FG’S TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT ON MINIMUM WAGE READY

The report of the Technical Advisory Committee on National Minimum Wage that was inaugurated by President Mohammadu Buhari has been finalised and is ready for presentation to the president this week, barring any unforeseen circumstance.

A source in the presidency, who disclosed yesterday, said members of the committee have notified the president of their preparedness to submit the report.

“The report is due early this week. The committee has notified the presidency that the report is ready. It is an advisory committee to optimise revenue and to ensure that the implementation is short-lived. The committee was asked to explore everything possible and they were given a one-month mandate which elapsed today (yesterday).

“So, when it is submitted, the president would have to study it and either accept or reject the recommendations by the committee or issue a white paper,” she explained.

The president had last month inaugurated the Technical Advisory Committee on National Minimum Wage.

The committee is headed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane.

According to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, the task of the technical committee was to identify additional sources of revenue to pay the minimum wage and the consequential salary adjustment that would follow.

Udoma had also explained that the committee would, among other things, identify additional sources of revenue to ensure that the government could meet the increased costs that would arise from the implementation of a new minimum wage without affecting government’s ability to meet the other obligations, particularly with respect to the ambitious infrastructure development plans of the current administration. The minister had explained that whenever a new minimum wage bill is enacted, there are demands for some wage increases even from those already earning more than the new minimum wage.

Udoma had said, “All these salary increases will impose additional costs on the government. Therefore, the committee is expected to make suggestions as to how the government can raise additional revenues to ensure that the government can still meet its expenditure on other services such as education, health, infrastructure and other important functions of the government, after paying the increased salaries.

“The committee is expected to, amongst other things, look at how to get additional revenues so that as our wage bill goes up, we are able to increase our revenues to ensure that our spending on capital projects, our spending on basic infrastructure, our spending on health, our spending on education and others is not reduced.

“In short, the committee is to advise on ways to ensure that notwithstanding the increase in payroll costs, there continues to be adequate funding for other government activities. This is not just for the 2019 fiscal year. The federal government had approved N27, 000 as the new national minimum wage, which was rejected by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other trade union groups in the country.

SENATE ABANDONS MINIMUM WAGE BILL FOR ELECTION CAMPAIGNS

Barely two weeks after the Senate set up an eight-member Ad-hoc Committee   for further legislative inputs into the N27,000 New Minimum Wage Bill sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari for approval on January 24, 2019, it can be authoritatively confirmed that the committee is yet to sit over the matter.

This is against the backdrop that a similar committee set up the same day in the House of Representatives with the same mandate has held a number of public hearings on the bill, during which it recommended N30,000 as minimum wage.

Findings indicate that the Senate ad-hoc committee has not had a sitting due to the political engagements of six of the eight members and the general lackadaisical attitude of the senators towards their legislative duties as the 8th National Assembly winds down.

The chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Senator Olusola Adeyeye (APC, Osun Central) confirmed this last week to newsmen when he said that since six out of the eight-member committee are contesting in the National Assembly election fixed for February 16, 2019.

Senator Adeyeye, who is also the Senate’s Chief Whip, lamented the development, saying it had been difficult to mobilise the six senators for the required public hearing session on the bill.

He said: “I am not contesting any election but many of the committee members are contesting and very busy with electioneering in their various senatorial districts, making it difficult for us to sit all this while.

“But we shall try all we can to have the sitting or public hearing before the Senate reconvenes in line with the duration of time given for the assignment by the Senate.”

The Senate had, in mandating the committee for the assignment, given it two weeks to submit its report which must be ready before Tuesday, February 19, 2019, the day fixed for its resumption from the ongoing recess.

But since the election is just a week now and the planned meeting for next week will be few days to the elections, the affected six members of the committee may not be disposed to such an arrangement.

Members of the committee who are busy with their re-election  bids to the Senate are Emmanuel Adokwe (PDP, Nasarawa South), Sam Egwu (PDP, Ebonyi North), Shehu Sani (PRP, Kaduna Central), Deputy Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena (APC, Edo North), Adeola Olamilekan (APC, Lagos West) and Binta Masi Garba (APC, Adamawa North).

The last member of the committee, Abu Ibrahim (APC, Katsina South ), is also not contesting in any of the elections.

