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MURIC to Govt : Pay retired teachers, contract workers and retirees’ entitlements before election

Published

2 years ago

January 9, 2023

Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Lakin Akintola

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), on Monday appealed to the Zamfara State Government to pay the entitlements of retired teachers, contract workers, and other retirees before the gubernatorial elections are held in February 2023. According to the group, it is only by doing so that the state government can claim to be responsible and humane.

This was disclosed in a statement sent to Newsbreak.ng by the director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

This news medium understands that some retired teachers and contract workers who worked in Zamfara State are facing hunger, starvation and abject poverty. They now live in inhuman conditions with nothing to eat from morning till evening. They found themselves at the bottom of the towering pyramid of misery and became executive beggars overnight.

Men and women who have worked in the state for more than twelve years under the Zamfara State Teachers Service Board, Gusau, are being disengaged without notice since 2020 till today. Those disengaged even at the end of the month are not paid salary for that month.

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“This practice is illegal, illegitimate and unconstitutional. Apart from the legal angle, Islam as a religion lays emphasis on good treatment of workers, empathy and kindness. Disengaging workers without notice and for no professional anomaly is an infringement on their Allah-given fundamental human rights,” MURIC said.

“Besides, welfare package in Zamfara State civil service appears to be non-existent. The education sector is the worst hit by this poor treatment of workers. There is no promotion for teachers, no annual salary increment, no minimum wages, no pension and no compensation of any kind.

“The classroom scenario is worse than what obtains in refugee camps. A single teacher handles more than a hundred pupils in a poorly ventilated classroom. The libraries are so badly equipped that teachers have to go on internet to source for materials for their notes of lesson. Science subjects receive little or no patronage from students because the laboratories are fit only for the Stone Age.

“The problem can be traced to the low percentage allocated to education in the state’s budget every year. For instance, although Government House alone received N21.8 billion of the N142.7 billion budget in 2021, education, health and works together got a paltry N19.36 billion. Whereas the amount and percentage of the N159.5 billion 2022 budget is still not well known, education still featured very low in the 2023 budget as the crucial zone received a meager N21.2 billion out of a robust figure of N188.8 billion which translates to 11.2%.

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“MURIC appeals to the state government to pay its retirees before this coming gubernatorial election. The education sector must put on a human face and prepare for urgent overhauling. Economic progress in the state depends on the seriousness with which the state government approaches education matters in the state. The time to do this is now.

“The case of serving and retired teachers need urgent attention if only the state government appreciates the role teachers play in the lives of those who are benefiting from education today. It was teachers who taught those who are in positions of authority today, from the permanent secretaries to the state governor. Who among them did not pass through teachers?

“We are aware that the case of Zamfara may not be an isolated one as there may be worse situations in other states. We, therefore, urge all state actors to borrow a leaf from this advocacy.”

Related Topics:Election entitlements Featured govt MURIC Zamfara

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TikTok removes 2.4 million videos by Nigerian users in Q4 2024

Published

1 hour ago

March 31, 2025

Trends Admin

TikTok removes 2.4 million videos by Nigerian users in Q4 2024

Bytedance’s short video platform, TikTok, said it removed 2.4 million videos posted by Nigerian users in the fourth quarter of 2024 for violating its content policy.

According to the platform, Nigeria was among the top 50 countries where videos violating its policies emanated from in Q4.

However, the highest number of violations were recorded in the United States, which has the largest number of videos removed at 8.5 million.

ikTok disclosed this in its latest Community Guidelines Enforcement report, which indicated that a total of 153 million videos were removed globally in the period under review.

The company said the top 50 markets in terms of policy violations accounted for approximately 90% of all content removals for the quarter.

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The removed content was said to have violated one or more of TikTok’s policies, which center around Integrity and Authenticity, Privacy and Security, Mental and Behavioural Health, Safety, and Civility, among others.

Accounts removal

In the period under review, TikTok said it removed a total of 211.5 million accounts discovered to be either fake or owned by people suspected to be under 13 years of age.

Fake accounts constituted the largest number of deleted accounts for the period. According to the report, a total of 185.3 million fake accounts were removed.
In addition, 20.5 million accounts suspected to be owned by users under the age of 13 were removed, while 5.6 million accounts were removed for other reasons not stated.

“We remain vigilant in our efforts to detect external threats and safeguard the platform from fake accounts and engagement.

“These threats persistently probe and attack our systems, leading to occasional fluctuations in the reported metrics within these areas.

“In Q4 2024, we also updated the way we classify fake likes and followers removed over time, which contributed to some of the overall increases observed in these categories.

“This update better reflects the scale of our existing work to promptly identify and remove any accounts, content, or activities that seek to artificially boost popularity on our platform,” the company stated in the report.

TikTok removes 2.4 million videos by Nigerian users in Q4 2024

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Two children killed, 20 injured in Gombe stampede – Police

Published

1 hour ago

March 31, 2025

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Gombe State Police Command Spokesman, ASP Buhari Abdullahi

Two children killed, 20 injured in Gombe stampede – Police

The Police Force Gombe State Command has confirmed the death of two children following a stampede at the Gombe main Eid Ground.

The Command’s spokesperson, Buhari Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Gombe.

According to Abdullahi, the incident occurred at about 10:45 a.m. at the exit gate of the Eid Ground, immediately after the conclusion of Eid prayers.

“The stampede was caused by inadequate exit access, as a large crowd, primarily women and children, rushed to leave the venue.

“The situation, worsened by intense heat, led to the unfortunate incident,” he said.

He said that 22 individuals were affected and were immediately taken to hospitals for medical attention.

“Regrettably, two of the victims, a four-year-old boy, and six months old baby girl, were pronounced dead by doctors while receiving treatment,” Abdullahi added.

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He extended the command’s condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

“The police urge Eid Ground managers to ensure that all entrance and exit gates remain open to facilitate smooth movement, especially after prayers,” he advised.

In a related development, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has condoled with the families of the deceased and those affected by the tragedy.

In a statement issued by his media aide on Sunday, the governor directed a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the stampede, with the aim of preventing future occurrences.

“The safety and well-being of our citizens remain a top priority. The state government is committed to learning from this incident and implementing corrective measures,” Yahaya said.

He also directed that all medical expenses for the injured victims be fully covered by the state government to ensure their recovery and well-being.

Two children killed, 20 injured in Gombe stampede – Police

(NAN)

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Wike’s achievements will translate into electoral success for APC in 2027, says Tinubu

Published

1 hour ago

March 31, 2025

Trends Admin

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.jpg

Wike’s achievements will translate into electoral success for APC in 2027, says Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for his outstanding performance, expressing confidence that his achievements could translate into electoral success for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 FCT elections—despite Wike still being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Tinubu made the remarks at the State House, Abuja, on Sunday during a traditional Sallah homage by a delegation of prominent FCT residents to mark Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.

The President commended Wike’s leadership, noting that several infrastructure projects initiated under his administration, have significantly improved the lives of Abuja residents.

“I must thank the Honorable Minister of FCT. It’s worth it. It is nothing other than a privilege to be the landlord of every one of us in Abuja,” Tinubu said.

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He recalled a conversation where Wike requested exemption from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to enable greater financial flexibility for FCT projects.

Tinubu humorously recounted his response:”I asked him, ‘Would that give me an opportunity for my party (APC) to win the election in FCT?’ If this thing goes too much in your favour, you will lose your job!’”

“Today, we are living in peace, and security is improving. The hunger is coming down. Food prices are lowering. Our people are looking for results, and Wike has delivered,” Tinubu added.

Tinubu noted that despite being from the South-South, Wike is successfully driving progress in the Northern-dominated FCT.

“Surprisingly, Nyesom Wike is not from the North. He’s not a Hausa man. Yet his ability to work in the centre of the North is yielding fruits. That is a great reflection of our diversity that we must use for prosperity.”

The President urged Nigerians to embrace unity, stating that, regardless of ethnic and religious differences, progress is only possible through collaboration and shared purpose.