NEW MINIMUM WAGE: PREPARE FOR WAR, LABOUR TELLS WORKERS

Following the perceived dominance of governors who owe workers’ salaries representing Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, in the 30-man committee inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari to fashion out a new national minimum wage, there are fears that the road to a fresh wage regime may not be easy.

In fact, organised labour has advised workers to prepare for war to make the new minimum wage a reality, warning that there could be a stalemate and protracted negotiations.

While the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, had, since two years ago, demanded for a N56,000 new minimum wage, United Labour Congress of Nigeria, ULC, on its part, demanded for N90,000.

Meanwhile, the NLC has given indication that it will ask for more than N56,000, whereas the ULC is saying even N100,000 minimum wage will not be enough considering the indices and socio-economic realities on the ground.

The leaders of organised labour, represented by NLC and ULC, yesterday, took a suspicious look at the representatives of the NGF on the national minimum wage committed raised by the President, last week.

The governors in the committee are Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Hassan Dankwambo, Gombe State; Simeon Lalong of Plateau State and Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State

The committee headed by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Ama Pepple, has membership drawn from the government, the private sector and the Organised Labour.

Speaking to  Sunday  Vanguard on the issue, the President of the ULC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said: “The presence of these governors in the committee, the fact that some of those representing the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, are mainly those who are not paying salaries and pensions speaks volume. In fact, we fear a stalemate because these governors represent anti-salary payment. They may be coming to justify why there should not be increment in salary.

These are governors who have not been able to pay the N18,000 minimum wage. They may be coming to tell you that the governors cannot bear the extra burden of salary increment.

“Surely, they have no moral justification to be in the committee unless it was by design by the NGF for these governors to represent the group. If that is the case, then the governors have an agenda to frustrate the emergence of a new national minimum wage. Therefore, we foresee protracted negotiations . As Organised Labour, we have to prepare for war; a long time battle to confront these governors because they do not want to pay even anything. However they come, we will engage them and ensure that the yearning of workers for a living wage, not just a minimum wage, is met. We have all the indices to justify our demand for even N100,000 minimum wage because    the socio-economic condition, the inflation, the cost of living, the depreciation of the Naira and so on, are there for every body to see.”

Similarly, speaking through its General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, the NLC said it was not unmindful of the dominance of governors that are owing salaries and pensions representing the NGF.

“We noticed the dominance of these governors in the representation of the NGF. The principle of tripartitism    is that each party is free to choose its representative. So, the Governors’ Forum has chosen its representatives, there is nothing we can do about that. Yes, we noticed that most of those representing the governors are those owing salaries and pension.

But we still have the governor of Plateau State, who inherited a backlog of salaries on assumption of office, has not only cleared all the arrears, he is paying as and when due. We advise other governors to learn from him. So, his presence in the committee is a plus. Nevertheless, we will engage the committee with facts and figures, we will engage the committee and address issues as they come. We are prepared, Ozo-Eson said.

“We have equally said it publicly that, at the time we presented our demand for N56,000 new minimum wage, we did so with the indices on ground two years ago. Today, those indices are different based on the socio-economic reality on ground.

Today, a lot of things have taken place. There is high inflation, there is depreciation of the Naira, there is general high cost of living and there is the exchange rate factor. We expect the committee to look at these issues and aggregate things. We hope this committee will function like the last one. The last one even commissioned sub-committees to look at the socio-economic indices on the ground  before arriving at the present minimum wage.”

Textile workers demand speedy negotiation

In a related development, workers in the textile industry have pleaded with the minimum wage committee to fast-track negotiations for a new wage, to recover lost time, saying workers will not have patience for unnecessary delays.

Speaking through the General Secretary of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, and a member of the National Executive Council, NEC, of NLC, Issa Aremu, the workers commended the inauguration of the minimum wage review committee.

“The five year cycle of the current Minimum Wage Act legally backing the subsisting negotiated minimum wage of N18000 signed by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010 was due for negotiation in 2015, two years ago. The historic inauguration once again demonstrates the globally acknowledged concern of President Muhammadu Buhari to the welfare of the workers and citizens in general as contained in 1999 constitution.

History will record it that at a time some state governors unacceptably defaulted in paying workers as and when due, the President commendably wondered aloud to ask how these governors go to bed while for whatever reasons their workforce are not paid. President Buhari also went further to work his fatherly concern through serial bail outs of the defaulting states”, Aremu said.

