The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, forced a member, Simon Atigwe (PDP/Enugu) to withdraw a bill seeking to bar workers in the health sector from embarking on industrial action.
According to the House, the proposal, which failed its second reading at the plenary on Wednesday, was against the provisions of the Constitution.
The legislation is titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the Trade Disputes Act, Cap. T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to Prohibit Medical Practitioners in the Employment of Federal, State and Local Governments (as Employees in the Essential Service Sector) from Embarking on Strike and to Accelerate Administrative and Judicial Proceedings in the Determination of Trade Disputes Involving Them; and for Related Matters.’
Several unions in the health sector such as the National Association of Resident Doctors and the Joint Health Sector Union have on different occasions downed tools over issues bothering on their welfare and working conditions.
On Wednesday, Atigwe had read out the long title of the bill and moved a motion for its second reading, while Christopher Okwudili seconded the motion.
The Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, who presided over the session, had asked the sponsor to lead the debate on the bill.
Another member, Iduma Igariwey, however, raised a point of order to cite Section 34(1)(c) of the Constitution, which prescribes that ‘no person shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.’
He added, “I have gone through the amendment he intends to make, that it is an offence for medical practitioners to go on strike. What it means is that at all times, they must be forced to work, whether the conditions are proper or not. I think it runs contrary to this constitutional provision.”
Agreeing with Igariwey, the Deputy Speaker said, “You can’t make a law that will be over and above the constitutional provision. The only way you can do that is to amend the Constitution before you now amend the law. It is their right to exercise.”
Not satisfied, Atigwe disclosed that he sponsored the bill based on his experience.
“My amendment is out of experience. I have lost so many of my loved ones through strikes by medical doctors. I feel that if we can checkmate them, then we can save lives. We are not saying they will be forced to be working; the law is providing procedures on how their issues should be handled.”
Again, Wase picked a hole in the lawmaker’s argument, saying, “I’m referring you to the oath of office that you took. You are now bringing your personal matters. The day you took that oath, you swore to Nigerians that you would not allow your personal interest to influence you.”
The Deputy Speaker and several lawmakers, therefore, urged the sponsor to either step down the bill or withdraw it.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said its members in universities across the country would embark on another strike soon should the Federal Government fail to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union last year.
The Chairman of ASUU at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Dr Biodun Olaniran, and Secretary, Dr Toyin Abegunrin, who said this in a statement issued after the congress of the union held on Monday, stressed that the failure of the government to fully implement the agreement was worrisome.
The union said it had resolved to embark on an indefinite strike if the Federal Government failed to accede to its demands within a certain period of time.
It said members resolved to embark on an indefinite strike since the government was not ready to do the needful.
While asking Nigerians to prevail on the government to avert the impending strike, the union said it had allowed many stakeholders to talk to the government, which had portrayed the union as a dog, which could only bark but could not bite.
The statement read in part, “Our union, ASUU, is using this medium to call upon the Federal Government of Nigeria once again to implement the agreement it signed with ASUU. It is unfortunate to mention that the FG signed an agreement with the ASUU since 2009, but the agreement is not implemented till date.
“The agreement was renegotiated in the name of peace. But to our dismay, the government has refused to sign the renegotiated agreement. In order to make the implementation of the agreement easy for the FG, the union has limited its demand to only three.
“These include the signing/implementation of the renegotiated agreement of 2009; and the adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Software instead of the controversial IPPIS.”
Similarly, the Chairman, ASUU, Kwara State University, Malete, Dr Salau Sheu, said that the Federal Government was trying to dodge its responsibility by directing ministers to oversee the implementation of the MoA.
He said, “It is wrong for President Muhammadu Buhari to assign two ministers to oversee the implementation of the Memorandum of Action signed last year with ASUU. First, the assigned ministers are not part of the agreement. Only the ministers of Finance and Education were part of the agreement. The Federal Government is trying to take away university autonomy through its designed programmes and it is trying to shy away from implementing the resolutions of the negotiations.
“ASUU is having its National Executive Council meeting at the University of Lagos on February 12 and 13. If nothing is done by the government between now and then, the lecturers may go on strike.”
However, the Chairman of the University of Ilorin branch of ASUU, Prof Moyosore Ajao, said the branch would observe the work-free-day today (Tuesday.)
Members of the University of Abuja chapter of the union are set to meet on Wednesday over the proposed industrial action.
The Chairman of the union, Dr Kasim Umaru, disclosed this in an interview with one of our correspondents on Monday.
Umaru explained that members of ASUU in the chapter would meet on Wednesday and come up with resolutions.
