We didn’t sanction Channels TV, says NBC – Newstrends
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We didn’t sanction Channels TV, says NBC

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The National Broadcasting Commission says it never sanctioned Channels Television over its infraction of the broadcasting code when it interviewed a secessionist leader.

It said the TV station was only asked to explain why it violated the broadcasting code.

NBC’s Director of Public Affairs Mrs Franca Aiyetan said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, adding that Channels TV had apologised.

He said the commission’s letter to the TV station was a regulatory instrument to check the excesses of the station.

She said the intent of the letter was neither to close down nor sanction the station, rather it was meant to draw the station’s attention to its breach of the broadcasting code, adding that “the station has accordingly apologised’’.

According to her, the letter asked Channels TV to explain why it gave credence to an organisation that was already proscribed by the Federal Government.

She said, “It was actually not for public consumption; it was not a press release. It was a regulatory instrument to check the excesses of the station.

“It is a station that won an award but we say in this particular situation, you did not handle it professionally.

“It is possible to breach the public peace and that was what the letter conveyed to Channels TV, to which the TV station has responded, saying we apologise, we did wrong.

“When the media started asking me about Channels TV, I had to go and find out what letter we had issued out because if it is a press release or something that is for public consumption, it will come to the Public Affairs Department of NBC.

“And I will be able to communicate to the media about it, but this letter that went to Channels TV is our way of regulating the broadcasting industry.

“It is called a bridge letter to the station to say in this particular programme you did not act professionally; you did not do it in line with the provision of Nigeria Broadcasting Code.”

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Two million bank accounts closed over BVN, NIN, others

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Two million bank accounts closed over BVN, NIN, others

Commercial banks in Nigeria closed 2.021 million bank accounts in the first quarter of 2024, Q1’24, to clean their books of questionable accounts and comply with regulatory orders on the linkage of bank accounts to the National Identity Number, NIN.

This is contained in a report by the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, which also indicated that the number of inactive bank accounts grew month-on-month, MoM, by four million or 2.0 per cent to 19.7 million in March 2024 from 19.3 million in the previous month, February.

A bank account is classified inactive when it records zero transactions including deposits, withdrawals, transfers or point-of-sale transactions for six months.

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However, details of the “Industry Bank Account Database”, a monthly data reported by banks, and compiled by the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, also indicated that the number of active bank accounts grew by 6.62 million or 3.0 per cent to 219.64 million from 213.02 million in February.

Recall that in December 2023, the CBN issued a directive to all commercial banks in the country to restrict tier-1 accounts without proper Biometric Verification Number, BVN, and National Identity Number, NIN, that are not linked by Thursday, March 1st, 2024.

According to NIBSS data on BVN enrollment count, 61.6 million Nigerians have BVN as of April 2024.

Two million bank accounts closed over BVN, NIN, others

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Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria

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Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria

The Nigerian Senate has moved to clarify recent discussions regarding the minimum age requirement for admission into tertiary institutions. 

The red chamber assured Nigerians that the current age requirement of 16 years has not been altered and that recent comments suggesting an increase to 18 years were personal opinions.

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Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adeyemi Adaramodu, emphasised that any changes to the age requirement would require legislative action following due process. 

Adaramodu explained in an interview with journalists that comments made by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, about increasing the minimum age limit were not legally binding but rather personal opinions.

The Minister of Education had previously hinted at plans to review and raise the minimum age for admission into tertiary institutions to 18 years.

Senate insists on 16 years as requirement for tertiary institution admission in Nigeria

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Minimum wage: Labour threatens nationwide strike by end of May

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Minimum wage: Labour threatens nationwide strike by end of May

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have given President Bola Tinubu until the end of May to finalise the implementation of the new national minimum wage for workers.

NLC president Joe Ajaero made the demand on Wednesday in Abuja at this year’s International Workers Day.

Mr Ajaero said, “All parties in the tripartite process are well represented, and the engagement has been robust. We have placed our demand of N615,000 only before our social partners while we await their offer. If, however, the negotiation of the minimum wage is not concluded by the end of May, the trade union movement in Nigeria will no longer guarantee industrial peace in the country.”

Ajaero also said labour demanded that the new act have a two-year life span and included an agreement for automatic wage adjustments at any time inflation exceeded 7.5 percent.

He said the union further demanded that every employer with up to five workers pay the new minimum wage. Mr Ajaero called for strengthening monitoring and compliance mechanisms to penalise non-complying state governments.

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He said that Nigerian workers deserved to have a national minimum wage that approximated to a living wage.

“Our figures are based on objective realities around the nation and not based on some fantasy but on what confronts us as workers around the nation. We want to be able to buy foodstuff and housing, among others. Any wage that is below this living wage condemns workers to starvation,” the NLC president said.

Ajaero, however, said, “We must not let our guards down but be alert so that together, we can assist government take the right decision and pay workers a living wage as promised by Mr President. We will not allow our interest to sabotage the desire of the president concerning a living wage for workers.”

The NLC president also said the contributory pension scheme needed to be reviewed. He noted that there had been complaints about it, such as the delay or non-transmission of contributed money to the Pension Fund Administration.

Ajaero also called for the reactivation of gratuity to public servants. He further called for the upward review of the retirement age in the entire public service from 60 to 65 years and 35 years to 40 years in service just as was done for teachers and judges.

Minimum wage: Labour threatens nationwide strike by end of May

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