President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday submitted the 2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) to the Senate.
This followed Buhari’s letter to the Senate which was read at plenary by the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan.
Details Shortly…
Labour leaders and Federal Government officials will meet between tomorrow and Friday to unlock the stalemate over the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage.
Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige said the government had commenced payment of the new wage from Levels 1 to 6 workers.
But Labour leaders accused the government of insincerity. A source described the payments of the new wage to junior workers as “divide and rule tactics”.
The President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Quadri Olaleye, chided the Federal Government for insincerity, adding that its representatives in the negotiation had not shifted ground.
Olaleye said: ”Up till now , we are still waiting for the representatives of the Federal Government. They promised to consult with the Presidency and get back to us. But we have not heard anything from them. It shows insincerity on their part and we can’t wait further.”
Olaleye said Labour will meet with the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council (JPSNC) on Friday, adding that, if nothing is done by then, labour will take a decision.
He said: ”You all know the body language already. So, by Friday, we will meet with the JPSNC and a decision will be taken. I want to assure you that, once a decision is taken, there is no going back.”
The JPSNC warned that workers could go on strike over the delayed implementation of the new wage as the meeting between the Federal Government and the council was stalled.
Both parties failed to reach an agreement, despite minor adjustments in their separate positions.
During the meeting, which was chaired by the thenHead of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, government shifted from its earlier position of 9.5 per cent to 11 per cent for grade levels seven to 14 and 6.5 per cent from 5.5 per cent for levels 15 to 17.
But, workers have insisted that government should adjust the salaries of workers on grade levels 07 to 14 by 30 per cent and those on levels 15 to 17 by 25 per cent, having stepped down to 29 per cent from 30 per cent for grade levels 7 to 14 and 24 to 25 per cent for levels 15 to 17.
Expressing dismay over the failed negotiation, the chairman of JPSNC and National Auditor of the NLC, Simon Anchaver, accused the government team of toying with workers’ interest.
He said the JPSNC had resolved to write to the NLC, and the TUC for their advice on a possible industrial action.
A member of the JNPSNC, who confirmed the proposed Friday meeting said that the labour team would be led by the NLC President Ayuba Wabba.
He said labour would use the opportunity to discuss the need for the Federal Government to fast track action on the new minimum wage.
The source kicked against the payment of N30, 000 minimum wage to junior workers on levels 1- 6 employed by the Federal Government, describing it as a “divide and rule tactics”.
The source said: “We are meeting the minister on Thursday. The issue of minimum wage will definitely come up. Even the minister will talk about it.
“We want the government to fast track the process. We are not happy over the decision of the government to pay workers on levels 01-6. It is divide and rule tactics by the government.
“We will mobilise against it. In fact, we have already started mobilising our members but we have not fixed a date yet for it.”
Festus Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), on Tuesday spoke on his deployment from the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry as Minister of State to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
He said the redeployment had offered him a fresh opportunity to prove his versatility.
Reacting to the development, Keyamo tweeted that he is ready to serve the Buhari government in any capacity.
“On the move again: Two portfolios in two months! Just been redeployed to the Ministry of Labour and Employment to work with my long-time big brother, H.E, Chris Ngige. Thank you, Mr. President for finding me versatile enough to move around. Always ready to serve in any capacity,” Keyamo tweeted.
Keyamo is swaping offices with Senator Tayo Alasoadura.
President Muhammadu Buhari approved the immediate redeployment of the two ministers of state in a statement by Willie Bassey, the Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The redeployment, according to the statement, took effect from yesterday.
Until the redeployment, Keyamo paired with Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Alasoadura, with Dr. Chris Ngige in the Labour and Employment Ministry.
No reason was given for the redeployment of the ministers.
Eloagu said this at the official unveiling of new technology, Uniview video surveillance device held in Lagos.
He said that Nigerians has one of the most talented brains in the world making giants strides in the area of medical service, technology, agriculture, art and are willing to come back to contribute their quota toward the development of our economy.
“Government must be deliberate in its policy to entice and encourage young talented Nigerians living abroad who want to help us grow our economy, enhance our technology and improve our Gross Domestic Product (GDP)”, he said.
He challenged Nigerian youths to value themselves and make an impact in their world.
He added that the product launch and road show is to showcase the new brand of CCTV by UNVIEW, which are durable, dependable and digitally driven.
