Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday, gave its nod for the implementation of aspects of the 2012 Stephen Oromsaye Panel Report.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this after the council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the go-ahead was given to reduce the cost of governance.”

The minister further said the implementation of the report means that some agencies, commissions and departments of government have been scrapped, merged, subsumed and others moved under new ministries.

He explained: “President Bola Tinubu has taken a decision to implement the so called Orosanye Report.

“Now, what that means is that a number of agencies, commissions, and some departments have actually been scrapped, some have been merged, while others have been subsumed. Others, of course, have also been moved from some ministries to others where government feels they will operate better.

“Like I said, this is a very far-reaching decision. It is aimed, one, to fine-tune or to restructure government operations as a whole. Secondly, it’s in line also with decision of Tinubu to reduce the cost of governance.”

Idris assured that the implementation does not mean that staffers in the affected establishments will lose their jobs.

Special adviser to the president on policy coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, gave details of the agencies involved saying, “For agencies that are required to be merged, I’ll take it; National Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA) to be merged with the Centre for Disease Control in the Federal Ministry of Health.

“National Emergency Management Agency to be merged with the National Commission for Refugee Migration and Internally Displaced Persons; the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa to be merged with Directorate of Technical Aid and to function as a department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission to be merged with the Bureau for Public Enterprises; Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission to be merged with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council; National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure to be merged with National Centre for Agriculture Mechanization and Project Development Institute.

“National Biotechnology Development Agency to be merged with the National Centre for Genetic Resource and Biotechnology; National Institute for Leather Science Technology to be merged with the National Institute for Chemical Technology; the Nomadic Education Commission to the merge with the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult Education and Non-formal Education.

“Federal Radio Corporation to be merged with the Voice of Nigeria; the National Commission for Museum and Monuments to be merged with the National Gallery of Arts; the National Theatre to be merged with the National Troupe of Nigeria; National Metrological Development Centre to be merged with the National Metrological Training Institute.

“The Nigerian Army University, Biu, to be merged with the Nigerian Defence Academy, to function as a faculty within the Nigerian Defence Academy; Air Force Institute of Technology also to be merged with the Nigerian Defence Academy, to function as a faculty of Nigerian Defence Academy.

“We now move to the agencies to be subsumed.

“The Service Compact with Nigeria (SERVICOM) to be subsumed to function as a department under the Bureau for Public Service Reform; the Border Communities Development Agency to be subsumed to function as a department under the National Boundary Commission. The National Salaries Income and Wages Commission to be subsumed into the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation Commission.

“The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution to be subsumed under the Institute for International Affairs; the Public Complaints Commission to be subsumed under the National Human Rights Commission, the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis to be subsumed into the Institute for Veterinary Research; the National Medicine Development Agency to be subsumed under the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development. The National Intelligence Agency Pension Commission to be subsumed under the Nigerian Pension Commission.

“For agencies to be relocated, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company to be relocated to the Ministry of Power; the National Agricultural Land Development Agency to be relocated to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security; the National Blood Service Commission to be converted into an agency and relocated to the Federal Ministry of Health; the Nigerian Diaspora Commission to be converted into an agency and to be relocated to the Federal Ministry of Finance.”

Usman revealed that Tinubu has constituted a committee that will work within a 12-week period to ensure that the necessary restructuring and legislative amendments that are needed to ensure that full actualization of these approvals granted.

She said that Tinubu tasked the committee with an immediate terms of reference to proceed and ensure all of these are done within a period of 12 weeks.

The committee membership comprises of the Secretary to the Government of Federation who will chair it while members are the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reform, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination; the two Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly and the Cabinet Affairs Office will serve as secretariat.

Usman added: “The committee will look at the administrative restructuring and also the legislative amendments required to ensure the full implementation of the recommendations.

“There are other aspects of recommendations that have also been passed to the committee to look at.

“It’s important for us to appreciate the bold approval granted by Mr. President at the Federal Executive Council.

“This has been a recommendation that has been, I think, in the Nigerian discourse from 2012 and we’re here in 2024 and it’s so been approved and the aspects that are applicable to mergers, as I said, subsuming, scrapping and relocation of agencies are those that have been so considered, arising from the totality of the panel report.”

