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UPDATE: Striking doctors yet to contact Fed Govt on new demands, says Ngige

The Federal Government has said it has not received any official communication from resident doctors on their minimum demands for an end of their 56-day old strike.

The government however, assured that it would make its position known to the doctors once it received such communication from the striking doctors’ umbrella body, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

When contacted by newsmen, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige said” “We have not gotten that (the 72-hour ultimatum). We have not received their new demands. Let them write their employers, the Minister of Health. Let them also write me.

“We have not seen all those demands. When we see their demands we will then have an answer if it is true.

“They normally send me the communique of their meeting. When we see it we will respond.”

TheNation

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ASUU meets next week over planned strike, laments FG’s inaction

The union’s National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

Recall that ASUU had issued ultimatum to the Federal Government and accused the government of deliberately ignoring its demands.

Osodeke said, “For now, there is nothing new from their (government’s) side. They have deliberately continued to do this in a bid to make us bad.

“We have given them enough time and we are sure the public has heard our cries. The NEC will be meeting next week. No particular day yet but it is next week.

“We are hoping they do something before next week. When we meet, we will weigh our options and decision will be taken.

“We will update you with other things. But we are meeting next week and they have till next week.”

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Again, labour warns against electricity tariff increase

This was contained in a statement by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, titled, ‘Labour is committed to freeze in increase of electricity tariff,’ issued in response to a report in a national daily that electricity tariff would rise by over a hundred per cent from January 2022.

The union said, “Congress equally wishes to reiterate that one of the agreements with the Federal Government on 28th September 2020, includes freezing further increases in electricity tariff until the FGN-Labour Committee on Electricity Tariff concludes its work and its report is submitted and adopted by the principals in the broad FG-Labour platform, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Presidents of NLC and TUC, respectively.

“This pact to freeze electricity tariff increase entered into by the principals last year September remains sacrosanct to Congress and would not admit flouting by any form of subterfuge.”

“Finally, Congress reaffirms its notice to the Federal Government issued on 30 August 2021 that should the government make true the swirling speculations by approving an increase in electricity tariff, Organized Labour would be left with no option than to deploy the industrial mechanisms granted in our laws for the defence of workers’ rights,” Wabba cautioned.

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JUST IN: FG bans SSS1, SSS2 students from taking external WASSCE, NECO, NABTEB

This was contained in a circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Education to principals of federal unity schools.

It was titled In the circular with no: FME/DBSE/US/DOC/III/16 and signed by the ministry’s Director Senior Secondary Education, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir.

The circular was confirmed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Ben Bem Goong.

The government threatened to expel any SSS One and Two students who take the exams.

The circular read, “The ministry’s attention has been drawn to the flagrant disregard to its directive on (the) writing of external examinations such as NABTEB (NTC and NBC), WASSCE, NECO (SSCE) by SS1 and SS2 students.

“Students who are involved in the practice find it difficult to settle down on serious studies. They become unruly and distract other students from achieving their goals.

“Any student caught to have written any of the above examinations in SS1 or SS2 classes will be expelled from the college. All students must write these examinations after they have been duly registered for the examination by the college.

“All students of Federal Unity College should adhere strictly to the content of this circular. And Principals are advised to bring the content of this circular to the knowledge of all parents of the college.”

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JUST IN: No going back on mega protest at UN Headquarters – Yoruba Nation, others

Self-determination agitators operating on the platform of Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS) have vowed to go ahead with the grand finale of its one-million-man freedom march at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States on Friday.

The grand finale of the march coincides with the ongoing UN Assembly where President, Muhammadu Buhari, is expected to address the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly on Friday.

Akintoye in a statement, made available to The Nation by NINAS Director of Communications, Maxwell Adeleye, accused the Federal Government of sponsoring a counter-protest at the United Nations Headquarters tomorrow.

He alleged that the Nigerian Government has started hiring black foreigners living in the United States of America with $500 per head to stage a Pro-Buhari and One Nigeria March opposite the United Nations Headquarters.

Akintoye vowed that the will of the people would prevail no matter how the Federal Government tries to scuttle the NINAS Grand Finale March.

Apart from Akintoye, the Secretary-General, Tony Nnadi, who represents the Lower Niger Congress and Prof. Yusuf Turaki, who represent the Middle-Belt Movement at NINAS have also jointly called on the UN to take urgent step to prevent Nigeria from descending into chaos.

TheNation

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JUST IN: FG has identified, blocked terrorist financiers in Nigeria – Malami

Malami told the News Agency of Nigeria in New York that the federal government had also succeeded in identifying and detaining “high profile individuals” responsible for funding terrorists’ activities in the country.

“We have succeeded in identifying those that are responsible for funding terrorists. We have also blocked the leakages associated with the funding and then embarking on an aggressive investigation that is indeed impacting positively in terms of the fight against terrorism.

