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Tag: Fed Govt

  • Group urged Fed Govt to end killings

    The Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN) has condemned the renewed killings in some part of the country.

    The group urged the Federal Government to get to the root cause of the “ugly development.”

    In a communique at the end of the 2nd Convention held at the National Mosque Auditorium, Abuja, MMPN reminded “those who enjoyed killings others in the name of religion that there is no compulsion in religion,” saying “Islam was not spread with force, bombs or killings but with wisdom and good character.”

    The communique was signed by its President, AbdurRahman Balogun and Secretary to the Convention Hakeem Adebumiti.

    The group said: “As we approach 2019 general elections, the association calls on all lovers of peace, stakeholders in Nigeria project and media practitioners to ensure justice, fairness, and mutual understanding. There should be no bloodletting, killing and maiming because of power as power comes from Allah.

    “That as media practitioners, we equally have our watchdog role to play in the society, hence we must advice, guide and inform members of the public correctly, accurately and timely on issues of public interest.”

    The association congratulated Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar on his conferment with the title of Grand Patron of MMPN.

    The group urged Muslim bodies and more importantly the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to always make use of Muslim Media Practitioners in its public relations department.

  • NLC to Fed Govt: stop allocations of states, councils refusing to pay minimum wage

    THE new national minimum wage yesterday dominated the May Day celebration at the Eagle square in Abuja with Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba insisting the Federal Government should ensure that allocation is not released to any state or local council, which fails to implement the new pay.

    Wabba, who spoke while addressing workers, also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a thorough voter register audit to weed out names of double registrants and under-age voters.

    This, he said, would help boost the confidence of voters and stakeholders in our electoral system.

    Wabba said the organised labour was battle ready against any public and private organisation that would refuse to conform to the new minimum wage. He said: “At our disposal is the power of our votes! We shall ensure that governments that refuse to pay the new minimum wage will not receive the support of the working class, pensioners and their families.”

    He said the ongoing negotiation for a new national minimum wage was a clear indication that an increase in the minimum wage would pull many workers out of poverty.

    A new minimum wage, he added, would put the country in positive light globally as it would ensure compliance with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards and raise the levels of productivity and enhance the purchasing power of workers.

    Beside the demand of N66,500 as the national minimum wage, he said the organised Labour has proposed that the Minimum Wage Act should be amended to guarantee review every five years as contained in the recommendation of the 2011 Belgore-led Tripartite Committee.

    According to Wabba, the nationwide minimum wage public hearings have unmasked the enemies of Nigerian workers.

    “We insist that once the Minimum Wage Act is signed into law, all employers in public and private sectors must pay at once. We shall stand with those willing to pay more than the minimum. We shall resist any move to renegotiate the minimum wage at any level,” he said.

    He frowned at a situation where employers’ unlawfully and illegally withheld contributory pension deductions from workers’ salaries and not remitting same to their Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).

    The NLC leader added that situations where workers retire from public service and were forced to wait for several months for their pension benefits to be processed still persist.

    Wabba said the lethargic payment and non-payment for those who were already pensioners, especially by state governments keep militating against the smooth operation of pension administration.

    He called on employers of labour and the three tiers of government to promptly remit contributory pension deductions to workers’ PFAs.

    Wabba stressed that workers, pensioners and their allies condemned and rejected the report of the Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s All Progressive Congress (APC) committee on restructuring.

    He particularly mentioned its recommendation that local government system be removed from the constitution and labour matters, including trade unions, labour relations, occupational safety, minimum wage and industrial arbitrations should be moved from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List.

    “The education that Mallam El-Rufai and his committee members need is that first; the removal of labour issues from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent list is not in conformity with global best practice. Second is that member countries of International Labour Organisation (ILO) are responsible for implementing labour standards not sub national governments,” the labour leader said.

    On the 2019 general election, Wabba said: “As we progress towards the 2019 general elections, we call on the political class and Nigerians to always put the interest of Nigeria above any other interests. We must all respect democratic values, imbibe political tolerance and shun all tendencies of politics of ‘do or die’.

    “INEC must work assiduously to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. INEC should provide a level-playing ground for all political actors. There are still very positive aspects of the Report of the Justice Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee that should be implemented, especially the establishment of Electoral Offences Commission.

