PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES THE SACK OF 2,525 N-POWER BENEFICIARIES

The President Muhammadu Buhari government has approved the disengagement of 2,525 beneficiaries of the N-Power programme for absconding from their primary place of assignment.

The N-Power programme was introduced in Nigeria as a job enhancement scheme aimed at imbibing the learn-work-entrepreneurship culture in Nigerian youths between the ages of 18 and 35 for graduates and non-graduates.

About 500,000 youth, spread across the 774 local government areas of the country are currently enrolled in the programme and have since been deployed to teach in public schools, act as health workers in primary health centres, as agricultural extension advisors to smallholder farmers in the communities and also as community tax liaison officers.

Beneficiaries under the graduate category take home N30,000 monthly for their services.

Confirming the development to The Punch, the Communications Manager, National Social Investment Office, Justice Bibiye, said 18,674 other beneficiaries of the initiative have voluntarily resigned, having secured permanent employment.

He said, “It had earlier come to the notice of the federal team that some of the N-Power beneficiaries had either absconded from their primary places of assignment or gained permanent employment subsequent to their commencement on the programme.

“The federal team has continued to encourage feedback from the states from existing monitors, whistle-blowers and members of the public through its existing call centre and has acted swiftly by initially placing such beneficiaries on suspension for a period of 45 days.

“Unless such beneficiaries are able to provide proof from their primary place of assignment and the state focal person that they were actually present, or absent with reason, their participation in the programme is terminated after the period of suspension.

“So far, 2,525 beneficiaries have been delisted, following reports garnered from the various avenues, whilst 18,674 have voluntarily resigned, having secured permanent employment.”

He said in a statement that reports from a few states, however, showed that some beneficiaries of the programme have stayed away for long periods of time from their primary places of assignment, adding that this has led to the need for continued action against those who are seen to be undermining the smooth implementation of the social intervention initiative.

N8.5 MILLION WE RECEIVE MONTHLY IS TOO SMALL – NIGERIAN LAWMAKER

The N8.5 million monthly running cost that members of the House of Representatives receive is insufficient, a lawmaker has said.

Oluwole Oke, who represents Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State, stated this in an interview with Punch Newspaper.

The lawmaker admitted that the running cost is different from the N606,000 he earns as monthly salary as a federal lawmaker.

In comparison, a civil servant on the N30,000 minimum wage will have to work for 24 years to earn what an House of Representatives member earns as running cost monthly.

It is even worse in the case of senators who earn N13.5 million monthly as running cost. In that case, a civil servant on the minimum wage would have to work for 37 years to earn what a senator earns monthly.

The N30,000 minimum wage only came into place in April. Before then, the minimum wage was N18,000.

Despite the huge discrepancy between what lawmakers earn and what other public officials earn, Mr Oke still belives the running cost is too low.

“How much is N8.5 million to me as a person?” he said.

“If you have to embark on research, looking at all the bills that I have sponsored in the House, you will see that those bills that I sponsored are not ones you can just come by anyhow.

“I remember when I promoted the National Pension Commission Act, it took me out to Chile and other countries like Argentina, the United Kingdom and India.”

“If you give me N8.5 million and I have to go and find out what is happening aside from the information that I get from the Internet.”

“Look at the tickets and see the flight costs even if I am flying economy class. So, how much is that?”

“If I have to engage lawyers and professionals to prepare bills for me, to work on motions for me; and get researchers also,” he said.

However, hiring legislative aides such as research assistants is taken care of separately. Each member of the House of Representatives is entitled to at least five aides paid by the government monthly. Presiding officers are entitled to more aides.

Mr Oke then made claims about the pay of U.S. lawmakers.

“Do you know how much their running costs are? It is $1 million. Do you know how much their salary is? It is $14,000 per month. Yet, you pay me $2,000 as salary,” he said.

