Former Nigeria Vice President Atiku Abubakar has asked Nigeria workers not to lose faith in the ability of the nation under the leadership of President Buhari to surmount the current odds.
The former Vice President also proposed a fairer deal for workers in order to reduce the frequency of strikes in the country, which he regrets takes a heavy toll on the economy.
In his May Day message to Nigerian workers, the former Vice President noted that notwithstanding the huge challenges the country and its people are facing, it will take the support of everyone working in tandem with the Buhari administration to lift the economy out of the doldrums.
He said: “President Buhari alone cannot turnaround the fortunes of the country. It requires everyone – elected and appointed officials, the legislature and the judiciary, the public and private sectors and ordinary Nigerians – working together in faith and commitment to bring about the desired change.”
Abubakar noted that President Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade, when combined with curbing wastages and profligacy, will free much-needed resources to jumpstart the economy by investing in infrastructure and high jobs yielding sectors, especially agriculture as proposed by the government.
The Turaki Adamawa reminded the workers that the envisaged better deal for them is intrinsically tied to increased productivity.
He said: “With dwindling revenue from oil, it has become imperative for us to bake a bigger cake that will be big enough for all partakers. To achieve this, we need to be more creative as a government and more productive as a people.”
The former Vice President also observed that improved conditions of service for workers would help to reduce corruption and fraud among employees.
Abubakar however said it is impossible to convince workers to make sacrifices while the public office holders live a life that is inconsistent with the economic realities of Nigeria.
He said: “We all need to make sacrifices in line with the realities of the time. It is not enough to ask workers to make sacrifices while public office holders are ostensibly immune from it. Such a situation promotes industrial disharmony.” [myad]

Governor Yahaya Bello has lamented that the previous administrations in Kogi state used what he called “all sorts of tricks” to short-change the Kogi State Worker.
In his message to the workers in the state today to mark May Day, the governor said that his government would not deceive the workers that all is rosy with the state, and for Nigeria.
“We inherited a Kogi State in which unpaid salaries and general atrocious working conditions were the norm.
“The worst is of course, the scourge of ghost-workers. Thousands of non-existent ‘workers’ paid from Kogi State coffers thus bringing it under undue strain and leaving the real workers either totally unpaid or only receiving meagre percentages of their wages.”
Governor Yahaya recalled that during his time as Federal Civil Servant, he was never owed salaries, saying that when he came into Office, Kogi Workers were already on strike for at least six weeks, because they were “fed up with the then PDP Government’s kleptomania, lack of transparency and disastrous policies. It hurt me that a so-called Government could receive all the Federal Allocations due to it and still find the heart to leave workers unpaid. I decided that my Administration will be different. “We remain committed to improving the lot of our Workers by eliminating every scheme in the system designed to exploit and cheat them.
“Accordingly, the ghost-worker syndrome is an evil this Administration is committed to eradicating forever. The first line is the Screening Committee we set up soon after our Inauguration, led by Brigadier-General Paul Okuntimo (Rtd). General Okuntimo is a fine officer and an incorruptible gentleman. The Screening Committee is scheduled to conclude her work within the next one week and we shall thereafter expect to have only genuine workers on our payroll.
No more will people sit in Pay Offices and fabricate thousands of names, add them to the nominal roll and siphon Kogi State resources with them on a monthly basis.
“No more will people sit down in Lagos, Abuja, even abroad, and receive bank alerts for salaries from the Kogi State Government. No more will Kogi State pay salaries to ghost-workers who are ‘serving’ in non-existing institutions discovered all over the state by the Screening Committee. We are dismantling all of that satanic infrastructure. Our people will no longer be robbed.”
The governor sounded what he called “a timely warning” to every genuine Worker in the Kogi State Civil Service to ensure they are screened.
“If the Screening Committee has somehow missed you, seek them out and do the needful. Once the Screening Exercise is done, we will only be paying salaries to Workers who have gone through the process. If you miss this train, you will have only yourself to blame.
“Let me state that nothing happens without somebody knowing about it. We are therefore encouraging whistle-blowing. See something, say something. Everyone is encouraged to reach the Screening Committee or any of my appointees with information that will help us to completely sanitise the system. We will shortly set up a Call Centre so that those who prefer anonymity in this regard can put a call across and not have to fear detection or persecution.
“In any case, I personally guarantee protection and maybe, some token reward, to every whistle-blower but only for giving us actionable intelligence.
“We want the support of Organised Labour on this, especially the Leadership. This is after all for the overall benefit of your members. If we clean up the Workforce and remove those who should not be there, it is Kogi State, and in particular the Workers, who benefits. The situation in the recent past where some labour leaders have opposed the Screening Exercise under guise of the interests of their members is, to say the least, suspicious and unacceptable.”
Governor Yahaya complained that his government has also been inundated with allegations of collusion between some labour executives and the past administrations in cheating the very Workers they represent through corrupt practices.
He promised to investigate and that anyone found culpable will have a date with the anti-corruption Agencies.
“We are cooking something nice for Kogi People, I know the kitchen is getting hot but I promise you there will be no sacred cows. Let those who cannot stand the heat get out of the kitchen!
“Masu gudu, su gudu. The guilty are afraid. Evildoers may run, but they cannot hide.
“Like I have repeatedly said, we intend to do things differently. A cardinal principle on which this Administration operates is transparency and open communications. I wish to bring to your notice the following facts:
• We have received four federal allocations since our assumption of Office in January, 2016 out of which we paid full salaries for January and March.
• In January we received about N2.6bn while our salary bill came to about N2.7bn. We paid full salaries.
• In February we received about N2.5bn and applied that the differentials between allocations and wage bills for January and March as well as other pressing needs of the State which has direct impact on the lives of the people, including you, the Workers. You will admit that Kogi State, with a population of about 3.5m people cannot spend all her money to service a Workforce of about 100,000 people. Security, obligations to contractors, rehabilitation of infrastructure, etc are also pressing and unavoidable.
• In March our allocation was about N2.3bn but we again paid full salaries to the tune of about N2.9bn.
• For April, allocation is about N2bn only. Even though the nearly N900m gap between allocation and wage bill is a huge challenge, we still hope to pay full salaries and even start defraying some arrears incurred by previous Administrations.
“We put these figures in the public domain in the hope that Organised Labour will have the information they need to match us good faith for good faith. It saddens Government when industrial action is embarked upon in a capricious manner that seems to say that only the interests of striking workers matter.
“We believe that we can always partner together to manage every situation, including tight financial situations, in order to achieve the best results.
“I am aware that almost as soon as were sworn in malicious persons serving evil interests both within and without Kogi State filled the media with rumours that we have accessed and frittered away the Bailout Funds. Nothing could be further from the truth.
“The reality we met on ground at the CBN was that the previous application made on behalf of the State by the last administration was fraught with irregularities and shoddily done. In a word, it was so badly done it could never be approved. We had to start from scratch.
“We are glad to announce that our efforts have paid off. This week we received approval to draw down on the first tranche of our Bailout Funds from the Federal Government. This will amount to about N20bn.
“We will draw down on the balance of about N30bn as we meet the milestones for implementation of the first tranche as set by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“I also announce a commitment to use that money for salaries and emoluments of our workers. I am certain that by the time we fully disburse the Bailout Funds, disputes over outstanding emoluments will be over.
“I therefore call on the Members and Leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Kogi State University Chapter to call off their ongoing Strike and let our dear Students go on with their education on schedule.
“In return, I promise them, and indeed all Workers of Kogi State, that there is now some light at the end of the tunnel.
“We are also building momentum on our promises to the people in our manifesto. The promise of a New Direction is not ‘One Chance’ by any stretch of the imagination. Our New Direction Blueprint Team has taken our manifesto and produced the Quick-Wins which we are already implementing.
“I will speak more on that during the 100 Days’ events. The main Blueprint which identifies planned developmental strides in every year of our 4-year tenure will soon be ready too.”
The governor reminded the people in the state that he is running a government with a 4-year Plan, a Blueprint for Accelerated Development of the State in all areas and socio-economic indices within this current term of office, adding that he is focused on this one tenure.
“Those going around scheming against 2019 should therefore leave us alone. We are not open to distractions at any time. Like power, 2019 and beyond lie in the Hands of God. I trust that when the time comes, God and the great People of Kogi will decide who will lead this State further.”
Governor Yahaya announced a donation of two brand new buses to the State Chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) respectively.
He charged the Leadership of the Unions to deploy these vehicles in the best interests of their members and in service to God and humanity at large. [myad]

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he foresees great prospects for Nigerian workers.

Addressing the workers today, Sunday, as they marked Workers’ Day said: “I further assure you that working together, this administration will protect workers’ rights and shall promote incentives for great productivity and hence, greater posterity.”

In a lecture with the theme: “The Working Class and The Quest for Socio-Economic Revival,”
Buhari,  said that government would evolve solutions to the emerging threats to the well-being of Nigerians and the realization of sustainable development.
Represented by the Minister Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, the President said:  “For us whose main foreign exchange comes from oil, the global decline in the price of oil has further exacerbated our economic crises.
“The resultant effect of this are noticeable in government’s dwindling resources, reduction in operational capacities of most companies especially in the oil and gas sector, threats of workforce reduction by multinationals, among others.
“These developments no doubt, have socio-economic implication for the economy as well as the working class.
“I make no excuses, for this government of the All Progressives Congress is determined to tackle the socio-economic ills head-long.”
According to the President, development must be sustainable for it to benefit society in general.
Buhari said it was, therefore, the responsibility of those in power to align themselves with the working class, who make development possible, by generating and sustaining the momentum of positive change.
He said the present administration would continue to seek the cooperation of labour, so that together “we can attain the enviable heights of progress in our beloved country.
“This administration shall effect positive change in the lives of the average Nigerians, to ensure that the downtrodden are elevated.
“Most importantly, we will fight the intense pain of corruption which has enriched the very few to the detriment of the majority of Nigerians who groan under the overwhelming weight of poverty resulting from corruption.
“In this fight against corruption, I need you all to be very willing partners.
“Fighting corruption in the Public Service in particular requires the workers to play major roles by cooperating with the government.”
The President also assured workers that the issues and request raised had already been considered and would be made public in the near future.
He said: “I request your cooperation and understanding, as partners in progress.
“The need to ensure a conducive atmosphere devoid of incessant industrial action becomes paramount to avoid loss of man hours and accordingly promote high productivity.” [myad]

The driver to the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, who simply identified himself as Segun had narrated how he drove the Archbishop to safety away from three men who emerged from a bush sround Edo state and started shooting gun at their car.
The driver said that the attack happened last Friday along the Benin-Ekpoma road close to Ehor at about 5.00pm.
According to him: “We left Benin for Uromi and at about 5.00pm on the fateful day, I think very close to Ehor, I saw a big pothole and decided to slow down the vehicle. I would have passed the spot with speed but because the cardinal was sleeping, I decided to slow down the vehicle so that he won’t wake up, suddenly, I saw three men came out of the palm tree plantation by the road side and started shooting at the vehicle. I look ahead of me, two of them were firing from a distance at the vehicle and I looked behind me another one was firing at the vehicle from behind so I decided to use reverse gear. The other vehicles who saw me coming with reverse started clearing off the road and when I got to a safe distance I decided to stop the vehicle and people started running to see what had happened. It was then we realised that the bullets shattered the left passenger window glass and made huge holes on the panel of the door. We just thank God nothing happened to the cardinal or any of us in the vehicle.”
Against the backdrop of the attacks, the Catholic Archbishop of Benin City, Dr. Augustin Akubueze and the Catholic Bishop of Uromi Diocese, Dr. Donatus Ogun have both appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the growing attacks of prominent people in Nigeria by hoodlums in Edo State.
The Bishops gave thanks to God that Cardinal Onaiyekan survived the attacks of some criminals elements last week on the Benin-Ekpoma road, adding: “If something had happened to him, what would have been the story? We thank God nothing happened and we are using this opportunity to appeal to Mr. President to provide adequate security for the citizens of Edo state,” Akubueze said, in an interview in Benin City.”
The catholic archbishops stressed that the responsibility of a government is to secure her people stressing:  “what we are asking for is not too much for our president. If there is no security of lives and property, no investments or meaningful economic development can take place in the state and the nation at large. We need security and we are demanding that from our government”.
Akubueze noted that the spate of attacks by so-called herdsmen across the country is becoming frightening, adding that there is an urgent need by the state and federal government to deal with the issue of security to protect lives and property of Nigerians “with all seriousness.
Also, Cardinal Onaiyekan’s attack Bishop Ogun said “What would have happened if the Cardinal was killed? It would have been sorry and pains for us, considering that he was coming to attend the 10th anniversary of the creation of Uromi Diocese. We thank God he came out unhurt.
While appealing strongly to President Buhari to help secure the state, the bishop added: “we need adequate security to protect the lives and property of the residents of the state. We cannot continue to live in fear in our own land because of the activities of these criminals.” [myad]

Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo has made it clear that Nigeria can never go back to the old way of doing things that had landed the country into a haven for corruption. He said that the Muhammadu Buhari government is ever determined to institute a new culture of probity and accountability in governance.
The Vice President who spoke today at The Platform, a public engagement forum organized by the Covenant Church led by Pastor Poju Oyemade, noted that nearly after a year in office, there appeared to be many problems “and many have asked where is the change? Is this the change we voted for? Even some fifth columnists in our midst have suggested bring back corruption.”

Professor Osinbajo said: “the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is completely and irrevocably committed to change. We believe that though it may not be easy, though the early signs may be confusing and sometimes discouraging, there has never been a better opportunity than now to turn the country in the direction of success.”
According to him, “today we have the best opportunity in decades for profound change. It is an opportunity in a generation. A revolution whose time has come!”
The Vice President asked again: “can this change happen?”and answered: “yes it can! Yes it must! What do you have in your hands to make it happen? We have a country that is tired of corruption, tired of leadership without values, tired of an economy that is neither designed to accommodate enterprise, nor to create opportunity and wealth for the majority.”
He said that the “new day in Aso Rock” is that of a Presidency that is committed to ensuring a departure from the past culture of corruption and profligacy in government, even as he averred that “the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is completely and irrevocably committed to the Change promised Nigerians.”
Speaking on the theme: ‘What do we have in our hands, tapping into dead capital” Professor. Osinbajo said: “We have a leadership, a leader that is ready to challenge the rotten system, one that has said he is ready to kill corruption rather let corruption kill us.
“We believe that though it may not be easy, though the early signs may be confusing and sometimes discouraging, there has never been a better opportunity than now to turn the country in the direction of success.”
He said that the Federal Government is not unaware of the nation’s challenges, but that the youths must believe the problems facing the nation in the area of power, availability of petroleum products, infrastructure and agriculture are surmountable and resolvable.
Vice President Osinbajo said that the key to change and the future prosperity lies in innovation that is critical to development.” [myad]