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[PRESS STATEMENT] Shelve strike, key into Tinubu's mass housing scheme, Okechukwu appeals to NLC/TUC
AdminMr Osita Okechukwu, a member of All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), to shelve their proposed strike and key into the Mass Housing Scheme of the Federal Government, and jointly structure long term finance and soft mortgage rates for affordable owner occupier houses for government and private workers nationwide.
Okechukwu also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of urgent national importance, utilise the monies he could have used for increase in salary to fund the new soft mortgage system; hence advancement of the long term finance of Mass Housing Scheme he launched recently with Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
“It is my considered view that arbitrary salary increase would definitely worsen the already spiked inflationary malaise in our dear country. Therefore, the provision of targeted one million owner occupier houses of long term finance and soft mortgage rates structured seamlessly is a Win-Win-Card for all Nigerians. It will be President Tinubu’s foremost legacy.” Okechukwu quipped.
He warned against a repeat of the mistakes of the Jerome Udoji Salary Commission of 1972, popularly called "Udoji award" which unwittingly railroaded Nigeria into dollarised economy.
Okechukwu argued that any arbitrary salary increase now, would spike unbearable inflation and eventually defeat the objectives of salary increase.
He noted that after careful scrutiny of the MOU between the Federal Government and Labour Unions, he couldn’t locate any mention of shelter among the fifteen items; shelter one of 1943 Abraham Maslow’s paper on hierarchy of deficiency needs which actualisation is Rent-Safety-Net for millions of our citizenry.
The former Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) lamented that since some state governments and private firms have been unable to pay the N30,000 minimum wage engraved in law books; what is the guarantee that they have the capacity to pay the new salary increase?
Accordingly, he proposed that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Ministry of Labour, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Nigeria Employees Consultative Association and other relevant agencies should work out long term finance and new soft mortgage rates for affordable owner occupier houses which will draw funds from the savings accruals of the withdrawal of fuel subsidy, plus contributions from banks as stipulated in the National Fund Act and foreign direct investment.
He highlighted the multifaceted Win-Win-Card gains in view of the long term finance and soft mortgage rates of affordable owner occupier houses; among which are attraction of foreign investors, Rent-Safety-Net, unprecedented mass employment, lifting of millions out of poverty, change of work ethics,climate change and curbing insecurity via the immediate transformation of the whole country into busy construction site.
“My take is that immediately the cumbersome nature of accessing mortgage finance is watered down and cheap mortgage rates in place; it will be a new dawn for family’s comfort as the over 20 million housing deficit will be drastically reduced to single digit.” Okechukwu submitted.
Okechukwu once more appealed to NLC and TUC to consider this soft mortgage rates of affordable owner occupier houses and shelve the impending strike for the collective interest of workers nationwide and for peace and unity of our dear country.
Implementing code of ethics and conduct in Civil Service is crucial to providing guidelines for both workers and elected officials, while its effectiveness lies in complementing such with training and leadership abilities of different categories of officers for effective service delivery.
The Chairman, Civil Service Commission, Engr. Tokunbo Odebunmi, stated this during a symposium organised by the Commission for its management staff with the theme, ‘’Strict Adherence to the Rules and Regulations in Treating Issues in Civil Service’’, at the Conference Hall, Obas’ Complex, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Engr. Odebunmi, in a statement signed by Mrs. Funmi Onafowope, Press Officer, Civil Service Commission, explained that drifting from the concept and principles of the public service by civil servants as compared with the past, just as the real foundations in Civil Service should begin from Grade Levels 12 and 13 officers, who would cascade the training, necessitated the choice of topic and participants for the symposium, stressing that it was imperative to ensure that the workforce is improved upon, in order to enhance workers’ performance.
‘’The Commission agreed on a symposium where interactive sessions would take place and lead to a better understanding of the subject matter compared to regular in-house training by it in the past where lectures were only delivered to participants’’, he said.
While highlighting some ethical violations that could occur in the Civil Service of Ogun State to include, nepotism, corruption, conflict of interests and misuse of official resources, the Chairman urged participants to make the best out of the event.
Also speaking, the Special Guest of Honour, who doubled as the moderator of the symposium, Princess Iyabo Odulate, noted the rules and regulations guiding the Civil Service were written to be studied, observed and implemented by the Civil Servants, advising participants to be diligent and upright in the course of discharging their duties.
In his remarks, the Head of Service, Mr. Kolawole Fagbohun (HoS), represented by the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Mr. Jola Oyeneye, emphasised on the need for training the workers, disclosing that the HoS had secured several approvals that would facilitate capacity building for the workforce.
