NEWS
TUC Opposes FG’s Non-payment Of N35,000 Monthly Wage Award
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, (TUC) has voiced opposition against the federal government’s decision to cease the payment of the N35,000 monthly wage award to workers in the public sector.
Comrade Festus Osifo, the President of TUC, conveyed this during a briefing with journalists following the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
He highlighted that civil servants had only received the pay for the month of September.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu announced in October 2023 that Nigerian workers would receive a specified amount starting from September 1st, aiming to alleviate the difficulties caused by fuel subsidy removal.
Recent reports suggest that the federal government has ceased the payment after a single disbursement.
Osifo expressed discontent on behalf of Nigerian workers, deeming this development unacceptable.
He emphasized the necessity for the government to address obstacles in the N35,000 monthly wage award procedures and promptly remunerate the workers accordingly.
TUC further opposed the debt-to-revenue ratio within the national budget presented by the President to the National Assembly.
They highlighted that the budget’s deficit outweighed the national revenue, expressing concern about the excessive borrowing undertaken by the government to cover its expenses.
The congress urged the government to tackle the matter of tax revenue while advocating for a reduction in wasteful spending across all government tiers.
He said “Specifically, on the issue of a wage award, it is on record that a payment has been made just once. As we speak now, our members in the federal civil service have not received the wage award since October.
“We wish to call on government to fast track all the processes. We learned that they are currently putting some things in place to pay this money but our people are not ready to listen to excuses.
“All we want is that this money should keep hitting the account of our members until the new minimum wage is put in place.
“We thank them for the once that they have done, but they have ceased doing it for a couple of months, so we call on government to remove all the bottlenecks that are being experienced today regarding the wage award and to continuously pay this sum.
“I will also wish to call out the respective state government to do the same. For the state governments that have agreed to pay the 35,000 Naira wage award, we say kudos to them.
“For those who have also agreed to do something close to 35,000 we say we are welcoming that but for all those who are running away from paying these amounts or from providing any palliative to our members, they are only postponing the evil days because when the people are hungry, then at the end of the day, it increased the level of crime in society because people will keep looking for what’s to eat.
“So we call on all state governments, including the Minister of FCT, to make provision of this sort for all Nigeria workers.” he added
The TUC declared the inclusion of five new affiliates, notably Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), National Association of Medical and Dental Academics, and the National Association of Nigerian Butchers, among others.
A helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi yencountered a “hard landing” on Sunday.
According to report, the incident took place near Jolfa, a city situated on the border with Azerbaijan, within Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran.
However, details regarding the incident were not disclosed.
The Associated Press noted uncertainty regarding whether bh Raisi was onboard the helicopter during the incident.
Despite rescue efforts, adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain and wind, have hindered access to the site, according to state TV.
Before the helicopter incident, President Ebrahim Raisi had been in Azerbaijan on Sunday to participate in the inauguration of a dam alongside Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.
This dam marks the third joint construction project between the two nations on the Aras River.
Despite Iran’s diverse helicopter fleet, obtaining parts is hindered by international sanctions, with much of its military air fleet dating back to pre-1979 Islamic Revolution era.
Raisi, aged 63, is known for his hard-line stance and previously served as the country’s judiciary leader.
Considered a protégé of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, some analysts speculate that Raisi could succeed the 85-year-old leader in the event of his resignation or demise.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military prevented an attempted coup on Sunday near President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa, as reported by an army spokesperson.The Democratic Republic of Congo’s military prevented an attempted coup on Sunday near President Felix Tshisekedi’s offices in Kinshasa, as reported by an army spokesperson.
According to him, the plot, involving both foreigners and Congolese citizens, unfolded in the early hours outside the residence of Economy Minister Vital Kamerhe in the Gombe district, close to the president’s offices at the Palais de la Nation.
General Sylvain Ekenge announced on national television that the defence and security forces had successfully thwarted the coup attempt.
He said “An attempted coup d’etat has been stopped by the defence and security forces. The foreigners and Congolese…including their leader” would “all no longer cause any harm”.
Shots were heard near the Palais de la Nation during the attempted coup, as confirmed by various sources.
General Ekenge didn’t elaborate further on the incident, and AFP’s attempts to get additional information from official sources remain unanswered.
However by late morning, the city appeared calm.
Early social media reports suggested an armed attack on Kamerhe’s residence, with some assailants heading towards the Palais de la Nation.
“This morning, there was an armed attack at the residence of the economy minister,” wrote Japan’s ambassador Hidetoshi Ogawa on X.
He stated that Kamerhe “was not harmed, but two policemen and an assailant were killed according to sources.”
France’s ambassador reported hearing automatic weapons fire in the area and advised French nationals to steer clear of the location.
Videos circulating on social media depicted individuals in military attire at the Palais de la Nation, waving flags of Zaire, the former name of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the regime of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, who was ousted in 1997.
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has dismissed all transition committee chairmen in the state’s 21 local government areas.
This decision was detailed in a letter titled “Expiration of Tenure and Handover to Heads of Local Government Administrations (HLGAs),” dated May 17, 2024, and signed by Collins Nwabunwanne, the state Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Community Affairs.
According to the letter, the directive will be effective starting Monday, May 20, 2024.
The letter read, “Following the expiration of your tenure as Transition Committee Chairman, you are hereby directed to handover the affairs of your Local Government Council to the Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA), in your respective Local Government Councils.
“This directive takes effect from Monday, 20th day of May, 2024. Thank you for your service to the state. All replies to be addressed to the Honourable Commissioner.”
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