MINISTER of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, has said that the 30 slots given to each member of the National Assembly in the 774,000 jobs nationwide was just a privilege and not a right.
The Minister, who was reacting to the statement credited to the the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Ndidi Elumelu, said whether the federal lawmakers accept the slots or not was irrelevant because their constituents will still be the beneficiaries of the position.
According to him, “The question of slots to certain persons was never a question of a right or entitlement, it is just a privilege given to them to recommend persons within their constituencies.
“The template is that 1000 persons will be picked from each local government area. That means, that whether they reject or accept is irrelevant because their constituents will still have their full entitlement of 1000 per local government.
“Except they want to tell Nigerians that it is only a section of those local government that they represent and not all the persons in the local government.
“Or except they want to tell Nigerians that they are opposed to certain persons in the local government getting those jobs.”
MINISTER of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, has said that the 30 slots given to each member of the National Assembly in the 774,000 jobs nationwide was just a privilege and not a right.
The Minister, who was reacting to the statement credited to the the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Ndidi Elumelu, said whether the federal lawmakers accept the slots or not was irrelevant because their constituents will still be the beneficiaries of the position.
According to him, “The question of slots to certain persons was never a question of a right or entitlement, it is just a privilege given to them to recommend persons within their constituencies.
“The template is that 1000 persons will be picked from each local government area. That means, that whether they reject or accept is irrelevant because their constituents will still have their full entitlement of 1000 per local government.
“Except they want to tell Nigerians that it is only a section of those local government that they represent and not all the persons in the local government.
“Or except they want to tell Nigerians that they are opposed to certain persons in the local government getting those jobs.”
The Oyo State Government, has announced a shift in the Common Entrance examination dates into its schools of science from Wednesday , August 19 to Tuesday , September 1 .
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in the state , in a statement signed by the Commissioner, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said the postponement was due to a clash of the examination date with the ongoing West African School Certificate Examination .
The statement indicated that students in Oyo State were expected to write Economics and Agricultural Science in their year 2020 West African Examination Council on the said dates.
It added that the date of the screening test for placement of pupils in terminal classes in public and private primary schools into Junior Secondary School 1 in Oyo State had been shifted from Thursday , August 20 to Saturday, August , 22 also due to clash of the date with another WAEC subject .
“ All parents and guidance are advised to note these changes and prepare their wards for the exercise at the stipulated periods with strict compliance with the state’ s COVID- 19 protocols, ” the Commissioner advised.
The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has rejected the 30 -job slot allotted to each member of the House for their respective local government areas , in the recruitment exercise for the Federal Government’ s Public Works Scheme.
The Minority Leader of the House, Ndudi Elumelu, in a statement issued , described the allotment of 30 out of the 1000 slots per local government to each member of the House as “ grossly unfair and unacceptable by Nigerians and the lawmakers who are the true representatives of the people. ”
The statement was titled ‘ 774 , 000 Jobs: Reps Minority Caucus Rejects 30 Slots for Members . ’
The National Assembly and the Minister of State for Labour , Employment and Productivity , Festus Keyamo ( SAN ) , had clashed over the scheme.
Political office holders had been allocated 15 per cent of the slots in the programme designed to employ 1 , 000 artisans from each of the 774 Local Government Areas of the country. The scheme had been allocated N52 bn in the 2020 budget .
The beneficiaries are to work for three months, between October and December , with each of them earning N20 , 000 monthly .
Chairman of the Extended Special Public Work Selection Committee in Rivers State , Dr Innocent Barikor, was quoted to have said , “ The directive given to us is that every state governor has 40 slots of the job in each LGA ; serving senators have 30 each ; members of House of Representative have 25 slots ; a minister has 30 slots in every LGA in his state of origin . ”
The minority caucus of the House, however , alleged that the formula used is in favour of “ certain interests in the ruling All Progressives Congress at the detriment and disadvantage of majority of Nigerians . ”
Elumelu insisted that “ the 30 persons allotment to be supervised by a member in each of the Local Government Areas , cannot by any criteria , said to be a true representation of the people they are mandated to represent. ”
Elumelu stressed that the 774 , 000 jobs were meant for the people and that the people look up to the lawmakers as major channels through which they are reached for social – economic empowerment .