Also speaking, yesterday, the National President of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigerian (MHWUN), Comrade Biobelemoye Josiah, said Labour had a trusted leadership that will not allow government to use the minimum wage issue as a means of scoring political point.

“We are certain that should government try to employ delay tactics for any selfish gain, our leadership will pull out”, he said.

Josiah, who was fielding  questions from journalists in Abuja at a reception ceremony organised by the Association of Medical Laboratory Technicians and Assistants of Nigeria (AMELTAN) in his honour said the NLC had made its demand known and was not likely going to change the position.

- The Vanguard

20 MORE EXOTIC CARS FOR REPS ARRIVE, 100 MORE TO ARRIVE, EACH UNIT COSTS N17m

Report by the PUNCH on Sunday has it that not less than twenty (20) more exotic cars imported for members of the House of Representatives have arrived at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

Findings showed that the additional 20 units brought the total number of cars delivered to 260.

It implies that 100 units are still being awaited to make the vehicles go round all 360 members of the House.

Otherwise known as ‘utility’ or ‘committee’ vehicles, the House is buying 360 units of Peugeot 508 for legislative services.

Each unit is supplied at the price tag of N17m. This leaves the total cost of the 360 units at N6.1bn.

Investigations indicated that the 20 units started arriving at the legislative building early last week and as of Friday, all had been delivered.

The cars were neatly parked at a filling station adjoining the National Assembly Annex I and II premises. The filling station and the premises are separated by a barbed wire fence.

One National Assembly official said, “These additions came after so much pressure was mounted on the Chairman, Committee on House Services, Mr. Nasiru Baballe-Ila, by members.

“You will recall that the delayed supply of the utility cars since 2015 has been a source of friction in the House.

“Many members are disappointed in Baballe-Ila that in almost three years, his committee and the bureaucracy of the National Assembly are unable to supply utility vehicles to members.

“You will recall that as recently as October, about 120 members still did not have cars. With the additional 20, it means that 100 more lawmakers will wait into the New Year (2018) to get cars.”

The PUNCH gathered on Sunday that Baballe-Ila had convinced the leadership of House in 2015 to opt for Peugeot 508 cars with an initial understanding with Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited to supply the units in phases.

However, PAN reportedly later became uncomfortable with the deal, while the committee opened the gates for several sub-contractors to assume the supply of the vehicles.

With the development, The PUNCH learnt that most of the units were not supplied by PAN, but by other contractors, who resorted to importing the units from outside Nigeria, especially Dubai in the United Arab Emirate.

PAN’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Haroun Malami, told The PUNCH that his firm was no longer deeply involved in the supplies.

He stated, “The choice of Peugeot 508 against all other brands was based on overall value offered by the vehicle in terms of price, performance and residual value; the sub-contracting arrangement by the National Assembly was based on financial ease of transaction to the legislative arm.
“We are uniquely placed and committed to meet national and customers’ demand who are committed in meeting their financial obligation.”

Last October, some members had returned their cars to Baballe-Ila after they developed faults under 90 days of being delivered to them.
When he was contacted for comments on Sunday, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, informed The PUNCH that the arrival of the additional units merely confirmed the promise of the House to deliver the vehicles to members in batches.
“The cars will come in batches until all the members have their utility vehicles,” he stated.

Efforts by The PUNCH to get Baballe-Ila’s comments failed on Sunday.

The All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Kano State also did not respond to a text message our correspondent sent to him.

http://punchng.com/20-more-exotic-cars-for-reps-arrive/

Why IPOB Fell Like A House Of Cards: Nnamdi Kanu’s Confessions By Churchill Okonkwo

Churchill OkonkwoChurchill Okonkwo

IPOB crumbled like cookies because it was anchored on deceit.

BY CHURCHILL OKONKWO    Nov 28, 2017

This is the confessions of a dangerous mind that lied, to tell the truth. Even though it is very dark where I am held against my wish, I saw IPOB shake and tremble, and then fall to pieces like a house of cards. By using IPOB to promote the divisive rhetoric of seductive but destructive whisper that is pushing Ndigbo to the false comfort zone of isolationism, I erred.

