The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • Minimum Wage battle shifts to states

    With the enactment of the National Minimum Wage Act and take-off of implementation, the battle for the new wage has shifted to the states, TOBA AGBOOLA reports.

    The presidential assent given to the minimum wage bill may have laid to rest several months of agitations and controversies over a new national minimum wage. However, another floodgate of struggles may have opened over its implementation by state governments. That is, the new minimum wage may not realise full-scale implementation without some disappointments.

    While some governors are ready to pay the N30,000 minimum wage,  some have spoken of low funds and opted to increase tax.

    For instance, Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said the state lacked the funds to pay the new wage, uring workers to pray for an improvement in the economy to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

    Ugwuanyi said: “In as much as the government will remain true to its obligations, I will tell you the nation’s economy is not robust.

    “I have taken notice of the new national minimum wage as signed into law, but workers should pray for improvement in financial resources of the state.

    “We will ensure that these issues are comprehensively and satisfactorily addressed in concert with other relevant government agencies and departments.”

    Similarly, Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi said he would neither be the first nor the last to pay the new wage.

    He said workers should prepare for an increase in tax, if they wanted to receive the new minimum wage.

    “You see, this issue of minimum wage, I will not be the first nor the last to pay it, but I will pay. Civil servants and others should be prepared to pay tax in Ebonyi State,” he said.

    It will be recalled that the Chairman,  Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, who canvassed the position of his colleagues in response to the report of the tripartite committee on minimum wage, said the governors were against the N30,000 minimum wage. According to him, the states are going through difficult times and, therefore, lacked the capacity to implement the new wage for workers.

    He said the payment of N30,000 was impracticable and may lead to retrenchment of workers in the states.

    Yari, however, said the states could only take up the challenge of paying the minimum wage, if Labour would agree to downsizing of the workforce across the country or Federal Government itself acceded to the review of the national revenue allocation formula as well as other measures that would boost the revenue profile of state governments.

    The governors, in the heat of negotiations with the Labour movement, set up a committee headed by Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, to assess the state of finances of most state governments.

    The agitation by the Labour is being spearheaded by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which rejected the governors’ position, insisting that states are capable of paying the new minimum wage if only state chief executives would allow the prudent management of resources.

    However, analysts believe that the real hurdles facing the governors over the implementation of the N30,000 National Minimum Wage are more of political issues than economic.

    They said governors should be ready to reduce their large number of political aides, cut down the amount spent on servicing political machinery and ignore certain political considerations to implement the new wage.

    A Professor of Political Science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Jonah Onuoha, said lawmaking in Nigeria had been bedevilled by poor implementation.

    Onuoha said: “Otherwise, how can you explain the fact that even the N18,000 that was approved many years ago has not been implemented and you are approving N30,000? While we commend the President for assenting to the bill to become law, the question is: how do you implement it?

    “There must be a way to compel the state governments to implement the law; there must be a way the Federal Government will prevail on the states to implement the law. The institution is so weak that every governor behaves the way he wants without regard to the law.

    “The Federal Government cannot compel the states to employ anybody but when you employ people, pay them according to the law. That is what we are saying, even if it means cutting down on their (governors’) lifestyles,” said Onuoha.

    Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said state governments had failed to set their priorities right.

    Mumuni said: “Let me say straight away that at any level in the Nigerian polity, if priorities are ordered right, if we put our focus where it should be, there is no basis for any government not to be able to pay the new minimum wage. Look at what they pay their political hangers-on.

    “You cannot say any of those governors do not pay more than N30,000 to political hangers-on. So, I believe that it is a question of cutting our coat according to our cloth and ordering our priorities right, then everything will be okay

    He added, “The reason they (governors) will say they cannot pay is because monies are diverted for inanities and frivolities, rather than meeting the needs of the people of Nigeria. I don’t even know what they say they spend on security, especially when, from state to state, there are security challenges.

    “You then ask yourself what the security monies they collect are used for. I believe that the issue of security votes is another nomenclature for mismanaging resources and I don’t think it is needed in the current dispensation.”

    But a Professor of Political Science at the University of Lagos, Derin Ologbenla, warned that defaulting governors would have to brace for industrial actions with the attendant consequences.

    Ologbenla noted that rather than depend on federal allocations to meet the workers’ remuneration, states must be innovative to increase their internally generated revenue.

    The don explained: “The idea behind the N30,000 is that the prices of goods have gone up, the naira has been devalued and the workers are suffering in penury. Therefore, something has to be done.

    “The government, Labour and owners of businesses met and negotiated the N30,000. Having been signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, it is a law at the federal, state and local government levels.

    “Now, any governor that refuses to pay will have himself to blame in the sense that there will be labour unrest in that state and the governor will not be able to achieve his aims and objectives. The N30,000 minimum wage is not even adequate for the workers.

    “The prices of things have gone up; the governors who say they cannot pay must find a way of generating ideas, they must attract investors to their states.”

    Ologbenla said the new minimum wage law had provided an opportunity for the governors to reduce their spending and channel their security votes to people-oriented purposes. He supported the call for the revenue sharing formula review.

    “The security votes of each state can be better applied. How are the security votes utilised? They are not monitored or accounted for; they are spent anyhow.”

    Also, responding to some of the comments by state governments on their inability to pay the new wage, Comrade Agnes Funmilayo Sessi, Lagos State Chair of NLC, said any governor that said he could not pay the new wage had failed the people and should resign.

    She said: “Any governor that cannot pay the salary of the workers should resign. That means they have failed in their duties and they are incapable of holding that position.

    “If they can reduce corruption and bogus spending, there is no state that will not be able to pay the workers the new wage. When they are electing them, did they promise the people that they will starve them?”

    NLC President Ayuba Wabba  punctured the excuses of the governors that their revenue profile cannot support the implementation of the minimum wage. He accused them of being extravagant.

    Speaking with The Nation, Wabba, said governors who were not ready to implement the new national minimum wage should brace for confrontation with organised labour.

    Wabba said governors should remember that they swore an oath to abide by the laws, adding that the national minimum wage is a law which they must implement.

  • Teachers’ reward…Still in heaven?

    Nigerian teachers will, tomorrow join the rest of the world to celebrate the 2019 World Teachers’ Day. The day provides the occasion to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide, to take stock of achievements, and to address some of the issues central for attracting and keeping the brightest minds and young talents in the profession, writes FRANK IKPEFAN

    THIS year’s celebration of World Teachers’ Dayhas “Young Teachers: The future of the Profession” as its theme, held annually on 5 October since 1994, World Teachers’ Day commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ILO/UNESCO) recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.

    This recommendation sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions. The Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel was adopted in 1997 to complement the 1966 Recommendation by covering teaching and research personnel in higher education.

    With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education, and the dedicated target (SDG 4.c) recognising teachers as key to the achievement of the Education 2030 agenda, WTD has become the occasion to mark progress and reflect on ways to counter the remaining challenges for the promotion of the teaching profession.

    Despite the significant roles they play in the society, the teaching profession remains the least ranked and appreciated profession in the country. This is partly due to poor attention that governments at all levels pay to the profession. Teachers in the country are poorly paid, lacked the requisite training to measure up with their counterparts in other parts of the world.

    The challenges confronting the profession continue to mount. These include the best brains not willing to embrace teaching and poor welfare and reward for teachers. Teachers too have been accused of not demonstrating the required professionalism and passion.

    Others include low wages, poor motivation, absence of a professional education academy, lack of professional and in-service trainings, high teacher-pupil ratio and lack of autonomy by Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT).

    It is ironical to assume that teachers who are saddled with the responsibility of moulding the character of future generations, equipping them with tools for greatness would live and die in abject poverty.

    As at May this year, some states are either owing teachers salaries, or not implementing the N18,000 minimum wage for teachers. According to data obtained from the Nigeria Union of Teachers, the umbrella body of teachers in the country, Abia is owing teachers in secondary school in the state eight months salary. Benue is owing teachers in primary schools 10 months salaries.

    Kogi State owes teachers between 10-25 months. Although the government is offsetting this by paying the teachers in percentage. Ekiti state on the other hand, is owing teachers six months salary which covers April – September, 2018. The arrears were left behind by former governor, Ayodele Fayose. Ondo on the other hand is owing teachers two months’ salaries.

    In Nasarawa State, teachers were on half salary between November 2015 and November 2018. According to the NUT, there was shortfall on salaries coming from Local Government.

    According to the NUT, Borno has not fully implemented the N18, 000 minimum wage to primary school teachers in the state. Zamfara State has refused to implement the N18, 000 minimum wage for teachers in the state.

    “Kogi State is paying half salary. Teachers who were affected by the last verification and screening are yet to be included on payroll,” the NUT data said.

    Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, had announced in 2017 that the Federal Government was working on a plan to ensure that teachers are paid salaries higher than other workers in the country.

    Adamu had said that increase in the salaries of teachers would help to attract the best to the teaching profession.

    But two years after, nothing seems to have changed according to the National President of the NUT, Muhammed Idris.

    The NUT President lamented the poor conditions of teachers in some states. According to him, this poor condition would impart the quality of education in the country.

    He said: “There is no fulfillment of that promise. The other time we visited him he told us that they have plans for the Nigerians teachers.

    “We as teachers have so many problems. We always tell government to address these problems so that Nigerian teachers will be happy. But honestly, our teachers are not happy. That is why we insist on the extension of years of service for Nigerian teachers.

    “In most states, our classrooms are almost empty. About 22 states have not recruited teachers for the past four to five years and teachers are retiring by the day. That is our main concern.

    “You will go to classrooms, you will see a classroom with almost 70 pupils inside with no teacher. Most of the states are running away from the cost of employing teachers.

    “The remaining teachers on ground are manning the schools. One teacher will attend three  classes in a day.

    “There is also the challenge of infrastructural decay in most of our schools. Our teachers tech in the shades. There are no classrooms even in places where there are classrooms there are no sitting tables and chairs. How do you expect them to improve their productivity?

    “Our teachers are ready to teach but the government is demoralising us. Majority of state governments are demoralising us as far as this profession is concerned. That is why we said let them address these issues no also recruit more teachers to manage these schools.”

    Idris appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the bill seeking to increase the retirement age of teachers/education officers from 60 to 65.

    In a briefing ahead of the WTD in Abuja, the NUT national president said that the union would not rest on its demand to see that the bill is assented to by the president.

    He said: “I wish to also acknowledge the collaborative efforts of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Union of Teachers and other stakeholders to see that our age-long demand for review of the retirement age of teachers/education officers from 60 to 65 is addressed.

    “We urge all of us not to rest on our oars until the bill is signed into law.

    “As we look forward to a peaceful and successful celebration of the World Teachers’ Day, we enjoin the federal and state ministries of education and all relevant authorities to develop policy reforms that would address challenges surrounding the teacher and his vocation with a view to making the teaching profession more rewarding and attractive.

    “It is by this way the nation’s teachers can be truly celebrated.”

    He commended Buhari for sustaining the sponsorship of the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Award to honour and reward outstanding teachers in the country.

    Adamu assured the teachers that the Federal Ministry of Education has put in place mechanisms to strengthen the implementation of teacher education in the country.

    The minister listed the mechanisms to include reviewing the quality assurance/monitoring instruments in line with global best practice, engagement of independent quality assurance teams and stakeholders in monitoring of all academic activities.

    Others are conducting nationwide capacity building workshops for 100, 000 teachers at basic and post-basic levels through the support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Adamu, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, added that teacher development and motivation were central to efforts the ministry is making to reposition the education sector to meet national aspirations.

    “As the saying goes no nation can rise above the level of her teachers. We are, therefore, conscious of the fact that the quality of our teachers is directly proportional to the quality of the learners themselves.

    “It is clear that a lot still needs to be done to enhance the quality of teachers and ensure quality learning outcomes. The challenges and impediments to quality education  in the country must be quickly addressed and promptly overcome.

    “This calls for urgent national response.

    “The ministry is systematically and fully committed to constant upgrading of the teaching standards and contents to boost teacher quality in Nigeria in the following critical aspects: professional knowledge, professional skills, professional values, attitude and conduct and professional membership obligations and leadership.

    “We are leaving no stone unturned in our quest to ensure that teachers are professionally qualified, empowered and adequately remunerated, motivated and supported for efficiency and effectiveness,” the minister said.

    The minister said the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna has been engaged in the upgrading of under-qualified and unqualified teachers by providing courses of instructions and continuous professional development for teachers.

    He said government must build and explore avenues to reposition teachers and the teaching profession to an enviable height and to ensure that minimum standards are maintained.

  • Day okada riders stabbed man to death

    Tosin Stephen Abikoye, a surveyor, had no inkling that death was awaiting him that Thursday night. He was returning home after the day’s work at his Leisure Court office. Time was a little past 6pm and as he drove home, he was probably thinking of his wife and two lovely boys, a five-year-old, and the other just a little over five months.

    For the Kogi State indigene, death came through some wrongheaded commercial motorcycle riders, commonly referred to as Okada riders. Many still wonder what anyone could have done to warrant such unnecessary and needless “execution”. For, that was how Abikoye’s senseless killing is being perceived by people that witnessed the dastardly act. It was a painful death in the hands of people that are largely seen as incapable of any rational thought processes.

    An eye witness, while narrating the incident, said that Abikoye was returning from work, and had parked the car at a car wash near I.K Supermarket in Lugbe, a satellite town in the FCT. He had left the car to get something nearby when suddenly a commercial motorcycle rider who had a break failure rammed into the car. The usual argument ensued and Abikoye eventually told the bike man and his passenger to go take care of their injuries. Another eyewitness said he even gave the motorcyclist some money for medication even though he (the bike rider) was at fault. Without making any fuss about the dent left on his car by the errant cyclist, Abikoye got into his car and headed his way.

    At this point, the motorcyclists had mobilised some of his colleagues, in a typical fashion during disagreements with motorists. The bike rider and some of his colleagues chased after Abikoye for reasons no one could fathom, and shouting “barawo, barawo” (thief) as they pursued the driver and the car. Looking back and seeing the horde of bikers pursuing him, Abikoye probably got scared. Apparently thinking that he would be safe if he got to his street where he was well known, he headed in the direction of his house. But that turned out to be a big mistake.

    A security man told The Nation that when bikers passed a nearby new site gate of the Federal Housing estate, some of their other colleagues joined in the chase, even without finding out what transpired. However, the fleeing Abikoye drove past his house and headed for a nearby hotel owned by someone he knew very well. He was said to have taken cover in one of the hotel rooms, having shaken off his pursuers. Unfortunately, a suya (barbecue) seller who was watching the unfolding drama from a distance, gave Abikoye away. The mob confronted the hotel manager, who they ordered to produce the man or risk having the facility burnt down. Left with no choice, the manager gave him up. And in a twinkle of an eye, daggers of different shapes and sizes started creeping out from under the filthy garments of the bike riders. And one after the other, the beasts stabbed Abikoye until he lost consciousness. He died as he was being rushed to the hospital.

    Being a well known and well liked person in the community, there began an immediate uprising against all commercial motorcyclists in the vicinity. In retaliation, angry residents descended on any motorcycle in sight. And within a few hours, charred remains of burnt motorcycles littered the neighbourhood. In addition, the residents placed immediate ban on the activities of the commercial bike riders in the area till further notice. Residents of the area are now faced with the challenge of trekking long distances to get where they could get bikes to their destinations. A security man in the New Site estate  informed our correspondent that the ban is permanent. “We are thinking of bringing Keke (tricycles) to start operating here”.

    When The Nation, visited the late Abikoye’s house, the wife of the deceased, who is said to be nursing a five months old baby, had been relocated by the husband’s family. The house, which wore a sad and forlorn look, was being guarded by a team of six armed policemen who told the reporter they were from the Force Headquarters

    The Mai Angwar (chief of the community) Called Joseph, was not around when The Nation’s correspondent visited his house on Monday. Neither was he at his hotel (where Abikoye was killed).

