Organized labour has asked the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to pay the workers in the state their accumulated seven month salaries within 30 days or face a strike action.
Presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba and Trade Union Congress (TUC), Bobboi Kaigama, issued the ultimatum at a rally organized by their respective state chapters on Wednesday at the NLC office in Lokoja.
Wabba told the workers that no reasonable government would owe salaries for seven months even as he emphasized that labour would go on strike if the governor refuses to address lingering issues and stop the usage of two banks for workers to access their “fundamental human rights.”
The NLC president hailed the workers for their determination to press home their demands despite intimidation from the state government and its apparatus.
“Let me salute you for your courage and determination to pay the ultimate price for your fundamental human rights in the face of threat and intimidation.
“All over the world, nobody gets his right while sitting down and watching without taking any drastic action; there is price for liberty everywhere in the world which is vigilance.
“We have heard about your predicaments and we thought we cannot have the comfort of sitting in Abuja without coming to see and confirm the report we received.
“With our collective strength and unity, we shall surely overcome these predicaments caused by our leaders.”
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that no arm of government under his watch would mismanage public funds.
The TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama, also said that the union would not allow impunity against any worker in the state.
Represented by his deputy, Austin Etabor, he urged the workers to be united as one indivisible force, keeping their hope alive by defending their rights. [myad]
The Minister of Interior, retired Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Dambazau, has assured Nigerians that the military had defeated the Boko Haram fighters in the North East. Dambazau, who spoke in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at a two-day seminar with the theme: “Media Engagement in Crises Situation for Military, Security and Response Agencies,” said: “the war in the North-East with the Boko Haram has been fought and won – as the Boko Haram elements have been routed, degraded and are being decimated. “The task before us is winning the peace, as the victims are gradually returning to their homes, while government is rebuilding, reconciling, and rehabilitating the victims. “We are also in the phase where crisis management and communication become indispensable to build confidence and consensus among the people.” The retired General, who spoke through a Director in the Ministry, Willy Bassey, said that the Federal Government is now focused on rebuilding and relocating the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) to their respective communities and homes.
He said also that government is now focused on partnering with the media to ensure that information is properly managed. According to Dambazau, the country is currently faced with security challenges in form of cattle rustling, pastoralists and farmers clashes, militancy, kidnapping, cultism and secession agitations, which required effective media management. He added that if information is not properly managed by the media, it could create a gulf between the people and government, which would lead to undesirable outcomes and possibly engender crises.
“The media as a watchdog of the society is duty-bound to report the truth and balanced report while avoiding sensationalism, half truth, embellishment, misinformation, falsehood and blackmail. “Journalists should ensure internal cohesion, unity and harmony rather than fanning disunity, ethnic and religious disharmony, panic and fear as is being experienced in the Social Media.” Dambazau said the ministry was currently formulating and implementing new policies to boost operations of five security outfits under the ministry. Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Centre for Crises Communication, , retired Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, said that the seminar is aimed at bridging the gap in communication between the people, government and the media. Anas said the seminar would brainstorm and proffer solutions to the existing communication gaps with the hope of mobilizing stakeholders to promote effective communication management in the country. The seminar was partly organized by the Centre for Crisis Communication. Participants who attended the programme included information officers from the Defence Headquarters, Army, Navy, Air Force, the Police and Department of State Services. Others are the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Prisons Service, National Intelligence Agency, Nigerian Customs Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission among others. [myad]
The immediate past President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Founder of the Word of Life Bible Church, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has revealed that his most challenging period as CAN President for six years was the series of attacks he received from Christians.
Oritsejafor, who handed over the leadership of the central Christian body on Wednesday to his successor, Dr. Supo Samson Ayokunle, emphasized that his most challenging period was when the Christians, who he was defending were the one turning back to stand against him.
He said that despite all odds, he was able to complete his tenure successfully, even as he looked back to when he took the mantle of leadership at the time the road was seriously rough.
“We came in a period when the challenges of the church had reached a point that lots of Christians in Nigeria had been displaced from their home and churches.
“Some pastors, particularly in northern Nigeria, were closing their churches. Lots of fellow Nigerians had become internally displaced persons in their homes.”
Oritsejafor called on Nigerian, particularly the Christian faithful, to stand behind Ayokunle and his team for the body (CAN) to be able to withstand the challenges.
“To all Christians in Nigeria, we are entering a more challenging period in the history of our nation. Unfortunately, it is also the time that we seem to view CAN with some contempt.
“Yes! CAN may have her challenges, but for now we have no other body that unite us as CAN. So, we must revere the structure and leadership. Let us continue to pray for our land and leaders.”
