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Tariff hike: FG begs workers as electricity union insists on strike

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The Federal Government has appealed to members of the National Union of Electricity Employees not to down tools over the recent electricity tariff hike.

This is as the union insisted that they would withdraw their services should the government fail to rescind its decision on the removal of subsidy on the tariff payable by Band A customers.

The National President of the union, Adebiyi Adeyeye, in an interview with our correspondent on Sunday said the union stood by its warning to the Federal Government.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission had on April 3 raised the electricity tariff for customers enjoying 20 hours of power supply daily.

Customers in this category were said to be under the Band A classification and the increase raised their tariff to N225 per kilowatt-hour, from N66KWh.

In its earlier reaction, the union had warned the government to reverse the tariff hike saying, “If the government fails to address the crippling cost of electricity, NUEE will not hesitate to take strong action, including the swift withdrawal of our members expected to be used by DisCos to impose the tariff hike on the good people, to protect the livelihood of our members.”

Adeyeye said the supply of 20 hours of electricity is not feasible with the current infrastructure.

“We just want the citizen to know that this thing is not possible, it is not feasible, you cannot give what you don’t have. When we don’t have the energy to give to the people and you ask our people to go out and collect such money, you know it is dangerous. Most times we don’t disclose what to do to the public because our sector is very critical to the nation,” he stated.

While saying that the union has yet to give any ultimatum on strike, he stressed the NUEE is advising the government to do the needful “before we will withdraw our services”.

He explained, “The reason why we are saying this is simple, you ask our members to go the the public to collect 20-hour tariff from people that are not even experiencing a four-hour supply of electricity. There is no way there won’t be crises between our staff and those customers.

“We’ve recorded a lot of attacks on our members, even with the present situation. And these guys have nothing to defend themselves. They have targets to meet where there is no supply. Our members are being threatened by the DisCos, even when they know that what they are promising Nigerians is not feasible”.

He disclosed that the union must save its members from daily attacks, saying the hike would aggravate the attacks.

“We told our members that they cannot go out and collect that kind of tariff from unmetered customers. More than 70 per cent of these Band A customers are not metered. The government is just promising what we don’t have. We are the ones working there, we know we don’t have the transformers to distribute such load. 20 hours of electricity is not possible except for those on eligible lines. We were not carried before the tariff hike,” the union leader emphasised.

Adeyeye, who said the union would not accept any threat from anyone said, “On the issue of strike, it is not what we normally do directly. We said it that we would withdraw our services if the government fails to do the needful, and we are still under that ‘if’. They still have time to do the needful. It is very difficult for us to collect such money. We don’t have the equipment to supply even 10 hours of electricity to the people.

“We stand on our point, and they can’t bring people from anywhere to come and do this work. We Nigerians will do this work ourselves and heaven will not fall. If they fail to do the needful, we will withdraw our members, and we will never accept any threat from anybody. Nigeria belongs to all of us”.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has urged the union not to withdraw its members.

In an interview, Adelabu, who spoke through his media aide, Bolaji Tunji, said the government was doing everything to improve supply in Nigeria and everybody will be happy at the end of the day.

“We just want to appeal to the labour union to understand what led to this. This is not about strike. it is about understanding; so that we can all work together. It is not anybody’s joy that there are blackouts all the time. These steps are being taken to solve the problems in the power sector. I beg the labour union to understand that this will galvanise the economy and create jobs.

“I want to appeal to the union to bear with us. It is for the good of the nation,” he stated.

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147 Lagos Structures to Face Impact From Coastal Highway

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President Bola Tinubu says 147 structures in Lagos will be affected by the construction of a service lane along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

Five of the structures are expected to face full demolition, while the remaining 142 will experience minimal impact.

Tinubu disclosed this Sunday at a stakeholder engagement in Lagos, where he also flagged off repairs of the Eko and Marine bridges and a flooded section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Represented by Lagos Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the president assured affected property owners that they would receive compensation where necessary.