I scratched the itching eye with the piece of wood meant for scratching an itching ear. In my arrogance, I never imagined that should the Nigerian security operatives make a determined effort to extinguish me, the human rocks I had piled as a barrier around my father’s house would come tumbling down. The invasion of my father’s house by murderous Nigerian security operatives and the subsequent killing of many of my unarmed followers was an “aha” moment for me.  I feel sadness over the death of Umu Igbo in the quest for Biafra that should never have occurred.  I am confessing that IPOB’s foolhardiness led to their death.

In the words of wisdom from a great mind Albert Einstein, “The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” I am confessing that IPOB’s absurdity has no limit.

We are like lepers whose hand Ndigbo shook and we overcome with excessive affection. Because Igbos honored the Biafran spirit and heroes and stayed home when we threatened them, we arrogated that honor to ourselves and got carried away.

After I recently disappeared into thin air, my comrades in IPOB, rather than change gear and save our fast depleting gunpowder, exhausted them in the false hope that they will stop the November 18th governorship election in Anambra State. The call for a boycott of that election finally exposed our dirty ass. The residual energies after my dramatic disappearance could not coalesce around the elusive goal of forcing Ndi Anambra to boycott the governorship election.

Suddenly, the almighty IPOB has crumbled like a cookie. Now, I have not only killed my obsession with breathless pursuit of an elusive Biafran goal, I have also left the beautiful mess IPOB, directionless. I guess that’s what happens when a headless ram like IPOB initiates a head fight with the bull, Nigerian military operatives.

Even in this present state of damped optimism, I don’t want any of the pro-Biafran independence agitators to lose their outrage over the state of affairs in Nigeria and Igbo land because, in outrage, there is hope. However, having observed the collapse of the move for independence even after a referendum by the Catalonians and Kurds in Spain and Iraq, respectively, I have concluded that one of the first steps to real liberation is not to build on lies and deceit.

IPOB crumbled like a cookie because it was anchored on deceit. Fiction is a deceit. IPOB’s promise of an independent state of Biafra is a fiction. My promise to Igbos who do not understand the political realities of Nigeria that Biafra is about to be actualized “now” was a deceit. Biafra that contemplates actualization through the derogation of every ethnicity in Nigeria in the 21st century is a deceit.

Yet, fooled with this incoherent rhetoric and false hope, my Igbo brothers favored this deceit. I was absolutely wrong about this deceit and I apologize to IPOB members, followers and supporters.  I erred by using the same rhetoric as that of the 1990s that led to civil war in Burundi and Rwanda, fueling passions that are always very difficult to extinguish.

IPOB fell like a pack of cards because I used a basket to collect water. Now, I have realized that mobilizing others requires that those doing the mobilization have their acts together, including, a sound strategy, and the right people in place. Despite the massive support garnered by IPOB in its quest for the actualization of the independent state of Biafra, the movement failed primarily because the mobilization was around elusive goals. Most importantly, IPOB failed because my leadership style can at best be characterized as braggadocio.

Looking back at my missteps in the past couple of years, I have realized that the mobilization by IPOB has been built on false hope, hence the inevitable failure. The truth is that propaganda on social media alone will not result in any lasting political gains. The more the incoherence of IPOB, MOSOB, BIM, Biafran Zionist, filters through, people get used to it and Igbo generations will waste their time on jamboree rather than constructive political engagement.

Thus the crux of this confession is to say that, what matters, in the end, is what is made out of the existing grievance and not the grievance itself. I have realized that if one shoots a lizard along his path as he climbs a zigzag tree, his supply of gunpowder will be exhausted. Please let us mobilize Ndigbo around a realistic goal rather than waste our gunpowder on social media.

Presently, there is a lull, except the familiar, though, damped misinformation by my IPOB Internet Soldiers. This is because there is still a vacuum, a big vacuum begging to be filled with reference to the mobilization of Igbo people around a vision that is in our best interest in Nigeria.

I am happy this time out in an unknown location has made me realize that at IPOB, we have our politics backward. Rather than overwhelming its adversaries, IPOB has been run aground by its own missteps. Our politics based on suspicion of other ethnic groups offered no answers to the cosmopolitan Nigeria with millions of Igbos in every corner working hard and earning a living.

From my unknown location and with my head cooling off now, it is so evident to me that nothing less than a fundamental rethinking of our modus operandi is required. At this moment that IPOB have demonstrated its incapacity of sound strategy and reasoning, a new politics should arise in its place. It is my hope that this new politics will not be a complaint-based like IPOB, but rather, a Renaissance similar to Martin Luther King’s positive vision as articulated in “I have a dream” speech. Let this new Renaissance replace IPOB’s doomsday discourse with aspirational and future-oriented one.

