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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nasarawa Command, has arrested a 75-year-old man, Ali Isah, for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s three-year-old daughter. Mr Muhammad Mahmoud-Fari, the state Commandant of the NSCDC, said this while parading the suspect on Wednesday in Lafia, Nasarawa state.

Mahmoud-Fari said the suspect was arrested on Monday at Kandere Village in Kokona Local Government area of the state, following a report from the village. He said that the suspect had confessed to the crime.

The commandant also said that the victim was currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Karu Local Government area of the state. He urged members of the public, especially parents and guardians, to be vigilant and weary of suspicious characters hanging around their wards. Meanwhile, the suspect, who claimed to have two wives and 11 children, said that he regretted his action. He attributed his action to what he called ‘spiritual forces’ that took control of him. (NAN)

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nscdc-arrests-75-year-old-man-for-allegedly-defiling-3-year-old-girl-in-nasarawa.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of nine new Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service. The Acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (Ag. HoCSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, said this on Wednesday in Abuja in a statement signed by Mrs. Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, Director, Communications, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHoCSF).

According to her, the list of the successful Federal Permanent Secretaries, their states of origin and zones are Engr. Musa Hassan, Borno State; Mr. Ahmed Aliyu, Niger State; and Mrs. Olushola Idowu, Ogun State.

The six appointed, according to the geo-political zones’ quota, are Andrew David Adejoh, North-Central; Umar Idris Tijjani, North-East; Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, North-West; Engr. Nebeolisa Victor Anako, South-East; Fashedemi Temitope Peter, South-West and Dr. (Mrs) Evelyn Ngige, South-South.

“Their swearing-in and assignment of portfolios will be announced in due course,” she said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-buhari-appoints-nine-new-permanent-secretaries.html

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The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday said it has uncovered syndicated plots by some undesirable groups to cause a breakdown of law and order in various parts of the country including Abuja. In a statement signed by the spokesman of the service, Dr. Peter Afunanya, he said the arrangement is to instigate protests, mass action and violence with a view to causing anarchy and destabilizing the country.

He said the predetermined actions have been designed to take place simultaneously in major cities across the geopolitical zones in the coming weeks stressing that the plotters are also targeting the yuletide seasons to accomplish their sinister motives.

Due to the implications of these on public safety and national security, he said the Service has issued a warning to the anti-democratic elements responsible for these heinous plots to desist forthwith from their inglorious acts. He advised parents to rein in their wards and enjoined them not to allow themselves to be used to foment trouble hence calling on all Heads of academic and public institutions to warn their students and employees respectively from engaging in any untoward activity against public order.

He noted that the Service and other sister agencies were at alert and will ensure that peace and security were maintained in all parts of the country before, during and after the festive periods. He called on law-abiding citizens to go about their normal businesses without fear but report any suspected persons or breach of peace to the nearest security office to them.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/just-in-dss-uncovers-plots-to-destabilise-nigeria.html

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Six girls have drowned as their canoe capsized in Tindifai village, Dakingari district in Suru local government areas of Kebbi state, Daily Trust gathered on Tuesday. The names of the drowned girls were given as: Hadiza Garba (15), Lauratu Muhammad, (13), Adama Musa (15), Firdausi Garba (13), Maryam Abdullahi AbdulRahnan (13) and Suwaiba Abdullahi AbdulRahama (10).

Three persons were however rescued by the driver of the canoe, Umar Faruk, a 13-year old boy. The girls were on their way to a rice farm to harvest paddy rice when their canoe capsized while crossing a river in the farm area. Confirming the incident, the Chief Press Secretary to Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Mu’azu Dakingari, said the remains of five of the girls have been recovered from the river while effort is still ongoing to recover the remains of the sixth girl.

While speaking to our correspondent on phone, the Chairman of Suru local government, Alhaji Umaru Maigandi, said the canoe left Tindifai village conveying nine females to a FADAMA in the area before it capsized. He blamed the mishap on overloading. “The canoe was built to carry five passengers” he said. The remains of five of the girls have been buried in accordance with Islamic rites.