Like Oke, like Shehu Sani

Mr Oke’s revelation is coming over one year after a former senator, Shehu Sani, while serving in the 8th Senate, revealed the monthly running cost of Nigerian senators.

The senator who represented Kaduna Central revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly as “running cost.”

Mr Sani said that the running cost does not include the N700,000 monthly salary a senator earns.

In further justifying the running costs, Mr Oke alluded to the societal pressure on lawmakers.

“Besides whatever you get here in the form of salary or allowances, you have constituents with their numerous problems waiting (for you). Do you know how many scholarships and school fees that I am responsible for? Do you know how many constituents of mine who are ill; people who want to put to bed, people who have to undergo operations (surgeries) or need support? Do you know how many community projects that I have to support or celebrations and events that I have to support” he said.

Many Nigerian activists have, however, expressed disgust at the allowances which are fixed by the lawmakers themselves and are not approved by the revenue allocation agency, RMAFC.

Activists Condemn Pay

An activist and convener of Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju, while reacting to the comments by Mr. Oke said if judges do not earn up to that amount, there is no justification for any lawmaker to complain about it.

“If judges do not earn up to N2 million, why should legislators earn as much as N8.5 million?”

“This is fundamentally why there is corruption almost at every level and stage of our National lives.”

“A situation where judges compromise is because of inequality, inequality is the mother of all forms of social vices in the country. University lecturers and professors don’t earn up to that so why should legislators earn this much and still complain that the runing cost is not enough?”

“It goes to the root of the matter that most of the problems we are facing as a people in this country is about the inequality,” Mr. Adeyanju said.

Another activist, Lanre Suraj, also condemned the statement by the lawmaker.

“That is the more reason why I say most people who go there do not know why they are there,” Mr Suraj, an anti-corruption crusader, said.

“He should be given a calculator for him to calculate his running cost and the minimum wage of an average citizen Nigeria, then he won’t call it peanuts.

“I’m of the strong opinion that we should not just review the allowances of the legislators, we should also scrutinize those people who go there to represent us,” Mr Suraj said.

CHUKWUEZE JOINS DE LIGT, OTHERS ON 80-MAN GOLDEN BOY NOMINATION

Nigeria youngster Samuel Chukwueze is on the 80-man nomination list for the 2019 Golden boy Award after his exploits with the Super Eagles and his Spanish club, Villarreal.

The 20-year-old enjoyed a good campaign for Villarreal last season and he was part of the Nigerian team that finished to third in the 2019 African Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Chukwueze was voted man of the match in Nigeria win over South Africa where he scored to help the team reached the semi-final.

He is joined on the list by former Flying Eagles captain, Ikouwem Udoh-Utin who impressed at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland last month.

Utin moved from Nigeria professional football league champions Enyimba to Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.

The list is dominated by Europeans players.

Among them are Matthijs De Ligt, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Philip Walter Foden.

The award is the brainchild of Italian sports daily Tuttosport and is given to players under 21 years that play in any of the top leagues in Europe.

MINIMUM WAGE: LABOUR TELLS WORKERS TO PREPARE FOR TOTAL STRIKE

The organised Labour has directed its members in all the 36 states and Abuja to get ready for a total showdown with government should the negotiation on the adjustment from the new national minimum wage break down.

The Trade Union side of the Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council (JNPSNC) after her meeting also reviewed downward her demands from 66.66 percent to 30 percent for officers on grade levels 07-14 and 25 percent for officers on grade levels 15-17.

On its part, the government side is insisting on 9.5 percent salary adjustment for officers on grade levels 07-14 and 5 percent for those on grade levels 15-17.

The workers expressed concern that rather than presenting the two positions to technical subcommittee as agreed, but “Surprisingly, when the Technical Sub-Committee reconvened, the Government Side introduced a strange clause to the discussion insisting that the Term of Reference of the Committee was to work out the consequential adjustment of salaries of Public Servants based on the subhead provided for salaries in the 2019 Budget.”