The new leader, Ayokunle, who is also President, Nigerian Baptist Convention, said that although CAN would be a partner in progress, but that it would not fail to speak against the excesses of political leadership, even when the situation is not favourable.
He also called on government to take decisive step against those religious fanatics who are attacking Christians, describing them as threat to the unity of Nigeria.
“We are committed to supporting the governments of the day in Nigeria, both the federal and state in all ways to achieve noble goals that would lead to development in the nation.
“CAN is not anti-government and the government should not be anti-CAN. We are supposed to be partners-in-progress. Each should respect the boundaries that would lead to mutual respect.
“However, we are not going to patronize the government and thereby fail in our responsibilities to speak against the excesses of those in political leadership. The church is in the world to improve the world and shine as light of the world.
“The church essentially is not of the world. We should stand out courageously and stand clean. We are aware that we are called to serve the body of Christ at the most challenging time for the church.”
Ayokunle, who chronicled the recent attacks on Christians across the country, call on the government of the day to take decisive action over these occurrences because it is their constitutional duty to do so.
“We shall not stop crying out for the government to do justice until we see that justice is done. Silence or inaction by those in government would continue to make the Christians express no confidence in them until they are ready to defend the rights of Christians and all Nigerians in this nation.”
The CAN President also called on the past leadership of the body and churches to forgive each other and work for unity of one body, adding that the support of all and sundry is imperative for the survival of the new leadership.
“Without unity in CAN, there cannot be progress. By the grace of God we intend to lead CAN whose leadership is above board and would be able tom provide credible leadership for Christians and other Nigerians to follow.
“I appeal once again that we let all in-fightings and name callings come to an end. Let us embrace one another as members of God’s family where is no North, South, West or East.” [myad]
Ex Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba has landed a big job as Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as President Muhammadu Buhari has just forwarded his name to the Senate for confirmation.
The President, who forwarded Ndoma-Egba’s name in a letter to the Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday, also included the name of Nsima Ekere as the Managing Director of the commission to take over from Mrs. Ibim Semenitari who is currently acting as MD of the commission.
Ndoma-Egba was born on 8 March 1956 in Ikom, Cross River State. He has an LL.B degree from the University of Lagos and an LLM degree from the University of Calabar, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978 and was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2004. He has been Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Calabar Branch, and President of the Calabar Chamber of Commerce. He has also been Director of the Cross River Basin and Rural Development Authorityy, and Honourable Commissioner for Works & Transport.
Victor Ndoma-Egba was elected as senator in the 5th (2003–2007) National Assembly, representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, and was re-elected in 2007 for a further four-year term.
Senator Ndoma-Egba was a member of senate committees on Upstream Petroleum Resources, Human Rights and Legal Matters, and Information and Media. He was one time deputy chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Nigerian Senate.
He was the Senate leader in the seventh assembly. His style and temper fostered the evolution of the Nigerian Senate into a vibrant regal institution with a cohesive bond; forged by commitment to the common good.
In his first term in the Senate, in 2003, Ndoma-Egba had the unique honour of being the first senator to chair the media and publicity committee.
In May 2008, Ndoma-Egba spoke in favor of reform of the Nigeria Police Act, which came into effect on April 1, 1943 and has essentially been unchanged since that time. [myad]
Apostle of ‘No Vacancy in Aso Rock’ in the heydays of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government, Chief Tony Anenih, has described the alleged move by National Assembly to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari as an ill-advised venture, even as he asked the PDP lawmakers to stay clear of such move. Anenih, who was once the chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT), specifically called on the Chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to stop the party’s caucus in the National Assembly from such move. He asked them not to participating in the alleged “ill-advised adventure” of removing President Buhari from office. Anenih, in a four-page letter to Makarfi, dated July 15, 2016, said that the time is neither right nor the reasons compelling enough to contemplate the impeachment of the President. He asked Makarfi to personally lead the process of consultation with PDP members in the National Assembly, with a view to getting them to play a patriotic, rather than partisan role, at this time of national economic and social uncertainty. The letter, titled: “THE PDP CAUCUS IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE THREAT TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI” reads: “I am constrained to write this letter by my love for our great country and my long years of involvement in the pursuit of peace, co-existence and national development. “I am concerned about the noises coming out of the National Assembly to the effect that some of our distinguished Senators and Honourable Members are contemplating a move to impeach the President. “I feel even more disturbed that the PDP Caucus is being rumoured to be actively involved in this plan to “go for the jugular” of the Executive. The rumoured role of the PDP Caucus is, indeed, the main reason I have chosen to write this letter to you. “I wish