Their funeral prayers was attended by the Chairman of Suru local government, Alhaji Umaru Maigandi Dakingari; his council members; the district head of Dakingari, Alhaji Jafaru Haliru; Lamido Dakingari, Sarkin Yamman Barbarajo, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar; village head of Tindifai, Alhaji Abubakar Magaji Na-Alhaji and the village head of Bardejo Tindifai, Atiku Haliru.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/six-girls-drown-in-kebbi-canoe-mishap.html

A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered an interim forfeiture of two houses in Ilorin, Kwara State belonging to the immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had approached the court presided over by Justice Ridwan Aikawa, for an order of interim forfeiture of the properties said to worth about N 1 billion on the ground that it was acquired through the proceeds of unlawful activity.

The anti-graft agency told the court in an exparte application that it ‘‘uncovered monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011’’, when Saraki was governor of the state. ADVERTISEMENT Based on the application, the court ordered the temporary forfeiture of Saraki’s two properties designated as Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State. An operative of the EFCC, Olamide Sadiq, said in an affidavit filed in support of the ex parte application that the move for the forfeiture of the houses followed the findings of the EFCC after investigation and “the report of a committee set up to review sale of Kwara State Government houses during the reign of the Governor of Kwara State in the year 2003 and 2011.”

He said the EFCC also received “a damning intelligence report, showing monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011.” Sadiq said, “Whilst the investigation was ongoing, several fraudulent transactions were discovered. “That whilst he (Saraki) held the aforementioned position (governor of Kwara State), the common pattern was that after payment of monthly allocation by the Federal Government to the Kwara State Government, a cumulative sum of not less than N100million will be deposited into the Kwara Government House account.

“That upon the payment of the said N100million, same will, in turn, be withdrawn in cash by one Mr Afeez Yusuf from the Kwara State Government House, Ilorin’s account in bits and brought to the Government House.” The EFCC said it believed that Saraki developed the two properties with proceeds of unlawful activities. Counsel for the commission, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, thereafter urged Justice Aikawa to order their temporary forfeiture to the Federal Government. In granting the order, Justice Aikawa directed the EFCC to publish the temporary forfeiture order in a national newspaper.

The judge adjourned the matter to December 17 for anyone interested in the properties to appear before him to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government. Meanwhile, Dr. Saraki has reiterated his position that the application to the Federal High Court, Lagos, for interim forfeiture order on his Ilorin home by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is an abuse of the court process and a violation of a subsisting order of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, noted that the Federal High Court in Abuja presided by Justice Taiwo Taiwo had given an order “restraining the respondents (Commission) by themselves, their subordinates, agents, servants, or privies whosoever, from seizing, impounding, taking over, confiscating or otherwise forfeiting the Applicant’s (Saraki) right to own and peacefully enjoy any of his assets and properties”.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/saraki-kicks-as-court-orders-forfeiture-of-n1bn-houses.html

On October 24, 2019, an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Lagos State sentenced Adegboyega Adenekan, a school supervisor, to 60 years imprisonment for defiling a two-year-old pupil. In convicting the 47-year-old, the trial judge, Justice Sybil Nwaka held that “The victim, in her evidence before the court, said Adenekan put his mouth…

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/how-sex-offenders-register-can-curb-rape-others.html

Since the first two cases of AIDS, which sent panic, doubt and disbelief to the nation, was diagnosed in Nigeria in 1985 and reported in 1986 in Lagos, the fight by both the Federal Government and donor agencies to bring an end to the epidemic has been intensified, but achievement is still dragging in some aspect. Thirty years after, challenges such as stigmatization, lack of fund, access to drugs and others have not been fully tackled.

The spread of the infection over the past years has a great impact on health, welfare, employment and the criminal justice sectors; affecting all social and ethnic groups throughout the world, as the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s recent epidemiological data indicate that HIV remains a public health issue that persistently drains our economic sector having claimed more than 25 million lives over the last three decades. The 2019 Nigerian HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) result released early in the year by the Federal Government of Nigeria indicate a national HIV prevalence in Nigeria of 1.4% among adults aged 15–49 years.

Previous estimates had indicated a national HIV prevalence of 2.8%. UNAIDS and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS estimate that there are 1.9 million people living with HIV in Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari, while speaking at the launch of the report, said Nigeria welcomed the news that there are fewer people living with HIV in the country than previously estimated and launched the Revised National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework 2019–2021, which will guide the country’s future response to the epidemic. “Nigeria has made good progress in scaling up HIV treatment and prevention services in recent years.

