News
BREAKING: Relief as aviation workers suspend planned strike
Reprieve came on Tuesday morning as aviation workers’ unions announced the suspension of their planned nationwide industrial action billed to commence today after signing a fresh Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with the Federal Government.
This was the outcome of a meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that started 6pm on Monday and ended Tuesday morning, discussed the two demands of the unions.
The complaints are the non-implementation of the Minimum Wage consequential adjustment in the Aviation Parastatals since 2019 and the non-approval/release of the reviewed conditions of service in the parastatals.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said after exhaustive deliberations on the issues which the parties agreed as germane, they resolved that: “The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) was requested to issue a service-wide circular informing all organisations in the public and private sectors that they are bound to implement the National Minimum Wage of 2019/consequential adjustments.
“The Ministry of Aviation is to circulate the circular on the consequential minimum wage adjustment to all the agencies under the supervision of the ministry, requesting them to implement the National Minimum Wage consequential adjustment without any further delay and also clarify that this payment became effective from April 18, 2019, when the minimum wage was signed into law.”
Ngige said they agreed that those who had exited the system during the period from April 18, 2019 to date would also be paid the arrears.
“The meeting noted that some categories of workers in the aviation sector attract some peculiar allowances, which are not extended to others and stated that those salary structures that are not captured in the Memorandum of Terms of Settlement signed and dated 9th, 14th, 15th 16th, 17th and 18th October, 2019 between the Federal Government and organised labour on the consequential adjustment of the other wages, would attract consequential adjustment as agreed during the negotiations of the Federal Government with the labour centres-The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria in October 2019,” he added.
He said the meeting concluded that all the agencies that had not paid the minimum wage allowances should write to the NSIWC through the Ministry of Aviation for consideration/evaluation.
He said the NSIWC promised to process all as soon as possible and consequently, the parties agreed that the consequential adjustment of the New Minimum Wage of 2019 based on the approved government templates should be implemented on or before the end of the first quarter of the year 2022 (March 31, 2022).
He said the meeting charged the management to take more proactive steps to conclude the review of the conditions of service to boost the morale of the workers and retain the best technical staff in the industry.
Ngige said, “The meeting was informed that the financial implication of the conditions of service (CoS) for Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has been approved by the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS), hence the whole process for NIMET has been concluded except for hazard allowances, which would be reconsidered by the NSIWC on a sectoral level. Hence, the NSIWC is to release this approved CoS immediately.
“The meeting however noted that the CoS for Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) require establishment input and directed the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation to update the Ministry of Aviation on this aspect of their CoS by Friday, February 11, 2022 and copy the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“The meeting agreed that the financial aspect of NAMA and NCAA would be resolved by the PCS by the third week of February 2022.
“The meeting was also informed that the CoS for Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has been released since 2019.
“There are however establishment issues which have been observed and will be forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Aviation by the Management of FAAN for transmission to the OHCSF for urgent action.”
News
BREAKING: EFCC operatives storm ex-Gov Yahaya Bello’s Abuja residence over N84bn fraud case
BREAKING: EFCC operatives storm ex-Gov Yahaya Bello’s Abuja residence over N84bn fraud case
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has barricaded the house of Yahaya Bello, the immediate former governor of Kogi State, in Wuse, Abuja.
According to SaharaReporters, the EFCC siege is coming days after the former governor held a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, at the State House.
It was gathered that there is currently no movement in and around the house located at Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4 in the nation’s federal capital.
On Wednesday, a top source shared the photograph showing how operatives of the EFCC barricaded the access road to the Bello’s house.
The source said: “EFCC barricades Bello’ house in Abuja. No movement in the area as EFCC barricaded the house. They are yet to gain access.”
Although there was no immediate information available to the reason while the anti-graft agency stormed the former governor’s residence, it may be connected with the N84 billion fraud case against him which the EFCC is prosecuting.
The EFCC had charged the former governor with financial fraud to the tune of N84 billion.
The anti-graft commission in an amended charge, accused Bello of diverting N80 billion of state funds in September 2015, four months before he assumed office.
READ ALSO:
- EFCC has no powers to prosecute people over naira abuse – Odinkalu
- Stop Wike from using PDP for relevance, Secondus tells party leaders
- Court affirms Ganduje’s suspension as APC member
Recall that the EFCC had arraigned Bello’s nephew, Ali Bello, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, for alleged money laundering to the tune of N10 billion belonging to the State government.
The State Government faulted the charge describing it as “ridiculous” and “laughable”, argued that it is impossible, as the former governor was not yet in a position to access or misappropriate state funds at said time.
The state government in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, had on February 7, 2024, accused the EFCC of being “infested with persons whose intents disagree with the noble intention of ‘Mr. President’ to defeat corruption in Nigeria.”
Recall that the EFCC had dragged former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja for alleged N84 billion money laundering.
EFCC, which joined Bello’s nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalam Hudu as co-accused, had said it is prosecuting them on an amended 17-count charge of money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of fund to tune of N84, 062,406,089.88.
The anti-graft agency had claimed in the amended charge that former governor Bello is still at large.
Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman, Yahaya Adoza Bello (still at large) and Abdulsalam Hudu (still at large), sometime in September, 2015 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to convert the total sum of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Eighty-nine Naira, Eighty-eight Kobo), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(b) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended,” the EFCC said.
“While ex-Governor Yahaya Bello and Hudu are still at large, Ali Bello and Suleiman, first and second defendants respectively, who were present in court “pleaded not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them.
BREAKING: EFCC operatives storm ex-Gov Yahaya Bello’s Abuja residence over N84bn fraud case
News
EFCC has no powers to prosecute people over naira abuse – Odinkalu
EFCC has no powers to prosecute people over naira abuse – Odinkalu
Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has argued that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lacks the powers to prosecute naira abuse.
To the professor of law, spraying of the naira does not fall within the commission’s prosecutorial purview.
READ ALSO:
- Stop Wike from using PDP for relevance, Secondus tells party leaders
- Court affirms Ganduje’s suspension as APC member
- BREAKING: Police arraign 29 Yoruba Nation agitators in Ibadan
Odinkalu stated: “The law that establishes the EFCC defines ‘economic and financial crimes’ to mean ‘non-violent criminal and illicit activity committed with the objectives of earning wealth illegally either individually or in a group or organised manner thereby violating existing legislation governing the economic activities of government and its administration.’ “
Socialite and barman Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, is set to challenge the charge filed against him by the EFCC, having pleaded not guilty.
He was arraigned on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Lagos and granted N10million bail.
EFCC has no powers to prosecute people over naira abuse – Odinkalu
News
Stop Wike from using PDP for relevance, Secondus tells party leaders
Stop Wike from using PDP for relevance, Secondus tells party leaders
Ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday, former national chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, has asked party leaders to stop the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, from continuous use of the party to remain relevant in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Wike, who claims to be a member of the PDP, is serving in the cabinet of the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
Secondus, in a statement by his media adviser, Ike Abonyi, on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, urged the leaders to prove that no individual is bigger than the party by dealing with the FCT minister who he said is already drowning politically.
The PDP is scheduled to hold its 98th NEC meeting on Thursday, in Abuja.
READ ALSO:
- Court affirms Ganduje’s suspension as APC member
- BREAKING: Police arraign 29 Yoruba Nation agitators in Ibadan
- (JUST IN)Naira abuse: Cubana Chief Priest pleads not guilty
The former PDP Chairman urged them to do everything humanly possible and within the law to rescue and restore the party’s glory, adding that the immediate past Rivers State governor is trying hard to create a non-existent crisis in the party to make himself relevant before his boss, President Tinubu.
He stated, “By deviously trying to create the impression that he is in a tussle of supremacy with the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the party and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Wike, who is copiously losing political relevance everywhere from Rivers to Abuja, is trying to give the impression that he is a factor in PDP and holding it for his APC interest.
“The critical structures of this party, NEC, BOT, National Caucus, forum of Governors, Chairmen of states and National Assembly caucus of the party must rise to the challenge and isolate mischief makers and meddlers like Wike and move the party forward.
“I expect the founding fathers and other dedicated members to rise to the challenge and return this great party to its glory by ensuring, as they always do at critical moments, that nobody or group is greater or bigger than this party,” he said.
Stop Wike from using PDP for relevance, Secondus tells party leaders
-
metro7 days ago
Troops arrest ISWAP commander involved in Army General, 3 soldiers’ killing in Borno
-
News6 days ago
BREAKING: Ex-Abia gov, Ogbonnaya Onu, is dead
-
Sports6 days ago
Kane’s three children involved in car crash, hospitalised
-
News4 days ago
FG gives update on where fleeing Binance executive is hiding
-
Entertainment5 days ago
Tolani Baj expresses love for Bobrisky
-
metro4 days ago
Troops neutralise 188 terrorists, rescue 133 hostages in assault operations
-
metro4 days ago
Viral video: Edo CP orders trial of officer threatening people with gun
-
News4 days ago
NLC, TUC jointly propose N615,000 new minimum wage