Nigerian Pensioners Collect N2,000 Per Month —NLC

Some pensioners get N2,000 monthly –FG, Labour - New Telegraph
Many pensioners still collect as low as N2,000 per month as pension earnings,  Nigeria Labour Congress said
The labour union lamented state governments are guilty of this act.
Ayuba Wabba,the President of the NLC ,conveyed the pensioners’ plights  at the 11th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of Nigeria Union of Pensioners in Abuja
He maintained that  corruption cannot be divorced from the plight of pensioners, who are subjected to meagre pension in the face of the biting economic situation of the country.
He said: “That is why the issue of corruption in our system cannot be wished away, people would want to help themselves because they work for many years and when it is time to retire, there would be nothing to rely on for tomorrow.
“As we speak, even the minimum pension that is accommodated in our constitution has not been reviewed. We have a situation in some states where pensioners are collecting N2,000 as monthly pension, even that has not been paid. As we speak in some states, they still treat their pensioners as lepers.”
Wabba used Imo State to buttress his position, saying more than 40 per cent of the pensioners have not been enrolled.
“I am calling on the state governments, including the Federal Government to prioritise the payment of the benefits of pensioners, it is their right, their earnings,” Wabba said.
Adamawa, Gombe Senators Spat Over Communal Crises 

Communal clash between Lungudas in Adamawa, Wajas in Gombe claims score of  lives
The Senators representing Adamawa South and Gombe South at the National Assembly on Wednesday stopped short of verbal exchanges as the Senate debated a motion for an “Urgent Call for a Stop to the Communal Clashes between Waja and Lugunda Communities in Gombe South and Adamawa South senatorial districts respectively.
Dauda Yaroe (PDP Adamawa South) and Danjuma Goje (APC Gombe Central) had disagreed on way out of the communal clashes between the two ethnic groups in the Southern axis of the two states.
Presenting the motion, Senator Yaroe had called on the Senate to send delegation to the two communities in Balanga LGA, Gombe State and Guyuk LGA in Adamawa State, with the sole aim of preaching peaceful co-existence to people of the warring communities.
He also urged the Upper chamber of the National Assembly to ask the traditional rulers of Waja Chiefdom in Gombe State and Lugunda Chiefdom in Adamawa State to employ their subjects to maintain the peace and avoid self-help in settling disputes.
The motion was seconded by Senator Danjuma Goje who turned around to puncture it by declaring that it is not a delegation from the Senate that should go to the areas but Governors of the affected states .
He said that the Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya,  had visited the affected communities in Gombe State and restored peace .
” On our part in Gombe State , no problem from any of the affected communities as the trouble shooting Governor , had visited the area and restored peace .
“However, such peace promoting visitation expected from the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umar Fintiri, has not been carried out by him.
” So, instead of calling on Senate delegation to visit the warring communities, the resolution should be on the Adamawa State Governor to visit the affected communities in his own State “, he said.
Though the President of the Senate in a mild intervention, said rather than calling on governors to visit the warring communities, political and traditional leaders in the affected areas, should be called upon to work for peace in the affected areas.
Angered by Goje’s submission, Senator Yaroe in a media briefing after the plenary said Goje got it wrong by alleging that the Adamawa State Governor had not visited the affected communities in Adamawa State.
“I was taken aback by submissions made by Senator Danjuma Goje on the motion I sponsored and which he seconded.
Governor Fintiri had visited the affected communities in Guyuk LGA of Adamawa State and to a very great extent, restored peace in the area.
I felt belittled by Goje’s submission, alleging that the Adamawa State Governor had not made the right move towards restoring peace in the affected communities.How could somebody who seconded a motion, turn around to be puncturing it. As Gombe people are peace loving, so also are the Adamawa People “, he said
NASS Advocates Removal  Of Correctional Centres From Exclusive  List 