“For the first time, the end of AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is truly in sight for our country. I urge all of us not to relent but to increase the momentum. Let us work collectively and push for the last mile.” Prevalence rate HIV/AIDS prevalence rate differ from state to state in Nigeria. NAIIS report for 2019 revealed that two South-south states are among the three states with the highest HIV prevalence rate in Nigeria as Akwa Ibom tops the chart with about 5.5 per cent of its residents living with the virus, followed by Benue which has a prevalence rate of 5.3 percent while Rivers is third with a prevalence rate of 3.8 per cent.

The result shows that about one percent of Nigerians (1.9 million people) are currently living with HIV/AIDS. This figure moves Nigeria from second to the fourth position among countries battling the HIV epidemic. With an earlier estimate of about 3.2 million people living with HIV, Nigeria was second after South Africa which ranks first with about 7.1 million people living with HIV. Patients challenges Though many enlightened Nigerians have started seeing the ailment as other sicknesses but challenges of stigmatisation from family members, work places and from the public is still on the high side, thereby making many that are living with the virus to keep mute over their status.

Access to drugs in some facilities is still a challenge also. Some members of Adolescent and Young People Living with HIV (AYP) in Benue State have identified user fees, non-disclosure of status and stigma as key factors militating against the ability of sufferers to access drugs. At least three of them who didn’t want their names on print spoke to our correspondent in Makurdi. One of them said user fees in some health facilities such as the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Makurdi where a sufferer is required to pay N200 have made it difficult for the unemployed to access their ARV drugs regularly. “The ARV drugs are provided for people supposedly at an absolutely free rate but when sufferers proceed to adult session or the clinic to access their drugs, some of them are turned back due to lack of money.

“At the FMC, the fee charged is N200 but unemployed young people don’t have such money all the time so they are turned back without accessing their drug. This means that their viral load would increase which may now lead to other opportunistic infection,” the respondent said. He added that the issue of disclosure was also a factor, stressing that a positive person would only do well in health when he or she summons courage to disclose their status while opining that parents owe it a duty to tell their positive children why they are placed on drugs. For this respondent, stigmatisation makes it difficult for positive people to disclose their status and until that matter is taken seriously by those concerned, many would continue to die silently.

Another respondent, who said he accesses drugs alongside his wife free of any charges at the FSP HIV facility in Agan-Makurdi, agreed that stigmatisation remains a big issue. The respondent said apart from his immediate family and health workers who know about his positive status, he had refused to disclose his status to his friends and colleagues. Similarly, a teenage girl, who claimed to access her drugs freely at Gbajimgba General Hospital, expressed worry that stigma has restrained many people from accessing drugs at various facilities. Agency and donor’s efforts The Director-General National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Gambo Aliyu, at a press briefing to commemorate the 2019 World AIDS Day with the theme, ‘Communities Make the Difference’, said Nigeria accounts for more than half of new infections and deaths from AIDS-related illnesses.

According to him, less than 40 percent of Nigerian adolescents and young people have the appropriate knowledge and comprehensive knowledge about HIV. Dr Aliyu decried the decline in international and domestic funding for the control of HIV/AIDS in the country. “We still have work to do. As Nigeria strives to achieve epidemic control in an environment where international funding for HIV is reducing and Nigeria’s domestic funding for HIV is estimated to be below 30 percent, the efforts of communities are urgently needed to ensure that HIV remains on the political agenda and galvanize international and national funding for HIV,” he said.

Chairman, House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control, Dahiru Sariki, said health workers would soon begin a house-to-house HIV/AIDS screening in communities across Nigeria. He said the screening would ensure that a good number of Nigerians ascertain their HIV status and push for early treatment and prevention. He urged the NACA to ensure more Nigerians are captured in the screening process with a view to achieving the goal of making the nation HIV-free. New campaign against HIV/AIDS In commemoration of the 2019 WAD, the Federal Government in conjunction with NACA and PEPFAR launched the ‘Undetectable=Untransmittable’ (“U=U”) campaign to promote the benefit of treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS and encourage HIV positive persons to access treatment.

Launching the campaign on Monday, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, said the campaign will help the country achieve zero new HIV infections and reduce stigma for Nigerians living with HIV. “With the unveiling of this campaign, we are joining the rest of the international community to raise the consciousness of all Nigerians to the fact that Undetectable viral load equals to Untransmittable virus. With the unveiling of this campaign, we stand with Nigerians living with HIV to support their goal of viral load suppression,” he said. Also speaking at the launch, the DG of NACA, Dr Aliyu, said this year’s WAD theme acknowledged the essential role communities play in the global HIV response.

