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  • Mar, Thu, 2020
Health

COVID-19: Rivers Govt. sets up committee to create awareness

COVID-19: Rivers Govt. sets up committee to create awareness

Committee

By Dianabasi Effiong

Port Harcourt, March 12, 2020 (NAN) The Rivers State Executive Council has set up a committee to create awareness for the prevention of coronavirus in the state.

The State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim told journalists on Thursday that the State Executive Council meeting approved the 5-Member Executive Council committee.

He said: “The State Executive Council reviewed the global pandemic and set up a 5-Member committee to carry out an aggressive awareness campaign on the prevention of coronavirus.

“Members of the committee are the Commissioner for Information and Communication,  Paulinus Nsirim (Chairman), Commissioner for Health and Prof. Chike Princewill (Member), Commissioner for Environment.

“Others are:   Dr Igbiks Tamuno (Member), Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs,  Barrister Olisa Tasie-Amadi (Member) and Commissioner for Youth Affairs, Ohia Prince (Member).

“This committee is to ensure that citizens of the State in the 23 Local Government areas get adequate information that will stop them from contracting the virus. ”

“We also use this opportunity to inform members of the public that they need to practice elementary hygiene.

“They should use hand sanitisers to prevent contracting the virus,’’ Nsirim said.(NAN)

DOE/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

 

 

Metro

FG to reconstitute committee over partial implementation of minimum wage

 Wage
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2019 (NAN) Dr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment says the Federal Government will reconstitute a new committee to begin fresh negotiations for full implementation of the new national minimum wage.

Ngige made this known when the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there have been issues with partial implementation of the wage, following reports of commencement of payments for workers from level one to six.

He said that it was important for workers earning above N30, 000 and on grade level seven to 17 to be patient as the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage implementation was being sorted out.

“I am one of those who believe that a workman is due his wages, if you work in a vineyard, you will eat from that vineyard, and you will eat all of the fruits that are in the vineyard.

“The issue of the national minimum wage will be sorted out for those other cadres, and I am very hopeful that it will be done as soon as possible.

“The unions of NLC and TUC have not been involved, but when we come back, we will involve you, so that we can have a speedy movement in this respect.

“It is unfortunate that negotiations were deadlocked from levels seven to till 17, and issues became on what percentage or slides that they should use on the sliding scale.

“The bad thing is that we are going to discuss and negotiate it, it is a Collective Bargaining Arrangement (CBA), because if we talk strictly about the minimum wage, it is already being implemented because the minimum wage is for the person on the lower rung of the ladder.”

The minister called on Nigerians and the proposed negotiation committee to be realistic in their demands, saying “the economy is in dire need of support and the provisions of the fiscal responsibility law cautions government on spending and debts.’’

“The consequential adjustment that is following it must also be reflected, they must be done because you have impinged on other people’s scale.

“For example, you pay 30,000 to the person on level one, when that 30,000 was what some other was getting when he was on level 7, it doesn’t fly, so there must be a consequential adjustment and government is not averse to the consequential adjustment.

“What we are saying is that we should try for all parties to agree, that the economy is in doldrums, that the economy has some troubles, and therefore, we have to cut our coat according to our cloth, that is the most important thing.

“There are so many things about the salaries of workers, which we as a government cannot say; some of them can impinge on the fiscal responsibility law, because that law makes provision for what a current expenditure can be.

“And what loans government take and can be used for, those are the critical issues, and we are trying to balance them.  We must do the balancing so we don’t run foul of our laws.”

“Contrary to reports that the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) and the representatives of the Federal Government didn’t make any progress on wage implementation, and the president has set up a Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS), to consolidate on efforts made for the benefit of workers.’’

Ngige hinted that it would be beneficial and important for the committee to fast track processes to reduce burden of arrears on Federal Government and state governments.

“It is important that we advise them that if they keep on piling debts, the federal government might go into problem of payments, the state governments that have always not been regular with payments will have problem.

“The best thing to do is for them to send down this to the state and show the example by paying.

“The state government as at today are duty bound, and they now have the template to pay levels one to six, and they are plenty, when we reconstitute our committee, I do not see us not agreeing, we can disagree, but we will eventually agree.”

On unemployment crises, Ngige urged the organised labour to intervene in stemming the issue and its implications, saying government alone could not fill the gaps.