    A lawyer, Steve Nwigwe noted that since it is a mob action, it would be difficult to isolate a single person for punishment. He however blamed the police in Lugbe division for not doing enough. “The Police are not doing anything. They must deploy three vans in different places along the axis. But this does not change the fact that the man is dead.

    “I expected that bikes would be registered, at least before being allowed to function in the FCT. If they are, if they can’t get the rider, they can get the owner who will then fish out the rider”. According to the lawyer, the law in Nigeria forbids anyone from carrying arms of any kind. “But these bike riders carry daggers and the police know this and still allow it”. He wondered if there are two sets of law governing the country, which allow some to carry weapons while others cannot.

    Mr Adaralegbe Akintayo, the Managing Director of T. Pumpy where most people erroneously believe that Tosin worked, said it was unfortunate that a little accident could result in the death of an innocent person.

    Akintayo said, “I know him because his boss is my friend, in the person of Segun Ajibola. But many people think he is one of my staff. But I know him through his boss. When the incident happened, I went to the hospital to see him, and I have said we should push so that the matter should not be swept under the carpet. He is generally know as an easy going person”.

    Abikoye’s immediate boss, Mr. Segun Abolaji, said the deceased was a well loved person in the community and a hard worker. “He’s just like a brother to me. His death, which was caused by a minor misunderstanding, was unnecessary. Well, there is nothing we can do now as we can’t reverse his death”.

    Abikoye’s cousin, Bayo Alfred, who works as a carpenter in the area, while speaking with our reporter, said he was known for his  kindness and was willing to help anyone in distress. Even if it’s the last food stuff in the house, he will give it out and say ‘God will provide’. And the irony of the issue is that he had totally escaped the Okada people that were looking for him as they didn’t know where he had entered and they had started leaving. But a Mallam that sells suya around the area called them back and pointed at where he had entered. That was how they brought him out and killed him. These are people we usually give jobs when available. The ‘informant’ had his shop burnt in retaliation.

    Bayo said the wife had been moved to mararaba to be with the husband’s family. She’s deeply traumatized, he said.

    Speaking on the issue, the Divisional Police Officer of the Lugbe Division, Chief Superintendent of Police, Raymond Anyim, said his division was aware of the matter. He however said any information required can only be sourced from the Police Public Relations Officer.

    According to him, they have spoken with the headquarters verbally, and “we have sent our report”.

  • NUPENG accuses IOCs of flouting labour laws

    The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has decried the imposition of indecent work condition by International Oil Companies (IOCs) and their labour contractors in the country.

    Lamenting that the situation was getting worse daily, the union alleged that the statutory institutions and agencies saddled with protecting workers’ interests were twiddling their thumbs.

    NUPENG canvassed a stop to the trend in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.

    In a communiqué issued at the end the union’s Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Lagos, NUPENG President Williams Akporeha urged institutions and agencies saddled with protecting workers’ interest to address the exploitation of workers.

    He noted that the unhealthy contract cycle in the industry could further impoverish workers.

    Among other issues critical to the sector, the oil workers said, is the granting of contracts without recruiter’s licence. The union expressed worry that it has impacted negatively on the conditions of work of those being recruited.

    He said it was obvious that many labour contractors being engaged by oil and gas companies were not registered as recruiters in violation of the laws.

    According to him, there is a massive exploitation and abuse of workers’ rights to the extent of eloping with contract workers’ severance benefits by the contactors to these oil companies.

    Akporeha noted that the union has resolved to activate the instrument of the law and other legitimate means as recognised by the labour laws and conventions to fight inhuman treatments of workers.

    “Some of these cases include Virtual Travel Network that eloped with terminal benefits of 48 NAOC contract workers since 2015 and Logistics Facility Affairs (LFA), a contractor with Chevron Nigeria Limited that also ran away with workers’ final entitlement.

