Cloned Nigerian Anchor

Category: News

  • NLC Kicks Against FG Salary Increment For Civil Servants

    NLC Kicks Against FG Salary Increment For Civil Servants

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has kicked against the increase in the salary for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

    The Bola Tinubu government, on Tuesday, approved an increase of between 25 per cent and 35 per cent in salary for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

    A statement signed by the Head of Press of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku said the increases take effect from 1st January 2024.

    The statement said the Salary Structures included are the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS) and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

    Reacting to the development in a chat with ThisDay on Tuesday, the NLC spokesman, Comrade Benson Upah said the gesture should be extended to all the categories of Civil Servants.

    He said although details of the government’s statement have not been formally received by the NLC, the pay rise was for certain categories of workers in the public service.

    Upah said the salary increase is a welcome development and that the government should ensure that the margin is reflective of the harsh economic situation in the country.

    He said: “I am yet to see the details of the statement but from what I heard, those affected by the pay rise are from the specialized Service. 

    “These categories of workers are already in the privileged sector but we expect it to be extended also to other categories of Civil Servants who are in lower cadre and are vulnerable”.

    The labour leader also lamented the dire situation where even basic necessities such as transportation, education and healthcare had become unaffordable for Nigerian workers.

    He said workers are currently seeking a return to better days, with a better life, better electricity, better infrastructure and enhanced salary.

  • Nigerian Government Offers Free Ride On Port Harcourt-Aba Railway 

    Nigerian Government Offers Free Ride On Port Harcourt-Aba Railway 

    The Nigerian Federal Government has announced a generous initiative, offering free passenger train rides on the recently rehabilitated Port Harcourt to Aba railway line. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Oloruntola Oluremi, revealed the news on Tuesday night.

    The complimentary rides will be available for four days, from May 1 to May 4. Departures from Port Harcourt are scheduled for 8 am daily, with return trips from Aba at 3 pm. Full commercial operations will resume on May 7.

    This announcement follows the inauguration of the Port Harcourt-Aba rail line by Minister Senator Said Alkali earlier in the week.

    Alkali emphasized that such endeavors reflect the government’s commitment to enhancing trade and mobility across the nation.

    The statement reads, “There will be a free train ride between Port-Harcourt and Aba on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th of May 2024.

    “The train will be departing Port-Harcourt everyday by 8am for Aba. It will also be departing Aba every day for Port -Harcourt by 3pm. Full commercial operations resume on Tuesday 7th May 2024″.

  • Tinubu Govt Approves Salary Increase For Civil Servants

    Tinubu Govt Approves Salary Increase For Civil Servants

    The Federal Government has approved an increase of between 25% and 35% in salary increase for Civil Servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

    A statement signed by the Head of Press of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku, said the increases take effect from 1st January 2024.

    Njoku added that the government has also approved increases in pension of between 20% and 28% for pensioners on the Defined Benefits Scheme with respect to the above-mentioned six consolidated salary structures with effect from 1st January 2024.

    The Salary Structure is the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS) and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

    It will be recalled that those in the Tertiary Education and Health Sectors had already received their increases which involved Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) for Universities.

    For Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, it involved the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS).

    The Health Sector also benefitted through the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS).

  • Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill Introduced, Passed First Reading in the Senate

    Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill Introduced, Passed First Reading in the Senate

    The Nigerian Peace Corps Establishment Bill, earlier passed by the House of Representatives on 29th February 2024 and transmitted to the Senate for concurrence, was read on the floor of Senate and passed through first reading.

    With this development, a motion for concurrence to be sponsored by the Senate Leader, Sen. Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) will come up shortly to enable the Senate to adopt the Bill in line with the extant rules of the National Assembly.

    The Peace Corps of Nigeria established over 25 years ago by the National Commandant, Dr Dickson Akoh, is incorporated in Nigeria under the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and accorded the Federal Government recognition through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and granted license to operate in the Country as a Non-Governmental Organization by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

    Aside the Peace Corps bill, the Senate also passed for first reading, Nigerian Hunters and Security Service Bill 2024, Legislative Houses (Powers & Privileges) Act (Amendment) Bill 2024 and National Talent Rehabilitation and Integration Agency (Establishment) Bill 2024.

    Others are the Agricultural Research Council Act (Amendment) Bill 2024 and Agricultural Harvest and Processing Zone (Establishment) bill 2024.