NLC President, Dr Ayuba Wabba, said the union had a mandate of tripartite arrangement to defend, promote and protect the rights of workers.

According to him, the union has learnt lessons from its past and will work to ensure that democratic institutions thrive and promote industrial peace and harmony.

He listed concerns of casualisation of workers, outsourcing of jobs, and also said the future of work was being threatened by technology.

Wabba stressed the need to institutionalise social dialogue in conformity with the ILO Conventions, adding that this would help to promote industrial harmony and peace when disagreement occurs.

He called on the minister to intervene in payment of subventions to strengthen Nigeria’s efforts at the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity, saying this would promote pan Africanism in the region.

He said Kenyan President, Dr Uhuru Kenyatta, had pledged a grant of 200 dollars to strengthen unionism in the region and foster regional development.

On the partial implementation of the new minimum wage, Wabba urged the minister to speedy up processes to enable all workers benefit from the addition. (NAN)
TAK/AAB/GY
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Edited By Adeboye Ajayi/Grace Yussuf

Politics

Nasarawa Assembly committee on non-payment of LG funds begins sitting

Nasarawa Assembly committee on non-payment of LG funds begins sitting
By Mohammed Baba Busu
Investigation
Lafia, July 17, 2019 (NAN) The Nasarawa State House of Assembly (NSHA) ad hoc committee investigating non-payment of June salary to local government workers and unnecessary deductions of local council funds in the state has called for constructive contributions from the general public.
Mr Mohammed Alkali (APC-Lafia North), the Chairman of the committee, made the appeal at the commencement of sitting on Wednesday in Lafia.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those in attendance during the sitting included the State Accountant General, Mr Zakka Yakubu; Special Adviser to Gov. Abdullahi Sule on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr John Mamman; and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Bala Sani, among others.
Alkali said that the investigation was not to witch-hunt anybody but to ensure that right things were done for the benefit of the local government staff, people at the grassroots and for the overall development of the state.
He noted that the state was a civil service state, hence the need to ensure that salaries of workers were paid as at when due.
“Yesterday, July 16, matter of urgent public importance was raised over non-payment of June salary to local government staff and other unnecessary deduction of local government funds in the state.
“And the matter touches the lives of every person in Nasarawa State.
“Local government staff June salary has not been paid, we want to know why they have not been paid, among other issues.
“I don’t want anybody to see the investigation as a witch-hunt but to correct any abnormality if discovered in the interest of our people,’’ he said.
The chairman further assured the people of the state of the assembly’s readiness to pass resolutions that would have direct bearing on their lives.
NAN recalls that the legislature on July 16 set up a six-man committee to investigate the finances of the state ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs to probe the development.

The House gave the committee two weeks to submit its findings. (NAN)
BAB/ECN/MST
Edited by Emmanuel Nwoye/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Metro

Labour urges FG to reconvene minimum wage committee

Wage
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, July 16, 2019 (NAN) The Trade Union Side (TUS) has called on the Federal Government to reconvene the meeting of the Technical Committee on Consequential Adjustment of the New Minimum Wage.

It said this would enable speedy conclusion and benefit to Nigerian workers.

The call was made in a communiqué signed by Mr Simon Anchaver, at the end of a meeting of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) in Abuja.

He noted that the call became necessary following the need to ensure that all Public Service Employees benefit adequately from the N30,000 new monthly National Minimum Wage.

The organised labour, however, reviewed downward her demands from 66.66 per cent to 30 per cent for officers on grade levels 07-14 and 25 per cent for officers on grade levels 15-17.

“When the Technical Committee started to meet, the Trade Union Side (TUS) proposed upward salary adjustment of 66.6 per cent across board in order to maintain existing relativity in the emoluments of Public Servants, bearing in mind that the actual increase in minimum wage is 66.6 per cent.

“The Government Side argued that if 66.66 per cent was added across board to the salaries of Public Servants, the wage bill will be too high for Government to bear; consequently.

“This is because the government promised to undertake a general salary review in no distant future, labour then maintained that 30 per cent increase should be effected in the salaries of officers on grade levels 07-14 and 25 per cent to salary of officers on grade level 15-17,” he said.

Anchaver said the organised labour felt strongly that its demand was very much reductive bearing in mind few salary adjustment approved for some agencies of government whereby salary GL 01 step 1 officer would be taking home about N150,000.00 per month.