Also speaking, the minister of finance and coordinating minister for economy, Wale Edun, disclosed that the president had directed the design of a Social Security unemployment program where unemployed Nigerian youths will be paid.

He said: “At this period of heightened food prices, Mr. President has committed to doing all that can be done to assist in giving purchasing power to the poorest and in that line, he has committed and instructed that the Social Security unemployment program be devised, particularly to cater for the youth, for the unemployed graduates, as well as the society as a whole.

“So, we have coming, in the nearest future, an unemployment benefit for the young unemployed, in particular.”

Similarly, Edun said there will be a consumer credit scheme to alleviate the pains of economic adjustment.

“Finally, all in the same line, to emphasize that there is empathy. And there is feeling for those who are less well off, or feeling particularly the pains of this adjustment, there is coming a social consumer credit programme.

“So, by making consumer credit available, of course, goods become more affordable, the economy even gets a chance to revive faster, because people have purchasing power that allows them to order goods, products,” he stated.

Edun also spoke on the review carried out by the Special Presidential panel on the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), which has submitted a preliminary report to the president.

He informed that president gave the highlights to the Council meeting noting that what was done was “a review of the existing mechanisms, a review of the existing programmes, and where there have been successes, such as the 400,000 beneficiaries of the Geep programme, and so on and so forth.”

 

The Guardian

The federal government has been unable to convince the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to halt its planned nationwide protest.

A government delegation led by George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation, met with the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other labour leaders on Monday night.

After the sit-down, Ajaero said the union would embark on a peaceful rally to express their grievances over the deteriorating economic crisis and high cost of living in the country.

Speaking with journalists, Ajaero said it is the responsibility of both parties to ensure the protest is peaceful.

He asked the federal government to provide security to members of the union as part of the fundamental rights of citizens as enshrined in the constitution.

He said members of the union will march to the national and state assemblies across the country to submit the demands to the lawmakers and government officials.

“The rally goes on but it’s part of their (government) constitutional responsibility to make sure that the rally is peaceful while we are going to try on our own side to make sure it is peaceful. That’s all,” Ajaero said.

“We have demands we must present, so maybe by tomorrow when we present those demands, a copy of it will get to the press.”

Before the NLC announced its nationwide protest, residents of Kano, Niger, Oyo, Edo, Lagos, Kano, Sokoto, Borno and Osun, among other states, had taken to the streets in recent weeks to protest economic hardship.

The leadership of the NLC said the union’s two-day nationwide protest will take place on February 27 and 28.

 

The Cable

Nigeria Customs Service, on Monday, announced the suspension of the sale of foodstuffs following a stampede that reportedly killed seven persons at the NCS Old Zonal Headquarters in the Yaba area of Lagos State on Friday.

Chief Superintendent of Customs and National Public Relations Officer for Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed the suspension of the exercise in a statement on Monday.

Nigeria Customs had said it was selling seized food items at N10,000 per 25kg to alleviate the people’s suffering as a result of the current high cost of living and other economic hardships.

On Friday, a pregnant woman and six others reportedly died in a stampede after some suspected hoodlums attempted to force their way into the Yaba Customs office compound.

Some Lagos residents who thronged the NCS office in Yaba expressed disappointment on Monday following the suspension of the initiative.

When our correspondent visited the Customs office at Yaba on Monday, a mass of people, including the elderly, queued up in front of the gate to buy the rice.

The PUNCH also observed that despite spirited efforts by officers to assure the people that the service was out of stock, the crowd continued to grow.

Speaking with our correspondent at the scene, one of the intending buyers, identified as Toyin Oke-Owo, urged President Bola Tinubu to find a lasting solution to the economic hardship in the country.

She said, “I have been here since 8 am. They said there would be no rice again. I have not eaten anything since this morning. Help us to tell the President that we are hungry.

“They said they wouldn’t sell it because some people died here. They have been chasing us away with a cane. I am hungry. This morning, I soaked cassava flour for my child to drink as breakfast.”

Another woman, who identified herself as Adesola Odefunso, said, “Please, help us to beg them that they should distribute what they have to those of us who have been here since morning.

“We are not as many as the people who came here on Friday. Help us to beg them to give us rice. We have been here since 5 am. We didn’t sleep throughout the night because of this rice.”

