Connect with us

News

Presidency reveals why Buhari hasn’t signed N30,000 minimum wage bill

Published

on

BY: Oliseama Okwuchukwu

The Presidency said on Wednesday that President Muhammadu Buhari had yet to sign the National Minimum Wage Bill just passed by the National Assembly into law, contrary to reports last week that he had done so.

The Senate had on March 19 passed the bill, approving N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

By its action, the Senate concurred the earlier decision of the House of Representatives, which passed the bill before the National Assembly shut down its operations to enable lawmakers to participate in the 2019 general elections, beginning from February 16.

Last week, there were social media reports, claiming that Buhari had assented to the bill.

But speaking in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH in Abuja on Wednesday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, dismissed the reports.

He said that signing of bills was not done in secrecy, as the President would normally communicate his decision to Nigerians publicly.

Enang clarified that Buhari had yet to sign the bill on the grounds that there were operational procedures to be followed.

However, he confirmed that the bill, which captured N30,000 as the new national minimum wage, had been transmitted to Buhari by the National Assembly.

Enang said, “The bill has been transmitted to Mr President; that I can confirm.

“Right now, the bill is undergoing standard presidential, operational procedures in respect of bills.

“We are within time. At the appropriate time, Mr President will take a decision and make it public.

“Therefore, the report that Mr President has already signed the bill is not correct.”

The passage of the bill by the Senate coincided with the submission of the report on the new national minimum wage by the Presidential Technical Advisory Committee Buhari set up to advise the Federal Government on how to pay a wage increase above the current N18,000.

The panel, which was chaired by renowned economist and businessman, Mr Bismarck Rewane, submitted its report to Buhari on March 25.

The committee had the primary task of advising the government “on how best to fund, in a sustained manner, the additional costs of implementing the imminent increase (N30,000) in the national minimum wage.”

The terms of reference also covered advising the government “on the consequential increases in salaries and allowances for other employees, without worsening our already difficult fiscal condition, and without adversely impacting the nation’s development goals as set out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.”

The President had assured the nation upon receiving the report, that he would “review” it expeditiously and take a final stance.

Recall that the Senate, while passing the bill, had asked that the current revenue sharing formula should be reviewed to make more funds available to the other tiers of government.

It said this was to enable the other tiers to cope with paying the N30,000.

Many states are owing backlog of salaries at the present N18,000 minimum wage.

Some of the states received bailouts from the Federal Government multiple times but still could not clear the salary arrears owed workers.

Most state governors had consistently opposed the N30,000 on the excuse that they could not afford it.

GrassRoots.ng is on a critical mission; to objectively and honestly represent the voice of ‘grassrooters’ in International, Federal, State and Local Government fora; heralding the achievements of political and other leaders and investors alike, without discrimination. This daily, digital news publication platform serves as the leading source of up-to-date information on how people and events reflect on the global community. The pragmatic articles reflect on the life of the community people, covering news/current affairs, business, technology, culture and fashion, entertainment, sports, State, National and International issues that directly impact the locals.

Continue Reading

News

IPOB Declares May 30th As Sit-at-home Day Across The Southern East States To Honour Biafran Fallen Heroes

Published

on

The Indigenous People of Biafra has declared May 30, 2024, as a sit-at-home day across the South-East to celebrate Biafran soldiers.

The pro-Biafran group said that day is set aside annually to celebrate the men and women who died in the Biafran war between 1967 and 1970 and beyond and even until now.

This was made known in a press statement by the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Thursday, adding that every Biafran in the South-East is expected to sit at home and reflect on the war.

He cautioned South-East residents to avoid loitering about on this day, adding that those who intend to travel to and fro Biafra land must do so before the evening of May 29.

The IPOB statement also directed that all the residents of “Biafra Land” are to stay indoors from 6 am to 6 pm on May 30, 2024.

He also called on christians and traditionalists to pray to Chukwu okike abiama for the fallen heroes, And also for the independence of Biafra from Nigeria.

Continue Reading

News

Anambra State Government Arrests Man For Marrying Off His Underage Daughter

Published

on

The Anambra State Government has arrested one Uzochukwu Okoli, for marrying off his underaged daughter.

Okoli was apprehended after his daughter reported to the State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare about the alleged ill-treatment being meted out to her by her father and the man he forced her to marry.

The daughter, Chioma Okoli, who is currently 16 years old, said after the death of her mother, her father took her and her sister out of Edo state and brought them to Anambra.

She alleged that she was first forced to live with a 70-plus-year-old man at the age of 14 but after some time, she ran back to her father’s house before he finally gave her out to a 34-year-old Chinedu Nweke as husband.

Chioma who was in the company of her sister, explained that life with Chinedu has been a living hell because he allegedly beats her and sometimes pees in her mouth.

She said this act made her run away with their 9-month-old baby. Her father, Uzochukwu Okoli, on the other hand, claimed her daughter is 18 years old and, at some point, said she is 20 years old.

After he was handcuffed, Mr Okoli threatened to deal with the daughters if he made it out of prison. He also urged Chioma and her sister to pray he dies in prison because he would make life more miserable for them.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo, has instructed that the case be charged to court so that the girl can get justice.

Both Mr Okoli and Chinedu Nweke were arrested and will be arraigned in court.

Continue Reading

News

Nigerians Seek Woman Who Spoke Out Eloquently Against Fuel Scarcity In Viral 1994 TV Clip

Published

on

April 30th 1994, 30 Years Ago, And Till Today Nothing Has Really Changed.

Netizens have gone in search of a beautiful and well-spoken woman who spoke out against fuel scarcity 30 Years Ago.

A user on X.com, Jackie, who identifies as #JWEZEE had shared the video yesterday with the caption, “On this day April 30 1994, same day same time, only difference 30years ago.

“Nigerians in long fuel queues lamenting, 30years later they are still lamenting. And In another 30years will still lament, why? Because patterns don’t lie.”

In the video, which has since gone viral, Nigerians were seen queuing to purchase fuel and lamenting their predicament as citizens waiting in long queues with their gallons to buy fuel.

The woman passionately addressed the unfairness of soldiers skipping queues to resell fuel, highlighting a longstanding problem.

She said in part, “You have the soldiers that come, they buy petrol, they put it in jerry cans they sell it right in front of these people, it’s ridiculous.

“They get the fuel themselves, why do they have to come here, they don’t join the queue, they just buy and they sell right in front of people, it’s ridiculous. Something has to happen.”

The 30-year-old video which recently surfaced coincides with the current fuel price hike across the country.

Here is the viral video from 30 years back.

Currently, the country is facing fuel scarcity and price hike, with fuel being sold at N900 per litre in some states. This has affected the price of goods in the nation.

Continue Reading

Trending