Please use this confession going forward to affect the much needed new path to Igbo Renaissance. Our collective path forward as Ndigbo in these very troubled times depend on what we do next.

Merry Christmas in advance. I love you all

(This unendorsed, yet classic confession of Nnamdi Kanu was coded and transmitted from his unknown location but decrypted by my Biafran Spirit).

 

You can email Churchill at churchill.okonkwo@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @churchillnnobi.

- SAHARA REPORTERS

MAINA TO BUHARI: I WILL GIVE YOU DOCUMENTS THAT WILL FETCH N3tn

The former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, has spoken out on the allegations of corruption levelled against him.

He also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to allow him prove his innocence in the cases he is currently enmeshed in.

Maina made the call in an exclusive interview with Channels Television broadcast on Monday during its  News At 10 programme.

He said, “Thank God our President stands for the truth, the unfortunate thing is that some people around him whom he has given trust are lying to him; this one I can attest to and I can give you instances, I can give you documentary evidence,” Maina said.

“I’m appealing to you Mr President, there are so many things people are not telling you; when I get to that public hearing I will tell you some things that nobody ever told you Mr President because I never had the opportunity to sit down with you.”

Trouble started for Maina in 2015 when he was accused of being involved in a pensions fund fraud and later declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. His reinstatement in 2017  sparked criticism.

However, Maina who denied any involvement in the pension fraud claimed that his team, instead, recovered about N282billion for the government and that his life was in danger.

He said he was ready to prove to the President that he was innocent of the allegations against him by recovering N1trillion in three months if given the opportunity.

“I recovered money for the last administration and I recovered money for this administration. Most people may not understand this but let me explain this to Nigerians because I want the truth to be told and I want Nigerians to understand the truth and know what is going on in Nigeria.

“Listen, I am not afraid of anybody, I am saying the truth. People portray themselves as if they are saints around the President; it’s a lie, they are not. We recovered as a team, N282billion cash. Aside from the N282bn, we were able to bring information and caught 43 pension suspects.
“They have threatened me, they have threatened my lawyer, they have threatened my brother, sister; they have threatened us all that I will be killed.

“Mr President, I will give you information and documents that will fetch you over N3trillion now in Nigeria, give me nine months. Within the first three months, I will show you N1trillion just like I showed you N1trillion in this 2017,” he said.

OLD RUGGED CROSS - LYRICS BY BRAD PAISLEY

The Old Rugged Cross - By Brad Paisley -Lyrics

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross
The emblem of suff'ring and shame
And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain

So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

Oh, that old rugged Cross so despised by the world
Has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary

So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

In the old rugged Cross, stain'd with blood so divine
A wondrous beauty I see
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To pardon and sanctify me

So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

To the old rugged Cross, I will ever be true
Its shame and reproach gladly bear
Then He'll call me some day to my home far away
Where his glory forever I'll share

So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

Songwriters: T Brown
The Old Rugged Cross lyrics

FULL TEXT OF ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBARKAR'S RESIGNATION LETTER FROM THE RULING APC

Statement of resignation of His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (Waziri Adamawa) Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007 from the All Progressives Congress

On the 19th of December, 2013, I received members of the All Progressives Congress at my house in Abuja. They had come to appeal to me to join their party after my party, the Peoples Democratic Party, had become factionalized as a result of the special convention of August 31, 2013.

The fractionalization of the Peoples Democratic Party on August 31, 2013 had left me in a situation where I was, with several other loyal party members, in limbo, not knowing which of the parallel executives of the party was the legitimate leadership.

It was under this cloud that members of the APC made the appeal to me to join their party, with the promise that the injustices and failure to abide by its own constitution which had dogged the then PDP, would not be replicated in the APC and with the assurance that the vision other founding fathers and I had for the PDP could be actualized through the All Progressives Congress.

It was on the basis of this invitation and the assurances made to me that I, being party-less at that time, due to the fractionalization of my party, accepted on February 2, 2014, the hand of fellowship given to me by the All Progressives Congress.

On that day, I said "it is the struggle for democracy and constitutionalism and service to my country and my people that are driving my choice and my decision" to accept the invitation to join the All Progressives Congress.

