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Trump’s Speech Calls For Introspection Says Peter Obi
The former Gov. of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi has advised Africans and African leaders to stop brooding over President Donald Trump’s speech describing African countries as Shitholes and focus on development to prove Trump and others sharing the same view wrong.
He said such speeches questioning our fundamental being and existence called for introspection and self examination to see where we have gone wrong and make amends.
In Obi’s words: “While President Trump’s expletive comments on supposedly world’s poorest countries which includes most in Africa, is derogatory and worrisome, as a student of philosophy, I see his remarks as a clarion call for reflection and reexamination for African citizens, and their leaders especially, on how to build a better future for their people.”
Obi was speaking yesterday on the topic:
“Contemporary issues in Africa”
at Yale University, Connecticut, USA.
Amidst thunderous applause, Obi who said he was privileged to speak at the 317-old Yale University that had produced 5 USA presidents, 19 USA Chief Justices and over 20 billionaires, described Africa as a continent full of opportunities and must be treated with respect and understanding.
He encouraged foreign direct investment into the continent, especially with assurances that Nigeria remain the best place in view of her population of about 180 million, industrious people and availability of untapped raw materials.
He subtly urged the international world to help Africa not from grants point of view, but by discouraging the saving of stolen money in the country.
Obi also protested the news that the President of the University, Peter Salovey, is visiting Kenya and Ghana, while leaving out Nigeria.
He said that Nigeria should actually be considered first in such visits, considering her critical position in Africa.
Obi disagreed with some participants who located African problem as mainly absence of democracy, by arguing that Africa’s major problem is the absence of leaders without good and practical knowledge of the economy.
He said that once the economy of a country was got right, that education would improve thus reducing all manner of agitations.
Exhorting American on the need to encourage good leaders in Africa, he said that such leaders could do to Africa what good leadership did to countries like Singapore and China.
At this juncture, Obi went into comparison of Nigeria with China as follows: “Comparatively, the population in China was twice the population of Nigeria in 1980 and to date, remains about 200 million more populated than Africa (In 2015, China’s population was 1.371 billion while Africa’s population was 1.186 billion).
In 1980, China, with a population of 981 million, recorded a GDP of USD341 billion, translating to a GDP per Capita of USD347, while Africa, with a population of 478 million, recorded a GDP of USD556 billion, which translated to a GDP per Capita of USD1,168.”
Obi also recalled the efforts of China towards achieving the MDG and lamented how African countries lagged behind, but he expressed strong optimism that Africa, especially Nigeria will get it right with the on-going Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its 17 Global Goals with 169 targets aimed at transforming our world in 2030
Describing the SDG as “a universal call to action that will end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity (2015-2030)”, he called on African leaders to mainstream it into their policies as China had since done.
Strategic meetings As part of the visit, Obi had strategic meetings with the principal officers of the school, namely:
Prof. Jim Levinsohn, the Director of Jackson Institute for Global Affairs;
Casey King, the Director of Capstone Projects; Asha Rangappa, the Director of Admissions; Elizabeth Gill, Director of Career Services;
Tim Stumph, Director of the World Fellows Programme;
Sen. Russ Feingold, former Senator and the School’s Senior Fellow;
prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of the Institute of Management;
Eddie Mandhry, Director for Africa and Larisa Satara,
the Deputy Director, Jackson Institute for Global Affairs.
Senator Russ Feingold said it was nice and fulfilling listening to Obi and that people like him looked longingly to his speech because of his overwhelming positive reputation as a public servant among Nigerians.(Vanguard)
News
Badaru on Operational Tour of 82 Division, other Military Installations in Enugu and Imo States
The Honourable Minister of Defence H.E Mohammed Badaru Abubakar CON mni is currently in Enugu on operational tour of 82 Division of Nigerian Army and other military platforms in Enugu.
He was received on arrival by the General officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army / Commander JTF SE of operation Udoka Major-General H.T Dada and other senior military officers.
The Minister is expected to meet with South East stakeholders on the way forward.
Details later…
Tinubu has granted full oversight responsibilities to Ministers of State over agencies under them amongst whom are Minister of State for Defence Dr. Bello Matawalle, Water Resources and Sanitation, Minister of State for Agriculture and others will henceforth enjoy full oversight responsibilities over such agencies.
President Bola Tinubu at FEC Meeting has approved that ministers of state be given full powers to supervise the agencies under them, the cable reported.
Until now, files pertaining to departments and agencies under their supervision were sent by their permanent secretaries to the senior ministers.
With the new dispensation, ministers of state can now grant all necessary administrative approvals on the governance process of these agencies and departments.
According to a source in the office of the head of service of the federation, “the president was not pleased with the prevailing governing framework in which ministers of states were just ministers in name”.
This, Tinubu reportedly said, led to the “underutilisation of the expertise and capabilities” of most ministers of state.
“The president believes ministers of state should have the right to make decisions and direct action within their areas of responsibility,” the official added.
According to the Cable report, the source said the idea, first mooted by Hadiza Bala Usman, special adviser to the President on policy coordination and head, central delivery coordination unit got an instant buy-in from the President.
With the new directive, the administration hopes “to unleash” the potential of all the ministers, the source added.
…It’s unprecedented to earn above minimum wage in Enugu- Labour
… We’ll commence implementation immediately- ALGON
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has approved N80,000 minimum wage for the state’s work force, including local government workers, effective October 2024, noting a direct link between a motivated workforce and his administration’s vision of growing the state’s economy from $4.4bn to $30bn.
The new minimum wage covers all state employees, primary school teachers, and local government workers.
Organised labour has described the wage as unprecedented, as it was the first time that Enugu workers would be earning above the national minimum wage.
Mbah announced the new minimum wage on Thursday after a meeting with the Enugu State Minimum Wage Implementation Committee headed by the Head of Service, Kenneth Ugwu and labour leaders, including the state’s labour leaders.
Mbah said, “Few weeks ago, I inaugurated a committee with the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage in Enugu State. Today, I’m happy to announce a new minimum wage for workers in Enugu State, reflecting our fidelity to their welfare, in regard of which we have been resolutely committed.
“We have approved the sum of N80,000 as the new minimum wage in Enugu State. This underscores our commitment to bequeathing lasting legacies of improved living conditions.
“Our commitment to improved workers’ welfare runs deep, and is rooted in the firm understanding of the inextricable link between an inspired workforce and the audacious economic targets we had set our sights on.
“We clearly understood that reducing poverty to the barest minimum and achieving an unprecedented economic growth target were contingent on the output of the workforce. Therefore, for us, the best way to acknowledge that labour creates wealth is by ensuring that the workforce, which creates the wealth that oils the wheel of government, is sufficiently motivated.
“We have similarly demonstrated our commitment to workers welfare through the consistent payment of the wage awards, a gesture we had pledged to sustain until a new wage structure took effect.”
Speaking, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, thanked governor Mbah for always prioritising the welfare of workers, describing the new minimum wage as “a great one for Enugu workers.”
“In the past, when minimum wage is announced, it takes up to one or two years for anything to happen; and when it did, we took anything they gave us as we saw it. But today, you have even given us something much higher than national minimum wage.
“But I am not totally surprised because when other governors were paying N12,000 wage award, you were paying us N25,000. When others paid for some months and stopped, you continued paying it until the new minium wage as you promised. So, we have enjoyed wage award for 11 months and today you announced the minimum wage which is the first of its kind since my 32 years in service,” said.
Speaking to Government House correspondents, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Ben Asogwa, said, “We are so happy. The governor did not just announce ₦80,000 minium wage, but said that it cascades down to even local government workers. He said that he does not want disparity in salary implementation in Enugu State anymore because we all go to the same market.
“This is the first time in history we are seeing the implementation of minimum wage above the approved amount by the federal government. Actually, when we entered into the negotiation, we were afraid because we know quite well that we are not among the states that share in dividends of oil money. We know quite well that we are at the back when it comes to federal allocation, but His Excellency actually surprised us.
“One thing we have seen is that he understands the impact of motivation on productivity. The governor has set a pace and we know that any other person coming after him will have the challenge to meet up with the target set by His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah.”
On his part, Chairman of the Association of Local Government Workers, ALGON, Enugu State, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, pledged the commitment of council chairmen to implementing the new minimum wage.
“When you motivate workers, they become more productive. What I am promising on behalf of the Enugu ALGON family is that we are going to cascade the new minimum wage to the local government level. Implementation begins immediately,” he said.
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