Meanwhile, the president, United Labour Congress (ULC), Comrade Joe Ajaero has commended the leadership of the  House of Representatives over the speedy passage of the minimum wage bill, saying that  as far as welfare is concerned, the position of the lawmakers has in no small measure given workers a sense of belonging.

Ajaero made this comment while speaking with correspondent in a telephone conversation in Lagos.

He said, “We recall that the lawmakers gave their word to speedily facilitate the National Minimum Wage Bill  whenever it was brought before them and they have kept their word.

“To us, it means we still have men and women with the milk of human kindness. While we thank you for the brave move, we also urge you to follow the bill through until the Senate and the Federal Government give a go-ahead to effect payment.”

He said that this position of N30, 000 can be achieved if the governors have the people at heart.

On the part of the Senate, he urged the senators to emulate  the lower house as soon as they reconvene after the election.

“ We believe this is a political period that lawmakers need to attend to their electioneering activities but as soon as the election is over, they should please give it a speedy action,”, he added.

He explained that the president should not delay the signing into law after it must have been passed by the National Assembly..

“I believe the president is seriously awaiting the bill on his table for signing,” he said.

TWO FEARED KILLED, 8 INJURED IN PETROL TANKER FIRE IN AWKA, ANAMBRA

No fewer than two persons were confirmed dead and six others injured, when a tanker bearing PMS (petrol) fell at AmaObia Roundabout in Awka and went up in flames on Saturday night.

Eyewitnesses report that at least eight vehicles and some residential buildings within the vicinity were also destroyed in the inferno. It was gathered that the fire occurred in front of the AmaObia Fire Service and near the Police Headquarters, Anambra Governor’s Lodge and other public buildings.

Narrating his experience, one of the victims, Mr Paul Igwemma, whose car got burnt in the fire, said the tanker was negotiating a bend when it fell and subsequently burst into flames.

Igwemma, who was full of praises to God, said he had to abandon his vehicle and ran for his dear life. “I saw the vehicle trying to negotiate to this direction and all of a sudden the tank fell and hit the pavement of the roundabout so I immediately out of my car.

“Few seconds after, there was an explosion accompanied by fire and as you can see, my car is burnt beyond recognition, together with about ten other vehicles,” he said. An eyewitness, Mary Anyaora, who was seen weeping at the scene, said the number of casualties could still be more.

Anyaora said that many more people were still trapped in their buildings and might not be able to escape from the fire. She said that the effect of the fire could have been minimal, if there was an immediate intervention from the Fire Service.

Confirming the incident, Mr Andrew Kumapayi, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), blamed the incident on careless driving on the part of the tanker driver. Kumapayi said that two persons died, while six others sustained injuries with eight vehicles burnt beyond recognition.

“The driver did not stop when the tank fell, the incident happened in front of the Fire Service and fire fighters were still making efforts to put out the fire,” he said. The fire was reported to be still raging at the time of filing the report, while men of the fire service were seen battling to put it out. 
(NAN)

HOW GOV. ABUBAKAR DIVERTED N400 BILLION USING GHOST WORKERS - RT. HON. DOGARA

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has uncovered massive fraud and theft perpetrated by Bauchi State government under Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar to the tune of N400 billion from May 2015 when he assumed office to date.

Newsmen gathered that while speaking at a campaign rally in Dass, headquarters of Dass local government area on Friday, Hon Dogara presented documented evidence to a mammoth crowd of his constituents showing how thousands of non-existent people were said to have been employed in 2015 shortly after the governor came into office.

The Speaker challenged Governor Abubakar to take him to court and promised that he will defend the allegations and added that as a lawyer he knows the law and would not level false allegations against anyone if he does not have evidence.

A perusal of one of the documents indicates that not fewer than 1,200 people were said to have been employed and added into the state's payroll beginning from July 2015.

However, one of the ghost employees by name, Bappale Adamu, was said to have been born in 1899, which is 120 years ago and started work with the Bauchi state government on July 24, 2015 and will retire from the service in 2023.

Another startling revelation showed that all the 1,200 workers, though have different names and dates of birth, have the same Bank Verification Number (BVN), meaning that their entire salary was being paid into one and same bank account under different names.

