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Anambra Labour Unions Declare 7-Day Strike Warning

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Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Anambra State have delivered a decisive message to Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.

In a joint communiqué signed by Humphrey Nwafor (NLC) and Chris Ogbonna (TUC) on Wednesday, the labour unions issued a seven-day ultimatum, urging the governor to swiftly tackle critical concerns surrounding worker welfare.

The unions emphasized that the failure to meet their demands within the specified time frame could disrupt the existing industrial peace and harmony in the state.

Notably, they raised concerns about the integrity of the contributory pension scheme, referring to it as a “scam.”

They pointed out instances where workers’ salaries were deducted without corresponding government remittances, resulting in retired workers encountering difficulties accessing the deducted portions of their salaries.

Highlighting a significant revelation, the labor unions underscored that deductions dating back to 2018 had been retained in government coffers without the establishment of a regulatory board for Pension Fund Administrators.

In response, the workers are urgently demanding the suspension of contributory pension scheme deductions from salaries, insisting on an immediate refund of deducted funds.

In a clear stance against alleged inhumane and fraudulent activities, the unions are also calling for the immediate dissolution of the Ndi-Olu microfinance board.

It said, “The organised labour frowned at inhuman and fraudulent activities going on in the Ndi-olu microfinance Bank.

“The organised labour therefore demand for immediate dissolution of Ndi-olu microfinance Board and call on government to set up a panel to investigate the activities of the bank which are not limited to monies deducted from workers salaries for recapitalisation, non remittance of shares accrues to workers of Anambra State etc.

“The organised labour viewed the non-constitution of civil service commission, as negligence and deliberate act by the government to destabilise the system and stagnate workers from being promoted and have access from other entitlements.

“Therefore labour demands immediate constitution of all boards that are due for reconstitution to enable workers to have access to their rights and privileges.

“The organised labour demand for the immediate appointment of permanent secretaries for smooth running and administration of civil service.

“The organised labour feel disappointed over the sudden removal of the N12,000 wage award by Anambra State government even when hunger and hardship in the land persist.

“The organised labour expects the government of Anambra to emulate her counterparts in the federation, who are putting measures to cushion the effects of excruciating pains by providing palliative and upward review of the removed wage award to her workers and sustain the payment till the full implementation of new minimum wage commence.” it added

In addition, the Labor leaders emphasize the urgent need for the immediate appointment of permanent secretaries to ensure the efficient operation of the civil service.

They express concern over the non-appointment of permanent secretaries for two years and the utilization of three permanent secretaries to oversee 22 MDAs, deeming these actions insensitive to the welfare and growth of workers.

In light of these grievances, organized labor issues a seven-day ultimatum, demanding the resolution of these issues from today.

They make it clear that if their demands are not met within the stipulated time, they cannot assure the maintenance of industrial peace and harmony in Anambra State.

In response to these concerns, organized labor issues a decisive seven-day ultimatum, demanding the prompt resolution of these issues from today.

They caution that failure to meet their demands within the specified timeframe will jeopardize the assurance of industrial peace and harmony in Anambra State.

 

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NEWS

Moghalu Prescribes Good Governance As Panacea To Ethnic Agitation

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The President of the African School of Governance, Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu has admonished state actors against resorting to brutal force in the bid to muscle out separatist agitators.

In the aftermath of Mazi Simon Ekpa, the Finland based Biafran nationalist agitator being caught in legal web and the Nigerian government moving swiftly to seek his repatriation, the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that ‘We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.’

ALSO READ: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations

The political economist, while expressing his hope in Nigeria, made it clear that “hope is not a strategy”.

He bared his mind in a series of posts on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Friday.

Moghalu wrote, “Despite sustained contemporary difficulties, I am hopeful about Nigeria. But hope is not a strategy. We need to improve state capacity for effective governance.

“We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.

“We must learn to be honest with ourselves and address the root causes of our problems. Why ignore them, when the problem is actually quite solvable? The problem with continuing with this approach is that when the danger crystallizes, those who thought they were benefiting from

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NEWS

N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden

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Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.

In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.

READ ALSO: CSR: Dangote Cement Fuels Education With Support Projects At Lagos Schools

He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.

“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.

He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.

“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.

Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.

“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said

He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.

“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”

Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.

He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.

“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.

“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.

He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.

 

 

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International News

ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.

In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”

READ MORE: Osun Govt Decries Attempted Murder Of Park Mgt  Chairman By Police

The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.

Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.

The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.

With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.

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