Meanwhile, in a statement on Monday evening, the NCS said the suspension became necessary considering “the recent unfortunate event.”

“We regrettably announce the suspension of this exercise until we establish what transpired on Friday, February 23, 2024,” the NCS spokesman said.

He explained that: “The disposal of the food items got off to a smooth start at about 0800hrs. We enjoyed the cooperation of the large crowd that obliged us, giving preferences to the elderly, people living with disabilities, pregnant women, and other vulnerable Nigerians who showed up for the exercise.

“This was the case up until about 1700hrs, as attested to by the over 5,000 beneficiaries and members of the press. However, unforeseen challenges arose when we ran out of stock and announced the continuation of the exercise the following day, leading to a regrettable outcome.

“The crowd became desperate and charged through our barricades in search of rice bags inside emptied containers. In the stampede that ensued, some fatalities and injuries were regrettably recorded.”

The Customs extended its “heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the unfortunate incident.”

The service said it was working with health authorities to establish contact and engage directly with the victims’ families on their next steps.

 

Punch

Israel destroys 10km Hamas tunnel in northern Gaza

The IDF claimed that the extensive underground network linked a cancer hospital and a university

Israel’s military say they have destroyed an extensive underground tunnel that was used by Hamas, with openings leading to a cancer hospital and a university in the northern Gaza Strip.

The tunnel, said to be 10km (6 miles) long, ran between the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship hospital and Israa University, located south of Gaza City, up to the northern neighbourhood of Zeitoun. The army unit in charge of locating and destroying tunnel networks said its discovery was part of a wider effort over the past month to find the subterranean network that connects the north and south of the Gaza Strip.

“During our raids, we discovered an 18-metre-deep tunnel under the hospital with two exists both in the southern and northern parts of the hospital,” said a combatant identified only as Major Ron, the chief operations officer of the Nahal Brigade combat team.

The area around the tunnel’s most northern exit in the Zeitoun district of Gaza City has seen heavy fighting over the past week as Israel struggles to maintain hold of the neighbourhood first occupied in the early days of the war in October. On Monday, Israeli forces killed more than 30 Palestinian gunmen there as Hamas fighters waged a renewed battle to take back the city.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) say the latest tunnel they had discovered was used by the group’s Zeitoun battalion and other brigades to move around the Gaza Strip.

They added that it contained subterranean rooms including toilets, storage areas, and the bodies of Palestinian operatives who fell during raids by Israeli troops.

“Throughout the entire war, we’ve witnessed Hamas using civilian infrastructure, ie, hospitals, kindergartens, schools and more, to dig tunnels and dispose of weapons, which we also found inside the Turkish hospital,” Major Ron said in a video statement released by the Israeli army.

The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital has not been functioning since late November after running out of fuel. It was the only hospital in the enclave that offered cancer treatment, and has been unable to resume treatment after being cordoned off by Israeli forces.

Subhi Skeik, the hospital’s director, said the hospital had nothing to do with any such Hamas activity.

“While being at the hospital, I didn’t see anything directly or indirectly in my knowledge about the compound of the hospital. Nothing is there,” he told The Times.

A video released by the IDF pans from the Turkish hospital, built in 2017, across the sand dunes dotted with Israeli tanks and down into pit which shows a small, vertical tunnel shaft. On the other side, the video circles a hole in the ground closer to the hospital building and cuts to a deep hole in the ground, marked by an orange plastic chair.

The tunnel was destroyed, according to the IDF, which released a video showing two large explosions emanating from the dunes.

Israel said on Monday that its army had readied a plan to evacuate Gazans before a feared invasion of Rafah in the south, which Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, warned would “put the final nail in the coffin” of aid operations. Nearly 30,000 people have died in Gaza since October 7, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

After speaking with the families of abducted soldiers, Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defence minister, said: “The full return of civilians to the northern Gaza Strip will only take place after the return of all the abductees. Even if we have to lay down fire temporarily, we will fight again until the last of the abductees is returned.”

Many of the major Gaza City hospitals including al-Shifa, al-Quds and the Turkish Friendship hospital, have been forced to close under fire. Skeik said they were looking to resume their work as soon as a ceasefire, currently being brokered through indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, came into effect.

“Let us give the people of Gaza the right to health. Let us give them the right to live like other people, especially these cancer patients.”

On Monday Mohammad Shtayyeh, the Palestinian prime minister in the occupied West Bank, handed in his resignation to President Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority. He cited “the new reality in the Gaza Strip” and “the escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem”, where there has also been daily violence since the war in Gaza began.

 

The Times

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

NATO troops in Ukraine can’t be ruled out – Macron

French President Emmanual Macron has argued that deployments of troops to Ukraine by NATO members and other allies cannot be ruled out because Western powers must stop at nothing to ensure that Russia does not defeat Kiev’s forces.

“There’s no consensus today to send, in an official manner, troops on the ground,” Macron told reporters after hosting a meeting of European leaders on Monday in Paris. “But in terms of dynamics, we cannot exclude anything. We will do everything necessary to prevent Russia from winning this war.”

France hosted Monday’s summit of Ukraine backers to demonstrate steadfast support and European unity amid concerns that US aid to Kiev may stop, especially if Donald Trump wins this year’s presidential election. Macron said that while Ukraine’s European allies want to avoid escalating the conflict into a direct war with Russia, they agree that they must do more to ensure that Moscow doesn’t win.

“We have to take stock of the situation and realize our collective security is at stake,” the French leader said. “We have to ratchet up. Russia must not win, not only for Ukraine, but secondly, we are, by doing so, ensuring our collective security for today and for the future.”

Macron noted that the allies who say “never, ever” today about direct troop deployments to Ukraine are the same ones that previously ruled out escalations of military aid that were later granted, including long-range missiles and fighter jets. “Two years ago, a lot around this table said that we will offer helmets and sleeping bags, and now they’re saying we need to do more to get missiles and tanks to Ukraine. We have to be humble and realize that we’ve always been six to eight months late, so we’ll do what is needed to achieve our aim.”

There is broad consensus among the nations represented at Monday’s meeting that the allies must provide more aid to Ukraine and step up more quickly, Macron claimed. “We are not at war with the Russian people, but we cannot let them win in Ukraine,” he said, adding, “We are determined to do everything necessary for as long as necessary. That is the key takeaway from this evening.”

Washington ran out of money for Ukraine last month, after burning through $113 billion in congressionally approved aid packages. US President Joe Biden is seeking an additional $60 billion in Ukraine funding as part of an emergency spending bill that also includes aid for Israel and Taiwan. Conservative Republican lawmakers have balked at approving more aid for Ukraine, saying Biden is merely prolonging the conflict without changing its outcome. Trump has claimed he will end the crisis within 24 hours by forcing Ukrainian and Russian leaders to the negotiating table.

 

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine's Zelenskiy urges 'fight' for Crimea after 10 years of occupation

Ukraine and its international partners must continue fighting to restore Ukrainian control over Crimea, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday as Kyiv marked a decade of Russian occupation of the Black Sea peninsula.

Moscow's troops seized control of Crimea in 2014 through a covert invasion, and then used it to help launch its full-scale assault on Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

"This cruel war now being waged against Ukraine was spawned by Russian revanchism precisely when it felt that the world could turn a blind eye to such crimes," Zelenskiy said in a video address.

Ukraine was on Monday marking the 10th anniversary of a rally in the Crimean capital of Simferopol against a Russian-backed movement that paved the way for the annexation, which the international community condemned as illegal.

Russia marks the annexation on March 18, the day President Vladimir Putin formalised it with a treaty in Moscow.

Kyiv has said it will fight on until it restores its 1991 borders, which include Crimea, and is leading a diplomatic push to devise a peace plan that envisions a full Russian troop withdrawal.

Moscow says the idea of peace talks without Russia taking part is absurd and that any settlement of the war would have to recognise the "new realities on the ground".

Ukraine's military is struggling to hold back Russian attacks along the sprawling front line as Russia's invasion enters its third year.

Zelenskiy, in his address, urged Ukraine's partners to "fight for the full renewal of international law".

"We can end this war on our Ukrainian terms. We can return our land and people from the occupation," he said. "We can bring Russia to justice for what it has done. But for this to happen, we must fight."

 

RT/Reuters

As the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion nears, and the latest aid package for Ukraine stalls in Congress, we must be clear-eyed about the future.

There is no path for Ukraine to win this war. American support will not change this reality.

Two years ago, the Ukrainian Armed Forces defied expectations immediately. Days before Russia’s massive combined arms incursion, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley spoke for the U.S. military when he predicted to Congress that Kyiv would fall within 72 hours.

Many military analysts similarly predicted the Russian Armed Forces would quickly rout the overmatched Ukrainians. American leaders encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to leave the country, lest Russian troops assassinate him.

These projections of immediate success for Russia misread the progressUkraine had made in capability and readiness since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. They also overestimated the Russian forces’ readiness, air superiority, and command cohesion.

One year ago, all signs were encouraging. Ukrainian forces had been bloodied, but they held on to territory in the east in defiance of expectations. Successful counteroffensives allowed Ukraine to regain territory in the south. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy defiantly declared the coming year one of “our invincibility.” American aid to the country offered a king’s ransom in artillery and anti-tank weapons through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and the flow seemed unceasing.

Inspired by Ukraine’s stunning success against the much larger and more advanced military, the West galvanized behind Zelensky and his troops. Tragically, all these indicators led to unrealistic expectations.

Today, the situation is grim. The fighting has slowed to a cruel slog that works to Russia’s favor. Ukraine runs low on troops and munitions, while Russia maintains both in plenty. The long-planned, high-risk, months-long Ukrainian spring 2023 counteroffensive failed, with Ukraine unable to regain territory seized by Russia. Support for Zelensky in Ukraine and the West has finally slipped. American aid is logjammed in Congress, and the U.S. seems tired of funding the war.

Over much of the past two years, following those predictions of immediate Russian victory, analysts and policymakers have gone in the other direction with a new set of misjudgments: that the Russian Army is a paper tiger; that the generals will turn on Putin; that Ukraine will bleed Russia out in Donbass.

The reality, two years in, is that there is no path to victory for Ukraine, at least not in the sense of pushing Russian troops back to 2021 lines of control. After Ukrainian troops abandoned Avdiivka following some of the war’s heaviest fighting — the most significant loss or gain by either side in nine months — almost all advantages accrue to Russia.

The seizure of Avdiivka does not materially change the war, but it does change the momentum. Moscow can throw mass in terms of bodies, tanks, artillery, and drones at exhausted Ukrainian forces until they crack. Ukraine is exhausted and outnumbered, struggling to recruit new troops. The best Ukraine can do now is fight Russia to a negotiated settlement that allows it to keep its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security against another Russian invasion. Even these provisions may now seem unrealistic.

In the first year after the full-scale Russian invasion — February 2022 to February 2023 — Ukrainian troops overcame massive disadvantages in technology and mass. They did so mainly with American Javelins, Stingers, and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems.

During that period, Ukraine had largely bipartisan support in D.C. Throughout the following year, American aid — including dozens of tanks, more than a hundred Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and more than a hundred Strykers — kept Ukraine in the fight. During this period, support among Republicans in Congress began to wane.

It is clear that even if the House approves the current proposed aid package, the flow of weapons is coming to a close. Without a continuing stream of those weapons, Ukraine will ultimately fall. Even the F-16 fighter jets that the U.S. will ship to Ukraine in the coming months will not turn the tide. F-16s require long, smooth runways; the fighter aircraft will struggle to land and take off on Ukraine’s bombed-out runways.

Russia also has the advantage of time. While Putin can lead Russia along a single strategic trajectory regardless of the length of the war, the U.S. is subject to the whims of democracy. The White House and seats in Congress change hands. Policies change as voters grow weary of supporting other countries.

Geopolitics changes fast. The upheavals in the world over the past two years distracted the U.S. from supporting Ukraine. Hamas’s stunning and savage infiltration into Israeli territory last October, and Israel’s gruesome retaliation, became the primary international focus of the White House and Congress. Iran began a low-grade war against the U.S. through its proxy forces in Iraq and Syria. China promised to invade Taiwan. All of these cataclysms require attention and money — elements in limited supply — otherwise spent on Ukraine.

Adding to the uncertainty is the looming U.S. presidential election this year. Donald Trump, Biden’s most prominent challenger, harbors a deep distrust of NATO. His recent remarks reinforce this, suggesting leniency toward Russia for acting against NATO members who fail to meet their treaty obligations.