Like you, I said that because I believed that we had finally seen the beginnings of the rebirth of the new Nigeria of our dreams which would work for all of us, old and young.

However, events of the intervening years have shown that like any other human and like many other Nigerians, I was fallible.

While other parties have purged themselves of the arbitrariness and unconstitutionality that led to fractionalization, the All Progressives Congress has adopted those same practices and even gone beyond them to institute a regime of a draconian clampdown on all forms of democracy within the party and the government it produced.

Only last year, a governor produced by the party wrote a secret memorandum to the president which ended up being leaked. In that memo,  he admitted that the All Progressives Congress had "not only failed to manage expectations of a populace that expected overnight ‘change’ but has failed to deliver even mundane matters of governance".

Of the party itself, that same governor said "Mr. President, Sir Your relationship with the national leadership of the party, both the formal (NWC) and informal (Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso), and former Governors of ANPP, PDP (that joined us) and ACN, is perceived by most observers to be at best frosty. Many of them are aggrieved due to what they consider total absence of consultations with them on your part and those you have assigned such duties."

Since that memorandum was written up until today, nothing has been done to reverse the treatment meted out to those of us invited to join the All Progressives Congress on the strength of a promise that has proven to be false. If anything, those behaviours have actually worsened.

But more importantly, the party we put in place has failed and continues to fail our people, especially our young people. How can we have a federal cabinet without even one single youth.

A party that does not take the youth into account is a dying party. The future belongs to young people.

I admit that I and others who accepted the invitation to join the APC were eager to make positive changes for our country that we fell for a mirage. Can you blame us for wanting to put a speedy end to the sufferings of the masses of our people?

Be that as it may be, after due consultation with my God, my family, my supporters and the Nigerian people whom I meet in all walks of life, I, Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa, hereby tender my resignation from the All Progressives Congress while I take time to ponder my future.

May God bless you and may God bless Nigeria.

Atiku Abubakar
Waziri Adamawa

LAGOS STATE GOVT GIVES MOSQUES, CHURCHES 90-DAY ULTIMATUM OVER NOISE POLLUTION

Worried by the proliferation of noise  in residential areas, the Lagos State government has handed down 90-day ultimatum to churches and mosques to sound-proof their premises or risk closure.

The section 9 of the law establishing Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) empowered the agency to make regulations on acceptable standards or criteria to control the pollution level of water, air, noise and land in consonance with the federal government guidelines and policies and criteria on the environment.

It however fixed the maximum permissible noise limit for mixed residential areas with some commercial and entertainment to 55 dba from 6-10pm and 45 dba from 10pm-6am.  Commissioner for environment, Dr. Samuel Adejare , who stated this at a parley with church representatives in Lagos warned that state’s zero tolerance to noise pollution was still in force.

He regretted the influx of religious centres in various residential areas in the state adding that the ultimatum was as a result of complaints by residents on the extent of noise in places of worship.

Adejare maintained that any noise above the approved noise levels contravened the provisions of the National Environmental Noise Standard and Controls regulations 2009 as well as the Lagos State Environmental Laws 2017.

He emphasised the need for places of worship to carry out their activities orderly without infringing on the rights of residents.

According to him, “The paramount commandment is to love God and love your neighbour as yourselves.”

The commissioner solicited the support of religious centres in adhering to government rules on noise levels adding that they were mandated to operate in an enclosed and soundproof environment using regulated speakers.

“Various structures ranging from residential plots, uncompleted buildings, open spaces, shops and motor parks are being converted to religious worship centres which is not befitting for a mega city like Lagos,” he concluded.

Source - 

http://leadership.ng/2017/11/21/lasg-gives-mosques-churches-90-day-ultimatum-noise-pollution/

Similarly, the Oyo State government, August, 2017, also gave a two-week ultimatum to churches, mosques, as well as clubs and restaurants to remove their outdoor speakers or face prosecution.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Isaac Ishola gave the ultimatum during an inter-ministerial press briefing in Ibadan, the state capital. He said the complaints and distress calls from residents made the ban necessary.

Ishola explained that the Oyo state government was committed to reducing the noise level in residential areas to 45 decibel at night and 60 decibel in the afternoon within five meters radius.

He also disclosed that some places of worship had been sealed up for noise pollution, while no fewer than 372 environmental offenders have been prosecuted in the last one year.

The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism Mr. Toye Arulogun and other aides to the governor also attended the meeting.