to appeal to you to use your noble office as the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of our great party to dissuade our party members, in the National Assembly, from embarking on or participating in this ill-advised adventure. I am persuaded, Sir, that the time is neither right nor the reasons compelling enough to contemplate the impeachment of the President. “I do not doubt that the National Assembly may have its grouse against the President, but I am sure that the options of consultation, dialogue and negotiation have not yet been exhausted. We should all assist in persuading our members to persevere in the pursuit of these options. “I do not believe an attempt at impeachment, at this time, is in the best interests of the party, or the country. Such a move will create tension, instability and even crisis in our body-politic. It will unleash all those fissiparous forces which, in the last few months, have begun to gain momentum. “Fundamentally, as the main opposition party, I believe the PDP should concern itself with an inward review of why Nigerians lost faith in us and in our party’s vision for Nigeria; our focus should therefore be on trying to figure out how we can once again regain this trust. “As a party in opposition, what I expect is constructive criticism of the ruling party when it goes wrong. Playing an active role in the internal power struggles between factions of the ruling party is an unnecessary distraction, and an exercise that appears to promote personal agenda rather than the National Interest. “I am not unaware that the times are hard; that Nigerians are groaning under the weight of unpaid salaries and astronomical increases in the cost of living, that ballooning security problems are increasingly threatening to rip apart the fabric of our national existence, and that Nigerians feel more divided today than they have ever felt, but it would be unfair to blame this President or this Government for all of these problems. Instructively, none of these problems was floated as justification for the threat of impeachment by the National Assembly. “On the economy, it is a well known fact that all oil-producing countries are suffering from an economic down-turn because of the radical drop in the price of crude oil. As a mono-product economy, dependent on crude oil, there is no magic bubble that could have insulated us completely from the systemic shocks caused by the attendant loss of revenue. “Rather than seek scapegoats, the situation demands that all our institutions, political parties and leaders should set aside all partisan interests, and work together to wade through these difficult times. “It is, therefore, my wish and prayer that you, personally, lead the process of consultation with our members in the National Assembly, with a view to getting them to play a patriotic, rather than partisan role, at this time of national economic and social uncertainty. “May God continue to bless you with the wisdom to lead our party to its manifest destiny.” [myad]
The Coalition for Women Advancement in Africa CoWAA) has described the attitude of the representative of Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, towards his female counterpart from Lagos Central, Senator Oluremi Tinubu as having portrayed him as a medieval man. The women group noted with emphasis that Melaye’s attitude is suggestive of medieval men who lack respect for the women in their lives and women all over the world. “It is now glaring why the issue of rape and violence against women are treated with levity since a federal lawmaker could threaten to use rape as a weapon of retaliation against a female colleague whom he felt insulted him.” In a statement in Abuja, CoWAA’s Executive Vice President, Jummai Samuel, asked Melaye to tender an unreserved apology to Senator Oluremi Tinubu over the insult he directed at her last week in the National Assembly. She said that Melaye is symptomatic of an emerging undesirable breed of men that objectify and belittle women contrary to the global trend of promoting equality. Jummai said that Melaye and his likes pose great threats they to women advancement in Africa. “Even if his colleague, Senator Oluremi Tinubu had offended him, the Senate has Rules he could have used to seek redress without resorting to the caveman approach he adopted.” She also quarrelled with a newspaper columnist, Sonala Olumhense over his assault on the wives of the Chief of Army staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, even as he asked both men to respect women. Olumhense had in his article ridiculed the wives of Buratai with suggestions that they are not independent enough to own property or contribute to their family’s investment. Jummai said: “while the rudeness of Senator Melaye’s puke inducing rant may be shocking the greater worry should be the dangerous premise put forward by Sonala Olumhense, who suggested that women are mere fixtures in marriages and that they are not capable of being economically productive to the point of owning businesses or contributing to the family. “If Mr. Olumhense had bothered to do a little fact checking, he would have possibly learnt more about one Sana’armu Micro Finance Social Scheme and a Buratai Farm. The COAS’ wives are brains behind these ventures even if as respectful women they make their husband the symbolic head being the head of the family. “The way the Senator and the Columnists went after wives should make every Nigerian woman worried that the trend is now for those who want to hit at males they have issues with is to attack their wives. We find this unacceptable and condemnable. It is a practice that must not be encouraged.” Jummai demanded apologies from both men with the explanation that it was necessary to discourage other menfolk from following in their infamous footsteps. “Senator Melaye and Mr. Olumhense must tender unreserved apologies not just to the women they have slighted but also to all Nigerian women since their crime went beyond the individual women at which they were targeted and extended to womanhood.” [myad]