“Communities include; networks of people living with or are affected by HIV, women and young people, peer educators, counsellors, community health workers, door-to-door service providers, civil society organizations, media, religious leaders, traditional rulers, policy makers, implementing partners and activists.” He stated that achieving epidemic control will require more resources in the form of community time and effort to educate the society, fight stigma and discrimination, and improve access to HIV services by every member of the community.

He added that Nigeria needs to ensure her programmes for prevention, treatment and care are community compliant, targeted, cost efficient and sustainable. “This is possible with meaningful community engagement in planning, budgeting and implementation of our intervention programs.

The U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief Mission, Ms Kathleen FitzGibbon, noted that for the first time in modern history, they have the opportunity to control the AIDS epidemic in Nigeria, adding that “U=U” has proven to change the way people view HIV and HIV-positive individuals. “It empowers patients to not only get tested but to take control of their status, with the ultimate goal of maintaining an undetectable viral load. “With the great partnership we share with the government of Nigeria, I’m sure we can achieve HIV epidemic control in Nigeria,” she said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/world-aids-day-despite-efforts-challenges-still-persist.html

With the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Chief David Lyon, as governor-elect in Bayelsa State, he is expected to “scale the hurdle” and relate with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominated state House of Assembly. In the 24-member House, the PDP has 19 while APC now has five, with the conclusion of the supplementary election in Brass Constituency I where APC’s Charles Daniel won in last Saturday’s re-run in the constituency.

This would be the first time since 1999 that separate parties would control the executive and legislative arms of governance in the state. Certainly, the first leadership crisis that may ensue in the assembly is the change of the Speaker, Mr Monday Obolo, who is from the same Southern Ijaw LGA with the incoming governor, David Lyon. The chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Barrister Jothan Amos, while speaking with Daily Trust on cooperation between the incoming governor and the House of Assembly, said Lyon, as a person who has interest in the development of Bayelsa and the empowerment of his people, would maintain a cordial working relationship with the legislators despite party affiliation. He said: “The incoming governor in person of Chief David Lyon is an amiable person and there is nobody he cannot work with, he can be alone in APC and still work with opposite lawmakers, he is known for development, so he will do very well because those people in the House of Assembly are yearning for development.

“This will be possible because the leadership of PDP under Governor Seriake Dickson has been oppressing them, they too are happy about the APC victory, so there is no cause for alarm, what Bayelsans need now is good governance, infrastructure developments and security, which Lyon promised during his campaigns. “What happened in the just concluded election was the manifestation of the will of the people who wanted to be librated from the bondage Dickson subjected them.

They simply expressed the fact that they were tired of darkness, underdevelopment, non-payment of salaries, too many abandoned projects, delapidated schools, insecurity and misappropriation of public funds. “The people expressed their disappointment in the PDP-led government at the polls, this was done without any form of financial inducement. If at all Dickson has learnt to receive wise counsel, I would suggest he rather starts offsetting the many debts he owes Bayelsa civil servants and not to continue to make comments that would bridge the existing peace Bayelsans currently enjoy. “Members of the Bayelsa House of Assembly should reason above party affiliations and join hands to work for a greater Bayelsa which the APC and the governor-elect promised, we should join hands together for the future of our children and Ijaw people.”

Speaking after receiving the certificate, Lyon who dedicated his victory to the people of the state, promised to carry every Bayelsan along and urged the people to bury party considerations and work for the common good of the state. He said: “I thank INEC for its commitment to the conclusion of the elections despite pressures to do otherwise. “To all the people of Bayelsa, this is the time to come together to build our dear state, my victory at the polls is for the people and I am assuring you, my people, that I will not fail you. “The APC-led administration will be for a total change which Bayelsa is going to be witnessing in the next few months. I believe in this context, everyone is a winner.

“Let us come together and ensure that the state develops and there will be ecurity and investors.” He said. A PDP House of Assembly member who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the lawmakers would work with the incumbent administration in the best interest of the state and democracy to thrive. He denied any plot to impeach or delay appointments made by the incoming governor, saying that since the people of Bayelsa had spoken through the ballots, the lawmakers would respect the people’s will. “Every Bayelsan is yearning for development, none of us is planning for confrontation with the incoming governor, I believe when the time comes, the leadership of the House will make a statement, but as far as I’m concerned, we should be more after the good of our state and not busy about which party controls the arms of government.

“Our duty is to make laws and carry out our oversight functions properly, we should not antagonize the executive, the same way the executive will not under-estimate us, we are all working for the good of Bayelsans. “If the governor sends any communication when he is sworn-in, we will consider it, its our duty, the people of our state have spoken, we should not stand against it,” he said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-dominated-assembly-the-next-fight-for-lyon.html

Months after the Federal Executive Council ratified the deal for full implementation of the new N30, 000 minimum wage and conclusion of negotiations on consequential adjustment of salaries of higher income earners with the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, state governments are under enormous pressure to begin implementation, with some states still struggling to comply.

OYO

The Oyo State government is yet to decide on whether it can afford to pay the new minimum wage, the Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, told Daily Trust on Wednesday. He said the state government and workers had decided to make consultations which outcome would soon be made public. Adisa had, in a statement, recently said the wage bill of workers in the state increased by N1bn shortly after the governorship election of March 9, a development that shot up the wage bill to about N5.2bn. “Between March 10, when we were declared winner of the election, and May 29, when we eventually got into office, the wage bill of Oyo State increased by N1bn but we have been paying it,” he had said. Also, the chairman, Oyo State Internal Revenue Service (OYIRS), Aremo John Adeleke, recently revealed that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) rose to about N2.7bn in the month of October. Adeleke said from the average of about N1.2bn monthly inherited from the last administration, the sudden rise followed the efforts of the Makinde administration to block leakages and ensure a continuous rise in the IGR to help the state depend less on federal allocation.

KOGI

In Kogi, at a recent meeting Governor Yahaya Bello held with leaders of organised labour in the state, he told them that if states such as Katsina, Zamfara and Niger could pay the minimum, why wouldn’t Kogi pay. The governor while reacting to the signing of the N30,000 minimum wage bill said, “Laws are made to be obeyed and we are sure the federal government will make it convenient for states to pay the new minimum wage.” At the moment, the monthly wage bill of workers in the state government employ is within the region of about N2.5bn. The monthly allocation from the FAAC to the state hovers between N2.5bn and N2.6bn, while the state’s IGR on monthly basis is about N1.3bn. Kogi took a bailout of N50.8bn to offset salaries owed workers. Until recently, when the situation of salaries was largely addressed following release of the bail-out funds, Kogi had challenges in paying salaries even at N18,000 minimum wage.

OGUN

The former administration in Ogun State put the wage bill at N9bn, while the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was N7bn. However, Governor Dapo Abiodun in June hinted that the state’s wage bill stands at N7bn. Our correspondent learnt that the decrease in the bill was due to the absence of the cabinet. Abiodun equally said his government had recorded “unprecedented increase” in IGR, but kept the figure close to his chest. On Wednesday, the governor assured workers that his administration would give the implementation of the new minimum wage “serious and positive consideration.” The organized labour in the state had appealed to the governor to expedite action on the implementation of the new minimum wage in the state.

KADUNA

The Kaduna State government is one of the first to agree to pay the new minimum wage, and started paying in September. Many local governments in the state have also keyed into the initiative and have started implementing the new minimum wage. Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, had explained that Governor Nasir El-Rufai intends to strengthen the public service and its capacity to deliver quality and responsive public service, hence the decision to implement the new wage structure. The Executive Chairman of Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KDIRS), Dr Said Abubakar, on Thursday announced that the state generated N30.3bn in 10 months. The state government said paying the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments would increase the wage bill by 33%, giving them a gross monthly salary outlay of N3.759bn from the current N2.827bn.

NASARAWA

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State was reported to have promised to commence the process for the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage in the state. He disclosed at a two-day retreat for political appointees in Akwanga, that an agreement had been reached on the consequential adjustment for workers on grade levels 7 to 17, and the state would soon commence the process of implementation. Governor Sule said he had sworn to obey laws as a governor, adding that the N30,000 minimum wage is a law in the country that must be obeyed. He however described Nasarawa as being among the most disadvantaged in terms of federal subvention and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

KATSINA

In Katsina, the state government has constituted a negotiating committee on the minimum wage under the leadership of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, to within three weeks report back to government with recommendations on its implementation. Governor Aminu Masari during their inauguration urged them to make sure they make recommendations in accordance with the resources available. Daily Trust Saturday investigation showed that the committee has since its inauguration met twice and has the Kaduna, Jigawa and Lagos salary scales as guide towards their recommendations. Presently, the state government supports most of its local governments to pay salaries and wages. On revenue generation, the chairman of the state revenue board, Aminu Abdulmumini, said it generated N6.3b from January to September this year, adding, “Our target is N8.1b for 2019”

BAUCHI

The Bauchi State government has continued to remain silent over its stand on the implementation of the minimum wage. The government is currently conducting the verification of possession of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) of civil servants to fish out ghost workers on government’s payroll. The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Ladan Salihu, declined response while the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media asked for time to verify and respond. The organized labour in the state had last week submitted a letter demanding the state government to commence the negotiations on the adjustment to the implementation of the new wage. Bauchi state Chairman of TUC, Comrade Muhammed Usman Misau, said, “We hope the negotiations will commence soon and we are confident that the state government would be willing to implement the new minimum wage.”

PLATEAU

Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State has made it clear in many forums that his administration would do all it takes to pay the minimum wage despite shortfall in revenue. Currently, Plateau is paying N18, 000 as minimum wage according to the Head of Service, Izam Azi, who also said the state government had on Monday set up a 12-man committee to negotiate with organised labour, with a view to coming out with modalities for implementation in the state. Plateau State Head of Service, Izam Azi, had in May said the state would require N2bn monthly to meet the N30, 000 minimum wage.

EDO

The Edo State government says it is ready to pay the N30,000 minimum wage. Governor Godwin Obaseki had during the budget presentation at the state House of Assembly earmarked N34bn for workers’ welfare, saying workers’ welfare got the lion’s share of the budget due to government’s commitment to implementing the new minimum wage. Speaking with Daily Trust, the media aide to the governor, Crusoe Osagie, said the state government had said it would pay the N30,000 minimum wage even before FG rounded up negotiations. “Edo has been paying N25,000 as minimum wage when other states were still paying N18,000, so it will not be difficult for us as a state because we are moving from N25,000 to N30,000.”

NIGER

The Niger State government has reiterated its commitment towards the implementation of the new minimum wage, saying provision to that effect was part of the key items in the 2020 budget. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alh Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, disclosed this in Minna. Matane said Governor Abubakar Sani Bello had received the circular on the minimum wage, adding that his administration would honour it. According to him, labour has notified the government on the issue and both labour and the office of the Head of Service are putting up a framework to commence negotiation.

RIVERS

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike at a function early this year said the state government would pay the new minimum wage as soon as it receives official transmission from the federal government. The government is however yet to implement the new minimum wage as confirmed by some state civil servants who spoke with our correspondent. A source from Government House told our reporter that the governor would implement the new wage as soon as the transmission is received. Information obtained from FAAC shows that Rivers State receives a monthly allocation of N14.7bn from the federation account. The state government spends N6bn monthly on wage bill. Salaries for civil servants gulp N5bn monthly while pension allowances take N1bn, bringing the figure to N6bn. The state government raked in N112.78bn in 2018 as IGR. A breakdown shows that the state’s monthly IGR stands between 7.5bn and N8.5bn. Governor Wike recently directed the state IGR board to raise the monthly IGR to N10bn.

KANO

The Kano State government says it will pay the new minimum wage with an additional N600, making it a total of N30,600 to the state civil servants. The state’s Head of Service, Dr. Kabir Shehu, told Daily Trust Saturday that an agreement had been reached already on the implementation with regard to civil servants on grade levels 1 to 6, saying negotiation was on concerning workers on grade levels 7 to 17. He added that the state was financially capable of implementing the new salary structure, noting that it would not amount to retrenchment, or laying off of workers. Recall that on October 29, 2019, the Head of Service was reported to have disclosed that the wage bill for the state civil service would rise above N10bn monthly when the minimum wage is eventually implemented. The current wage bill of the state stands at N9.6bn monthly for the over 180,000 workers of the state.

ENUGU

In Enugu State, the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led government said it is currently holding crucial talks with the organized labour in the state to determine the proper direction to go in paying the new minimum wage . The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chidi Aroh , told Daily Trust on phone: “The position of the government is that we are still holding discussions with the organized labour. As soon as we conclude the talks with organized labour, we will start paying. Enugu State government has always had good, cordial working relationship with the organized labour.”

ABIA

Abia State may have signified its intention to pay the new minimum wage, but it also says it stands with the decision of the NGF, even as it is ready to sit down with labour and sort things out. The state Information Commissioner, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, said, “Abia will not be left behind in the new minimum wage implementation. When other states were struggling to pay N18, 000, Abia State was paying N20, 000. So, the state government will sit down with the organised labour and agree on which category gets what, with regards to consequential adjustment in wages.” He said the Internally Generated revenue had dropped from N900m to N600m while the wage bill had consistently remains at N900m.

BAYELSA

In Bayelsa State, the government has expressed readiness to implement the new minimum wage. Governor Seriake Dickson during the 2019 Workers’ Day celebration told workers that what was delaying implementation was the directive and formula from the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission which are in charge of bringing out the formula for the new salary structure. The governor assured the workers that the state would be among the first to effect the new salary structure once the formula is out. The Commissioner for finance, Mr. Maxwell Ibibai at the monthly Transparency Briefing early in the month disclosed that the monthly wage bill of the state now stands at N3.5 billion while Internally Generated Revenue stands at N1.3 billion. The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Bayelsa State, Comrade John Ndiomu, said the labour leadership recently received the template for the implementation and they had since written to the government to start the implementation.

BENUE

The Benue State government has since agreed to pay the new national minimum wage, but Governor Samuel Ortom however on different fora had appealed to the federal government to review the national sharing revenue formula upward. “Benue is in agreement with the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage recently signed into law. We will meet with labour for the implementation of the new minimum wage,” he said recently. He added that though states are willing to pay, they would however do better if the revenue sharing formula undergoes an upward review. The financial strength of the state based on the just presented 2020 budget draft to the state, showed that by the end of the third quarter of 2019, the state realised N59.8bn from various sources.

BORNO

Governor Babagana Zulum on Thursday inaugurated a committee of government and labour officials to work out measures and advise the state government on the implementation of new national minimum wage. The committee made up 22 persons drawn from the Nigeria Labour Congress, the trade union, former heads of service and some government officials, is to work with all stakeholders, consider the financial capacity of the state and the need of workers in order to make recommendations to the government. Governor Zulum expressed appreciation to the organised labour for maintaining an excellent relationship with government.

LAGOS

In Lagos State, workers are expected to start collecting N35,000 as the minimum wage as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has assured. Many workers expressed their reservations about the promised package, though. They said the government had notoriety for announcing wages to the world and then underpaying workers. Some civil servants our correspondent spoke with asserted that even when other states were paying the N18,000 minimum wage, the state was paying nothing higher than N14,000. A circular from the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola on November 27, 2019 explained the new salary increase percentages as they affect levels 7-17. A worker said their expectations in terms of the exact cash that would be topping their salaries isn’t that high, as the state government was not clear on whether its announced figures were based on basic salaries or total emoluments. Lagos State is considered as one of the richest states in Nigeria, with an internally generated revenue of N35 billion monthly. It collected a total of N58.1 billion as allocation from the Federal Account Allocation Committee in the first half of 2019, and in June 2019 collected N6.082bn from FAAC.

CROSS RIVER

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State is yet to inaugurate a committee to look at the possibility of paying the new national minimum wage. However, the Trade Union Congress and Nigeria Labour Congress in the state had since set up a unified committee to look into the minimum wage and are impressing on the government to expedite action on it. As it looks, the state governor seems not inclined yet to the exercise even though the governor has said when other states comply he would not be left out.

ZAMFARA

The Zamfara State government says it would start paying the new minimum wage as soon as it gets the template for the payment from the federal government, the Director General, Press Affairs, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, told Daily Trust Saturday. “We are yet to get any information from the federal government but as soon as we get the relevant document we would start paying. If you could remember, Governor Bello Matawalle said he would not hesitate to implement the minimum wage as part of his administration’s plan to improve the welfare of the workers,” Idris said. However, the state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress Mr Bashir Mafara said they had constituted a committee to look into the matter or negotiate with the government. “The committee would start working on the matter anytime next week. So we are on course and we are working hard to resolve the issue,” Mafara said. An official who asked for anonymity said the internally generated revenue for the state is hovering around N1.6 to N1.8 billion and the current wage bill is N 1.2 billion.

