₦airaland Forum

MINNA - BIDA ROAD HAS CUT OFF AS AT MONDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2022

The collapse happened at about 23 kilometers from Bida after Sagamio Farms.

The bridge collapse happened as a result of torrential rainfall across the state for the past five days which flooded most towns and villages and led to the bridge falling on Sunday.
Consequently, commuters plying the Minna-Bida Road are stranded.

Most vehicles coming from Ilorin-Mokwa-Jebba axis and from Minna, unaware of the development, are now trapped at the spot.

While smaller vehicles were able to make a u-turn to take another route to their various destinations, heavy-duty trucks, trailers and tankers have remained stranded.

Niger govt clamps down on civil servants over support for opposition parties

Suspends salaries Mass exodus continues in APC
Niger govt clamps down on civil servants over support for opposition parties

The Niger State government has begun a clampdown on civil servants in the state for their open support for opposition parties in the state even as a mass exodus of members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) continues on a daily bases.

Worst hit in this onslaught against the civil servants is those at the local government councils where staff officers have begun to compile names of those suspected to be romancing with some opposition parties in the state.

In Edati local government council, for instance, no fewer than 20 staff suspected to be romancing with the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the area have been queried and have their salaries suspended, accusing them of absconding from duty to attend political meetings.

In a letter of query/suspension of the Staff dated August 2, and signed by the Staff Officer of the council, Mallam Baba Shaba Gaba for the Director of Administration, accused the affected Staff of “engaging in partisan politics while in the service of Edati local government.”

The Staff Officer in one of the query/suspension letters to one of the affected Staff (name withheld) reads: “investigations revealed that you have absconded yourself from duty post on Thursday, 2nd of August, 2022 to attend a political meeting at PDP office in Edati.

“Consequently upon this development, you are to explain within 24 hours why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for engaging in partisan politics while in active service of Edati local government.”

The letter equally directed the suspension of all the affected staff indefinitely while their August salaries have been withheld by the council.

But according to one of the affected Staff while narrating her ordeal to our correspondent in Minna, described the allegations against herself and 19 others as “huge lies and nothing but to call a dog a bad name in other to hang it.”

She pointed out that even though she has the right and freedom of association, be it a political organisation or any other association, she did not abscond from her duty post as alleged.

In addition to this, she maintained that she has the right to be at any particular place after office hours, adding that “the purpose of my presence at any place and at any particular hour other than office hour is nobody’s business, more so that I am not a card-carrying member of any political party.”

She however warned that this victimisation of civil servants by the government will not help the APC in the state “because nobody will follow us to the polling unit on Election Day so it is just a waste of time,” she added.

Recalled that in a judgment by the Supreme Court delivered by justice Uwais in January 2018 ruled that a civil servant could be a member of a political party of their choice as provided for in the 1999 constitution.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 1,000 supporters of the ruling party in the state were said to change their loyalty to the PDP in the Munya local government area of the state, sighting imposition of candidates by the party as their reason.

This is coming barely one month after 5,000 supporters of the ruling party in Tafa local government defected to PDP in a well-attended ceremony in Sabon Wuse, the headquarters of the local government and were received by the state Chairman of the party, Barrister Tanko Beji.

The mass exodus in the party continues despite the efforts of the party gubernatorial candidate, Hon Umar Bago, to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party across the three Senatorial districts of the state.

Niger govt clamps down on civil servants over support for opposition parties[b][/b]

Suspends salaries Mass exodus continues in APC
Niger govt clamps down on civil servants over support for opposition parties

The Niger State government has begun a clampdown on civil servants in the state for their open support for opposition parties in the state even as a mass exodus of members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) continues on a daily bases.

Worst hit in this onslaught against the civil servants is those at the local government councils where staff officers have begun to compile names of those suspected to be romancing with some opposition parties in the state.

In Edati local government council, for instance, no fewer than 20 staff suspected to be romancing with the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the area have been queried and have their salaries suspended, accusing them of absconding from duty to attend political meetings.

In a letter of query/suspension of the Staff dated August 2, and signed by the Staff Officer of the council, Mallam Baba Shaba Gaba for the Director of Administration, accused the affected Staff of “engaging in partisan politics while in the service of Edati local government.”