The interactive sessions had Permanent Secretaries from Bureau of State Pensions, Mr. Soji Adewuyi; Permanent Secretary and Accountant-General, Mr. Tunde Aregbesola and representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Olumuyiwa Ogunsanwo, who spoke on Public Service Rules (PSR), Financial Regulations, Procedures and Process in the Civil Service and Law, Discipline and Consequences in the Course of Discharging Duties, respectively.
Other dignitaries at the event were former Head of Service, Elder Olusola Adeyemi; Commissioners in the Commission, Hons. Adebowale Ojuri, Nike Osoba, Gabriel Falola and Yusuf Adegbemiro; Permanent Secretary in the Commission, Mrs. Roseline Jacobs, among others.
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday urged the Nigerian Army to shun actions that could truncate Nigeria’s democracy.
The president made this plea at the Diamond Jubilee of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna on Saturday, according to his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale.
“I urge you to continue to play your constitutional role of safeguarding the territorial integrity of Nigeria, our fatherland,” said Mr Tinubu.
Mr Tinubu added that the army “must shun any acts that are inimical to the well-being of our nation and acts which can destroy the gains of democracy which we have enjoyed in the last 20 years.”
While celebrating fallen heroes who lost their lives protecting the country’s territorial integrity, Mr Tinubu said, “The war against the enemies of Nigeria is not over.”
He charged the Nigerian Army to “upscale the fight against insecurity, which has robbed us of peace and progress.”
The president’s plea to the Nigerian Army to shun actions that are capable of truncating democracy comes as the continent witnessed a series of coup d’états.
In the past three years, several African countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Sudan, and most recently, Niger Republic and Gabon have been controlled by military juntas who cited corruption, insecurity and increased poverty as the bases for the takeover from democratic governments.
From 1966 to 1993, Nigeria experienced several coups, excused by military regimes on widespread corruption, electoral fraud and violence, poverty, and insecurity. The country returned to democracy in 1999.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, increased the Customs duties exchange rate for the third time in 2024.
Import duties have been reviewed upward to N1,417.63 per US dollar from N1,413.62.
With the upward review, Nigerians will pay more to clear their goods at the port because import duties are benchmarked against the dollar.
This represents an increase of N4.015 and a percentage increase of 0.28 per cent, as the official exchange traded at N1,469.97 per US Dollar at the foreign market on Friday.
DAILY POST gathered that the current upward review of the exchange rate for calculating customs import duty is the third in one week and the third in 2024.
It is also the seventh time the apex bank has adjusted the exchange in eight months since President Tinubu’s administration commenced the floating naira policy, a reform to stabilise the forex market.
Recall that the Customs had on June 24, 2023, adjusted the exchange rate from N422.30/$ to N589/$, and on July 6, 2023, it was adjusted to N770.88/$, on November 14, 2023, it was adjusted to N783.174/$, in December it was adjusted to N951.941/$, on February 2 it was moved to N1, 356.883/$ and on February 3, it was raised to N1, 413.62/$ and now it has been raised to N1,417.635/$.
Experts warned that the continued hike in import duty portends a rise in the prices of imported goods and services in the country.
Bisiriyu Fanu, the former chairman of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents at Seme Border, said the hike in Customs duty through high FX rates will affect all goods in the market because every commodity in the market has imported input in them.
Earlier, the Director of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Muda Yusuf, lamented that increased import duty would further impoverish Nigerians.
South Africa coach, Hugo Broos has reacted to his team winning the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, third-place final against DR Congo on Saturday.
Broos watched as Bafana Bafana defeated Congo 6-5 via penalty shoot-out after the match ended in a 0-0 draw.
Speaking to reporters after clinching the third-place final in Abidjan, Broos heaped praises on his players, saying they showed great mentality.
He said, “I said after the Nigeria match that I was proud of this team, and I think today people can see why I say I am proud of this team.
“We were not fresh but when you see the mentality in that group, it is impressive.
“The boys did very well. They showed great mentality.”
Scotland has revealed its intentions to broaden the diversity of its international student body and increase the retention of foreign students post-graduation.
This was discussed during the country’s inaugural international education strategy held recently as the Scottish government outlined plans to launch a new “Talent attraction and migration service” later this year.
Nairametrics learns that this service aims to offer guidance and support for students considering remaining in Scotland after completing their studies to pursue employment in sectors experiencing growth.
