Five things to know to start your Tuesday

Striking aviation workers threaten total shutdown, reject govt plea

Aviation workers under the auspices of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, have threatened to shut down activities at the country’s airports as they enter the second day of their strike, insisting that the Federal Government meet their demands.

Their threat comes despite a plea from the Ministry of Aviation urging them to suspend their strike and give the government a chance to meet their demands.

The aviation workers embarked on the strike after a meeting called by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority ended in a stalemate.

Despite intervention from the Director-General, Civil Aviation, Capt. Musa Nuhu, urging them to shelve their planned two-day warning strike, Sikiru Waheed, the General Secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, told journalists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday that the second day of the ongoing strike will be more effective than the first day.

He said that the strike, which has left passengers stranded at the airport, was to let the government know that they were serious about their demands.

Read also: Unions insist on strike, ask passengers to make alternate plans

Federal Government generated N203bn from Marginal oilfields sale, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari said during the opening ceremony of the sixth edition of the Nigeria International Energy Summit at the State House, Abuja, on Monday that the Federal Government under his watch made over N203 billion from the sale of petroleum prospecting licenses to 161 firms in its last marginal fields bid round.

“We implemented a marginal fields bid round and saw to the conclusion of the process which resulted in the award of Petroleum Prospecting Licenses to 161 successful firms, with the Federal Government raking in about N200 billion as well as $7 million from the process,” Buhari said.

Marginal fields are smaller oil wells found onshore or in shallow water bodies and are usually developed by indigenous companies.

Electricity customers increase to 10.94m in Q3 2022

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the number of Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) customers in Nigeria increased from 10.81 million in Q2 2022 to 10.94 million in Q3 2022.

In it’s Nigeria Electricity Report for Q3 and Q4 2022, released in Abuja on Monday, the figure showed an increase of 1.20 percent.

The report, which focused on energy billed, revenue generated, and customers by DISCOS under the reviewed period, said that on a year-on-year basis, customer numbers in Q3 2022 declined by 1.19 percent from Q3 2021, recorded at 11.07 million.

“In Q3 2022, the number of metered customers stood at 5.02 million, from 4.96 million in Q2 2022; this indicated a 1.33 percent increase.

However, on a year-on-year basis, this grew by 5.71 percent from the figure reported in Q3 2021 at 4.75 million.”

Osun Govt. to empower 5,000 job seekers – Official

The Osun Government has said that its entrepreneurship programme has the capacity to empower 5,000 job seekers in the state.

The state Social Investment Focal Person, Kehinde Ibitoye, disclosed this in a statement issued in Osogbo and made available to newsmen on Monday.

The statement noted that the administration of Gov. Ademola Adeleke had unveiled the state entrepreneurship programme to empower no fewer than 5,000 youths, especially entrepreneurs and job seekers.

It stated that the programme was being implemented in partnership with some stakeholders, including Fidelity Bank and UNIPRENEUR. (NAN)

US arrests two for setting up Chinese ‘secret police station’ in New York

U.S. federal agents arrested two New York residents for allegedly operating a Chinese “secret police station” in the Chinatown district of Manhattan on Monday in what prosecutors said was part of a crackdown on Beijing’s alleged targeting of dissidents.

Lu Jianwang, 61, and Chen Jinping, 59, face charges of conspiring to act as agents of China’s government without informing U.S. authorities and obstruction of justice. They were released on bond following an initial appearance in Brooklyn federal court.

A 2022 investigation published by Spain-based advocacy group Safeguard Defenders reported that China had set up overseas “service stations,” including in New York, that illegally worked with Chinese police to pressure fugitives to return to China.

The Chinese government has said there are centers outside China run by local volunteers, not Chinese police officers, that aim to help Chinese citizens renew documents and offer other services. (Reuters)