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Tag: Fed Govt

  • Umahi to PDP members: don’t insult Fed Govt

    Umahi to PDP members: don’t insult Fed Govt

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has advised opposition politicians to stop insulting those in government but to criticise them constructively to enhance development.

    Umahi spoke on Sunday in Abakaliki, the state capital, at a gala night on the celebration of 21 years of the creation of Ebonyi and the 57th Independence anniversary of Nigeria.

    He advised members of his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to refrain from insulting the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The governor also urged members of APC in Ebonyi State to refrain from insulting him and his PDP-led state government.

    He added: “I always tell my people (PDP) that opposition at the centre is not about insults. I also advise the opposition in our state to tow the same line.

    “Opposition is about constructive criticism, putting the leader in check and reminding him that he has not fulfilled the promises he made. It should not involve lying to the people, deceiving them and practising politics with bitterness and anger.

    “I will ask our grandfathers, who are tackling us, to do so with wisdom and love because it is a shame that a grandfather would tackle his children.”

    Umahi said the opposition would not succeed in the state because the state was neat and did not need to be “swept”.

    He said: “We have been holding the umbrella for an old man who was under the umbrella for eight years and we will take him to the boundaries of Ebonyi State to sweep. We are standing on God’s mandate and not shaking because over 10,000 people are praying for us day and night to succeed and take the state to another level.”

    Umahi hailed the President for agreeing that the country needed to be restructured, saying such stance had established a platform for Nigerians to discuss their agitations.

    “We will now talk, disagree, agree and arrive at decisions that will take the nation to greater heights and achieve the desired unity and development,” he said.

    The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Augustine Nwankwagu said the party was to celebrate God’s mercies since the state’s creation and the successes of the governor.

    The governor has been heavily criticised for his actions by the opposition, with his predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi, who defected from PDP to APC, leading the critics.

     

  • NASU threatens Fed Govt over minimum wage

    NASU threatens Fed Govt over minimum wage

    • Urges conclusion of negotiation before December

    The Federal Government may have more to contend with in the area of industrial unrest, if it fails to commence negotiations on the minimum wage and conclude it before the end of the year.

    The threat, coming from the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), may not be an empty one, bearing in mind that the union, last week, suspended for a month its five-week nationwide strike, in conjunction with two other non-teaching staff unions in universities – the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

    The union, at its national executive council meeting in Abuja, called on the government to give mandate to the tripartite committee on minimum wage to start work immediately and finish before the end of the year, failing which it has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to mobilise workers to demand for the minimum wage.

    NASU President Chris Ani said the Federal Government had refused to show good faith in its dealings with workers on the issue of the minimum wage.

    Labour and Employment Minister Senator Chris Ngige had, in June, at this year’s International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, assured labour leaders that the committee would be convened in two weeks, which ought to have been before the end of June.

    Ani lamented that workers were under the burden of a slave wage, which cannot meet their daily needs. “They cannot nourish their children and cannot educate them because the ruling class is bent on the commercialisation of education,” he said.

    He reasoned that now that the government has announced that the country is out of recession, nothing should stall the review of the minimum wage.

    He said:“In the last couple of weeks, there have been series of media reports that Nigeria is now out of recession. We have also watched government officials on television confirming and celebrating what we have read and heard in the media.

    “We, therefore, join other Nigerians to congratulate the government and relevant officials for bringing the country out of recession. While it lasted, issues that had to do with workers’ welfare were relegated to the background. The period was characterised by wage freeze, increase in job insecurity, shortfalls and delays in the payment of salaries, and withholding of other benefits of workers.

    “That is why we are congratulating the government for bringing the country out of recession. However, we in NASU, will only join them in the celebration when workers’ welfare improves, jobs are secured, salaries are paid in full as and when due, wage increase is de-frozen and other withheld benefits are paid.”

    Condemning what he termed government’s ineptitude to grow the productive sector that will create jobs for the unemployed, NASU warned that the union would resist any policy aimed at taking away the jobs of its members, thereby sending them into the labour market.

