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Foreign

Protests continue across Lebanon in spite PM’s reform measures

Protests continue across Lebanon in spite PM’s reform measures

Protest
Beirut, Oct. 22, 2019 (Xinhua/NAN) Protests across Lebanon on Tuesday continued against government’s policies in spite the reform measures announced by Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Al Jadeed local TV channel reported.
Protesters took to the streets for the sixth consecutive day and blocked the roads leading to the Central Bank in Beirut’s Hamra as well as other streets in different areas of the country.
The Lebanese army was deployed all over Lebanon in an attempt to clear roads of barriers set by protesters and facilitate the transportation for regular movement of citizens across the country.
Meanwhile, banks remained closed while banking sources told Asharq Al-Awsat local newspaper that banks might probably keep their doors shut until further notice for security reasons.
However, the central bank had so far supplied commercial banks with liquidity in case people were willing to draw their money from Automated Teller Machines (ATM).
“Moreover, military veterans joined the protests while announcing that they will not leave the streets until the government meets all their demands.
“Some of the protesters expressed concern about government’s capacity to implement the reforms included in the new economic plan.
“Others expressed their dissatisfaction about the reforms, emphasising the need to remove the secret bank accounts of all politicians and adopt concrete measures to restore people’s confidence and trust,’’ Asharq Al-Awsat report.
Hariri had announced earlier a number of reforms to help the country in overcoming its current economic and social crisis.
However, among the most important reforms announced by Hariri is a 2020 state budget with 0.6 per cent deficit, a cut in the salaries of ministers, parliament members and former MPs by 50 per cent.
Others are reduction in the budgets of the Council for Development and Reconstruction, and other public institutions by 70 per cent.
Hariri also said that the government would provide healthcare for the elderly, and inject an additional 20 billion Lebanese pounds (or 13.23 million U.S. dollars) for the support of the most vulnerable people.
This, he said, was in addition to constructing power stations and reducing 50 per cent of the electricity’s deficit in 2020, while allocating 165 million dollars for housing loans. (Xinhua/NAN)
YI/MST
Edited by Yahaya Isah/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

Indonesia sends reinforcements to West Papua to quell unrest 

Unrest

Jakarta, Aug. 21, 2019 (dpa/NAN) Indonesia is sending 1,200 police reinforcements to West Papua province as unrest triggered by the treatment of Papuan students on the main island of Java continued for a third day, police said on Wednesday.

National police spokesman Muhammad Iqbal said that protesters torched a traditional market and other government buildings in the town of Fakfak in the latest violence.

Iqbal said that additional personnel would be sent to Manokwari and Sorong, where protesters set fire to buildings on Monday and Tuesday.

“The situation is under control.

“We are prioritizing persuasive measures and communicating with community and religious leaders,” he added.

Thousands of people marched in West Papua on Monday and set fire to several government buildings in response to a crackdown on Papuan students in East Java who were protesting for self-determination for their homeland on Friday.

Protesters also torched a section of a prison in Sorong, prompting a riot that led to the escape of more than 250 inmates.

Rights groups have criticized the police for what they called heavy-handed treatment of dozens of the Papuan protesters during the rally demanding self-determination for their homeland in East Java.

Police forced their way into a Papuan student dormitory in Surabaya, the country’s second largest city, briefly detained dozens of students for allegedly desecrating an Indonesian flag.

Papuan activists said they were also subjected to racist abuse.

Indonesian security forces have intensified operations in Papua  after separatist rebels killed about two dozen construction workers building a road in December.

Separatists have fought for independence for the region since the 1960s.

Papua and West Papua provinces make up the Indonesian half of New Guinea island. (dpa/NAN)

YEE

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(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

Metro

Shi’ite: NLC urges FG to use ‘stick and carrot’ approach

Shi’ite
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, July 24, 2019 (NAN) The NLC has urged the Federal Government to use the stick and carrot approach in handling the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IML) and protest by its members.

The NLC National President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, in a statement on Wednesday said that doing that was “no sign of weakness.’’

Waba expressed sadness over the destruction of both private and public property, injuries and deaths arising from confrontation between the police and members of the movement otherwise known as `Shi’ite.’

News Agency of Nigeria reports that members of the movement have been protesting the prolonged detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky; and his wife, Zeenah.

Both El-Zakzaky and wife have been in custody since 2015.

Wabba noted that the bloody conflict on Monday would not be the first or second or even third by members of the sect.

“While we support government’s right and duty to maintain law and order, we equally urge it to do so with the benefit of its previous experiences in dealing with sects.

“We call upon the government with every sense of responsibility and concern for our national security, to deal imaginatively with the issue of El-Zak-Zaky whom it has kept in detention in defiance of a court order to release him from detention.

“We expect the government to be firm but flexible, use the stick and carrot approach. It is no sign of weakness.”

The labour leader, while urging leadership and members of the sect to eschew violence, stressed that they should be guided at all times by fundamental principles and practices of peaceful protest.

He said the exercise of the right to protest which the organised labour has routinely exercised in spite of occasional objections had helped in strengthening democracy in no small way.

“In the years of those protests, it was guided by discipline (even in the face of provocation) and principles of peaceful engagement.’’

Waba urged security forces to be guided by the rules of engagement, saying that it was reprehensible and completely objectionable to turn against peacefully- protesting people.

NAN recalls that the Presidency had said the case involving the leader of the Shiites, Ibrahim El Zakzaky, is no longer in the hands of the Federal Government.

“As far as this country’s Ministry of Justice is concerned, the case involving El-Zakzaky is no longer in its domain,” President Muhammadu Buhari spokesman, Garba Shehu said in a statement.

“The Federal Government no more has hands in the matter and to that extent, the government at the centre can be said to be clear of any alleged violations of court orders as being trumpeted everyday,” he added.

El-Zakzaky was charged with murder in April 2018. His alleged offence took place during the December 2015 clash between the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and a convoy of Nigeria’s army chief, Tukur Buratai.(NAN)
TAK/JEY/AFA
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Edited by Johnson Eyiangho/Felix Ajide

 

Foreign

Ukraine protests Russia’s attack, demands release of ships, crew

Ukraine protests Russia’s attack, demands release of ships, crew
By Isaac Aregbesola
Protest
Abuja, Nov. 27, 2018 (NAN) The Ukrainian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Valerrii Aleksandruk, has condemned Russia’s armed attack and capturing of the Ukrainian navy ships “Berdyansk” Nikopol and the tug boat `Yana Kapu’
The ambassador, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said Russian forces opened fire on a group of Ukraine ships in the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula late on Nov. 25.
The envoy also protested striking of two warships and wounding of two crew members before seizing the vessels along with a Ukrainian Navy tugboat.
He said that the attack on Ukrainian ships was carried out during a sea crossing from the port of Odessa to the port of Mariupol.
“The attack, in accordance with the provisions of all effective multilateral and bilateral international treaties and navigation rules, is nothing but another act of armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

“It is against Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations and the provisions of UN General Assembly Resolution 29/3314 of 14 December 1974 on the definition of aggression.
“Russia has de facto expanded its military aggression against Ukraine to the sea.
“Kremlin’s criminal regime has today once again demonstrated that it won’t stop its aggressive policy and is ready for any acts of aggression against the Ukrainian state,” he said.
According to him, Ukraine also requested for urgent medical assistance to the wounded and to ensure their immediate safe return home.
“Ukraine also demands to return the captured navy ships and to compensate for the damage caused.
“It is Kremlin’s regime who bears full responsibility for further aggravation of the situation in the Azov and Black Seas and for undermining the peaceful settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict.
“Ukraine urges its allies and partners to take all necessary measures to deter the aggressor, by applying new and strengthening existing sanctions.
“Ukraine also urges its allies to provide military assistance to protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty within the internationally recognised borders,” he said. (NAN)
IAA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Due process: NHIS unions insist suspension of ES

Due process: NHIS unions insist on suspension of ES
By Talatu Maiwada
Suspension
Abuja, Oct. 30, 2018 (NAN) Two labour unions on Tuesday renewed their resolve to sustain their ongoing protest over the suspension of Prof. Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), by the Governing Council of the organisation.
The trade unions are the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), and Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).
Mr Abdulrazak Omomaji, the Chairman of ASCSN, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, while reacting to the statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha.
NAN recalls that Mustapha on Oct. 29 at a retreat for boards and governing councils as well as chief executives of MDAs clarified that as appointees of the President, the boards and councils have no power to suspend any chief executive without recourse to due process.
However, Omomaji said that the union was still awaiting government reaction to their demands over the allegations of maladministration by Yusuf.
He explained that the Act establishing the NHIS was unique that gives the governing council the powers to suspend the executive secretary.
“I want to clarify that the Act which establishes the NHIS is different from the other government parastatals which are guided by boards and directors.
“The governing council of the NHIS however acted within its jurisdiction, they are the chief security officer of the organisation and have the powers to discipline and suspend.
“Let it be clear that Council has not removed Prof. Usman Yusuf, but have asked him to step aside for investigations after which findings will be forwarded to the Minister of Health.
“Council is therefore in order, and we shall continue with the protest as we await government’s reaction,’’ the chairman said.
NAN recalls that the SGF had explained that ‘no governing board of a federal agency or parastatal has the power to remove the chief executive appointed by the President.
“The board may however articulate infractions, investigate wrong doing and make recommendations to government through the supervisory minister,” Mustapha said.
He made the clarification at an induction programme for governing board members of federal parastatals, universities and medical centres at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
The declaration came amidst controversy over the suspension of Yusuf by the NHIS governing council.
On Oct. 18, the Chairman of the NHIS board, Mrs Ifenne Enyanatu, announced the indefinite suspension of the executive secretary, eight months after a similar suspension by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, was annulled by the Presidency because due process was flawed.
Enyanatu said the governing council resolved to suspend Yusuf because it had received several petitions against the NHIS boss.
She said the board had the permission of the minister of health to suspend Yusuf, pending investigation.
However, Yusuf ignored the order and resumed normal duty. (NAN)
TIM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

(Audio) NEMA employees protest against redundancy, poor conditions of service

NEMA employees on protest
Protest
By Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni
Abuja, June 19, 2018 (NAN) Employees of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday staged a protest at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja over poor conditions of service and “redundancy”.
Mr Justin Uwazuruonye, the Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), NEMA Unit,  who led the protest and spoke on behalf of the staff, therefore called on the Federal Government to investigate their grievances.
Cue in audio (Uwazuruonye)
“You can see that we are peaceful people; what we are demanding is for NEMA to start to function again.
“In the past one year do you have any annual report?  No! We have been redundant.
“Let the government ask Maihaja  to produce the annual report (of the agency) for the past one year since he has been here.
“We want the government to come here and investigate our allegations and hear our side of the story.
“Our condition of service is very poor,  we come to the office and sit for hours without doing anything; we don’t have tools to work.
“No papers and other writing materials for us to work with. It is killing our morale. These are our problems, beginning with not being able to do our work to failure to pay us what is due to us as workers.
“We’ll stand on them until the Federal Government hears us.
“Even the police know the truth and we have been working with them, they know that NEMA is not working, let them put a call through to our call centre now and see whether the call will gI through.
“If there was to be an accident on the road now, there won’t be response from NEMA, because there is no diesel and battery in the cars to be able to move.
” Corruption is not only about stealing money, we have what we call moral corruption.”
Cue out audio
The chairman further alleged that although the Muhammad Buhari-led administration was doing its best by providing NEMA with all the necessary support needed for prompt response to emergencies, nothing was being actualised.
Also speaking, Ms. Maryam Yau, the agency’s Senior Disaster Risk Reduction Officer, said it was regrettable that Nigeria had lost its position as a country at the forefront of prompt response to disasters in Africa.
She said that NEMA had collapsed under its present management as the employees had become unproductive.
“Disaster continues to increase in this country, but people are not being helped.
“The government is doing its best, the government is giving the appropriate funding for us to actually respond to the people, but it is not happening.
“It’s frustrating; our ambulances are there parked beside the road not working; where is the effort of all the previous administrations?
“Nigeria used to set the pace in disaster management in Africa.
“We had been doing well, we even used to go to other countries to train their people on disaster management, but now we can’t do that.
“We need to work; please, we are begging the government to come to our rescue.”
The agency had in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Public Relations, Mr Sani Datti a day to the protest, said there was no justification for the demonstration as most of the demands of the staff had either been addressed or were being addressed.
He said that in Sept. 2017, an  agreement was reached between the two parties to the dispute, which included the payment in batches, of Overtime Allowances, DTAs and other claims that had accrued since 2015.
“On the issue of staff promotion, the Department of Human Resources Management has concluded preparations, briefs and other related cases, such as conversion, upgrading, confirmation, etc.
“The Renewal of Group Life Insurance which is at the centre of the present disagreement has been approved after going through rigorous due process.
“However, the commitment of government was invigorated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“A meeting between the NEMA management and the union’s officials was convened where government’s efforts at providing better conditions of service for NEMA staff were discussed.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union went on strike on June 11 in protest against the collapse of the agency’s Emergency Response Ambulance Bays, which had been able to respond to more than 1,000 incidences in 2015 alone. (NAN)
TY/YEE
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Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