Additionally, the country plans to leverage its nine international offices to promote transnational education through Scottish educational institutions and bolster the efforts advocating for Scottish universities and their research on a global scale.
The strategy also includes initiatives to foster stronger connections with Scotland’s diaspora and alumni networks.
Furthermore, a pilot project for a replacement scheme for Erasmus, potentially named the Scottish Education Exchange Programme, is scheduled for implementation.
The Scottish National Party also proposed plans for a five-year post-study work visa for international students.
Promoting international student recruitment
Scotland’s strategy focuses on attracting students, staff, and researchers from outside the UK to diversify the international student body and maximize their contributions to Scotland.
In the academic year of 2022-23, Scotland hosted 83,000 international students from 180 countries, constituting approximately one-quarter of the total student population. This cohort contributed £4.2 billion in economic benefits during that year.
The strategy underscores Scotland’s identity as an “outward-looking, inclusive nation” that values its international education capabilities and export potential.
This strategy is contrast to UK government’s recent decision to prohibit taught postgraduates from bringing family members, which came into effect last month.
What the stakeholders said
Launching the plan at Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland’s higher education minister, Graeme Dey, said,
- “The strategy sets out our collective aim to create the conditions for our universities and colleges to continue to flourish.
- “In the coming months and years, we will continue to work with Scotland’s universities and colleges to help them diversify their international student, research and staff population by enhancing our reputation as a world-leading safe and inclusive country, with open-minded social policies.
- “The administration hopes to maximize the social and economic benefits of international higher education and continue to promote Scotland’s world-leading research and knowledge exchange sector on the global stage”.
In a similar vein, Professor Andrea Nolan, Universities Scotland’s international committee convener and Edinburgh Napier’s vice-chancellor, said,
- ”The strategy gives us a platform, working together with government and other partners, to further develop these positive links to strengthen the sector’s contribution to the economy, society and culture. It also looks to deepen support for the full breadth of universities’ international role.
- “We’re already known internationally for the quality of our higher and further education, but what may be less well understood is the role our universities and colleges play as major contributors to inwards investment and the attraction of talented people who want to live and work here.
- “Working in partnership, we will build on all elements of our international work to grow our reach and impact.”
[Nairametrics]
Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Isiaq Oloyede, yesterday warned that students seeking admission into tertiary institutions across the country must ensure that letters of provisional admission handed over to them are the genuine ones issued by the board so as not to thwart the dream of furthering their education.
The warning came as the commissioner of police in Ogun State, Abiodun Alamutu and the Vice Chancellor, Abia State University (ABSU), Prof. Onyemachi Ogbulu, warned students of the institution, particularly those studying at its Ogun State affiliated institutions: Harvarde College in Abeokuta, to shun cultism, but approach their studies with total dedication to be profitable to their parents that invested so much on them.
They spoke during the 2023/2024 matriculation ceremony of Harvarde College yesterday in Obada-Oko, Ewekoro local government area of Ogun State.
Represented by the board’s coordinator in Ogun State, Akeem Abdul-Hammed, the JAMB registrar declared that any tertiary institution admission seeker that fails to follow due process would get into problem in the future.
Ogbulu declared that the institution would not renege in its war of expulsion and other penalties against students found to be contravening laid down standards.
Ogun CP, Alamutu, who lamented the menace of cultism and other related activities across the state, stressed that the trend had become a serious source of concern to security agencies.
President and founder of the institution, Dr. Adebayo Ouwatosin, charged the students to remain focused towards achieving excellent academic success which he said required diligence and perseverance.
[Leadership]
About 21 days before his death, the Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe in a post on X formerly known as Twitter, urged his followers to number their days.
The business mogul reportedly died in an ill-fated chopper that crashed in California, United States, a few days ago.
According to reports, Wigwe was on board a chopper with his family, including wife, son and three other passengers when the unfortunate incident occurred on Friday.
Shortly after the report of the incident on Saturday, netizens began digging out some of his previous posts on his official X handle.
In one of the posts, Wigwe urged his followers to always see life as a precious gift, urging them to ensure that every moment of their lives counted.
He wrote, “Today and always, let us remember that life is a precious gift – a chance to breathe, feel, love, experience and connect.
“Let’s honour this gift by living with purpose, kindness, and gratitude, making every moment count. Let us number our days”.
[DailyPost]
Federal employees across Nigeria have expressed their frustration over the delayed payment of their January salaries, criticizing the government’s handling of the situation amidst the country’s ongoing economic challenges.