    NASU also berated governors, who were still owing workers in their states, despite several bailouts, urging the NLC to direct workers to ensure aa total close down of states where salaries are owed for more than two months.

  • Fed Govt arraigns two for importing ‘explosive components’

    Fed Govt arraigns two for importing ‘explosive components’

    THE Federal Government has charged a firm, Elephant Group Limited and its Managing Director Tunji Owoeye at the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly importing fertiliser with explosives-making components.

    The prosecution said the defendants, last August 29 at 8, Etal Avenue, Off Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, committed an offence by importing 13,199.532mt of Urea Fertiliser.

    According to the charge, the product has a component for making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and was under ban as at the time it was imported.

    The charged was filed by an Assistant Chief State Counsel in the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation A. K. Alilu on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

    The alleged offence contravenes Section 47(1)(c) of the Custom and Excise Management Act Cap C. 45 Laws of the Federation 2004.

    Their arraignment was stalled yesterday due to the absence of Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.

    The defendants are expected to take their pleas on November 28.

  • Lalong to collaborate with Fed Govt, private sector

    Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong, has pledged the state’s readiness to collaborate with the Federal Government and private sector to complete reforms in the power sector.

    Lalong said this would improve the social wellbeing of residents of the state, and boost economic activities, including small and medium scale manufacturing, processing and retail.

    The governor, who spoke during council meeting in Jos, noted that the availability of electric power is sine qua non to any meaningful industrial development.

    “About three months ago, our indefatigable Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was in Jos to open the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) clinic and one of the fundamental factors identified for the success of these enterprises is the availability of regular power supply.

    “A key policy thrust of our administration is infrastructural development, of which power supply is chief. My Commissioner for Water Resources and Energy delights in always saying to us that ‘energy makes things happen.’

    “Thus, the Plateau State Government is fully committed to working with the Federal Government and private sector investors in completing the reforms in the power sector that will lead us towards realising increased and stable power supply to our citizens in the urban and rural areas.

    “This will not only improve their social wellbeing, but will also enable them to engage in meaningful economic activities, such as small and medium scale manufacturing, processing and retail.

    “As a state, we are currently focused on maximising our economic potential in agriculture, solid minerals and tourism.

    “Good power supply will enable investors to add value to agricultural products from the farms, process the minerals from the mines, and also improve services at hospitality and tourism facilities.

  • Fed Govt begins repair of roads, bridges in Lagos

    Fed Govt begins repair of roads, bridges in Lagos

    The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Godwin Eke, yesterday said major roads and bridges in Lagos State were undergoing emergency and remedial repairs.

    Eke, in an interview in Lagos, said some bad roads required urgent attention and that the Federal Government was determined to make all federal roads in Lagos and across the nation motorable.

    He said some of the roads have been completed while others were still undergoing repairs.

    He explained that remedial works on both carriageways of Apongbon Bridge undulations had since been completed, noting that, speed was achieved on the project because the contractors worked at night.

    He listed ongoing emergency repair projects to include, repairs on Ijora Causeway, Ijora Flyover (East Link), Funsho Williams Avenue, replacement of 1 N  expansion joint on Eko Bridge, Costain Roundabout to Eko Bridge Ramp and Costain to Iganmu Bridge (Orile Bound).

    Others projects are: Funsho Williams Bridge to Alaka, Carter Bridge Roundabout to LAWMA Junction (Eko Bridge Bound Carriageway), Herbert Macaulay Way (Jibowu Junction to Adekunle Junction) and Outer Marina to Ahmadu Bellow way (From Apongbon Bridge to Bonny Camp).

    Also listed were Falomo Roundabout through Kingsway Road to Osbourne Road, Apapa Road to Western Avenue (Between Iganmu Bridge Ramp and Western Avenue Bridge Ramp (Alaka Bound Carriageway), Apapa Road towards Iganmu Bridge (Orile Bound) which were receiving attention.

    Eke said Ijora Olopa to Ijora7Up (Beside Oloye Nursery and Primary School (Ijora Olopa Bound), Alaka to Apongbon through Eko Bridge (both carriageways), Onikan Junction through Independent Bridge to Apongbon Bridge (Apongbon Bound) were undergoing repairs.

    According to him, Lagos Island/General Hospital to Apongbon, Onikan/Lagos Island to Apongbon through Apongbon Bridge/CMS (CMS Bound), Eko Bridge Approach to Ijora, Ijora to Apapa Road through underneath Iganmu Flyover (Costain Bound) and National Theatre Train Station to Costain (Costain Bound) were being worked upon.

    He said government was working on concluding plans for other roads not yet captured and appealed to residents of Lagos “to be patient with government” as the repairs would soon reach other roads.

    “Due to paucity of funds government cannot repair all the roads at the same time,” he said.

    The controller said that Apapa Oshodi/Tin Can Island Road was undergoing procurement and that government was also planning permanent reconstruction of roads on the Apapa/Tin Can Island/Oshodi Road corridor  to reduce gridlock/congestion to the barest minimum.

    “We will carry out some palliatives as soon as the procurement process is concluded.

    “The high water table in Apapa requires proper design  and adoption of rigid pavement to ensure longevity of our roads,” Eke said.

  • Fed Govt begins repairs on its roads in Lagos

    The Federal Government has begun emergency and remedial repair of some major roads and bridges in Lagos State, the Federal Controller of Works for Lagos, Mr Godwin Eke, said yesterday.

    Eke told reporters in Lagos that some of the bad roads required urgent attention and that the Federal Government was determined to make its roads across the country motorable.

    He said the repairs on some roads had been completed while others were ongoing.

    The controller noted that remedial work on the carriageways of Apongbon Bridge undulations had been completed.

    According to him, the repairs were completed speedily because the contractors worked at night.

    Eke identified the emergency repair projects as those on Ijora Causeway, Ijora Flyover (East Link), Funsho Williams Avenue, replacement of 1 N (one number) expansion joint on Eko Bridge, Costain Roundabout to Eko Bridge Ramp and Costain to Iganmu Bridge (Orile Bound).

    Others are: Funsho Williams Bridge to Alaka, Carter Bridge Roundabout to LAWMA Junction (Eko Bridge Bound Carriageway), Herbert Macaulay Way (Jibowu Junction to Adekunle Junction) and Outer Marina to Ahmadu Bellow way (From Apongbon Bridge to Bonny Camp).

    Also affected are: Falomo Roundabout through Kingsway Road to Osbourne Road, Apapa Road to Western Avenue (between Iganmu Bridge ramp and Western Avenue Bridge ramp (Alaka-bound carriageway), Apapa Road towards Iganmu Bridge (Orile-bound) which were receiving attention.

    Eke said Ijora Olopa to Ijora-7Up (beside Oloye Nursery and Primary School (Ijora Olopa-bound), Alaka to Apongbon through Eko Bridge (both carriageways) and Onikan Junction through Independent Bridge to Apongbon Bridge (Apongbon-bound) were undergoing repairs.

    According to him, the following roads – Lagos Island/General Hospital to Apongbon, Onikan/Lagos Island to Apongbon through Apongbon Bridge/CMS (CMS Bound), Eko Bridge approach to Ijora, Ijora to Apapa Road through underneath Iganmu flyover (Costain-bound) and the National Theatre train station to Costain (Costain-bound) – are being worked on.

    Eke said the government was working assiduously to conclude plans for other roads not yet captured.

    The controller urged Lagos State residents to be patient with the government as the repairs would soon reach those roads not earlier captured.

    He said: “Due to paucity of funds, government cannot repair all the roads at the same time.”

    The controller said the bids for the repair of Apapa Oshodi/Tin Can Island Road was passing through the procurement process, adding that government was planning to rebuild the network of roads on the Apapa/Tin Can Island/Oshodi Road corridor to reduce congestion to the barest minimum.