Health

NPC protest: FG urges workers to resume

NPC protest: FG urges workers to resume
NAN-HG-5
Meeting
By Chinenye Offor
Abuja, Jan. 19, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Government has appealed to aggrieved workers of the National Population Commission (NPC) to resume duty as their grievances were being addressed.
The Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, made the call at a stakeholders meeting to resolve the crisis in Abuja.
Mrs Rita Agaba ,the President of the NPC workers union, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
“The Minister of Labour and Productivity had a meeting with stakeholders to address the issues raised by the union.
“He pleaded that we return to our duty while he should be given time to look into the issues raised.
“We are expecting to get feedback from Dr Chris Ngige by end of January,’’ she said.
The union leader also confirmed that the Directors and Commissioners of commission passed a vote of no confidence on the reappointed Director-General, Dr Ghaji Bello, at the meeting.

According to her, the no-confidence vote was passed by national commissioners and directors because their input in the affairs of the commission was not respected.
However, Agaba said that the offices of the commission nationwide had been re-opened, but the workers adopted a work-to-rule policy to press their demands.
The workers are protesting the reappointment of the director-general and demanding for improved welfare.
Efforts to get Bello’s reaction to the development by NAN including visits to his office and phone calls failed.
The Chairman of the commission, Chief Eze Duruiheoma, had earlier newsmen that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is addressing the case.
He said that inadequate funding was hampering the smooth operations of the commission.
Duruiheoma also said that the development was not politically motivated and appealed to the striking workers to return to work. (NAN)
CSO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NPC protest: Chairman says dialogue on with workers

NPC protest: Chairman says dialogue on with workers

NAN-HG-6
Dialogue
By Chinenye Offor
Abuja, Jan. 15, 2018 (NAN) Mr Eze Duruiheoma, the Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), says the management is in dialogue with the aggrieved workers of the commission.

He also told newsmen on Monday in Abuja that last week’s protest by the staff of the commission’s workers union was not instigated by any political rivalry.

Duruiheoma was reacting to reports that the union protest was political.

The chairman said that negotiations were on going to resolve the issues between the union and the commission.

Duruiheoma added that President Muhammadu Buhari has the right to reappoint the Director-General of the commission, Dr Ghaji Bello.

“We are working hard to make peace and there is no truth in the insinuation that what is happening is political; the unionists do not belong to any political party and to say that the protest is politically aggravated is doing injustice to the commission.