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of 22 Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors-General of Police. The Commission also endorsed the promotion of 29 Deputy Commissioners of Police to the rank of Commissioners of Police. This was contained in a statement issued by Ikechukwu Ani, the Head of Press and Public Relations of the Commission in Abuja on Wednesday. Ani said the affected 29 Commissioners were screened by a panel headed by the Chairman of the Commission, Mike Okiro, and other members of the Commission. He said that the promotions were based on the recommendation of availability of vacancies in the AIG and CP cadres of the Force occasioned by the recent Force reorganisation. He said that it was also based on the need to put structures in place in the various Zonal Commands. The spokesman said that the commission also considered the issue of seniority and diligence to duty of the Officers. “Majority of the new AIGs had already been posted to zonal commands and other police formations while nine of the CPs had been posted as command CPs.” Ani said that Okiro asked them to quickly settle into their new positions and ensure that there was improved service delivery in their duty posts. Okiro reminded them that they were holding the new offices in trust for the people of Nigeria and should not disappoint them. He promised that the commission would continue to ensure that Police promotions were regular and based on merit. Shortly after the appointment of the acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, the PSC made appointments into the DIG and AIG cadres. [myad]
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has pledged to fast track the take off of the Abuja Technology Village. The minister, who spoke when he and the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye paid an unscheduled visit to the site along the Umaru Musa Expressway, said that the project is part of the efforts being made to provide employment for the residents and enhance economic activities in the capital city. The Abuja Technology village is being conceived to attract huge investment into the Federal Capital Territory. The minister said that when operational, the Village would deepen economic activities and compliment government efforts in the provision of skilled and unskilled employment opportunities to the populace. Muhammad Bello said that the project has been subdivided into five clusters to enable the FCT Administration handle a cluster at a time for quick realization of the project and easy management. “I assure you that the FCT Administration will try its very best to look at it and we hope that at least cluster number two of the five clusters becomes operational as quickly as possible. “The project is now going through the most critical and final stage and it is very important for us to look at it critically and understand the concept, the challenges and above all where we want to go.” He expressed appreciation to the Managing Director of the Technology Village, Ms. Hauwa Yabani, and her team, for the good work they have done as well as for the investments in the Village over the last eight years. [myad]
Hundreds of residential buildings were submerged and thousands of residents displaced by flood caused heavy rainfall in Jos, the Plateau State capital. A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, who visited some of the affected areas, reports that properties and farmlands worth millions of naira were destroyed. Alhaji Alhassan Barde, the Executive Secretary, Plateau State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), who also visited the affected areas, expressed concern at the level of destruction. Barde said: “The destruction is massive; we have carried out on-the-spot assessment of the situation and I can tell you that it is bad.” He listed Rikkos and Gangere in Jos North Local Government Areas as worst hit by the flood. “Houses, vehicles and farmlands have been submerged and a mass of people displaced. “We even went to Rayfield and specifically to a community called Yingi. “The destruction there is something else.” He said that he would present the report on the level of damage caused by the flood to the Deputy Governor, who is the Chairman of SEMA Governing Council. The Executive Secretary said the situation had raised humanitarian issues, which needed quick attention to avoid crisis. He said the SEMA had stepped up operations to rescue those that might have been trapped in various houses. Barde added that a temporary camp had been established for displaced persons at Rikkos Community Primary and Secondary Schools. “SEMA is gearing up efforts to provide foodstuffs, bedding’s, medical needs, security and other necessities at the camp,” he said. Barde advised those residing in flood-prone areas to vacate as quickly as possible. He said the flood was caused by human activities and negligence. He said that lack of proper drainage, indiscriminate disposal of waste, building and farming on flood-prone areas were the some of the human activities responsible for the flood. Barde urged relevant government agencies like Jos Metropolitan Development Board, Ministries of Works, Lands and Environment to activate emergency laws and compel residents to obey them. NAN. [myad]
Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar has clarified that he was not summoned to the national secretariat of the party, and that his visit to the place on Monday was voluntary. A statement by his media office in Abuja on Tuesday, quoted Atiku as saying that his visit to the party secretariat was not a response to summon by the leadership of the party as widely reported. “My visit to the national secretariat of our great party was to rub minds with the party hierarchy, and it was of a routine kind as a chieftain of the party. “I was neither summoned nor queried by the party on any issue as being speculated. Rather, my visit was at my own behest. “As a party chieftain, I owe it a duty to my party to appraise challenges within the structures of the party and also proffer suggestions on how to manage those challenges. I urge you all to discountenance any malicious insinuations about my visit to the party secretariat.” [myad]
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Organized labour has asked the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to pay the workers in the state their accumulated seven month salaries within 30 days or face a strike action.
