DON'T SACK WORKERS, NLC TELLS FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA PLC

The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba has written to the management of firstbank Nigeria Plc to suspend its plan to lay off its staff

In the letter, wabba threatened to implore labour actions against The management of Firstbank  Of Nigeria Plc , over impending plan to lay off its workers 

 In a letter adressed to the management of Firstbank of Nigeria plc which was signed by NLC President Ayuba Wabba and made available to newsmen, the bank is asked to immediately suspend all plans to lay off workers

NLC argues that it is unjust and against the Nigerian labour laws for First Bank of Nigeria to sack workers between the ages of 35 and 55 years old, who have put in minimum of 5 years.

The NLC said the issues were brought before the labour centre by its affiliate; the National Union of Banks, insurance and financial institutions, NUBIFI

The NLC therefore asked the Firstbank Management to re-enact engagements with the Union to resolve pending  issues instead of boosting the unemployment market with sack of workers

Labour is also calling on the federal government to intervene to avert looming crisis in the Banking sector.

FULL TEXT OF LETTER: 

UN Scribe Calls For More Commitment To End @WORLD AIDS DAY by 2030

As the world mark the WORLD AIDS DAY, the UN Secretary General, Anthonio Guterres Says a record 38 million people live with HIV- but resources for the response declined by $1 billion last year.

In a message on his twitter handle, the UN Scribe said "On #WorldAIDSDay let’s reaffirm our commitment to ending this epidemic by 2030 - scaling up access to health services, fighting stigma & ensuring people enjoy their rights. 

UN rights chief calls for dialogue to prevent conflict, ease social unrest in Ecuador

UN News/Daniel Johnson

Michele Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (file)

29 November 2019

Human Rights

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on Friday denounced the  “high human cost”, of the recent unrest in Ecuador and urged all actors in the South American country to engage in dialogue to prevent new conflicts and forge an inclusive society “with full respect for its multicultural nature”. 

Ms. Bachelet also said that after reviewing the information she has received from a UN Office of Human Rights (OHCHR) mission dispatched to the from 21 October to 8 November, there was a need for an independent, impartial and transparent investigations into allegations of human rights violations and abuses committed during the protests from 3 to 13 October. 

OHCHR mission to Ecuador 

On the findings of the OHCHR investigative team, Ms. Bachelet that according to the data collected, during the 11 days of social unrest (from October 3 to 13), at least nine people died and 1,507 were injured, including 435 members of the security forces. The number of detainees amounted to 1,382. There are allegations that many of these people were arbitrarily detained.  

UN Human Rights

✔ @UNHumanRights

#Ecuador: UN Human Rights Chief urges dialogue to prevent conflict & create an inclusive society. @mbachelet also calls for independent, impartial & transparent investigations into allegations of #HumanRights violations committed during the protests 

“Last month’s unrest had a high human cost,” the High Commissioner said. “People should be able to express their grievances without fear of being hurt or arrested. At the same time, it is important that protestors do not resort to violence.” 

According to OHCHR, the team received reports from victims and witnesses of use of force by law enforcement officials that was not in conformity with international norms and standards, including unnecessary and disproportionate use of force. Law enforcement officials included the police and the military, which was deployed following the declaration of a state of exception. 

Victims and witnesses informed the team that teargas and pellet rounds were regularly shot by the security officers directly at the protesters at very close range, causing hundreds of injuries, and possibly some of the deaths. 

While acknowledging that the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Police have opened 17 and 31 investigations respectively, Ms. Bachelet stressed the importance of investigating the circumstances of all deaths and serious injuries. She added that it is imperative that the internal protocols regarding the use of force for law enforcement officials are reviewed and that the authorities ensure they comply with international standards. 

Crisis ‘triggers’ in Ecuador 

Regarding the triggers of the crisis, the UN Human Rights Office strongly recommends that the Government promote a participatory approach to decision-making, ensuring the enjoyment by people of their right to participate in public affairs.  

Such a strategy of participation should be extended to economic and fiscal measures – including on proposals of austerity measures – and especially with the communities likely to be worst affected. This, Ms. Bachelet said, would be in line with the view of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which recommended that Ecuador ensure that any economic decisions affecting people should be taken in a transparent manner and in consultation with the affected population. 

