MINIMUM WAGE: Spain's new government raises minimum wage

Spain's new Socialist government under Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday brokered an accord with unions and bosses lifting the minimum wage 5.5 percent or €59.8 euros to €1,108 ($1,230) gross a month.

Spain's new Socialist government under Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday brokered an accord with unions and bosses lifting the minimum wage 5.5 percent or €59.8 euros to €1,108 euros ($1,230) gross a month.

"We have reached agreement to lift the minimum wage this year," said labour minister Yolanda Diaz, hailing a "very happy day for democracy in this country and for all workers."

The cabinet is due to approve the measure within days upon which the rise will take immediate effect and be backdated to the start of January 2020.

Sanchez' new administration, which has the support of radical leftist party Podemos, has also announced a 0.9 percent increase in pensions and a 2.0 percent increase in wages of civil servants.   

While unions saluted the minimum wage rise the president of the Confederation of Employers' Organizations, Antonio Garamendi, admitted that "we would have liked (the rise) to be a little lower," even if the figure agreed was below an initially mooted €1,167.   

The agreement was that the minimum wage would be set at €950 a month, payable in 14 installments to allow for the double monthly salary in July and December, a Spanish tradition that ensures there is enough funds to allow a holiday and celebrate Christmas. 

The latest rise comes on the back of Sanchez's pushing through of an unparalleled 22 percent hike last year.

The government has pledged over the coming four years to lift the level to 60 percent of the current average salary of €1,970  -- which would be currently €1,182.

Speaking at the Davos forum earlier, Sanchez said his government would still pursue "fiscal rigour" in targeting cutting the national deficit and public debt.

Spain's move comes weeks after Britain's conservative government pledged to increase the minimum wage by more than four times the rate of UK inflation from next year despite a warning by the British Chambers of Commerce that above-inflation pay increases could hit business amid economic uncertainty with Brexit days away.

SOURCE: The Local/AFP

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STUDENT KILLING: PLATEAU RESIDENTS REACT TO EXECUTION OF UNIMAID UNDERGRATUATE, ROPVIL DACIYA :

SOURCE: AITNews

THE EXECUTION OF ROPVIL DACIYA A TWO HUNDRED LEVEL STUDENT AT UNIVERSITY OF MAIDUGURI BY BOKO HARAM ON TUESDAY HAS CONTINUED TO ATTRACT WIDE CONDEMNATION FROM RESIDENTS OF PLATEAU STATE.

 FATHER OF THE SLAIN STUDENT AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS CALL FOR URGENT MEASURES  TO STOP THE KILLINGS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE .

THE MOOD AT THE FAMILY RESIDENCE OF ROPVIL A NATIVE OF PANKSHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE WHO WAS ABDUCTED  WHILE RETURNING BACK TO SCHOOL IS THAT OF GLOOM AND GRIEF.

FATHER OF THE DECEASE  SAYS THE FAMILY HAS ACCEPTED THE SITUATION BUT WANTS GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THE RISING CASES OF INSECURITY TO SAVE THE LIVES OF MANY OTHERS.

OTHER  STAKEHOLDERS LAMENT THE  DASTARDLY ACT AND ONLY HOPES GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE OF REASSURING NIGERIANS OF THIER SAFETY.

YUSUF GAGDI REPRESENTING PANKSHIN KANAM IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMISERATES WITH THE FAMILY AND SAYS  THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST RISE BEYOND LIP SERVICE TO GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF NIGERIANS.

ALL NIGERIANS ARE ASKING FOR IS A SAFE HAVEN WERE PEOPLE CAN TRAVEL FAR AND NEAR WITHOUT FEAR OF THE UKNOWN.

JAMB Stops 11 Computer Based Centres from 2020 UTME registration

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has withdrawn the licences of 11 centres selling the e-PIN for registration for the 2020 unified tertiary matriculation examination UTME.

The centres were found to be charging candidates above the amount pegged by the board for the sales of examination instruments.

JAMB had fixed the cost of e-PIN for registration for N3,500 and the cost of materials for N500 while N700 for the computer-based test (CBT) centres –  totalling N4,700.

JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, who disclosed this during an interactive session with stakeholders at the headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC in Abuja on Tuesday, said the board discovered that some of the centres were selling the e-PIN for as high as N8, 000.

Oloyede said charging above the stipulated N4,700 for the 2020 UTME registration was illegitimate and would only destroy the nation; as it was an act of fraud and corruption.

