The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FG

  • Minimum wage: FG, Labour meeting inconclusive

    Negotiation between the Federal Government and organized labour on the N30,000 minimum wage remained inconclusive at the end of another round of meeting last night in Abuja.

    Both sides are scheduled to reconvene on Monday to take a final decision on the grey areas.

    Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, told reporters at the end of a five -hour long meeting yesterday that substantial progress had been made in the discussion and that all that is left is a final resolution.

    Ngige said there was no deadlock as the two sides agreed on most of the issues tabled for discussion and only adjourned to allow for further consultations.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari wanted the issue thrashed out and he would not have set up the tripartite committee on the minimum wage if he was not interested in the matter in the first place.

    Also speaking,  NLC President,  Ayuba Wabba,  dismissed any idea that the meeting was deadlocked.

    His words: “The meeting decided to adjourn and reconvene on Monday for us to do further consultations before the issues are concluded. We have discussed all the issues and all the grey areas,  particularly how we can ensure that the issue is put behind us.

    “That is why we took such a long time, including having a timeout to consult.  But we have not been able to conclude and we have agreed to reconvene to tidy up the process.

    “The issue at stake is to make sure that the bill is transmitted and also other auxiliary issues that government says they are trying to put together. We also want to see how the money gets into the pocket of our workers because a lot of economic factors have affected the current wage.

    “But the major issue is that we have been able to have a meaningful social dialogue.  But the process is not conclusive and will reconvene on Monday.

    “Monday is not too far from now since today is Friday.”

    He said the outcome of Monday’s meeting would determine whether labour would proceed with its planned rallies on Tueday.

    Continuing, he said: “Part of the report that was submitted is all inclusive of the main report and draft bill.  But those processes which they need to ensure that a clean bill is transmitted to the National Assembly and what they now termed some physical issues are what we will tidy up on Monday. So, let us wait for that Monday.”

    The meeting started at about 12.50 pm with several breaks in between to allow for consultations with stakeholders including President Buhari.

    The Nation gathered that the labour leaders insisted on a definite date when the government will transmit the minimum wage bill to the National Assembly,  a decision the three ministers present could not take on their own.

    Addressing the meeting earlier, Ngige said the President was committed to giving Nigerian workers a new minimum wage.

    He said however that in addressing the issue,  the government wanted to ensure that the new minimum wage was sustainable.

    He said “I do realise that this is still part of the Christmas period and that people are still on holiday. You can see the two ministers in charge of government resources.  The Minister of Budget and National Planning and the Minister of Finance.  Mr.  President specifically asked them to be part of this meeting. We had to cut short our vacation because of the need for us to discuss.

    “You know that people can go to war when there is lack of information and in the process,  people can misconstrue and speculate. We called this meeting as a result of the communique issued by the Joint Labour Centres after your executive meeting in Lagos when you informed government that you are not happy with the implementation processes of the report of the tripartite committee.”

    President of the NLC,  Comrade Aruba Wabba said the organised labour has always wanted all issues of industrial relations resolved through dialogue,  adding that the issue on ground has nothing to do with money,  but the process leading to the final outcome.

    Wabba said “Clearly, we have always believed in social dialogue in resolving industrial relations issues.  From the beginning of the issue of this new national minimum wage which was legally due in 2016, labour has demonstrated enough patience and understanding and has followed all the processes to make sure that we are able to dispense with this issue.”

  • States to access World Bank’s $750m loan, grant soon — FG

    The 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, will soon access World Bank’s $750 million loan and grant facility.

    A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance on Media and Communications, Paul Ella Abechi, said this was made known by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, while addressing the 7th Community of Practice (CoP) made up of state Commissioners of Planning and Budgeting in Abuja.

    Ahmed expressed optimism that states will continue with their fiscal responsibility which will serve as platform to access the loan and grant from the World Bank.

    The Community of Practice meetings enhance the state Commissioners of Planning and Budget’s capabilities in performing their functions and serve as platforms for facilitating peer learning and information exchange, strengthening coordination, collaboration and networking.

    The finance minister revealed that: “during the course of these meetings we had the benefit of hosting the World Bank and several other communities, including the Governors’ Forum.  During the course of this exercise, the Ministry of Finance had to, on instruction from the President, provide bailouts to the state because at one point states were not able to pay salaries.

    Read also: The kidnap that nailed us

    “Part of the conditions that was given for those bailouts is a fiscal responsibility plan which needed to be implemented for the states to continue to be qualified to access the funds that the Federal Government was giving.

