The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Tony Akowe

  • Northern youths blast Yerima

    Northern youths blast Yerima

    • Says won’t welcome unwholesome comments

    A group of northern youths under the auspices of Arewa Grand Youth Alliance yesterday accused the leader of Arewa Youth Coalition, Shettima Yerima of trying to undermine political leaders of the north by his public utterance which they believe is capable of creating anarchy in the north.

    President of the group, Alhaji Idris Inuwa said in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja that they will not sit back and watch the likes of Yerima who issued quit notice to Igbos living in the north to use the name of Arewa for the devilish purpose.

    Inuwa frown at the attempt by Yerima to discredit President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar who he described as two of the North’s finest politicians, adding that such moves will be allowed to succeed.

    Inuwa challenged Yerima to show the world his political constituency in the north, pointing out that having lived his all his life in Lagos, he has no single political value in the north.

    The statement reads in part “Yarima is deceived by the euphoria that trailed their infamous “quit notice” given to Igbos in the North to leave by 1st October 2017, an action deliberately designed to destabilize the nation, thereby seeing himself as an emerging hero that could speak for the North.

    “However, the inconsistencies and vague choice of words in the said interview have clearly shown his ignorance of politics, where the wisdom of elders and energy of the youth are pulled together to produce result. In other words, the elders and the youth must constantly collaborate because no one can do without the other.

    “Equally glaring is his lack of appreciation of the dynamics of the Northern region where both the elders and the youth collectively work together on any issue of National significance as determined by exigencies of time. This is not surprising because this is a young man who is alien to the political tradition in the North, as he lived all his life in Lagos.

    “We challenge Yarima to come out and tell the world his political constituency in the whole North? And what are his political value apart from being a manipulative political tool in the hands of Northern political rivals who constantly use him for his nuisance value.

    “We wish to state here that we are very much aware of his sponsors to discredit two (2) of the North’s finest politicians of our time, President Muhammadu Buhari and Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to achieve their sinister political motives ahead of 2019. As Northern youths and critical stakeholders in Nigeria, we will resist any attempt by the likes of Yarima to use the name of Arewa for the devilish mission.

    “Let us warn Mr Yarima and his sponsors to desist from reckless and unguarded utterances against our leaders and elders who have sacrificed so much for our future. Any further attempt will leave us with no option than to bring out his dossier and make it public.”

  • APC will not dissolve Kogi Excos

    APC will not dissolve Kogi Excos

    The National Working Committee of All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured leaders of the party in Kogi state that it has no plan to dissolve the state chapter of the party or any organ of the party in the state.

    Speaking with newsmen at the end of their meeting with the leadership of the party at the part national secretariat, leaders of the party in Kogi state led by Senator Alex Kadiri and Dino Melaye said they have received the assurance of the party that the dissolution of the state leadership was not part of three agenda of the meeting of the NWC.

    Speaking on behalf of the Kogi APC leaders, Senator Alex Kadiri said “We met with the national chairman and his team and we agreed “that the national working committee will not tamper with the APC in Kogi State. That is very very important to us. We got an affirmation from the Chairman that that is not in their agenda for their (NWC) meeting on Wednesday

    “The executive of the APC at all levels in Kogi State will not be dissolved because there is a procedure for the dissolution of the party executives at the State level even at the national level. 

    “We also disabuse our minds vis-a-vis the mind of the national chairman over the fact that people have accused some persons of moving funds from Kogi to Abuja. We do not have facts to give you on this. The chairman has assured us that his hands are clean on this matter and we believe him. 

    “That the Tony Momoh led reconciliation committee have actually submitted their report and the report will be considered by the national working committee at their meeting because APC members in the State are anxiously waiting for the outcome of that report. 

    “It is that report that has made the leaders of APC to be calm and not to do anything that will disrupt the party. And it is not our intention to destroy this party. But we have always said this that politics is a game of interest and relevance. If your interest is not being protected and people do not find you relevant, then there’s no point being there. 