Some of the centres whose licences were withdrawn for selling forms at N5,000 are; Federal Polytechnics, Mubi; Adamawa; and Adazi-Nnukwu ICT/CBT.

Others are New Kings and Queens Bayelsa, for selling at N5,500; Brightfield Secondary School Delta, for selling between N6,000 and N8,000; A-Pagen Consolidated Port Harcourt, for selling at N5,000 and Influencial School Port Harcourt, for selling at N6,000.

Also included are Emkenlyn Computers, and Nneameka Secondary School Anambra.

He said: “Many people make illegitimate money from the examination and we will be destroying the nation, if we don’t get things right.

“Prior to 2018, we sell form for N5,000; but the Federal Government considers so many things and felt the money was much and in 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari decided that the cost should be slashed; which brought the cost to N3,500.

“Also, prior to this time, there were unscrupulous people selling as high as N10,000. We now democratised the sale of the forms, to make it available so that it will not be possible for those selling to hoard the forms.

“We felt the banks are overcrowded so we decided to expand the sale outlet, to bring in mobile money operators to cover all the registered banks.

“The effects of the expansion is that some people are still penetrating the banks, thereby increasing the cost of the sale of form."

The registrar said the proliferation of tutorial centres was a major concern as most of the centres engaged in fraud and corruption during registrations and examinations.

In his remarks, the Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Muhammadu, urged the board to limit the tutorial centres in the country.

Muhammadu urged the board to make sure that lists of certified tutorial centres were revealed to reduce infractions as it relates to examinations. 

He called on commandants in the various states to make integrity their watchword in order not to betray the confidence the board has in them as well as Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the NSCDC on Tuesday paraded two suspects arrested by the agency in Agbor, Delta State, for extorting candidates.

The principal suspect, Ambrose, 65, with his accomplice, were charged for selling the JAMB document at N5,500 at a business Centre owned by Ambrose. 

Commandant of NSCDC, Delta State, Dr Benito Eze, said the suspects were arrested when on a tip off, the  Corps' undercover operatives were sent to buy the forms in company of JAMB officials. 

Ambrose, when interrogated said he was acting as an agent to a CBT centre, explaining that out of the N5,500 collected from candidates, N4,000 is paid to JAMB while N700 is remitted to the CBT centre and N500 for transportation. 

The NSCDC CG vowed to prosecute the culprit to serve as deterrent to others. 

He said the suspects would be arraigned in court to face charges of criminal conspiracy and extortion of money from candidates.  

MINIMUM WAGE: Plateau Govt., Labour Disagree

Organised Labour and the Plateau State Government are yet to reach an agreement on payment of the N30, 000 new national minimum wage.

Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council, James Diwa told AIT that a meeting held between the State Government, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress in the State ended in a stalemate.

Since the turn of the New Year 2020, civil servants across the country have had high hopes that the much talked about N30, 000 minimum wage issue will be laid to rest following assurances by the federal and state governments.

While approval has been given for the payment in some states, the case in Plateau State is different as the State Government and Organised Labour are yet to reach an agreement.

Diwa said the only headway made on the discussion, is the N30, 000 minimum wage as it affects Grade Level 1 to 6.

The bone of contention, is the consequential adjustment for Grade Level 7 and above offered by the State Government, which the Labour unions have rejected.

The situation no doubt leaves a lot to be desired with strike as the only option left for the Labour unions if their demands are not met by the January 31 deadline given to state governments by the national secretariats of the Labour movement to conclude negotiations and begin payment across all grade levels.

Source: AITNEWS

MAIGIDA FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTES EXERCISE BOOKS TO LESS PRIVILEGED PUPILS IN KEFFI

The teachers registration council of nigeria has been advised not to push for the sack  of any teacher, since the lapse of december 31, 2019 deadline, but to consider giving more time to enable yet to be registered tutors obtain required qualifications.

 

the appeal which is coming from concerned teachers and  administrators at the distribution of excersice books to less privileged pupils in some schools in keffi local government area of nasarawa state  north central nigeria, are equally calling on both federal and state governments to actualize their promises of recruiting more teachers 

Some of the school children who benefitted from the gesture  challenged government to provide regularly the needed instructional materials in schools to enable them acquire desired knowledge and successes 

The nasarawa state government in collaboration with maigida foundation give out books to less privileged school children in selected schools at the start of each academic term and session

Professor of Surgery dies due to absence of N200 cannula to resuscitate him in Jigawa State

A Consultant Urologist and an Associate Professor of Surgery has allegedly died due to the lack of cannula or IVF in a General hospital in Jigawa.

