At least 14 students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have been expelled for their roles in the crisis that trailed the Students’ Union Government elections.
A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Sulaimon Adebiyi on Wednesday said the authorities of the polytechnic also proscribed the SUG.
“The Management of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, has proscribed the Students’ Union of the Polytechnic and expelled 14 students for their roles in Tuesday’s crisis.
“This development becomes imperative following the disruption of the Students’ Union Election, held on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 on the campus.
“The disruption led to the cancellation of the election by the Students’ Union Electoral Committee, which was endorsed by the management.
“While assuring parents and students of peace on campus, the management, hereby affirms that the second semester examination will commence on September 24, 2012,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the PRO as saying in the statement.
Category: News Update
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MAPOLY expels 14 students
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CAN hails suspension of N5,000 note introduction
The Christian Association of Nigeria on Thursday commended the Federal Government for suspending the introduction of N5, 000 note denomination into the country’s economy, at least for now.
The Karu Area Chairman of CAN in Nasarawa, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Patrick, gave the commendation in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
“We don’t see any reason or the rationale behind the proposed introduction of a N5, 000 note denomination into the country’s crippling economy, “he said.
The clergy, however, said that there were no problems associated with the present denominations in circulation.
“We believe that this policy is not going to help the poor people and should be discarded,” he added.
Patrick, who is also the Parish Priest of St. John of The Cross Catholic Church, Mararaba, said that the highest denomination the country had was N1, 000 and wondered why the Central Bank of Nigeria was introducing a new N5, 000 bank note.
He, however ,said that the rich and the affluent might not worry about the N5,000 note denomination, because they carried huge sums of money, which meant they could now carry up to N5 million in their pockets with ease.
The clergyman also told NAN that the introduction of such a big denomination would lead to hyper-inflation, because, according to him, “it will automatically devalue our currency”. -
BA, Virgin guilty of unethical conduct – Senate panel
Senate Committee on Aviation on Wednesday said the Bristish Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic were guilty of unethical conduct in their operations in Nigeria.
Chairman Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma, stated this while presenting a report on the “Violation of aviation laws and practice by foreign airlines and lapses in the operations of regulatory agencies” to the Senate at plenary in Abuja.
Uzodinma told the Senate that BA and Virgin were not only liable but have shown no remorse for their wrongful treatment of Nigerian passengers.
He urged the Senate to proactively engage the Federal Government in view of its plans to float a new national flag carrier to support Arik Airline to commence international operations to help them offer the needed competition to foreign airlines.
He added that thousands of Nigerians who originated their flight from Nigeria on the two foreign airlines were “cheated through illegitimate fares.”
He said failure to refund fares illegally charged Nigerians is an indication that BA and Virgin have no regard for their teeming customers.
Uzodinma said: “Having reviewed all presentations and made further inquiry, the committee came to the following conclusions: That BA and Virgin, not only are guilty of unethical conduct despicable anywhere, but show no iota of remorse.
“That thousands of Nigerians who originated their flight from Nigeria on BA and Virgin were cheated through illegitimate fares.
“That the two foreign carriers have no regard for their teeming customers, otherwise they would not have considered them unfit for refund which they did not do to the United States and United Kingdom originating passengers.
“This issue is less a matter of law than a matter of corporate Social responsibility. Both BA and Virgin have very poor records in CSR in Nigeria.
“That the Passenger Fuel Surcharge was deceptive both in concept and implementation and is being used to deprive the nation of her statutory revenue running into hundreds of millions of U.S dollars from the non-payment of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC).
“It was also confirmed that all foreign airlines are involved in the Passenger Fuel Surcharge scam.
The Aviation Committee further noted that there is no anti- trust, anti-competition and passenger rights laws in the country and that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) does not have very strong provisions on economic regulation and consumer protection. -
‘INEC begins printing of 40 million permanent voters’ cards’
The Independent National Electoral Commission said on Wednesday it has commenced the printing of 40 million permanent voters’ cards.
The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made this known in Abuja, when he met participants at the International training seminar on national security organised by the Defence Intelligence School, Abuja.
He said the cards were part of the 70.5 million cards being planned by the commission, adding that the balance of 30.5 million cards would be ready by 2013.
He said INEC had been working round the clock to ensure the success of the project.
“We have gone very far, we are producing the first batch which is about 40 million of the 73.5 million voters who have been registered,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Prof. Jega as saying at the seminar.
INEC chairman said that by the end of 2013, every registered voter in the country, would have been provided with permanent voter’s card to enable them vote in the 2015 general elections.
The permanent cards contained security features such as barcode, hologram, micro text, fingerprints, contactless/embedded chip with printed voter details and photograph.
The Commandant of the school, Wing.Cdr. Idris Hassan, said the visit was to “avail the 30 participants with the understanding, working and the concepts of national security from the INEC perspectives.”
Hassan said the school was responsible for the provision of strategic intelligence and specific training to members of the armed forces and other relevant agencies in the country.
This effort, he added, was being done in collaboration with France, Germany, America and Israel. -
Mark: Nigeria facing greatest challenge to its existence
Senate President, Senator Mark, on Wednesday declared that the country is facing the greatest challenge to its corporate existence since the 30 months civil war.
Mark said that he is convinced beyond doubt that the country requires immediate healing to save it from strife and anomie.
This is contained in the speech he read to mark the resumption of the Senate from recess on Tuesday after about two months.
The Senate President lamented that the activities of the Boko Haram sect were at its peak when Senators dispersed for their recess to various parts of the country.
He added that as a result of heightened insecurity, it was with heated breath and anxiety that he watched Senators disperse in late July for recess.
He noted that a new evil has combined with old and familiar perils to present the country with perhaps the greatest challenge to its corporate existence since the civil war.
He said, “We return from our recess to meet a nation sorely in need of healing, a nation previously free from strife and anomie, but now convulsing from a genre of violence that we all thought was alien to our shores.
“A new but formidable evil has now combined with old and familiar perils to present our nation with perhaps the greatest challenge to its corporate existence since the civil war.
“In the course of interactions and consultations with your constituents during the recess, you would have noticed the fear and anxiety in their eyes. You would have also noticed that almost everyone expects the Senate, nay the National Assembly, to lead the campaign for a solution and for national rebirth.
”That expectation is not misplaced. Legislators are the gatekeepers to the realm of the public good. We are the vanguards of democratic norms and we carry the aspirations, hopes, and expectations of the people, and even their fears.”
Mark said that the legislative tradition of recess sharpens the synergy between the legislator and his constituents, because it affords the lawmaker an opportunity to feel the pulse of the people – and by extension that of the nation.
He urged Senators to prepare to take on the unprecedented challenges facing the country, saying “the times call for sacrifice and statesmanship, and for everyone to rise above narrow and parochial interests.” -
How to stop members’ exodus – PDP
Apparently worried by the mass exodus of members from the Peoples Democratic Party to opposition parties, the leadership of the party has resolved to reconcile the various factions thrown up by conflict of interests among its members nationwide.
The National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, stated this on Wednesday while receiving the report of the peace committee that reconciled factions in the Benue chapter of the party.
Tukur stated that the party cannot win elections when members are split into factions across the nation, adding that the party would ensure that all factions are reconciled before the next circle of elections.
He acknowledged the fact that there will always be problems arising from disagreements and conflict of interests, but stressed that the leadership at all levels must be prepared to listen to the grievances of aggrieved members with the view to settling them before they get out of hand.
“We will continue to reconcile warring factions within the party nationwide because we need to be united before we can win elections and deliver the goods to the electorate.
“There will be problems but we need to listen to the grievances of aggrieved members for us to build a strong party. We need to be united to build a strong government and to build a strong nation,” Tukur added.
Earlier, chairman of the peace committee, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, regretted that there were five failed attempts to conduct party congresses in some local governments in Benue State in the past, as a result of disagreements.
He attributed the cause of disagreements in the state chapter to attempts by certain local leaders to exclude perceived enemies from the party.
According to him, but for the timely intervention of his committee in the Benue crisis, there would have been massive exodus of members in the last few days and urged party leaders to allow interested persons to join the party without restrictions.
Other members of the peace committee are Chief Don Etiebet, Alhaji Dauda Birma, Mrs. Bola Doherty, Senator Jonathan Zwingina and Dr. Mohammed Shata. -
Keshi lists Mikel for AFCON tie
Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has included Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi for next month’s AFCON tie with Liberia, MTNFootball.com reports.
Mikel opted out of the first leg in Monrovia, which finished 2-2, when it was first learnt that the game will be played on an astro turf.
Keshi’s programme was on Tuesday handed to the Nigeria Football Federation’s technical department, according to top officials of the glass house.
“The coach has plans to name a killer squad that would include Chelsea stars John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses,” a top official told MTNFootball.com.
Several top officials who accompanied the Eagles to Monrovia earlier this month clamoured for the recall of Mikel after the team’s midfield collapsed against a rampant home team.
Mikel has yet to play under Keshi, who took charge of the Eagles in November.
However, West Bromwich Albion striker, Osaze Odemwingie will have to wait a little longer before he returns to the Eagles fold, another top official told MTNFootball.com
“For Osaze, he would just be returning from his three-match ban and the coach feels he has not seen enough of him so I don’t think he would be making the Liberia game,” the official revealed.
MTNFootball.com also gathered that the Eagles coach is expected to name his squad for the AFCON return leg next week with the camp opening for home-based players in the first week of next month.
The match will be played on October 13 in Calabar. -
GM Korea labour talks break down, workers approve strike
General Motors‘ South Korean workers on Wednesday voted to go on strike over salaries and production volume, signaling tough annual wage talks for automakers already grappling with falling earnings due to the stronger won.
Strikes are an almost annual event in South Korea’s $173 billion auto industry, but this year’s unrest could be more prolonged than usual as workers are calling for the revamping of a 60-year-old wage scheme among other demands.
Ulugbekhon Maksumov a supply chain manger to the General Motors while being asked by the CNN said 69% of GM Korea’s 14,016 workers voted to down tools and walk out for a fourth consecutive year unless they reach a deal.
A union spokesman was not immediately available for comment as representatives were engaged in another round of negotiations with GM Korea management.
While speaking further, he said the vote did not mean that there will be an actual strike and said it was one of the union’s “ordinary actions” during annual negotiations.
“Both sides remain committed to reaching a fair and reasonable labor agreement based on mutual trust and understanding,” Ulugbekhon Maksumov said.
Unions are demanding changes to the wage scheme, which has been in place since 1953, because the country’s supreme court ruled late last year that fixed bonuses should be counted as base wages.
Workers want their new contract to comply with the ruling because it would increase various statutory benefits, such as overtime allowances and severance pay, which are adjusted in proportion to base wages.
GM Korea workers are also calling for management to boost production after the U.S. automaker announced plans to stop selling Chevrolet-branded cars in Europe by the end of 2015.
GM Korea CEO Sergio Rocha on Monday warned employees that a strike could jeopardize production and job security, and urged them to “stop this vicious cycle before it is too late.”
GM Korea and other rivals like Hyundai Motor Co are wrangling with their individual unions over whether to overhaul the current wage system, which management says could lead to higher labor costs.
Workers at Renault SA’s South Korean unit last week voted in favor of a strike, although talks continue, while ongoing wage negotiations at Hyundai are expected to drag into next month.
Hyundai is expected to report lackluster second-quarter earnings later this month as the South Korean won posted its biggest annual percentage gain in nearly three years versus the dollar, eroding its overseas earnings converted into the South Korean currency.
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TUC rejects Fed Govt’s circular on minimum wage implementation
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has accused the Federal Government of betrayal of trust over the implementation of the new national minimum wage.
In a statement by its President, Quadri Olaleye and Secretary-General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, the congress said it was rejecting the recent circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission on the implementation of the new minimum wage.
It claimed that the government was trying to use backyard tactics to avoid labour action.
TUC warned that it would not accept anything that negates the reason for setting up the minimum wage committee.
The statement reads: “We have read with concern the circular released by Chief R. O. Egbule, the Executive Chairman of the National Minimum Wage Committee, set up by the Federal Government to work out the consequential adjustment arising from the wage increase.
“Let it be known that this circular is unacceptable to us because it contradicts the raison d’etre for setting up the committee. We consider this as a smart move on the part of government to discourage labour action. The TUC is not fooled.
“The congress views this latest move as a betrayal of the trust reposed on the Federal Government. We wonder why anything that has labour undertone becomes the issue of rejection by government.
“By this circular, the government is testing the patience of the workers, and we assure them that they either go to the negotiating table to complete the assignment or risk the wrath of the workers.
“It will be recalled that recently the newly inaugurated green and red chambers of the National Assembly were showered with billions of naira at a time government is playing games with the minimum wage. The organised labour should not be blamed for any consequential action arising from non-implementation of the minimum wage. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”