    “And we are satisfied with the position of the national chairman that he will never do anything to frustrate the leaders of the APC in Kogi State. And I can assure you that on our part, all the serving senators in APC, personified by Dino Melaye,  all the former senators from Kogi State including Senator Ohiare, Abdul Abubakar and myself are all behind senator Dino Melaye in this fight. 

    “We believe that his fight is just, we believe that it is not right for APC to fold its hands and see the only APC Senator left in Kogi State to be taken out of the Senate chambers. We believe that we must fight to keep our senator in the national assembly. 

    “We also believe that the process of recall being orchestrated are all based on falsehood. Dead persons names are there, people who do not have PVC to vote were there and i hope you remember that total votes cast for all those who ran for senate for Kogi West in the last election came to about 133,000, but those who claim to have signed petition to withdraw Dino from the national Assembly are around 188,000. It is an exercise in futility. He has done us proud and we will stand by him.”

    Meanwhile, the party has, however, said it has not taken any decision as regards the chairman of the Kano state APC chapter, Alh. Umar Haruna Doguwa. 

    In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, the APC National Working Committee (NWC) said though it aware of the crisis rocking the state chapter but no decision has been taken. 

    “We wish to state that in respect of Kano, no such decision has been taken by the NWC. Although, we are aware of issues in the Kano State chapter, efforts to find lasting solutions to the problem are ongoing. In view of this, the statusquo is maintained until the ongoing process is completed. 

    “Party members, stakeholders, leaders and indeed the general public are advised to disregard the false reports.” 

  • Atiku warns of decent to Rwandan style genocide

    Atiku warns of decent to Rwandan style genocide

    • Says hate songs against Igbos in circulation

    Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar on Monday warned of comments, songs and actions that may force the country to go the same way that led to the infamous Rwandan genocide which led to the death of thousands of people in the East Africa country.

    Atiku said in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja that a particular song disparaging people of Igbo origin and wishing them dead was currently circulating in the country, reminding Nigerians that the Rwandan genocide was ignited by a similar song.

    The former Vice President asked security agents to immediately swing into action, investigate, arrest and prosecute those behind the hate song.

    The statement reads “It has come to my attention that a song disparaging people of Igbo origin, and which wishes them dead, is circulating in some parts of the nation. I totally and unequivocally condemn this development, and I call on all men of goodwill to rise up against this evil.

    “This song is reminiscent of the beginnings of the Rwanda Genocide. Nigerians need to be aware that the Rwanda Genocide was believed to have been ignited by a song titled Nanga Abahutu (I hate Hutus), sung by Rwanda’s then most popular musician, Simon Bikindi. God forbid that we should have such a déjà vu in Nigeria.

    “I call on the security agencies to thoroughly and decisively swing into action and apprehend, try, convict and severely punish those behind this ungodly song which incites racial hatred.  

    “Simon Bikindi was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for igniting and aiding the Rwandan genocide. Thus, let those who think they can treat their fellow citizens so unjustly know that within and outside Nigeria exist mechanisms that will ensure they answer to their crimes.

    “I call on all men of goodwill to remember those immortal lines from our former National Anthem “though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”.

    “The effects of hate in any shape or form were made even more evident over the weekend, in a mass shooting incident that left many of us reeling with shock. I commiserate with the people of Ozubulu in Anambra State, who lost family members in the fatal shooting that also left almost a score injured. 

    “I pray that peace will return to their minds and their community soon, even as the police work hard to get to the bottom of the matter. May God comfort them as no man can.

    “The difference between us as Nigerians is not a difference in our tribe or our religion. It was and remains a difference based on whether we are good Nigerians or bad Nigerians, and I am very certain that the good Nigerians far outnumber the very few bad ones.”