“We are meeting this week, precisely on Wednesday, and we are going to make our own resolutions. The government has failed to honour our demands times without numbers. The plan is to hold our congress on Wednesday, make our own decision and transmit it to the national body,” he stated.
Meanwhile, a member of the ASUU National Executive Council, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, stated that the union would have no choice but to embark on another strike.
“At this point, we have no choice but to go on strike; that is the only language the government understands. We have been going back and forth, but it seems as if they are not ready to listen and do what is right,” the NEC member said.
FG should honour NIREC’s intervention – ASUU
The National President, ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Oshodeke, asked the Federal Government to honour the intervention of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in the crisis.
He said the union did not trust the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
Oshodeke explained that the union decided to embark on mobilisation across the universities so as to intimate students and lecturers on its demands and possible decision.
“The mobilisation started last week and it is for two weeks. Each branch is expected to pick a day and have theirs. Then, we will meet and collate all the findings and address the press. The National Executive Council will meet and take a decision going forward,” he stated.
When asked why the union decided to mobilise for a strike despite NIREC’s intervention, Oshodeke said, “The mobilisation started before NIREC’s visit to the President. Until we see action, we don’t believe the Federal Government; it cannot be trusted.
“The President and the government should respect the highest religious body in the nation, the NIREC; they should honour the organisation and implement the agreement we reached with it in line with the intervention of NIREC. This is also in the interest of our children; all their children are abroad, but our children are here on the streets; the government should implement the agreement so that there will be no distortion in the system.”
Direct inquiries to Labour ministry, says Education ministry
The Federal Ministry of Education, on Monday, absolved itself of blame on issues between ASUU and the Federal Government by directing inquiries about the looming strike to the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
The spokesman for the ministry, Ben Goong, disclosed this to one of our correspondents in Abuja.
“Channel your inquiries to the Minister of Labour. I have nothing to say,” Goong stated.
CONUA members attend classes in OAU as ASUU members shun work
Some lecturers under the auspices of the Congress of University Academics in the Obafemi Awolowo University, on Monday, did not observe the work-free day directed by the national leadership of ASUU.
Despite their refusal to comply with the directive, most of the classes did not hold on the campus of the institution.
Before the ASUU work-free day directive, members of the union in OAU had been on strike in protest against the non-payment of the earned academic allowance by the management of the institution.
A student in the Faculty of Arts, Hafsor Isiaq, told one of our correspondents that lectures did not hold as lecturers in the faculty stayed away from work even before the work-free day directive.
“Many of our lecturers belong to ASUU. So, they have been staying away from work. Lectures are not holding in most of the faculties, but I learnt that some lecturers, who are not members of ASUU, are attending to students,” she said.
When contacted, the CONUA Secretary at the OAU, Dr Henry Oripeloye, said, “Our members are not part of ASUU’s work-free day. They are attending to students.”
The ASUU Chairman in the institution, Dr Adeola Egbedokun, had told journalists that members of the union were observing an industrial action to press home their demand for the payment of earned academic allowances before the work-free day directive by the ASUU national body.
We’re getting members prepared for strike – Ekiti varsity ASUU
The Chairman, ASUU, Ekiti State University chapter, Dr Kayode Arogundade, said that the union’s mobilisation congress that held on Monday on the campus of the institution was to sensitise members to be prepared for an industrial action.
“We are having a mobilisation congress. We want to tell our people to get prepared that by February 13, if the government decides not to honour agreements with the union, we will shut down,” Arogundade said.
Normal academic activities continued at the Gombe State University contrary to ASUU’s directive as observed on Monday by one of our correspondents.
Students, who were in the examination mood, were spotted studying for the examinations.
Speaking in a telephone interview with The PUNCH, the branch Chairman of ASUU, Dr Suleiman Jauro, said branches of the union were free to decide on any day of the week between Monday and Thursday to register their displeasure.
ASUU members at the University of Benin, on Monday, observed the work-free day as directed by the national body and warned of an impending strike.
The union, in a statement by the Chairman and Secretary, Ray Chikogu and Success Absomwan, respectively, said it was compelled to state that the Federal Government and its agents were determined to cripple academic activities in the nation’s universities.
There were skeletal activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, on Monday as lecturers and students were seen gathered in groups discussing matters of interest.
One of our correspondents, who visited the Awka campus of the institution, observed that most lecture theatres were devoid of academic activities.
One of the lecturers, who identified himself simply as Dr Ije, said the situation was connected to the Monday sit-at-home declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra across the South-East.
The lecturer added that ASUU in the institution had already observed its lecture-free day on February 1.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has signed a bill regulating real estate transactions in the state.
