The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sacked

  • Sacked but pardoned employee injures boss in robbery attack

    Sacked but pardoned employee injures boss in robbery attack

    A bakery owner has been critically injured while trying to stop his employee from carrying out a robbery attack on his home.

    Sunday Olufemi a.k.a. Omoga allegedly attacked his boss, Abel Kayode Ogunsakin, at the latter’s residence in Shagamu, Ogun State at about 11.30 pm on June 30, 2015.

    It was alleged that on the day in question, Ogunsakin sighted Olufemi sneaking into his residence at No 5, Okedeji Street, Shagamu.

    Our correspondent learnt that Olufemi allegedly beat up Ogunsakin when the latter made to raise the alarm in a bid to apprehend him, but he suffered a bloody face and lost a tooth while Olufemi escaped.

    Bystanders, who were attracted to the scene by the alarm Ogunsakin raised, were said to have taken him to a nearby private hospital for treatment when they noticed that he had lost a lot of blood.

    It was gathered that Olufemi had worked in Ogunsakin’s bakery for three years before he was sacked for misconduct and later reinstated.

    Our correspondent learnt that Olufemi allegedly continued to engage in stealing money from his colleagues and boss shortly after he was reinstated.

    An impeccable source who asked not to be named told our correspondent that “Ogunsakin, who owns Timmy Bakery Ltd, had sacked Olufemi not long ago for engaging in unwholesome acts but reinstated him after some people had pleaded on his behalf.

    Ogunsakin was said to have taken him back when he explained that he had no money to feed his family because he was jobless.

    “Olufemi however continued to engage in all kinds of misconduct, including stealing from his boss and colleagues at work. He narrowly escaped being arrested in April last year when he was caught by his boss inside one of his rooms but he lied that he was taking refuge there to avoid being caught by some assailants who were pursuing him.”

    “Ogunsakin did not know that Olufemi had entered the building through the ceiling and was hiding in the corridor of the house. It was while Ogunsakin was trying to know where Olufemi was hiding that he landed several blows on his face, leading to the loss of his tooth and the blood that covered his face.”

    It was learnt that the incident was first reported to the men of the MTD Station at Sagamu before it was transferred to a police division opposite Awolowo Market, also in Sagamu.

    Our correspondent contacted the spokesman of Ogun State Police Command, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi for comments, but he had not responded at press time.

  • TUC urges Wike to recall sacked poly workers

    TUC urges Wike to recall sacked poly workers

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday urged Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike to recall the 344 lecturers and other employees of the Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori.

    In a statement by its President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Secretary General Musa Lawal, TUC said: “If the reported cases of mass sack of 344 lecturers and others employed at the Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori, since September 2014 by the past administration, led by Chibuike Amaechi, and the disbandment of the Rivers State Road Traffic Management Authority (TIMA-RIV) are anything to go by, then the union might be tempted to believe that Wike is out to play politics of vendetta.”

    The TUC noted that such action would not be in tandem with the nation’s wish and Rivers interest.

    It decried the sack, especially with the grave consequences it portends to the affected workers, their dependants and the society.

    The union  said the governor’s actions were most likely the fallout of the political acrimony that characterised the period before and during the general elections in the state.

    It said such considerations ought to have gone with that period.

    The statement said: “Right now, good governance should be the governor’s priority.”

  • ‘Lagos heads of agencies not sacked’

    ‘Lagos heads of agencies not sacked’

    The Lagos State government yesterday said heads and chief executives of government- owned agencies and parastatals are not affected by the dissolution of boards of parastatals and agencies.

    In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Tunji Bello, the government said the House of Assembly Commission was also affected.

    On Monday, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode dissolved all boards of parastatals and agencies with the exemption of the State Civil Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission and the State Independent Electoral Commission.

    The clarification Bello said became necessary because of wrong interpretations being given to the dissolution.

  • Candidate promises to reinstate sacked Abia workers

    Despite may come the way of non-indigenous workers who were disengaged from the Abia State civil service in 2010. But that is if Chief Chikwe Udensi, the state’s governorship candidate of the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), wins the election.

    Speaking at an event where his wife Chidinma distributed gift items to indigent women and widows in Aba, Udensi said that the sufferings of non-native workers disengaged from the state by the incumbent administration would end if he became governor.

    He emphasised that he would not only recall them but also pay their arrears.

    The PPA candidate said he was disturbed by the plight of the workers and decided to make it a priority, if elected, to address the injustice when he learnt that it was only workers from the core Igbo speaking states that were affected.