  • Return to negotiation table, ASUU tells Gov Bello

    Return to negotiation table, ASUU tells Gov Bello

    • Says arrogance does not resolve crises

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) wants the governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello to return to the negotiating table to resolve the crisis between the state government and striking lecturers of the state owned University, saying thuggery, arrogance and gangsterism have never been used resolve crises.

    The union also wants the governor to take a cue from his colleagues in Benue, Nasarawa and Niger states who have through dialogue constructively engaged ASUU and are forging ahead with peace, progress and development of their various universities.

    Addressing a news conference in Abuja, the Coordinator of the Abuja zone of the union, Dr. T.D Legi called on well meaning Nigerians, traditional rulers and religious leaders to prevail on Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state to allow the voice of reason to dictate to him what to do in the face off with academic staff o the state owned university, reminding him that he lacked the legal power to proscribe the union.

    The union reminded the governor that international convention on the right to freedom of association and to freely form and belong to trade union has been domesticated by the Nigerian constitution, pointing out that his action prescribing the Kogi State University chapter of the union was a clear violation of his oath of office.

    He said the governor lied when he told the world that he has paid 90 percent of the salaries of the lecturers, adding that it was unfortunate that the office of the governor could embark on telling lies on such matters.

    Legi said the situation in the institution has become worse since the assumption of office of the current governor, pointing out that the majority of the facilities in the institution were provided either by TETFund or through the NEEDS Assessment which the same union he wants to decapitate fought for.

    He said “the concern and seeming burden of the Kogi state government is only the recurrent expenditure since the university authority is relying fully on intervention fund from TETFund an NEEDS Assessment for capital grants. Rather than being alive to its duties and responsibilities, the state government has starved the university of funds and in fact to the extent that the university is notorious for irregular payment of salaries. Allowances and other entitlements to its employees. 

    “This situation became exacerbated during the tenure of the delinquent, youthful and accidental governor of the state, Yahaya Bello who, in the pretext of staff verification denied academic staff of the university their salaries and other entitlement. This action of the governor has completely thrown the university into the darkness it is currently witnessing.

    “The government of Kogi state claimed it has paid all outstanding salaries of staff of the university, whether cleared or uncleared in questionable staff verification exercise. That claim is far from the truth. Some employees of the university have not been paid salaries for over a year and these people are humans with defendants to cater for. If is, therefore, demeaning for the office of the governor to make statements that are not factual, intended to mislead the unsuspecting public.

    “In a display of crass ignorance, Yahaya Bello through youth youthful exuberance made a proclamation recently about purported proscription of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Kogi state branch. 

    “Let it be known that Academic staff of KSU have the right to associate and form unions. This right is clearly enshrined in the International Labour Convention on freedom of association and the protection of right to organize, which has been duly ratified by Nigeria.”

    He said further that in ILO convention 87 on freedom of association and protection of the right to organise, it is clearly stated that workers shall have the right to organise and form trade unions, a provison which has been ratified and domesticated by the 1999 Constitution.

    Lagi lamented that Yahaya Bello swore on his honour to uphold and defend the Constitution, but unfortunately, his action with respect to the Academic Staff in Kogi state university, he is in clear violation of the Constitution.

    He said “ASUU is an Organisation of intellectuals and would not want to bring itself low to the level of childishness that the governor of Kogi state is exhibiting on a daily basis. ASUU as a responsible union which believes in respect for the rule of law and orderliness hereby calls on well meaning Nigerians, traditional rulers, religious leaders to prevail on Yahaya Bello to allow the voice of reason to dictate for him and do the needful.

    “Yahaya Bello should be told that thuggery, arrogance and gangsterism have never and can never resolve crises, rather dialogue had and still remain the only potent way to go about this. 

    “He should be told to learn from the governors of Benue, Nasarawa and Niger states who have through dialogue constructively engaged ASUU and are forging ahead with peace, progress and development of their various universities.”

  • Ganduje deserves second term in office – Tinubu

    Ganduje deserves second term in office – Tinubu

    The national leader of All Progressive Party (APC) and former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu has described Kano state Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as a dependable and trusted fellow who deserve to be given a chance for a second term in office.

    Tinubu who was in Kano to commiserate with the governor over the death of former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Yusuf Maitama Sule said “Ganduje is a dependable and trusted fellow who deserve second term in office.

    “Ganduje is dependable and reliable that is why I will not hesitate to endorse him for another four years. We are with him body and soul because you are a great man and very loyal party man.

    “One thing that we must note in His Excellency, Governor Ganduje is that  he is one of the most straightforward, dependable individual.. When you agree on something, or ‘do a deal with him,’ you can go to sleep because you will be the one to break that accord, not him. Ganduje, I want to say thank you.”

    According to him, “you are so humble, so dependable. You are a friend that is completely flexible. You have the understanding of family and friendship”, adding that Ganduje’s performance in the last two years is overwhelming, noting that there is no part of the state that the governor didn’t touch. 

    “Ganduje is a good example of what we in APC the progressive are preaching, if all our governors are doing what Ganduje is doing I won’t lose sleep”.

  • It’s a shame we are still importing petroleum products – Kachikwu

    It’s a shame we are still importing petroleum products – Kachikwu

    Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachukwu has said that Nigeria remain the only oil producing country that is still struggling with the importation of refined petroleum products, describing the situation as a complete embarrassment.

    The Minister said Nigeria was the only member country of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) still grappling with the importation of refined petroleum products. 

    Kachukwu who spoke at the 5th Triennial National Delegates Conference of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in Abuja also said it was a shame that despite its huge resources, Nigeria has continued to grapple with epileptic power supply.

    He said Nigeria should be able to produce enough petroleum products to meet domestic needs, pointing out that changing times in the industry suggest that Nigeria must look for ways of ensuring efficient management of the refineries and make them productive or lose them and the job opportunities it offers.

    He said the nation’s future lies in the area of gas, saying at best, the nation’s oil reserve will last for another 25 to 39 years, while the nation’s gas reserve will last for over 60 years.

    He said: “For me, the while idea of continuing importation of petroleum products in this country is a shame. We are the only once, when we go for OPEC meetings that are still struggling how to import petroleum products when we should be able to produce even if it is only the petroleum products that we need in this country. 

    “We need to find anything that will help us to do that and I encourage you to collaboratively work with us as we get into this. Once that happen, it is going to open a whole vista of opportunities in marketing, midstream performances, opportunities in infrastructure along pipeline. 

    “I urge you to take the solidarity that you have and you sing so passionately about away from just fighting issues of staff welfare and move into issues of staff investments. I need to see you participate in the value chain. Some of you are some of the best brains there are in the industry and you know where the issues are and where to create new investments.”

    On epileptic power in the country, he said: “It is a shame that a country with such massive resources will continue to be epileptic in power supply. I go to Ghana sometimes and I am ashamed that we supply some of the gas. At least in Accra, and most of the major cities, power is 24 hours. In Ivory Coast, despite the problems they have in terms of power costing, there is 24 hours supply. 

    “There is no absolute reason why this country cannot move from this decadent practice of explaining inefficiency to a new horizon where visibility are grandiose. I am committed to working with the power ministry and every Nigeria to move the transformative journey from one point to another, from the point excuses to the point of absolute final delivery.”

    The Minister said further that “the reality is that the oil industry is changing almost transformatively. Prices have tumbled and have continued to struggle despite all the works we have done in OPEC to the and boast it. The reality is that investments are declining at an alarming rate and suddenly, there are new entrants into the industry. 

    “Also, CEOs are struggling as to where to put very scarce resources and suddenly, it is now how well you can market your country, reposition your policies in such a way that there are benefits. All is a sudden, investment return in some of these exploration activities are beginning to get challenges. Only those who are able to look at their technology and new ways of doing business are going to survive the oil industry of tomorrow. 

    “If you take the annual return of most of the major oil companies, you will see the sort of disequilibrium that’s happening there and those who are beginning to jump in and out of leadership, you realize that expectations are changing. As it concerns Nigeria, we must work inclusively hard to deal with some of the difficulties that we will continue to see in our production platforms. 

    “Whether it is the militants which is a key component or the slow speed of approvals or whether the fact that  our policies are not even as fast as they should to catch up with changing Times.

    “Those of us who have the opportunity to seat in ministerial zones where we have to influence policies have got to work extremely hard to help drive the sea of change that is imperative is the sector is to survive. Infrastructural deficit is a key component. We lack infrastructure in the sector, whether it is down stream or up stream or oil and gas. 

    “The absence of infrastructure has made it impossible to have a holistic private sector participation. We have got to find policies that will encourage private sector participants to play a key role. Coupled with that is the fact that countries are moving away from oil. Our oil estimate as per reserve is at best about 25 to 30 years, while gas estimate is over 60 years. 

    “Clear enough, Nigeria is more of a gas country than an oil country. But what are we doing to ensure that our dramatic movement into the gas production. I am just coming from the FEC where we presented a memo on gas which has been approved today. 

    “Major movement is in terms of what we need to do in the gas environment because it is so key that unless we can put the two energy together, we are not likely to see an improvement in our economy or see opportunities that most of you are beginning to miss in terms of job creation and employment in the oil sector.

    “Gas is the new horizon of opportunity. There is so much happening that needs to happen, that should have happened yesterday. Gas is the future for this country and the place to be and we need to start looking at that. Increasingly, we are seeing very strong local players.”

    The Minister dispel insinuations that the government has concluded plans to either concession or sell off the refineries, saying “let me say that there has been attempt and there is no approval to concession refineries or sell refineries. I keep hearing discussions all over the place especially from people who should know better. 

    “What we have approval for is to bring in a financing mechanism that will enable us to finance and develop and upgrade the refineries as they are. The reality is that once private sector players begin to build their own refineries, whatever we it that we are afraid of will disappear and unless we begin to move very rapidly and quickly to position these refineries in such a way that they can compete, we will lose the refineries completely together with the job scale that exist there right now.

    “My drive is to see that those investments goes through a transparent process and the announcement that you hear about selection has not happened. They all be pacesetters in the whole process, but it will go through a transparent process. 

    “Nothing that we are trying to do has taken away thE management from the NNPC. However, we need to bring in fund and best practices and elevate these institutions to the level where they should work for this country because we are losing money.”

    In his address, National President of PENGASSAN, Francis Olabode Johnson said the union was in full support of government initiatives to bring in investors to revamp the refineries especially in the area of funding and expertise.

    Johnson said however that the union want to have access to the memorandum of understanding to be signed between the  federal government and the investors for the three refineries in Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt.

    In addition, he said the two unions in the oil and gas sector, PENGASSAN and NUPENG should be carried along at all stages of the process to ensure that Labour related issues and job security is guaranteed, saying, “while we await the direction of the investors in the three refineries, we call on the government to ensure immediate rehabilitation of obsolete equipment in the plants”

    Johnson also frown what he described as fragrant disobedience to tripartite agreement reached by International Oil Companies operating in the country on job security, saying “we take this as an affront on the constituted authorities in the country. We call on the management of the Oil and Gas companies in Nigeria to respect the laws of the land as well as constituted authorities in Nigeria.”

  • Lack of funds may scuttle APC mid term convention

    Lack of funds may scuttle APC mid term convention

    There are uncertainties whether the mid-term national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled for April 29, 2017, will still go ahead as scheduled as the party is yet to put machinery in place for the hosting of the convention barely 26 days away from the scheduled date.

    After its consultative meeting with governors of these party in early March,  the party had announced that the mid-term non-elective convention will take place on April 29 to review the activities of the party and the government.

    The party had also assured that it will set up a convention planning committee before the end of March, but there are no indication that the Party was planning the convention as the planning committee was yet to be in place.

    But the National Publicity Secretary of the party,  Malls Bolaji Abdullahi said plans for the convention was still in progress as the party has not taken any decisions. To either cancel or postpone the convention.

    The Nation gathered on Monday that the constitution review committee set up by the National Working Committee to recommend amendments to the party constitution has abandoned the work apparently due to lack of resources to finance its activities.

    The committee which has representatives of the governor and national Assembly was yet to begin its work on the document that is supposed to be ratified at the convention.

    The party, after been criticised for not holding a national convention as stipulated in its constitution, declared in a statement that it will hold a national convention not later than April this year.

    Sources close to the party told The Nation that one of the governors of the party had told the leadership of the party during their meeting in March that the NWC cannot fix a convention for the National Executive Committee.

    The party, through the National Publicity Secretary, had announced that it will hold the convention to review activities of the part and fill positions in the leadership that were vacated by former national officers, saying “the vacancies to be filled occurred principally from political appointments, deaths and resignations.

    The Congress to fill the vacancies would be followed closely by another Congress to nominate delegates into the mid-term non-elective Convention of the Party.

    “The Congresses will be followed by the National Caucus meeting, and finalised with the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Party, which will consider and set the dates for the National Convention, which is expected to hold not later than April of 2017.”

    According to Article 25 (A)(i) of the APC constitution which state that the National Convention of the Party shall be held once in Two (2) years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee and approved by the National Executive Committee subject to the giving of the statutory notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and at least fourteen (14) days notice given to members eligible to attend.

    It also says that the constitution provides that the National Executive Committee may summon an emergency National Convention at any time provided at least seven (7) days notice of the meeting shall be given to all members eligible to attend.

    It was gathered that the some APC governors and the Presidency has decided not to fund the party, asking the leadership to source its own funds, while dues from political appointees have not been forthcoming.

    Recently, Kano state governor was quoted as saying that the governors will not take state resources to fund the party, saying what the party was going through in terms of financing was part of the change going on in the country.

    The governor was quoted as “It is still part of the change mantra. People were used to getting cheap money, some people struggle to be part of the APC officials in order to make money but the Buhari here is not like that, so if the party has programmes on the ground; the government have no problem to see how the party can be funded but let me tell you the issue of taking government money to fund the party does not arise now.”

    When contacted on phone, the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi told newsmen that the National Working Committee has not taken any decision to cancel or suspend the convention, pointing out that plans were still ongoing to host the convention.

  • Atiku to sponsor education of late Daily Times MD’s children

    Atiku to sponsor education of late Daily Times MD’s children

    Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has announced the setting up of an educational trust fund to finance the education of the late former Managing Director of Daily Times, Dr Onukaba Adenoyi- Ojo who died recently.

    Onukaba was Senior Special Assistant to the Atiku as Vice President and was until his death a senior lecturer at the University of Abuja.

    Speaking through the Head of his Media Office, Mazi Paul Ibe at the eight-day Fidau prayer for the late Onukaba Ojo, the fund will take charge of educating the children of the late Onukaba to university level.

    He described Onukaba who contested the APC primary for the Kogi governorship election in 2015 as a man who lived and died serving humanity and appealed to his family, friends and associates to keep his dreams alive.

    Also speaking, Senator Tunde Ogbeha described the late Onukaba as the best governor Kogi never had, while former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)’ Chief Onyema Ugochukwu describe him as a creative thinker and a resourceful person.

    According to Ugochukwu, Onukaba was a principled man who believed in hard work, pointing out that while he brought his resourceful to bear on his work at the Presidential villa as Media assistance to the then Vice President, he choose to sacrifice his job for his master when the Villa was polarised.

    Also speaking, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu commended the initiatives being made to educate his children, pointing out that such initiatives should be extended to give the family he left behind shelter as Onukaba did not leave behind any house while the rent for his current apartment t had expired.

    In his sermon at the fidau prayer, Sheikh Abdulhamid Musa Imam said everything about his death had already been decreed by God, adding that those who are still living should be conscious of the fact that every soul must die.

    He describes life as a farmland where the crop of man is planted to be harvested on the last day, pointing out that if is very important for his loved ones to keep doing good to all manner of people.

  • We can’t wait forever on minimum wage – NLC

    We can’t wait forever on minimum wage – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said on Wednesday that it was running out of patience with the government over the issue of new minimum wage for Nigerian workers, saying cannot wait indefinitely for the government to respond at its own time.

    Speaking at the 4th NLC National Gender Conference in Abuja, President of the Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said Nigerian workers were getting tired of government’s delay tactics in constituting a tripartite committee to negotiate a new minimum wage for the country and ask the government to act immediately.

    Wabba said that despite the fact that the minimum wage was due for renegotiation after 5 years, the Buhari administration was dragging its feet in constituting a tripartite committee as is the practice to negotiate a new minimum wage.

    He said further that “against the background of the harsh economic times and the impact on the working people, we cannot wait indefinitely for the government to respond at its own time.  Though we have been told by the administration that the panel will be constituted, we enjoined the government to urgently sort out whatever is the constraint it is facing and act on the matter before we are forced to take actions that may be unpleasant.”

    According to him, “It is no longer news that our Country is in a severe recession, and prices of virtually all consumable and non-consumable items have skyrocketed.  In the last twelve or more months, the inflationary trend in the economy has gone over the roof, and the mass of our people, the salaried and the teeming millions of the unemployed, are facing very difficult times.

    ayuba-wabba-nlc-president
    Wabba

     

    “Amidst these difficulties, we have contended with a number of state governments that have misplaced priorities and have regularly refused to pay workers in the State payroll, their salaries as at when due.
    “Similarly pension, of retired public servants have gone for several months, and in some cases, years unpaid.  We have over the last 15 months fought these State governments to pay up these outstanding wages and pension liabilities they owe workers.  We will continue to do this till all salaries and pensions across the country are fully paid up.”

    Wabba stressed the commitment of the Congress to promoting gender equity and gender participation in the affairs of trade unions in the country.He said: “the Congress has over the past three decades worked to promote women participation and involvement in the affairs of the trade union movement, in industrial unions and State Councils of the NLC nationwide.

    He said: “The Congress has over the past three decades worked to promote women participation and involvement in the affairs of the trade union movement, in industrial unions and State Councils of the NLC nationwide.

    “Against the background of the male-dominated nature of our society and the trade union movement, gender issues are still challenging issues within our movement; women workers are still very much disadvantaged within our organisations.  In the world of work, where both men and women are in employment, the chances are that women still suffer more discrimination than their male counterparts.

     “From a position where we used to have an almost all-male executive in most of our unions, the NLC gender equity policy has enabled the Congress and virtually all of its affiliates to have increased women representation at the level of leadership in all their structures.

    “To ensure that these changes are sustainable, the NLC constitution and that of affiliate unions were amended to ensure the inclusion of women representations at leadership levels.

    “At the NLC level, not only is the Chairperson of the National Women Commission now automatically a vice president of the NLC, in the 2007 delegates Conference of the Congress, two ex-officio positions were created at the level of National Administrative Council (NAC) of NLC, to be occupied by women.

    “As a trade union movement, we need to intensify our struggle for gender justice and gender equality and link it up to building our organisations.  We have to advocate and ensure that our government enforces better gender policies, health care and increase access to services to women as well as making the workplace women friendly.

    “We must deliberately support women leaders to build their capacity to meet up with the challenges of unions and the complexity in the world of work. We need to train women leaders on issues of the economic and policy debates, collective agreements and legislation, especially those that affect women.  We need to strengthen the National Women Commission to contribute and engage in the issues affecting women generally and national development.”

    Wabba stressed that in recent times, a lot of progress has been made in protecting and promoting women’s right, adding that according to UN statistics, a majority of the 1.3 billion who are absolute poor in the world are women.

    He said further that over the years, the International Women’s Day has been recognised as a time to reflect on the progress made on women advancement, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.

     The NLC, he said is committed to working with the Nigerian government in the spirit of achieving the SDG goals of ending poverty, promoting inclusive and reducing inequality and achieving gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.

    Chairperson of the NLC Women Commission, Comrade Offiong said the conference was aimed at gender mainstreaming in the Trade Unions; assess the level of implementation of the NLC Gender Equity Policy in the affiliate Unions; Identify and map out strategies for tackling the challenges facing women in the workplaces & Trade Unions; strategize on approaches and techniques of strengthening women participation in the Trade Unions and elect a new leadership for the NLC National Women Commission.

     She said even though the millennium has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women’s and society’s thoughts about gender equality and women emancipation, women still suffer from gender discrimination, stereotypes and abuses and call on the NLC and Affiliate unions to continue to be the voice of change for women not only in the trade unions but the larger society.

    She expressed concern over the safety of the girl child and women generally which she said has became of a major concern to all especially the working women who due to circumstance of their working life are forced to leave the care of their children to other persons, while the children become victims of rape and all forms of abuses.

    She, however, want employers of labour in the country to as a matter of urgency and in the spirit of corporate social responsibility, set-up child-care facilities in and around workplaces to safeguard these innocent and vulnerable children while their mothers are engaged in their legitimate employment.

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  • ‘SGF a liability to Buhari’s govt’

    ‘SGF a liability to Buhari’s govt’

    A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, Yusuf Ali on Tuesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to discard the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal as he has become a political liability to the present government.

    Ali said the continued retention of the SGF despite allegations of corruption against him by the Senate will negatively affect the transparency of the ongoing anti-corruption crusade of the government.
    In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, Ali said.

    “I strongly believe in the anti-corruption crusade and transparency in governance as being promoted by Mr President. But as a politician, there comes a time when you have to make a choice based on the preponderance of public opinion.

    “Our democracy rests on a tripod and if at any time an arm of the government raises any issue with any of the two arms, it behoves on the executive to see reasons and the political risk of any decision he is making. The other day it was corruption in the Judiciary and Nigerians were behind the president and today, it’s allegation of corruption within his government, he must equally take side with the people.

    “The Senate, being an elected body representing the whole of Nigerians has raised some fundamental issues that border on the credibility of Babachir. It, therefore, becomes politically expedient for Mr President to handle these issues very carefully least his actions might be misinterpreted.

    “Everybody knows Babachir is an ally of Mr President; but when the Senate alleges that the SGF conducted himself very dishonourably, he automatically became a political liability to the government that came to power on the crest of anti-corruption thus he has to be dispensed with so that the appropriate authorities can either clear or indict him.

    “I will advice Mr President to have a rethink on this issue by directing the SGF to proceed on leave in order to enable the anti-corruption agencies to proper investigate him vis a vis the Senate indictment.

    “If he is found liable, he can as well face the music. But on the other hand, if he is cleared, he resumes his work. In this way, Mr President can spare himself of all the hue and cry that he is covering up some people in his administration who are alleged to be corrupt.”

    He expressed the belief that if the embattled SGF fails the integrity test, there are competent and credible people even in the North East who can competently replace him while he serves out his time in any of the prisons assigned to him.

    He, however, faulted the security report which the senate relied on to reject the Acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, adding that the report was lacking in credibility is equally part of the Buhari government, and it will be safer for the President to align with the DSS instead of disregarding its security report.

    “A lot of people say Magu is a very competent officer but when a security report indicts him, he becomes a liability to the administration particularly being the head of the nation’s foremost anti-corruption agency.

    “I am not privy to the response Magu gave to the query issued by the President but the appropriate thing Mr President should have done is to replace Magu with equally another competent officer in order not to compromise the integrity of the anti-corruption war,” he said.