    “A Nigerian would work under harsh and hard conditions for several years receiving peanuts and yet when the contract ends, the worker’s severance benefits are stolen away by contractors and hired by an international oil companies.

    “Most times when confronted, these IOCs feign ignorance of the whereabouts of these portfolio contractors and recruiters,” he said.

    On the deplorable state of roads across the country, NUPENG called on the Federal Government to expedite action on repairing bad roads within the six geo-political zones to assuage the sufferings of Nigerians, who are use the dilapidated roads.

  • Smile’s customers get SMIFI

    4G LTE pioneer service provider in West Africa, Smile Nigeria, has unveiled a campaign designed to give brand new SMIFI and Router devices to its loyal customers.

    The offer is for customers that have spent a minimum of 12 months on its network.

    Its Head of Brands and Communication, Lotanna Anajemba, said to be qualified, customers who have spent the required minimum also must have good data usage history and  bring their old SMiFi or Router device in exchange for the new device.

    Anajemba said eligible customers could only benefit from the offer once a year and would need to update their Know Your Customer (KYC) record with Smile to enable them get notification for the offer. The lucky customers will be contacted via SMS and email and requested to visit their nearest Smile shop or kiosk nationwide to claim their new device.

    An aspect of the programme is that it offers the customer a router or SMiFi device at no extra cost. However, customers will have to trade in their old device for the new one. It primarily rewards loyalty and is available in all the major cities in which Smile operates.

  • For the fourth time, robbers attack Abuja church’s guest house

    The peace of Douala Street in Wuse Zone 5 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, was shattered on September 8, when robbers attacked a guesthouse that belongs to the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), All Saints Church.

    It would be the fourth time the guesthouse, located directly opposite the church building (undergoing renovation at the moment), would be robbed, The Nation gathered.

    A member of the church, who pleaded anonymity, said the incident occurred at 3:00 a.m. on the said day, when a group of robbers came from behind the guesthouse where a stream runs through. Though the facility is fenced, with barbed wires, the robbers gained access to the premises through the generator house.

    Due to past experiences of such attacks, the church decided to engage policemen who teamed up with hired security men from a private security outfit to secure the place.

    Apparently, this did not did deter the robbers, who, it was gathered, descended on two police officers on duty that day. They were believed to be asleep when the robbers attacked them; landing heavy blows on their heads with planks and then tying them up before dispossessing them of their service rifles, which they went away with.

    The robbers also manhandled and tied up two other private security men before they left. The phones and other valuable items belonging to the policemen and security men were also taken away. However, they could not gain access into the guesthouse, like on previous occasions.

    It was gathered that the names of the security men were Joshua Upi and Vincent Ejeh, while the policemen, Sergeants Joseph Bande and Iwara Samuel were in the process of being promoted to the rank of Inspector following completion of a course in Kaduna recently.

    Following the incident, the FCT Commissioner of Police and the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Wuse Division had visited the guesthouse for on the spot assessment. The two private security men had since been taken to the Wuse Police Division. They were subsequently handed over to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, while the policemen that were injured in the attack were taken to General Hospital in Wuse where they were treated and discharged.

    Investigations revealed the two security men were still in custody of SARS at Guzape at the time of writing this report, while the policemen are being detained at the Wuse Police Station.

    The source at the church, said the security men, who had been detained since the incident, were under harsh conditions and efforts were still on to secure their release. “The police said they remain the principal suspects until they recover the riffles stolen during the operation”, the source added.

    The policemen, who sustained serious injuries on their heads and still under detention, were allegedly paying for their own medical bills, as they await orderly room trial, it was reliably gathered.

    The Nation, however, gathered that the two rifles collected from the policemen were last week, recovered in Kaduna where the robbers had gone to operate but were arrested by the police. A source said they were arrested and confessed their involvement in the church guesthouse robbery.

    With the rifles recovered, the source said the church authorities expect that the security men would be released as development has shown that they were innocent victims of the attack.

