Buhari Assents To N30,000 Minimum Wage, Takes Effect From Today

April 18, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the new Minimum Wage of N30,000 with effect from today, April 18, 2019.

“This makes it compulsory for all employers of labour in Nigeria to pay to their workers the sum of N30,000. And this excludes persons who are employing less than 25 workers, persons who work in a ship which sails out of jurisdiction and other persons who are in other kinds of regulated employment which are accepted by the Act.

“It also gives the workers the right, if you are compelled by any circumstance to accept salary that is less than N30,000, to sue your employer to recover the balance and authorises the minister of labour and any person nominated by the minister of labour, or any person designated by the minister of labour in any ministry, department or agency to on your behalf take action in your name against such employer to recover the balance of your wages.

“It also ensures and mandates National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission and the Minister or Labour, to be the chief and principal enforcers of the provisions of this law. And this law applies to all agencies, persons and bodies throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Announcing the assent of the Present to the bill making it a law today, Thursday , the senior special adviser to the president on National Assembly matters, Senator Ita Enang said: “the effective date for the commencement of the law is 18th of April, 2019, as Mr. President has assented to. It has been assented to today and it takes effect today, except such other provisions as are contained in the Act. But the enforcement and the right to start the implementation of the provisions commences today (Thursday), including such steps that are to be taken gradually under the provisions of the Act.”

Senator Enang said that President Buhari will celebrate with workers on May Day, adding that the President has shown workers the love he has for them “and we are marching as we will march with the Nigerian workers.”

Asked if it the new minimum wage covers the National Youth Service Corps, Senator Enang said: “it covers all persons covered by the Act.”

FLASH: Court Sacks Justice Onnoghen, Seizes His Account, Bans Him For 10 Years

Greenbarge Reporters

April 18, 2019

Justice Walter Onnoghen

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has sacked the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, siezed all his Co controversial Dollar accounts and banned him from holding public office for 10 years, Gavin found him guilty of false declaration of assets.

The three-man panel led by Danladi Umar, ruled today, Thursday that Onnoghen breached the provision of CCT Act section 36; and that the defendant falsely declared his asset by hiding five accounts listed in the charge.

The embattled Justice Onnoghen had earlier resigned his position as CJN.

Ex Peru President Commits Suicide To Avoid Arrest Over Bribery Allegation

Greenbarge Reporters

April 17, 2019

The 69 year old former President of Peru, Alan Garcia died in a hospital in Lima, today, Wednesday, after shooting himself as police arrived at his house to arrest him in connection with a bribery probe.

Garcia was said to have shot himself in the head after police arrived at his home to arrest him in connection with a bribery investigation, the interior ministry said.

The country’s Health Minister, Zulema Tomas confirmed the incidence in broadcast, saying: “Garcia, 69, underwent emergency surgery at the Casimiro Ulloa hospital and suffered three cardiac arrests.”

Local TV channel America reported that Garcia was in a coma and showed images of his son, supporters and lawmakers arriving at the hospital, where police in riot gear stood by.

Garcia was one of nine people a judge ordered to be arrested in connection with an investigation into bribes distributed by Odebrecht, the Brazilian construction company.

Described as a skilled orator who led Peru’s once-powerful Apra party for decades, Garcia governed as a nationalist from 1985 to 1990 before remaking himself as a free-market proponent and winning another five-year term in 2006.

He had denied wrongdoing involving Odebrecht and blamed his legal troubles on political persecution.

“Others might sell out, not me,” Garcia said in broadcast comments on Tuesday, repeating a phrase he has used frequently as his political foes became ensnared in the Odebrecht investigation.

Interior Minister Carlos Moran said at a news conference that Garcia had told police he needed to call his attorney after they arrived at his home in Lima to arrest him.

“He entered his room and closed the door behind him.

“Within a few minutes, a shot from a firearm was heard, and police forcibly entered the room and found Mr. Garcia sitting with a wound in his head,” Moran said.

In 2018, Garcia asked Uruguay for political asylum after he was banned from leaving the country to keep him from fleeing or obstructing the investigation, while Uruguay rejected the request.

Garcia would have been the third former president in Peru to have been jailed in the Odebrecht case.