According to him, all efforts by the TUS to persuade the Government Side to return to the right track of negotiation and agree on a realistic percentage increase proved abortive.

He expressed concern that rather than presenting the two positions to technical sub committee as agreed, the Government Side introduced another clause to the discussion.

He said the government side insisted that the Terms of Reference was to work out the consequential adjustment of salaries of Public Servants based on the subhead provided for salaries in the 2019 Budget.

He said that the organised labour has commenced mobilisation and sensitisation of Public Service employees in the entire 36 States of the Federation and FCT to prepare them for total Trade Union actions.

This, it said, was in the event that negotiation on the consequential adjustment arising from the N30,000 monthly new National Minimum Wage completely breaks.

It would be recalled that the New wage was signed into Law by the President in April; but deliberations on the issue of negotiation of relativity/consequential adjustment of salaries still persisted.

The Federal Government on May 14 inaugurated the relativity/Consequential Adjustment Committee which in turn set up a Technical Sub-Committee to work out the template for the adjustment of salaries of Public Service Employees. (NAN)
TAK/IS
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Politics

Nasarawa Assembly inaugurates committee on LG finances

Nasarawa Assembly inaugurates committee on LG finances
By Mohammed Baba Busu
Committee
Lafia, July 16, 2019 (NAN) The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has set up a six-man committee to investigate the finances of Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs because of non-payment of staff June salary and unnecessary deductions of council funds.
The Speaker, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, made this known while constituting the committee, after Mr Danladi Jatau (PDP-Kokona West), raised the issue under Matters of Public Interest at plenary on Tuesday in Lafia.
He said it was disheartening that up till now, June salary of local government workers had not been paid.
“What is happening in the local government is sad and unfortunate; why is it that 16 days after, June salary of the local government staff has not been paid?
“We cannot fold our hands to see our brothers and sisters, who are working at the local government level suffering.
“I appreciate the Minority Leader, Hon. Danladi Jatau, for raising the matter; and other members, for contributing positively to it.
“It is on this note that I will set up six-man committee to include Alhaji Mohammed Alkali of Lafia North Constituency as the Chairman, and Mr Ego Maikeffi, the Clerk of the House, to serve as Secretary of the committee.
“Danladi Jatau (PDP-Kokona West); Ibrahim Muluku (APC-Nassarawa Eggon East); John Osewu (PDP-Doma South) as members.”
Other members of the committee include Daniel Ogazi (APC-Kokona East) and Abdulaziz Danladi (Keffi-East).
Abdullahi directed the committee to submit their report on July 22.
He noted that the House would continue to ensure that the right things were done in the best interest of the state, and for the overall development of the country. (NAN)
BAB/FLP/MST
Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

New emirates not meant to despise Kano Emirate, any personality – Committee

New emirates not meant to despise Kano Emirate, any personality – Committee
By Tukur Muntari
Emirates
Kano, June 10, 2019 (NAN) The restoration of Gaya, Rano and Karaye emirates in Kano State was not meant to despise Kano Emirate or any personality as perceived by some narrow-minded elements in the society.
Mr Haruna Isa-Dederi, a member-elect representing Karaye/Rano Federal Constituency and member, Committee for the restoration of the three Emirates, stated this at a news conference in Kano on Monday.
“We should like to make it unequivocally clear that the restoration of these emirates has been the aspiration of the vast majority of people of the affected areas.
“The agitation for the restoration of Gaya, Rano and Karaye emirates was originally started by a committee of concerned indigenes of these emirates about 10 years ago.
“For logistic and operational reasons, the efforts by that committee slowed down. For about two years now, in its revival effort, this committee under the patriotic and able leadership of Alhaji Jazuli Muhammad Gaya, reignited the agitations.
“The upgrade and creation is not something new. The promotion of village Heads to District Heads or District Heads to Emirs has been a continuous affair right from the Fulani Jihad to the present day,” he explained.
The lawmaker said the restoration of our hitherto existing emirates as well as the upgrading of Districts to Emirates should not be viewed with negative political connotations.
He said that rather than giving it negative connotations, it should be seen as a deliberate and conscious government’s effort to restore and preserve traditional political autonomy to its historic place.
“On account of a credible historical source, Gaya even preceded Kano itself. For it was blacksmiths from Gaya who first settled around the famous Dutsen Dala in search of ironstone, giving rise to some clustered ancient settlements of sedentary communities, which later became Kano,” he said.
He commended Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje for creating the emirates and called on the people of the areas to support the government. (NAN)
MTM/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FG inaugurates steering committee for women project

FG inaugurates steering committee for women project

By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Committee
Abuja, Feb. 8, 2019 (NAN) The Federal Government has inaugurated the newly constituted members of the steering committee for the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP).

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, who inaugurated the committee in Abuja with the support of World Bank, said the project would be carried out in six pilot states.

The states includes Abuja, Edo, Kebbi, Taraba, Niger and Ogun.

“It was against these varying problems impacting negatively on our women that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development put forward a request to the World Bank.

“The NFWP with an objective to supporting improved livelihood for women in targeted areas of Nigeria which was formally approved by the Federal Executive Council on the Dec. 12, 2018,” she said.

The Minister said the project was proposed to demonstrate the impact of a multi-dimensional and a medium to long term approach to overcome the main institutional and market failures limiting women’s outcome in Nigeria.

“The proposed project intends to achieve this by implementing, across multiple local contexts across Nigeria, approaches that have been proven to contribute to women’s economic empowerment.

“The four project components are building social capital, livelihood support, innovation and partnerships and project management, monitoring, evaluation and learning,” she said.

Abubakar said the steering committee for the Nigeria For Women Project is part of ongoing efforts towards the provision of a comprehensive solution to the menace affecting women especially livelihood issue.

“I can assure you that this government is determined to mitigate this and this eminent team led by my humble self to see through that the project objectives and targets embedded in the Project Appraisal Document and other projects documents to be developed.

“Members would be given copies of the project Appraisal documents and subsequent documents that will be developed in line with the project implementation.

“I want to charge the committee to go out there and knock on the doors of all hearts and institutions in a determined and focused way,” she said.

Earlier, the National Project Coordinator, NFWP, Mrs Friya Bulus, said a total of 324,000 women including 21,300 women affinity groups would benefit from the project in the six pilot states of Abia, Edo, Kebbi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba.

The Commissioner of Women Affairs for Edo, Mrs Magdalene Ohenhen, appreciated the effort of the Federal Government and World Bank, saying the project will be a life changing for those at the rural communities. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

2017 President’s NYSC Honours Award: Committee begins selection process

2017 President’s NYSC Honours Award: Committee begins selection process
By Yashim Katurak
Award
Abuja, Dec. 10. 2018 (NAN) A 13-man National Selection Committee has been inaugurated and given four days to submit names of deserving corps members for the 2017 President’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Honours Award.
Inaugurating the committee in Abuja on Monday, the NYSC Director-General, Maj.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, charged them to approach the process dispassionately and improve on existing standards.
Kazaure said that the management of the scheme expects the committee to emerge with candidates who by every standard would be acceptable to all.
He said that he was optimistic the committee would deliver on the mandate given to it.
“As the highest body saddled with the evaluation of the performance and selection of corps members for the award, this committee is expected to improve on the standards set already.
“As you embark on this round of selection process, I implore you to approach the task dispassionately. This is because management expects the emergence of candidates who by every standard will be acceptable to all.
“As you may be aware, the President’s NYSC honours award was instituted in 1974 as a way of encouraging corps members to contribute to the overall national development by embarking on community development projects.
“The award is also to serve as motivation for hard work and reward for excellence among corps members. Since its commencement, the award has had numerous recipients.
“Community development service remains one of the major areas where the scheme has recorded remarkable success.
“The good image of the scheme is soaring partly due to corps members activities and involvement in the areas of infrastructure, education, healthcare delivery and agriculture in many rural communities across the country,” Kazaure said.
Mr Abdulrasheed Sanusi, the NYSC Director, Corps Welfare and Inspectorate, said that the selection process was in three stratas; namely local government, state and national selection committees.
Sanusi assured that in order to ensure a smooth and hitch-free national selection exercise, the department has conducted due diligence and verified claims from state secretariats to forestall novelty and frivolities.
According to the director, on the spot assessment of the projects were carried out and briefs have been prepared on each corps member to support the citations forwarded by the state secretariates.
“It is therefore, the duty of the national selection committee to meticulously assess the nominees and select diamonds from other pearls using the set criteria.
“The committee has been given four days to present their final selection of corps members to be given the awards. The preliminary work is almost done and the selection committee is here to ensure that our final selection shows objectivity.
“We have put together certain criteria to ensure objectivitiy in the selection of award winners and very soon the award ceremony will be done.’’
Prof. Angela Miri, the Chairman of the Committee and Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja, assured that the committee would ensure transparency and objectivity in the process.
Miri said that the committee would work hard and sieve through all the names previously selected and submitted at the local, state and national levels and come up with truly deserving corps members to receive the honours award.
The vice chancellor listed some of the criteria given to the committee to use for selection to include corps members who have diligently carried out community development service, completed them and have been assessed.
Other criteria include corps members whose community development projects have directly and positively impacted the communities in which they have served and those who were committed during the orientation course.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the committee include two NYSC retired directors, a representative from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), and the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
The committee also comprises a representative from the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army.
Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria, All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), as well as the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLT) are also represented in the committee. (NAN)
KRY/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Economy