    Narrating the robbery incident in the church, the source said, “Two policemen were attached to the church while two were also attached to the guest house to help us. The robbers successfully attacked the policemen because they were asleep. They were hit with plank, which resulted in serious head injuries and they went away with their rifles. A day after the attack, the Commissioner of Police and the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Wuse Division visited the guesthouse for on the spot assessment.

    “They took the two security men to Wuse Police Division and they were later handed over to SARS while the policemen that were injured were taken to General Hospital in Wuse. “

    “The armed robbers came in through the back of the hotel building. The building is properly fenced with barbed wires but they were able to find their way into the building through the generator house. In all the previous attacks, the robbers came in through the back. There is a stream behind the fence and most people tend to see the stream as a no go area but the robbers still managed to attack the guesthouse from there.

    “During the last incident, they dispossessed the security men of their handsets and other valuables. This last time, they were unable to access the guests who were lodged inside but during the previous attacks, they robbed guests of their belongings.

    “In the previous attacks, even the Bishop who was also inside, was dispossessed of his belongings and even left naked. They collected laptops, handsets and even television sets. They also removed the teeth of one of the security men who was on duty at the time. They also collected about N70,000 from the reception. Most of the security men had just collected their salaries that day and they were robbed of everything”.

    Divisional Police Officer of the Station was not on seat when The Nation visited, but he was evasive when reached on the phone for comments. “I don’t know. I don’t know”, he said, and hurriedly switched off the phone.

    The Police Public Relations Officer for the FCT, Anjuguri Manzah, said the matter was under investigation but he would not make any further comments.

  • NIMR to host conference on translational research

    The Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos, will host the first Alexander von Humboldt Kollege International Conference from October 16 -19.

    The three-day conference has theme, “From basic sciences to Translational Research: The journey so far in Nigeria.”

    The conference seeks to bring together scientists from Germany and Nigeria. It aims to bridge the gap between basic and translational research, with the aim of providing knowledge exchange opportunities.

    The conveners said the conference would generate collaboration under the concept of translational research to solve problems, thereby fostering an environment of communication and cooperation between basic and clinical scientists.

    These would, they said, foster multi-and interdisciplinary collaborations.

    The Humboldt Kolleg is a regional and expert conference for Humboldtians sponsored by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

    It aims to strengthen regional and professional networking between its alumni and spark junior researchers’ interest in Alexander von Humboldt Foundation programmes with Germany as a research location.

    The conference’s chief host is Prof. Babatunde Salako, Director-General, NIMR, while the convener is Dr. Stella Smith, director of research at NIMR.

    Dignitaries expected include Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as special guest of honour; Dr. Stefan Traumann, consular-general, Federal Republic of Germany; Prof Akin Abayomi, Lagos State Commissioner for Health; Prof. O. G. Ademowo and Prof. Clement Adebooye, among others.

    The conference will feature 13 plenary lectures, two keynote addresses, 38 oral and 21 poster presentations.

    Also expected at the event are 100 participants among whom are highly respected Humboldtians in various academic fields, junior researchers, among others.

  • DPR warns operators against ‘doctoring’ lab results

    The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has warned operators of oil and gas laboratory services to desist from compromising results of data analysis from their laboratories, uphold industry ethical standard and global best practices.

    Its Acting Director, Alhaji Shakur Rufai, gave the warning at the third Oil and Gas Industry Laboratory Stakeholders’ workshop  in Lagos with the theme: Enhancing Laboratory Best Practices and Capacity Building towards Promoting Sustainable Development in the Oil and Gas Industry.”

    Represented by the Deputy Director, Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) Division, Dr Musa Zagi, he said the aim of the forum was to chart a new direction for laboratory managers and operators in the industry and make them embrace  best practices.

    He advised the operators not only to view their operations or businesses as money-making ventures but ensure their services meet global standards.

    He said laboratory practices should be seen as a critical and sensitive component which inputs are critical for decision-making across the oil and gas value chain.

    “The impressive attendance at  this workshop, to me, signifies the seriousness and importance that you all attach to this engagement which is geared towards continuous improvement of laboratory practice in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

    “I would like to thank the Head, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) and his dedicated team for successfully putting this year’s stakeholders’ workshop together. It is also imperative to ask how equipped and efficient our laboratories for conducting these scientific observations and analyses are.