NASS leadership wants police, correctional service unbundledNigeria — The  Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News
 President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila have advocated for the delisting of the correctional service centres from the exclusive legislative list of the constitution to the concurrent one.
They noted that unbundling the centres, would enable willing states provide better Correctional Service Centres with good facilities   for their people.
Lawan and Gbajabiamila spoke in Abuja at a one-day Roundtable on Reform of the Criminal Justice System of Nigeria,  organised by Professor Abubakar Suleiman-led National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
Represented by Hon. Uzuwagbo Ugonna, Gbajabiamila said, “the scope of the Nigeria Criminal Justice System beginning with the Police, the Courts, the Correctional Service our criminal laws and codes, including human personnel that manage our criminal justice institutions need reforms.”
Disclosing that National Assembly will not opposed the amendment of the  Constitution to Correctional Centers, the Speaker said, “as legislators, we will not be opposed to amending the Constitution to remove the establishment and management of Correctional Service Centres from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List.
“This, I believe, will fast tract and decongest our Federal Correctional Centres and enable willing States provide better Correctional Service Centres with better living conditions for their people.”
On the autonomy for State Judiciary, he said: “The autonomy being advocated by our judicial officers across the nation should be granted without delay, to encourage justice without favour. We should consider the creation of special criminal courts.”
On his part, Lawan, who was represented by Senator Solomon Olamilekan said, “no society grows without a productive criminal justice system, considering the additional role the sector plays in maintaining order and in fostering peace.
Why We Can’t Sell Fuel At Official Price -IPMAN

IPMAN Advocates Clarity in Fuel Prices – Instant Africa
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said that it would be difficult for its members to sell fuel at NN162 to N165 price band by the Federal Government.
 Engr. Sanusi Fari, National President of IPMAN, explained that the development was because majority of his members
procure their PMS through private depots who are presently selling at N155 per litre as against N148.18 sold by PPMC, the sole importer.
He said:”So, presently, it will be difficult to sell PMS at government approved price band of N162 – N165 after adding the cost of logistics.The very few marketers that bought the product at N148.18 are the ones selling within government price band which led to the queues being presently experienced within Abuja city.
 “We therefore call on the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to enforce the Official price of N148.18 by deploying DPR to private depots so that PMS will be available to the populace at approved Government price” noted the state
  Bandits Kill Amotekun Corp In Oyo

Gunmen kill Amotekun corps in Oyo - Vanguard News
Suleiman Quadir,an operatives of Amotekun Corps in Oyo state  was killed in an ambush by bandit in Fiditi area of the state.
The  25 years old of Atiba Local Government was killed in an ambush by a group of armed bandits numbering 11 at Living Farms in Fiditi .
According to a statement issued by the state commandant  Col.(rtd) Olayinka Olayanju, Amo Quadir and his colleague Amo Bello Yisau were escorting the staff of the farm to the farm when it was invaded by the armed bandits.
“Amo Yisau too was caught by rounds of bullets but he survived and is receiving treatment at the General Hospital Owode Oyo
The deceased  has since been buried according to Islamic rites.
Reps Consider Maritime Security Trust Fund Bill

Bill to establish maritime security trust fund passes second reading at House of Reps - Vanguard News
The House of Representatives  has commenced moves to  establish a security Trust Fund for the Maritime sector by passing the establishment bill for second reading.
The Bill for an Act to establish Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund and other matters related thereto (2020), according to the sponsor, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), the need for the trust fund became necessary considering the challenges the service faces in the course of keeping the nation’s waterways safe.
 Gagdi, while leading the debate on the general principles of the bill said the proposed law if passed and signed by Mr. President, would take care of issues such as training and retraining of naval personnel for optimum productivity, as well as funding for equipment and machineries that will aid the seamless protection of our waterways by the Nigerian Navy, thereby guaranteeing a robust economic development of the country.
The lawmaker, who chairs the House committee on Navy maintained that “since the mainstay of Nigerian economy (oil) is majorly sourced and moved through the waterways, while the largest chunk of our import and export of other goods are carried out through the seas, it was imperative that the Nigerian Navy is sufficiently equipped and routinely trained to curb the excesses of pirates, oil bunkerers and other illegal activities on our waterways that hamper our economic development”.
Members, who contributed to the debate noted the importance of the  ill, and the need to have a trust fund in place, urging the House to expedite action on its passage.
The bill was first read on 15th March, 2021 and seeks to exist for 8 years from the commencement date of the Act, (when finally passed by the National Assembly and assented to by Mr President), unless it is further extended by an Act of the  National Assembly.
Pregnant Widow Seeks Justice Over Murder Of Hubby 