According to a Dr. Henry Njeakor, the Associate professor of surgery was involved in a road traffic accident and was rushed to the nearest General Hospital in Gumel, Jigawa but could not be resuscitated becaue the hospital had no cannula or IVF to do that.

He took to his social media page to share his disappointment, he wrote;

This is difficult.Just lost a mentor,trainer,Consultant Urologist and an Asso Prof of Surgery who had an RTA and there was not a cannula or IVF to resuscitate him in the nearest Gen Hosp.He cried and shouted for help till he bled out.I am so gutted right now.He was a good man.

RTA= Road Traffic Accident

IVF= Intravenous fluid/Drip

Cannula is 200naira, 3L of N/Saline not more than 1500naira. This could have kept him alive till he will be transferred to a Teaching Hosp

It has been a while I cried. Today,I couldnt hold it. What struck me most was that,that could have been me.

U.S. grants asylum to Nigerian journalist Ohimai Amaize

A former presenter, AIT, Ohimai Amaize, who fled Nigeria last year, has been granted asylum in the United States, PREMIUM TIMES reports.

The journalist confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES in an e-mail Sunday. “I have just received notice of my asylum approval,” he said.

Mr Amaize, 35, departed Abuja in June 2019 following claims he was being trailed by Nigerian security agents with intention to arrest and charge him for treason and incitement. The alleged plots stemmed from a confrontation between the government and AIT and its flagship morning show, ‘Kakaaki Social’, a user-generated programme which Mr Amaize was anchoring at the time.

The Nigerian broadcast stations regulator, NBC, shut down the station for about 24 hours, alleging multiple infractions on federal guidelines for broadcasters. Although the station was reopened following a court order, its headquarters in Abuja was besieged by armed officers from the State Security Service, SSS.

Mr Amaize criticised the guidelines as arbitrary and repressive and subsequently fled to New York on June 23, citing threats to his safety by the SSS, police and other state agents and supporters. His wife, an Abuja-based fashion designer, also left Nigeria a few weeks later to join him.

American government grants asylum to individuals who have been able to substantiate claims of persecution in their home country, especially where such attacks are linked to their political opinion, religious beliefs and other fundamental rights.

“My forced exit from Nigeria last year has been a very traumatising experience for me and my family,” Mr Amaize told PREMIUM TIMES. “I am very happy and I thank God for this development.”

Before joining AIT in 2018, Mr Amaize was amongst top opposition voices highly critical of the Buhari administration. He worked previously as a media consultant for the Peoples Democratic Party, Nigeria’s erstwhile ruling party which Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress defeated during the 2015 elections.

Although Mr Amaize was never arrested, he alleged regular threats to his life. He also frequently cited several other critics and journalists who were arrested and charged under repressive laws.

“I can now live and carry on with my life without the fear of being persecuted by the Muhammadu Buhari regime for the opinions that I express or the work that I do as a journalist,” Mr Amaize said. “Of course, I miss Nigeria so much because there is no place like home.”

Media rights advocates quickly saw Mr Amaize’s asylum breakthrough as a positive development for press freedom.

“This is a victory for press freedom, one that rekindles the hope of all defenders of civil liberties across the world,” Martin Obono, an Abuja-based rights activist, told PREMIUM TIMES. “We congratulate Mr Amaize and his family.”

Mr Obono said the expeditious manner Mr Amaize received asylum from the U.S. should put the Nigerian government on the notice that America and other nations of the free world would not tolerate any acts that stifle freedom.

The Buhari administration has continued to deny allegations of repression, saying the country’s civic space has flourished since 2015. The government said only those guilty of subversive plots were arrested, a claim that failed to hold up against mounting evidence of attacks against citizens’ fundamental rights.
“Asylum is usually a long and cumbersome process that could take years for an average seeker,” Mr Obono said. “That Mr Ohimai was able to receive it within a short period should evoke introspection of a government that is capable of reading signs from the international community.”

While wishing Nigeria a prosperous future, Mr Amaize appreciated those who supported him, especially AIT, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Human Rights First and his American attorneys Davis Polk and Wardwell LLP.

MUSIC: Akon gets approval to construct 'AKON CITY'

It looks like there have been some major developments for Akon with establishing his own city in Senegal, West Africa.

The “Don’t Matter” singer was born and raised in Senegal until he was 7-years-old before he moved to the United States with his family. It was recently reported that he was working on carving out a new tourism-driven city that is also eco-friendly. Now he is announcing that he is in the final stages of making it happen.