    “It is my fervent hope and firm belief that the discussions in this workshop will ignite a strong determination and resolve among all oil and gas laboratory stakeholders to begin to chart a definitive and sustainable path towards uncompromised and consistent quality of service and integrity of results.”

    Shakur emphasized that the quality and integrity of the data or results churned out from laboratories in our sector of the economy is a critical ingredient in decision-making for both regulators and operators without which there can be no real value addition and sustainability.

    He said the DPR has put in place machinery to ensure good laboratory practice in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. He said the accreditation and permitting process for companies rendering laboratory services in the sector has been further strengthened by the oil and gas laboratories stakeholders’ workshop since the first workshop which was held in 2015.

    “DPR is committed to working with all stakeholders to drive and enhance good laboratory practice within the sub-sector, encourage and where necessary enforce capacity building with the ultimate goal or objective of promoting sustainable development in the industry,” he added.

    In attendance were chief executives of laboratory services firms, members of the academia, and representatives of oil and gas companies.

  • PDP calls for redeployment of REC, CP

    Ahead of the November 16 Kogi governorship election, the Peoples Democratic Party has called for the transfer of the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Busari, and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. James Apam.

    This was contained in the resolution of the Lokoja LGA PDP, at the end of its enlarged stakeholders meeting.

    According to the party, their removal will guarantee fairness, equity and justice in the election.

    The PDP in a communiqué signed by Alhaji Abubakar Idris, the Lokoja LG party chairman, warned against the deployment of Dr. Amina Zakari, INEC National Commissioner, to oversee the governorship poll in the state. It said on no condition should she be allowed to be part of the exercise.

    The party called for the deployment of the officers, saying their actions were no longer in the interest of credible election.

    The party, however, passed a vote of confidence in the Nigeria Army (Records) Command and the DSS in Lokoja, saying that it has lived up to its billings during elections.

    It restated its commitment to ensuring victory for the party and its candidate, Musa Wada, urging members not to rest on their oars, but work hard to seal victory for the party.

  • Afreximbank chief seeks specialised agency for AfCFTA

    The President, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Benedict Oramah, on Thursday in Abuja, urged the Federal Governmentto set up a specialised agency to enable it take advantage of the opportunities offered by the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

    Delivering the keynote address at the 2019 Independence Day Dinner and Gala Night to mark the 59th anniversary of the country’s independence, Prof. Oramah said such an agency should be the arrow-head for achieving Nigeria’s strategic objectives for its membership of the AfCFTA.

    According to him, Nigeria’s goal should be set out in a carefully developed strategy and entrusted to an accountable set of people to implement

    He described AfCFTA as a platform for Africa’s collective self-reliance and said the country had a great opportunity to benefit immensely from it if certain actions were taken at the federal, state and corporate levels in a coordinated manner.

    He said while the promise of the AfCFTA in terms of development outcomes was not in question, the road ahead was likely to be rough and turbulent, saying the country should consider triggering an adjustment process for operators in sectors likely to be negatively impacted and putting in place arrangements to support those that could become competitive by simple re-tooling and transforming from import substitution to export orientation.

    He also urged the government to make credible trade information available to local businesses interested in international trade, especially intra-African trade, arguing that while the AfCFTA creates the legal basis for a potential pan-African market in goods and services, the creation of that market was the job of economic agents whose operations were usually driven by information.

    “Unless businesses and traders know where the markets for their goods are or where they can source inputs, they cannot participate fully in the market the AfCFTA is hoping to create,” he stated.

    Prof. Oramah said the strongest economic argument in favour of the AfCFTA was that it would help African economies to industrialise and improve the continent’s share of global manufacturing output, and advised that the medium- to long-term goal for Nigeria and other African economies should be to achieve clearly defined levels of industrialisation.

    He said: “Available evidence shows that labour intensive light manufactures offer the greatest market opportunity for Nigeria.”