A 31-year-old pregnant woman,Mrs Rose Etunmisen  cried out for justice over the death of her husband who was gruesomely murdered by hoodlums at Oke-eletu community in Ijede area of Lagos recently.
Dozens of suspected hoodlums allegedly invaded the office of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Chairmanship aspirant for Ijede LCDA last Friday  vandalised the office with many gun shots that killed the victim.
Rosemary, while narrating her ordeal said she received the information about her husband’s death via telephone at about 7pm from through her friend over the weekend.
The widow who spoke with NAN in her apartment at Oke-Eletu, Ijede area of Ikorodu, said she could not see her husband’s body as the assailants were said to have thrown it away after killing him.
“At about 7.30 in the evening, my landlady called me and broke the news of my death husband to me through a friend.
” After the conversation, people started persuading me to take heart and that was when it dawn on me that my husband is no more.
“I want justice to be done, I am pregnant and about to deliver, Nigerians and Lagos State Commissioner of Police should come to my rescue.
“The CP should not allow me to suffer this injustice because my husband has gone for ever,” she said.
She said the deceased,  Ifeanyi Etunmise from Delta State, was a driver before when the work stopped he became domestic staff due to financial crisis in the family before he was gruesomely murdered by suspected hoodlums.
She said that the hoodlums invaded the office of Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) chairmanship aspirant, Oluwatosin Onamade, located beside Western Cemetery, in Abule-Eko axis of Ijede in Ikorodu.
The hoodlums were reported to have also injured the aspirant’s younger brother, 38 years old Oluwafemi Onamade who is currently  under medical attention at an undisclosed hospital.
The widow appealed to well meaning Nigerians and the CP to bail her out of her predicament. She said,
“My husband was a driver who became a domestic staff to the Chairmanship aspirant due to financial constraint.
We slept together the previous day and he left in the morning, he returned at about 4pm to take his bath, cleaned up and told me he was going to the aspirant’s office and that is all, that is the last discussion we had together,”she said.
The chairmanship aspirant, alleged that the attack was sponsored by the Ijede LCDA chairman, Mr Fatiu Salisu.
He said his injured brother who was admitted at Ijede General hospital, after sustaining gunshot wounds had been transferred to another hospital after news filtered in that plans had been concluded to launch another attack on the medical facility particularly on him.
 He said, “the hoodlums attempted to kill me but in the process, they started shooting sporadically and Ifeanyi was killed by stray bullets.
My sibling was severally injured by the bullets and is currently in coma, the hoodlums carted away the sum.of N1.7m meant for a client.
” I am calling on the acting Inspector General of Police to come to my aid to unravel this mystery,” said the aspirant.
But,the council chairman, Mr Fatiu Salisu, in his reaction debunked the allegation saying, “the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ijede, invited me to his office that day to inform me about an incident that happened at Cemetery which involved loss of life.
“I told him I was not aware and he said my name was mentioned by the aspirant, before Indict me, he must show enough evidences to substantiate his claim. Infact, I will take a legal action on the matter,” he said.
 Spokesperson, Lagos State Police Command, Chief Supretendent of Police (CSP) Muyiwa Adejobi,confirmed the death of the 54- year old deceased.
Adejobi added:”We have a case reported to the Police in Ijede and the Commissioner of Police has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department(SCID) Panti for proper investigation.We cannot be judgemental at this stage, we need to widen the scope of our investigation to unravel the incident. We are on the case and we will get to the root of the matter”.
Pregnant Widow Seeks Justice Over Murder Of Hubby
A 31-year-old pregnant woman,Mrs Rose Etunmisen  cried out for justice over the death of her husband who was gruesomely murdered by hoodlums at Oke-eletu community in Ijede area of Lagos recently.
Dozens of suspected hoodlums allegedly invaded the office of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Chairmanship aspirant for Ijede LCDA last Friday  vandalised the office with many gun shots that killed the victim.
Rosemary, while narrating her ordeal said she received the information about her husband’s death via telephone at about 7pm from through her friend over the weekend.
The widow who spoke with NAN in her apartment at Oke-Eletu, Ijede area of Ikorodu, said she could not see her husband’s body as the assailants were said to have thrown it away after killing him.
“At about 7.30 in the evening, my landlady called me and broke the news of my death husband to me through a friend.
” After the conversation, people started persuading me to take heart and that was when it dawn on me that my husband is no more.
“I want justice to be done, I am pregnant and about to deliver, Nigerians and Lagos State Commissioner of Police should come to my rescue.
“The CP should not allow me to suffer this injustice because my husband has gone for ever,” she said.
She said the deceased,  Ifeanyi Etunmise from Delta State, was a driver before when the work stopped he became domestic staff due to financial crisis in the family before he was gruesomely murdered by suspected hoodlums.
She said that the hoodlums invaded the office of Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) chairmanship aspirant, Oluwatosin Onamade, located beside Western Cemetery, in Abule-Eko axis of Ijede in Ikorodu.
The hoodlums were reported to have also injured the aspirant’s younger brother, 38 years old Oluwafemi Onamade who is currently  under medical attention at an undisclosed hospital.
The widow appealed to well meaning Nigerians and the CP to bail her out of her predicament. She said,
“My husband was a driver who became a domestic staff to the Chairmanship aspirant due to financial constraint.
We slept together the previous day and he left in the morning, he returned at about 4pm to take his bath, cleaned up and told me he was going to the aspirant’s office and that is all, that is the last discussion we had together,”she said.
The chairmanship aspirant, alleged that the attack was sponsored by the Ijede LCDA chairman, Mr Fatiu Salisu.
He said his injured brother who was admitted at Ijede General hospital, after sustaining gunshot wounds had been transferred to another hospital after news filtered in that plans had been concluded to launch another attack on the medical facility particularly on him.
 He said, “the hoodlums attempted to kill me but in the process, they started shooting sporadically and Ifeanyi was killed by stray bullets.
My sibling was severally injured by the bullets and is currently in coma, the hoodlums carted away the sum.of N1.7m meant for a client.
” I am calling on the acting Inspector General of Police to come to my aid to unravel this mystery,” said the aspirant.
But,the council chairman, Mr Fatiu Salisu, in his reaction debunked the allegation saying, “the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ijede, invited me to his office that day to inform me about an incident that happened at Cemetery which involved loss of life.
“I told him I was not aware and he said my name was mentioned by the aspirant, before Indict me, he must show enough evidences to substantiate his claim. Infact, I will take a legal action on the matter,” he said.
 Spokesperson, Lagos State Police Command, Chief Supretendent of Police (CSP) Muyiwa Adejobi,confirmed the death of the 54- year old deceased.
Adejobi added:”We have a case reported to the Police in Ijede and the Commissioner of Police has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department(SCID) Panti for proper investigation.We cannot be judgemental at this stage, we need to widen the scope of our investigation to unravel the incident. We are on the case and we will get to the root of the matter”.
RAK Foundation Explains CBT Training For JAMB Candidates 

Top Secrets On How To Score High in JAMB CBT 2021 » Servantboy
 Real Acts of Kindness (RAK) Development Foundation, is organizing
Computer-Based Training (CBT) programme to select candidates for its free Jamb form in Badagry.
Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, the Pioneer, RAK Foundation,explained that the training programme will enable the Foundation to know the number of students eligible for the examination.
He said:”The one-week training programme will enable the students to get used to computer skills before sitting for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).The Foundation has established five centres with 48 computers in the three Local Government areas in Badagry where this training will commence.
“We are buying software for those computers in those centres and once we do that, all the students will have an opportunity to learn basic computing skills for a duration of one week.
“The foundation has gotten volunteer teachers who are ready to train the students on the use of computer.
“After the training for a week, we will organise a mock examination for all the candidates, so, when they do the mock examination and pass, this will qualify them for free jamb form and possible sponsorship.
“If at the end of the day, we have about 200 to 300 candidates that pass the examination, they will be given the free Jamb form, there is no limit to the numbers,” he said.
Ogunlende said that the purpose of the training programme was to prepare them for the UTME.
“They must be ready for the examination and the only to know this is when they go through the process.
“This is to ensure that we are spending our money in the right way and given the right people the opportunity.
“We are going to monitor the UTME and anyone that gets high marks could be eligible for some form of  scholarships from the foundation,” he said.
Ogunlende said that the foundation decided to do it in a different way this year.
He added:”Three years ago when we decided to provide free GCE forms for our students in Badagry, most of them failed the examination woefully.The following year, we organised coaching classes for them before the examination and alas, most of them passed with flying colors hence the stance to repeat the process
“One of them that performed excellently got a scholarship from me  and I am sponsoring his education now.This is the reason we are doing our own free Jamb form in a different way,” he said.
Nigeria’s Sugar Industry  Goldmine-FG

