Blog

Wage

Abdullahi Shugaba
Dutse, Sept. 23, 2018 (NAN) Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa has pledged to pay the new minimum wage that is agreed upon by the tripartite committee constituted by the Federal Government

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Jigawa chapter, Malam Usman Ya’u made the disclosure in Dutse on Sunday.

Ya’u said that in spite of the impasse in the committee’s meeting that led to the national leadership of the NLC giving a 14-day ultimatum which started on Sept. 12, to the tripartite committee to finish its assignment and announce a new minimum wage.

“I am, however, glad to assure the workers in Jigawa that the state government, led by Gov. Muhammadu Badaru, has expressed readiness to pay whatever is agreed upon by the committee,’’ he said.

The chairman said that labour was not happy with the delay on the issue of new minimum wage, particularly since the tripartite committee was set up in 2017 and held the public hearings in the six geo-political zones.

Ya’u said that in view of the ultimatum by labour to government, Jigawa Council of NLC will on Sept. 24 hold its executive council meeting to deliberate on the directives from the National Secretariat and other issues affecting workers. (NAN)
AIS/AOS/PDE
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(Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Peter Ejiofor)

Buhari willing to grant presidential pardon to late Ambrose Alli – Obaseki

Pardon

By Kevin Okunzuwa

Emuado (Edo), Sept.23, 2018 (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed willingness to grant presidential pardon to late Prof. Ambrose Ali, former Governor of Bendel State (now Edo and Delta), according to Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki.

Obaseki made the disclosure at a memorial service held in honour of the former governor, at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Emaudo, Ekpoma, on Sunday.

“I had an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari while in China and discussed the issue of a presidential pardon for late Prof. Alli.

“The president asked me to meet with the Attorney-General of the Federation. This I have done and I have also written to him.

“The president has subsequently instructed the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to begin the process,” he said.

The governor said he was optimistic that at the next meeting of the Council on Prerogative of Mercy, the president would officially grant the pardon.

Obaseki also gave the assurance that he was working with his Delta counterpart to ensure that pension due to late Alli was paid to his widow and the family.

The governor lauded the former governor’s development strides in defunct Bendel, noting that the feats were intimidating and accomplished in just one term.

On his part, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta said the state would continue to remember Alli for developing it, adding that the people had a lot to thank him for.

“We are grateful, as his developmental strides can still be seen years after his death,” he said.

Eldest son to the former governor, Mr Andrew Alli, the Ezomo of Ekpoma, regretted that his father was still termed a criminal despite his contributions to the development of Delta, Edo and Nigeria. NAN)

KOO/EMO

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Edited by Ejike Obeta

Flood

Auyo (Jigawa) Sept. 23, (2018) Alhaji Umar Baffa, paramount ruler of Auyo Local Government in Hadejia Emirate, Jigawa, has called on the Federal Government to include Jigawa among the states that were recently devastated with flood.

Baffa made the request in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in his palace in Ayo town on Sunday.

He said the call was necessary in view of the devastation caused by the disaster in the entire area.

He noted that many lives were lost while farmlands animals, schools, industries, government offices; were submerged by flood across Jigawa.

“Nobody will know the degree of havoc done to us, unless someone comes and see the situation practically hence the need to include the state among the states that were devastated by flood became imperative.

“For instance here in Auyo, the flood has submerged the biggest and oldest primary school built by the colonial administration in 1930 where most of our prominent sons and daughters did their elementary school.

“The road that linked us with Kafin Hausa, headquarters of kafin Hausa Local Government of the state and even beyond was cut off by the flood.

“People from other places cannot come to us and we cannot go to them because we are completely cut off from each other.

“As you can see the whole of my domain is completely submerged, many lives, farmlands and property were lost to flood.

“We really thanked the state government for the palliatives and quick intervention over the situation.

“This problem is beyond our state, we are appealing to the federal government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to please come to our rescue.

“We are also appealing to Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other relevant agencies, local and international to please assist us.