Nasarawa Council inaugurates revenue collection committee

Nasarawa Council inaugurates revenue collection committee

Revenue
By Awayi Kuje
Agidi (Nasarawa State), Nov. 7, 2018 (NAN) Mr Amos Tsaku, the Overseer, Agidi Development Area of Nasarawa State, on Wednesday inaugurated a 11-man committee on revenue collection.

Tsaku, while inaugurating the committee in Agidi, Nasarawa State, charged the members to ensure that all revenues accruing to the council was properly remitted.

He tasked members of the committee to explore possible new ways to generate more revenue for the development of the area.

He urged residents to give the committee the much needed support and cooperation to enable them to succeed in the task ahead.

“We cannot continue to depend on federal and state government allocations; there is the need for us to explore more ways of generating revenue to the coffers of the local government, in order to improve on the standard of living of our people.”

He further charged the committee to be transparent and accountable in the discharge of their duties so as to justify the confidence reposed in them.

“I charge you to be diligent while discharging your duties to enable us to deliver the much needed dividends of democracy for the benefit of our people.”

Tsaku also urged staff members of the council to be dedicated and committed to their duties in the interest of peace and national development.

He advised them to shun truancy and other negative tendencies in their interest and for the overall development of the council.

Besides, he urged the people to support government’s efforts by playing active roles toward peace building, adding that only peaceful co-existence can bring development.

Responding on behalf of other members, Mr Iliya Abimiku, the Chairman of the committee, expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in them.

He pledged that they would do their best to succeed in the assignment. (NAN)
AKW/JIE/NKO
Edited by Julius Enehikhuere/Nkechi Okoronkwo

Health

Foundation urges FG to empower Committee on child labour

Foundation urges FG to empower Committee on child labour
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Children
Abuja, Sept. 21, 2018 (NAN) The National Coordinator, Child and Youth Protection Foundation, Mr Kolawole Olatosimi, has appealed to the Federal Government to empower the steering committee on child labour across the country including the FCT.
Olatosimi made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
He said the committee need to be funded adequately and called for more commitment of the members.
Olatosimi said although some state committees are working properly, but there was room for more improvement.
“Boys outnumbered girls in hazardous work; more than 60 per cent children in hazardous work are boys, we must ensure that children are not in hazardous work.
“Some of the physical or psychological impacts of hazardous work may not be obvious immediately, but only begin to appear at a later stage in their lives.
“Hazardous work can have immediate and long-term impacts on children. These may include injury and even death; it could be due to pesticide poisoning,’’ the coordinator said.
Olatosimi said children and adolescents are specifically vulnerable to the effects of hazardous work because they are still developing physically and mentally.
He said some parents could be careless about the wellbeing of their children and hide under poverty to destroy the future of these children and put unnecessary pressure on the larger society.
Olatosimi however said there should be a mechanism to identify and punish erring parents, saying it can serve as deterrent to others and gradually eliminate or reduce the number of children in hazardous work and child labour.
“Another way of eliminating hazardous work on children is to focus on the parents of those children involved in it.
“The necessary government MDAs like the Inspectorate Department of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, NAPTIP, National Human Right Commission must be well funded and staff properly trained to work effectively in the elimination of hazardous work and all forms of child labour.
“The Nigeria hazardous work list need to be disseminated to more MDAs, and the public and the ministry of labour and employment needs to increase their engagements with social partners and other relevant stakeholders,” he said. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola