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  • Ogun workers decry 106 months unremitted pension funds, others

    Civil servants in Ogun State have expressed worry over the “uncertain future” that awaits them, following the non-remittance of 106 months of Contributory Pension by the Ibikunle Amosun administration.

    Acting under the aegis of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSC), the workers sent a letter, dated December 5, to the governor on their plight.

    They decried the unpaid four-year leave bonus, 10 months of unpaid Trade Union check-off due and gratuity payment suspended since January 2014.

    In the letter, titled: Revisiting Our Plight: Unpaid Entitlements and Other Issues, was signed by its Secretary, Comrade Adebiyi Olusegun,

    The workers also listed months of unpaid global deductions and outstanding promotion from 2016, 2017 and this year as arrears owed them by the state government.

    They said the situation had left them at the “crossroads where capacity to absorb shocks and uncertainties any longer has been exhausted”.

    According to them, the government breached an agreement on the last tranche of the Paris Club refund of N17.3 billion to the state for the payment of arrears of trade union check-off dues.

    The letter said: “We must as well register our displeasure on the sort of maltreatment meted out to the Organised Labour over the last tranche of the Paris Club refund of N17.3 billion to the state, which from the outset, we collaborate with open conscience to have addressed a press conference hurriedly that the state government will commit over N10 billion of it to offering various outstanding due to state workers, inclusive of all arrears of Trade Union check-off dues as communicated to us by the Commissioner of Finance.

    “We, therefore, take the outright neglect of Trade Union’s in eventual payment of some these arrears as betrayal of trust.”

    The workers urged the government to address the issues they raised to avoid an industrial disharmony.

    They called for an “immediate action at addressing these long-drawn issues would go some miles at dousing the tensed situation now at its ebbs which, as it were, might disrupt the relative industrial harmony currently being experienced in the state”.

    Also, workers of Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State, have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order Amosun to pay them their salary arrears.

    In a letter to the President by the Chairman of the school’s Coalition Staff Union, Mr. Daniel Aborisade, the workers said the state government was owing them N4 billion Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary and Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure arrears from July 2009 to last October.

    Aborisade said the money is owed them by the former administration of Gbenga Daniel and his successor, Amosun.

    The letter reads: “We were further subjected to frustration and untold hardship by the government due to the non-payment of salary for 14 consecutive months, making it difficult to feed ourselves, our immediate family and cope with the present economy imbalances.

    “After much persuasion and appeals to the government, vis-a-vis the appointment of a new Provost for the college, the state government resumed the payment of half-salary with effect from August, 2016 to July 2017 and October 2017.

    “Between August, 2017 and the time of writing this report, the percentage of the monthly salary paid to workers in the college has increased to 60 per cent (September 2017 to September 2018).

    “Between May 2011 and October 2018, the college has lost 45 employees. Some of them died because of little medical expenses that could not be paid at hospital.”

  • ‘Logistics, others key to tackling economic challenges’

    World Bank consultant Prof Abel Ogunwale says competitive transport, logistics and foreign investment are essential to driving fast economic growth and Nigeria retaining leadership in Africa.

    He said the key drivers for  growth include infrastructure investments.

    He emphasised that Nigeria’s competitive economic advantage must be accompanied by quality transport hubs, efficient movement of goods and services, and a predictable regime of logistics management.

    He said as the Federal Government seeks to develop its economy further, the logistics sector must be seen to be playing a vital role in increasing inward investment, non-oil exports and the nation’s competitiveness.

    According to him, the country is located on the strategic axis and boasts accessible trade routes, adding however, that the nation still lack excellent transportation infrastructure.

    He added that Nigeria needs a global logistics hub to support trade facilitation reforms that drive the implementation of next-generation technologies as well as national human capital development efforts.

    According to him, trade facilitation is key to unlocking latent logistics potential, stressing that without it,  businesses will move elsewhere.

    He said efforts would be made to ensure that the logistics’ processes match global standards.

    He explained that businesses operating across the food sector are finding it challenging to move their products to both local and international markets.

    He added that the risks to export goods in transit are greatly increased when thousands of kilometres added to their routes.

    Nigeria he observed, is suffering from road bottlenecks, adding that improvement of road and rail infrastructure have not kept pace with cargo-volume growth.

    The ability to move cargo quickly and efficiently via land, ocean and air links, he stressed is crucial to modern supply chains that increasingly rely on speed to market.

  • IoD plans ethics committee on corporate governance in banks, others

    The Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria has established ethics committee to promote good corporate governance practices in banks and other businesses across the country.

    It said the body would also present an annual agenda on corporate governance with consistent and periodic review of the environment to monitor developments and compliance.

    IoD’s President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Ahmed Mohammed said the committee was expected to review and develop a code of ethics to guide members in their official and personal conducts.

    ”This code, which we hope will come into place early next year, would set example for other business membership organisations in the country and will present us as pace setters in the quest for best business practice”.

    He appealed to all to join hands with IoD Nigeria in propagating good ethical standards and professionalism in all workplaces.

    He said the move was  a follow up to  earlier resolutions by the group to promote private sector-led and proactive role in corporate governance policy engagement and enforcement by redefining approaches to corporate governance advocacy.

    He spoke at the weekend during the  2018 annual dinner and awards night of the group, with  the theme: Corporate Governance and Human Resource Management: Trends and Prospects in Nigeria, held in Lagos.

    He said: “These are onerous tasks before us and our Institute should not only champion good corporate governance, we should be seen to be in the fore front of the fight for the entrenchment of the good corporate governance”.

    Mohammed said other resolutions for the institute from the conference with the theme: Global Best Practice in Corportae Governance – Way Forward for Nigeria, are:  disclosure and transparency must be at the centre of a system of checks and balances that interconnects the board of directors, management, auditors and other stakeholders.

    “That though government has a central role to play, members of IoD Nigeria as business leaders have a catalytic role to play in improving ease of doing business in Nigeria and high standards of ethics and integrity should be adopted with conscious commitment to rule of law, comprehensive stakeholder engagements”.

    Others are: “Organisations in Nigeria’s private and public sectors should entrench basic governance principles like fair treatment of all stakeholders, improved board structure, provision of accurate, complete and timely information, to boost investor confidence and aid corporate wealth and sustainability.

  • Jonathan, Gana, others pay tributes to Dickson’s mother

    FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan and a former  Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana were among important personalities, who paid glowing tributes to the late Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson. Others were Chairman of the Bayelsa State  Council òf Traditional  Rulers, King Alfred Diete Spiff and a  former Minister of Environment, Mrs. Lauretta Mallam, Jonathan, Gana, Diete Spiff and others said that the late Governor Seriake Dickson’s mother left behind a legacy of resilience, contentment, uprightness, humility, hard work and selfless service  to mankind and God.

    They extolled the sterling qualities of deceased  on Thursday night while paying tributes during a service of songs held in her honour at the  state Ecumenical Centre,  Igbogene, Yenagoa. They said Madam Goldcoast stood for the place of education as a veritable platform for people to succeed in life. Jonathan  said Mama Gogo, as she was fondly called, was diligent in the service of the Lord, and demonstrated exceptional motherly love as captured in the tribute by her daughter-In-law, Dr. Mrs Rachel Dickson.

    He said that only a Godfearing lover of humanity would give the support Mrs. Goldcoast gave to her daughter in-law as captured in the emotional tribute by the Bayelsa First Lady. Rachael gave a detailed account of how Ma GoldCoast Dickson prayed with her, encouraged her for the 15 years that she battled infertility before the coming of the quadruplets.

    She described Mama Goldcoast  as a jewel of inestimable  value, who did not differentiate between her and her biological daughters. In his tribute,  Gana said that Mama Goldcoast lived an exemplary  life, worthy of emulation as demonstrated by the achievements and integrity of the children she raised. He described  her as a woman of integrity  and lover of children who had nurtured her children  and all those who came her way to achieve  successes in life.

    Also King Diete Spiff, one time  Military  Administrator of Bayelsa State, Col. Paul Edor Obi (Retd) and former Minister of State for Environment, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe described Mama Gogo as a “golden Goldcoast” whose inspiration manifested in Governor Dickson’s approach to governance. They said Mama Goldcoast fought a good cause, stressing that, it is not how long but how well one lived that counts and urged people to emulate her lifestyle by living a worthy  Christian life.

    In a brief exhortation, Bishop God-Do-well Avwomakpa said death is an inevitable end for all mortals adding that it was expedient for people to give their lives to God. Responding, Governor Dickson expressed  gratitude  to Bayelsans, various leaders across the country, friends and other sympathisers who had in one way or the other shown concern and support to him and the Dickson family over the demise of his mother.

