On Sunday, the Presidency emphasized that the demand for a N250,000 minimum wage by Organized Labour is unsustainable, warning that the Federal Government cannot allocate all its resources to meet such a demand. This statement follows concerns raised by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) regarding the proposed N62,000 minimum wage, which they believe could strain the financial capacities of local councils. Negotiations between the Federal Government and Organized Labour broke down on Tuesday, May 28, after the government and the Organized Private Sector increased their offer to N62,000. However, labour unions criticized this proposal as an insult…
Author: Editor Francis
The Nigeria Police Force has firmly refuted allegations made by former Senator Shehu Sani during the 2024 Democracy Day Dinner, where he claimed that some individuals involved in the 2020 EndSARS protests remain in detention. Speaking at the event on Wednesday, Sani urged President Bola Tinubu to pardon the EndSARS protesters who he alleged were still detained. In response, a press release issued on Sunday by the Force’s spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, denied these claims, asserting that all detainees have been processed legally and none are currently held. “The Nigeria Police Force categorically denies the recent allegations made by Senator…
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has announced that Nigeria is on track to become self-sufficient in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) production within the next four weeks. Speaking at the South-South APC conference in Calabar, Cross River State, Akpabio revealed his optimistic forecast based on recent surveillance of various refineries, including the Dangote refinery. “By July 2024, Nigeria is about to become self-sufficient in the production of PMS,” Akpabio stated. He noted that the country is already exporting diesel and other products such as fertiliser and urea. The Senate President praised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove fuel subsidies, acknowledging the temporary…
The Nigerian Presidency has responded to a recent New York Times article that criticized the country’s economic situation as the worst in a generation. The article, written by Ruth Maclean and Ismail Auwal and published on June 11, prompted a reaction from Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. Onanuga dismissed the report as a typical example of how foreign media often portray African countries in a negative light. He argued that the report misrepresented the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which took office in late May 2023. Onanuga emphasised that the article…
Approximately two million Muslim pilgrims participated in the symbolic stoning of the devil on Sunday, marking one of the final rites of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. This event also signals the beginning of Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims worldwide. The ritual took place in Mina, where pilgrims cast pebbles at three large pillars representing the devil. This act symbolises the rejection of evil and sin, based on the story of Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) test of faith. On Saturday, more than 1.8 million pilgrims gathered on Mount Arafat, considered the pinnacle of the Hajj. They then spent the…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a significant drug cartel in Aba, Abia State, operated by Kelechi Monday Nwaobasi, 49, and his sister, Ms. Chinwe Rose Nwaobasi, 50. The arrest of the duo followed a months-long intelligence operation, resulting in the seizure of cocaine and methamphetamine worth over N4.1 billion. Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the Special Operation Unit of the agency conducted the raids on June 13 and 14 at locations on Boundary Avenue and Ohia Road in Aba. The operation culminated…
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has pledged to eradicate criminals, terrorists, and bandits from the state. This commitment was made in a statement he personally signed, which was part of his Eid-El-Kabir festival message to the people of Nasarawa State. Governor Sule expressed strong condemnation of the recent surge in kidnappings by hoodlums in certain areas of the state. He emphasised that the government would not show leniency towards those responsible for such heinous acts. “Security agencies will continue to hunt these criminals in their locations. We assure you that we will not rest until Nasarawa State is peaceful and…
A new dispute between the police authorities and the Police Service Commission (PSC) erupted yesterday as Police Inspector-General Kayode Egbetokun accused the commission of corrupting the 2022/23 Police Constables Recruitment Exercise. Egbetokun alleged that the PSC had manipulated the process by including the names of candidates who had failed the Computer Based Test (CBT), the physical screening, or both. The PSC denied these allegations, dismissing them as unfounded and diversionary. It called for a forensic audit of the CBT results administered by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, which the police had questioned. The PSC also criticised the police for…
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has felicitated the director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Okonjo-Iweala, as she clocked 70 years on Thursday. The congratulatory message is contained in a statement in Enugu on Saturday by the publicity secretary of the group, Alex Ogbonnia. Mr Ogbonnia said that the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo joined other numerous admirers to felicitate with Okonjo-Iweala. Mr Iwuanyanwu said, “We felicitate one of our best: a cerebral, modest woman of substance, a distinctive global icon and a renowned development economist. “Ngozi Okonjo Iweala is a quintessential Igbo in…
Hanrrietta Okojie, a staff member of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) account and finance department, was arraigned at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Friday over her alleged involvement in a N1.85 billion fraud. Ms Okojie was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) before Justice Emeka Nwite on a four-count charge. When the matter was called, ICPC’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for Ms Okojie to take her plea. The anti-corruption commission lawyer applied for the June 6 bench warrant to be vacated against him…
Oil companies have disbursed N80 billion to Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDTs) over the past two years, adhering to the mandates of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. This was revealed by the National Chairman of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, High Chief (Dr) Style Benjamin Tamaran-Ebi, during a Town Hall meeting on Friday. Dr. Tamaran-Ebi reported that approximately 70 out of 167 HCDTs have received part of the 3% contribution, totaling over $150 million for the years 2021-2022. The announcement was made at a gathering organized by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, HOSTCOM Project Management and…
In a recent statement, Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Festus Osifo indicated that the labour unions are open to adjusting their demand for a N250,000 minimum wage. This marks a shift from their previously firm stance. Osifo emphasized that no specific figure is fixed, and there is room for negotiation. Despite this flexibility, there has been no immediate response from the federal government. However, the Senate has promised to expedite the consideration and passage of President Bola Tinubu’s new minimum wage bill. Acting President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Prince Adewale Adeyanju, reiterated last Wednesday that the demand for…