    “We also advise that INEC should prioritize early preparations for the forthcoming elections. INEC should also improve the delivery of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs). A situation where Nigerians are forced to wait for too long or travel long distances to collect their PVCs induces voter apathy and constitutes a strong source of disenfranchisement.”

    Trade Union Congress of Nigeria President Bobboi Kaigama expressed the hope that the tripartite committee on the new national minimum wage would conclude its work by August and make its recommendation to government for implementation.

     

  • Mortein partners Fed Govt, health ministries to tackle malaria

    Reckitt Benckiser (RB) Nigeria, makers of Mortein insecticide brand, has partnered with the Federal Government and some states in its bid to reduce malaria.

    It has joined forces with Lagos, Ogun and Abia ministries of health as well as the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) Abuja as part of efforts to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality rates.

    To commemorate the theme for this year’s World Malaria Day (WMD): “Ready to Beat Malaria”, RB, the Federal Ministry of Health and other stakeholders participated in a road walk.

    RB Marketing Director, West Africa, Aliza Leferink said malaria was still prevalent going by the latest World Health Organisation (QHO) World Malaria Report released in November 2017.

    According to the report, there were 216 million cases of malaria in 2016, up from 211 million cases in 2015. The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 445 000 in 2016, a similar number to the previous year of 446 000.

    An estimated 445,000 pregnant women and children aged below five die every year from malaria with Africa accounting for over 90 per cent of global malaria cases and deaths.

    “As I speak to you, millions of people are suffering from malaria all over Nigeria and every minute a child reportedly dies from malaria. According to the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBMP), Nigeria is the highest malaria-burden country, accounting for 26 percent of global malaria cases and almost a third of related deaths.

    “This puts a strain on health systems and national malaria program budgets, hence calling for sophisticated intervention adaptable in combating and eliminating malaria and malaria transmission to its barest minimum.”

    The National Coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP), Dr. Audu Bala Mohammed, said the fight against malaria was an ongoing one and is a fight to the finish.

    “We have also tackled the emergence of drug and insecticide resistance. It is our firm belief that Nigeria will join countries that have eliminated malaria in the world,” he added

    Marketing Manager, Home and Hygiene, Reckitt Benckiser, West Africa, Mrs. Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi Omotola said the Mortein brand has continuously put structures in place that will drastically reduce the intensity of malaria transmission through sustainable initiatives.

    “Mortein’s vision is to have a malaria-free Nigeria and efforts towards elimination of malaria is taken further yearly through our infomercial on the WHO 3 step integrated approach as well as several other initiatives, such as community sensitisation, free malaria tests in markets,  education and distribution of long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs)  to the most vulnerable in partnership with the state malaria program officers, which promotes good health and wellbeing while imploring all to take a stand with Mortein in the fight to beat malaria,” she said.

    Minister of Health Prof Isaac Adewole said the Federal Government through the NMEP has achieved remarkable strides in its various interventions, having trained numerous healthcare providers, distributed doses of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) drugs and delivered units of Rapid Diagnosis Test (RDT) kits to states.

    “A malaria-free Nigeria is possible through a stronger inter-sectorial coordination, implementation of well-known and cost-effective interventions, supported by a strong accountability framework and a strengthened primary health care system.

    “These will facilitate timely allocation of adequate resources and access to basic health services to the population, particularly the underserved population,” he said.

    The minister praised Mortein for its work and continuous support in the fight against malaria, and pledged the Federal government’s commitment to work with RB/ Mortein to ensure total eradication of malaria in the country.

    Health commissioners in Lagos, Ogun and Abia also praised Mortein for teaming up with them in the fight against malaria.

  • Fed Govt restates commitment to global fight against terrorism

    THE Federal Government has affirmed its commitment to the global fight against the financing of terrorism, Finance Minister Mrs. Kemi Adeosun said yesterday.

    A statement issued by the minister’s Special Adviser for Media and Communications, Oluyinka Akintunde, said Mrs. Adeosun spoke at an international conference against the financing of terrorism in Paris, France.

    The conference, which has the theme: “No money for terror”, was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and was attended by International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde; World Bank Group President Jim Kim; United States (U.S.) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and United Kingdom (UK) Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond.

    Adeosun, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the conference, said the country was reinvigorating efforts to tackle the financing of terrorism.

    The minister said: “The Nigerian Government is very committed to the fight against terrorism and cutting off funding for terrorists’ activities.