    Dickson restated that the remains of his mother would lie-in-state in Toru Orua for a traditional  and Christian all night wake after which she would be interred in her hometown, Toru-Angiama, Delta State. Other family  members who paid tributes include, the grand daughter of Mama Goldcoast,  Miss Peikumo Dickson, son-inlaw, Mr. Wisdom Fafi, saying that her legacies would remain indelible. Former Deputy  Senate President,  Senator Ibrahim Mantu and former Deputy Governor  of  Sokoto State, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari also graced the event.

  • Council raises campaign team for Sanwo-Olu, others

    The Chairman of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area, Apostle Oloruntoba Oke, has inaugurated the council’s Independent Campaign Group (ICG), urging members to begin door-to-door and house-to-house campaigns for  the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for next year’s elections.

    APC had collapsed all independent groups and established a central Independent Campaign Group (ICG), to coordinate campaign activities for the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, and other candidates.

    Inaugurating the 18-member committee, Oke, said with the lifting of the ban on campaigns, the members must swing I to action and spread the gospel of the APC.

    He said: “We in Ifako-Ijaiye are happy that our local government is one of the 24 where our party decided to set up ICGs. We are confident that we shall record 100% success in the forthcoming poll as all those selected into this all imports t committee are people of proven integrity who are dependable and reliable. They are those who have the track record of handling this sort of service for the party in the past.”

    He urged the members to justify the confidence reposed in them, and urged them to carry out all their activities peacefully, and without any rancour whatsoever.

    Oke said the assignment ahead though daunting is very easy, especially in Lagos State where successive administration have been pursuing the progressive  master plan of the emeritus Governor and National Leader of the party Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has continued to set the pace as a democrat and dependable leader.

    “The task ahead is undoubtedly rigourous but you are not likely to face any opposition because of the sterling performance of our great party in the state. You are to assure the people that our candidate Babajide Sanwo-Olu would coninue in the same tradition of his predecessors in bringing growth and infrastructural development closer to the people.”

  • Don’t politicise NSIP scheme, beneficiaries tell Saraki, others

    NIGERIAN Social Investment Programme (NSIP) beneficiaries yesterday cautioned Senate President Bukola Saraki and other politicians against politicising the programme.

    The beneficiaries said the NSIP has been a life-saver for many of them.

    Saraki had reportedly described the scheme as an attempt by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to curry voters to his side in 2019.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, spokesperson of the beneficiaries Danwahab Ambali said no fewer than 5,000 people had benefitted from the first phase of N-Power in Kwara State.

    Ambali said: “With me here are beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer and Tradermoni, all part of the NSIP.  It is important to state here that the NSIP scheme to us has been nothing, but a life-saver.

    “I graduated from the University of Ilorin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Anatomy in 2009. For six years, I was without any gainful employment until 2016 when I became an N-Power volunteer.

    “My participation in the programme has really impacted my life, because it was through N-Power that I got the money to do my M.Sc programme and also enhance my personal skills in other areas.

    “Like me, N-Power and other SIP programmes have improved the lives of many that I know in Kwara State here.

    “Here with me is Mrs. Memunat Ismaila, who was widowed since 1996 with no help from anywhere. To feed her children, she became a petty trader, selling pepper. She kept struggling for her small business to survive, until respite came when she got the first tranche of Conditional Cash Transfer, which she put into her business. She now lives a more dignified life with her children.

    “Ibrahim Moshood here is a fashion designer, who was in need of a shop. It was the Tradermoni he got that he used to get a shop and standardised his business. So, the Social Investment Programme is working for us.”

    He added: “It is, therefore, to defend the integrity of the NSIP programme so that others can benefit that we have found it necessary to come out openly to say that we do not believe that the NSIP is tailored towards any political gain. We say this because we heard Dr. Saraki say that the NSIP is nothing but a ‘systematic vote-buying for the 2019 election’.

    Ambali said Saraki’s claim was not true since many of the beneficiaries did  not start benefiting from the programme because the 2019 elections is approaching.

    “Like I said before, I became a beneficiary in 2016. Some of my colleagues got in in 2017. In fact, Senator Saraki himself had praised the programme in the past, and some of his aides indeed tried unsuccessfully to nominate people into the programme, claiming that they were APC before they defected.”

  • You may be sanctioned, Ondo APC elders tell Olanusi, others

    The Chairman of the Elders Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Senator Nimbe Farukanmi, has warned that former Deputy Governor Alli Olanusi and his group could be sanctioned if they do not desist from seeming anti-party activities.