The salaries vary from N39,000 to N86,000 and above.

The speaker also wondered how Bauchi State monthly salary skyrocketed from N2.6 billion per month in May 2015 to N7 billion without recruitment of additional workers, especially as the governor had early in his administration, fired thousands of political appointees engaged by former governor Isa Yuguda, which should have reduced the state's wage bill drastically.

He also accused the governor of diverting billions of local government funds in the last 3 1/2 years.

The Speaker also recalled how the governor chased away contractors renovating Dass Central Mosque but failed to renovate it after repeated promises and revealed how he personally paid for the renovation of the mosque.

It would be recalled that the Bauchi state Government had owed workers more than one year salaries following series of verifications allegedly to remove ghost workers from the state’s payroll by the present administration at its inception in 2015, but sadly, shortly after that, the monthly salary bill increased from N2.6 billion to about N7 billion.

In August 2016, political leaders and stakeholders from the state led by the Speaker sought President Mohammadu Buhari’s intervention on the non-payment of salaries which didn’t yield any result and has been the major source of disagreement between the Speaker, political leaders, stakeholders and the Bauchi state Governor.

RIVERS APC SAGA: PDP HAILS SUPREME COURT’S RULING ON RIVERS APC

The @OfficialPDPNig hails the judgment of the Supreme Court, upholding the law in nullifying the legally defective primaries of the @OfficialAPCNg in Rivers state, as victory for democracy and the rule of law. 

The party commends the apex court for its courage in delivering the landmark judgment, which has saved the nation from a serious constitutional crisis that could have marred the 2019 general elections and detract from our overall electoral system.

The judgment of the Supreme Court serves as a huge lesson to politicians and political parties, to eschew impunity and always conduct their affairs in a manner that is in tandem with the provision of the law.

The courage displayed by the Supreme Court in delivering the judgment at this critical time in our national life has also restored the confidence of Nigerians in the institution of the Judiciary and our democratic order.

JUST IN: COURT ORDERS ARREST OF CCB CHAIRMAN OVER El RUFAI'S ASSETS DECLARATION

A Kaduna state high court on Friday, February 8, issued a warrant of arrest against the chairman of Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, for contempt.
The warrant of arrest was issued by Justice Mario Mohammed after the chairman had ignored several summons by the court in a suit between Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufa’i and Today’s publishing Company Limited, and one other.

A warrant form obtained directed that police personnel and authorities should arrest the CCB chairman and produce him before the court on February 13.
Earlier, Today Publishing company, the publisher of The Union Newspapers had filed application requesting the court to subpoena CCB chairman to produce assets declaration of El-Rufai in court after several failed efforts it made to obtain it from the CCB.
Justice Mohammed granted the approval based on the application filed by Counsel to The Union Newspapers, Mr J.N. Egwuonwu (SAN), during the continuation of defence at previous sitting.

Egwuonwu represented by Hiifan Andrew Abuul had written application to the court to Subpoena CCB to tender the asset declaration of the Governor before the court.
News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that the governor had gone to the court over a report carried by the newspaper in which it allegedly stated that he had declared N90 billion in his CCB assets declaration form.

HON JUSTICE TANKO MUHAMMAD TO CHAIR MAIDEN WORKSHOP FOR SUPREME COURT JUSTICES

The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad will on Monday and Tuesday chair the maiden workshop for Justices of the Supreme Court and judges of other courts on issues relating to “secured transactions in movable assets.”

The workshop, being the first of its kind, is being jointly organised by the National Judicial Council (NJI), the National Collateral Registry (NCR) and the Juris Law Office (JLO).

The head of JLO, Professor Niyi Ayoola-Daniels, explained that the workshop is intended to bring the Justices and judges up to date on the salient provisions of the Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Act, 2017 (The Act) and Part III of the Central Bank of Nigeria Regulation on Registration of Security Interests in Movable Property by Banks and Other Financial Institution Regulation No. 1 of 2015 (The Regulation).

Ayoola -Daneil said the workshop is part of efforts by the government to ensure that the nation’s Judiciary is abreast of the provisions of the law to allow for its effective application.