Following reports that the Nigerian government plans to sue South Africa at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Court) over the renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, some citizens of West African countries have begun move to compel their countries to take the necessary steps to allow enhanced access to the continental court, ERIC IKHILAE writes.
Smarting from the impact of the latest wave of violent xenophobic attacks on foreigners by South Africans, a group of West African citizens have gone before the Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Court), seeking, among other things, to compel member states to take the necessary steps to allow citizens and non-government organisations (NGOs) access to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Court).
They frowned at the current state of affair where only states in the sub-region could initiate cases before the court, to the exclusion of their citizens and NGOs. The development, they argued, constituted not only a violation of the rights enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and related instruments, but a negation of motive behind the establishment of the African Court.
Listed as plaintiffs in the suit marked ECW/CCJ/APP/26/19 are 25 individuals drawn from 15 ECOWAS member states and a group-the Campaign for Social Justice and Constitutional Democracy in Africa (CSJCDA).
In court documents filed by their lawyer, Festus Ogwuche, the plaintiffs noted that while only Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Mali have submitted the requisite declarations pursuant to Section 36 of the Protocol establishing the court, thereby paving the way for their citizens and NGOs resident in such countries to sue before the court, other ECOWAS member states have declined to so act.
They argued that the refusal of the majority of West African states to make the requisite declaration was not only wasteful (in that they contribute resources to funding the court’s operations), it was selfish-in that by recognising the competence of the African Court and allowing access to their citizens and NGOs, decisions of the countries’ Supreme Court in relation to human rights cases, will become opened to scrutiny and review by the continental court.
The plaintiffs, led by Obinna Umeh, are contending, among others, that the failure of most countries in the sub-region to make the requisite declaration has not only dampened the enthusiasm generated among the citizens by the creation of the African Court, which they thought would complement the ECOWAS Court, it negates essence of the African Charter.
They are, therefore, praying the court for the following reliefs, among others:
* A declaration that the act of the defendants in withholding the declaration pursuant to Article 34 (6) of the Protocol on the establishment of the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights, as to enable their citizens have access and seek redress in the African Court for violation of their fundamental rights, is an infringement of the fundamental rights under the African Charter.
* A declaration that, by virtue of the provisions of the African Charter, the defendants have a duty, albeit a compelling responsibility to ensure that their citizens are not restricted or curtailed in any manner, in the enforcement of their fundamental rights, but rather do all things necessary to ensure the protection and preservation of those rights set out therein, against their infringement both against their citizens and other member states of the African Union against their citizens.
* An order compelling the defendants to make the declaration subject to Article 34 (6) of the Protocol on the establishment of the African Court to meet the requirements of the Protocol 05 to enable the plaintiffs and, indeed, all of their respective citizens, have access to the African Court for the protection, preservation and enforcement of their fundamental rights.
* An order compelling the defendants to encourage and provide the necessary ennoblement for human rights litigation and enforcement against infringement and provide adequate measures that will allow their citizens unimpeded access to national and international mediums for the ventilation of their grievances and seek redress for infringements of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Umeh and others stated that the court’s jurisdiction, under Article 3 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the establishment of the ACHPR, shall extend to all cases and disputes submitted to it concerning the interpretation and application of the charter, the protocol and any other human rights instrument ratified by the states concerned.
They noted that while the Protocol, in its Article 5, provides direct access to state parties, African International Organisations and the Commission; access to the court by individuals and NGOs, whose fundamental rights are violated, is provided under Section 5 (3), but made subject to Section 34 (6) of the Protocol.
The plaintiffs stated that: “The said Article 34 (6) requires that for individuals within a particular state to institute cases in the Court for violation of their fundamental rights, their states shall make a declaration accepting the competence of the court, for the court to receive cases under Section 5 (3) of the Protocol.
“The absence of such declaration by a particular state disentitles the particular state citizens from accessing the court to enforce their fundamental rights before the court.
“The defendant states expended substantial amounts of money in contribution to the setting up of the Court, including the development of the infrastructure and facilities, but till date declined to perform the relevant protocol pursuant to the charter creating the court to allow their citizens access to the court.
“Some of the countries that are yet to make the requisite Declaration are enjoying the privileges provided by the court, and still foreclose their citizens from accessing the court and thereby depriving them of all of the known human rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined and guaranteed under the African Charter.
“A country such as Nigeria has produced a Vice-President of the Court in the person of Judge Elsie Thompson, and participates in all the activities of the court but still denies its people the gains of the court in terms of the preservation and enforcement of the rights enshrined and guaranteed under the African Charter.
“By global records, Africa holds the highest number of human rights violations and the bulk of the infringements are the direct acts of the states and their actors, of which the existence of the court would provide the veritable forum to hold such state violators to account.
“In more recent times, Africans are subjected to all manner of inhuman treatments and indignities, even by their co-Africans, in such places such as Libya, Mauritania and Algeria, among others, where thousands are held in slavery and servitude, being treated like chattels and in most inhuman conditions worse than the days of the Trans-Atlantic slavery, the African Court of Human Rights holds the only beacon of hope for the redressing of these violations.
“Africans are subjected to all manner of inhuman and degrading treatments in the hands of their co-African natives of South Africa, at the instigation of the South African state and with state institutions looking on while their fellow Africans are being slaughtered, dehumanised and inhumanly treated, with virtually no forum citizens of the defendant countries to ventilate their grievances. This is because the defendant states decline from performing the necessary and requisite functions to allow their citizens access to the African Court of Human Rights.
“The refusal of the Defendant countries from making the necessary Declarations that would give their citizens access to the said court diminishes their enjoyment of the rights provided under the African Charter and it is a violation of their fundamental right.
“By the status of the African Charter as the foremost human rights instrument within the continent, the act of constricting or limiting its scope, application and enforcement mechanism through the refusal of the Defendants to make the requisite Declarations in satisfaction of the Protocol establishment, is a direct infringement on the fundamental rights of the Plaintiff’s.
“The Defendants having been convinced firmly that the attainment of the objectives of the African Charter requires the establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights as they so declared and affirmed in the Protocol to the establishment of the court, cannot refuse their citizens access to the said court, as such refusal is tantamount to a denial of their rights to the enjoyment of those rights and a violation of the said rights. ”
The Senate is awaiting the presentation of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) and the 2020 Budget proposals by President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan said on Tuesday.
Lawan, who spoke after an executive session of the Senate also disclosed that all the 69 Standing Committees of the Senate would be inaugurated at today’s plenary.
The Senate had on resumption from its annual recess immediately went into an executive session.
Lawan said that the Red Chamber resolved at its executive session to inaugurate all its Standing Committees at the plenary.
He said that the chamber also resolved to await the presentation of the MTEF/FSP as well as the 2020 Appropriation Act.
Lawan, however, did not give a definite date when the two important documents would be transmitted from the executive to the lawmakers for consideration.
Meanwhile Section 11 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act clearly stipulates that the MTEF/FSP “must not be submitted later than four months before the commencement of the next financial year.”
Section 18 of the Act also provides that “the MTEF shall be the basis for the preparation of the estimates of revenue and expenditure required to be prepared and laid before the National Assembly under section 81 (1) of the Constitution.”
The Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has shut down 20 health facilities in Lagos State.
The facilities were closed in August for non-compliance with regulatory standards.
The Executive Secretary of HEFAMAA, Dr. Abiola Idowu disclosed this after an inspection by the agency, stressing that the state government remains committed to putting a halt to the ugly trend of having unqualified personnel in health facilities.
Idowu said the state would continue to insist that the environment for the dispensation of medical care should be suitable and hygienic for the promotion and maintenance of good health.
She urged members of the public to continue to cooperate and support the government in the fight against quackery and illegal operation of facilities by reporting those behind such acts to relevant government agencies.
The HEFAMAA boss also revealed that the agency has witnessed an improved service delivery since the introduction of e-hefama, a technological-based platform to ease registration of facilities and conduct other functions and responsibilities of HEFAMAA.
The Senate on Tuesday summoned the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to brief it on the details of the $9.6billion judgement awarded against Nigeria and the 2010 Gas contract to the Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) Limited.
This followed a motion for a matter of urgent public importance moved by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central District.
Also to appear before relevant committees of the Senate on the matter are officials of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and professional arbitrators engaged on behalf of the Federal Government.
In his lead debate, Senator Bamidele, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, stressed the need to invite the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, and other relevant stakeholders to brief relevant committees of the Senate on the award against the Federal Government by a United Kingdom Court.
He called on the Senate to note with concern that “Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora have become apprehensive while many committees of the Senate have over the last few weeks received several petitions and other direct and circumstantial information on the ongoing legal imbroglio involving the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and, by extension, the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Kingdom firm known as Process and Industrial Development Limited, herein after referred to as P&ID.”
He said the Senate should be aware that in January 2010, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, acting on behalf of the Federal Government executed a Gas supply processing agreement with P&ID whereby Nigeria was to supply zero cost natural gas to P&ID through a pipeline to be constructed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to P&ID processing facility.
He said that under the terms of the TSPA, which had a tenor of 20 years, from the date of first supply of wet Gas, P&ID had an obligation to process the wet gas and deliver the derivative to the Federal Government free of charge for power generation while taking any other residual liquid itself at no cost.
He said that, based on the facts of the case, P&ID served a notice of arbitration on the Federal Government in 2012 on the ground that Nigeria repudiated its obligation under the terms of the TSPA by defaulting to make wet Gas available to it.
He said the Senate was also aware that a commercial court in the United Kingdom in the suit referred to has ruled that the Federal Government must pay the British firm – Process and Industrial Development Limited – a sum of $9.6 billion or have its assets to the tune of that amount forfeited.
He urged the Senate to be alarmed that the UK Court’s decision converted the subsequent arbitral award into a domestic judgement against Nigeria, thereby creating a situation where Nigeria’s asset around the world, particularly in the UK and the U.S. risk being taken over by P&ID or its agents.
He lamented that the damages awarded to P&ID were “manifestly excessive, exorbitant, punitive and a big threat to the economic well-being and security of Nigeria.”
He added: “The Senate is deeply concerned that the issues arising from the default aforesaid as well as the consequential arbitration, court proceedings and the ensuing award against Nigeria have thus far been concealed from the Senate and the entire National Assembly.”
He observed that the principal role of the National Assembly, is among others, “to undertake oversight of all government ministries, departments and agencies or amend subsisting laws of the Federation of Nigeria, for the proper functioning and good governance of the country which power is derived from the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.”
Senator Opeyemi prayed the Senate to invite the “Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation and other relevant stakeholders, including officials of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and professional arbitrators engaged on behalf of the Federal Government in this regard to comprehensively brief the Senate Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), Gas Resources and Power on the details of the 2010 contract with P&ID as executed, reasons for the default as well as the handling of resultant negotiations, arbitration, court proceedings and steps being taken to resolve the matter in the overall best interest of the Nigerian economy and security of the nation’s assets at home and abroad.”
However, citing order 53 (5) of the Senate Standing Rules, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege cautioned his colleagues to limit their contributions on the motion which is to invite AGF and other relevant government agencies to brief the Senate as the matter is presently awaiting judicial decision.
The only prayer of the motion was unanimously approved when it was put to vote by the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan.
Lawan addd that the judgement $9.6billion awarded against Nigeria is one reason the country needs to strengthen its diplomatic engagements with other countries.
There is no room for money changers in the banking sector of the financial economy, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), told banks on Tuesday.
CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele said the banks should be major players in growing the economy, and warned that the era of armchair banking was over.
According to him, the days of non-performing loans (NPLs) had become history in the country “as anyone who benefits from any facility must pay back”.
Adding bite to the NPL issue, Emefiele appealed to the judiciary to support efforts towards ensuring that bank debtors pay back what they owe.
Speaking at the opening of the 12th Annual Banking and Finance Conference, in Abuja yesterday, the CBN governor, represented by the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Dr. Joseph Nnanna, said: “We do not want the banks to be money changers. Banking is not banking if you only play in the government fixed income space.
“Banking becomes meaningful when you take liquidity excesses from your surplus centres and channel them into scarce areas, that way you are transforming liquidity into assets and you are growing the economy and creating employment.”
The era when banks deployed their assets in fixed income instruments particularly Treasury Bills (TBs) and Bonds at the expense of the real sector “is over”.
He charged the banking sector to live up to its core responsibility of stimulating the economy by advancing credit to the real sector to create jobs for teeming population.
Emefiele, who noted that the days of brick and mortar banking were gone, urged the banks to digitalise their operations.
He identified unemployment as the biggest challenge in the country and appealed to the banking industry to assist government in tackling the challenge.
Emefiele said: “Today, with our new generation banks, the players of this space are digital in nature. We have gone beyond armchair banking where players play safe. Today, the CBN is calling on the banking system to be alive to its responsibility. We cannot conceive an economy without banks and neither can we conceive banks without an economy.
“What do I mean by this? What I am simply saying is that the days of armchair banking, playing in the treasury bills space- those days are right behind us. The CBN is bullish and we have in fact, taken our responsibility very seriously.
“In the past months, we have come with new initiatives. The loans to deposit ratio is aimed at transforming liquidity management into risk asset management and asset transformation.”
Describing unemployment as the most serious issue, Emefiele urged the banks to play a crucial role by supporting government in asset creation.
“We must support the government in creating jobs for the teeming population,” he said.
He implored banks to redirect their idle liquidity by transforming them into asset creation tools.
“We have also tried to de-risk the banking industry. The days of non-performing loans are behind us and we call upon the judiciary to assist us in this regard,” Emefiele said.
Going forward, he said: “We shall learn to borrow in the old fashion way; by paying back when we have accessed facility from the banks. As Nigerians, the future of our country is in our hands and that future must be defined by the banking industry. Without money, we go nowhere in any economy in the world: with money we can go places.”
House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu have condoled with the family of Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru, the Oniru of Iruland in Lagos State
Oba Oniru, aged 82, died about 11 am on Monday in Lagos after a brief illness.
Gbajabiamila said Oba Oniru would be remembered for his fatherly role and commitment to the development of Iruland.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, the Speaker described the monarch’s death as painful at a time his advice and guidance were needed.
Gbajabiamila said: “I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to the family of our late royal father. His death came to me as a shock, but I take solace in the exemplary life that he lived and the legacies that he left behind.
“Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru was a father to all. He was a peace loving man, who did his best to make his people happy. I wish to commiserate with the government and the people of Lagos State, particularly the subjects… over this great and irreparable loss.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu, through his twitter handle @jidesanwoolu, commiserated with the family.
He tweeted: “On behalf of the government and people of Lagos, I commiserate with the Oniru Royal Family on the transition of …Oba Idowu Oniru, who joined his forebears. His service to the state and country… will remain his enduring legacy…”
Former Lagos State Deputy Governor Idiat Oluranti Adebule described Oniru as a great monarch, saying he was a peace-loving monarch.
“He was always bringing people together to live in peace and harmony. He demonstrated a great passion for the development of Lagos State. He was indeed a peace-maker,” she said.
The Waziri Nupe, Senator Isa Mohammed, also condoled with the royal family.
Senator Mohammed prayed to God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
“My family and I wish to commiserate with you and the entire Oniru Royal family on the passing away of Oba Abiodun Idowu Oniru, the 14th Oniru of Iruland, Victoria Island, Lagos. May Allah grant him peaceful repose, mercy, forgiveness, eternal rest and reward him with Al-Jannah Firdaus. May Allah also be with you and the children and grant you the strength and fortitude to bear this great loss,” he said.
Chairman of Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Princess Rasheedat Abiodun Adu, described the late monarch as a great father.
Princess Adu said Oba Oniru’s reign brought greater development to Iruland and its environs.
“Kabiyesi’s reign ushered in unprecedented political and socio-economic development to Iruland and beyond. The late monarch’s demonstration of integrity is matchless,” she said.
Wife of former Chairman of Iru-Victoria LCDA, Chief Funmilayo Daramola, hailed the late Oniru as a great monarch.
Chief Daramola, the Alaje Wura of Iruland, said: “Kabiyesi was truly a great person. He was a nice man, who was after the development of the community and Lagos state as a whole. He sacrificed a lot to ensure Iru-Victoria Island is developed.”
Oba Oniru succeeded his father in 1995. He was born on September 6, 1937, as the 12 of the 15 children of the long-reigning Oba Yesufu Oniru, who died at the age of 120 years.
The royal family yesterday released the funeral programmes.
It will start with the Third Day Muslim prayer today at the palace. Christian prayer holds tomorrow.
On Sunday, the Seventh Day prayer, the Ije, will take place.
The following Sunday, a programme called Erinla will hold at the palace.
The late Oba Oniru attended St David’s Primary School and Araromi Baptist School on Lagos Island and Eko Boys High School.
In 1965, he left Nigeria to study civil engineering at the British Institute of Engineering Technology in Slough.
He returned to Nigeria in 1968 to join his father to run the family business.