    “The government, in addition to monitoring of the formal channels of finance via the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and other bodies, is also monitoring ‘non-formal cash-based structures’, which can often be used for illicit purposes.”

    Adeosun emphasised the need to address the root cause of terrorism and not the symptoms.

    She added that the men and officers of the Nigeria Customs Service were working to effectively track physical cash movements and transactions at the various borders, including Niger, Benin Republic and Cameroon.

     

  • Fed Govt, GE, consortium sign agreement on rail concession

    AN international consortium led by the General Electric (GE) has signed an agreement with the Federal Government to proceed with the interim phase of the narrow-gauge railway concession.

    It  followed the award of preferred bidder status by the Federal Government in May 2017.

    Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi described the event, which held in Washington D.C, United States (U.S.) over the weekend, as a milestone.

    He added that it has gone to signpost the commitment of the present government to drive the modernisation of the nation’s railway system.

    According to Amaechi, “This milestone project is an unprecedented commitment by the Federal Government, which, combined with the GE-led Consortium, would drive the modernisation of the rail infrastructure and add immense value to Nigeria’s long-term economic growth and productivity.”

    He described a modernised railway service as a catalyst for small and medium enterprises and would be a key and incalculable socio-economic benefits for the many Nigerian towns and villages through which the rail network will pass.

    GE Chief Executive Officer in Nigeria Lazarus Angbazo said his organisation is committed to a sustainable rail development for Nigeria.

    “We are delighted to have reached this crucial stage of the project to revamp and revitalise the country’s legacy rail infrastructure system. The consortium looks forward to commencing execution of this Interim Phase with the continued support of the Federal Government and the Ministry of Transportation. As operations begin, our strong partners, such as Transnet and SinoHydro, will bring their strong operating and development skills to the forefront.”

    Other companies on the GE consortium are SinoHydro, a leading infrastructure construction services corporation, Transnet, a leader in transportation and logistics infrastructure management and APM Terminals, a global port, terminal and intermodal inland services provider.

    In the interim phase of the rail concession, remedial works will be carried out on part of the narrow-gauge rail line system to make it technically and economically viable.

    A joint operation will be established between the consortium and the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) with an initial supply of 10 locomotives and 200 wagons to augment the existing rolling stock.

    This programme is expected to increase the number of available locomotives, thus increasing the frequency of passenger and freight rail services.

  • A’Ibom CAN blame Fed Govt for herdsmen attacks

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Akwa Ibom State has condemned the Federal Government for not doing enough to

    stop the incessant killings by herdsmen.

    The Chairman, Rev. Dr Ndueso Ekwere, spoke yesterday at a solemn/thanksgiving service at Itu/Ibiono Ibom federal constituency. , which The solemn assembly was themed: “The Triumphant God”.

    Ekwere condemned the continuous and ungodly custody of Leah Sharibu, “just because she cannot deny her faith and Master Jesus Christ”.

    He said: “We condemn the killing of innocent souls, including the Catholic priests during their mass in Benue State. The remaining

    Chibok girls, yet to be released, should be freed without further delay.

    “We are resolute in our decision to ceaselessly pray for unmerited favour, protection of life and property. We urge Nigerians

    to imbibe and show love, kindness and tolerance to one another as exemplified by our Lord Jesus Christ and his teachings.”

     

  • Fed Govt rejects JOHESU’s demand for pay parity with doctors

    THE Federal Government has rejected the request of Joint Health Sector Union’s (JOHESU) members to enjoy the same salary structure with the medical doctors.

    Besides, the government maintained that there was never any existing agreement with the union prior to the coming of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole, therefore, appealed to JOHESU to call off the strike and allow the High Level Body constituted by government to conclude its assignment as contained in the 2017 agreement.

    In a statement signed by Assistant Director of Information, Ministry of Health Mr. Olajide Oshundun, the minister assured the union that the administration would not renege on any agreement entered into with any labour organisation, including JOHESU.

    “What JOHESU is asking for is parity with medical doctors, which is not practicable nor acceptable to the Federal Government.

    “A cursory look at the salary tables in the health sector before and after independence till date have always reflected relativity.  The 2014 salary adjustment for medical doctors was to correct the anomaly of 2009 and restore relativity,” the minister stated.

    On the issue of existing agreement, the statement said: “The Minister of Health wishes to reiterate that there was no agreement between the Federal Government and JOHESU prior to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “That what JOHESU brandish as 2014 agreement were minutes of meetings they had with the organs of Federal Government.