The Staff Officer in one of the query/suspension letters to one of the affected Staff (name withheld) reads: “investigations revealed that you have absconded yourself from duty post on Thursday, 2nd of August, 2022 to attend a political meeting at PDP office in Edati.

“Consequently upon this development, you are to explain within 24 hours why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for engaging in partisan politics while in active service of Edati local government.”

The letter equally directed the suspension of all the affected staff indefinitely while their August salaries have been withheld by the council.

But according to one of the affected Staff while narrating her ordeal to our correspondent in Minna, described the allegations against herself and 19 others as “huge lies and nothing but to call a dog a bad name in other to hang it.”

She pointed out that even though she has the right and freedom of association, be it a political organisation or any other association, she did not abscond from her duty post as alleged.

In addition to this, she maintained that she has the right to be at any particular place after office hours, adding that “the purpose of my presence at any place and at any particular hour other than office hour is nobody’s business, more so that I am not a card-carrying member of any political party.”

She however warned that this victimisation of civil servants by the government will not help the APC in the state “because nobody will follow us to the polling unit on Election Day so it is just a waste of time,” she added.

Recalled that in a judgment by the Supreme Court delivered by justice Uwais in January 2018 ruled that a civil servant could be a member of a political party of their choice as provided for in the 1999 constitution.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 1,000 supporters of the ruling party in the state were said to change their loyalty to the PDP in the Munya local government area of the state, sighting imposition of candidates by the party as their reason.

This is coming barely one month after 5,000 supporters of the ruling party in Tafa local government defected to PDP in a well-attended ceremony in Sabon Wuse, the headquarters of the local government and were received by the state Chairman of the party, Barrister Tanko Beji.

The mass exodus in the party continues despite the efforts of the party gubernatorial candidate, Hon Umar Bago, to reconcile all aggrieved members of the party across the three Senatorial districts of the state.

FCT Primary School Teachers,

Local Education Authority,

Universal Basic Education Board,

FCT Abuja.

02/09/2022

Dear Sir,

Open Letter From FCT Primary School Teachers To FCT Minister

FCT teachers are divided into two categories. One part take charge of the junior secondary education and the other part take charge of Primary Education.
The recruitment/promotion processes of FCT Teachers are handle by Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB). The primary school teachers are paid by the FCT Area Councils while the junior secondary school teachers are paid by the FCDA.

We observed that junior secondary school teachers received the new minimum wage arrears with the implementation of the new minimum wage in January 2021. Primary school teachers got implementation 5 months later after a rigorous industrial action. We are hopefully waiting for the arrears of 25 months.

FCT minister, Sir, our major problem is the communication gap between us, perhaps FCT NUT don't seems to remind you about the promise you made which lead to the suspension of the recent 8 weeks strike on the demand for new minimum wage arrears and other entitlements for primary school teachers in FCT.

Sir, on a serious note, the strike would have lasted till the teachers received their payments but we rate you as a sincere and someone with passion for education.

We hope to receive the necessary response from you.

Yours faithfully.

FCT Primary School Teachers
Local Education Authority

RE: IMPLEMENTATION OF LETTERS OF UPGRADE
The above subject matter, please refer.
Relevant stakeholders in the LEA Bwari should please consider the implementation of salary grade level of staff issued letters of upgrade by the immediate past ES since 2019.
Everyone is a witness to the skyrocketed prices of goods and services in the country especially in FCT in recent times.
It dehumanizing to pay graduates #30, 000 in the FCT in this present economic situation, the present "salary" can't even carter for one's transport for a month not to talk about other bills.
While acknowledging the good gesture of the incumbent ES, a passionate appeal is here in offered to him to kindly look closely at the prompt consideration of the subject matter, please.

Attention & necessary action please: NUT

FCT primary school teachers who were upgraded into appropriates grade level since 2019 are yet to be implemented amidst high cost of living in FCT. The teachers concern called the attention of the FCT NUT but nothing has been done on that.

As election campaign kick starts next month, September, FCT Primary School Teachers don't really know if FTC Minister could pay them 25 months new minimum wage arrears.
The minister promised to pay the arrears at a resolution meeting which was why recent strike action of FCT Primary School Teachers was called off. The teachers are reminding the minister to settle them.

God will reveal all their hideout

The reason behind this is because of some social vices we engaged ourselves like corruption and the like. People should always reason before jumping into conclusion.