Ngige: govt can’t meet Labour’s wage demand
The Federal Government cannot meet the demand of Labour in the new minimum wage regime, Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige, said on Tuesday. According to him, the economy will grind to a halt like that of Venezuela, should the government accede to Labour’s request, the minister added. Although the Federal Government has started paying workers on Grade Levels 1 to 6, the N30,000 minimum wage, there is disagreement with Labour unions over the percentage of increment for senior workers. Ngige said about 1.4 million workers in federal public service would take 33 per cent of government budget in
FG moves to seize Maina’s multi-million property in Nigeria, abroad
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed court papers to confiscate a number of properties traced to the embattled former Chairman of the Pension Reforms Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina. At the same time, the anti-graft agency has filed another motion to get an extended order to detain the former deputy director with the Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension, CIPPO, who was handed last week by the Department of State Services after being arrested in an undisclosed hotel in Abuja. A top source said last night that the EFCC had traced many houses worth hundreds of millions of Naira at
Senator Ndume to FG: don’t increase VAT
The former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, on Thursday urged the Federal Government to jettison its plan to increase Value Added Tax from 5% to 7.2%. According to him, it will affect the poor masses more. He spoke with State House correspondents after closed doors meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Ndume, however supported the increase of property and communication taxes. He said “You see that is something I did last time; I feel that increase in VAT is going to have a spiral effect; and it is going to affect the poor more. “It is
Revealed: FG Perfects Plans To Re-arraign Sowore Before Another Judge on Monday
The Federal Government has perfected plans to re-arraign Sahara Reporters publisher and convener of #RevolutionNow protests, Omoyele Sowore, before another Federal High Court Judge in Abuja on Monday, Starnews has learnt. The government is arraigning him on seven counts of treasonable felony, money laundering and cybercrimes which was instituted against him by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. Starnews reports that the Department of State Service, (DSS), had filed a seven count charge bordering on treasonable felony and money laundering against Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the February 23 presidential
FG to drag judge before NJC for granting Sowore bail
There were indications last night that the federal government was contemplating reporting Justice Taiwo Taiwo, to the National Judicial Council (NJC) on account of his decision to grant bail to the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Mr. Omoyele Sowore. Justice Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja admitted Sowore to bail on Tuesday and dismissed the objection raised by the Department of State Security (DSS) to the bail. The Nation gathered last night that a shocked Nigerian security and intelligence community met on the matter yesterday and resolved to appeal the judgement. It also decided to petition the NJC on
Nigeria optimistic of setting aside 9.6bn judgment debt – Lai Mohammed
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has expressed optimism that the entire arbitration decisions and judgment debt of N9.6 billion against Nigeria by a UK court over a botched gas contract would be set aside. The Minister stated this in London while reacting to Thursday’s ruling by a UK commercial court staying execution of the 9.6 billion dollar judgment debt and granting leave for Nigeria to appeal the decision in the UK appellate court. A text of the minister’s reaction was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja by his media aide. Mohammed
FG To Renegotiate Full Implementation Of N30,000 Minimum Wage
The Federal Government is set to reconstitute a new committee to begin fresh negotiations for the full implementation of the new national minimum wage of N30,000. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. “The President has put in place a new committee or council called ‘Presidential Committee On Salaries and Allowances,” he said. Senator Ngige made the revelation when the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) paid him a courtesy visit at his office in the nation’s capital. He, however, warned that the delay in agreement for
UK Court Grants FG Leave To Appeal $9.6bn Judgement
A United Kingdom court has granted the Federal Government leave to appeal the judgment that asked Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) Limited to seize $9.6bn in Nigerian assets. The P&ID secured the damages against Nigeria following a failed Gas Supply Project Agreement (GSPA) contract between it and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami in a brief from London said, “Application for leave to appeal against the award and enforcement of the award is granted Application for stay of execution is currently being considered.
FG Delegation In UK Over $9.6bn P&ID Case
A Federal Government delegation led by the Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Emefiele, is currently in the United Kingdom to meet with some international media over the $9.6 billion case involving the Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID). The meeting follows the award of the fine of $9.6 billion against Nigeria by a British Court following a botched oil deal with the company. Others members of the delegation include the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Adamu; AIG Ibrahim Lamorde and the
NEC Approves N100bn For Implementation Of National Livestock Transformation Plan
The National Economic Council has proposed a budget of a 100 billion naira for the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan. Chairman of the sub committee on farmer herders crisis, Governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi told State House Correspondents that it was agreed that the Federal Government would bear 80 percent of the amount while participating states would support with 20 billion naira and provision of lands for the programme. He reiterated that states are free to use any animal of their choice in the implementation of the programme and that a date for the effective take off