The governor signed the bill at the Executive Chamber at the Lagos House in the Ikeja area on Monday.
Present at the signing were the Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo; the governor’s Special Adviser on Housing, Toke Awoyinka-Benson; amongst others.
Sanwo-Olu said the law to regulate the real estate transactions in Lagos State will help to protect the citizens; the unsuspecting Lagosians who fall prey to many real estate professionals, adding that the law will also help players in the real estate sector to know what is expected of them and for government to be able to track who is doing what in the sector.
“It is really around ease of doing business and ensuring that we can continue to attract private sector investments into the real estate space. We believe this law will be the very first in the country that has taken a deep dive into what is happening in that space and it further strengthens our intervention in housing through the Ministry of Housing,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor also signed two other bills into law to provide for the registration of Cooperative Societies in Lagos State; and law to regulate ownership, licensing and sale of pets and to prohibit and restrict people from having in custody dangerous animals in public places.
Sanwo-Olu said the new bills he assented to would strengthen government and citizens’ engagement and relationships and for residents of the state to continue to live in an atmosphere where the rule of law is enshrined for people and to know what is expected of them.
The governor commended the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and the state lawmakers for seeing the need to pass the bills into laws.
He said the law to provide for the registration of cooperative societies in Lagos State would make it easy to regulate the operations of thousands of cooperative societies in the state for harmonious cooperation.
The governor also noted that the law regulating the ownership, licensing and sale of pets, prohibiting and restricting people from having in custody dangerous animals in public places, would further strengthen all the deliverables in the Ministry of Agriculture, especially issues that have to do with pets and animals.
The Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Ewu-Owa Gberigbe in Ikorodu, Lagos, Rev. Fr. James Anelu, has been “suspended” for banning Igbo songs and choruses in his parish.
The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Martins, in a “disclaimer”, directed the priest to proceed on “an indefinite leave of absence”.
Anelu was reported to have banned Igbo songs and choruses in his parish, arguing that the excesses of Ndigbo must be contained.
It was learnt that he had angrily stopped a soul-lifting chorus during the second collection, noting that Igbos cannot keep dominating other people in his Catholic parish.
He reportedly cited the case of his Benin Diocese where Igbos dominate to the point of becoming the Bishop, allegedly claiming that the spirit of God recognises only geographical languages of the parish.
While announcing the suspension, Martins, in the letter dated February 7, said, “It has been brought to our notice that Rev Fr James Anelu, the priest-in-charge of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Ewu-Owa, Ikorodu, made some completely unacceptable comments about Igbo songs being sung in the Church and unsavoury remarks that do not represent the Catholic church’s position on the common brotherhood of peoples of all tribes and religions.
For this reason, he has been asked to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence to give an opportunity for a thorough investigation of all the matters relating to his ministry on the parish. The leave of absence takes effect from Tuesday, February 8, 2021, till further notice
We, therefore, urge all Catholic faithful to hold on to the faith and continue in worship of God as one big family united and not separated by language, culture, or race.”
Top US government science advisor Eric Lander, who helped map the human genome, resigned on Monday after being found to have bullied his staff, behavior President Joe Biden vowed he would not tolerate when he took office.
“I am devastated that I caused hurt to past and present colleagues by the way in which I have spoken to them,” Lander wrote in his resignation letter.
“I have sought to push myself and my colleagues to reach our shared goals — including at times challenging and criticizing,” he added, acknowledging he “crossed the line at times into being disrespectful and demeaning.”
Lander was named director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in January last year under Biden, who elevated the White House science advisor position to cabinet-level — a break from the policy of former president Donald Trump as America grappled with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Biden, a Democrat, had also set out to distinguish his administration from that of his Republican predecessor’s by pledging to safeguard a respectful and professional work environment.
If you’re ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot,” Biden told staff on the first day in office.
Lander resigned after an internal White House review sparked by a complaint filed last year found “credible evidence” the top scientist was “bullying” toward multiple staff members, Politico reported.
Lander was leading on Biden’s cancer “moonshot” initiative, relaunched this month with a goal of cutting the US death rate from the disease by half.
Biden expressed thanks for Lander’s work on the Covid-19 “pandemic, the Cancer Moonshot, climate change, and other key priorities,” and knows he “will continue to make important contributions to the scientific community,” press secretary Jen Psaki said.
Many filling stations were shut on Monday and this led to queues by motorists in the few outlets that dispensed Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, in Abuja, neighbouring states, as well as in parts of Lagos.
It was learnt that marketers of PMS were still unsure about moves to halt petrol subsidy, considering the fact that the government had projected in 2021 that it would stop the subsidy regime in February this year.
Also, our correspondent gathered that some members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners had discontinued operations in protest against the low freight rate for petrol which they receive from government.
The National President, NARTO, Yusuf Othman, told journalists in Abuja on Monday that “our people have parked their trucks and more people are going to park (theirs).”
The National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Ukadike Chinedu, also stated that the fear over subsidy withdrawal had been in the minds of both private depot owners and some retailers, leading to product shortage at filling stations.
“I’ve explained to you that DPOs are studying the situation around subsidy, since the government has been making various statements on this matter and this has its way of affecting the market,” he told our correspondent.
Queues for petrol in filling stations have been appearing and disappearing in Abuja and neighbouring states in the past few weeks, as marketers confirmed that aside from panic buying by motorists, there have been disruptions in PMS supply.
Ukadike had told our correspondent, “They (government) said they want to fully deregulate. That statement and similar ones which some ministers made that by 2022 we are going to start full deregulation, made some PDOs decide to hoard or withhold their products.
“They (PDOs) are doing this to be able to match up with the cost of petrol when it rises above N300/litre upon full deregulation. Now, this became a bottleneck in terms of the chain of demand and supply.
“So people who were taking petroleum products out of Lagos from the PDOs stopped a little bit to be able to look at the market value and their cost of logistics.”
Ukadike added, “That was what put a gap in the chain of distribution that led to the appearing and disappearing queues in many parts of Abuja and the north, as well as in some other locations of Nigeria.”
But the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited had described the queues as panic buying. Its spokesperson, Garba-Deen Mohammed, could not be reached when contacted on Monday.
A text sent to him was not replied to up till the time of filing this report around 9.16pm Nigerian time.
However, in a recent statement issued by the company on the matter, it said, “The NNPC Limited wishes to assure the public that the company has sufficient PMS stock to meet the needs of Nigerians.
The public is therefore, advised not to engage in panic buying of petrol; and to ignore all rumours that may suggest otherwise.”
It stated that in line with the existing laws of the land, NNPC was deeply committed to ensuring energy security for the country.
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), has said a number of entertainers abuse drugs and also encourage others to do the same through their work and activities on social media.
Marwa said this when he received leaders of Nollywood industry under the aegis of Actors Guild of Nigeria, at the National Headquarters of the NDLEA in Abuja, on Monday.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the AGN leaders declared support for the Agency’s ongoing war against drug abuse in Nigeria even as they expressed their preparedness to join the crusade against the scourge.
He said Marwa expressed confidence that the campaign against drug abuse in the country will go far with the offer of partnership and support from the leadership of AGN.
Marwa was quoted as saying, “A number of artists don’t only use, they also encourage others to abuse drugs through their work and activities on social media. We want the Guild to set good example by leading the war within its circle. Your movies must promote messages against the use of illicit drugs because the minds of millions are shaped by what they watch in movies. We need you to set up War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, committees within your industry.”
Speaking earlier, National President of AGN, Emeka Rollas Ejezie, said, “We are here today to affirm our complete support to your efforts in combating the menace of drugs in our society as we strongly believe will help reduce drug crime to the barest minimum.
“As a Guild of major influencers and in line with our set objectives to educate, inform and entertain as well as our avowed commitment to national development, we seek a mutually beneficial partnership with the NDLEA to leverage on the star-power of our members in promoting some of your transformation programs especially on drug trafficking and abuses.
The Majority of our members are youths and appeal to a generation of youths who are influenced heavily by internet content and social media.
We have, therefore, outlined some advocacy programs to enlighten Nigerian youths on the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking; they include but not limited to: production of skits majorly for social media campaigns; drama series on negative effects of drug abuses, rehabilitations, eradicating the fear of stigmatisation and advantages of total abstinence; engage some of our A-list actors as NDLEA Ambassadors to help use their star power to discourage the youths from doing drugs, among others.
“We share in the dream of a better Nigeria where success will be the reward for hard work and not through drug trafficking and other drug-related offences.
“The era of glorifying drug barons and criminals is far gone and the Actors Guild of Nigeria, as Ambassadors of Nigeria’s image, is readily available for advocacy campaigns, talk-shops, production of skits, playlets, feature films etc, on the menace of drug abuse and trafficking, he stated.
Apart from the National President, Emeka Rollas Ejezie, other members of the delegation include Mohammed Kareem, Vice President North Central; veteran actor, Zulu Adigwe; Steve Eboh; Onwurah Agility Ifeanyi; Waash Waziri, Vice President North West; Nazareth Jesse Bako, Mayor AGN Abuja; Pamela Abah; Veteran actor, Lisa Onu and Hajiya Salma Ibrahim, Chairman AGN Kaduna.
Anambra Airport Records 376 Flights, 11,860 Passengers.
Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri has continued an Impressive run with improved aircraft traffic and passenger numbers.
Information from the airport management says since the airport was approved by the regulator, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), for commercial operations, from the 7th of December,2021, up to the 31st of January 2022, a total of 376 flights and 11,860 passengers have been recorded at the airport for scheduled and non-scheduled operations.
Sadio Mane scored the decisive penalty kick to secure a 4-2 victory for Senegal.
Senegal Sunday night emerged African champions by defeating Egypt in the African Cup Of Nation final in Cameroon. The victory made Senegal to become African champions for the first time ever
Sadio Mane scored the decisive penalty kick to secure a 4-2 victory for Senegal after the match ended 0-0 after about two hours of football.
Having made it all the way to the last AFCON final in 2019, losing to another Northern African opposition in Algeria, the Teranga Lions were desperate not to allow lighting to strike the second time.
Seeing Mane and his teammates starting on the front foot and creating the early chance was not surprising and barely four minutes into the game, the Lions won a penalty kick.
Mane stood out to take the kick but it was saved by the Egyptian goalkeeper fondly referred to Gabasky.
Gabasky did not only save Mane’s spot kick but made several other saves to deny Senegal the chance of winning in the regulation period.
But in the end, it was Mane who still made the difference for Sengal on Sunday night; scoring the decisive penalty kick that installed the Teranga Lions as newest winners of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Mane who had earlier lost a penalty kick in the first half stepped up for the final kick for his team and buried it in the net this time.
The Lions and Pharaohs had played 120 minutes of football with no goal before the lottery of penalty kicks was used to decide the winner.
Kalidou Koulibaly scored the first penalty for Senegal while Ahmed Zizo scored the same for Egypt
While Abdou Diallo scored the second penalty for Senegal, Mohamed Abdel-Moneim failed to score the second penalty for egypt
Bouna Sarr blew the Lions advantage away as he wasted the third penalty for Senegal while Marwan Hamdi scored the third penalty for Egypt
However, while Bamba Dieng scored the fourth penalty for Senegal, Mohanad Lasheen missed the fourth penalty for Egypt.
It was left for Mane to take the decisive kick which he did not disappoint to send his team into wild jubilation.
Having come close in 2002 and 2019, Senegal are third time lucky while for Egypt they remain the continent’s most successful team as far as AFCON is concerned with seven titles to their name.
With the next Africa Cup of Nations tournament just around the corner next year in Cote D’Ivoire, Egypt will be hoping to come back stronger though they are guaranteed stiff opposition from some of the big names that did badly in Cameroon.
Anambra State Governor-elect Cee Cee Soludo has been consistent in his resolve and determination to give Okpoko town in Ogbaru Local Government Area a new lease of life. This is in line with his goal to transform Anambra into becoming the most liveable smart Megacity in Nigeria. Liveability and prosperity are the fulcrums of the new Anambra he envisions, while ensuring that our major cities of Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia are clean, green and well-planned is foundational to the success of this goal. The governor-elect has in several fora declared that his first official engagement after swearing in will be a visit to Okpoko to launch activities for the slum’s upgrading.
For the benefit of many who may not be familiar with Okpoko, it is the unplanned settlement lacking basic social amenities such as clean water, sanitation, access roads and hygienic facilities. The landscape is further dotted with unsafe and unhealthy homes with dirty floors, without windows and with leaky walls and roofs. The homes (yards) are often overcrowded and also lack good toilets. The structures are weak and can be blown away by winds, especially during rainy seasons. Indeed, Okpoko is devoid of basic conditions and amenities for residents to live decently and thrive as human beings. It is no surprise that children of the community tend to perform much worse in school with comparatively higher dropout rate. The result is the recycling of the dynasty of poverty.
Okpoko caught the attention of Soludo in 2010 in the course of his governorship electioneering tour of Onitsha and its suburbs. The horrible image of Okpoko and the hilarious conversation he had with a young boy who asked for money from him had struck him vividly. Pleasantly, he obliged the kid some money and also promised him that he would do all within his powers if he became governor to give him and other residents of Okpoko a better quality of life.
Eleven years after, Soludo was overwhelmingly elected governor of Anambra State. And true to his words, he has not forgotten the promise he made to the kid. He is poised to upgrade the Okpoko slum for the benefit of the residents and to the glory of God. No doubt, a new dawn is here for Anambra in all its glorious possibilities.