    He said it was wrong for the Igbo who he stated had been unduly treated in other parts of the country to also suffer the same fate in their land, stressing that it was more disturbing that workers from neighbouring non-Igbo  states were not affected by that mass sack.

    The former National Secretary, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) said apart from recalling the sacked workers, that he would pay their outstanding salaries and other entitlements if he won the election because, according to him, they were unjustly sacked.

    He also promised to pay retirees their pensions and gratuities.

    “Workers have suffered in this state, but I will definitely put smiles on their faces if I become the governor of the state after next month’s election. We are going to ensure that their salaries and other emoluments are paid promptly. A situation where retirees will stay for years without receiving their gratuity and several months before their pension are paid will be a thing of the past under our watch,” he assured.

    Prince Emeka Okafor, PPA state chairman who also graced the event thanked the women for standing solidly behind the party all these years despite all odds, adding “what Abia needs today after years in the doldrums is prosperity” which he said PPA represented and assured that the party would rebuild Aba and others parts of the state if it comes to power by May 29.

    He urged the women in particular and Abians in general to ensure they obtained their permanent voters cards (PVCs) and use them wisely during the election in order to get the desired change.

    The wife of the PPA governorship candidate, Mrs. Udensi said she decided to fete the women at this auspicious time due to her love for the poor in society.

    The organizer of the event said that she had in the past seven years through her NGO catered for the less privileged including widows, orphans and procured drugs HIV patients free, stated that this will be a continuous event.

    Some of the women who spoke randomly to newsmen expressed happiness over the benevolence of the wife of the PPA governorship candidate, stressing that this was the first time the wife  of any governorship candidate would be remembering widows in the state to the level Chidinma did and wished her and her husband well.

  • Big Boss’ to be sacked

    Big Boss’ to be sacked

    AfricanFootball.com can exclusively reveal  that Stephen Keshi will be asked to quit and already the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are shopping for an immediate replacement.

    Sudan dealt Nigeria a serious major blow to qualify for next year’s AFCON in Morocco after they stunned the African champions 1-0 in Khartoum on Saturday.

    Nigeria will now need to win their remaining three matches at home against Sudan and South Africa and away in Congo to have any mathematical chance of advancing to the 2015 AFCON.

    “The new NFF has already decided to sack Keshi and they are already shopping for a replacement for the coach,” a very top official informed AfricanFootball.com.

    “What I cannot tell is whether it is with immediate effect or that will be after the Sudan reverse fixture on Wednesday as the games are too close to each other.”

    Keshi, 52, does not have a contract with the NFF after his initial three-year deal ran out after the World Cup in Brazil.

    He led Nigeria to win a third Nations Cup last year and guided the Super Eagles to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup in Brazil.

    But he has lost the core of his dressing room after publicised rows with the likes of Emmanuel Emenike, Osaze Odemwingie and Ikechukwu Uche.

    And his record in his last 11 games has left for a very poor reading – lost five, drawn five and won one.

    “The boys did not play for their coach (vs Sudan), and he should now know what to do,” said Larry Izamoje, owner of Nigeria’s all-sports radio Brila FM.

    Most fans have equally demanded for the dismissal of the coach since the disappointing loss in Sudan.

    A fan called Mike Johnson told AfricanFootball.com that Keshi has nothing more to offer.

  • Mark hails govt for reinstating sacked doctors

    Mark hails govt for reinstating sacked doctors

    Senate President David Mark expressed appreciation to the Federal Government yesterday for reinstating the 16,000 resident doctors it sacked during their 55-day strike.

    Mark intervened in the strike, following the disagreement between the government and the doctors over unpaid arrears on hazard and relativity allowances, among others.

    During the strike action, the government sacked the resident doctors and suspended residency training.

    The doctors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), vowed not to return to work until the government reversed the sack.

    Mark pleaded with them to go back to work and gave him the benefit of the doubt to meet the Executive to rethink the sack.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary Paul Mumeh, said the Senate President was happy when he heard that the Federal Government, through the Health Minister Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, had reinstated the resident doctors.

    He thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for the gesture.

    Mark also hailed the NMA for calling off its strike and directing its members to return to work.

  • SACKED NFF BOARD: Nigeria gets FIFA’s July 8 deadline

    SACKED NFF BOARD: Nigeria gets FIFA’s July 8 deadline

    • Blatter-led body threatens to ban Eagles, others
    • SSS operatives in hunt for other NFF members

    The Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) has ordered the ‘relevant authorities’ in Nigeria to reinstate Aminu Maigari as the president of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), as well as to restore to office – not later than Tuesday, July 8 – all of the Executive Committee members of the NFF Board who were temporarily unseated on Thursday, by a court order.

    On Thursday, an order of interlocutory injunction obtained by Mrs. Ebiakpo Rumson Baribote from the Hon. Justice P.L. Lot of the Plateau State High Court, restrained Maigari, all the members of the NFF’s Executive Committee and the NFF Congress from running the affairs of Nigerian football forthwith, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice before the court.

    In compliance with this order as well as a separate mandatory injunction, Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo appointed a senior member of the civil service in the NFF, Lawrence Katiken as Acting Secretary-General of the NFF, to command, control and manage the affairs of Nigerian football.

    However, in a swift reaction to this development, the Sepp Blatter-led world football governing body has declared that its laws do not permit ‘undue interference by third parties in the NFF’s affairs, which prevent a FIFA member association such as the NFF from managing its affairs independently.

    Such third parties would include governments, civil courts, etc.

    In a letter made available to SportingLife, FIFA stated that it will neither recognise any person or organ not elected in compliance with NFF statutes nor consider the appointment of Katiken as Acting Secretary-General made by minister Danagogo.

    FIFA’s letter, signed by its Secretary-General, Jerome Valcke, further warned that if Maigari and co were ‘not fully reinstated by Tuesday,  July 8, 2014, we would have no choice but to refer the case to the appropriate FIFA organs for sanctions…’

    The world’s football governing body further cautioned that unless the matter is resolved, the country stands the risk of international football isolation.

    This, among other things, would mean that ‘no team from Nigeria of any sort (including clubs) could have any international sporting contact.’

    SportingLife understands that in the early hours of yesterday, Nigeria’s official Brazil 2014 World Cup delegation comprising the Super Eagles, their coaches and officials were led into the country by Aminu Maigari and other NFF officials. But as they got off the plane at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Maigari was identified and whisked away for questioning by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS). He was, however, allowed to leave after an hour. FIFA’s letter, however, alleges that operatives of the SSS are in the hunt for other members of the NFF.

  • Traders want council boss sacked over double taxation

    Traders want council boss sacked over double taxation

    Traders at the popular Oba Market in Benin City yesterday demanded the removal of the chairman of Oredo Local Government, Mr. Osaro Obazee over alleged multiple levies imposed on them.

    What irked the traders was the alleged order by the council boss that each trader should pay N3000 to offset N6.5m electricity bills.

    The market has been under lock and key for three days since the traders resisted payment of the N3000 electricity bills. They took to the streets in protest demanding an end to what they termed, ‘undue sufferings’ after closing the market for three days.

    One of the traders, Joy Idahosa, said they used to pay N200 for each electrical gadget, but it was increased to N500 five months ago.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • We were not sacked by oil spill, say Ikaram people

    Members of Ikarama, an oil-producing community in Yenagoa, Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, have disassociated themselves from reports that they were sacked by an oil spill that occurred in the area.

    Some reports had alleged that Ikarama was deserted due to a ravaging oil spill from a facility belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC). Residents in the community were said to have abandoned their homes and fled to neighbouring communities because of the magnitude of the oil spill.

    The reports had created confusion in the community which is part of the Okordia/Zarama Development Board Cluster of SPDC especially as retinue of security operatives visited the area to investigate the development.

    But the Paramount Ruler of Ikarama, Chief Francis Daniel, described the report as false. “I am in my house. It’s a false story. We are all at home and we will not take this type of reports lightly.”

    He added: “I even discussed with the men of the Department of State Security Services (SSS) who had visited the community over the allegation. I do not know the source of the story.”

    Also the Chairman of Okordia/Zarama Development Board Cluster, Obonah Imomosumu Timi said there was no iota of truth in the reports.

    According to him, Shell had cleaned up previous oil spills that occurred in the community and carried out remediation.

    “This is malicious and an embarrassment to Okordia/Zarama Development Board Cluster and the good people of Ikarama community including the chiefs, women and youths”, he added.

    Also, the Secretary of the cluster, Akintola Oforofo, said that such reports were aimed at undoing all the good work they had done over the past few years at the cluster which earned them an award.

    Another indigene of the community, Theophilus Francis, also added: “Those carrying this misinformation may be nursing the idea of causing spill, so whenever there is spill within the community, security agents and Shell should hold the, responsible.”

    The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has urged oil giant Shell to clean up oil spill sites.

    ERA/FoEN criticised the slow response of Shell to an oil spill incident, which occurred in Ikarama on November 2.