    He added: “We will carry out some palliatives as soon as the procurement process is concluded.

    “The high water table at Apapa requires proper design and adoption of rigid pavement to ensure longevity of our roads.”

     

  • Why trial of Boko Haram suspects is delayed, by Fed Govt

    Why trial of Boko Haram suspects is delayed, by Fed Govt

    • •2,321 suspects for court

    The trial of Boko Haram suspects is stalled by the absence of cooperation between investigators and prosecutors at pre-investigation stages, the Federal Government has said.

    Other reasons given by the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, include poor investigation of cases due to pressure during the peak of conflict at the theatre, over reliance on confession-based evidence, and lack of forensic evidence.

    Besides, there are inadequate vehicles to transport defendants from detention to court, scarcity of skilled/trained forensic personnel to handle investigation of complex cases, inadequate security for lawyers and converting military intelligence to admissible evidence in court.

    A statement by spokesman to the minister, Salihu Isah, said the trial of about 2,321 Boko Haram suspects will begin on October 9.

    The trial, to be conducted by four judges chosen from the Federal High Court, it was learnt, is part of the strategy of the government to clear the backlog of Boko Haram suspects’ cases.

    Isah said yesterday that those to be tried include 1,670 being held in Wawa Barracks, Kainji, New Bussa, Niger State and 651 earlier held in Giwa Barracks, but now in Maiduguri prison.

    The four judges are to first deal with the cases of those in Kainji before moving to Maiduguri.

    The detainees in Kaniji are in four categories, the first being those against who no prima facie case was established and were to be handed to the National Security Adviser (NSA) for deradicalisation.

    The second consists of those against who prima facie cases have been established and charges filed against them in court, but were willing to plead gulty to lesser offences.

    The third category, Isah said, are those whose cases have not been fully investigated and no legal opinion made yet.

    The fourth, he said, are those against who prima facie cases have been established and who are ready to undergo full trial.

    Isah said as at September 11, 13 terrorism cases had been fully prosecuted by the government. Nine convictions were secured.

    He said 33 cases were pending at various Federal High Court divisions. Charges have been filed against 116 who are awaiting trial in Kainji.

    A team comprising representatives from the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Federal High Court and the office of the AGF was in Kainji from September 12 to 14 “to carry out the assessment and to discuss with relevant authorities and organisations in final preparation of the all-important national assignment”

  • NUBIFIE urges Fed Govt to inject funds into banks

    The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has appealed to the Federal Government to inject funds into the banking sector to boost its activities.

    Its President, Mr Musa Danjuma, who spoke at the sixth Quadrennial Delegates Conference in Lagos, said the financial sector has gone through fundamental transformation in all areas of its activities.

    According to Danjuma, there have been policy interventions by the government, evolving innovations in ICT-driven operations and new employment system and its impact on economic and social status of workers among others.

    He said the government should put back some of the money realised from Treasury Single Account (TSA) with a proviso that it should be deployed to critical sectors of the economy.

    He said the financial sector has been under close watch for some years through various intervention measures by regulatory authorities and this has impacted on socio-economic development and issues in work place.

    The union leader said the issue of mergers and acquisitions also led to job losses as consequence of re-alignment and restructuring of banks and insurance industry weakened the capacity of the union to engage employers on the issue of condition of service.

    On TSA, Danjuma said the union supported its introduction, but the policy created liquidity challenges for financial institutions, which now relied on government funds to manage their business and generate income.

    He further said that government should ensure that it sustains the process of whistle blowing policy to ensure that it succeeds in the fight against corruption.

    “As a union we pledge our support for the policy and commend the National Assembly for a bill to institutionalise the war against corruption and discourage any attempt to abuse the policy for self seeking purpose,” Danjuma said.

  • Fed Govt begins work on 41 roads

    Fed Govt begins work on 41 roads

    THE Federal Government has concluded plans to begin road repair interventions on 41 damaged highways across the country following flooding.

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola said this yesterday in Abuja at a meeting with contractors handling Federal Government’s projects.

