BUHARI, OSINBAJO RIFT DEEPENS OVER SACK OF VP STAFF. BUT PRESIDENCY SAYS, TOGETHER, ITS A SCRIPT FOR GLORIOUS FUTURE FOR NIGERIA

 The Presidency on Friday  confirmed that there is, on-going, an unprecedented overhaul of the nation’s seat of government, arising from which a number of political appointments have either been revoked or not renewed in the Second Term.

The exercise, which has been ordered by the President, is to streamline decision-making, cut down multiple authorities and reduce the cost of administration.

In a statement issued by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity Garba Shehu , The presidency noted that the decision  is also an appropriate response to the general perception that the Presidency has an oversized and bloated workforce which acts as a drag on efficiency.

As may have been noticed by discerning members of the public, a number of political appointees among the few that served in the office of the President were not returned for the Second Term.

The office of the Vice President, His Excellency Yemi Osinbajo has, in compliance with the directive of the President, equally been shed of a number of such appointees.

In carrying out these exercises, the overriding objective is to save taxpayer money and deliver needed service to the public. As far as the President is concerned, there is no scope for an excuse for administration after getting a huge mandate to run the country for four more years.

In the light of this, the Presidency wishes to strongly deny rumours of a rift between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The relationship between the two leaders remains excellent and trusting. Together, they will script a glorious future for the nation.

The media reports of a soured relationship are originating from the minds and mouths of mischief makers, who are desperate for entertaining stories from the Aso Rock Villa with which to titillate the public. This ulterior motive is the basis of the wrong interpretation given to the recent exercise in the Presidency.

There has been a streamlining of staff going on for a while. The President has always had fewer staff than the Vice President, and there were always plans to reduce the number of staff at the Villa.

The streamlining was not personal or targeted to undermine the Vice President's office, as the so-called insider sources quoted by the media appear to make it seem.

The President is in absolute control of his government. The media should stop attributing non-existent powers to some people. There cannot be anyone too powerful for President Buhari to control.

Labour Minister Assumes Office as PGE of ILO, Pushes for Democratization.

 The Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige today assumed office as the President Groupe Gouvernemental (PGE) – President of the Government Group of the Governing Board(GB) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) at its 337 session ongoing in Geneva, Switzerland.

 

In a statement by Deputy Director press in the Ministry of Labour and employment, Charlse Aakpan said the Minister was handed over the office, domiciled in the ILO’s Headquarters by Nigeria’s Labour Attaché in Geneva, Mr. Aniefiok Essa who has been overlooking it on behalf of the Nigeria Mission since June 2019. 

 

In his address to the Governing Board plenary, Sen. Ngige gave a remarkable push to the agitation for the democratization of the ILO Governing Board, throwing his weight behind the Africa Group position that the democratization process started since 1986 be fast forwarded to assist the Tripartite Working Group established by the 108^thsession of the International Labour Conference in June this year.

 

He said that though the ratification of the democratization amendments has been yielding acceptance among members since it commenced thirty-three years ago, the organization has got unfinished business as regards the democratization of its structures to ensure fair representation of all regions and equity among member states. 

 

“We are however encouraged that the continuous promotion of this ratification is not only a permanent item on our GB agenda whose report is expected from the DG, but also an opportunity to constantly remind our members of the unfinished business of democratization of the Governing body of our organization,” he said. 

 

The Minister further asked the Director General to clarify the ambiguities surrounding the Tripartite Working Group such as the status and source of the powers of the group, its size, who and what qualifies the membership, composition, duration of assignment as well as the terms of reference. 

 

Based on the strength of these questions which obviously threw up new issues, the Director General had to adjourn the session while adjusting its timetable to enable his office to critically examine and provide adequate answers. 

Nasarawa Deputy Governor Attacked, four killed

Gunmen attack Nasarawa deputy governor convoy, kill four.

By Donatus Nadi, Lafia   August 20, 2019

Three policemen were reportedly killed by suspected gunmen when the convoy of the Nasarawa state deputy governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe ran into the assailants around Gako hill in Nasarawa Eggon local government.

The incident which also claimed the life of a civilian driver was said to have happened around 8pm as the deputy governor was heading to Abuja for the swearing-in of ministers scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

The Nation reliably gathered that when the escort commander was informed that there were suspected gunmen on the road, he stopped the convoy and took two other mobile police officers with him alongside the civilian driver to fend off the gunmen and open the road.

Our source said upon hearing gunshots from an oncoming Hilux van the gunmen took cover and ambushed the police officers and the driver killing all four.

The rifles of the officers were also said to be taken away leaving behind only a magazine.

As at the time of filing this report, the corpses of the slain policemen and their driver were deposited at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia.

When contacted, the Police spokesman in the state, Othman Ismaeel said the state police commissioner and other senior officers were at the scene of the incidence as he was yet to be fully briefed.

Source: The Nation Newspaper.

Abuja Noodles factory explosion

Explosion rocks Royal Noodle Company. Destroys three houses. Information on casualty still scatchy

ASUU, OTHERS SPIT FIRE over IPPIS IMPLEMENTATION

 After a nationwide strike by organised labour was averted, following conclusion o

in talks over minimum wage implementation delay, crisis seems to be brewing in Nigeria's tertiary institutions with government's directive to withhold workers october salary, if they fail to enrol  into the integrated payroll and personnel information system,  IPPIS

The latest threats are coming from both the academic and non academic staff of colleges of education as well as the academic staff union of universities, ASUU.