The Minority Leader said , “ The 30 persons allotment per local government for lawmakers is grossly unfair, inadequate and unacceptable to Nigerians . As the representatives of the people , we are closer to them and they directly interact with us , irrespective of religion , class and political affiliations .
“ All Nigerians living in our constituencies are our constituents , irrespective of political leanings . We have a responsibility to protect their interests at all times . As such lawmakers ought to have been carried along on the allotment.
The Federal Government, said the ongoing evacuation of Nigerians from abroad as a result of the COVID- 19 pandemic would end on Saturday, August 22 , 2020 .
The Chairman , Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 , Boss Mustapha , disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja .
Mustapha , who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , said with the stoppage of evacuation , the nation’ s airports would be given sufficient time to prepare for reopening .
He also disclosed that some countries , such as the United States of America , United Arab Emirates and Egypt, had expressed their readiness to repatriate convicted Nigerians , who had been pardoned and paroled.
Mustapha stated , “ A number of countries have signified intention to repatriate Nigerians convicted and pardoned and paroled in those countries . They include the UAE , Egypt and the United States of America .
“ Coming in the midst of our national response to COVID- 19 , all relevant agencies of government are taking multi – sector steps to ensure that the process remains within acceptable international protocols and in line with bilateral agreements .
“ For the purpose of clarity, this should be distinguished from the normal evacuation flights and we wish to state that all evacuation flights will end on August 22 , 2020 , after which the airports will be given sufficient time to prepare for reopening . ”
Mustapha said the PTF had continued to observe “ noticeable decline in fatalities , high discharge rates and consistent under 500 daily cases” for the past four weeks in spite of the huge increase in testing capacity and increase in the number of daily tests conducted.
He , however , said the nation had not attained the desired level that would enable the PTF to make conclusive statements on the rate of infection in the country.
“ We must , therefore , continue to do that which is giving us record improvements and desist from actions capable of undermining our successes , ” he said .
Mustapha stated , “ A number of countries have signified intention to repatriate Nigerians convicted and pardoned and paroled in those countries . They include the UAE , Egypt and the United States of America .
“ Coming in the midst of our national response to COVID- 19 , all relevant agencies of government are taking multi – sector steps to ensure that the process remains within acceptable international protocols and in line with bilateral agreements .
“ For the purpose of clarity, this should be distinguished from the normal evacuation flights and we wish to state that all evacuation flights will end on August 22 , 2020 , after which the airports will be given sufficient time to prepare for reopening . ”
Mustapha said the PTF had continued to observe “ noticeable decline in fatalities , high discharge rates and consistent under 500 daily cases” for the past four weeks in spite of the huge increase in testing capacity and increase in the number of daily tests conducted.
Members of Nigeria’ s major labour unions in the oil and gas sector have suspended the strike they embarked upon in protest against the non -payment of their salaries .
Officials of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers said the strike was called off after various agreements were reached with the Federal Government.
The National Public Relations Officer , PENGASSAN , who doubles as the Rivers State Secretary of the Trade Union Congress , Fortune Obi , confirmed the suspension to newsmen .
“ Strike suspended as Federal Government agrees to pay the owed salaries while the IPPS ( Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System ) is sorted out in the future , ” he said .
On August 13 , 2020 , The PUNCH reported that members of PENGASSAN in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and some of its agencies commenced a three- day warning strike .
The senior workers had downed tools in protest against the non – payment of their salaries for the past three months.
They also embarked on the strike to kick against the Federal Government’ s inclusion of oil workers in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System .
It was , however , gathered morning that the two unions had an impromptu meeting with the Accountant- General of the Federation in Abuja.
At the meeting , it was resolved that the three months salary arrears owed the oil workers be paid through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform .
The House of Representatives will today grill ministers and other top officials of the Federal Government over Nigeria ’ s external borrowings , especially from China .
The House Committee on Committee on Treaties, Protocols and Agreements had summoned the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed ; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy , Isa Pantami ; Minister of Power , Saleh Mamman ; Minister of Transportation , Rotimi Amaechi; and Director- General of the Debt Management Office , Patience Oniha , among others.
Chairman of the committee, Mr Nicholas Ossai , told news correspondent on the telephone that those summoned were expected to appear before the panel .
Ossai said , “We are sitting tomorrow ; we adjourned to August 17 . We expect everybody to be there. ”
The committee had earlier on July 28 , 2020 , grilled the Minister of Transportation , asking him to reappear before it on August 17 .
The panel had on July 28 , 2020 , begun an investigation into the external loans taken by Nigeria , beginning with a $ 500 m loan taken from China for rail projects .
The lawmakers had raised the alarm over loan agreements Nigeria signed with China , pointing out that the agreement might force Nigeria to concede its sovereignty to the Asian country if the loans were not paid back .
But Amaechi, who appeared before the committee, had said the probe would send a wrong signal to China , which could stop the loans , thereby thwarting the nation’ s rail projects .
The Senate has said it will persuade the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd ), to sack the military chiefs, comprising the Chief of Defence Staff , Chief of Air Staff , Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Naval Staff .
The upper chamber had, on July 21 , asked the CDS and the service chiefs to step aside , following the killing of soldiers fighting insurgency and banditry in some parts of northern Nigeria .
The decision came after a motion moved during plenary via a point of order by the Chairman , Senate Committee on Army , Senator Ali Ndume .
Ndume ’ s motion titled ‘ Matter of urgent national importance ’ was premised on the rising number of casualties among the armed forces and other security agencies due to escalating banditry and insurgency in the country. He described the situation as worrisome .
He said , “Just recently , 24 soldiers were ambushed and killed along the Gamboa – Maiduguri Road in Borno State . At least 19 were wounded , while nine were declared missing in action .
“ It is also disturbing that in Katsina recently , about 20 soldiers were ambushed and killed , while several others were wounded . The number of civilian casualties is not known .
“ If the trend continues , it will have serious implications on the fight against insurgency , banditry and other forms of criminality in the country.
“ Recently , it was alleged that over 236 soldiers voluntarily resigned from the Nigerian Army. ”
Meanwhile , the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, in his prayer , as an addition to Ndume ’ s point of order , demanded that service chiefs step aside .
The Senate approved the prayer and passed a resolution on it accordingly .
The Federal Government has said the likelihood of Nigeria sliding into another recession in the Third Quarter of 2020 , making it the second time within four years .
The Minister of State for Finance , Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba , said this in Abuja at the beginning of a five-day interactive session on the 2021 – 2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper .
The event was organised by the House of Representatives ’ Joint Committee on Finance; Appropriation; National Planning and Economic Development ; and Aids , Loans and Debt Management .
The World Bank had in July warned that the collapse in oil prices resulting from COVID- 19 pandemic was expected to plunge the Nigerian economy into a severe economic recession , the worst since the 1980 s .
The global bank had stated this in its latest Nigeria Development Update .
Agba had read out a written presentation by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed , titled ‘ Draft 2021 – 2023 MTEF / FSP : Presentation to the House Finance Committee . ’
The minister said the Nigerian economy faced serious challenges in the first half of 2020 with the microeconomic environment significantly disrupted by the pandemic .
The document partly read , “The impact of these developments is about 65 per cent decline in projected net 2020 government revenues from the oil and gas sector , with adverse consequences for foreign exchange inflows into the economy .