The outcry comes as workers from various federal establishments, including educational institutions, media houses, and government agencies, face increasing financial strain.
A memo from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, had previously informed employees about the expected delay.
The document explained that the delay was due to efforts to finalize the 2024 Appropriation on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform, which resulted in the Personnel Warrant for January 2024 not being released on time.
This has affected Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) nationwide, with staff urged to remain patient while the issues are resolved.
The impact of the delay has been profound in states like Ekiti, where staff from institutions like the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), and Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, among others, have voiced their concerns.
Wole Balogun, an official at FUOYE, lamented the added hardship faced by people and criticized the bureaucratic bottlenecks causing the payment delays.
Similarly, Folashade Daramola from the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, highlighted the difficulties in fulfilling loan obligations and meeting daily transportation and feeding needs.
In addition to the salary delays, Owoeye Ilesanmi from the National Orientation Agency (NOA) pointed out the government’s failure to fully disburse the wage award promised to federal workers as compensation for the subsidy removal on petrol, which has led to a significant increase in living costs.
The situation has also led to distress among workers in Katsina State, where employees like an engineer from the Federal University, Dutsin Ma, and a non-academic staff member of the Federal Polytechnic, Daura, report severe disruptions to their work schedules and daily lives due to the financial crunch.
With the delay affecting employees’ ability to commute to work and exacerbating the financial pressure from rising food prices, the sentiment among federal workers is one of increasing desperation.
Many have taken to social media to voice their grievances, with one worker humorously referring to the extended wait for their salary as “January the 39th,” indicating the prolonged nature of the month without pay.
As federal workers navigate these challenging times, the delay in salary payments highlights broader issues of economic hardship and the need for timely and efficient administrative processes to support the workforce.
[NaijaNews]
Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board has commenced the first phase of its education and orientation programme for the 2024 intending pilgrims.
Daily Trust reports that the Director General of the board, Alhaji Laminu Danbappa, said that the training was designed to enlighten and educate intending pilgrims on what they are expected to do during the Hajj in the Holy land.
“The training is part of the programmes being organised by the board to keep intending pilgrims abreast of what they are expected to do or not to do during the Hajj,” Danbappa said on Saturday.
According to the Director General, Islamic scholars have already been mobilized for the exercise to prepare the intending pilgrims to achieve an acceptable Hajj.
He reminded the intending pilgrims to make payment on or before Monday February 12 deadline.
The Chairman committee of HajTrainers Malam Tijjani Sani Maihula explained that the exercise would be conducted in phases as usual to enable the intending pilgrims get enlightened on the hajj rites as well as new policies introduced for this year’s Hajj by the Saudi Authorities and National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
On his part Emir of Kano Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero urged the intending Pilgrims to utilize what they were taught and should be good ambassadors at Saudi Arabia.
[DailyTrust]
More...
A huge number of unconfirmed reports from the United States indicate that the CEO of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe might have died in a helicopter crash near the California-Nevada border.
According to reports, the helicopter crashed on Friday night close to a border city between Nevad, killing five other people on board when it was en route to Las Vegas.
Unverified sources stated that Herbert Wigwe’s wife, Chizoba was also invloved in the mishap.
As of Saturday morning, according to the New York Times, no survivors had been found, according to the officials.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) disclosed that a helicopter crashed Friday night near Nipton, California, with six people on board.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that no survivor has been found as of Saturday morning.
The FAA identified the aircraft as a Eurocopter EC 130.
“We were made aware of a downed aircraft at approximately 10:12 p.m., on February 10, 2024. The scene of the crash was determined to be east of the 15-Freeway, near Halloran Springs Road,” the sheriff’s department said.
Meanwhile, no agency or investigation has reported the cause of the crash.
In its renewed bid to support sports tourism in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, the Project Fly with Us Afrika has unveiled the Face of Africa Sports and Tourism Awards ASTA. This was done at Sofitel Hotel Ivoire, Cote Divoire.
Project Fly with Us Afrika began operation in 2022 with Destination Travels and Tours, recently it became more focused on Sports tourism, recognising and appreciating those who have carved a niche for themselves in the sporting world either as professionals, organisers or ardent supporters of sports and tourism in Africa.
According to the brain behind the Project Fly Afrika initiative, Ambassador Peace Onuiri, the ASTA awards currently taking place in Cote D'Ivoire is the first of its kind and slating to hold during the AFCON 23 football tournament.