“All efforts by the Trade Union Side to persuade the Government Side to return to the right track of negotiation and agree on a realistic percentage increase proved abortive.”

“Thus, the Government Side deliberately created a stalemate and thereafter adjoined the meeting of the Technical Committee sine die.”

According to a communiqué, a copy of which was issued to newsmen, the workers said the downward review by labour was due to a promise by government to undertake a general salary review in no distance time.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the acting chairman and Secretary, Comrades Anchaver Simon and Alade Bashir Lawal. The communiqué reads in part, “The Trade Union Side of JNPSNC has now resolved that the Federal Government should reconvene the meeting of the Technical Committee on Consequential Adjustment immediately so that it can conclude its deliberations and ensure that all Public Service Employees benefit adequately from the N30,000 new monthly National Minimum Wage signed into Law by Mr. President since April, 2019.”

WORKERS EARNING BELOW N30,000 TO START ENJOYING MINIMUM WAGE —PRESIDENT BUHARI

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate implementation of the N30,000 new national wage for Federal Public Service workers currently earning below the minimum wage.

The Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Chief Richard Egbule said this while addressing a news conference on the implementation of the new national minimum wage on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the commencement of the approved payment would be determined by the office of the Accountant-General and backdated to when the President signed the agreement.

According to Egbule, the approval takes effect from April 18, 2018 and will affect the salary of government agencies under five salary structures.

This includes the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, CONPSS, Consolidated Health Salary Structure, CONHESS and the  Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure, CONRAISS.

Also,  the Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure, CONTISS II and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure, CONTEDISS would be affected.

“The negotiations between the Federal Government and the joint National Public Service Negotiating Council on the consequential adjustment arising from the new minimum wage for officers who earn above N30,000 would continue.

“The outcome of such negotiations will be implemented with effect from the date an agreement is reached,” he said.

Egbule assured the public that the Federal  Government was totally committed to the implementation of the new minimum wage as agreed with key stakeholders.

He said that any enquiry relating to the implementation of the new minimum wage should be directed to the commission.

(NAN)

NOA WARNS AGAINST POLITICISING KILLING OF AFENIFERE LEADER’S DAUGHTER

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has warned Nigerians against politicising the murder of Mrs. Funke Olakunri, daughter of Afenifere leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti.

Director General of NOA Dr. Garba Abari said every Nigerian has a role in the process of resolving the spate of criminal activities through our civic and patriotic duties.

He noted, however, that security agencies are mandated, primarily, to investigate and prosecute offenders.

Head, Press Unit NOA Paul Odenyi, in a statement, quoted the DG as condoling with the family of late Olakunri on behalf of the agency.

He stated: “As Nigerians continue to condemn the rising incidence of crime in the land, the NOA has appealed to Nigerians to allow security agencies the space to deal with the disturbing cases of banditry and armed robbery, rather than resorting to peddling political narratives and stereotypes.

“While condoling with the family of late Olakunri on behalf of the agency, the director-general said every Nigerian has a role in the process of resolving the spate of criminal activities through our civic and patriotic duties, noting however, that security agencies are mandated, primarily, to investigate and prosecute offenders.

“Abari urged political players to stop the dangerous name calling and stigmatisation and, as leaders, show more understanding and tolerance of the diverse people in the country in the spirit of shared humanity and a united nation.”

MINIMUM WAGE: ORGANIZED LABOUR THREATENS FG OVER LACK OF COMMITMENT TO PAYING N30,000

Organised labour has raised doubts over federal government’s commitment to the implementation of the new N30,000 minimum wage.

President of Trade Union Congress, TUC, Quadri Olaleye, threatened that organised labour may be forced to take industrial action over the delay in the payment of the new minimum wage.

Speaking to reporters in Lagos yesterday, Olaleye said workers had thought that consequential adjustment on the minimum wage would be negotiated openly.