He said the Act alone and the Regulation will not guarantee “best practices” and ”Rule of Law” in secured transactions in movable assets in Nigeria without effective application by a well knowledgeable and sound Judiciary on the subject matter”.

He said the workshop, with the theme: “Leveraging on movable asset for credit delivery In Nigeria: Legal and regulatory framework,” is slated for Abuja between February 11 and 12, 2019.

Ayoola-Daniels said the workshop aims “to acquaint Justices and judges with appropriate legal and regulatory framework of the secured transactions in Movable Assets Act and its contribution to the national economy.

He said the Acting CJN will also deliver the keynote address, while the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele is scheduled to give the opening remarks.

Ayoola-Daniels added: “Also expected to participate at the workshop are Supreme Court Justices, Court of Appeal Justices, Chief Judge and Judges of the Federal High Court as well as Judges of the High Courts from many states across the country.

“The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, key government officials, captains of industry, and officials of the World Bank/ International Finance Corporation (IFC).

“The Central Bank of Nigeria, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), established the National Collateral Registry (NCR) in 2016 in line with the Bank’s mandate on sustainable economic inclusive growth and financial inclusion. The NCR is a financial infrastructure that seeks to deepen credit delivery to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through enhanced acceptability of movable assets such as equipment, machinery, vehicles, crops, livestock, account receivables, inventories, and jewelleries,” he said.

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EFCC NEWSFLASH: CORRUPT ELEMENTS NOW STASH LOOT IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES – MAGU

      Ibrahim Magu

The tone of Nigeria’s anti-corruption war changed dramatically yesterday when the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, disclosed that corrupt and influential Nigerians had turned their attention from Europe and America but now stash their loot in African countries considered as safe havens.

Ibrahim Magu made the stunning revelation at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria’s EFCC and Nigerien High Authority against Corruption and Related Crimes, HALCIA, in Niamey, the country’s capital.

Magu said that unlike in the past when Nigeria’s looters of public treasury took their loot to safe havens in Europe, America and some islands, such elements had now found some African countries more attractive to hide their illicit cash and property.

Magu said: “From available intelligence and our investigations, it has been revealed that looters from Nigeria now go to Ghana, Egypt, Cameroun, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, Morocco, and Seychelles and so on, to stash their loots. This has led to a sharp increase in the number of Nigerians buying properties in African countries.

“In fact, some corrupt Nigerians even go to the extent of changing their names and acquiring the destination countries’ international passports in collusion with corrupt public officers in their countries of residence in order to hide their identities and evade detection.

But he vowed to turn the heat on the looters until the war against corruption was won by the government and the culprits sent to jail to serve as a deterrent to others.

The MoU, according to the EFCC in Abuja on Friday, is geared towards strengthening collaborative efforts between the Nigerian front row anti-corruption agency and its Niger Republic counterpart.

The signing of the document was the climax of a two-day working visit by the Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu to the West African country.

But Magu begged the Nigerien authorities to help Nigeria confront the growing illicit cash movement along the borders of the two countries by identifying the owners of huge cash owned by some Nigerians in that country’s financial system and sharing the information with the EFCC to enable the agency to determine whether it is part of the proceeds of crime or not.

He also pleaded with them to assist Nigeria by identifying the numerous property owned by Nigerians including the details of the owners in order to enable the commission to ascertain if such Nigerians acquired them with looted funds or proceeds of crime

Other request by the EFCC boss to the Nigerien government included: Stopping moves by persons who plan to move funds during the elections hrough the usual medium to destabilise the political stage in Nigeria, increased clampdown on Nigerians who are involved in cyber crime and handing over their details to Nigeria and assisting the EFCC in the arrest of persons on its ‘Wanted Persons List’ who might have absconded through Niger Republic.

 President of HALCIA, Gousmane, said there was no better time than now for EFCC and the agency to sign the MoU for stronger collaboration between Nigeria and The Niger Republic in the fight against corruption.

He said: “We are ready and willing to partner with Nigeria. Nigeria has the experience and the human capacity and with President Muhammadu Buhari who is a renowned anti-corruption icon, we have no choice but to leverage on Nigeria for capacity building in taming the corruption monster,” Gousmane said.

One of the side attractions of the visit was Gousmane’s presentation of a horse as a special gift to Magu.

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