He said, this is to show that the organisation is passionate about projecting the impact of sport tourism and rekindling the love of sports, whilst promoting sport and tourism destinations in Africa
Amb. Onuiri informed that during the ongoing Africa Cup of nations, the organisation had so far presented awards of Honours to the Nigeria Football Association, (NFF), President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau and Africa Football Legend, Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha for their indelible contributions to the growth and development of Soccer in Nigeria and Africa, noting that the recipients also won 2 tickets each for a luxurious tour of East Africa Safari, coming up in few weeks.
Amb. Onuiri further revealed that logistics arrangements were also made for those flying to Cote D'Ivoire to cheer the Nigerian Super Eagles to victory in form of round trip flights, luxurious accommodations, guranteed tickets for up-close match experience, as well as guided tours to immerse guest in the whole local atmosphere of the city.
She noted that it was not just about the match experience but a celebration of culture, camaraderie laced with unforgettable moments to be cherished for long afterwards.
Amb. Onuiri implored well meaning individuals and corporate bodies to key into the initiative by supporting in any possible way, saying it would not only promote the industry but also go a long way in promoting Nigeria as the 'Giant of Africa' where sporting and tourism activities are concerned.
L-R: Boluwaji Matthews of Oyo State Broadcasting Corporation, Ayo Ibidapo of the NFF media, Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha, former Super Eagles Striker, Ambassador Peace Onuiri of the Project Fly with Us Afrika and other members of her Media team during the Presentation of the Face of Africa Sports and Tourism Awards ASTA to Okocha at the ongoing 2024 African Cup of Nations in Cote D'Ivoire.
[PRESS STATEMENT] Ekiti APC To President Tinubu: Thank You for Your Presidential, Leadership and Fatherly Role - Segun Dipe
AdminPresident Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been showered with praises by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State, regarding the proactive role he played during the search and rescue of the kidnapped school children in the state recently.
In a release issued by the party spokesperson, Segun Dipe, on behalf of the State Chairman, Barrister Paul Ayodele Omotoso, APC described Tinubu as a "constant and consistent President who does not just revel in being regarded as a president, but has soaked himself in the challenges and responsibilities of being one, even in times of serious crises."
"We are thanking Mr. President from the bottom of our heart for playing the role of a true father when it mattered most to our dear state, as noted by the governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, BAO."
Earlier, Governor Oyebanji was full of appreciation to the President for his unwavering support that led to the timely release of the kidnapped pupils of Apostolic Faith Nursery and Primary School, Eporo, Ekiti.
According to the governor, President Tinubu gave specific directives that put the search and rescue mission on top gear and indeed, the president did not rest until the pupils were found, rescued and brought back alive.
"To be the president of Nigeria, the leader of our great party and the father to all Nigerian children at this crucial time when the nation is battling insecurity is a gift from God that we will not take lightly."
"We have come to identify in our president some strong qualities, such as empathy, courage, strategic thinking, problem solving, and decisiveness. He has showed the entire world that he is prepared to make decisions, particularly when under pressure.
"We are grateful, we are delighted, we do not regret your choice as our president and we will continue to bask under your love, guidance and protection as our true leader," APC assured.
The party also seized the opportunity to thank those who actively involved themselves in the search and rescue for the haplessly kidnapped school children, and most importantly, God for dousing the tensed situation.
Regarding our hard-working people's governor, we say: "BAO maa ba ise re lo, ise re nte wa lorun..."
Signed:
Segun Dipe
Publicity Secretary,
All Progressives Congress, APC,
Ekiti State.
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, on Friday, signed into law the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission Bill 2024.
The governor, who performed the signing ceremony at the Conference Room of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, said the signing was to give the state opportunity to develop its own roadmap to sustainable electricity.
The governor stated that with the decentralisation of electricity generation, transmission and distribution, it has become obvious that Nigerians can access dividends of democracy if federalism is practised as it should be and more powers are devolved to the states.
Makinde said: “As promised earlier in the week, we are signing the Oyo State Electricity Regulatory Commission Bill 2024 into law today. This law will enable Oyo State generate, transmit and distribute electricity within the State.
“Amendments of the constitution like these is what we mean when we advocate for fiscal federalism.
“In years to come as we work towards energy sufficiency, our people can hold state governments accountable on the issue of electricity supply.”
Presenting the bill, the deputy Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Mohammed Fadeyi, said this is the first time that the state would come up with an independent electricity project.
Present at the signing of the bill were members of the executive, legislature and judiciary.