“But then, the truth of the matter is that investigation is ongoing, it is advancing and for the purpose of investigation, I wouldn’t like to be pre-emptive in terms of making disclosures that would have the effect of undermining the successes we are recording as far as investigation is concerned.

“But one thing I can tell you for sure is that whatever we do in terms of detention and in terms of arrest is indeed backed by judicial process. We have obtained a legitimate court order taking into consideration what we have presented before the court; the court eventually exercised its discretion in terms of granting orders that we can have them in custody.

The AGF continued “This is pending the conclusion of the investigation, which in essence is indeed deeply taking place and we are making a lot of successes and recording a lot of progress in the direction of the investigation.”

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UPDATE: FG considers fresh charges against Sunday Igboho

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, told NAN in New York that the Federal Government may file fresh charges against the agitator.

“As far as this matter is concerned, which court is it that has the jurisdiction to determine it? And as you rightly know, obedient to court orders and court judgments,” he said.

“But then you have to understand within the context of such obedience that there are associated rights and interests that are vested in the Federal Government.

“Inclusive of rights of appealing against a judgment, inclusive of right to file an application for settingaside the purported judgment and order.

“And indeed, inclusive of the possibility of filling a fresh action if indeed the jurisdiction of the court that was alleged to have indeed handed that judgment is an issue.

“So, we are doing the needful in terms of looking at the law as it exists and then working within the context of the law in ensuring that justice is done as far as the contending issues between the parties are concern.

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Buhari borrows for development, not to pocket —Adesina

Special Adviser to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said this while speaking on the Channels TV’s programme, ‘Politics Today’.

While fielding questions from the show’s anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, about the possibility of fresh borrowings from bilateral meetings at the assembly, he said, “You don’t go to the UN to seek borrowings. Any borrowing will not be approved until it goes through the National Assembly.

“The President is not going to borrow again. That is not the essence of the summit. When he meets with other presidents at the multilateral meetings, whatever is done there will not go through the back door. That meeting will be reported and whatever action is taken will go through the National Assembly.

“The President is aware of Nigerians’ clamouring against borrowing. He doesn’t live in space. He lives among the people. Many times, at the Federal Executive Council meeting when issues of borrowing come up, he talks about it.

“He says he knows people are saying his administration is borrowing too much, but we are not borrowing to put in our pockets. We are borrowing for development.”

“This administration will borrow and use it for development. And we can see evidence of those borrowings and the salutary impact it has had on our national infrastructure,” he said.

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Buhari borrows for development, not to pocket —Adesina

Special Adviser to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said this while speaking on the Channels TV’s programme, ‘Politics Today’.

While fielding questions from the show’s anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, about the possibility of fresh borrowings from bilateral meetings at the assembly, he said, “You don’t go to the UN to seek borrowings. Any borrowing will not be approved until it goes through the National Assembly.

“The President is not going to borrow again. That is not the essence of the summit. When he meets with other presidents at the multilateral meetings, whatever is done there will not go through the back door. That meeting will be reported and whatever action is taken will go through the National Assembly.

“The President is aware of Nigerians’ clamouring against borrowing. He doesn’t live in space. He lives among the people. Many times, at the Federal Executive Council meeting when issues of borrowing come up, he talks about it.

“He says he knows people are saying his administration is borrowing too much, but we are not borrowing to put in our pockets. We are borrowing for development.”

“This administration will borrow and use it for development. And we can see evidence of those borrowings and the salutary impact it has had on our national infrastructure,” he said.

Punch

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Businesses must accept e-naira payment, CBN warns

The CBN Director, Payment System Management, Mr. Musa Jimoh, said this during an interview on the ‘Business Morning’ programme on Channels Television.

Jimoh said, “Today, anywhere you present naira to pay, compulsorily it must be accepted because that is our fiat currency. So, the same way naira is accepted that you can’t reject it, is the same way e-naira must be accepted. Anywhere in this country where e-naira is presented, it must be accepted. So, merchants must accept e-naira as a means of payment.”

The liability of the e-naira money is directly on CBN which is similar to the cash you hold. The liability of the cash you hold today rests with the CBN. So, it gives Nigerians the opportunity to bank with CBN,” Jimoh said.

He added, “E-naira is a journey. We don’t expect that on October 1, all business merchants in Nigeria will accept it. We don’t even expect that come October 1, all Nigerians will have e-naira. It is a journey. It will continue to grow.
“Remember there was a time in this country when you had to practically beg business outlets, merchants and others to accept POS transactions. But we have come to a point where traders now beg for POS terminals.”

“Today the cost of producing the naira and coins is very high. It costs money to print naira in this country. Now, the minting of e-naira is electronic so it reduces cost,” Jimoh stated.

Punch