CONUA EXPRESSES UTMOST DISPLEASURE TOWARDS FG, THREATENS TO SUE FG.

CONUA voiced its displeasure with the Federal Government, particularly the Ministry of Labour and Employment under the leadership of Dr. Chris Ngige, over the salaries that had been withheld “even when the government knew that the union did not call for strike action and its members were not involved in the strike action that lasted for eight months and which shut down the university system nationwide.”

Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, Dr. Henry Oripeloye, and Dr. Ernest Nwoke, who are the organization’s national president, secretary, and publicity secretary, respectively, signed a statement in which CONUA called out the government for amalgamating it members with members of Asuu who went on the 8-month strike action.

“CONUA formally informed the Federal Government of its non-participation in the strike in a letter written to the Minister of Labor and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, in April 2022. We made it clear in the letter that because CONUA was a distinct and independent union inside the university system, none of our members had requested a strike. CONUA anticipates that the government will effortlessly release our members’ unpaid wages when it starts paying salaries to all university workers again in October 2022 as a result of the express and categorical declaration.

“To our surprise, however, CONUA members were also given pro-rata salaries despite the fact that the strike had effectively prevented us from performing our tasks. The union observed that after the pro-rata payment “We wrote to the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Accountant-General of the Federation to tell them that it was wrong to include our members with those who had declared and started a strike.

According to the union, “from the aforementioned and as a law-abiding union that committed to do things differently, we have resolved to seek legal redress of the illegal withholding of our legitimate salary by taking the matter to court in consonance with the rights established in our laws.”

NATIONAL NEWS – CBN CUTS DOWN CASH WITHDRAWALS TO N100,000 WEEKLY: MOBILE MONEY AGENTS, LAMENTS.

The Central Bank OF Nigeria (CBN) announced the restriction of over-the-counter and ATM Cash withdrawals to #100,000 for individuals and #500,000 for Corporate Organizations respectively, which will become effective on January 9, 2023. This implies that an average Nigerian is limited to the maximum withdrawal of #20,000 per day which sum up to #100,000 naira, a week.

This new development was conveyed yesterday in a circular signed by the Director Banking Supervision Department OF CBN, Mr Haruna Mustafa, to all deposit money banks (DMB) and other financial institutions (OFIs). The Circular stated that “Third-party Chequers above #50,000 shall not be eligible for payment over the counter while the existing limit on #10,000,000 still remain. The CBN also directed the DMB and OFIs to only load this ATM with denominations not higher than #200.

Although, the CBN made provision for individuals to withdraw 5m and corporate organizations to withdraw 10m, once in a month based on certain requirements, the Mobile Money Agents are still not pleased with the announcement made by the ‘top-bank’. Following the declarative of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the President of the Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria raised his uttermost displeasure towards the new policy set to be enacted by the CBN.

The Association is of the strong opinion that this new policy ‘does not hold enough water’ and protested that the new development will dampen business for mobile banking agents. The President of the AMMBA, Mr. Olojo Victor said that the newly announced policy would negatively affect their business and as it would lead to the shutting down of Mobile Money Operations in Nigeria also known as Pos Terminals. He also stressed out how this new policy would be really tough for an average Nigerian due to the fact that Nigeria is still a Cash-dominant Society.

Source: Vanguard News

CBN TO SANCTION BANKS DISPENSING OLD NAIRA NOTES

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has vowed to sanction commercial banks still dispensing old Naira notes ahead of the Jan. 31 deadline for the cessation of the currencies as legal tender. The Governor of CBN stated this on Thursday during a sensitisation campaign on the redesigned Naira notes at Alamis Market in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

Represented by Mr Atiku Mohammed-Nasir, CBN’s Director of Security Service, Emefiele urged the traders and residents of the state to embrace the redesigned notes for their transactions.

They were reminded that the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes would cease to be legal tender on Jan. 31, hence all in possession of the old note should take them to the banks.

“Henceforth, When you go to any commercial bank and you are issued the old N200, N500 and N1,000 do not collect because they would become useless as from Jan. 31. We will henceforth sanction any bank found guilty of dispensing the old Naira notes at ATMs or over the counters to customers. The CBN has supplied adequate new Naira notes to the various commercial banks. If any bank issues you old Naira notes, report such banks to the CBN for appropriate action,” he said.

The CBN governor insisted that there would be no extension of the Jan. 31 deadline for the termination of the old notes despite appeals for an extension by the traders. He, therefore, urged traders to make haste and change their monies before the deadline. Emefiele encouraged traders and other residents to embrace e-banking for their transactions, saying the policy would go a long way to address insecurity and improve the nation’s economy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CBN team also visited some commercial banks in Lafia to ascertain the level of compliance to its directive on the dispensing of new Naira notes through the Automated Teller Machines (ATM).

NATIONAL NEWS – LAGOS SETS DAYS OFF WORK FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO OBTAIN THEIR PVC’s

As the election tension continues to rise as the presidential election date of 2023 approaches, the Lagos state government in order to encourage public servants to get their permanent voter’s cards, has declared four workfree days for its workers to collect their Permanent Voters Cards at their respective Local Government/Local Council Development Areas. This announcement was made on Wednesday, January 18, 2022, by Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the state’s Head of Service. He said the work-free period would commence on Tuesday, January 24, and end on Friday, January 27, 2023, for different grade levels of workers in the public service.

“Consequent upon the extension of the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards by the Independent National Electoral Commission, it is hereby notified for the general information that all public servants who are yet to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards from designated INEC Centers are encouraged to do so before Sunday, January 29, 2023, as it is a civic responsibility to vote. “To this end, Mr Governor has graciously approved a work-free day to enable public servants to collect their PVCs from their respective local government/local council development areas as presented in the table below,” he said. source : Pulse news

Like Jonathan, Nigerians will yearn for Buhari after leaving office – Shehu

When President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office on May 29, according to Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president for media and publicity, Nigerians would miss him. This was said by Shehu during a Monday interview on Sunrise Daily on Channels TV. He asserts that
although Nigerian presidents are not adored while in power, their absence is felt. Shehu bemoaned the severity of the President’s accusations and added that presidents are not beloved while in office. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was “persecuted out of office,” is now
a favorite among many Nigerians, the speaker claimed. He predicts that this same hunger would continue once Buhari hands the presidency along to the next leader. Regarding the cashless policy, Shehu underlined that it is a desired and irreversible decision on the part of the current administration. “Cashless is the way forward for Nigeria,” he declared, “because cashless nations and, in fact, all developed nations of the world have gone cashless.”
Source: Vanguard

NLC TO EMBARK ON NATIONWIDE STRIKE

Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, has ordered all public sector employees in the nation to go on strike starting on Wednesday of next week. Additionally, he gave the order for all affiliated unions making up the Nigeria Labour Congress to be prepared for
nationwide picketing operations at all CBN branches. The instruction came after a previous ultimatum given by NLC Central Working Committee members last week in which they criticized the Federal Government’s cash swap program.
According to Ajaero, the Federal Government and the CBN have not demonstrated any willingness to fix the situation, therefore the decision to picket CBN facilities became imperative. Despite the Supreme Court’s judgment permitting the old N500 and N1000 notes to circulate alongside the new notes until December 31 of this year, he bemoaned that things seem to be getting worse as workers cannot access cash to pay for transportation to work or to purchase food for their families. The top labor organization, NLC, addressed reporters on Wednesday at its headquarters and criticized the petroleum industry’s pricing inconsistencies, which were also cause for concern.
Source: Daily Post

“Actions of Minister of labor and employment, Dr Chris Ngige will destroy federal universities in Nigeria”.

Many Nigerian lectures have staged protests in different parts of the country. The lecturers on Tuesday protested against the no work, no pay policy imposed on them by the federal government following the eight months strike embarked upon by the academic staff union of universities.
They said the actions of the Minister of labor and employment, Dr Chris towards the union will destroy public universities in Nigeria.
Members of ASUU university of Lagos chapter had a rally from the Julius Berger Auditorium of the university premises to the school main gate to protest against the half salary.
Picture credit: Punch newspape

Tinubu is the best presidential candidate- Buhari

The President, Muhammad Buhari  during an interview in the United Kingdom after meeting with His Royal Majesty, King Charles III in Buckingham Palace.

When asked about the chances of his party (the APC) in the next elections, Buhari said, “What are the chances of my party not winning the election? We are going to win the election.

“Tinubu, the presidential candidate, a very well-known politician in the country, he was a two-term governor in Lagos State, the most resourceful state and the most visited state. So, I think the party was lucky to get him to be the candidate.”

Asuu embarks on a four weeks warning strike

After the long awaited news by students from Asuu following the meeting they had from Saturday through Monday, around 11am a four weeks warning strike was announced by Asuu and it became effective on the 14th of February 2022 over unresolved demands, which they claimed the federal government was reluctant to meet, this strike caused a lot of chaos amongst student across the nation and students are afraid of what comes next after the warning strike. Following the announced warning strike.

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who expressed surprise at the industrial action embarked upon by the university teachers, denied that he had been shunning meetings with the union. However, the minister said if, after several negotiations between ASUU and the government, an agreement was still not reached; it is no longer the fault of the government.

Graduands Criticize UI’s Decision to Ban Lower Grades From Hall at Convocation.

Some graduating students of the University of Ibadan have decried Nigeria’s premier university management’s decision to ban all, except first-class graduates, from its 2021 Convocation ceremony.

In October, food inflation reached 20.75 percent as prices continued to soar.

The National Bureau of Statistics, yesterday, said that the annual food inflation rate rose for the 24th consecutive month to 20.75 per cent in October from 20.71 per cent in September, owing to further increases in the prices of basic food items.

UNILORIN student reveals why he beat his lecturer to a coma.

Salaudeen Waliu, popularly identified as Captain Walz, allegedly beat up a lecturer, Mrs. Zakariyyah, to stupor after an altercation on his academics.

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN HANDS OVER ANOTHER BENIN BRONZE TO NIGERIA

The University of Aberdeen, Scotland, has handed over another Benin Bronze to Nigeria. This comes days after Cambridge University’s Jesus College handed over the first of the artefacts looted by the British in 1897.

SENATE FROWNS AT PROPOSED 200 MILLION LOAN TO BUY MOSQUITO NETS

The Senate on Tuesday strongly condemned the proposal by the Federal Ministry of Health to borrow $200 million under the malaria programme to buy mosquito nets in the 2022 budget.

OBASANJO SAYS, “NIGERIA NEEDS STATE POLICE TO TACKLE INSECURITY”

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said it will take the creation of state police to tackle the insecurity problem facing the nation. Obasanjo said nation-building could only be achieved when the government was able to guarantee a safe environment for citizens.

ONE YEAR AFTER…. END SARS MEMORIAL PROTEST AT LEKKI TOLL GATE.

The 20th of October made it exactly one year since the end sars protest happened. A protest which was organised last year to put an end to bad governance, a reform of the police force and an end to police brutality it ended up being a blood bath which had the government of the day killing its citizens for peacefully protesting.

BANDITS ATTACK ABUJA-KADUNA TRAIN

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has confirmed that suspected bandits on Wednesday destroyed a portion of the Abuja-Kaduna rail track with explosives, forcing a disruption of train services on the route.

President Buhari wants the National Assembly to approve a new $4 billion loan.

    In addition to the 2018-2020 borrowing plan, President Muhammadu Buhari is seeking approval from the National Assembly to borrow further funds totaling $4,054,476,863 and €710 million. The president also requested that the national assembly approve $125 million in grant components. The request was made in a letter read on the Senate floor by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday, September 14.

Nigeria records 187,023 overall illnesses in COVID-19, according to the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The NCDC made this known through its website on Monday morning, adding that the country reported 388 additional COVID-19 infections on Aug. 22, 2021.

Laborer receives 12 strokes for stealing electrical materials.

An Upper Area Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, 24th of August ordered that a 21-year-old labourer, Marvellous Faruna, be given 12 strokes of the cane for stealing electrical materials.