“ Nigeria is exposed to spikes in risk aversion in the global capital markets , which will put further pressure on the foreign exchange market as foreign portfolio investors exit the Nigerian market .
“ Nigeria ’ s Q 2 GDP growth is in all likelihood negative , and unless we achieve a very strong Q 3 2020 economic performance , the Nigerian economy is likely to lapse into a second recession in four years , with significant adverse consequences .
“ In response to the developments affecting the supply of foreign exchange to the economy , the Central Bank of Nigeria adjusted the official exchange rate to N360 / USD 1 , and more recently to N379 / USD .
“ The disruptions in global trade and logistics would negatively affect Customs duty collections in 2020 .
“ The COVID- 19 containment measures , though necessary , have inhibited domestic economic activities, with consequential negative impact on taxation and other government revenues .
“ Consequently , the projections for Customs duty , stamp duty, Value Added Tax , and Company Income Tax revenues were recently reviewed downwards in the revised 2020 budget .
“ Customs revenue has generally performed close to target over the last few years , exceeding target in 2019 . ”
While noting that there had been some improvement in Company Income Tax and VAT remittances , the minister said the Federal Government expected significant improvements in VAT collections with the new VAT rate of 7 . 5 per cent .
The minister said , “Over the past five years , actual revenue performance averaged 61 . 4 per cent .
“ Some of our reforms are yielding positive results , with significant improvements between 2018 and 2019 . We believe we can do more to improve revenues , especially remittances from GOEs , possibly up to N1 tn per annum . ”
Speaking on the key assumptions of the MTEF / FSP , the minister , among other , said , “ Inflation , however , is expected to remain above single digit over the medium term , given the structural issues impacting on cost of doing business , including high cost of distribution . ”
On management of the fiscal crisis , the minister noted that fiscal measures were being instituted to improve government revenue and entrench a regime of prudence , with emphasis on achieving value for money .
“ The goal of fiscal interventions will be to keep the economy active through carefully calibrated regulatory / policy measures designed to boost domestic value addition , de -risk the enterprise environment , attract external investment and sources of funding, etc . , ” the minister stated .
The minister noted that the draft 2021 – 2023 MTEF /FSP was prepared against the backdrop of a global recession and heightened global economic uncertainty .
The document further read , “The medium – term outlook for Nigeria suggests that fiscal risks are somewhat elevated , largely due to COVID- 19 related disruptions, which have exacerbated structural weaknesses in the economy .
“ Nigeria faces significant medium -term fiscal challenges , especially with respect to its revenues , which , if not addressed , could snowball into a debt sustainability crisis . ”
Already, Nigerians are becoming agitated by the rising debt profile of the country, with the National Assembly raising concerns over external loan agreements between Nigeria and global bodies , especially the China Export Import Bank.
A former President , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo , has asked African youths to dislodge older generation from leadership positions .
Obasanjo enjoined the youths to participate actively in the activities of political parties with a view to taking over the structure from them.
Obasanjo said this while delivering a keynote address at an interactive session held virtually to mark this year ’ s International Youth Day.
The programme was organised by the Youth Development Centre , an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library at Oke- Mosan , Abeokuta.
According to him , unless old people are forced out of the political stage, they will continue to occupy the leadership positions to the detriment of the youths .
Obasanjo said “ Unless you squeeze out those who are in office and those who want to remain in office perpetually , some after the age of 80 , unless you squeeze them out, they will not want to be out .
“ The type of change I am talking about , that I believe we can all embark upon is to subscribe to the constitution of political parties in favour of youths . Or if you like it you call it affirmative action in favour of youths . For instance , if you say, in the constitution of a political party , not less than 50 per cent of those who hold executive office within the party will be less than 40 years .
“ You can even go beyond that and say that people who will be put up for election, not less than 50 per cent of them will be less than 40 years of age . That ’ s affirmative action . That ’ s positive discrimination in favour of youths .
LatestNewsUpdates 