    Fashola said the rehabilitation will be embarked upon alongside ongoing road construction projects.

    Popular among the roads are Benue-Makurdi highway, major highways in the Southeast among other flooded projects inspected by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    “I will quickly also go to the interventions we have already planned, in addition to major construction works that is going on. We also have rehabilitation works using specific contractors to improve motorability and we would be working on 41 roads across the country and trying to make some remediation for them as a result of what has happened during the rainy seasons.

    “We will be intervening across the country, including the Benue-Makurdi, South-East and places where the Vice President visited as a result of flood. So, we are just getting ready to complete our procurement processes and roll-out,” Fashola said.

    He issued a directive to the contractors to ensure completion of the projects before the Christmas season.

    Fashola said it became important, considering traffics and other difficulties commuters might face during the festive period.

    According to him, the meeting was meant to get contractors to site, as the country approaches end of the year.

    On the Federal Government’s N100 billion Sukuk bond, he said if fully subscribed, it would cover 25 major roads.

    Sukuk is one of the financial instruments used by governments and organisations to raise funds.

    However, unlike conventional bonds, which proceeds can be used for a wide variety of purposes, including recurrent expenditure, funds realised from Sukuk issuance could only be deployed to assets such as infrastructure.

    Fashola explained that the proposed 25 roads are integral parts of A1 to A4, saying: “If you look at the proposed 25 roads, they are the roads that are integral parts of A1 to A4.

    “The A1 is the Lagos to Sokoto highway, A2 is the Warri-Kastina, A3 is Port Harcourt-Potiskum, Yobe and A4 is Calabar-Maiduguri. One thing that all these roads share in common is that they originate from our ports and end in the boundary… If Sukuk is fully subscribed for, we will have 25 major roads we would have some interventions.”

    But, the contractors stated that pending projects would be completed only, if funding is made available.

    They blamed the weather for delays in project implementation, stressing that it affected progress of some federal projects.

    However, the contractors promised to resume work at the sites immediately the dry season sets in.

  • NANS, parents hail ASUU, Fed Govt over strike suspension

    NANS, parents hail ASUU, Fed Govt over strike suspension

    THE National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and parents have hailed the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for reaching an agreement to suspend the strike which kept many university students at home for 36 days.

    NANS President Chinonso Obasi, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said suspending the strike had shown dialogue was the best way to settle industrial disputes.

    It urged the Federal Government to be responsibility and endeavour to comply with the Memorandum of Action reached with the union to avert further strike.

    The union on Monday suspended its five-week old strike following a meeting with the Federal Government’s delegation.

    ASUU President Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi had said that the union decided to conditionally suspend the strike in view of the timeline of October 2017 for the implementation of the signed agreement.

    But, Obasi said suspending the strike was a welcome development that would bring relieve to the students and their parents.

    He called on the Federal Government to demonstrate a sense of responsibility and endeavour to comply with the agreements reached to avert another level of face-off with ASUU in the near future.

    “The falling standard of education and its effect on the nation’s future human capital is regrettable.

    “The Federal Government should prioritise investment in the education sector for the benefit of the nation,” he said.

    He added that students were always at the receiving end of strikes, hence the need for ASUU to always consult students’ leadership as critical stakeholders before declaring or proceeding on strike in the future.

    Also, university students have expressed happiness over ASUU’s decision to call off its strike.

    Some of the students told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano yesterday that they were happy to hear that the union had called off the five-week old strike.

    Al’Amin Lawal, a 200 level student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said he was short of words to express his happiness over the new development.

    Musa Bala, a 300 level student of Bayero University Kano, described ASUU decision as a welcome development, as  students would now resume normal academic activities.

    Similarly, most of the parents, who spoke to NAN on the issue, expressed gratitude to God for making it possible for the government and lecturers to reach an agreement on the strike.

    They, however, advised the lecturers to always go for dialogue in resolving dispute rather than resorting to total strike.

    ASUU President Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, on Monday in Minna directed university lecturers to resume work yesterday.