  • Tinubu condoles victims of Ogun gas explosion

    Tinubu condoles victims of Ogun gas explosion

    President Bola Tinubu has sympathised with the victims of the gas explosion which occurred at Ita-Oshin, Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State on Sunday, April 28.

    This was contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday, April 30.

    The statement reads: “President Bola Tinubu extends his deepest sympathies to the victims of the gas explosion at Ita-Oshin, Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

    “The explosion from a solitary gas truck rippled through the community, resulting in the loss of life and property last Saturday.

    “The President also sympathizes with the Ogun State Government and residents of the state over this tragedy.

    “President Tinubu commends Governor Dapo Abiodun on his valiant efforts to arrest the situation and immediately restore calm to the community.

    “The President assures the people of Ogun State, particularly the victims of this harrowing incident, of his fervent support in this moment of grief.”

  • Terrorism: Miyetti Allah President, Bodejo knows fate on bail application May 30

    Terrorism: Miyetti Allah President, Bodejo knows fate on bail application May 30

    Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed May 30 for ruling in a bail application filed by the detained leader of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Bodejo,

    Bodejo who was accused of unlawfully establishing an ethnic militia group, Kungiya Zaman Lafiya to promote terrorism has been in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Abuja.

    He was arraigned in March on a three-count charge filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), in which he was accused of violating the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

    He denied the charges

    Moving application for his bail on Tuesday Bodejo’s lawyer, Ahmed Raji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), pleaded with Justice Ekwo to admit his client to bail on various grounds ranging from ill health to fundamental rights.

    He asked the court for “an order admitting the defendant to bail on liberal terms pending the hearing and determination of the charges preferred against him.”

    The senior lawyer predicated the bail request on the ground that Bodejo “suffers from grave ill-health and that the offences are bailable.

    Citing Section 36 of the Nigerian constitution, Raji said his client is presumed innocent until proven guilty adding that the charge against Bodejo did not disclose any crime against him.

    Contrary to government assertions, Raji informed the court that launching of the group by his client was done in a public place with Police Commissioner and personnel of other security agencies as well as Nasarawa State government officials in attendance.

    In an affidavit deposed to by Mohammed Musa, a brother to Mr Bodejo,in support of the bail bid, he said the Miyetti Allah leader who was arrested by DIA personnel on 23 January, has “been denied access to his lawyers, family members, friends and well wishers.”

    Musa described Bodejo as a “patriotic Nigerian citizen who goes about his business within the ambit of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    The deponent further said that Bodejo “neither established nor has any involvement with the ethnic militia group as alleged in the charge against him.”

    He explained that the essence of establishing the vigilante company was to provide security services to the members of the society and not to commit any act of terrorism as alleged by giving.

    However ,the federal government, through it’s lawyer, Y.A Imana, urged the court to reject Bodejo’s bail application on the ground that charges against the defendant borders on threat to national security.

    After taking arguments from the two parties, Justice Ekwo fixed 30th May for ruling in the bail application.

  • UFC Star Francis Ngannou Loses 15-Month-Old Son

    UFC Star Francis Ngannou Loses 15-Month-Old Son

    Former UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou, has lost his 15-month-old son, Kobe.

    The former UFC star confirmed the development on social media after reports began going round in his native Cameroon.

    Francis Ngannou questioned why life is unfair.

    He wrote, “What’s the purpose of life if what we’re fighting tooth and nail to get away from is what finally hit us the hardest!?” Ngannou posted on X. “Why is life so unfair and merciless? Why does life always take what we don’t have? I’m f tired.”

    Ngannou has also posted a message on Instagram: “Too soon to leave but yet he’s gone. My little boy, my mate, my partner Kobe was full of life and joy. Now, he’s laying without life. I shouted his name over and over but he’s not responding.

    “I was my best self next to him and now I have no clude (clue) of who I am. Life is so unfair to hit us where it hurts the most. How do you deal with such a thing? How can you live with it? Please help me if you have an idea because I really don’t know what to do and how to deal with this.”

    The circumstances of Francis Ngannou’s son’s death are unknown at this time.

  • There Will Be Total Blackout For The Next Three Months If You Reject New Policy – Minister of Power Warns Senate

    There Will Be Total Blackout For The Next Three Months If You Reject New Policy – Minister of Power Warns Senate

    The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has warned that there will be a total blackout in Nigeria in the next three months if the proposed electricity tariff hike is not implemented.

