News
Digital Switchover: Enugu Procures 10,000 for Grassroots People
Enugu as the first State to witness the switch from analogue to digital television broadcasting, in the South East Nigeria, is already making moves to fete rural dwellers. Speaking at the event, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said that in line with the administration’s rural development agenda, procured 10,000 set top boxes for distribution free of charge to identified low income households across the 475 autonomous communities of the state.
Price of set-top box varies; least of them sales for N5000. However, at the subsidised rate of N1,500 (Federal Government’s rate), the State will now spend about N15million to make the devices available to the people. Speaking at the ceremony, which took place at the zonal headquarters of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Enugu, Gov. Ugwuanyi stated that the procurement was to enable less economically-endowed families in the rural areas have access to more television channels in line with the inherent benefits of the new innovation in the broadcasting industry.
The governor further stated that his administration also took the decision because of the significant cost of digital cut-over on the consumer who will have to source for set top boxes that will enable their analogue televisions to receive new digital signals. Gov. Ugwuanyi disclosed that the state government was delighted to “fully” support the digitization process, which he said “will dramatically increase the number of channels available to Enugu TV viewers, expand and deepen educational content available to our children, drastically reduce the cost of deploying and managing our costly state television infrastructure, and ultimately improve the IGR of our local governments”.
“As a state, we are fully conscious of possible discomfort that economically challenged families will face when they experience disruption in accessing free-to-air television. This, in our judgment, is the major reason the federal government has committed to produce and subsidize 10-million set top boxes for distribution to poor households in Nigeria. “We are keen to encourage the federal government to make good this promise so that this unique service will be available to most Nigerians especially the rural poor. As a government, we have intervened on behalf of our people by purchasing ten thousand (10,000) set top boxes which will be distributed free of charge to identified low income households in our rural areas”, the governor announced.
Gov. Ugwuanyi expressed delight that Enugu is now the number five in the country to cutover to digital television broadcasting after Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Plateau, Kwara and Kaduna states, adding that the state also has the distinction of being the first in the entire southern Nigeria. The governor commended the federal government, especially the Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for the resolute manner they have pursued the digital switchover agenda despite the daunting challenges, stressing that “there is every reason to support the switchover from analogue to digital television broadcasting”.
In his address, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, thanked the governor for his presence at the event despite the short notice, noting that Enugu is the third state the federal government has launched the Digital Switchover in the last two months.The minister emphasized the need for an objective and scientific audience measurement that would provide confidence among the people through the digitalization of television broadcasting in the country, urging Nigerians to support the on-going revolution in the industry.
Also speaking, the Director General of NBC, Mallam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, who described Enugu as a remarkable city under the present administration in the state, stated that the federal government was making the transition from analogue broadcasting to digital a reality, stressing that the benefits are enormous as the viewers will gradually appreciate the vision behind the initiative.
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.
Badaru on Operational Tour of 82 Division, other Military Installations in Enugu and Imo States
Boost for Nigeria’s Oil Production, As NNPC’s Utapate Crude Grade Hits Global Oil Market
Defence Minister in S’Arabia to Discuss Counter-Terrorism
LASG Acquires New Outboard Engines For Optimum Boat Performance
Elon Musk builds Hotel in Mars, Sets to launch soon at $5million per night – Photos
We Do Not Accept Refugee Application Directly From People – Canadian Govt.
-
Spotlight3 days agoConcerned citizens appeal to Gov Sanwo-Olu, Dangote Foundation, Banks, MTN Foundation, NNPC, others to assist journalist for brain surgery
-
Politics3 days ago
President Tinubu Restructures Media and Communications Team
-
GRPolitics3 days ago
With Commitment, Resilience We’ll Defeat Banditry and Terrorism – Badaru
-
Travel2 days ago
Defence Minister in S’Arabia to Discuss Counter-Terrorism
-
Energy9 hours ago
Boost for Nigeria’s Oil Production, As NNPC’s Utapate Crude Grade Hits Global Oil Market
-
News3 hours ago
Badaru on Operational Tour of 82 Division, other Military Installations in Enugu and Imo States