    He wondered why an elder like Olanusi assembled aggrieved party members to propagate falsehood because he could not have his way with Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

    Farukanmi said the recent call by the Olanusi-led group was a wicked device to further cause disaffection and damage to the party.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that Alhaji Olanusi and his group decided to revert to fanning the embers of disunity with outright lies and a wicked call for the dissolution of the state executive of the party at a time APC is talking about reconciliation.

    “You will recall that most of the people in that group did not work for the APC during the last governorship election, yet the party won. It is, therefore, funny to hear them say that they control over 80 per cent of the party’s strength in Ondo State.”

    He advised members of the estranged group to retrace their steps and work with the reconciliation committee set up by APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) to air whatever grievances they have against the party.

    He affirmed the confidence and belief of the Ondo State APC in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Executive Committee (NEC), led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the state by Governor Akeredolu.

  • National Assembly workers begin strike over unpaid salaries, others

    THE National Assembly workers, under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN),at the weekend threatened to shut down operation at Senate and House of Representatives beginning from today over unpaid salaries and allowances.

    Members of PASAN in a statement by their Secretary General, Comrade Suleiman Haruna, said the first phase of the protest will be the disruption of activities at the National Assembly between today and December 8.

    Haruna noted that the import of the protest was to force the National Assembly management to know that they meant business in their demand for the payment of their salaries and promotion arrears.

    He said the picketing of the National Assembly will begin between 8am and 2pm daily within the stipulated days.

    According to the PASAN Secretary General, members of PASAN would ensure that nobody is allowed into the Assembly complex for any business, including legislative business.

    Haruna insisted that the National Assembly management must accede to their demands on the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS).

    He noted that the plan of action of members of the association became imperative due to the refusal of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Omolori, to address their concerns in relation to salary and promotions arrears.

    He noted that the association has already issued a two-week ultimatum to the management to fulfill its demands or face strike action.

    Haruna also said the association resolved to urge the Senate President and the House of Representatives Speaker to take urgent steps to nominate the would-be members of National Assembly Service Commission for appointment.

    The association also asked for pending staff promotions and conversion letters to be released with arrears fully paid on or before December 31.

    Chairman of the association Bature Musa also confirmed the decision of the association to force National Assembly management to listen to them.

    Bature assured that the planned picketing would go on as planned, unless the management address their demands.

    In October, over 80 legislative aides welcomed senators and House of Representatives members back from their annual break with a protest at the National Assembly lobby.

    The legislative aides, who carried placards with various inscriptions, claimed they had not been paid salaries, Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) and other entitlements.

    National Assembly Director, Information and Publications Rawlins Agada said the payment of certain allowances is beyond management of National Assembly.

    Agada said: “The issue of the payment of CONLESS is beyond management at this point. The management is not averse to the payment of the CONLESS because it has been factored into the 2018 budget.

    “The challenge is the release of fund. It’s more like if you have a liability of N300,000,  but all you have is N200,000. What do you do?

    “I know that the management is in talk with the Executive over the issue but between last week and now, I don’t know what has happened, but what is not disputable is that the management is willing to pay.

    “The management believed that what the workers are agitating for on the CONLESS is legitimate. Issues of promotion and others are what can equally be discussed.

    “My appeal is that the union should be patient for the outcome of the Legislature and the Executive meeting over the issue and I believe that as soon as the funds are available, the workers would get their dues.”

  • Asian-African Chamber of Commerce honours Sani-Bello, Okiro, Kwankwaso, others

    The induction of the African executives of the Asian-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AACCI) will be coming up on December 8, at the NECA House, Ikeja Central Business District,Lagos.

    Some eminent Nigerians will also be honoured on the day.

    Speaking to newsmen in Abuja , the Vice President of the AACCI, Dr. High Prince Leye Babalola, stressed the need for the Abuja Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), NACCIMA and Small and Medium Scale Association of Nigeria (SMEDAN) to have bilateral agreements with the AACCI because of the rapid increase in the business between African Pacific and Asian countries had jumped from 2.8 billion dollars in 1990 to about 300 billion dollars in 2018 and “it is expected to surpass 1.5 trillion dollars by 2020”.

    Also speaking at the press briefing, Mr. Tunde Osho, a representative of the University of Entrepreneurship and Technology (UET), State of Delaware, United States, announced that eminent Nigerians that had distinguished themselves in the fields of security, business, governance, engineering and so on would be honoured.

    Dignitaries to be honoured include Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State; Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Governor of Kogi State; Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State; Sir (Dr.) Mike Okiro, former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and former Inspector General of Police; Senator Theordore  Orji, former governor of Abia State;  Prince Adetokunbo Kayode SAN; among others.