Tinubu said the stakeholder engagement was designed to secure public support and ensure the effective implementation of the projects.

He described the Eko Bridge as one of the oldest bridges built after Nigeria’s independence, while noting that the Marine Bridge provides an important link to Lagos seaports.

The president urged Lagos residents and other stakeholders to support infrastructure projects designed to improve transportation and economic activity.

The figure of 147 affected structures was presented by a representative of the AEC consortium during the engagement.

Some of the affected residents and stakeholders asked some questions on areas of compensation and impact.

Tinubu said the Federal Government remains open to constructive criticism but urged stakeholders to support projects that are properly executed.

He said the projects are intended to deliver infrastructure that will serve Lagos residents and Nigerians for generations.

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Tinubu Flags Off Eko, Marine Bridge Repairs

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President Bola Tinubu has flagged off repairs of the Eko and Marine bridges in Lagos, as part of Federal Government efforts to improve critical infrastructure and ease traffic along the Lagos corridor.

Tinubu, represented by Lagos Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, spoke Sunday at a stakeholder engagement on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

Sanwo-Olu said the president remains committed to infrastructure development, security and job creation under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The governor also said more than 200 kilometers of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway had been constructed across various sections within two years.

He said additional slip roads and improved drainage links to the Lagos Lagoon would be introduced to ease movement and reduce flooding.

Works Minister David Umahi, meanwhile, condemned the vandalism of public infrastructure, describing it as “devilish,” “wicked” and unacceptable.

Umahi urged Nigerians to protect government assets, warning that vandalism could undermine the benefits of major infrastructure projects.

His comments followed the recent vandalism of sections of the newly constructed Festac-Alakija Bridge. Lagos authorities have arrested 27 suspects over the incident.

Umahi also ordered a crackdown on unauthorized activities along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, directing officials to stop motorcycles, tricycles, hawkers and loitering on the route.

The minister also called for stronger security around strategic infrastructure.

The 750-kilometer, 10-lane Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is designed to connect Lagos with Cross River through seven coastal states, with the Federal Government expecting it to improve transportation and boost economic activity

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ICPC: Adeyemi’s fake letter not from Presidency

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the so-called Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) was a fictitious entity.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday, ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed the findings of the agency’s 30-day probe ordered by President Bola Tinubu on 7 July 2026.

“Recall the President on 7th July, 2026 gave ICPC 30 days to investigate into the fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and today is exactly 30 days. I have just submitted the interim report and briefed Mr. President accordingly,” Aliyu said.

He stated that the President, in the spirit of transparency and accountability, directed him to address the media for the benefit of Nigerians.

According to the interim report:

  • Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew was never appointed by the Federal Government or any authority of government.
  • The PFIPC was never established by any law, executive order or other valid instrument of government.
  • The appointment letter presented by Adeyemi was completely forged, along with similar documents used to sustain the illegal activities of the fake agency.
  • The PFIPC cannibalised the former Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and illegally appropriated offices and instruments of operation.
  • False projection, false representation, widespread impersonation and a range of illegal activities were perpetrated by Adeyemi as the purported Director-General.
  • Weaknesses in verification, inter-agency oversight and government processes were exploited by Adeyemi, with some level of negligence and connivance.
  • No funds of the Federal Government were approved or disbursed to the fake PFIPC/PEAC.

Aliyu emphasised that no weaknesses were found in the systems of the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria, describing their processes as above board. He specifically noted that the fake appointment letter did not originate from the Presidency.

The ICPC further discovered that Adeyemi created two additional fictitious government agencies — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (FIFA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership (FIFA-PPP). To facilitate their creation, he forged legislative instruments styled as Enabling Acts, which were used to support the opening of bank accounts.

Among the recommendations in the interim report are that Adeyemi should be fully prosecuted, administrative sanctions should be imposed on public officers whose acts of omission and negligence facilitated the illegal operations, and institutional reforms should be implemented.

Aliyu disclosed that investigations are ongoing into all activities and bank accounts linked to the PFIPC, Adeyemi and his collaborators.

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