All Posts in "Day: October 2, 2023"

Subsidy: Labour Halts Indefinite Strike

Mohammed Shosanya

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have jointly suspend the indefinite strike billed for October 3, 2023 following the removal of fuel subsidy. .

The Nigeria Labour Congress had directed its affiliate member Unions across the country to mobilise and shut down the country following the refusal of government to adhere to the seven points demand made by the NLC and the TUC to ameliorate the suffering of the teeming Nigerian Workers and the impoverished masses of the country.

The President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Comrade (Prince) Dr. Adewale Adeyanju, in the same vein ordered that all the nation’s Seaports, jetties,oil and gas platforms and terminals be shut down accordingly for operations.

After the outcome of emergency meeting summoned on October 2, 2023, between the federal government and labour leaders was held, the NLC and TUC had jointly agreed to suspend the strike to allow for implementation of the NLC demands. Consequently, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NLC had directed that all its affiliate members should direct their members to return to work tomorrow, October 3, 2023 as the planned indefinite strike has been suspended.

Comrade Adeyanju, the Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress had also directed that all members of the Maritime sector should resume work tomorrow as instructed by the Nigeria Labour Congress.

admin by — October 2, 2023 in News 0
CISLAC Trains Journalists On Anti-Graft Reporting In Defence Sector

Mohammed Shosanya

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC),has trained journalists on effective reporting in the defence and security sector.

Senior Programme Person, Peace and Security CISLAC, Bertha Ogbimi during a one-day Media Dialogue on “Effective Oversight and Defence Anti Corruption Reportage” in Abuja, noted that the workshop is aimed at empowering journalists to effectively oversight the defence sector by asking the right questions to inform the public.

She explained that the workshop was also to know how to seek accountability and transparency in the sector where they fell short of best practices.

Ogbimi maintained that specialization would enable journalists to focus on specific aspects of the security sector, thereby enhancing their ability to uncover crucial information and hold relevant authorities accountable.

According to her, “Nigeria is bedevilled by multi dimensional security challenges and because of these, a lot of allocations have been launched into the defence and security sector.

”One would expect that normally, with the amount of monies being channelled to the defence and security sector, the issues pertaining to insecurity would have been addressed.

“However, unfortunately, we see an upsurge in these challenges. As a matter of fact, a particular area called conflict entrepreneurship is booming.

“So you begin to wonder, why are we getting a counter reaction when we are putting in so much money.

“Sometimes you get to talk with security personnel, and they tell you that they do not have what it takes to challenge armed opposition groups.”

She added that although a lot of money was allocated in the defence and security budgets and allocations but the welfare of security personnel has remained a challenge.

“So some questions need to be asked, because the money is our taxpayers money and so we need some answers.We are not saying that the security operations and procurements and the finances of security institutions should be made completely bare

“We recognize the fact that there is such a thing as natural security, we are all patriotic citizens, we cannot bare our military in the public.What are those information that are not detrimental to national security that could be made available for citizens to truly understand where their taxpayers monies are going?

Ogbimi said that given the fact that the insecurity kept increasing rather than reducing, it behoves of journalists to get answers to the critical questions.

She said this would help stakeholders in the defence and security sector play their roles and carry out their mandate effectively because the know they are being watched.

She said that this would help the security of Nigeria to fall in place.

admin by — October 2, 2023 in Media 0
SSANU Loses 100 Members To Unpaid Salary

Mohammed Shosanya

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has lamented the death of over 100 of its members as a result of the non payment of their four months salaries during the 2022 strike embarked by the four University based unions.

SSANU has also criticized the new Ministers for not hitting the ground running as directed by President Bola Tinubu, alleging that while the Ministers of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and Works, Nyesom Wike and Dave Umahi respectively have obeyed the directive, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong and his counterpart in Education, Tahir Mamman have not done anything meaningful.

In his remarks at the 45th National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, held at University of Maiduguri, Borno State, the national President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, regretted that the union was yet to get any circular concerning the recent approval of 25 percent and 35 percent salary review for workers in higher institutions in the country.

SSANU further frowned at the federal government delay in concluding the 2009 renegotiation agreement and advised the government to conclude it without further delays.

He said: “We lost over 100 members as a result of the government inability to pay our members their four months salary. Some of them could not meet up with their medical needs. We will not forfeit our salaries because it is our right and the money has been budgeted for.

“The refusal to pay the withheld salary is anti labour, inhuman because if it’s claimed that we went on strike, our strike was legal and it followed all due processes and protocols. We did not wake up to go on strike, we wrote and we were discussing and it was because we got stampeded and government withdrew from our discussions and we were pushed to the wall and the labour laws also gives us the right to withdraw our services, this was exactly what we did. We didn’t break anybody’s head, we didn’t violate any law. Our money has to be released for peace to reign.