The historical and persistent discrimination against indigenous peoples should also be a matter of concern and priority for the Government. The High Commissioner urged the authorities to do their outmost to identify effective measures to deal with this problem, and to recognize that it is a barrier to overcoming structural economic inequalities. 

“Social and economic inequality remains a structural barrier for development for vast sectors of society, who have felt left behind for generations and do not see positive prospects for the future,” Ms. Bachelet said.  

“It is of paramount importance that society as a whole, with the Government as a guiding force, embark together in search of paths of mutual understanding with the aim of constructing an inclusive, multicultural and peaceful society.” 

NANS makes case for Air Peace CEO

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned what they described as the unwarranted calls for the prosecution of Chairman and CEO of Air Peace airline, Allen Onyema over allegations of fraud yet to be proven.

According to Nation Online, Speaking to newsmen at a media parley, the National Public Relations Officer, NANS, Comrade Azeez Adeyemi said, “It was important to note that as students, we are not unaware of possible international politics that might be targeted at the CEO of Air Peace especially after giving back to his country by bringing hundreds of Nigerian home free of charge, rescuing them from the hands of animals in South Africa.”He further noted that although the Air Peace boss said he had never laundered any money, adding that he transferred his money for purchase of the aircraft through the Central Bank of Nigeria, he has also called on the American government to contact the receiver of the fund which is an American company, since the company is still in business.

He, however, said that the travails of Mr Onyema will not deter them from identifying and appreciating philanthropists, especially lovers of students.

In a related development, the students body also lauded the humanitarian services being rendered by various people, noting that someone like Dr. Teniola Adesanya, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Group, who recently bailed out over 85 students and saving them from dropping out of school, was worthy of emulation.

The high point of the occasion was the conferment of award of Youth Ambassador on Dr. Teniola Adesanya in recognition of his outstanding philanthropic gesture over the years.

  

NIGERIAN SEX TRAFFICKERS JAILED IN FRANCE

A French court sentenced 24 members of a Lyon-based sex trafficking ring to prison terms of up to seven years for forcing Nigerian women into prostitution.

Nearly all of the defendants were themselves Nigerian, in the latest case to highlight the growing use of African migrants in the European sex trade.

According to AIT NEWS Online, They include one of Europe’s most wanted women, Jessica Edosomwan, accused of acting as a France-based “madam” to women recruited mainly in Nigeria’s southern Edo State.

Edosomwan was tried in absentia.

Nigeria was the main country of origin for the tens of thousands of migrants who crossed the Mediterranean to Europe by boat in 2016 and 2017.

Many were women and girls lured to Europe with false promises of jobs as hairdressers or seamstresses, only to find themselves selling sex to repay their smugglers.

Seventeen women filed complaints against the defendants but none of the victims attended the trial, with the exception of one former sex worker who found herself in the dock for luring another woman into the trade.

The accused had faced up to 10 years’ imprisonment on charges including human trafficking, pimping, money laundering and helping people live illegally in France.

Prosecutors estimated that the victims, aged 17 to 38, made up to $166 000 a month for the syndicate by selling sex in vans parked by the side of the road for as little as 10 euros.

A French mechanic who looked after the vans was among the 24 defendants.

Last year, 15 members of a Paris-based, female-led pimping ring known as the “Authentic Sisters” – many themselves former trafficking victims – were jailed for up to 11 years for forcing girls into slavery in France.

Similar gangs have also been dismantled in Italy and Britain.

The UN estimates that 80 per cent of young Nigerian women arriving in Italy – usually their first port of call in Europe – are already in the clutches of prostitution networks, or quickly fall under their control.

Most of the women come from Nigeria’s Benin City, a human trafficking hotbed.

Many told investigators they had taken part in “juju” or black magic rituals before leaving Nigeria, during which they had to promise to repay the money for their passage to Europe.

ASUU queries FG: Why are staff of CBN, NDIC, FIRS not on IPPIS?

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has posed some tough questions to the Federal Government, asking why some federal agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Services, Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation are not captured on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System(IPPIS).