Given all these headwinds and the enormous strategic stakes involved, it is critical to consider the path forward in light of the shifting dynamics.

In considering an aid package to Ukraine, Washington policymakers and their constituents must assess how long the cash and weapons will continue to flow and toward what end. Getting to a favorable or at least even negotiated settlement will take more than a year of fighting. Putin has no incentive to stop fighting and every incentive to continue pushing and waiting for his adversaries to run out of troops and munitions, and for policymakers in the U.S. to run out of patience.

None of this is fair to the people of Ukraine, who have placed their hopes of sovereignty on America’s commitment to them. It is, however, the tragic reality of the situation.

The $60 billion aid package held up in Congress will not significantly change the future. This fight is a long haul one that will require additional aid. The spigot will close at some point — perhaps soon — turning off aid and sealing Ukraine’s fate.

** Col. (ret.) Joe Buccino is a research analyst at the Defense Innovation Board and a former communications director at U.S. Central Command. He served as the communications director for the NATO support mission in Europe from February to November 2022. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Defense or any other organization.

 

The Hill

The relationship between employees and their bosses can truly make or break the work experience. 

Issues such as job satisfaction, productivity, mental health and teamwork can be almost completely dependent on this dynamic.

So, what happens if you truly don’t get along with your boss and you’re beyond unhappy at your job? 

Two experts weighed in on the issue with insights for handling a rocky work relationship with a manager.

Consider if it’s your boss or the company

Understand that there's a difference between disliking your boss and disliking the company.  

"Make that distinction," said Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist and executive performance coach who works with clients in Manhattan and Washington, D.C. 

Also, ask yourself: Do you truly dislike your boss — or might it just be his or her style that doesn't quite match yours? 

Plenty of bosses, said Alpert, are competent and know what they're doing and lead a company well — but their managerial style or manner may come across as negative in some way. 

Or, they might be hands-off — or, in the opposite direction, a micromanager — and these styles might be incompatible with your own personal preference. 

"Work through this by shifting your thinking to what you like about the company and your job independent of this boss. Perhaps you like the work, your colleagues and your career advancement potential," said Alpert. 

What are some short-term solutions if you hate your boss?

If the root of your discontent is truly due to a dislike of your boss, then some actions can be taken.

While it’s very rare that someone adores their boss, most employees find a way to co-exist with their higher-ups at work, suggest experts. 

If that’s not the case, here’s how to manage your emotions and your expectations in the short term. 

Focus on your work

You’re there to earn a paycheck — so act the part and do your best to isolate your feelings. 

"It’s OK when working through feelings of frustration and hurt to react in a way that pins the problem on the personal failings of the other person, but keep things professional and positive during work hours," said Anita Grantham, an employment expert and head of HR at BambooHR in Lindon, Utah. 

"The only thing you can truly control in any situation is how you respond."

To that point, Grantham suggested you channel your frustrated energy into doing your part well, and try to block out what negativity you can. 

"Look at what the most important things are to you in your stage of life, and see if your current role and company provide positives that outweigh the manager — or not," she added.

Document the situation

If things have progressed to a point where emotions are running high, it might be time to take a step back and start documenting what's going on, advised Grantham.  

Ask yourself these questions: Do you have clear evidence of mistreatment that can be documented? Or is it less serious than that? 

"It’s important to have documentation if things need to escalate, too," she said.

Have a conversation

Once you have everything mapped out on paper, filter out your emotions or assumptions — then highlight specific job-related issues you can discuss with your boss, she recommended. 

"Too many problems are created or perpetuated by shying away from tough conversations," Grantham told FOX Business. 

"Express your concerns calmly about what you feel could be going better and ask for input on how you can contribute to solutions."

What ‌if short-term tactics don’t work? 

If there's an ongoing problem that a direct conversation hasn’t fixed, and you have thoroughly documented the behavior, Grantham said the next step might be to look for support from HR and maybe even file a complaint. 

Be aware that your boss likely will be notified — so be ready for that variable. 

What if others hate the boss? What can be done? 

A united front in this case usually looks like insubordination, Grantham stressed. 