Warning against noise pollution, he said religious activities should not be made to disturb others, adding that most of the complaints were against places of worship.

He said: “We are giving churches and mosques with external speakers two weeks to remove them. You don’t use religion to disturb others. I am a Christian and I have supervised the locking up of three churches for disturbing their neighbours with noise. If I can do that against churches I will do it against mosques and other places.”

The commissioner enjoined all owners of vehicles and motorcycles to take them for emission test at the offices of three consultants approved for the exercise.

He said: “If you own a vehicle, motorcycle or generator, it must be subjected to gaseous emission test. The essence is not to make money for government, but to control gaseous emission believed to be one of the major causes of cancer and other ailments. The ministry has two mobile courts that would sit during the day and we have arranged that magistrates courts should also try environmental offenders.”

The commissioner disclosed that the state had also approved additional 70 waste collectors, while a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been signed with West African Energy to convert waste to wealth in the state.

Can Rivers state do same???? 

ABBA - Chikichita Lyrics

"Chiquitita"

Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong
You're enchained by your own sorrow
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow
How I hate to see you like this
There is no way you can deny it
I can see that you're oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
I'm a shoulder you can cry on
Your best friend, I'm the one you must rely on
You were always sure of yourself
Now I see you've broken a feather
I hope we can patch it up together

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

So the walls came tumbling down
And your love's a blown out candle
All is gone and it seems too hard to handle
Chiquitita, tell me the truth
There is no way you can deny it
I see that you're oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

LAGOS BUS CONDUCTORS TO WEAR UNIFORMS FROM JANUARY 1 2018

 

The Bus Conductors Association of Nigeria says that its members in Lagos State will start wearing uniforms from Jan. 1, 2018 for security and effective service delivery.

The National President of the association, Mr Isreal Adeshola, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Sunday.

Adeshola said the operational uniform would bring sanity to the service in the state and the country as a whole.

According to him, the association has started training its members in Lagos State and educating them on the job procedures and attitudinal change while on duty.

“The association has been able to train a reasonable number of conductors on behavioural change.

“We started the registrations and training at Lagos State Drivers Institute for attitudinal and change in orientation of the members toward passengers and traffic rules.

“By Jan.1, 2018, all our registered members will be in their operational uniforms for proper identification and effective service delivery,” he said.

The president explained that part of the reasons for training its members was to ensure adequate security of passengers and good customer relationship with the people they relate with.

He said that putting on uniforms with identification numbers would ensure accountability and brought sense of responsibility among the members.

Adeshola said that the association was working towards eradicating the menace of using under-age as bus conductors across the country.

He announced that persons from 18 years and above were qualified to join the association.

The president added that any minor found operating as a bus conductor should be arrested.

“We are coming out to tell Lagos residents that bus conducting is a respected profession like in other western countries where they are respected because they offered humanitarian services.

“In Nigeria, people see them as nobody which is not supposed to be so,” he said.

-NAN

http://punchng.com/lagos-bus-conductors-to-wear-uniforms-from-jan-1/

WIKE, AMAECHI CONVOY CLASH IN PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE.

•I escaped assassination – Wike

•Governor’s security pulled guns on me – Amaechi

It was a shameful and horrifying scene yesterday afternoon in Port Harcourt, as policemen attached to Governor Nyesom Wike and that of the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, clashed.

Amaechi’s escort details were, however, unlucky during the 3p.m. attack, as one of them, Sgt. Eteng Ewelu, was battered, with blood on his face, while the AK-47 rifle of Sgt. Princewill Ubaji was snatched, while being forcibly disarmed, with the rifle taken away by the Rivers governor’s convoy.

Wike, through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, in his reaction, however, claimed that personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) and soldiers attached to the minister of transportation attacked his convoy, while allegedly attempting to assassinate him.

But Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi Media Office in a statement yesterday said, “In a blatant show of naked raw power, Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi this (yesterday) afternoon narrowly escaped being shot by security men attached to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.  His car wasn’t that lucky though. The car was vandalized with a broken side mirror.”

Report of the sad incident was immediately lodged at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Rivers Police Command, headed by Zaki Ahmed, while Ubaji’s rifle had not been recovered, with Ewelu and other injured policemen still receiving treatment in undisclosed hospitals in Port Harcourt, as at press time.