IMO

The Chairman of the Public Service Joint Negotiating Council in Imo State, Mr. Aloy Iwuanyanwu, told our correspondent that that the council is yet to open discussion with the state government on the implementation of the new minimum wage following pleas from Governor Emeka Ihedioha for some time. According to him, the joint council wrote to the governor, but he pleaded with them to give him some time in order to determine the total package payable to workers so as to determine what the state can pay. Iwuanyanwu however said the workers would not accept anything less than the federally-negotiated minimum wage. The chairman said, “We wrote to the governor and he asked us to give him two weeks to pay December salaries to enable him determine the wage bill and how to make the consequential adjustments in the minimum wage. “We are prepared to wait in as much as it will not deviate from what is acceptable at the federal level.” The same sentiment was echoed by the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Mr. Austin Chilakpu, who said the congress was awaiting the response to the letter from the joint negotiating council to the state governor, adding the NLC had not much to do with the negotiations.

EBONYI

Workers are still awaiting implementation of the new minimum wage in Ebonyi State, as it is yet to be determined by the state government. Daily Trust Saturday gathered that Governor Umahi has set up a committee on it, putting into consideration the state’s financial status as among the least in the 36 states of the federation. The governor had reiterated that he would not be first or the last to pay the new wage.

ADAMAWA

The Adamawa State government has commenced payment of N32,000 minimum wage to junior workers in the state. Many civil servants who spoke to our correspondent confirmed receipt of their improved salaries as promised by Governor Fintiri. However, the increment so far affects workers on grade levels 1 to 6 while those on grade levels 7 to 17 are still awaiting implementation of the new wage as government and labour leaders discuss modalities. The Head of Service, Dr. Amos Edgar, said with this development, the governor had fulfilled his promise as no civil servant in the state receives less than N32,000. He noted that salary adjustment for those on higher grade levels was being worked out as government and labour leaders discuss the consequential adjustments. The chairman, state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Fashe, confirmed that the NLC had been in talks with the government over the consequential adjustments while junior workers have started enjoying the new minimum wage.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/minimum-wage-governors-body-language-unsettles-civil-servants.html

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have shot dead a driver and abducted 13 others at Sabon-Gari village, along Abuja-Lokoja road. A driver, Ibrahim, who narrowly escaped the attack, said the incident happened around 6:12pm yesterday when the gunmen suddenly emerged from the bush.

He said he was on his way driving from Abaji to Kwaita market when the gunmen in army uniform emerged from the bush and opened fire on vehicles. According to him, the driver of an unmarked Toyota Highlander jeep coming from Lokoja axis on sighting the gunmen, attempted to escape but one of the gunmen opened fire and killed him instantly. He said an 18-seater commercial bus coming from Abaji was also unlucky when the gunmen busted the bus tyres with bullets, before they asked passengers on board to disembark and whisked them away into the bush. The corpse of the jeep driver was still lying by the side of the road when our reporter visited the scene around 7pm.

There was heavy traffic around the scene as motorists coming from both directions stopped at the scene to have a glimpse look up the incident scene. When contacted, spokesman of the FCT police command, ASP Maryam Yusuf, said the command was yet get details of the incident.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/gunmen-kill-driver-kidnap-13-others-along-abuja-lokoja-road.html

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The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, has said the Home Grown School Feeding programme is one of the Federal Government’s top priorities. Hajiya Farouq said this in Abuja while reacting to news that the ministry had refused to approve payments for vendors in Lagos, Imo, Kogi and Benue states.

“Since my appointment as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, I have severally reaffirmed my commitment to delivering on the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to lift 100 million people in Nigeria out of poverty in 10 years. I am therefore very much aware of the importance of the Home Grown School Feeding Programme,” she said.

A statement released by her assistant on media, Halima Oyelade, said delay with the payment of vendors in four states was informed by some internal processes and due diligence that needed to be carried out. The minister reiterated that the school feeding programme, as well as other components of the National Social Investment Programmes and indeed other interventions domiciled in the ministry, remained of utmost importance to her personally.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/school-feeding-programme-remains-a-priority-fg.html

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