“As you can observe people have deserted this area taking refuge in various internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) around the state because of the pathetic situation.

“If we get assistance, people will definitely come back and start a new life, we are agrarian settlement noted for wet and dry season farming.” he explained.

Meanwhile the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Jigawa has sympthised with victims of flood disaster across the state.

In a statement made available to NAN in Dutse on Sunday, the NLC chairman Malam Usman Yau prayed for the repose of those who died in the disaster and the families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“May the Almighty Allah give the families of the deceased the courage and fortitude to bear the great loss, ” the NLC chairman said.

He also appealed to the State, Federal and NGOs to come to the aid of the victims of the flood disaster in the state, (NAN)
AIS/MS/MTM

Edited by Mustapha Sumaila/Tukur Muntari.

Centre trains 30,000 teachers on classroom management in 10 years

Training

By Awayi Kuje

Akwanga (Nasarawa State), Sept.23, 2018 (NAN) An NGO, Centre for Educational Empowerment and Orientation (CEEO) has trained 30,000 teachers in private and public primary and secondary schools on classroom management in the last 10 years.

Mr.Oyebisi Davidcrown, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, made the disclosure at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the centre on Sunday in Akwanga.

According to Davidcrown, the exercise conducted in Nasarawa, Benue and Plateau, was to enhance learning and teaching as well as improve the standard of education in some states in the North-Central.

The founder said that the organisation was basically established to ensure advancement in the education sector in the country through good policies and programmes.

“If you look at our projects cumulatively in Nasarawa, Plateau and Benue States, they are geared towards solving problems of teaching and learning in classroom to improve standard of education.

“What we did last year alone in Nasarawa State, particularly, in Lafia North Development Area and Akwanga Local Government Area was remarkable, because we trained over 500 teachers on classroom management.

“Generally, in Nasarawa, Plateau and Benue states, we have trained not less than 30,000 primary and secondary schools teachers on the current teaching projects and effective core strategies.

“We have also implemented over 70 projects in the three states within the last 10 years,” he said.

Davidcrown added that the training had built the capacity of teachers towards proffering solutions to teaching and learning challenges and professionalism.

He commended Prof. Lubasa Nseendi of Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Prof. Shehu Rahman, former Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe; and other academics and private schools in the state for supporting the organisation.

Speaking, Dr.Isaac Ogara, the Chairman of the occasion and Proprietor, Shepherd’s International College, Akwanga, commended the NGO for supporting the development of education in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured presentation of awards to some prominent Nigerians and philanthropists, for their contributions to the growth and development of the education sector. (NAN)

AKW/AZA/EMO

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Edited by Polycarp Auta/Ejike Obeta

INEC declares Osun governorship election inconclusive

Inconclusive

By Victor Adeoti

Osogbo, Sept. 23, 2018 (NAN) Prof. Joseph Fuwape, the Returning Officer for the Sept. 22 Osun governorship election, has declared the poll inconclusive.

Fuwape, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), while announcing the results of the election, said that Sen. Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 254,698 votes.

He said Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scored 254, 345 votes.

He said the election was declared inconclusive because of cases of ballot boxes snatching that occurred in some polling units during the election.

The returning officer mentioned the affected polling units to include Ife north, one polling unit, Ife south, two polling units, Orolu, three polling units and osogbo, one polling unit.

He said a total of 3498 votes were cancelled in the seven affected polling units

“Based on this fact, I cannot declare anyone the winner of the election,” he said.

Fuwape, however, said that the rerun of the election in the affected polling units would take place on Sept. 27.

He urged all the political gladiators to maintain peace, before, during and after the rerun. (NAN)

VE/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

Screening
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By Mohammed Ahmed Kaigama
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Bauchi, Sept. 23, 2018 (NAN) The Screening Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says it has screened the party’s 30 governorship aspirants in the North-East comprising Adamawa, Bauchi , Borno , Gombe. Taraba and Yobe.
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The Chairman of the five-man committee, Mr John Mathew who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Sunday, said one of the 30 aspirants was disqualified.