Ollanta Humala spent nine months in pre-trial detention in 2017 to 2018 and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was arrested without charges recently.

A fourth former president, Alejandro Toledo, is fighting extradition from California after a judge in Peru ordered him jailed for 18 months in connection with Odebrecht in 2017.

However they have all denied wrongdoing in connection with Odebrecht.

In Peru, criminal suspects can be ordered to spend up to three years in jail before trial if prosecutors can show they have evidence that likely would lead to a conviction and the suspect would likely flee or try to interfere in the investigation.

President Martin Vizcarra said on Twitter that he was “consternated” by Garcia’s death, and sent his condolences to his family members.

Source: NAN.

Finally, Senate Passes Bill On Petroleum Industry Governance, Others

Editorial staff

April 17, 2019

After months of dilly dallying, the Senate has finally passed the petroleum industry governance bill (PIGB).

Also passed at its plenary today, Wednesday, were the bills on National Health Insurance (NHIS) Act, 2003 (Repeal and Re-enactment) 2019 and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) act 2010 (amendment) bill 2019.

President Muhammadu Buhari had initially rejected the bills saying that they had legal, constitutional and drafting issues after which the senate set up a technical committee to review the bills.

However, the bills were being passed today after Ahmad Lawan, Senate leader, moved a motion and referred for the committee of the whole for consideration.

After the technical committee effected corrections, the senators considered the clauses of each of the bills and passed them.

Reacting to the bill’s passage, Senate President, Bukola Saraki said the action of the senate on the NHIS bill is to ensure that Nigerians have basic healthcare even as he congratulated the chairman of Senate Health Committee, Senator Lanre Tejuoso; and all those who worked on the bill.

“It is a massive achievement towards achieving universal coverage in the country.”

On the passage of the INEC bill, he said, “it’s a great day for our democracy, as today; we passed a new and much-improved version of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Amendment Bill.”

Other bills passed by the senate are the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (amendment) bill 2019 and the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism bill 2019, National Research and Innovation Council bill 2019, Stamp Duties act (amendment) bill 2019 and National Agricultural Seed Council bill 2019.

Atiku Insists He Won Election, Hopes To Call Microsoft, IBM, To Testify On INEC Server

Editorial staff

April 17, 2019

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has insisted that he won the recently concluded Presidential election in accordance to stored election results in a server by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Atiku gave an indication that he will call Microsoft, IBM and Oracle experts to testify that he defeated President Muhammadu Buhari by over 1.6 million votes.

He gave the server name as INEC_PRES_RSLT_SRV2019 and its unique Mac address as 94-57-A5-DC-64-B9 with Microsoft Product ID 00252-70000-0000-AA535.

In his fresh response to the reply of INEC to his petition, Atiku said that he will also tender INEC’s training manual on elections, a printout of the votes of candidates from smart card readers and a printout of the forensic audit report on INEC’s server as evidence.

Atiku, who is former Nigerian Vice-President claimed that he polled a total of 18,356,732 votes to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who he said scored 16,741,430 votes.

However, INEC’s Director of Information and Communications Technology, Chidi Nwafor, in his witness statement on oath attached to the reply, specifically denied the “server results” which the PDP and Atiku claimed.

He said that all the results were collated manually and were never transmitted electronically.

Easter: Federal Govt Declares April 19, 22 As Public Holidays

Editorial staff

April 17, 2019

The Federal Government has declared Friday, April 19 and Monday, April 22, Public Holidays to mark the 2019 Easter celebration.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Mrs. Georgina Ehuriah, announced the holiday today, Wednesday in a statement quoting the interior minister, retired Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Dambazau.

The minister was quoted as enjoining all Christians to emulate the exemplary attributes of Jesus Christ amongst which are tolerance, love and peaceful co-existence.

He advised all Nigerians at home and abroad to use the occasion to pray for the peace, unity and progress of the country, irrespective of diversity in religious beliefs.

Dambazau wished all Nigerians a happy and peaceful Easter celebration even as he called on them to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in its determination to take the country to the next level.

Source: NAN

Buhari Winds Up His First Tenure, Asks Ministers To Hand Over Reports, April 24

Editorial staff

April 17, 2019

As the first term of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration winds down, the President has asked for a comprehensive status reports on policies, programs and projects” from all the ministers on their respective ministries, departments and agencies.