“From the look of things, it appears the Federal Government is not committed to implementing the new minimum wage arrangement going by the way its representatives in the committee, set up to negotiate the consequential adjustment arising from the new minimum wage, are handling the negotiation,” Olaleye said.

He also said that the organised labour has been considerate by lowering its initial demand for increasing the salaries of officers on Grade Level (GL) 07 to 17 by 66.66% as the rate at which the minimum wage was increased but the FG side is only offering 9.5% for GL 07 to 14 officers and 5% for those on GL 15 to 17.

He said: “As it stands now, we may be forced to go to the trenches.

“We sincerely hope that the government will act fast and direct its representatives to return to the negotiation table with a more realistic mandate that will be beneficial to workers who have had to wait for almost a decade to get something meaningful added to their emoluments.”

ELECTION PETITIONS: NO VACATION FOR YOU, BULKACHUWA TELLS APPEAL COURT JUDGES

The President of the Court of Appeal, Zainab Bulkachuwa, has cancelled this year’s annual vacation of judges of the court.

Federal High Court judges had on July 8 started their annual vacation and some other judges were due to commence theirs on Monday, July 15.

But in a statement on Sunday, the media officer of the Court of Appeal, Sa’adatu Musa-Kachalla, said the cancellation of the vacation of appellate court judges was due to “the enormous (election) petitions the court is faced with.”

According to the statement, Mrs Bulkachuwa said since election petitions were time-bound, there is a need for timely determination of the appeals arising from them by the Court of Appeal.

“We have to forfeit our annual vacation to enable us to entertain and determine all appeals arising from the various Election Petition Tribunals transmitted to the Court,” the statement quoted Mrs Bulkachuwa as saying.

The appeal court president communicated the directive in a two-day circular on July 2, the official said.

Mrs Bulkachuwa noted that many appeals pending before the court were time-bound and would be due to come up within the period of the court’s vacation from July to October.

“The need, therefore, arises for them to be heard and determined within the said period,” the statement added.

The statement also said Mrs Bulkachuwa has directed the presiding justices of the various divisions of the court to, in consultation with her, draw up a roaster to enable “the justices with medical appointments or other pressing family issues to travel for not more than 15 days within the period.”

She was said to have added that the planned roaster should be such that, “at any given time, there is a three-member panel on ground in every division to hear and determine appeals.”

“In divisions with three justices, only one justice can travel at a time and the office of the President of the Court of Appeal is to be immediately notified to form a panel in that justice’s absence should the need arise,” the circular further directed.

“According to Justice Bulkachuwa, appeals arising from the National and State Assemblies would be heard by a local panel of three members, except where it is controversial, then the president will constitute and send another panel to hear it.

“On the governorship appeals, the president of the Court of Appeal disclosed that it would be heard by a five-member panel to be set up by his lordship.

“Hon. Justice Bulkachuwa, therefore, instructed the presiding justices to notify her as soon as appeals from governorship elections were filed to ensure their speedy determination.”

Citing information from the Deputy Chief Registrar, Court of Appeal, Election Petition Tribunal, Rabi Yakubu, the statement stated that a total of 800 election petitions were filed as of June 17, 2019.

It added, “A breakdown of this figure shows that the State House of Assembly recorded the highest figure (of election petitions) of 415, Senate 105, House of Representative 214, governorship 62 and presidential 4.

“According to the fact sheet emanating from the 77 Election Petition Tribunals set up by the president of the Court of Appeal as of April 23, 2019, 65 petitions were either dismissed or struck out, while 735 petitions are pending.”

It added that a total of 1,769 appeals were determined and 3,517 motions disposed of by the Court of Appeal between January and April 2019 across all the court’s divisions in the country.

The statement quoted the Head, Legal Services Unit, Adaeze Aziwe, as adding that “a total of 2,397 appeals and 5,120 motions were filed during the period under review.”

NJC RECOMMENDS TANKO MUHAMMAD FOR APPOINTMENT AS SUBSTANTIVE CJN

The National Judicial Council says it has recommended to President Muhammadu Buhari the appointment of Justice Tanko Muhammad as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.

The NJC said this in a statement by its Director, Information, Mr. Soji Oye, on Wednesday.

Justice Muhammad was sworn in as the Acting CJN on January 25, immediately after the then CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen was suspended by Buhari.

The President in April requested and obtained the NJC’s consent to extend Muhammad’s acting tenure by the constitutionally-allowed three months.

The extended three months period was due to lapse on July 25.

Oye said the NJC took the decision to recommend Muhammad for appointment as the substantive CJN at the council’s meeting on Wednesday.

The statement added that a member of the council, Justice Umaru Abdullahi, who is a former President of the Court of Appeal, presided over  the session of the NJC’s meeting when the recommendation of its Interview Committee that screened two candidates presented by the Federal Judicial Service Commission to it for appointment as CJN was considered and approved.

It added that the Acting CJN, Justice Muhammad, who doubles as the Acting Chairman of the NJC, presided over the plenary of the council when eight successful candidates were recommended to the governors of their states for appointment as Chief Judges and Grand Kadis for the states.

The states are, Sokoto, Lagos, Anambra, Ebonyi, Niger, Taraba, Kano, and Jigawa.

The statement read, in part, “The National Judicial Council rose today from an emergency meeting to recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, the appointment of Hon. Dr. Justice I. T. Muhammad, CFR, as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria.

The meeting which was initially presided over by Hon. Mr. Justice Umaru Abdullahi, CON, considered and approved the recommendation of its Interview Committee that screened the two candidates presented by the Federal Judicial Service Commission to it for appointment as Chief Justice of Nigeria.

“Subsequently, the plenary of the Meeting presided over by the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Dr. Justice I. T. Muhammad, CFR, recommended to the Governors of Sokoto, Lagos, Anambra, Ebonyi, Niger, Taraba, Kano, and Jigawa States, eight (8) successful candidates for appointment as Chief Judges and Grand Kadis for the states.”

The successful candidates are, Justice Muhammad S. Sifawa, recommended as the Chief Judge of the High Court of the State; the Acting Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, recommended as the Chief Judge of Lagos State; Justice Ijem Onwuamaegbu, as Chief Judge of Anambra State; and Justice Nwaigwe A. Anselm as Chief Judge of Ebonyi State.

The rest are Justice Aliyu M. Mayaki, recommended as Chief Judge of Niger State,

Justice Filibus B. Andetur, recommended as Chief Judge of Taraba State; Kadi Tijjani Yusuf Yakasai, recommended as the Grand Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal, Kano State; and Kadi Isa Jibrin Gantsa, recommended as the Grand Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal, Jigawa State.

The NJC’s statement noted that the newly appointed heads of court “will be sworn in after the approval of the President and their respective State Governors and confirmation by the Senate and State Houses of Assembly as the case may be.”

According to the statement, the NJC also acknowledged the notice of retirements of Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Chief Judges of Gombe, Edo, Niger, and Ebonyi states, the Acting Chief Judge of Kebbi States as well as those of nine other judicial officers from the Federal High Court, High Courts of Gombe, Delta, Edo, Imo, Benue and Katsina states.

It added that the council “commended President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for his unequivocal position on the financial autonomy for the states judiciary and called on the various state executives to as a matter of urgency, commence its immediate implementation”.

NIGERIAN SENATOR CAUGHT ON CAMERA ASSAULTING WOMAN AT SEX TOY SHOP

Nigerian Senate

Nigeria’s youngest senator has been caught on camera physically assaulting a woman at an adult toy shop in Abuja.

Elisha Abbo, representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, descended on the woman after she pleaded with him not to physically assault the shopowner whom the senator had accused of insulting him. He said the shopowner called him a drunk.

PREMIUM TIMES exclusively obtained the video of the assault, which occurred on May 11 — nearly three months after Mr Abbo became a senator-elect and about a month before he was sworn-in on June 11.