"Gossip and complaining during work hours or via work equipment is always a bad idea, because it’s impossible to justify," she said. 

"If others are also struggling, exchange phone numbers for moral support, looking for ways to stay positive. But remember, the last thing you want to do is make a bad situation worse by creating a negative echo chamber." 

Also, remember it’s a small world, and you should continue to do your current job with excellence. 

"The world is too small to leave your current role with a poor reference," Grantham told FOX Business. "Focus on building bridges, not burning them."

When is it time for an exit strategy? 

Ultimately, if things don’t improve and the situation is disturbing enough to affect mood, your performance and life outside of work, it might be time to look at new job opportunities, said leadership expert Alpert. 

However, badmouthing your boss isn’t going to score any points with potential hiring managers — so keep the focus on your skillset and your attributes. 

"Hiring managers want to hear why you are excited about their company and what you bring to the table in the role they are hiring for," Grantham with BambooHR explained. 

"Focus as much as you can on the pull factors; you are looking for career growth, positive work culture and mentorship from a great boss."

In addition, she said that saying anything about running from a bad situation makes it look like you don’t care where you land — you're just looking to get out. 

"It doesn’t make you an appealing candidate and could leave a hiring manager wondering what role you played in the problem," Grantham added.

 

Fox Business

President Bola Tinubu has set up an economic advisory committee comprising the federal government, state governments, and the private sector.

The president announced the setting up of the committee after he held a meeting with some key stakeholders at the State House, Abuja, on Sunday evening.

Tinubu said the goal is to provide “additional efforts” in stabilising the economy and ensuring the “best economic future” for Nigerians.

“Let’s look at what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong to bring life back to the economy. Like I said, many times, the people of this country are only the people who we have to please,” he said.

“And we are very much concerned from students to mothers and fathers, farmers, the traders and realising that everyone of us will have to fetch water from the same well. ⁣
“We are looking for additional efforts that might help the downtrodden Nigerians and we will provide that hope and reassurance that economic recovery is on its way. ⁣
“We are not saying that we have all the answers. But we will not be blamed for not trying. We assure Nigerians that we will do our best to get our Marshall Plan in place and fashion out the best economic future for this country.”

The meeting had Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote group; Tony Elumelu, group chairman of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp); Abdulsamad Rabiu, founder of the BUA group; Segun Ajayi-Kadir, president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), in attendance.

Others are governors Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state and Chuwkuma Soludo of Anambra.

 

The Cable

Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) says it is determined to go ahead with its planned two-day nationwide protest over the rising cost of living, irrespective of the intimidation by the government.

In a statement on Sunday, Joe Ajaero, the NLC president, said the hardship that Nigerians are experiencing cannot be cured by intimidation and violence.

Ajaero noted that the protest scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday would be observed in a peaceful manner.

The NLC president said citizens have the fundamental right to peaceful protest.

He urged the government to put on its thinking cap and find a lasting solution to the rising cost of living rather than humiliating the citizens.

He called on the United Nations and other international human rights bodies to intervene and see that Nigerians right to peaceful protest are not violated.

“We would want to inform Nigerians that the State has perfected plans to attack our peaceful rallies across the country,” the statement reads.

“One of the groups being primed to attack our peaceful rallies is by a nebulous name, Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF).

“NCSF is one of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by government to cause violence against our members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land.

“We would want the State to know that the solution to our horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens as the government did in Minna and other cities where its agents tear-gassed and beat up women before locking them up for raising their voice against hunger.

“It does not lie in the deployment of State-sponsored terror. The pangs of hunger cannot be cowed by bullets or tear gas.

“In light of this, we at the Nigeria Labour Congress and civil society allies are moving ahead with our protest rallies against economic hardship and insecurity in line with the decision of the national executive council.

“As citizens, we have a fundamental right to peaceful protest and history bears us witness that our protests are always peaceful except in instances of state-engineered violence.

”However, if it is irrevocably set on the path of violence against us and other peace-loving Nigerians, it will be making a costly mistake because if we are attacked there will be a total shut down via withdrawal of services by workers. Let no one be deceived, we and other deprived Nigerians cannot easily be intimidated.

“We however remain resolute, determined and prepared to express our pain and grief in a peaceful manner as Nigerians come 27th and 28th of February 2024.”