“We are aware that the President of this country Bola Ahmed Tinubu, did instruct his Ministers to hit the ground running and we have seen one or two, positively or negatively they have hit the ground running. Even the greatest of Wike’s critics cannot say he has not hit the ground running.

“Even the greatest of the critics of Umahi cannot say that he has not hit the ground running but our Ministers of Education and Labour, they have hit the bed sleeping because the only way members of SSANU will understand that they have hit the ground running is to release our withheld salaries and also fastrack the release of this reviewed salaries.

“Hitting the ground running is not only semantics but it is actionable. We have written to congratulate both the Ministers of Education and the Ministers of Labour. If truly they want to hit the ground running, we expected by now they should have met the university based unions but we realize that there is a new style of governance of only meeting with people whom they are afraid of.

“We are not also reluctant or are we afraid of making the troubles but our strategy in SSANU is different and because we are people who think before we act and that is why we only raise our voices when the kneels of the antagonists is on our neck.”

The association in its communique said, “NEC in session for the umpteenth time condemns the action of government on the withheld four months salary arrears during the last nationwide strike embarked upon by it’s members, viewing it as insensitive and inconsiderate.

“It was obvious that SSANU complied with all legal provisions including giving adequate notices to the appropriate authorities but were forced to embark on that strike due to Government’s failure to honour her part of the agreement.

“SSANU therefore earnestly requests Government to pay the withheld salaries without any further delay considering the harsh economic realities currently faced by citizens in the country as Government is aware, the value for the money has already been eroded by hyperinflation.”

admin by — October 2, 2023 in Labour/Human Resources 0
Makinde Is Nigeria’s Most Loved Governor

Mohammed Shosanya

The Nigeria Social Media Week Group (NSG), has named Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde as Nigeria’s Most loved and admired state governor .

The group disclosed this in a survey report which was released at the end of the Nigeria Social Media Week, Q4, 2023 on Monday, October 2, 2023 .

It focused on the general perception of Nigerians towards State governors and other political leaders in the last four years.

According to a statement by NSG Team Lead for 2023, Dr. Kenneth Ogbonna, Oyo State Governor, Makinde emerged top on the list as “Most Loved’ and “Most Admired” State Governor by study respondents drawn mainly from among youth enquiry clusters across the six geo-political zones of the country.

The report indicated that respondents chose Governor Makinde from the final shortlist of State governors rated on the basis of performance, legacy achievements, accessibility, affability and acceptance in home state as well as national recognition and profile.

NSG commended Governor Makinde for his landmark achievements in critical sectors including education and youth development, agriculture and agro-business, healthcare, road infrastructure, urban and rural development, aviation, culture and tourism among others.

The group which was in Ibadan, Oyo State capital as part of its activities for the Nigeria Social Media Week Q4 2023, particularly commended Governor Makinde for the recently commissioned 34.85 Oyo-Iseyin Road, the newly constructed Iseyin Campus of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, the ongoing construction of the 76.67 km Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road among others.

It explained that the Nigeria Social Media Week Group is an independent social media-based governance and leadership evaluation body focused on peer review and comparative study of leadership performance in Nigeria.

admin by — October 2, 2023 in News 0
NDIC Begins Payment of N16.18bn Liquidation Dividends To Depositors Of Failed Banks

Mohammed Shosanya

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has announced declaration of N16.18 billion liquidation dividends to depositors, creditors and shareholders of 20 banks in-liquidation.

A statement signed by Bashir Nuhu, Director, Communication and Public Affairs,saud the Corporation has commenced verification and payment of stakeholders covered by the declarations within 30 days, starting from 28th September 2023.

The ongoing payment follows earlier payment of various sums which cumulatively amounted to N45.45bn as liquidation dividends in respect of the 20 banks as at July 2023.

The agency implored relevant stakeholders to visit any of the NDIC’s offices closer to them or go to the claims page on the Corporation’s website, www.ndic.gov.ng to download, complete and submit the verification form with prescribed supporting documents to the dedicated email for the purpose: claimscomplaints@ndic.gov.ng.

The closed banks covered by the exercise are Liberty Bank, City Express Bank, Assurance Bank, Century Bank, Allied Bank, Financial Merchant Bank, Icon Merchant Bank, Progress Bank, Merchant Bank of Africa (MBA), Premier Commercial Bank, North South Bank and Prime Merchant Bank. Others are Commercial Trust Bank, Cooperative and Commerce Bank, Rims Merchant Bank, Pan African Bank, Fortune Bank, All States Trust Bank, Nigeria Merchant Bank and Amicable Bank in-liquidation.

admin by — October 2, 2023 in Business 0