    An oil spill from Rumuekpe crude delivery line operated by Shell discharged some 482 barrels of Shell’s Bonny Medium crude stream into the environment at Ikarama community.

    Mr Alagoa Morris, Head of Field Operations at ERA/FoEN’s Bayelsa office, told NAN that the oil firm had yet to commence crude recovery and clean up of the contaminated site.

    He said the development had led to continued exposure of the community’s residents and the environment to the toxic effects of crude oil since November 2.

    However, Shell in a report on its website, claimed that it commenced the recovery of the spilled oil on November 12 and that the cleanup of the spill site would be completed in April 2014.

    NAN’s checks at Ikarama on Monday showed that the cleanup had yet to commence.

    Morris said field reports from ERA/FoEN’s environmental monitors showed that the spilled crude had been spreading and causing further degradation to the environment.

    “Field monitors of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) visited Ikarama community on the 11th of November, 2013 to investigate an oil spill which community folks said occurred on November 2.

    “As a follow up, ERA/FoEN visited again on the 17th of December, 2013 with a view to ascertaining the state of the immediate environment, especially as to whether Shell has mopped up the spill.

    “The spill was noticed to have spread over a 100 metres by length and, over 20 metres by width. During ERA/FoEN’s first visit, due to the vegetation cover it was not possible to properly observe the spread.

    “Economic trees such as palm trees and other crops like plantain and sugarcane were observed within the site polluted by crude oil.”

    According to him, the NGO had, in its field report, demanded the immediate commencement of cleanup activities to forestall further damages to the ecosystem.

    The NGO challenged the oil firm to take steps to protect its facilities from vandals who often caused damages to the environment and residents.

    ERA/FoEN also urged the oil communities to guard against vandalism and report anyone found culpable in the act.

    When contacted, Mr Precious Okolobo, Shell Spokesman, declined to speak on the perceived slow response of the oil firm to the spill in the community.

  • Fayemi to council workers: no one will be sacked

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has assured local government workers of job security.

    He debunked a rumour that he had collated a list of redundant council workers and planned to sack them.

    Fayemi said: “That is arrant nonsense. It is not true. I do not have any list of council workers on my table, whose appointment will be terminated. Why will I want to terminate the appointment of somebody who is properly employed? In fact, terminating the appointment of any council worker is an additional burden on me because each of you has four or five dependants.

    “If you live in Lagos and collect salary in Ado or Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, then the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) should be interested in that.”

    The governor spoke at the weekend during interactive sessions with council workers in five local government areas.

    He assured the workers that the payment of the minimum wage arrears and promotions will start this month.

    Fayemi expressed surprise that the workers were yet to receive their leave bonuses, saying it had been released to councils.

    He said the government would consider direct payment of the leave bonus into workers’ accounts.

    Fayemi said: “We do not owe any local government leave bonus. If your local government has not paid you, the issue is in the hands of those at the helm of affairs in your council. We will investigate why some local government workers have not received their leave bonus. Since I became governor, we have not owed leave bonus. In fact, leave bonus has been paid up to October, 2013, and if you have not received your leave bonus, I deserve to know.”

    Responding to questions on the paucity of funds in councils, the governor said it was a general problem in the country, which also affects states.

    He said allocations to states and local governments from the Federation Account were dwindling, adding: “It is only Abuja that can explain why. If there is any governor who is not involved in the management of local government funds, it is me. What belongs to local governments is utilised by local governments in Ekiti. In fact, the Federal Ministry of Finance publishes what comes to the local government system in Ekiti.

    “When the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) meets, it decides what goes to salaries, teachers, primary health care and so on. I have nothing to do with the management of council funds”.

    The governor pledged to consider the inclusion of NULGE representatives in the JAAC.

    He said arrangements have been made to put more resources into the Loans Board to grant workers more access to car and housing loans.

    On workers who have not been absorbed after taking their exams, the governor said the list had been compiled but the financial implication was being studied.

    On what his administration had in store for workers for the Yuletide, he assured them of a package better than last year’s.

    Fayemi urged workers to always cross-check whatever they hear from any quarter and ignore rumours.

    Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) Chief Ranti Adebisi thanked the governor for approving N267 million car and housing loans for workers.

    He said the promotion arrears of 3,400 workers had been addressed and the process will continue next year.

    Adebisi said 700 workers were sponsored to seminars and 32 recalled after their cases were reviewed.

    He said the governor had approved the construction of a new headquartres for the commission, which would be completed next year.