Matthew who did not reveal the name of the disqualified aspirant said the rest 29 met the electoral and party requirements to contest in the primaries in their respective states.

‎’’We screened all the 30 governorship aspirants and issued them with qualification certificates.
‎One of the aspirants was disqualified for some reasons which will not be disclosed here.
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“Despite that, we gave him the disqualified aspirants certificate and reasons for his disqualification as a governorship aspirant,” he said.
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‎The chairman said that the committee followed the guidelines of the party in determining the aspirants that would vie for the flag of the party.
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“We screened seven governorship aspirants from Adamawa, four from Bauchi, two from Borno, 13 from Gombe, one from Taraba, and three from Yobe,” he added

Matthew, who said most of the aspirants were not seeking the office for the first time, added
that they presented all the required documents to the screening committee.
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“The aspirants showed their voters’ cards, membership cards, tax clearance, age declaration certificates, educational qualifications, birth certificates and other statutory requirements by the Federal Government and the party.
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“So we are satisfied that the aspirants met the requirements for governorship in their states,” Matthew said. (NAN)

MAK/AOS/EMO
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Ejike Obeta

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Group advocates equal voting rights for persons with disabilities

Rights

By Diana Omueza

Abuja, Sept. 23, 2018 (NAN) The Campaign for Equal Voting Access (EVA) has raised an awareness campaign on equal voting rights for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Mr David Anyaele, Chairman, EVA, said this in a Preliminary Statement on the backdrop of the Sept. 22 governorship election in Osun.

Anyaele said that the Campaign group was actively in the observation of the election organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and had received reports from across the three Senatorial Zones of the state.

“The key objective of the observation exercise was to observe provisions by INEC for persons with disabilities’ participation in the election, and also raise awareness on equal voting rights for citizens with disabilities.

“Our observers were both male and female persons with disabilities mainly indigenes of Osun and others from across the country,” he said.

He lamented that EVA for PWDs observed that the promised Braille voter’s guide and Braille ballot paper by INEC for easy access of Election Day instructions, guidelines and ballot paper for Blind voters were unavailable.

Anyaele noted that most Polling Unit officials did not understand what Braille ballot paper was and its use.

“Tools for persons with hearing impairment to understand the voting process were missing at the polling units.

“We believe this will complicate access for the deaf or hearing impaired voters understanding of the voting process,” he said.

The chairman said that the campaigns observation showed that large numbers of the polling units were not accessible to physically challenged persons.

He noted that most polling units were sited in difficult places such as buildings without ramps/handrail, across gutter, staircase etc.

He, however, commended INEC for the early opening of polling units as high numbers of the polling units were observed to be opened as early as 8 a.m.

“We commend the good people of Osun for the good turnout of voters and peaceful atmosphere.

“There was little or no report of violence or intimidation at the polling units.

“We were impressed to observe that marginalised populations from the aged, nursing mothers and pregnant women and persons with disabilities were offered priority voting.

“We really commend Polling Officials for their efforts in this regard,” Anyaele said.

He recommended that INEC conducts an audit of the election to appreciate the gaps in deployment of Braille election day guideline and Braille ballot papers for the blind and sight impaired voters.

The chairman also appealed that INEC took appropriate measures to reduce the burden of physically challenged person’s participation in the electoral process by siting polling units in accessible locations to ensure equal voting access for persons with disabilities.

“EVA calls on INEC to train all cadre of its Staff on equal voting access for persons with disabilities, especially as we approach 2019 general elections,” he said.

Anyaele reassured stakeholders of its commitment to continue to support INEC and other election stakeholders with data to enhance intervention for persons with disabilities in the electoral process.

He appealed to the National Assembly to complete action on the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill.

He noted that the bill would support PWDs in Nigeria’s quest for equal voting access as the bill prohibits discrimination on the grounds of disability and other harmful practices.