  • IPOB: Police to arraign 33 suspects for terrorism, others

    Thirty-three suspected members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) arrested on Friday during a bloody protest at Nnewi, Anambra State, will be arraigned for terrorism, murder, vandalism and theft, the police said yesterday.

    IPOB members who were on a street protest in the commercial city had a face-off with the police, leading to the death of Inspector Akinbami Olaniyi.

    Two others – a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Babalola Adewunyi, a Chief Superintendent (CSP) and ASP Micheal Duru – were wounded.

    According to the police, the IPOB members also snatched two service AK-47 rifles and a Beretta pistol with ammunition, as they allegedly attacked innocent bystanders with cutlasses.

    In a statement yesterday, police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, an acting Deputy Commissioner (Ag. DCP), said the actions of IPOB members contravened the provisions of Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

    Moshood said Anambra State Police Commissioner Garba Umar had been directed to carry out intense search operations for the recovery of the two AK-47 rifles and Beretta pistol with the ammunition snatched from the slain Police Inspector and other officers wounded by the proscribed IPOB members.

    He said the police commissioner was also asked to immediately carry out an operation to rout out, arrest other fleeing suspects who participated in the ambush of the police personnel and bring them to justice.

    Moshood listed the names of those in custody as: Uche Amos, 65; Emmanuel Eliazer 24; Chima Eliazer, 23; Abuchi Obeta, 19; Somtochukwu Okafor, 17; Jude Agboma, 35; Ezezona Oduagu; Kelechi Eze, 20; Olisa Okafor, 20; Raphael Ogoh, 27; Chisom Okeke, 19; Daniel Nwakpu, 35; Friday Nwafor, 34; Onyeka Nwajobi, 49 and Obeta Uwakwe, 25.

    Others are: Festus Odika, 41; Emmanuel Okoye, 22; Sunday Umeh, 43; Samuel Ike; Sunday Ilonze, 43; Chukwuemeka Nwaese, 32; Chima Odugu, 23; Jacob Monday, 48; Vincent Okoroafor, 39; Jude Eke, 32; Charles Ukazu, 35; Ernest Ezieokwu, 17; ChibuikeChibuike Ozoemena, 30; Chigozie Onyeogaziri, 46; Donatus Nwankwo, 48; Olisa Okafor, 20; Peter Nwankwo, 25 and Geoffrey Ebegboni, 43.

    The police, he said, recovered eight motorcycles, five IPOB flags and five IPOB caps from the suspects who were chanting “no election without referendum”.

    He said: “The 33 suspects arrested for the killing of the Police Inspector, inflicting injury on others and setting ablaze a police patrol vehicle are now in police custody and undergoing investigation.

    “The Joint Police Intervention Force deployed is carrying out confidence building patrols and crime prevention operations to sustain the peace and normalcy that have been restored and prevent any breakdown of law and order in the affected area and other parts of the state.

    “The Nigeria Police Force is deeply concerned with the security implications with regards to the renewed hostilities from the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Anambra State and the new trend of subversive propaganda from the proscribed IPOB members aimed at undermining law and order.

    “The Force, therefore, will not tolerate this and will do everything within the ambit of the law to protect the people, ensure that law and order prevail and bring any perpetrator of violence and mayhem on the people or police personnel to justice.

    “The commissioners of police in states contiguous to Anambra and their supervisory Assistant Inspector Generals of Police (AIGs), their personnel and anti-riot equipment have been placed on red alert by the IGP to ensure utmost safety of lives and properties. They are to deal decisively with any group(s) or individual(s) who attempt or cause disturbance of public peace and public safety in their respective states.

    “The force will not succumb or tolerate criminal activities from any group(s) under any guise to cause disturbance of public peace and unleash mayhem on innocent Nigerians anywhere in the country.

    “All the 33 suspects arrested and now in police custody in connection with the killing of the Police Inspector, wounding of other police personnel and setting ablaze of a police patrol vehicle in Nnewi, Anambra State, on November 23, will be arraigned in court on completion of investigation under Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2013.

    “The public are enjoined to report any suspicion, unlawful assembly, and attempt or noticed disturbance of the peace in their locality to the police through the following numbers; 07039194332, 08035078977.

    “The Force is hereby informing the public that IPOB is a proscribed terrorist group and all activities of the group are, therefore, unlawful, illegal and terrorist act.”