Labour Congress are going to be here’ he said.

Benson said the picketing was peaceful and intended to compel the company to engage in dialogue warning that the labour movement could pursue both industrial action and legal remedies.

The President of NUCECFWW Comrade Stephen Okoro said the union had written several letters and repeatedly visited the company to discuss workers’ conditions but alleged that management ignored its requests.

Okoro who is also an NLC vice-president accused the company of using mobile police personnel to intimidate union representatives.

He further alleged that workers were not provided with basic protective equipment including safety shoes helmets and hand gloves.

‘Can you be working like this in the construction industry?’ he asked.

Okoro said two workers had recently died raising concerns about the company’s alleged lack of adequate healthcare facilities. He claimed there was no registered clinic where workers could seek emergency treatment.

He said the absence of formal conditions of service could complicate efforts to establish responsibility and secure compensation in cases of workplace injury or death.

‘Today we have come to put in place conditions of service that can tie everybody both the worker and the employer’ he said.

Okoro said the union would continue the picketing until the company agreed to negotiate and address workers’ concerns including salary issues.

‘We are not here for violence. We are here to free our brothers who are working here’ he said.

The General Secretary of NUCECFWW Comrade Ibrahim Walama said workers from other construction companies and NLC affiliates had joined the protest in solidarity.

He said workers had a right to join unions and demand better welfare regardless of their employer.

‘One million of us cannot stop Nigerian workers from belonging to a union. They have the right to belong to a union and they have the right to their welfare in the place of work’ Walama said.

He added that the action would continue until the company addressed the union’s demands declaring that Nigerian workers should not be treated as enslaved people.

Also speaking the NLC Deputy General Secretary Comrade Bello Ismail said affiliate unions’ participation reflected organised labour’s collective support for the construction workers.

He said workers had the right to organise join trade unions and negotiate their employment conditions.

The unions said dialogue could resolve the dispute if the company agreed to meet their representatives and address the allegations.