 ASUU argues the move is aimed at distorting the hard-fought autonomy for universities

A meeting between the Academic staff union of polytechnics, ASUP and a representative of  the office of the accountant general of the federation has just ended

The aim of the talks here is to persuade the lecturers to enrol in the Intergrated payroll personnel information system, IPPIS and at the same time prevent another round of industrial unrest in the polytechnics.

ASUP had issued a 21 day strike notice, which expires this week

Meetings have also been held with other workers groups in the universities and colleges of Education over similar issues

Government is threating to stop october salaries of workers who fail to enrol in IPPIS.

While the senior staff association of Nigerian universities, SSANU sees nothing wrong with IPPIS, the Senior staff of colleges of education, its academic staff and ASUU hold different opinions

ASUU, is particular saying that the move threatens university autonomy

According to government, The IPPIS is used to check ghost workers and block leakages in salary payment

As October ends, it remains to be seen what government's  next step will be or will Nigerians see yet another round of closure of lecture halls and empty staff rooms

AREMU CARPETS NIGERIA FOR JOINING OTHER AFRICANS INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES FOR ECONOMIC SUMMIT

Hours after president Muhammadu Buhari departed Nigeria for the Saudi Arabia economic forum, the General Secretary, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, Issa Aremu has taken a swipe on the Nigerian government for attending and taking part in all sorts of Africa and individual countries summits

Aremu, speaking at the unions 31st Natioanl Education conference in Abuja on tuesday, listed a few of the fora as the Russia-Africa summit, the China-Africa summit, The Japan-Africa summit, the Turkey-Africa Summit among others

The labour leader regretted how Nigeria will continue to join other african countries to allow themselves to remain underdeveloped by the intrigues of the developed counties 

While calling on the Nigerian government sustain the closure of its land borders to boost internal production of goods, He said the country must unearth those behind the over nine billion dollars deallings with the P&ID company

President Buhari has mandated the Central Bank of Nigeria and industrial Training fund to provide special funds to facilitate training of textile and garment workers across Nigeria 

The president said this is to sustain the memorandum of understanding signed between the CBN and all uniform services with textile industry for production and use of local fabrics 

The president representatives at the conference, professor Segun Ajiboye also emphasised the importance of the current border closure.

AGITATIONS FOR NATIONAL MINIMUM PENSION OF 30,000 NAIRA

Senior citizens under the auspices of the Nigeria union of pensioners have taken a protest to the National salaries, incomes and wages commission's office in Abuja to demand for review of minimum pensions

This demand is coming few Weeks after the federal government and organised labour concluded talks on adjustment of percentage increase on the new thirty thousand naira minimum wage.

These  are some of the obvious  reasons necessitating the demand for minimum pension just like the the newly signed minimum wage for the working class

Octogenarian, Abel Afolayan and president of the Nigeria union of pensioners hold strong convictions that retirees will have their wish

This group of retirees belong to the mandatory pensioners who left service before the 2004 pension Review act which introduced the contributory pension scheme.

Those own contributory scheme have their pensions automatically adjusted with the minimum wage increase.

Blame The Military, Police, Hoodlums On Highways for food, beef hike

The amalgamated union of food stuffs and cattle dealers of Nigeria, an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour congress is blaming 33 military and 107 police check points across highways for the hike in food stuff and beef in the market

The labour union executive at a media briefing in Abuja said despite their resistance, over the years, the ugly situation persists unabated especially in the southern part of the country

Not many Nigerians know about the existence of the Amalgamated union of foodstuff and cattle dealers, but many especially frequent road travellers are aware of the activities of uniform men on the countries highways.

No doubt they maintain sanity and  security, but the decision by some of them to indulge in extortion of unsuspecting motorists is beginning to raise serious concerns among some road users

Another concern of the foodstuff and cattle dealers workers is the multiple taxation imposed on the transportation of cattle, tomatoes among other produce by some states governments , particularly those states on transit routes

The Amalgamated union of food stuff and cattle dealers of Nigeria is among the newly registered union with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC

Governors Get December 31, 2019 To Conclude minimum wage Consequential Adjustment

In what appears to be an unending debate over the thirty thousand naira new minimum wage, the organised labour has again given governors of the 36 states up to December 31, 2019 to conclude consequential adjustment on salaries

this latest threat is coming is coming at a meeting of federal and states joint public service Negotiating council in abuja, one month,  after the federal government and workers in federal employment concluded talks on september 18 for percentage increase on salaries

Although some states like kaduna state have stated implementation of the new wage for levels seven to 14 without waiting for a proper consequential adjustment, and organised labour said the development

This meeting is worried that the issue of the new national minimum wage signed into since april 18, 2019 has dragged for too long, creating huge backlog of arrears. 

NSCDC arrest man, his 5 wives for selling son for N5million

The Nasarawa State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested one John Ayuba of Gidiye village, in Obi local government area, for attempting to sell his three year old son, Solomon for N5million.

Parading the suspect at the command headquarters, the State Commandant of the Corps, Dr. Mahmmud Feri says, the arrest was made possible through intelligence, gathered by the officers and men of the command.

Commandant Mahmoud Feri told news men that the man Ayuba, steals children in Lafia, and sells them to people outside the state. 

Ayuba, a farmer with five  wives and 23 children, confessed to committing the crime. 

He attributes the perpetuation of the crime to the present day economic hardship. 

The Nasarawa state commandant of the Nscdc says, investigations have revealed that the culprit, had earlier sold one of his daughters to ritualist.

He assures that his command has swung into action to unravel further details of the crime.

The command calls on the citizens to report suspected acts of child trafficking and ritual inclinations to security agents. 

The Commandant also calls on parents and guardian to be more vigilant in their neighborhood and communities.