It was exclusively gathered yesterday evening in Port Harcourt through a top security source, who would not want to be named, that the unfortunate incident heightened tension in the area, with passersby, motorists, other road users and persons in the neighbourhood scampering to safety, to avoid being hit by stray bullets in the confusion.

The security source said: “Today, November 11, 2017 (yesterday) at 3 p.m., the Transportation Minister, who was driving from the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, in company with police escorts, got his convoy intercepted by the Rivers governor (Wike) at Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout by Nkpogu in Port Harcourt. The security details managed to ferry  Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to safety, after which the Rivers governor led his Chief Security Officer (CSO), Promise Wosu, a Superintendent of Police (SP), and about ten mobile policemen, to attack his predecessor/benefactor’s convoy.

“The Rivers governor and his troops physically assaulted by slapping and bruising the policemen, especially Inspector Johnson Imonikhe, Sgt. Eteng Ewelu and Sgt. Princewill Ubaji, attached to the transportation minister and the governor made away with the AK-47 rifle of Sgt. Princewill Ubaji, one of the policemen attached to the transportation minister.

“The AK-47 rifle was forcibly taken away personally by Governor Wike, who was accompanied by his CSO. The policeman with blood on his face, Sgt. Eteng Ewelu, was hit with an iron by Wosu (Wike’s CSO), in the presence of the Rivers State governor.

“The snatched AK-47 rifle is still in the custody of the Rivers governor’s team and the incident has been referred to State CID (SCID) for investigation.”

When contacted for his reaction through the telephone yesterday evening, the Rivers Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), stated that he would find out the details, asking our reporter to call back in ten minutes, but when contacted twice, after thirty minutes, he did not picked the calls, and he had not returned the call, as at press time.

Nwakaudu in a statement said: “Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, on Saturday escaped assassination, as Special Anti-Robbery Squad operatives and soldiers of the Nigerian Army in the motorcade of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, attacked his convoy.

“The governor, who was on project inspection, was attacked at Nwanja Junction on Trans-Amadi Road. The SARs personnel and soldiers in the minister’s convoy hit down the governor’s escort rider and attacked the policemen in the pilot car. Mr Debewari, Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the minister of transportation, supervised the attack, which included damage of cameras held by journalists.

“Also part of the attack was the Commander of F-SARS in Rivers State, Mr. Akin Fakorede (a Chief Superintendent of Police), who received the minister of transportation at the Port Harcourt International Airport and accompanied him on his trip.”

He added that after the attack the governor continued with his inspection of projects, adding that Wike was not harmed.

The minister’s media office said the incident which occurred along Trans-Amadi Road, Nwaja axis involved cars of many of Amaechi’s  supporters while the Minister’s black jeep was intercepted and blocked at the junction by the security motorcycle outrider attached to Wike after two cars had passed through.

The statement added, “One of the two cars had security men assigned to protect the minister in Port Harcourt.  Suddenly, gun-toting security men attached to Wike’s convoy surrounded the Minister’s car, threatening to shoot him. They hit the car, tried to smash the windscreens, back and side windows and broke a side mirror. All through this attack, Amaechi remained calm, inside the fortified Jeep.  While the attack occurred, Wike remained inside his vehicle.”

It added that the minister eventually passed through after the intervention of the security team on ground to protect him in Port Harcourt. It continued, “However, when Governor Wike got to the point where the incident occurred after Amaechi’s vehicle had gone by, his security men blocked the road again, dragged out from a vehicle and thoroughly beat up a police man attached to protect Amaechi in Port Harcourt.  The Policeman’s riffle was also taken from him.”

The Amaechi media office added that Wike came out of his car, and with his security team went from one vehicle to another of Amaechi’s supporters charging at them, harassing and abusing them. It alleged that Wike’s security men were heard loudly insulting Amaechi and calling him derogative names.

In the meantime, Ikwerre youths have condemned what they called the attack on Amaechi and the policemen in his convoy.

The Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM) International from the four Rivers Local Government Areas of Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre and Emohua, described the attack as very unfortunate and least expected.

Amaechi and Wike are both Ikwerre. The transportation minister hails from Ubima in Ikwerre LGA, while the Rivers governor is an indigene of Rumueprikom in Obio/Akpor council.

IYM, through its President-General, Azubuike Nwanjoku, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, representing Ikwerre constituency, in an online statement by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Dike Bekwele, declared that Wike’s action was suicidal and detrimental to the already-charged environment being witnessed in the state and insecurity in Rivers in recent times.