News

Don’t Allow Sylva, Kyari, Malami, Sirika, Bala, Jamoh, Others Escape Justice, Timi Frank Tells Tinubu

Published

11 months ago

June 20, 2023

Eric

…Says Nigerians waiting arrest, prosecution of ex, serving top officials under Buhari

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Timi Frank on Tuesday, pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to allow former and serving top officials appointed by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari alleged to have abused their offices to escape justice.

Frank who made the call in a statement in Abuja listed those that deserve to be guests of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to include former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, former Attorney- General for the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.

Others are former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman (now appointed Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Policy Coordination), former Comptroller general of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hammid Ali, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Bashir Jamo, former Managing Directors and Sole Administrators of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as well as former and immediate past Service Chiefs appointed by Buhari.

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, said: “Nigerians know how agencies managed or still being managed by these former and present government officials were run in the most opaque and corrupt manner. The President has no choice but to demand accountability on behalf of the people.

“The suspension and arrest of the Governor of Central bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa have been hailed by Nigerians but this is just a tip of the iceberg; the President must not let his anti-corruption drive stop with these two individuals.

“Those that must be investigated and prosecuted are still running free out there and the earlier they are rounded up and made to face the law for economic sabotage, the better for this country. Besides, some of them have already found their way into the present administration like Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman.

“There is further intelligence that others like her are currently lobbying cabal around Tinubu to get a soft landing or better still find their way into the administration by way of appointment.”

Frank, who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, insisted that failure to arrest and prosecute these suspects known to have used their offices for selfish gain would show that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is only out to witch-hunt Emefiele and Bawa now under DSS custody.

He insisted that that ex-officials like Sylva need to answer questions on alleged identity theft, sale of oil blocks, marginal oil fields and refineries. Siriki needs to tell Nigerians the whereabouts of Air Nigeria and monumental funds spent on it so far.
On her part, Sadiya Umar Farouq needs to tell the DSS and EFCC how money voted for social investment programme especially school feeding were expended.

He urged the EFCC and DSS to extend that probe actives to cover former Service Chiefs and Inspector General of Police from the administration of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai up to the ones recently retired by the President administration.

He further urged Tinubu to be wary of former Governors especially of the PDP who are now pretending to support his administration. He described their motive as selfish while warning that Tinubu not to allow his administration to be a dump site for known corrupt elements.

Despite the pendency of the presidential elect ion petitions at the tribunal that will determine the true outcome of the last presidential election, Nigerians will commend Tinubu if he is doing well and also call him out if he goes wrong.

Comrade Timi Frank is the ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East

News

NLC Rejects FG’s 35% Salary Increase, Demands N615,000 Living Wage

Published

15 hours ago

May 1, 2024

Eric

The National President of the National Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has described the federal government increase of civil servants by 35% as mischievous, insisting that the minimum wage should not be below N615,000

Ajaero who made this statement in an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday, said the federal government should pay workers a “living wage.”

According to the union boss, a living wage is such that at least keep the workers alive for the month, without resorting to borrowing and malnutrition.

Ajaero said the President promised to pay a living wage, and it was legislated upon by the National Assembly.

However, he said the government is yet to reconvene a meeting with the organized labour after they submitted a report of N615,000 to the government as the amount for living wage.

“The announcement now appears mischievous because there is no wage increase that government is announcing. For them to announce it now, it is an issue that we are worried about at the NLC and even at the TUC.

“And the last minimum wage of N30,000 expired on the 18th of April. By now, we assume today on the regime of a new minimum wage.

“Discussions were supposed to be concluded. The national assembly legislated on it before now. The discussion entered voicemail because the federal government refused to reconvene the meeting that was adjourned.

We had public hearing in the six geopolitical zones and we came back to collate the submission. And the committee asked NLC and TUC to do their submission which they did and came up to about N615,000.

“The moment they got that up till this moment, no meeting has taken place.

“Living wage is such a wage that will at least keep you alive. That should be N615,000.”

Speaking further, Ajaero further broke down the proposed living wage to the federal government.

He said this wage will cover things such as utility bill payment, transportation, feeding, hospital, electricity and education, among others.

“We are asking for accommodation of N40,000. We are asking for electricity for N20,000. We look at utility that is about N10,000 and kerosene and gas which is about N25,000 and N30,000.

“We look at food for N9,000 for the family of six, in a day. For thirty days, that’s about N270,000. We look at medical for N50,000 and education N50,000, and sanitization for N10,000.

“Because of subsidy removal and the fact that workers stay in fringes, that amounted to N110,000. That brought the whole thing to N615,000. And I want anybody to subject this to further investigation and find out if there will be any savings after these payments”, Ajaero added.

On Tuesday, the Federal Government approved an increase in salaries across various salary structures in a move aimed at boosting the welfare of civil servants.

The Increase, ranging between 25% and 35% will apply to personnel on the six remaining Consolidated Salary Structures.

These salary structures include the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

Nairametrics

News

FG Fetes Civil Servants with 35% Salary Increment, Backdates Payment to January

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2024

Eric

The Federal government has approved a salary increase of between 25 percent and 35 percent for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

The Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Mr. Emmanuel Njoku, disclosed this through a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said: “The Federal Government has approved an increase of between 25 percent and 35 percent in salary increase for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

“They include Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), and Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS).

“Others are Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

“The increases will take effect from January 1.”

Njoku revealed that the Federal government has also approved increase pension increase of between 20 percent and 28 percent for pensioners on the Defined Benefits Scheme.

He added that the increase is on the six consolidated salary structures and would also take effect from January 1.

The move, according to him, is in line with the provisions of Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The official recalled that those in the tertiary education and health sectors had already received their increases.

“This involves Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) for universities.

“For Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, it involves the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS).

“The Health Sector also benefitted through the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS),” Njoku added.

News

Ahead One Year in Office Anniversary, Abia Assembly, Others Give Otti Vote of Confidence

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2024

Eric

Ahead his one year anniversary in office on May 29, Abia State governor Alex Otti, has been endorsed by the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) in the State and the 17 LGAs.

The unanimous vote of confidence was passed during an enlarged meeting, which was attended by the governor, the entire party hierarchy in the State, all political appointees in the state executive cabinet, elected members at the national and Abia State House of Assembly.

The motion for the vote of confidence was moved by Obi Aguocha, the member representing the Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal constituency, who said that Otti has made the party proud in the past 11 months in office by surpassing expectations.

The motion at the meeting, which was convened at the governor’s residence, was supported by the member representing Obingwa-Osisioma-Ugwunagbo federal constituency, Munachim Alozie, with the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, putting the decision to a vote.

The meeting, according to stakeholders, was called primarily for the party hierarchy in the State and the local government areas to familiarise themselves with the various appointees of government, including members of the State Executive Council and local government.

Governor Otti, who said he was surprised at the show of solidarity and confidence by his party leadership and other stakeholders, expressed gratitude to God that people have taken note of the modest achievements recorded by his administration in less than one year in office.

The governor informed the meeting that he met Abia at sub-zero level and said that Abia citizens were ashamed to introduce themselves as citizens of the State.

“Today, everywhere you introduce yourself as an Abian, people look at you differently with respect, unlike in the past, ” said Otti.