    “That in September 2017, JOHESU presented 15-point demands and the Federal Government has implemented 14 while the last demand is still being attended to by the High Level Body set up by the government to look into its implementation.

    “Indeed, what the September 2017 agreement stated under the upward adjustment of CONHESS salary scale and as published by JOHESU is that: ‘The meeting noted that two different figures had been submitted to the National Salaries and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on separate occasions. It was observed that the figures are no longer realistic due to lapse of time. The NSIWC should, therefore, do a fresh submission based on new data consistent with the present reality.

    “The FMOH is expected to make available necessary and required data to NSIWC to enable fresh computation. The newly computed figures will be forwarded by National Salaries and Wages Commission to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward transmission for processing to the high level body of the government and thereafter to Federal Ministry of Health within five weeks.’ This has been done.”

    The minister assured that the Buhari administration, as a responsible government, would do everything within its power to bring the ongoing strike action to an end as quickly as possible.

    He added that “the Federal Government has put machinery in place to ensure that the strike is called off by meeting with JOHESU officials on several occasions, the last being on Wednesday April 25, 2018, at the office of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment in Abuja”

    Adewole appealed to the public “to bear with the Federal Government as all hands are on the table to bring the ongoing strike to an end as quickly as possible”.

  • Killings: Fed Govt stops movement of herdsmen

    Ranching to take off in five states

    Nigeria to end ECOWAS free movement

    ADVOCATES of ranching have won their battle.

    The National Economic Council (NEC) yesterday agreed to stop herdsmen’s movement, starting with five states – Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna and Plateau. They are the states mostly affected by the bloodletting sparked by herdsmen-farmers clashes.

    The Council supported the immediate creation of ranches across the country, Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi told State House correspondents at the end of the NEC meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    According to him, the five states are expected to provide land for ranches.

    He said that through ranching, the nomadic herdsmen and their families would have access to medical facilities and schools.

    Staying in a ranch, he said, would also improve the well-being of the cattle.

    Umahi said foreign herdsmen would have to show some travel documents, even though visa is not allowed for movement of West Africans.

    His words: “Today, NEC took briefing from the NEC technical committee on the farmers and herdsmen conflicts in the various states of the federation. NEC sometime this year came up with a committee following the constant conflicts between herdsmen and farmers. They came up with the committee of nine governors with the VP as the chairman, and the committee went into deliberations.

    ”After a couple of meetings, they decided that the most five affected states should be visited. So, they came up with a sub technical committee of three governors, chaired by governor of Ebonyi State, with the governors of Plateau, Adamawa as members.

    ”We were constituted to visit the five core states. Later, other states, like Plateau and Kaduna states, were also added. But we were able to visit only five states, such as Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Jigawa and Zamfara states.

    ”The core causes of the conflicts we were made to understand were ; perception and, of course, our media friends, competition for scarce resources and banditry or what you can call pure criminal activities through cattle rustling, kidnapping etc.

    ’Today we look at three categories of herdsmen in Nigeria. We look at the foreign herdsmen that come in due to the treaty and we continue to say that the treaty is not being properly implemented. For any herdsman to come into Nigeria from outside, there should be a kind of certification, there must be a letter, even though you are not coming in with a visa, you have to travel with ECOWAS documentation. Animals that are coming into the country are required to be quarantined, but this is not being done.

    ”So, this one category of them. Secondly, we have the nomadic herdsmen, who during the dry season, travel from up North to the Middle Belt down to the South. This crest conflicts . Also foreign herdsmen coming all through the way from neighboring countries and travelling through the farm lands also cause conflicts.

    ”Then, of course, we have the migrant herdsmen who migrate for a very long time and settle with the villagers and even inter marry with them. These are the three categories we have in Nigeria. In all, we agreed that movement is not either profitable to the herdsmen because they value the milk from the cow even more than the cow itself.

    ”So, the movement is not healthy for the cows as it dries up the meat and gives less than two liters of milk per cow per day,” he said

    According to him, NEC also condemned the issues of foreign invasion by foreign herdsmen.

    He said: “Today, there was a meeting of ECOWAS countries on the subject and we also agreed that these movements by the nomadic herdsmen have to stop and occasionally by those who have settled and integrated from other parts of the country, like the Middle Belt, they sometimes go into conflicts with farmers because of movement of their cows.