Mr. Zacch Adedeji – National Sugar Development Council
Mr. Zacch Adedeji, Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has said that the nation’s sugar sector is filled with prospects for more Nigerians.
Adedeji who stated this while on a familiarisation visit to sugar refineries in Lagos state,   noted that the sugar sector as currently structured has what it takes to provide direct and indirect jobs for millions of Nigerians both as skilled and unskilled workers.
He said: “The sugar sector is a goldmine that holds numerous potentials and opportunities for Nigeria and Nigerians.It is a sector that has provided direct and indirect jobs for thousands of our citizens across disciplines and professions.
“We are all concerned about the need to provide job opportunities for our people, especially our youths. Unemployment is a major contributor to the various social crises facing us today as a country. This is why the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is committed to revamping the sugar industry to enable it absorb our citizens and contribute meaningful to the economy and the country in general”.
Adedeji, who assured investors in the sector of government’s support, also charged them to redouble their efforts especially as it relates to the wholesome implementation of the backward integration programme for the sugar industry which is crucial to Nigeria’s quest to attain self-sufficiency in sugar production.
“The Federal Government is serious and  determined to realise its objectives as far as the sugar sector is concerned. We hope to be the largest exporter of sugar in Africa in the nearest future. To achieve this lofty goal, we must all roll up our sleeves and accord priority to our backward integration programme which is the bedrock of our mission as an agency of government”.
He said, “Only recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria said it would soon begin to restrict access to foreign exchange to producers of some commodities in the country, including sugar.
“This is clearly an indication that government cannot continue to expend its scarce forex on things that we have all it takes to produce locally. Let’s take this as a challenge and work towards ensuring that the BIP policy succeeds for the benefit of dear country”.
“It bears restating that we must be ready to take actions that will make Nigeria a net exporter of sugar, thereby saving scarce forex for other purposes.
Shippers’ Council, NIMASA Move Against  Excessive  Charges By Shipping Lines

Shippers Council Ends Arbitrary Charges By Shipping Lines, Terminal  Operators In Nigeria – Daily Trend
The Nigerian Shipper Council, NSC, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA,  have announced intent to stop  the sustained arbitrary charges by international shipping lines for vessels coming to the country.
Hassan Bello, the Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer, CEO,  disclosed this when paid a working visit to the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh.
He emphasized the need  to eliminate most of these surcharges that have continued to challenge Nigeria’s trade.
He said:”The surcharges are supposed to be temporal to deal with unusual situations but some have become permanent like the war risk charges which I am sure that the Director-General (Jamoh) will know that as soon as we solve the security problem the war risk charges will go.
“But even more important, we need our two organizations to work side by side to ensure that we know what these surcharges are because these surcharges are unilaterally and sometimes arbitrarily fixed without the knowledge, consent or even informing the people who pay these charges, especially the shippers in Nigeria and sometimes those of West Africa.
“You might recall the battle we had last year to stop the peak season surcharge which would have been a lot of money but when we all came together we were able to at least stop the general application for cargoes coming into the country, otherwise with the Covid-19 and those charges, we could have an inflationary trend that could affect our economy and that is not good,” he noted.
 In his remarks,Bashir Jamoh, the Director-General of NIMASA, Bashir Jamoh, said the number of attacks on visiting vessels has reduced drastically since the cancellation of the Secured Anchorage Area, SAA, by the government.
He said:“The Executive Secretary (Bello) made mention of the war risk insurance; we were recording about six attacks per week, making it an average of one attack per day.
“Since the cancellation of SAA to date, we have recorded only two attacks. So meaning that we are getting to the level where we can say in two or three months we recorded only one attack.We are working to collate the attacks for six months to be able to generate the number of attacks to challenge the international community why we should continue to pay war risk insurance in Nigeria.