    “This FSP was quite successful because as a result of that we saw improvements in the public financial management in a lot of states, some of which is evident in the increase in the IGR and also the increase in the frequency of the preparation of financial statement in the availability of budget that used to never been found anywhere, the minister said.

    The minister added that “this year, it was so good that the World Bank said this group has done well and therefore we are going to give $750million in the form of concession loans and grant which will be available soon for the states to access”.

    She told the states that “we are in the process of going to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to get the approval; the World Bank on its own has already approved this and others. So we hope that you will continue to implement your fiscal responsibility so that you will qualify for this facility as well as the grant.

    “Those principles agreed by NEC are still as relevant today as they were in 2016. So I want to urge the CoP to ensure that the monitoring aspect of this is still continuing in one way or the other.”.

    She also charged the CoP to make monitoring of the process of implementation of budget a cardinal objective, because it would benefit and enhance what they are doing to improve the standard of living of the people in their states.

    “Let me add that the need for monitoring is beneficial because it will enhance process improvement; it will also help us to refocus ourselves as well as our principles to stay on those commitments that are made, but most importantly it will enhance public service delivery to the citizens”, she stated.

  • FG procures 30 aircrafts to fight Boko Haram

    The federal government has acquired 30 aircraft to intensify the anti-terror war.

    It is also expecting 12 brand new aircrafts, especially six helicopter gun-shoots to prosecute the battle.

    The Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, disclosed these yesterday in Kano.

    Air Marshal Abubakar, who relocated to the North-West and North-East in deference to President Buhari’s directives, spoke during the commissioning of a multi-billion naira modular theatre at the 465 Nigeria Air Force hospital, Kano.

    According to him: “In the last three and half years, the federal government has procured and released 18 brand new aircrafts to the Nigeria Air Force.

    “We are also hoping to get 12 brand new aircrafts from the United States of America.

    “In addition, we are also hoping to get six brand new helicopter gun-shoots from Italy.

    “So, I think from what we have seen in terms of support, every officer, air-man and air-woman in the Nigeria Air Force has every reason to put in his or her best in order to ensure that Nigeria is secured.”

    While inaugurating the Modular Theatre, he said, “in with the Nigeria Air Force tradition of giving back to her host community, I want to direct that the Commander should open the facility to all civilians.

    “This gesture will, no doubt, go a long way in improving the quality of healthcare delivery in these communities.

    “I was conducted round our hanger where we saw some technicians that are working to bring back three of our aircrafts that are being reactivated.

    “And the second part of it is commissioning of the Modula Theatre.

    “Our desire is to have a professional Air Force, an Air Force that has the right structure and an Air Force that has equipment such as the platforms that have been acquired for us; and then, an Air Force that takes care of the welfare of the personnel and that is where this Modula Theatre comes in.”

    NAF Chief of Medical Services, Air Commodore M.E. Sha’aibu, said with the launching of the new theatre, “injured personnel from the theatre of operation in the North-East can be evacuated to this hospital, stabilized and treated.”

    Sha’aibu added that the new theatre with state-of-the-art equipment comprises of a reception, lecture hall, common and recovery rooms, offices, two operating suites.

  • FG to float People’s Money Bank next year, says Osinbajo

    The Federal Government yesterday said it would float People’s Money Bank in the country next year.

    It added that the bank, when established, will have branches in all the states of the federation for traders and artisans to have access to credit facilities.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said this in Ilorin, Kwara State capital at the launch of ‘Tradermoni’ micro-credit scheme.

    Prof Osinbajo made the disclosure during a talk in a private radio station, Sobi FM Ilorin, after launching the programme at Ipata and some other markets in the town.

    He said that there is no politics involved in the administration’s ‘Tradermoni’ micro-credit scheme.

    The Vice President said the government considered petty traders for the programme because it is always difficult for them to access bank loan because of the belief that they would hardly refund.

    He said though there was no collateral for the loan, refund may not be difficult with the design that a beneficiary who refunds will receive bigger one.

    He explained that beneficiaries at the start are given N10,000 while after refund they receive N15,000 with the progression to continue up till N50,000.

    He said that the government targeted a total of two million petty traders across the states of the federation for the programme with minimum of 30,000 beneficiaries per state.

    He added that contrary to insinuations in some quarters, it was neither buying vote with the programme nor favouring members of the All Progressives Congress with the programme.

    He said contrary to the criticism that the government launched the programme at election time, the programme started in 2016 and fully took off after the National Assembly approved money for it about seven months ago.