“It is not correct that that we buy diesel instead of paying Power Holding Company Nigeria (PHCN) bills, the truth is that the company can cut the light if owed but we can buy diesel on credit.

“The commission’s law did not state that the DG must come within the establishment and what is happening in NPC can happen in any other organisation.

“If you want to make peace in a dispute, you don’t take sides and I want peace and also want to retire in peace,” Duruiheoma said.

He said that the commission’s monthly overhead from the Federal Government had dropped from N42 million to N21 million, describing the development as being responsible for the present challenges. (NAN)
CSO/ABI/MST
Edited by Ali Inuwa/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NPC Protest: Union says agitation not political

NPC Protest: Union says agitation not political

NAN-HG-3
Protest
By Chinenye Offor
Abuja, Jan. 15, 2018 (NAN) Mrs Rita Agaba, the President of the workers union in National Population Commission (NPC) has dismissed insinuations that their protest against the reappointment of the Director-General of the commission, Dr Ghaji Bello, was political.

Agaba expressed the workers view in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

According to her, the staff still maintained their position on the reversal of the reappointment of Bello and had vowed to shut NPC offices nationwide until government addressed their demand.

She also called on the Federal Government to investigate the activities of the reappointed director-general for the four years of his tenure in the commission.

“The union is not bias and have nothing to do with politics as the reappointed DG was also appointed by PDP.

“As am talking to you, all the repatriation allowance have not been paid and funds are being diverted to his own pocket.

“He prefers to run generator on montly basis at the cost of N2.3 million instead of paying N500,000 PHCN monthly bill.

“The DG is also the contractor that supplies diesel to the commission,” she said.

Similarly, the Vice Chairman, Joint Association of Civil Servants Union of the commission, Mr Ibrahim Saleh, flayed the manner the director-general handled the affairs of the commission.

He noted that the director-general has usurped the functions of the Procurement and Accounts departments of NPC.

“The DG took over these departments in order to award contracts to himself without due process.

“He subjects the directors to ridicule and as well owed the cleaners and ex-corps members allowances,” he said.

He added that the staff members of NPC nationwide had joined in the protest and the exercise continues until the reappointment of the director-general was reversed and other sundry demands met.

Reacting to the development, Bello told newsmen that the protest was politically motivated

He also said the commission was grossly underfunded to run its primary mandate and there was no money to steal as alleged by the workers.

NAN recalls that the workers embarked on a peaceful protest in the last five days while the headquarters of the commission remained locked. (NAN)
CSO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Protest: NPopC assures workers of improved welfare

Protest: NPopC assures workers of improved welfare
NAN-HG-6
Protest
By Chinenye Offor
Abuja, Jan. 12, 2017 (NAN) Mr Eze Duruiheoma, the Chairman National Population Commission (NPopC) has assured aggrieved workers of the commission of improved welfare.
Duruiheoma told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that NPopC is adopting appropriate measures to resolve the issues raised by the protesting members of staff.
According to him, the matter has been taken to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) as decided by the board of the commission.
The chairman said that the SGF have directed that NPopC should present a formal notice to the SGF and copy the Federal Ministry of Labour for action.
Duruiheoma described the situation as unfortunate, saying the commission is guided by public service rules.
“It is a legitimate right of members of staff to protest, but the way it is carried out is what matters and so far the members of staff have been operating in a civilised manner.
“At the moment there is peace and orderliness in the office and it will be too prejudicial to comment on the members of staff grievances.
“Becauseduring negotiations you must have an open mind so as not to make prejudicial remarks that will deter peace.
“The board members do not have anything against the Director-General, Ghaji Bello, but the members of staff have the right to air their grievances,” he said.
On her part, the President of the workers union in NPopC, Mrs Rita Agaba, said that her members would continue to protest until the government reverses the reappointment of the director-general.
She said that the gate of the office would remain locked except the federal government addresses their demand for the replacement of the director-general and other sundry welfare issues.
NAN recalls that the NPopC workers on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest against the reappointment of the director-general and demanded for the payment of their outstanding staff claims. (NAN)
CSO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola