The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chris Oji

  • ‘Our Governor is most labour friendly in Nigeria’

    ‘Our Governor is most labour friendly in Nigeria’

    Workers of Enugu State, on Monday, conferred on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi the “Most Labour-friendly Governor Award in the history of Enugu State” in recognition of his administration’s development strides and commitment to their welfare, despite the severe economic crisis in the country.

    The state workers, who were visibly joyful, noted that the award was also in appreciation of the governor’s sustained harmonious industrial relationship with the state workforce, such as regular payment of salaries, pensions and other allowances on or before every 25th of the month, when many other states could not do so.

    The ceremony, which climax was a match past by all the unions under the various ministries, parastatals, agencies, among others, witnessed for the first time, the pensioners of the state participating in the exercise in a joyful mood.

    In his welcome address, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Virginus Nwobodo, commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for his administration’s feats in the prudent and transparent management of the Paris Club refund, especially the use of 100 % of the Local Governments’ share of the fund to offset the arrears of LG workers’ salaries and some pensions arrears owed pensioners in the 17 councils of the state.

    Comrade Nwobodo, also added that the governor as a labour-friendly governor, has made the workers proud through “the promotion of teachers and recruitment of over 1300 primary school teachers as well as elongation of the terminal grade of qualified primary school teachers to level 16; absorption of 54% of total cost of the 100 housing units at Elim Estate allocated to workers within the junior and intermediate grades; implementation of 2006 approved scheme of service for local government employees in the state through the release of senior staff promotions with qualified workers progressing to grade 16 in all the departments; successful conduct of Biometric exercise at the state, among others.

    While listing some demands, the labour leader, assured the governor of their support and cooperation and called on the workers to sustain their current efforts towards service delivery for the benefit of the state.

    The state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe also applauded the governor for “the transparent disbursement of the N4.2 billion bailout fund for arrears of salaries and pensions of the state public servants” and “the ongoing massive infrastructural development in parts of Enugu metropolis and across the 17 local government areas of the state” in line with the vision to open up more rural areas for socio-economic expansion.

    He also appreciated the governor for always identifying with the workers, saying that “Governor Ugwuanyi is the only governor who has attended the May Day celebration consecutively since the inception of his administration.”

    In his response, Gov. Ugwuanyi who was delighted to see the pensioners participating in the match past with smiling faces thanked the state chapter of the NLC for the honour bestowed on him barely a year the national body of the congress did same.

    Describing Enugu State workers as “committed allies in the struggle to make the State a better place for all citizens”, Gov. Ugwuanyi noted that “while others are lamenting the harsh effects of the recession, we are forging ahead in all areas of development and strengthening the bonds that tie us together. Even our pensioners are not left out in the celebration of this new dawn as they now receive their pensions regularly.

    “We know of course, that these achievements are the result of our collective efforts as people of one family. You have indeed been there for us from the very first day. You have shown us understanding and patience and have freely given us your cooperation as we sought to navigate our way through the very difficult economic and social conditions that we met.

    “I have nonetheless, taken due note of all the areas of concern that you have dutifully outlined and I want to assure you that, despite the daunting economic challenges currently facing us, the God that fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, will also make it possible for us to address and resolve these issues satisfactorily and comprehensively”, the governor stated

  • ‘Why I left PDP for APC’

    ‘Why I left PDP for APC’

    The managing director and chief executive officer of Peace Mass Transit Limited, Chief Maduka Onyishi said he left Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for All Progressives Congress (APC) because of the former’s impunity and undemocratic tendencies.
    Onyishi who formally registered in APC at the just concluded registration exercise said he frowned at the situation where one person in the state would single-handedly dictate who to contest election or not.
    The transport magnet spoke to reporters in Enugu yesterday on his defection from PDP to APC.
    According to him, it was only the APC that can afford him the opportunity to serve the society because of its democratic and transparency antecedents.
    Onyishi said he was in politics to render service to the society and not to contest positions whether elective or appointive.
    “I have watched and studied the APC and found out that there is nothing like impunity or imposition of candidates. APC is the party where you queue up and cast your vote for your preferred candidate,” the transport magnet explained.
    He praised the Muhammadu Buhari led APC Federal government for its forthright and focused direction it is giving the country.
    He admonished Nigerians to give their total support to Buhari whom he posited, has the interest of the common Nigerian at heart.
    He said: “I have the convincing belief that Buhari will actually re-engineer this country for good. My admiration for him dates back to 1984 when he introduced the War Against Indiscipline (WAI). Buhari’s war against indiscipline then made me to be self-disciplined up till today.
    ‎”Today he has waged war against corruption. He is the only Nigerian leader who has the courage to confront corrupt politicians. Corruption is what is holding down Nigeria today. And President Muhammadu Buhari, I believe is equal to the task.”
    Onyishi was also of the view that before 2019, the APC would be the predominant party in the South East with the influx of array of political bigwigs from the zone that are joining it.
    “PDP is gone in this zone. The party shot itself down by the way it practices strange democracy where imposition takes the place of election. If you challenge the master’s voice, then you are done for,” he stressed.
  • Assemblies of God Church disowns 2000 pensioner pastors

    Assemblies of God Church disowns 2000 pensioner pastors

    • Says no pension scheme for pastors of the church
    The Assemblies of God Church, Nigeria has described as mischievous, media reports linking some of its leaders to alleged missing pension fund belonging to retired ministers of the Church.
    In a press statement issued in Enugu, the Church said the publication was rather a clever but criminal design by some elements to divert attention from some atrocities they committed while they held sway in the Church.
    The reaction followed reports that the Inspector General of Police invited the Church’s General Superintendent, Rev Dr Chidi Okoroafor, Rev Vincent Alaje and Tony Ewelike, over a petition by one Mr C. N. Idris, wherein the church leaders were allegedly accused by 2000 pastors of embezzling the pension fund.
    However, the Church’s General Secretary, Rev Dr Godwin Amaowoh, who signed the statement said the contents of the said petition as published in the media “are lies from the pit of hell, merely intended to distract the Church.”
    He said: “We had wanted to ignore this report but following the insistence of some of our members that these liars should be exposed to stop them from further deceiving the innocent public, we have now deemed it fit to make these clarifications.
    “May we make it bold that we do not have a pension scheme in the Assemblies of God Church as we never in the first instance employed any minister. Assemblies Of God only operates what we call Assemblies Of God Ministers Benefit Scheme”
    “Every minister with the Assemblies of God Church is on voluntary service. Therefore, we have no such thing as pension fund; rather we operate a welfare scheme for our ministers.
    “All the ministers involved signed contracts in that regard in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Church. We follow the provisions of that constitution strictly.
    “It is also apt to make it clear to the members of the public that we do not know about 2000 ministers; perhaps they are with the disfellowshiped Rev Paul Emeka.
    “Our constitution provides that those who are under discipline are not entitled to the welfare scheme, until after certain years depending on the level of discipline.
    “A minister who is dismissed is not entitled to welfare except only his own contribution to the welfare; but if the minister is suspended and he leaves the church, he will not be entitled to the welfare scheme. But if he remains in the church, till after the period required for restoration, he knows the normal processes to follow
    “It also needs to be stated that the body administering Assemblies Of God Ministers Benefit Scheme  is distinct from the General Council and is appropriately registered with the CAC.”
    While accusing Rev. Paul Emeka of bolting away with N17m from the Assemblies Of God Ministers benefit Scheme account, he explained that “the General Superintendent, Rev Dr Chidi Okoroafor and the General Treasurer, Rev. Dr. Vincent Alaje are not members of that body, however, as an officer of the Council, I am aware that Paul Emeka took a whooping N17m away from that account.”
    “Emeka is not qualified for the welfare scheme because he took a loan of N17m from AG-HOMES and instead of paying back the loan, he wrote a letter to AG-HOMES that they should take his entitlement for the loan. His entitlement was not even up to that amount.
    “When he held sway as the General Superintendent, he appointed Rev. Ejikeme Ejim, the current Assistant General Superintendent of the Church as the chairman of the welfare Board, however  when Rev Ejim discovered that Rev Paul Emeka was constantly taking money without given proper account, he voluntarily resigned as the Chairman of the Board.”
    He further stated that any minister in the Church who so desired to receive his package from the scheme, “should apply in accordance with the Constitution of the Church and will receive same if qualified.”
    The Church also denied media reports that the Inspector General Of Police invited some of its Officers on Tuesday 24th February 2017
    “It was a Crude and Dishonest effort by Rev Paul Emeka and his gang to embarrass the church and paint it black by conniving with some Junior Police Officers in an attempt to ruin the Church he claims he wants to be returned as the Leader”.
  • Balarabe calls for restructuring of Nigeria

    Balarabe calls for restructuring of Nigeria

    • bemoans marginalisation of the Igbo
    Former Kaduna state governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa has thrown his weight in support of the clamour for the restructuring of Nigeria with the six geo-political zones serving as the federating units.

    The former governor in a message he sent to the 18th Annual Convention of the Igbo Youths Movement (IYM) held in Enugu, Musa warned that the nation would remain in arrested development unless it is restructured to achieve true federalism.

    ‎The theme of the convention was titled “How To‎ Resolve the Crisis of Nigeria as a Nation”,
    The former governor ‘s message which was read by the president of IYM, Evang. Elliot Uko argued:“As presently constituted, the states are virtually all unviable entities which are incapable of continuing to exist as viable constituent ‎units of a true federal structure. Secondly, reverting to say, a six regional structure would reduce the competitive pressure for power at the centre and redirect more attention to regional political competencies.”
    Musa sympathised with the Igbo ethnic nationality for accumulated marginalisation and unfair treatment in Nigeria federation especially since after the civil war.

    “There can be little doubt that the Igbo ethnic nationality – like many other ethnic nationalities which today constitute the Nigerian State – have had a raw deal in the Nigerian project This has been particularly so since the conclusion of the unfortunate Nigerian Civil War and the failure of the State to continue to be faithful to the policy of ‘no victor, no vanquished’.
    “At best, the policy of reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation have not been diligently pursued by successive federal ‎administrations. This raw deal for the Igbos has manifested in many facets of national life, and has been particularly obvious in their representation on the security apparatus and political structures of the State, where Igbo participation has, at best, been merely marginal and tokenish.”

    Also other speakers at the event including; Professor (Senator) Banji Akintoye, former Anambra state Governor, Peter Obi, Prof. Felix ‎Oragwu, and Prof Obasi Igwe of Political Science Department of
    University of Nigeria (UNN) Nsukka, all spoke in support of restructuring of the country and empowering the youths to take greater responsibility in the nation’s governance.

    Akintoye said that over-centralisation of power at the centre was the root of all evil in Nigeria. He said that since youths constitute 55 percent of the nation’s population, they should rise up and take over power through democratic means, advising that the youths of various ethnic groups should stop
    attacking each other as they all face a common problem in Nigeria.

    Former Governor Peter Obi said that he was appalled by the culture of waste of resources and misplacement of priority by some governors, saying that it was unbelievable that when people don’t have food to eat and light in their houses, some governors spend humongous amount of money decorating streets and providing street lights during Christmas celebrations.