According to a circular from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Boss Mustapha,, the reports should be submitted to the Presidential Audit Committee in the office of the Vice President before or on Wednesday, April 24, this year.

The circular also requested members of the Federal Executive Council to ensure that all outstanding memoranda they intend to present to the Federal Executive Council are submitted to the Cabinet Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, not later than Tuesday, 30th April.

It informed members that the 9th and 10th meetings of the Council have been rescheduled to Thursday, 25th April and Thursday, 2nd May, 2019 respectively in view of the Easter break and May Day celebrations.

Bill Gates To Buhari: I’m Happy To Be Associated With You

Editorial staff

April 17, 2019

File photo of President Buhari and Bill gates

One of the world’s richest men, Bill Gates has expressed his joy in associating with President Muhammadu Buhari, in a congratulatory message to the President today.

Bill Gates, who spoke to Buhari on phone to felicitate with him on his electoral victory for a second term in office, restated his commitment to the success of the Buhari’s administration as well as the progress, prosperity and well-being of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He expressed willingness to do more for the country.

This was even as President Buhari commended Bill Gates for his consistent and generous support to public causes around the globe, and specifically for supporting the eradication of polio and HIV diseases in Africa and Nigeria in particular.

President Buhari reiterated his opinion that Gates’ wealth has benefited Nigeria’s development, and expressed appreciation for the call.

“I am very happy the way your projects have touched the life of the average Nigerian. The people of this country have given their verdict. This verdict says we have to work hard to meet their expectations. God willing, we will not fail.”

Nasarawa Killings: Police Boss Deploys Tactical Team, Wants Perpetrators Fished Out

Editorial staff

April 17, 2019

The Inspector General Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, following the shootings on April 14 which resulted in the death and injury of innocent persons, has deployed a combined units of intervention squads to Numa Kochu village, Nasarawa State to provide additional support to the existing operatives in the State.

The Inspector General also directed the State Commissioner of Police to identify and fish out all persons connected to the dastardly killings.

A statement by the Force Spokesperson, Frank Mba said that the combined tactical teams comprised the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD), IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and Specialized Investigators from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).

The statement said that the team has been mandated to provide support to the existing security architecture in the State to prevent further attacks and carry out discrete investigation into the killings.

It said that IGP expressed the commitment of the Force to uncover and bring the perpetrators of the killing to justice, even as he implored any member of the Public with useful and credible information that could aid the ongoing investigation not to hesitate to avail same to the Police through the following contacts: 08033097663, 08033674246.

Minister Decries Danger Of Hate Speech By religious Leaders, Youth

Editorial staff

April 17, 2019

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has decried the danger posed to the nation’s unity by hate speeches being promoted by religious leaders and youths across the country.

The minister, who spoke when the Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan visited him in his office in Abuja, called on religious leaders to curb incessant hate speech which, he said, is posing a challenge to peaceful co-existence amongst Nigerians.

“I want to urge you to use your position to fight the menace of hate speech, especially among our youth.”

. He bemoaned the fact that the social media is being used as a platform to propagate hate and regretted a situation where religious preachers are also involved in the harmful practice.

“This was not the case when we were growing up” he continued. Back then we were each other’s keeper and that is how it is supposed to be.”

The Minister described Cardinal Onaiyekan as a man of peace and commended him for championing interfaith cooperation and promoting peaceful co-existence through dialogue.

He pledged the continued support of the FCTA to the Archbishop’s activities in the pursuit of peace.

Malam Muhammad Bello also commended the Cardinal for the successful relocation of the church’s Daughters of Charity Hospital, Bwari to its new location.

In his remarks, Archbishop Onaiyekan commended the FCT Administration for its support to the Church’s activities, especially in the area of education even as he solicited partnership of the FCTA in the management of some schools that will benefit the less privileged in the society.

The Archbishop also drew the Minister’s attention to the establishment of the John Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace, adding that the Foundation is involved in a lot of activities geared towards promoting peaceful coexistence and interfaith cooperation.

They include the training of several religious stakeholders cutting across the major religions in the country on peace and unity and plans to also hold an interfaith football tournament.

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