ASUU Chairman, University of Abuja branch, Dr. Kassim Umaru, raised the query while puncturing the insistence of the Federal Government that its members must enrol on the platform.

In a statement on Saturday, Umaru dismissed the payment system as a scam and said ASUU members will not join it.

The Office of Accountant-General of the Federation said that data of university workers and colleges of education be captured on the system between Monday November 25 and December 7.

Umaru said the National Executive Council of ASUU had a meeting and directed its members not to enrol, adding that the chapter will comply with the order from the national body.

Umaru argued that the payroll system is totally in violation of university autonomy and does not have any legal backing.

He faulted the government for resorting to threats whenever there was disagreement between the union and government.

Umaru urged the government to come to the table and discuss with the union instead of threatening to stop their salaries.

“As far as we are concerned in the union, we have worked and we must be paid. Eventually, if the government decides to stop our salary then the NEC will reconsider the decision of the government then appropriate action will be taken,”

“There is massive corruption in IPPIS. Did government care to investigate IPPIS itself? We are saying why is CBN not in IPPIS? Why is NDIC not in IPPIS? Why is Federal Inland Revenue not in IPPIS? But the lecturers who are just collecting stipends to be pulled into IPPIS so that our legal entitlement will not be paid.

“We are not going to allow it. We are not going to be part of the staff that are going to be enrolled in IPPIS. We took a resolution and we are reaffirming the direction of the national, that is NEC. NEC took a decision that we are not going to get enrolled into IPPIS and you know what our union is actually against is that the university has an autonomy and if you look at it clearly, this autonomy we are saying is enshrined in Section 2AA of the University Miscellaneous Provision Amendment Act of 2003 which clearly explained the role of the Governing Council.

“Even the Miscellaneous Act we are saying clearly stated that the power of the council shall be exercised as in the law and that status of each university. So it is clear we have an autonomy. Again, university is the peculiar nature of the appointment of university as academics. Our 2009 agreement which was negotiated by the federal government and our union is also there. So many issues are there and that is why our union is saying we should be allowed to produce a template which will have all these series of issues but not to have a center point of payment.”

National Library of Nigeria Commits to Attaining SDGs

The National Library of Nigeria NLN has reiterated it commitment and drive towards the achievement of the UN sustainable development goals in Nigeria..

According to @Fresh News, The Library made this commitment today in Abuja when it made public some of its untold success stories of impact it has made towards the realization of the goals in Nigeria.

National Librarian Lenrie Olatokunbo Aina said the library has gone far beyond just making information available to the public but determined and is already impact on lives and reaching out to people especially the less privileged and those in hinterlands through many of its intervention initiatives and programmes..

Aina said in the quest to leave no one one behind, which is the core target of the SDGs, the Library now stands as a solution provider to compliment governments efforts and focuses on all the 17goals of the SDGs to bring the needed results and toward affecting lives positively...

FCTA Okays Establishment Of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone

FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has assured that the Administration is committed to the establishment of Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, as a step towards achieving Mr. President agenda of lifting 100 million youth out of poverty in the agricultural value chains.  

Specifically, she assured that the Federal Capital Territory Administration will demonstrate its readiness in ensuring that the first zone is set up in the nation's capital as a pilot scheme.  

According to a statement signed by Austine Elemue, S.A Media To FCT Minister of State,  Aliyu gave the commitment in Abuja when a delegation of Africa Development Bank (AfDB), led by the Senior Special Advisor to the president of AfDB on industrialization, Prof. Banji Oyeyinka, paid her a visit.  

To achieve this, the minister assured that provision will be made in the proposed year 2020 budget, adding that the FCT Administration will earmark up to 500 hectares of land to site the facility.  

She further stated that the Administration will leverage on Federal Government Ease of Doing Business strides, the new network of roads and rails, and Abuja expanded world class airport, stressing that the FCT is traditionally strong in livestock, rice (cereals), horticulture, tubers, vegetables and varieties of economic trees.  