    Read also: AIB releases first international aircraft investigation report in Sao Tome

    Osinbajo said the programme was for the benefit of the masses, petty traders, saying that once the people enjoy the benefit, it is out of place to be complaining about the timing, asking: “Is there any time wrong to do the right thing?”

    He denied that the micro credit was being given to only members of the APC, saying that beneficiaries are not considered on account of party affiliations but on merit.

    “It is false that only members of the APC are being considered for the money. Nobody even asks anybody about his or her party or trying to know whether you are APC or PDP. Even those who belong to no party are part of the beneficiaries,” he stated

    He said that the Marketmoni version of the micro credit programme meant for artisans and marketers of higher status would commence with N50,000 for the beneficiaries and explained that the people could receive up to N300, 000 when they do not derail in refunding.

  • Catholic Bishop demands apology from FG, Amaechi over killings

    Makurdi Diocese Catholic Bishop Most Reverend Wilfred Anagbe, has demanded an apology from the federal government, especially Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi for allegeldy attempting to change the narratives of the killing of two priests and 17 worshippers in Mbalom last April.

    Speaking yesterday at St. Ignatius Quasi Parish Ukpo, Mbalom during a homily to mark the rite of atonement and purification of the community from the spilled blood, Anagbe insisted the killing was carried out by herdsmen.

    Two catholic priests and 11 worshippers were killing by suspected Fulani herdsmen during mass in the parish.

    The killings attracted national and international condemnation.

    Anagbe maintained that survivors and witnesses were not in doubt the killers were herdsmen.

    The Bishop alleged the government was using Christians including the minister, APC national chairman as well as presidential spokesman to change the true narrative on the killings. He noted that it was childish and hypocritical for people to insinuate Benue people or Christians were killing themselves.

    He wondered if they were responsible for the killings in other states including Zamfara and Katsina.

    He said herdsmen sent Rev. Fr. Felix Tyolaha packing from Yogbo in Guma Local Government Area before and he had to plead with him to come to Mbalom and serve only to be killed.

    The Bishop stressed the changing narrative was an insult on the sensibilities of the Benue people and Tiv nation.

    He urged politicians not sell the Tiv people for what he described as leftovers.

    The Bishop offered special prayers at the spot where Father Tyolaha was killed before the celebration of mass.

  • Mixed reactions trail FG’s reduction of JAMB, NECO fees

    Mixed reactions have trailed the Federal Government’s review of fees for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Senior Secondary Certificate Examination(SSCE) and Basic Education Certificate Examination(BECE).

    Some stakeholders, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, commended the gesture and urged the government to overhaul the education sector.

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the downward review of the examination registration fees which will take effect from January 2019.

    The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu who announced the reduction after the FEC’s meeting said ‎Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) fees for UTME had been reduced from N5,000 to N3,500.

    Adamu said government also reduced the SSCE fees charged by the National Examinations Council (NECO) from N11,350 to N9,850 while the Basic School Certificate Examination (BSCE) by NECO was reduced from N5,500 to N4,000.

    An entrepreneur, Mr Sunday Ukachukwu, described the action as a `good step’ in the right direction.

    “I give the Federal government credit for the downward review, but I think they can still do better because the reduction is not so significant.

    “If they reviewed the fees by 50 per cent, the reduction would have been significant, but what you have is 13 per cent reduction,’’ he said.

    A Public Affairs Analyst, Mr Ben Ekiyi, commended the Federal Government for the reduction saying that it would ensure inclusiveness among other things.

    “ ‎It is a good thing because any reduction in prices of goods or services always makes the masses happy, especially in these times where many people are facing a lot of hardship. ‎

    “I feel this reduction will ensure inclusiveness as more students will now be able to write these examinations.

    Read Also: Fed Govt okays reduction in cost of JAMB, NECO forms

    “Since more students will now be able to write the examinations, hidden potentials will be exposed, because we have some intelligent students who have not been able to afford the examination fees,’’ he said.

    A parent, ‎Mrs Lelo Apena, said the reduction of fees was a diversion from the real issues plaguing the education sector, such as poor quality of education, dilapidated infrastructure and out- of- school children.

    According to her, this kind of reduction does not make any sense; N1,500 difference will not solve the problems bedeviling the education in Nigeria.

    ‎“ I tell you, reduction in these fees is a kind of diversion from the real issue; has the government thought of reducing tuition fees so that those who are qualified will be enrolled and do not drop out for lack of fees.

    “Our tertiary institutions always on strike; is it the reduction of JAMB fees and NECO that will solve the poor quality of students and lecturer impact?