 

The Cable

PRESS RELEASE

Afenifere has distanced itself from the call by some renegade Afenifere members for Yorubas not to exercise their right to protest in joining the NLC and other protests. Afenifere has always supported the right to protest in a democracy from the beginning when Awolowo protested against the colonial constitution to recent protests like that against Jonathan subsidy removal, which even President Bola Tinubu joined. The great leader, Obafemi Awolowo warned Yoruba states and newspapers like Tribune and Sketch under his influence never to stifle voices of dissent.

Are Yorubas not members of the NLC? If ever Afenifere was to advice against a protest, it would be based on solid policy direction and not shallow tribal sentiments to silence the pains and hunger of the masses. Those using the incapacitated retired Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasonranti's name to tarnish Afenifere motto of Abundance For All should know that not only would we never stop people from exercising their constitutional rights of protest, but that Afenifere can't vouch for Tinubu IMF's anti-people policies which have failed in every country they were implemented.

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank that inspired and lauded Tinubu's removal of subsidies and floating of Naira in June 2023, released a report this month projecting that the policies would create more hardship, with 44% inflation and devaluation of the Naira to over N2000 to $1 in 2024, with recession till 2028. So where did the shadowy figures using Pa Fasonranti get the information that things will get better? Afenifere has never and will never engage in fooling the masses, especially when it is clear millions will slip further into poverty, losing their homes and lives. Are people to suffer in silence for five years because they are Yorubas?

If the United Kingdom or United States removed subsidies today they would face revolutions within a month. The truth is that pure capitalism with no government intervention and subsidies died with the 1917 Russian Revolution, as all Capitalist nations in fear of revolution introduced social welfarism policies with unemployment, health, education, housing and other subsidies. Awolowo adopted the social welfarism with his free education, free health and other social programs to empower Yorubas.

Also, no socially responsible government would allow its currency to fall below 15% unless there is visible destruction of productive capabilities. The United Kingdom of Britain set a 6% limit when they floated the British Pound in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in order to unify their currencies for the proposed single currency, the Euro. However, when on Black Wednesday September 16 1992, currency speculators led by George Soros attacked the Pound and it fell beyond the 6% mark by closing time 7pm the same day, the British government halted the floating and exited the European Exchange Mechanism immediately.

So it begs the question that what lower limit did the Tinubu set for floating the Naira, or was it just pushed out of the plane with no parachute. The Naira has lost a 79% of its value since June 2023 and continues to fall due to obvious currency speculation which the government has done nothing about. It is human to err and Tinubu must pull the brakes on his neo-liberal policies before he damages the social fabric of this nation beyond repair.

All capitalist nations are sustained with subsidies used to pacify their masses, even when it is evident that there is some abuse in welfare benefits and agricultural subsidies. It is illogical to claim corruption in petrol subsidies justified its stoppage while palliatives are disbursed through more opaque and corrupt avenues. The focus on the consumer element of subsidies blinded the government to the huge multiplier effects that fuel subsidies have on the economy. The Nigerian economy is largely based on small and medium enterprises that rely on cheap fuel. Transporters, barbers, salons, metalworks, hospitality business and even processing industries of food, beverages and tobacco are being destroyed with this policy.

Also, over 70% of raw materials used in our local production is imported, as we also import the vast majority of our consumer goods, therefore both manufacturers and importers are adversely affected by the mindless devalutaion. This is leading to foreign manufacturers leaving Nigeria, causing more unemployment. So although Afenifere is not organizing any protest on its own or in a coalition at the moment, we respect the constitutional rights of those organizing or partaking in civil protests.

Unfortunately like in the case of Abraham when he became old and senile, and was taken advantage of by Esau, we know the renegade ex officials of Afenifere who are mischievously using Pa Fasonranti’s fraility of mind and body to rob Yorubas and fellow Nigerians of not only their birth rights to abundance to life but their voice. Therefore we warn well meaning Yorubas and other Nigerians to be more discerning when they read antithesis of Afenifere. The proof of Afenifere is in our activism to better the lives of Yoruba and all humanity, and not as paid voices of the government in power, regardless of tribe and religion.

Signed:

Justice Faloye, an Economist, author and media practitioner, is the Deputy Publicity Secretary, Afenifere.