Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused the Federal Government of increasing teachers’ salaries across board without consulting with state governments, thereby creating fresh financial burdens on them.

Governor Wike, who spoke on the new salary scales approved for teachers by the Federal Government, admitted that it was good to give teachers special attention because of their strategic roles in the society, but that such policy should be properly implemented.

He insisted that the pronouncement on a new salary scale for teachers would create crisis for the educational system and wondered why the Federal Government refused to give attention to the clamour of states for a new revenue-sharing formula.

“While it is good to give teachers a new salary scale, it is also important not to politicise such a sensitive issue.”

“I feel very proud of Nigeria, my country,” said the former Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The former minister, who was at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, October 12 to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his support towards securing the position of Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), said: “I am getting so much support from you, Mr. President, Chief of Staff, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investments. The ministers have been working around the clock to ensure that I succeed.”

Okonjo-Iweala, who is one of the contenders to the position, begged President Buhari to “make one final push within the week to beat the Koreans and bring this to Nigeria and to you   by sending a few letters and placing telephone calls to some world leaders, while thanking others for their support.

“Mr. President, put a smile on my face. I am very proud of the country.”

She appreciated ECOWAS leaders for their endorsement, in particular, President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic and immediate past Chairman of ECOWAS as well as President Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire.

She also thanked some Nigerian ministers, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment for supporting her staunchly.

This was even as President Buhari assured her of the support of his government to ensure that she emerged the winner of the contest, adding that she deserved more support because of her profile and diligence in serving the country and the world.

“I assure you that we will do all that we can to ensure that you emerge as the Director-General of WTO, not only because you are a Nigerian, but because you are a hardworking Nigerian. You deserve this,’’ he added.

The President assured Dr Okonjo-Iweala that he will make more phone calls, and send letters to some world leaders for more support.

“I did the same for Dr Akinwunmi Adesina for President of the African Development Bank. Both of you served the country under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). You are both highly qualified. We will continue to support you. I will immediately make those calls.”

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed A Adamu, has disbanded the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) across the 36 State Police Commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where they hitherto existed.
The Force Spokesman, DCP Frank Mba said in a statement today, October 11 said thatb the dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of the Nigerian people, even as he observed that by this dissolution, all officers and men of the now defunct Special Anti-robbery Squad are being redeployed with immediate effect.
The police boss said that the Force is not oblivious of the ever present need to combat armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country which was before now the core mandate of the erstwhile Squad.
He assured that a new policing arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps the dissolution of SARS would cause has been evolved and shall be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, as part of measures to prevent a re-occurrence of events that gave rise to the dissolution of SARS, a Citizens’ and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum is being formed to regularly interface with Police leadership at all levels and advise on police activities as they affect the general public, the statement said.
Frank Mba said that the Force is also constituting an Investigation Team which shall include Civil Society Organizations and Human Rights Bodies to work with the Police in investigating alleged cases of human rights violations.
“The measure, the IGP believes, will enhance transparency and accountability in police services as well as providing a system of deterrence for erring police officers whose action clearly violates the rights of the citizenry.”
The IGP commended all citizens, particularly those who genuinely expressed their concerns for a better policing orientation in an organized, patriotic and civil manner.
He reaffirmed the determination of the Force to bequeath to the country a Police Force and System that is professional in service delivery and most importantly, accountable to the people.

A former Vice Chairman of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT), Abuja, Mohammed Baba has been kidnapped along with 14 others.

The incidence happened yesterday, October 10 by about 6 pm when they were returning from a village called Kabi Mangoro where they had gone to congratulate the new education secretary of the Area Council, Yunusa Zakari.

Others who were kidnapped with him by unidentified gunmen area the Council tnsport Officer, SA Media, HOD Food Services and some council legislative members.

The kidnappers were said to have hijacked their bus and seized all occupants at gunpoint.
A source said: “the staff went to congratulate the new Executive Secretary and on their way back the kidnappers hijacked the bus and took all of them into the bush.”

Spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, Maltida Mari, confirmed the incident and said that they were making efforts to rescue the victims.
Recall that 12 persons were on September 10, 2020 abducted at Tungan Maje, a community on the outskirts of nation’s capital, after gunmen invaded the place.

Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris has asked bursars of Federal universities to stop salaries of any lecturer and staff who failed to enrol for the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS) from November.

The directive was contained in a memo signed by Director of IPPIS in the Office of Accountant General of the Federation (OAFG), Dr Nsikak Ben to vice-chancellors of Federal universities through a committee of vice-chancellors dated October 8, 2020, and titled: STOPPAGE OF SALARIES OF UNIVERSITY STAFF THAT ARE YET TO BE ENROLLED ON IPPIS PLATFORM

“I am directed to inform you that any Staff of your Institution who has not enrolled on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), either as a result of Study Leave (with pay), Maternity Leave or on Medical ground, will no longer appear on the IPPIS payroll with effect from November 2020 payroll except such Staff presents himself/herself for the biometric data capture at the office of the Accountant- General of the Federation (OAGF), Abuja with an introduction letter/IPPIS Enrollment forms duly endorsed by the principal authorities of the Institution.

“In addition, all supporting documents should include evidence of six months salary bank statement.

“In view of the above, kindly inform your staff in this category to URGENTLY avail themselves for the biometric data capture at the OAGF.

“However, an exemption may only be given where institutions provide evidence of Study Leave, stating the duration to justify such persons being retained on the payroll.”

All the staff who had not been earlier captured have, therefore, been directed to report in Abuja for enrollment.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in his 2021 budget presentation to the national assembly on Thursday declared that as a way of eliminating fraud from the payment of salaries, only staff on the platform would be paid.

In an immediate reaction, however, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) said Buhari’s directive did not apply to its members as they were not civil servants.

Members of ASUU have been on strike over IPPIS in the last six months.

Also on October 5, members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) commenced a 14-day nationwide strike against IPPIS on Monday, October 5.