    “Are the out-of -school children and their parents and guardians being helped to ensure their children are enrolled in school and not drop out before completion for various reasons?‎’’ she queried.

    Apena was of the opinion that states government should take over the payment of JAMB and NECO fees for poor students in their communities‎.
    ‎

    A retiree, Ms Ruseh Okaro, who also spoke to reporters , said the reduction was a welcome development, however, she said ‎ the quality of education was still a major cause of concern.
    ‎

    “ It is a welcome development but I do not think the fees should have been as high as that in the first place, given the importance of education to the wellbeing of a nation.
    ‎
    “ I also hope this reduction is sustainable and a holistic approach was used to arrive at these new fees”.
    ‎
    ‎A parent, Mr Shittu Ahmed, said the reduction was commendable, however, government should look into other areas of the sector such as dilapidated infrastructure and lack of learning materials.
    ‎
    A public servant,Mrs Folakemi Aina, said the reduction in the fees was long overdue and wondered why government was coming out with a lot of policies now that elections were drawing closer.

  • JAMB: Robbing poor candidates to pay rich FG

    SIR: Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede, has been receiving accolades from various quarters lately. The reason is that he has remitted about N9 billion to the covers of the federal government from the money made in the course of its activities during the ongoing 2018/2019 admission exercise into tertiary institutions. Commendable as this may appear, considering the fact that, as reported in the papers, only a paltry sum of N300million is being expected from the board, nobody has ever bothered to ask a pertinent question, which is: How did the board raise so much money that after deducting all expenses, and making allowance for some other exigencies, the board was still able to dash (!) the federal government a princely sum of N9 billion?

    The answer, of course, is that the money came from no other source than the sweats of desperate candidates and their hapless parents and guardians, which is quite unfortunate.

    JAMB, under the present dispensation has so much commercialized its activities that there is nothing candidates can do on the board’s website without paying through their noses. Apart from the N5,000 initial payment for the board’s form, which qualifies a candidate to sit for the matriculation examination, other post-examination activities attract astronomical fees, which in my view could have been done at much less cost. For instance, to change from one institution to another attracts over N2,500 per candidate for each transaction, while changing from one course of study to another attracts another N2,500 or even more. To print a single-page admission letter on JAMB website attracts N1,000. Other activities attract similar astronomical charges. All these activities are not frivolous but necessary for a large number of candidates. Those who could not be considered for institutions and or courses of their first choice have no choice than to do change of institution or course as the case may be which in my view, the board uses to rip off desperate candidates. Little wonder the registrar gleefully tells whoever cares to listen that he remits billions of naira to the government at the expense and detriment of candidates and their parents every admission year.

    I think there is the urgent need for people of good conscience to appeal to the registrar to put a stop to what one can refer to as day-light robbery, as these activities could be done at much less cost to candidates. These reductions should even start from the cost of buying the application form and should cut across all activities of the board. If need be, the National Assembly may have to wade into the matter and take another look at the law that established the board to rescue candidates from the stranglehold of the board. This has to be done fast, most probably, before the commencement of the admission exercise for 2019/2020 early next year. This robbing of Nigerian youths seeking admission into institutions of higher learning to pay the super-rich federal government by JAMB should stop forth-with in the name of all that is good and noble.

     

    • OluwoleAkinjayeju, olujayeju@yahoo.com

  • FG to employ over 1000 workers for Warri-Itakpe rail corridor

    Over 1000 workers will be employed for the Warri-Itakpe standard gauge rail corridor, says the Federal Government.

    Mr.FidetOkhiria, the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos.

    “It’s about 320km, about 12 stations and we have to engage people that will maintain the tracks, people that will work in the stations and sell tickets.

    “Also, technicians that will examine the train; So, we are going to engage close to over 1000 to maintain about 320km track, both junior and senior.

    “New employees can’t just be sent there; they must be trained.

    “In order for them to be trained, we will be moving people from the existing staff, but we have to replace them. So we have to fill up those position before the new people will be trained and certify to be part of the train operations,” he said.

    NRC operates one year training programme for graduate staff and three months for the junior staff.

    According to Okhiria, the 12 stations for the train service are still under construction, adding that temporary stations would be used pending completion.

    He, however, assured that the stations would be completed by the first quarter of 2019, noting that some of the houses at the railway village were renovated recently for workers.