The attack happened as an armed mobile police officer looked on, and instead made attempt to arrest the victim.

The assault was reported on May 14 at the Maitama Area Command Headquarters on Nile Street, but the police told the victim to go look for Mr Abbo’s telephone number or they would not be able to do anything about it, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

A weekend of booze

The victim of the assault and the storeowner declined comments for this story, saying they were afraid there could be a violent backlash from the senator. The victim’s lawyer also declined comment.

But witnesses and other sources familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES their accounts of what happened. They all declined to be identified, citing fears for their safety.

Mr Abbo, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had entered the shop at about 6:00 p.m. on May 11, a Saturday. The senator walked in with three young women to purchase adult (sex) toys, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

But shortly after they began shopping for the toys, one of the three girls brought in by Mr Abbo started throwing up. She vomited multiple times, prompting the shopowner to remark that the woman should have vomited outside and not inside her shop, especially since she was not a child.

Mr Abbo, who was said to be agitated by the sudden illness of one of his girls, was said to have accused the shopowner of poisoning the store’s airconditioner.

The shopowner’s argument that if the airconditioner had been contaminated others in the shop would have also taken ill further angered Mr Abbo, and the two began exchanging words over the matter.

In the first five minutes of the 10-minute video obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Abbo is seen sitting on a yellow power generator near the entrance of the shop. He could be heard within this time making calls and asking some people where they were and how close they were.

Just before the first-half of the video, an armed police officer walked in. 

Mr Abbo explained to the officer in Hausa that the woman insulted him and that he had called the assistant inspector-general (AIG) over the matter, who then assured him that he would call the police commissioner to call the Maitama Area Command. He also said he was disappointed in the shopowner, with whom he said he had been friends for five years.

      Senator Elisha Abbo

Mr Abbo, 41, said the police officer should take the shopowner away. The shopowner quickly called her father to inform him that Mr Abbo had called the police over the matter and that she was about to be taken away.

Mr Abbo asked the shopowner to stop the call because he was talking to her, a demand the woman refused to accede to. Another man could be seen coming from behind the police officer to snatch the shopowner’s phone from her.

Next, the shopowner’s friend who had been standing nearby tried to intervene by pleading with the second man to take things easy.

“Oga, please take it easy now,” she said.

Mr Abbo switfly descended on the shopowner’s friend, saying she was “very stupid” and slapping her repeatedly, including directly on the eyes.

The senator then demanded that the two women should be taken to the police station. He repeatedly told the shopowner that he was disappointed in her for calling him a drunk, and that he would have harmed her more and closed down the shop but for their friendship.

Watch Video:

The morning after

PREMIUM TIMES learned that the assaulted woman, who is nursing a child, was taken to a hospital, where she was treated for eye inflammation and other injuries she sustained during the attack.

Mr Abbo did not cover the medical bill. Neither did he show sympathy or reach out to the woman to apologise, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Instead, he was said to have returned to the shop to see whether a CCTV footage of the incident existed.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Mr Abbo was told that the CCTV in the shop was not functioning. He was said to have been very worried about the incident, threatening to deal with them if the footage of his violence ever surfaced.

The victim and her lawyer reported the matter at the Maitama Area Command since May 14, but the police have continued to stall, saying they did not know how to contact Mr Abbo.

The victim and her lawyer were said to have demanded apology from Mr Abbo. They also want him to settle the medical bill and desist from further threats of physical harm against the woman.

They also wanted a criminal investigation and possible prosecution of Mr Abbo for his action.

Mr Abbo did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES’ requests for comments. Two text messages and WhatsApp messages sent to him delivered, but he did not return them. He also did not take multiple calls to his telephone.

The police commissioner in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Ciroma, told PREMIUM TIMES the matter had not been escalated to him as of Tuesday morning.

He said he would like to receive the victim at his office urgently to explore a resolution of the case.

-PREMIUM TIMES