Friday briefing: NIMC Workers. Electricity Tariffs. Attempted Adultery.
What you need to know.
Good morning.
We are focusing on the demands of NIMC workers, why a hike in electricity tariffs was suspended and a ‘serious’ case of attempted adultery in Kaduna.
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NIMC Workers Down Tools, Make Demands
Workers at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) embarked on a strike on Thursday over the spread of Covid, lack of personal protective equipment, irregularities in promotion and poor welfare.
They are also asking the federal government to pay them overtime allowance for the emergency registration of millions of Nigerians who are seeking to acquire the National Identity Number (NIN).
The workers’ strike left at least thousands of Nigerians stranded at NIMC centres across the country, unable to make progress with their NIN registration.
Quote: “Our annoyance is that the management refused to say it out (the spread of Covid among NIMC workers), knowing that it would have helped us to take all necessary precautions,” Asekokhai Lucky, the President of the Association of the Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NIMC unit, said. “Nobody is talking to anybody.”
Next steps: After talks with the Minister of Communications, who presides over NIMC, broke down on Thursday, the workers are set to meet with the NIMC management today.
Significance: The urgency of NIN registration stems from the federal government’s directive to telecommunications firms, to disconnect telephone lines of subscribers who fail to link their NIN with their SIM.
Most Nigerians are expected to have linked their NIN with their SIM by February 9. But if the strike lingers, that deadline will remain a mirage.
Related: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has warned Nigerians not to sell their NIN as it could lead to their arrest and prosecution for grave criminal acts.
FG suspends electricity tariffs hike
The confusion over how much Nigerian electricity consumers are to pay for power is set to continue. On Thursday, the Minister for Power, Sale Mamman, directed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to suspend its latest tariff increase, till at least the end of January.
What will happen by the end of January?
Well, the federal government says it is still negotiating with labour unions and investors in the power sector to determine how much Nigerians can and should pay for power.
Meanwhile, the federal government clarified that the latest hike was not a 50% increase but an addition of N2 to the existing price for high-profile consumers. So, if someone was paying N50, he or she was then expected to pay N52.
And, for poor Nigerians, the government says no increase has been introduced.
“On the contrary, @NigeriaGov continues to fully subsidise 55% of on-grid consumers in bands D and E and maintain the lifeline tariff for the poor and underprivileged,” Mamman said. “Those citizens have experienced no changes to tariff rates from what they have paid historically (aside from the recent minor inflation and forex adjustment).”
What next: The federal government needs to ramp up the provision of prepaid meters to more households and eliminate the practice of estimated billing which leaves little room for accountability, both on the side of consumers and suppliers.
As Nigeria awaits vaccine . . .
Yeah, the country has yet to take delivery of any Covid vaccine but we’ve got plans for it already.
Nigeria is expected to receive about 100,000 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at the end of January.
On Thursday, chief of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, said President Muhammadu and Vice President Osinbajo will receive the Covid vaccine on live television. This is to promote awareness and demonstrate the vaccine’s safety, Shuaib said.
Frontline health workers are also expected to be prioritised.
But the stark truth is, Nigeria does not have enough vaccines, yet, for its 200 million population and prevention measures such as social distancing and wearing of face masks remain the best approach to surviving the pandemic’s second wave.
NCDC: Another 1,565 new cases were reported on Thursday, according to the health agency.
Sanwo-Olu: The Lagos State Governor admitted that the second wave appears to be more deadly as more Covid patients in the state now require oxygen support to stay alive.
Good news: A second Chinese vaccine might soon be approved for public use and rolled out in much of the developing world. The vaccine, CoronaVac, has an efficacy rate of 78%.
What else is happening?
Kaduna: The state government has arraigned five persons for attempted adultery and organising a nude party in breach of Covid protocols.
Insecurity: At least two million Nigerians are living as internally displaced persons as a result of criminal activities across the country, according to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk.
Oyo State: Three persons have been feared killed after Amotekun operatives clashed with youths holding a carnival at Tapa in Ibarapa North Local Government.
Lagos State: A petrol-laden tanker exploded (picture above) along the Oshodi-Apapa expressway, causing panic and gridlock. A government official said the explosion was caused by a collision of the petrol tanker with another truck as they tried to overtake each other.
Ghana: Nana Akufo-Addo was sworn in for a second term as President hours after rival politicians fought in parliament.
Trump: The US President has eventually conceded after Congress formally certified Biden’s victory. But the concession came after Mr Trump inspired a mob that invaded the US Capitol in what has been described as a devastating attack on American democracy.
Elon Musk: Move over Jeff Bezos. The Tesla chief is now the wealthiest man in the world. As of Thursday evening, his net worth had crossed $185bn.
And that’s it for today’s briefing. Thank you for starting your day with me. I’ll see you again on Monday.
P.S. Said I have big news today. Well, today was supposed to be the last day of the briefing. But I’ve decided to continue, at least for another month. If you find this briefing useful, please leave me a comment. I’ll like to know. Comments on how to make it better are also welcome.
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