    ”So, in all, we agreed that there is a more profitable and modern way of raising these cows which is by ranching. So, we have agreed that the five states that are involved are going to give land. Niger and Kaduna, outside the five states, have given land and Plateau is also giving land. Ranching is being practised in Mambila, in Taraba State and they have success stories with regards to that.

    ”We also agreed that through the Agric Ministry, we have the need to introduce new species of cows. The minister told us that there are new species that produce as much as 60 liters of milk per day per cow, and that the cows weight as much as 900 Kgs but our own weigh less than 200kgs. So, we have agreed that we are going to work on these new species, while also working with our ranching. We also agreed that livestock production in Nigeria has not been taken care of.

    ”As we are taking care of the farmers by way of the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, of course the farmers cry of the high interest rate. The rate of interest should be between 2 to 5%, so, we should extend those gestures to the herdsmen. And it was discovered that most of these cows are not being herded by their owners. Big men buy these cattle and give them out to the herders So, the children of the herders have nothing to inherit. They, therefore, go into cattle rustling and other forms of criminalities.

    ”Through this policy and intervention in the livestock production, it will be possible for the herdsmen to own their own livestock and have something for the future. We also agreed that there is need for good life for the herdsmen. Through theses policies their children will be able to go to schools.

    “There will be nomadic education and medical facilities through these ranches for the herdsmen and their animals. Grasses will be planted, irrigation and dams will be created for source of water. Lastly, we ask the public to begin to see livestock as another means of investment.” he said

    Agriculture Minister Audu Ogbeh said that the Federal Government would not allow the killings to continue.

    According to him, Nigeria may no longer be able to keep to the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons.

     

    Nigeria to end ECOWAS free movement to curtail criminals’ influx

    Nigeria will stop unfettered movement of persons into the country from the West Africa sub region to curb killings believed to be carried out by foreigners, the President said yesterday.

    President Muhammadu Buhari blamed the non-implementation of two ECOWAS protocols on free movement of persons, goods and services for the lingering herders/ farmers conflicts in the sub region.

    He was speaking at the ECOWAS Ministerial Meeting on Conflicts between Herders and Farmers in the region organised in partnership with the countries’ ministries of Agriculture and Interior in Abuja. It was on a day when gunmen struck at a church in Benue State, killing seven people and injuring others.

    The President said:  ”We can no longer continue to tolerate the undocumented movement of persons that simply contribute to the escalation of our security challenges.

    “We must be able to track the movement; we must ensure that the protocols are complied with and relevant sections are activated.’’

    Represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the President said the protocols were necessary in the discussions to proffer a lasting solution to incessant killings as a result of the conflict.

    “Two ECOWAS Protocols are critical to the conversation that we are going to have here today.

    “The 1979 Protocols of free movement of persons, goods, capital and services and the protocol relating to transhumance in 1998.

    “Regrettably, what we have been confronted with over the years is the failure to fully follow and enforce the terms of these protocols and in some cases the failure to activate sections of the protocols.

    “So that where for example transhumance certificates are to be used and endorsed by medical or immigration officials; this is not the case; this has to change.

    The President said the vision of integration of the ECOWAS founding fathers must not be allowed to be derailed by the failure to comply with the safeguards and conditions that they in their wisdom and foresight embedded in the protocols.

    He said that was why Nigeria had taken the lead in organising the conference, bringing together senior government officials with oversight for agriculture and internal security in the region and beyond to proffer solutions to the lingering problem threatening national security and regional security as well.

    Buhari noted that the economic implications were quite worrisome, considering that no fewer than 70 per cent of the ECOWAS made a living by agriculture.

    According to him, many of the countries in the region are already struggling with food security and the violence, if unchecked, will lead to a catastrophe.

    The President stated that the grazing of cattle along long distances and the whole transhumance experiences needed to be reviewed in favour of ranching.

    He said ranching was a more productive way of breeding cattle rather than walking long distances, adding that the region must explore all the options and look for new and creative solutions to resolve the problem.

    He said the solution should be holistic –  from law enforcement to climate change and reforms in current methods and practices of crop and animal production.

    “We simply must move with the times and modernise our thinking and approach to the issues that face us,’’ he stated.

    Buhari said the Federal Government and states were collaborating to work out an acceptable plan to quell the conflicts by proper management of land resources.