Akon has officially signed an agreement with tourism company SAPCO, a state-owned organization in Senegal. Taking to his Instagram to share the news, the singer wrote, “Just finalized the agreement for AKON CITY in Senegal,” he wrote. “Looking forward to hosting you there in the future.”

SAPCO Secretary General Aliune Ndiaye said that Akon intends to set up a property in Mbodiene’s seaside village which is about 75 miles from the Senegal’s capital city of Dekar. According to Jakarta Post, a spokesperson for the tourism ministry in Senegal, Akon wants to build a “sustainable tourism village that would campaign for the environment.” They also added that the monument will be extra special because of who is behind it. “Beyond his status as an artist, it is Akon, the investor who believes in Africa,” the tourism ministry said.

In an interview this past November with Nick Cannon, Akon talked about his plans to create the tourism village in Senegal. Speaking on its progress he shared that “It’s a 10-year building block so we’re doing it in stages,” he said. “We started construction in March and stage two is going to be 2025.”

Akon has always been an activist in his home continent aiming to improve the lives of the millions of citizens that reside there. In 2014, Akon and his partners founded “Akon Lighting Africa,” which aims to provide millions of Africans with electricity through solar energy. Two years after the organization was established, the singer secured a billion dollar credit line to help fund the solar project.

We’re so pleased to hear that the last dotted line was signed and “Akon City” is finally coming to fruition.

SOURCE: Celebrities Buzz

Is there really a rift in the palace of the Queen of England as her last grand child, Prince Harry moves out along with his wife?

United kingdom and indeed the entire commonwealth countries around the world have woken up to one of the shocked news of the start of a new decade when the last grand child of Queen Elizabeth 11, prinve Harry and his wife decided to drop their royal functions, coupled with moving to Canada

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are to stop using their HRH titles (His/Her Royal Highness) and repay millions of pounds spent renovating their Berkshire home, the couple have announced.

Buckingham Palace has said under the new arrangement the couple are “required to step back from royal duties, including official military appointments” and will no longer receive public funds for royal duties.

The couple will become known as Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, from the spring.

Although they will not use their HRH titles, they will still retain them and Harry, who was born a prince of Wales, will remain a prince.

“This new model will take effect in the spring of 2020,” the palace said.

In a statement, the Queen said she was pleased to have found a “constructive and supportive way forward” and added that “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved members of my family.”

“I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life,” she said.

“I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.”

Harry will reportedly also lose his position as Captain General of the Royal Marines — a title he inherited from his grandfather Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh — and give up all his honorary military titles.

It is also understood that the couple will spend the majority of their time in North America, not the UK.

A Buckingham Palace statement said Harry and Meghan could “no longer formally represent the Queen,” but the couple would “continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty” in their work.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home,” the palace statement added, in reference to a £2.4 million taxpayer-funded home renovation in 2019.

The palace has also said it will not comment on the details of security arrangements for the couple.

The Duke and Duchess announced their intention to step down as “senior members of the royal family” earlier this month, reportedly to the disappointment of Buckingham Palace.

Updates on the Duke and Duchess’ roles and work will appear on the couple’s new website in due course, a brief statement on the website said.

FOOTBALL: Sergio Aguero may be going to Bacelona

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has reportedly demanded for the signing of Manchester City star and compatriot Sergio Aguero.

The 32-year-old superstar’s request apparently put across after he was summoned for a one-on-one meeting with new boss Quique Setien.

The latter moved to Camp Nou last week following Barcelona’s decision to part ways with Ernesto Valverde and has since seen his approval rate soar among the club and its fan-base.

With Barcelona still competing in La Liga as well as the UEFA Champions League, many expect the club to beef up it ranks amid rumors that a number of the current existing players could well seal moves elsewhere.

According to reports in Spain as cited by Mirror, one department that the Catalans aims to strengthen is its front line which features Uruguayan attacker Luis Suarez.

With the former Liverpool star injured and expected to be out of action for at least four months, Messi has seemingly advised Quique Setien to consider bring Sergio Aguero on board as soon as possible.

Momentarily, Barcelona has done very little to suggest that a move could be on the cards for the Argentine striker who became the fourth highest Premier League goalscorer with his brace against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Relatively, Mirror emphasized that Manchester City will not seek to part ways with its all-time top goalscorer albeit having just a year remaining on his current contract.

Sergio Aguero has so far scored 251 goals since joining the Citizens from Atletico Madrid in 2011.

SOURCE: NND