    The minister stated this yesterday in Abuja when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Power at an investigative hearing over the recent electricity tariff hike by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    This is after the Senate committee, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, rejected the new tariff regime.

    Adelabu warned that the entire sector would be grounded if the Commission fails to increase the tariff.

    Adelabu said, “The entire sector will be grounded if we don’t increase the tariff. With what we have now in the next three months, the entire country will be in darkness if we don’t increase tariffs.

    “The increment will catapult us to the next level. We are also Nigerians. We are also feeling the impact.”

    He said $10 billion yearly for the next ten years is needed to revive the nation’s power sector and nip in the bud the challenges bedevilling it.

    “For this sector to be revived, the government needs to spend nothing less than 10 billion dollars annually in the next 10 years.

    “This is because of the infrastructure requirement for the stability of the sector. But the government can not afford that. And so we must make this sector attractive to investors and to lenders.

    “So, for us to attract investors and investment, we must make the sector attractive, and the only way it can be made attractive is that there must be commercial pricing.

    “If the value is still at N66 and the government is not paying subsidy, the investors will not come. But now that we have increased the tariff for A Band, there are interests being shown by investors,” he said.

  • NNPCL Reveals Date Petrol Scarcity Will End Across Nigeria

    NNPCL Reveals Date Petrol Scarcity Will End Across Nigeria

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd affirmed on Tuesday that the ongoing fuel scarcity and queues across the country will be cleared out by Wednesday, April 31.

    The Chief Communications Officer, NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, confirmed this to newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.

    According to Soneye, the company currently has products available exceeding 1.5 billion litres, which can last for at least 30 days.

    He said, “Unfortunately, we experienced a three-day disruption in distribution due to logistical issues, which has since been resolved.

    “However, as you know, overcoming such disruptions typically requires double the amount of time to return to normal operations.

    “Some folks are taking advantage of this situation to maximize profits.

    “Thankfully, product scarcity has been minimal lately, but these folks might be exploiting the situation for unwarranted gain.

    “The lines will be cleared out between today and tomorrow.”

    Similarly, the National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (lPMAN), Hammed Fashola, expressed hope that the queues in Lagos and Ogun would ease off this week, relying on the words of the NNPCL.

    Fashola, however, stated that the queues in Abuja might tarry a bit due to the distance to Lagos.

    He said, “The information available to us from the NNPCL was that there was a logistics problem, and when that happens, it will disrupt the supply chain.

    “That might be a delay in the movement of ships from the mother vessel to the daughter vessel before it gets to the depot tanks.

    “Before we can correct that, surely it will take some days. I think by Tuesday or Wednesday, there will be more products available for lifting by marketers.

    “It might take time before it can ease off in Abuja, considering the distance to Lagos and the bad roads; Lagos might be calm this new week.”

  • Senate Session Disrupted by Seating Spat in Renovated Chamber

    Senate Session Disrupted by Seating Spat in Renovated Chamber

    The much-anticipated return to the revamped Hallowed Chamber for the Senate’s plenary session was overshadowed by a bitter dispute over seating arrangements, resulting in a chaotic interruption of proceedings.

    Anticipation ran high as Senators gathered in the newly refurbished Hallowed Chamber for their first plenary session post-renovation. However, the mood soured quickly when Senate President Godswill Akpabio began acknowledging Senators who celebrated birthdays during the recess.

    Senator Sahabi Alhaji Ya’u of APC Zamfara North wasted no time in expressing his discontent with his allocated seat, confronting Senate Leader Senator Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele of APC Ekiti Central.

    What began as a private grievance escalated rapidly into a public confrontation, inciting reactions from fellow Senators and plunging the chamber into disarray.

    Senator Ya’u vehemently argued that his seat, positioned at the far right of the chamber, failed to reflect his seniority as a former Deputy Minority Whip during the 9th National Assembly.

    Senator Danjuma Goje of APC Gombe Central echoed similar sentiments, lamenting the perceived disregard for hierarchy in the seating arrangement.

    In an attempt to restore order, Senate President Akpabio intervened, urging Senator Bamidele and the aggrieved Senators to address the issue with the presiding officer.

    Following this intervention, Akpabio proceeded with his welcome address, albeit after a delay caused by the altercation.

    Subsequently, Senator Bamidele called for an emergency executive session, presumably to diffuse tensions and salvage the disrupted proceedings.

    As Senators work to resolve internal conflicts, the nation’s legislative agenda hangs in the balance, awaiting their undivided attention.