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Media expert tasks stakeholders on securing Nigeria
By Matthew Denis, Abuja
A versatile media expert and General Editor of Daily Trust Newspaper, Mr. Hamza Idris has appealed to stakeholders to focus on securing the entire country noting that schools donot operate in isolation.
He emphasised that if the entire Nigeria is effectively secured then all schools will be safe from attacks by miscreants.
Mr. Hamza who spokes as one of the key planelists on the topic ‘ Community Participation and Protection of Schools in Nigeria’ at the National Stakeholders Engagement on Financing Safe Schools programme held in Abuja on Monday.
He said “the Media role is hold every stakeholder accountable while giving voices to everyone to identify the problems and possible solutions to the end the insecurity.
“I want to tasked all stakeholders here to concentrate on securing the entire Nigeria because when the country is secured schools will be safe for teaching and learning. These schools don’t operate in isolations but they are located within our communities.”
The General Editor narrated to the participants on how the media has been constantly reporting the insecurity situations which started in the Northeast and gradually penetrated into the corridors of the entire geopolitical zones of the country.
He said “the idea is that these menace started in the Northeast but had gradually penetrated into the other geopolitical zones in the country, meaning that all the six zones including Abuja are not safe because schools have been closed.
“You can see today the level of insecurity in Zamfara, kebbi, Kaduna and Niger. Hundreds of students have been taken away.”
According to him, during the 8th years anniversary of the Chibok girls attacked UNICEF released a statement in April this year that over 11,000 schools have been closed and over 1,400 students have been adopted in Nigeria.
The expert stressed that the media must continue to monitor and ensure execution of projects by Government officials to ensure accountability to the society.
He said “from 2014 to 2022 billions of Naira have been raised so where is the money and how safe are the schools? These are the questions that media should asked.
“Similarly, we should also give you voices to communities and our traditional rulers here can testify that we had visited Kakara in Kastina state and interviewed the monarch, community members and the victims of the attacks by giving them platform.
“It’s only when you report happenings that those in authority will know something is happening which is basically media responsibility.”
He summoned that the media has continued to follow-up the schools attacks in Chibok, Dapchi, Kakara among other places through daily records.
“In fact we have a permanent strip in Daily Trust for publishing the countdown on the happenings in these areas. Because, if we don’t keep the narrative we’ll not get it right.”
He also enjoined stakeholders and media practitioners to always follow up the budget in ensuring that when money is released it’s judiciously used for such purpose.
News
Cement price hike causing building collapse – COREN
Cases of building collapse in the country have been attributed to the arbitrary increase in the price of cement by producers of the product.
The President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Sadiq Abubakar, stated this on Monday in his remarks at the investigative hearing organised by the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Solid Minerals, Industry, Commerce and Special Duties, to probe the price increase of cement in recent times.
This was as the Chairman of the Joint Committee and member representing Karu/Keffi/kokona Federal Constituency, Nasarawa State, Gaza Gbewfi, summoned the Chairman of the Cement Producers Association of Nigeria, David Iweta, for questioning over the development.
Iweta, who did to turn up for the investigative hearing on Monday, was summoned after previously turning down two invitations by the committee.
The committee also charged the association to desist from using frivolous court injunctions to interfere in its work as guaranteed by the provisions of the 1999 constitution (as amended)
“You will agree with me that an increase in the price of cement is one of the key culprits of building collapse. I am trying to connect the hike in the price of cement with the standardisation in our building and the direct connection of building collapse.
“There is a connection with that, and I think this something we must interrogate,” the COREN President said.
Gbewfi, while agreeing with Abubakar, also argued that the cost of cement has also brought about an increment in housing rents across the nation.
“Anything that has to do with livelihood should be treated as an emergency’” the committee chairman said.
At the investigative hearing, the joint committee also queried representatives of the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute and the Federal Competition and Consumers Protection Council on the arbitrary price increase.
Gbewfi also chided the representative of the Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Boladale Adeyinka for not doing enough to protect the consumers of cement in line with the Act establishing the agency, saying, “You are a mother that has forgotten your children.”
News
Osun State Assembly okays salary increase for political office holders
The Osun State House of Assembly is to send a bill to Governor Ademola Adeleke to increase the salary package of some political office holders.
This was made known by the Speaker of the Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, during plenary on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the salary increment bill titled, ‘Osun State Public/Political Office Holders Reviewed Remuneration Package (Amendment No. 2) Bill 2024,’ was presented to the Assembly on April 30, 2024.
The Majority Leader and the lawmaker representing Ede North State Constituency, Kofoworola Adewunmi, presented the bill to the House as a private member bill.
While reading the policy thrust of the bill, Adewunmi stated that the last time the salaries of public/political office holders in the state were reviewed upwards was in 2007.
He said the salaries stipulated for public office holders in the Osun State Public/Political Office Holders Remuneration Package Law 2007 was, however, no more in tandem with the current economic realities.
“You will agree with me that the current economic reality is not the same as what was obtainable 17 years ago when the law was passed.
“It has, therefore, become imperative to review upwards, the salaries of some public/political office holders to better their living standard which is in tandem with the five points agenda of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“In addition, the State Assembly resolution taken on May 8, 2008 wherein there was an upward review of the remuneration package of some public/political office holders not covered by Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, as proposed by the state government, has been further reviewed and subsumed under this bill.” he stated
He equally clarified that the salary increment didn’t affect or cover the lawmakers’ salaries, explaining that state lawmakers’ salaries are statutorily reviewed by the National Assembly.
News
Minimum wage: Labour issues two-week ultimatum to defaulting states
The organised labour comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, on Monday, ordered state chapters to issue two weeks ultimatum to states that have failed to implement the old N30,000 minimum wage.
The NLC and TUC took this decision during a jointly held National Executive Council meeting which took place on Monday.
“NEC-in-session further directed all state councils whose state governments are yet to fully implement the N30,00 national minimum wage and its consequential adjustments to issue immediately a joint two-week ultimatum to the culpable state governments to avert industrial action,” NLC’s National President, Joe Ajaero; and TUC’s National President, Festus Osifo, said in a statement.
Speaking further, the unions also called for a one-day action in Anambra State following what was described as the failure of the state government to meet the demands of civil servants in the state.
“Consequently, the NEC-in-session accordingly reaffirms the NLC and TUC joint ultimatum earlier issued to the Anambra State Government by its Anambra State councils. It therefore directed all affiliates and workers in the state council to mobilise their members to ensure a successful action in the event the state government fails to meet the demands of workers by Thursday, the 23rd of May, 2024.
“In the event that the government fails to meet the demands outlined within the stipulated timeframe, the NEC authorises the leadership of the NLC and TUC to take appropriate actions, including but not limited to the mobilisation of workers for peaceful protests and industrial actions, to press home these demands for social justice and workers’ rights.
“NEC therefore calls on all affiliate unions, and workers including Civil Society Organisations across Nigeria to remain united and steadfast in solidarity during this critical period. Together, we shall prevail in our pursuit of a fair and just society that guarantees the dignity and well-being of all its citizens,” the statement added.
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