    Okhiria said that a lot has been achieved, especially in the rail system under the current administration, with the purchase of more rolling stock and wagons. (NAN)

     

  • FG plots to plant 800 guns in Rivers, Wike alleges

    RIVERS State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has raised the alarm that the Federal Government has concluded plans to plant 800 guns in the state, with the objective of destabilising the state.

    In a statement signed by Special Assistant to the state governor on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, the governor was quoted as saying that the Federal Government resolved to implement the plot during her last security meeting. He stated that the intelligence came from credible sources that were privy to the plot against the state.

    The governor called on the international community “to take note of the proposed illegal action of the APC Federal Government, which is aimed at creating crisis in the state.” He regretted that the Federal Government has continued to work deliberately to compromise the security of the state. “Wike urged the people of the state to remain calm, but vigilant,” he said, adding “that the evil machinations of the Federal Government will not distract the state from delivering on her constitutional responsibilities to Rivers people.”

    Reacting, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has dismissed the allegation, describing it as a distraction and a figment of his (Wike’s)imagination. The minister also posited that the governor may the making the allegation knowing that he was going to be voted out in the coming 2019 general election. “This is a figment of Governor Wike’s imagination and a distraction. I guess the governor is already afraid that he will lose the next election. The Federal Government has no business planting guns anywhere. Perhaps the governor himself plans to plant the guns,” the minister said.

  • FG to raise funds from capital market to fund universities

    •As 371 bag PhD at UI

    Striking university lecturers and other stakeholders in education sector were told a bitter truth yesterday: Federal government does not have the financial ability to plug funding shortfall in Nigerian universities.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, who made the revelation at the convocation of the University of Ibadan which coincided with the institution’s 70th anniversary, said the federal government will therefore raise funds from the capital market to fund universities.

    Buhari, who was represented by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, acknowledged that university education was really being under-funded, and that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has a point for their ongoing strike, however, pleaded that the institutions should leverage on alumni and partnership with the private sector to provide the needed succour.

    The university admitted a total of 371 graduates into the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at the ceremony.

    Osinbajo revealed that some of the options that the federal government was working on “are the details of education funding for the public universities, which will involve raising funds from the capital market to give a push to the infrastructure in our universities. The ongoing talks with the ASUU as you know are follow-up of the chequered history of negotiations concluded with the government in 2013.”

    He added: “There is no question that ASUU has a point. However, we must seek to resolve amicably and with minimum disruption to the academic calendar. The issue really is that there is no doubt whatsoever that education is under-funded and we must fund it even with the best. But even with the best effort at attending to funding education from the budget, it is completely impossible to do so.

    “None of the universities, especially in the free world, is fully or even substantially funded by the government. The task of fund-raising is precisely what the universities are established to do; to solve problems and to create solutions that uplift the society. We can creatively address the issue looking at other solutions around the world. One of the solutions that we must explore is alumni network. There is perhaps no university in Nigeria that has the kind of alumni network today that the University of Ibadan has.”

    While lauding the outstanding achievements of the University in the past 70 years with the production of many academics in various fields of study with their pioneering work in research and development, Osinbajo added that “every generation is, whether it knows it or not, equipped to deal with the challenges of its times and to hand over a legacy to enable the next generation to navigate its own journey with greater ease. University is of course a place where the direction and instruction must come.

    Read also: FG, ASUU and the national interest

    Earlier, the Chancellor of the University, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, also commended the premier university for having blazed the trail in research and teaching in virtually all branches of knowledge in the last 70 years. He said UI’s achievements are globally recognised.

    While congratulating the graduands, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, reminded them that the university and society have high expectations from them, while disclosing that: “A total of 371 candidates spread over 12 faculties and five Institutes and Centres were admitted into the Doctor of Philosophy Degrees of the university with the Faculty of Arts leading the pack with 64 graduands”, he disclosed.

    Other dignitaries at the ceremony include a former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; the Chancellor Nde Waklek Mutka, Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu was represented by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Isiaq Oloyede; the Vice Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Minister of Health Professor Isaac Adewole, the Olubadan of Ibadanland Oba Saliu Adetunji (Aje Ogunguniso 1), and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Dr. Samson Ayokunle.

    The 2018 distinguished honourary awardees in various fields for the University included: Chief Bode Akindele (industrialist, the Parakoyi of Ibadanland,), Professor Bolanle Awe (Historian and former Education Commissioner in the old Oyo State), Professor Olufunmilayo Olapade (Physician), Professor Grace Alele Williams (ex- VC, UNIBEN), Professor Akin Mabogunje, (Geographer), and Professor Omoniyi Adewoye (ex-UI VC).