The National Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected President Bola Tinubu’s offer to sponsor a tour of West African countries to study their fuel prices, suggesting the proposal could be seen as an attempt to sway the union rather than a genuine effort to solve Nigeria’s fuel crisis.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero revealed this at a recent workshop in Lagos, where he criticized the government’s focus on foreign comparisons instead of addressing domestic fuel challenges.

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Tinubu had proposed the trip to show that fuel prices in neighboring countries, such as Cameroon, where prices are as high as N2,000 per liter, are significantly higher than in Nigeria.

However, Ajaero stressed that the government should prioritize tackling fuel smuggling across Nigeria’s borders, which he sees as a major factor driving the fuel price hike.

“Mr. President also offered to sponsor our trip to some West African countries, where the lowest petrol price is N1,700. He said in Cameroon, petrol is sold for N2,000, and none of these countries have refineries—they source their products from Nigeria,”Ajaero said.

The NLC President argued that securing Nigeria’s borders against fuel smuggling should be the government’s main focus, rather than funding international trips.

“We told him to secure the borders because that’s the reason those products are being smuggled. We declined the offer, knowing Nigerians would accuse us of being bribed, rather than understanding it was just for a tour to those West African states.” he added.

The union has remained firm in its stance that the government must take urgent steps to address the impact of rising fuel prices on Nigerian workers, who are bearing the brunt of the economic crisis.

President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York this year, and thus directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation.

This was disclosed in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by Special Adviser to the President, (Information & Strategy) Bayo Onanuga.

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According to Onanuga, his principal returned to Nigeria last Sunday after his trip to China and the United Kingdom, and wants to focus on domestic issues, with a view to addressing some of the internal challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding.

It was gathered that at the UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima would deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings.

The high-level General Debate, with the theme “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations,” will run from Tuesday, September 24, through Saturday, September 28, 2024.

The European Parliament has voted decisively to remove restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied weapons against Russian territory.

The resolution, passed by 425 votes to 131, with 63 abstentions, marks a significant escalation in European support for Ukraine’s defense efforts.

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The resolution calls on EU member states to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles and other advanced weaponry against “legitimate military targets” in Russia.

Lawmakers argue that Ukraine needs to fully defend itself, emphasizing that without the ability to strike Russian targets, the country remains vulnerable to continued attacks on its cities and infrastructure.

Additionally, the Parliament urged EU countries to speed up arms deliveries and impose tougher sanctions on Russia, including a full embargo on Russian oil and gas.

The resolution also calls for increased funding for Ukraine’s military and further sanctions on nations assisting Russia, such as Belarus.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that allowing Ukraine to strike inside Russia could be seen as NATO’s direct involvement in the war, raising fears of a broader conflict.

While the vote is non-binding, it sends a strong signal to European governments, many of which have hesitated to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons like Germany’s Taurus missiles due to concerns over escalation.