In her words, "The FCTA is committed to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone and we will demonstrate our readiness in ensuring that the first zone is set up here in our corridor.   "As the seat of power to the largest economy in Africa, the FCT-SAPZ will be a thing of pride to Mr. President.  

"I look forward to briefing Mr. President soon that the FCTA is taking up the challenge to being the first to implement the SAPZ as a step towards achieving his agenda of lifting 100 million youth out of poverty".  

Earlier, the leader of delegation, Prof. Banji Oyeyinka, lamented that Africa has huge production lag when compared to Asia countries, warning that if Africa fails to improve, the continent will remain at the level of subsistence farming.  

Oyeyinka who noted that post harvest losses is extremely high in Africa, also called on FCT Administration for the establishment of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone that will create jobs for over 20, 000 youths.  

He revealed that AfDB has identified six zones in Nigeria for the establishment of SAPZ, but not on geopolitical basis, just as he identified lack of political will by the previous administration as major setback for the takeoff of the project in Nigeria.  

WIKE FOCUSES ON HEALTHCARE SERVICE DELIVERY

The rivers state governor assured the nuc verification teams that all the facilities required for the full performance of the college of medical sciences will be provided

In a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor, Electronic Media stated that the state Government will construct a new School of Nursing building because of the dilapidated nature of the current school . He said that in the interim,  the school will operate from the School of Midwifery.

 

“Health is key and we will sustain the investments in the sector. Rivers State was created in 1967, without a College of Medicine to train qualified medical personnel. We only had the University of Port Harcourt Medical College which is a Federal institution. What we are doing is to ensure that we have a College of Medical Sciences to groom our own medical personnel in the state", he said. 

 

He assured that his administration will continue to approve the employment of relevant academic and medical staff for the College of Medicine and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.

 

He also announced that the construction of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Clinical Students Hostel will be completed on schedule.      

 

He added that all the necessary medical facilities designated to work as part of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital will be upgraded to serve the purpose.

 

He informed that the Mother and Child Hospital which will come on stream in May 2020 will serve as the support facility for gynecology and pediatrics of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.

 

Governor Wike announced that his administration will supply all necessary vehicles for the functional operation of the medical school and Teaching Hospital.

 

He, however, stated that the state Government will construct a new School of Nursing building because of the dilapidated nature of the current school . He said that in the interim,  the school will operate from the School of Midwifery.

 

Earlier,  the Leader of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Medicine Verification Committee,  Prof MBT Umar congratulated Governor Wike for the quantum leap in the provision of facilities for the College of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. 

 

He said that at a time other states are afraid of setting up medical college,  Governor Wike remains committed to the establishment and growth of the Medical College. 

 

He said: "This is a time when several states are afraid of setting up medical schools.  I am not surprised on what we have seen at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.  After all, you are Mr Projects. 

 

"If you have students at the clinical level, you are set."

 

He said that with the zeal that the Rivers State Governor is driving the College of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital,  the two will be the legacies that Rivers people will remember him. 

 

Pro-Chancellor of the Rivers State University,  Justice Iche Ndu said that approval from the National Universities Commission will lead to the Rivers State University offering M.B.B.S. and Bachelor of Nursing Sciences. 

 

Justice Ndu thanked the Rivers State Governor for approving and developing Former Brathwaite Memorial Hospital as the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.  He also commended Governor Wike for developing key facilities for the development of the institution.

 

He commended Governor Wike for employing 75 specialist doctors to teach at the College of Medical Sciences and the Rivers State University .

 

MUSIC & SPORTS: Chelsea's Tomori reveals which Burna Boy song gets him on his feet

The England defender is a big fan of Afrobeat and he has selected one of the Nigerian artiste's songs as his favourite

Article continues below

While he is focused on keeping Chelsea's defence tidy, Fikayo Tomori revealed Burna Boy’s track 'Anybody' gets him on the dance floor any day.

Tomori who was born to Nigeria parents in Canada, and was eligible to play for the Super Eagles at international level but pledged his allegiance to England - the country where he has developed his game.

Since his return from a season-long loan spell at Derby County, the 21-year-old has made himself a key player in Frank Lampard's team at Stamford Bridge and has played 14 games across all competitions for the Blues this season.