The chairman urged INEC to address the issues observed by the campaign, especially as Nigeria was moving toward 2019 general election.(NAN)

DOM/MS/AMY

Edited by Mustapha Sumaila and Abdullahi Yusuf

Vote buying was minimal in Osun poll, says Nigeria Civil Society

Vote-buying

By Victor Adeoti
Osogbo, Sept. 23, 2018 (NAN) The Nigeria Civil Society (NCS) says incidents of vote buying during the Sept. 22 Osun governorship election was minimal.

The Coordinator of the group, Mr Clement Nwanko, said this on Sunday in Osogbo while addressing Journalists on its findings and observations during the poll.

Nwanko said announcement by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and law enforcement officials to arrest vote buyer suspects and charge them to court helped significantly in reducing the malpractice.

“As with recent INEC conducted governorship elections, incidents of vote buying reoccurred in the Osun state elections, even if at a reduced and less brazen manner.

“Incidents now seem subtler with the announcement by INEC and law enforcement officials that suspects would be arrested and charged to court, and the actual deployment of security personnel to enforce this, helped significantly,” he said.

The coordinator commended osun residents and political parties for conducting themselves peacefully during the poll.

He, however, called on INEC to intensify training of its different cadre of staff to enhance their understanding of their election duties and increase their confidence and ability to respond to election challenges.

He said it was observed during the election that some INEC staff and officials were not being sure of their responses to voters’ concerns or voting procedures, which he said created delay.

Nwanko also called on the electoral body to look into the process of results collation, which he said was usually done at night when political parties, candidates, observers and other election stakeholders “may have been depleted”.

The NCS recommended that INEC should ensure that its announcement of the introduction of Braille for voting was made operational across the country and that all people living with disabilities were able to vote during elections. (NAN)

VE/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

Salary
By Kola Adeyemi
Lokoja, Sept. 23, 2018 (NAN) Local Government workers in Kogi State have applauded the state government for its decision to increase their monthly percentage salary from 30 per cent to 54 per cent with effect from this month.

The state chapters of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) gave the commendation in a statement in Lokoja on Sunday.

It said that the decision to raise the bar was commendable and urged the government to take cognizance of the percentages of salary yet to be paid.

The statement signed by Mr Onu Edoka, Mr Tade Adeyemi and Mr Thomas Ayodele, state Chairmen of MHWUN, NULGE and NUT respectively urged the government to continue this gesture until 100 per cent salary payment is regularised.

“Government should include in the payroll the names of all the staff and teachers that have been cleared but are to be captured on the payroll, while the case of the uncleared undergoing review should be resolved without further delay,“ the statement said.

The workers promised to reciprocate the government‘s gesture by continuos loyalty, support and dedication to duty.

It would be recalled that workers in the local government sector in the state have been receiving between 22 per cent and 30 per cent of their monthly salaries for more than three years.

Government was also charged to sustain the existing industrial harmony in the state by constantly engaging in dialogue with critical stakeholders. (NAN)
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Boko Haram: Sen. Ndume decries attacks on military formations, urges soldiers to be proactive

Boko Haram

By Cecilia Ijuo

Abuja, Sept. 23, 2018(NAN) Sen. Ali Ndume, (APC-Borno) has decried Boko Haram attacks on military formations in the fight to completely eliminate it.

Ndume made this known when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

They should take the war constantly to the insurgents, not waiting for them to attack or take the war to them.

The lawmaker, who commended the military for the sacrifice to bring an end to the menace and restore normalcy, urged soldiers not to rest on their oars.

He said, “they should take the war constantly to the insurgents.

“You can imagine the audacity they have to go to military formations to attack soldiers.

“If the soldiers are the ones after them, the insurgents will never try it.

“It is like, if you are well prepared in your house I do not think someone will easily come to the house and attack you.”

Ndume said the action of the Miliatry was encouraging and commendable but must be sustained.(NAN)

CJM/IA

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