    “We just concluded the work plan jointly put together by the states and Federal governments on the sustainable resolution of herders/farmers’ conflicts and we are now at the point of implementing that plan,’’ he said.

     

  • Fed Govt pays N135m compensation to victims of 2013 killing by DSS

    THE Federal Government has paid N135 million compensation to the 19 victims of the September 20, 2013, shooting by men of  the Department of State Services (DSS) in an uncompleted building behind the Apo Legislative quarters, Abuja.

    The payment made yesterday by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, on behalf of the Federal Government, was in compliance with the award made in 2014 by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) after it investigated the case.

    A team of men of the Army and DSS had on September 20, 2013 invaded the uncompleted building behind the Apo Legislative quarters, Abuja and shot eight people dead and injured 11.

    The Army and DSS had claimed that they shot and killed the squatters in self-defence. They further claimed that the security operatives carried out the early morning raid on the uncompleted building upon receiving intelligence reports that members of Boko Haram sect were hiding in the building preparatory to attacking government targets in Abuja.

    Upon a petition by friends, family members and relatives of the victims, the NHRC conducted inquiry on the incident, following which it released a report of its findings and recommendations on April 7, 2014.

    The NHRC, in its report, declared that the killing of the eight, who were later identified as tricycle riders, was “unlawful”.

    The commission, in the 83-page report, awarded N135 million as compensation to the 19 victims of the incident, which included the award of N10 million each to families of the eight people killed and N5 million to each of the 11 that sustained injuries.

    NHRC equally directed the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to lodge the evidence of payment with the commission’s office within 30 days.

    The commission noted that contrary to claim by the security operatives that those killed were members of Boko Haram, they (security operatives) did not even interview those injured after the shooting to establish their connection or otherwise to the sect.

    NHRC noted that before the operation, the security operatives ought to have interrogated the owners of the property where the squatters were killed.

    It said contrary to claim by the security operatives that arms were hidden in the uncompleted building,  no arms and ammunition were shown to have been recovered from the property, where the squatters were killed.

    Malami, while presenting a cheque of N135 million to representatives of the victims in his office yesterday, said the eventual payment was a result of negotiations by parties.

    He said: “I am glad to inform you that the NHRC has received the payment from the DSS and the process of payment of the money to the beneficiaries starts today.

    “I am further glad to inform the public of this gesture, the first of its kind in Nigeria, coming from President Muhammadu Buhari, which is confirming his commitment to the rule of law, upholding justice and respect to human rights.

    “This gesture also confirms his (President’s) enduring legacy of ensuring that justice is seen to be done to every Nigerian.”

    In-coming Executive Secretary of the NHRC Tony Ojukwu said the final payment of the compensation was commendable.

    He said NHRC ordered the DSS to pay the compensation in furtherance of its powers under the commission’s amended Act.

    He added: “In fact, under Section 6(4) of the NHRC Act 1995 (as amended), it is now an offence punishable with imprisonment for six months or N100,000 to refuse to provide evidence, obstruct or do anything to prevent the commission from lawful exercise of its functions or refuse to comply with the lawful directives, determination, decision or findings of the commission.

    “It is in fulfilment of its mandate that the commission exercised its powers to make a finding of gross human rights violation of the victims of this incident and accordingly awarded the present damages of N135 million against the DSS.”

    Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter Chairman of the National Commercial Tricycle Owners and Riders Association (NACTOMORAD), Usman Buba Gwazo, who spoke for the beneficiaries of the compensation, hailed the NHRC for its efforts.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Fed Govt had no agreement with JOHESU, says minister

    MINISTER of Health Isaac Adewole has clarified that the Federal Government had no agreement with the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) to warrant the present strike.

    According to Adewole, the government had already constituted a high level body to look into aspects of their demands, including the financial implications and also to plan for the management of consequences of addressing those demands.

    He briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said: “But let me also put it on record that when we came on board, JOHESU approached us that they have an agreement with government. But we discovered that there was really no agreement with government.

    “What they were able to provide were minutes of meetings held previously and we told them that no responsible government will implement minutes of previous meetings and of the 15-point demands. We have met 14 of them over the one and half years. The only one left is currently meeting on.”

    According to him, the high level body, which met last week Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and on Tuesday, is scheduled to meet on yesterday night.

    “So, we are really at work with respect to this. We have done quite a lot of computation. We have met with Finance, we have met with Budget and National Planning. We are looking into all issues relating to this strike,” he added.