News
Buhari Has Indicted Himself of Incompetent, Inept government — PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari, in saying that he is unaware that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, did not carry out his orders regarding the security situation in Benue state, has directly admitted running an incompetent, disorganised and uncoordinated administration.
President Buhari’s explanation on the IGP is also an admission that he has handed over power to a cabal that neither sought for votes nor elected by Nigerians.
The party said President Buhari has irredeemably indicted himself adding that such unpardonable slipshod attitude to governance is directly responsible for his government’s wrecking of the nation’s once robust economy as well as other woes that have befallen our
nation in his almost three years in office.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and supporters of the President should take their minds off the Aso Villa ahead of 2019 election now that their leader and sole candidate has
practically admitted his incompetence to run an effective government as desired by Nigerians.
The party criticised the President for trying to pass the buck to the IGP, a development which it said further exposed his lack of direct commitment and concern toward the wellbeing and security of Nigerians.
According to the statement, “Nigerians have completely lost hope in President Muhammadu Buhari and his incompetent administration. By stating that he was unaware that the IGP only spent 24 hours in Benue state, Mr President has confirmed that he has not been effectively monitoring the handling of the security situation of our nation.
“This places a huge question mark on the regular assurances issued from the Presidency on security.
“For our party, PDP, the expression of President Buhari has once again vindicated our position that our nation has been placed on autopilot cruise with a cabal pretending to be managing our affairs.
“Indeed, Nigerians need to know; what exactly did President Buhari, as the Commander-in-Chief, do when he realised that the IGP did not carry out his orders? We demand a direct answer from the Presidency.
“The fact is that there is no sense of remorse by the Government as the President himself spent only two hours in Benue state without visiting the victims or even making any direct policy statement on those behind the killings and how to forestall future bloodletting. Rather, in the character of this government, Mr. President engaged in yet another blame game instead of facing issues.
“If the Presidency is not committed to monitoring critical issues such as security, then Nigerians are no longer in doubt as to why other sectors, particularly our once robust economy, had gone comatose under the Buhari administration.
“Moreover, Nigerians are miffed that while the wailings over these daily bloodletting are yet to abate, President Buhari is busy announcing his plans to return to Benue to seek for another round of votes.
“This shows clinically that Mr. President is truly not aware that Nigerians have since abandoned him in his state of unawareness.
“Nigerians can no longer bear with a government that cannot give directions to officials and monitor it through; a government that is so inept that it lacks the elementary proficiencies to initiate and implement effective policies and programmes for national cohesion and
development; a government that lacks the basic skills to internationally engage and run a virile economy.”
The party further stated: “We have a government that was so careless, that it even had names of dead persons in the list of appointees to federal boards. What a tragedy!
“Again, we maintain that our nation has been on auto-drive under the APC and Nigerians cannot wait to end this nightmare come 2019.
“For us, in the PDP, the well-being of Nigerians and overall national cohesion will continue to remain paramount to us at all times, as we rally with the people on our repositioned platform ahead of the 2019 general elections.”
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.
News
Enugu: Mbah Approves N80,000 Minimum Wage for State, LG Workers and Primary School Teachers
…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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