ULC fuses into NLC in a surprise reconciliation

The lingering division in the labour brotherhood in the past five years has just come to an end with the leaderships of NLC and ULC coming to amicable resolution to fuse into one strong labour front.Below is their joint statement on their new found brotherhood.  

"*OUR BOND OF BROTHERHOOD SHALL NEVER BE BROKEN!*

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the United Labour Congress wish to announce to the world that the strain within the ranks of Organized Labour in Nigeria has been resolve

The Nigeria Labour Congress led by Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni has FULLY RECONCILED with the United Labour Congress (ULC) led by Comrade Joe Ajaero.

Nigerians would recall that after the conduct of leadership election in the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at the 10th National Delegates Conference in 2015, some misunderstanding arose between some affiliates of Congress. Efforts by Labour veterans such as the pioneer President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu and a former President of the NLC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to resolve the issue were inconclusive.

Committed to the bond of brotherhood and solidarity which the labour movement all over the world is known for, the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the leadership of the ULC kept aglow the light of peaceful relations towards resolving their misunderstanding as the two leadership resorted to direct discussions aimed at ending the rift.

The outcome of this quiet but sustained effort at making the peace is the fruit of the reconciliation that we are celebrating today. It is to the credit of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the United Labour Congress that the bond of solidarity was never broken even at the height of misunderstanding. 

The NLC and ULC always cooperated and collaborated in defending Nigerian workers. This was the experience during negotiations for the new national minimum wage.

It is remarkable that in the dark furnace that severely tested our commitment and selfless disposition to our movement’s age long tradition of “Nigerian workers first”, we have managed to come out as gold, better and brighter. This is the story that overshadows the fleeting pains of the mosquito bites of our misunderstanding in the night.

With this reconciliation, the leadership and structures of the United Labour Congress have been reintegrated into the Nigeria Labour Congress. In the reconciliation Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two leadership, the modus operandi for this re-integration and ancillary issues are spelt out to the satisfaction of both parties.

We commend the leadership of our affiliate unions, state councils and our statutory organs up to the National Delegates Conference whose mandate and support provided the ladder to this milestone reconciliation. We thank our rank and file and the social partners for their counsel, altruism and support during the dark hour.

Fellow workers, the Nigeria Labour Congress has emerged out of this crisis stronger. We have gained more affiliate unions to our movement, we have gained more experience, and we have built more bridges. Going forward from this platform of unity, we are ready now more than ever before to confront and overcome the myriad of challenges facing Nigerian workers - economic, social, and political.

United We Stand in Solidarity!

Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni Comrade Joe Ajaero

Compiled by:

Comrade Onyeke Christopher Chukwudi

Americans rate Trump a Racist and Below Average or FAILURE as President

A stunning new poll finds that significant majorities believe President as racist, and rate him as “below average” or a “failure” as President.

Trump has gotten a lot of bad polling news recently, as his approval ratings have cratered and his general election opponent Joe Biden has widened his lead over the incumbent. A new Yahoo! News/YouGov poll is arguably worse news for Trump, as the results cut at his character and place in American history.

When directly asked “Do you think that President Trump is a racist?”, 52 percent said yes, while only 34 percent said no — an 18 point spread. Even a hefty plurality of white voters agreed Trump is a racist, 46-39, while only 14 percent of Republicans said yes to the question. Crucially, among independent voters, the spread was even wider than the overall number, with 53 percent saying Trump is a racist and only 31 percent saying he is not.

Respondents were also asked “How would you rate the following Presidents?”, and given choices ranging from “Great” to “failure” in assessing Trump and former Presidents Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, and Franklin Roosevelt.

It did not go well for Trump. A whopping 54 percent rated Trump either a “failure” or “below average,” with the results overwhelmingly tilted to “failure” at 43 percent. That’s more than double the number who said the same of President Obama, whose polarizing presidency scored 21 percent in that metric. That’s versus 45 percent who said Obama was “great” or “near great.”

In fact, Trump was seen as a failure by more than triple the number of people who said the same of President Bush (13%) and President Carter (12%). As for President Lincoln, to whom Trump has frequently compared himself, only 2 percent of Americans rated him a failure.

Overall, Biden led Trump by nine points in the poll, 49 percent to 40 percent.

Significant pluralities in the poll also said that former Vice President Joe Biden would do a better job handling a raft of issues: Protests, Coronavirus pandemic, Race relations, Immigration, and Foreign policy.

Trump did retain a 3-point advantage over Biden on the economy, 37 percent to 34 percent, but with 29 percent saying they didn’t know or that Biden and Trump would handle it “about the same.”

On the bright side of things, at least Trump doesn’t have to worry about running against Abe Lincoln.

@Mediaite

FAAN PREPARES FOR GRADUAL REOPENING OF AIRPORTS

COMPARES NOTES WITH MUNICH AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL.

In an effort to begin the reopening of some of the airports in the nation, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria held a skype meeting with Munich Airport International to share experiences and compare notes on the effects of the COVID19 lockdown on the airports

According to the General Manager, Corporate Affairs of the Authority, Henrietta Yakubu, the meeting which was at the instance of the Managing Director of FAAN Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu had in attendance the Munich Airport Expert Team, Herbert Keffel, Georgios Elkolids and Julian Duerdoth and was coordinated by Mr Fortune Idu, Managing Director of FCI International Ltd with Mrs Nike Aboderin, the Director of Finance as the team lead on the Nigerian side of 30 FAAN participants.

The aim was to assess the readiness of FAAN to gradually begin operations, following the Federal Government’s directive for reopening of the four regional airports.

In initiating the meeting, Captain Yadudu had commented that ‘while FAAN is responding to the guidelines set by NCAA for gradual airport reopening and POST COVID 19 operations, it is important also to compare notes with other airports in the world to make sure we are on the right track and join the global industry in building back travel confidence.

Munich airport has successfully reopened its airport and has recommenced domestic and international flights, so it is worth sharing their experience with them according to the MD of FAAN. Furthermore, FAAN intends to begin involving itself in route development and therefore, collaborative efforts between Munich and FAAN can help in that direction.

The presentation via skype simulated from Germany and England was tagged Rapid Aviation Plan by Mr Georgios Elkolids. Herbert Keffel highlighted the steps and considerations which Munich Airport International adopted towards the successful reopening of the airport.

Though there are guidelines issued by ICAO and ACI for the purpose of the reopening, the guidelines become more successful if they are adapted based on the peculiarities of the airport environment which Munich has successfully done.  

In response  to a question  raised by Mrs Aboderin, FAAN Director of Finance on the issue of orderly management of human traffic in a relatively small airport space, the Munich airport team not only compared notes on how they have carried out flow management and social distancing orders with the FAAN team but also showed a willingness to continue the backend co-operation and information sharing to help build traffic, passenger confidence and also   improve  operational efficiency, non-aeronautical services and route development.

 

In concluding the meeting, Mr Fortune Idu the coordinator of the meeting between Munich Airport and FAAN said he wants to see the formation of a development partnership between the two organisations for the betterment of the industry and to enable FAAN's airports learn and aspire to operate high standards of airport services like Munich Airport. This will put some of Nigeria’s airports at the top of the region.

 

 

Dukia Gold Precious Metal Refining Conglomerate berths in Nigeria

Posted by Lateef Lawal

Nigeria’s first Gold and Precious Metals Refining conglomerate has opened for business its Managing Director, Mrs Bosede Owolabi has said.

Plans have been concluded for the launch of its raw materials purchasing programme in response to Nigeria’s enormous deposits of gold and precious metals.

Disclosing this in a statement on yesterday, Mrs Owolabi said Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo ; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite ; Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum and Ekiti Governor - Dr Kayode Fayemi join players in the solid minerals and financial sectors and multi lateral organizations (today) Tuesday, June 9, 2020 to officially launch the commencement of the Dukia Gold & Precious Metals Raw Materials Buying Programme of Nigeria’s first gold and precious metals refining company.

The launch ceremony scheduled online via the 'Zoom - Meet and Chat ' Platform will coincide with the launch of Precious Metals Buying Centre and the proprietary Dukia Gold & Precious Metals Trading Platform

Dukia Gold , Mrs Owolabi said is financed by a blend of equity and loans from financial institutions led by Heritage Bank Plc with support by PAC Capital as Financial Advisers and Fund Arrangers with assistance in view from Afrexim Bank.

The virtual launch Mrs Owolabi said will take place after state governors , ministers , heads of parastatals, private sector participants , mining stakeholders local and international partners will meet in a seminar session to examine the theme : " The Future of Gold and Precious Metals in Africa ".Listing Director & Global Head, Advisory and Capital Markets , Afreixim Bank, Ibrahim Sagna ; Managing Director, Heritage Bank , Mr Ifie Sekibo ; Managing Director, Lagos Commodities & Future Exchange (LCFE) ,Mr Akin Akeredolu - Ale ; Managing Director, PAC Capital , Humphrey Oriakhi and Managing Director , NewWaves Ecosystems Limited , Mr Femi Williams as speakers, Mrs Owolabi said opportunities in the mining sector remains largely untapped because of scale of capital investment required to activate required infrastructure, in attention to required policy framework , distractions of fossil fuels’ dependencies and other reasons.

Towards this end, the conglomerate, Mrs Owolabi said has entered into agreement with Heritage Bank to power the Dukia–Heritage Bank Buying Centres pre~installed with the multi~integrated Dukia Trading Platform.

The partnership with Heritage Bank Plc , she said will cover sourcing and aggregation of Gold and other precious metals in line with OECD guidelines.

She said : " We set out to be foremost indigenous gold and other precious metals refining and trading company

"As we commence operations nationwide we are focussing on adding value to the gold and precious metals industry in Nigeria and West Africa in delivering a major source of alternative foreign exchange revenues.

"When our refinery becomes fully operational it will be the first of its kind in West Africa, and it will open opportunities for artisanal miners, gold and precious metals owners and allied enterprise to obtain appropriate financial value for their products amongst other benefits.

"The company will also work with miners who register on its platform to ensure that they get access to appropriate plant , machinery , equipment , tools, kits and support required by them so as to improve their productivity and ensure better health , safety and environmental conditions."

Dukia Gold & Precious Metals Refining Company Limited , she continued sets out to be Nigeria’s first London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) accredited gold bullion bar refiner , goods delivery list precious bar bar and precious metals clearing house, smelters and assayers of goods delivery golds bar and ISO 9001 certified gold and precious metals refinery

Besides deepening participation in the mining sector, the company's mission is to fulfill government's objective of ensuring that a gold refinery is established in the country as part of the solid minerals road map and beyond oil diversification Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) Policy.

She went on :" Dukia Gold will therefore market off-taker opportunities for gold mined in Africa and minted in Nigeria to the Central Bank, the Lagos Commodities & Futures Exchange (“LCFE”), thus-providing private individuals and corporate entities with access to bullion gold bars, coins and medallions and other products as a stabilized safe harbour investment asset class.

Confirming the commencement of the good buying programme, Mrs Owolabi said accredited centre will be open to the public on August 1,2020 affirming that the phased refinery has begun with essential equipment on order from pre- qualified world leading manufacturers set to achieve full implementation within 24 months.

She said :" Deploying a unique Integrated information communication technology driven solutions provided by international and local partners, the statutorily~regulated Buying Centres will operate as outlets operated by Dukia Gold out of designated Heritage Bank Plc branches in Nigeria .

" At these outlets intending purveyors and sellers of recyclable gold and precious metals including jewelry and gold extracts , native gold and gold dores , gold bars and other precious metals can walk in and have their products assessed, assayed, valued, sold and paid for instantly on a transparent basis, subject to know your customer procedure

Owolabi said the conglomerate is a timely response to the search by theFederal Ministry of Mines & Steel Development over the years to make the sector attractive to Investors.

The conglomerate- Dukia Gold & Precious Metals Refining Company Limited , she said is at the heart of delivery of the Dukia Gold Project primed to fulfill a substantial gap in infrastructure required to achieve the full value chain of operations from mines and recyclable gold to mint as well as from mint to market.

Describing Dukia Gold as conceptually wholly Nigerian initiative, Mrs Owolabi said it was driven by informed commitment and competence, leveraging on sterling local and global partnering across the spectrum of expertise required to bring it to life sustainably and successfully.

She said :" It comprises solutions geared towards facilitating and stimulating necessary developments in the Gold & Precious Metals’ subsector of the Solid Minerals sector of the Nigerian economy

"The Dukia Gold Project addresses and delivers critical solutions by which to ensure full Beneficiation of Precious Metals, including the refining of Precious Metals in Nigeria to the highest international standards in such a way that Nigerians and Nigeria can begin to trade and receive fair pricing and value for Precious Metals originating and produced in Nigeria.

"Through a process of Juridification, the Dukia Gold Project will help to curtail exploitation of local miners by illegal traders who smuggle precious metals out of Nigeria with negligible gain to these local miners and with no returns to the national economy."

Nollywood Actor stabs co-tenant to death over electricity bill.

A young man, identified as Temitayo Phillips is now assisting men of the Nigeria Police station Ikotun in the Alimosho area of Lagos state to unravel the circumstances surrounding his alleged murder of Mr Oludotun Opeyemi his co-tenant.

According to report, the said Dotun met his death at no 4, Sebili Kazeem street, Agodo Egbe when he was allegedly stabbed by Temitayo after a rift over the payment of electricity bill.

It was gathered that trouble started when Temitayo went to the late Oladotun's apartment to knock at his door in order to collect his money as part of the electricity bill of the house that the late Oladotun became angry that it was embarrassing to him to knock at his door as he has not been owing any bill but for the lockdown following the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

It was learnt that Dotun and Banjo, both tenants were the people who went to knock at Tayo Phillips' door for his electricity money he was owing, this led to Tayo Phillips' anger and threatened to kill.

He was forcibly taken to Ikotun police, quarrel ensued immediately they came back from Ikotun Police station, in the fight that ensued, Tayo Phillips was alleged to have stabbed Dotun to death and stabbed some other persons too.

Following the trouble that ensued our reporter gathered, that the said Temitayo ran into the house brought out a kitchen knife and stabbed Oladotun.

The late Oladotun was said to be working in a bank.

The suspect who is said to be a Nollywood actor, it was gathered was however rescued from being killed by the mob who attacked him immediately he stabbed the deceased.

The suspect is said to be receiving treatment at an unnamed police facility as a of result injuries he received from the mob attack.

The image-maker in charge of the state police command, Bala Elkana, while speaking on the death over electricity bill, said that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as he was discharged from the hospital.

Speaking to our correspondent, late Oladotun's landlord, Otunba Ojo Adedeji Afolabi, who said he does not reside at the said address where the crime was committed, described his late tenant as cool headed and responsible.

Otunba Afolabi said the late Oladotun has lived in his house for about two years and had never owed any rent "To my knowledge, he has not been violent, I don't live in the house but I do visit the tenants at intervals. The murder case of Mr Dotun by a co-tenant Mr Phillip Tayo is shocking, disturbing, unbelievable and has spiritual undertone"

"Tayo Phillips have lived in the house for about 5years, while Dotun the decease has stayed for about 2 years.

The suspect, Tayo Phillips has lived in the house for about 5 years without violence or trace of mental disorder, the man killed is a banker and he is about 2 years old in the house, he is an easy going Man, and very quiet"

How do Buddhists handle coronavirus? The answer is not just meditation

                            Africa                                         Australia                                         Canada                                         Canada (français)                                         España                                         France                                         Global Perspectives                                         Indonesia                                         New Zealand                                         United Kingdom                                         United States                      

•  

Buddhist monks in Thailand pray at Phleng temple amid the COVID-19 crisis, May 11, Images/Getty

 Pierce Salguero, Pennsylvania State University

Millions of Buddhists seeking protection and healing from the novel coronavirus are turning to traditional religious rituals.

Since the emergence of COVID-19, the Dalai Lama, other senior monks and Buddhist organizations in Asia and worldwide have emphasized that this pandemic calls for meditation, compassion, generosity and gratitude. Such messages reinforce a common view in the West of Buddhism as more philosophy than religion – a spiritual, perhaps, but secular practice associated with mindfulness, happiness and stress reduction.

But for many people around the world Buddhism is a religion – a belief system that includes strong faith in supernatural powers. As such, Buddhism has a large repertoire of healing rituals that go well beyond meditation.

Having studied the interplay between Buddhism and medicine as a historian and ethnographer for the past 25 years, I have been documenting the role these ritual practices play in the coronavirus pandemic.

Talismans, prayer and ritual

Buddhism originated in India about two and a half millennia ago. Today, with well over a half-billion adherents across the world, it is a highly diverse tradition that has adapted to many cultural and social contexts.

There are three main schools of traditional Buddhism: Theravāda, practiced in most of Southeast Asia; Mahāyāna, the form most prevalent in East Asia; and Vajrayāna, commonly associated with Tibet and the Himalayan region.

In Buddhist-majority places, the official COVID-19 pandemic response includes conventional emergency health and sanitation measures like recommending face masks, hand-washing and stay-at-home orders. But within religious communities, Buddhist leaders also are using a range of ritual apotropaics – magical protection rites – to protect against disease.

A Nepalese Buddhist monk offering ritual prayer, May 7, 2020. Narayan Maharjan/NurPhoto via Getty Images

In Thailand, for example, Theravāda temples are handing out “yant,” talismans bearing images of spirits, sacred syllables and Buddhist symbols. These blessed orange papers are a common ritual object among Buddhists in Southeast Asia who see crises such as epidemic illnesses as a sign that demonic forces are on the rise.

Theravāda amulets and charms trace their magical powers to repel evil spirits not only to the Buddha but also to beneficial nature spirits, demigods, charismatic monks and wizards.

Now, these blessed objects are being specifically formulated with the intention of protecting people from contracting the coronavirus.

Mahāyāna Buddhists use similar sacred objects, but they also pray to a whole pantheon of buddhas and bodhisattvas – another class of enlightened beings – for protection. In Japan, for example, Buddhist organizations have been conducting expulsion rites that call on Buddhist deities to help rid the land of the coronavirus.

Mahāyāna practitioners have faith that the blessings bestowed by these deities can be transmitted through statues or images. In a modern twist on this ancient belief, a priest affiliated with the Tōdaiji temple in Nara, Japan, in April tweeted a photo of the great Vairocana Buddha. He said the image would protect all who lay eyes upon it.

The Dalai Lama, the Buddhist spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. Pixabay

The third major form of Buddhism, Vajrayāna, which developed in the medieval period and is widely influential in Tibet, incorporates many rituals of earlier traditions. For example, the Dalai Lama has urged practitioners in Tibet and China to chant mantras to the bodhisattva Tārā, a female goddess associated with compassion and well-being, to gain her protection.

Vajrayāna practitioners also advocate a unique form of visualization where the practitioner generates a vivid mental image of a deity and then interacts with them on the level of subtle energy. Responses to COVID-19 suggested by leading figures in traditional Tibetan medicine frequently involve this kind of visualization practice.

Buddhist modernism

Since the height of the colonial period in the 19th century, “Buddhist modernists” have carefully constructed an international image of Buddhism as a philosophy or a psychology. In emphasizing its compatibility with empiricism and scientific objectivity they have ensured Buddhism’s place in the modern world and paved the way for its popularity outside of Asia.

Many of these secular-minded Buddhists have dismissed rituals and other aspects of traditional Buddhism as “hocus pocus” lurking on the fringes of the tradition.

A former Buddhist monk practices visualization meditation during the coronavirus crisis, April 24, 2020. Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images

Having documented the richness of the history and contemporary practice of Buddhist healing and protective rituals, however, I argue that these practices cannot be written off quite so easily.

In most living traditions of Buddhism, protective and healing rituals are taken seriously. They have sophisticated doctrinal justifications that often focus on the healing power of belief.

Increasingly, researchers are agreeing that faith in itself plays a role in promoting health. The anthropologist Daniel Moerman, for example, has identified what he calls the “meaning response.” This model accounts for how cultural and social beliefs and practices lead to “real improvements in human well-being.” Likewise, Harvard Medical School researcher Ted Kaptchuk has studied the neurobiological mechanisms for how rituals work to alleviate illnesses.

To date, there is no known way to prevent COVID-19 other than staying home to avoid contagion, and no miracle cure. But for millions worldwide, Buddhist talismans, prayers and protective rituals offer a meaningful way to confront the anxieties of the global coronavirus pandemic, providing comfort and relief.

And in a difficult time when both are in short supply, that’s nothing to discredit.

source: the conversation.com