POLITICAL ROGUES !!! Nigerian leaders steal money, go to Jerusalem, Saudi to pray – Kukah

 The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah has taken a swipe at corrupt officials in Nigeria.

The cleric lambasted them during the wake mass for Archbishop Peter Yariyock Jatau at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral in Kaduna.

His sermon was titled, “A Nation in Search of Its Soul”.

Kukah said citizens usually complain that the country is full of churches and mosques but cannot find the values of religions in their leaders.

“We sin at home by stealing the nation’s resources but we seek repentance and forgiveness in Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem in the guise of lesser or higher pilgrimages,” Arise News quoted him as saying.

The National Peace Committee member likened Nigeria to the proverbial farmer searching for his black goat because darkness is setting in.

“Our nation has become one huge waste land, huge debris of the deceit, lies, treachery, double dealing and duplicity. Nigerian politicians have turned our politics into a huge trojan horse, a hoax, a hall of guile and dissimulation,” he said.

Kukah warned that general frustration was on the rise and evident in domestic violence and inter-communal conflicts.

“A combination of all these has turned us unto a nation at war with itself,” the Bishop stated.

- DAILY POST

Petrol tanker explodes at Toyota bus stop in Lagos

 

A tanker conveying 40,000 litres of petroleum premium spirit (PMS) has exploded at Toyota bus stop on Oshodi-Apapa expressway, Lagos.

The incidence occurred at about 9am on Thursday at the Apakun Bridge portion of the expressway.

The driver was reported to have lost control of the vehicle while trying to negotiate a bend thus causing the tanker to somersault, spill its contents and explode.

The fire service and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), were some of the first responders said to be on ground to put out the fire that had engulfed some properties around the area.

Commenting on the incident, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, the director general of LASEMA, said: “Arrival at the scene revealed that a tanker with an unknown registration number loaded with 40 thousand litres of petrol (PMS) while trying to negotiate a bend and overturned and spilled its contents”.

“LRT, LRU Fire and LASG Fire are all responders collaborating together to manage the scene due to the large number of stationary and parked vehicles within the vicinity.

“The agency’s heavy duty equipment has been mobilized to recover the remains of the tanker from the road.”

It cannot be ascertained as at the time of filing this report whether there were casualties.

- THECABLE

Labour spoils for war as Kano Govt reverts to old Minimum Wage

 Kano State government has allegedly reneged on its pledge made to implement the new law on workers’ minimum wage, thereby reverting to the old salary structure of N18,000.

DAILY POST correspondent gathered that civil servants in the state received equivalent of the outlawed wage of N18,000 in the months of November and December 2020.

The Federal government approved the implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage to workers in October, 2019 and directed states and private entities to adopt the nation’s minimum take home for workers.

Kano State government was the first state in the federation to declare readiness to adopt the new N30,000 wage, with additional value of N600.

However, the labour union raised concern when the government slashed workers’ October, 2020 salaries without prior notice.

A civil servant with one of the State’s ministries, who wanted his name not mentioned, said that his salaries of November and December 2020 were paid at the rate of N18,000 minimum wage.

“What I received on December 30th was the old wage. In November and December of the same year, the percentage was just like the old salary. It is sad. Nobody is coming out to tell us why”.

Another civil servant who also confirmed similar development revealed that the government has failed to fulfill its promise.

“It is sad because this is the first time the Kano state government is failing to pay us full salary. They had started well by paying even more than the Federal government with additional N600. But the November and December sàlaries are the worst. Yet nobody is coming out to explain the rationale behind the reversal,” he stated.

Meanwhile, efforts to obtain reaction from Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba was not successful because he did not pick his calls and declined to reply text message.

The Kano State Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) has vowed to institute drastic action against the state government if it fails to revert the development.

Reacting to the salary reversal, Chairman, JNC, Comrade Hashim Saleh, told journalists that the council is presently awaiting government reply to official notice written to it on the illegal reversal to old minimum wage.

According to him, “When the deduction started in October, 2020, the council was inaugurated to mediate with the government on the development. The government said the development was as a result of poor revenue occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.

“The government also cited a drop in its monthly allocation from the Federal government. They, however, promised to return to normal wage when the situation improves. But, the salaries of November and December 2020 were the worst. It is unacceptable.

“We have officially written to the government and we are waiting to hear the reply. The joint Labour unions will not hesitate to take drastic measures if the government fails to do the needful,” Hashim declared.

- DAILY POST

US Capitol Hill attack disgraceful, says Boris Johnson

 

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the mob attack on the US Capitol Hill is disgraceful.

Hundreds of President Donald Trump supporters stormed the building on Wednesday while congress was counting votes to verify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November 3 election.

A face-off between the protesters and security operatives led to the death of four people.

Commenting on the incident on Twitter, Boris said the US, which “stands for democracy around the world”, should not be caught in such a situation.

He added that a peaceful transfer of power was necessary.

“Disgraceful scenes in U.S. Congress. The United States stands for democracy around the world and it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power,” Johnson wrote.

Trump had repeatedly refused to concede to Biden. He claimed that the election results were manipulated.

However, on Thursday, Trump finally agreed to hand over to Biden after congress confirmed him (Biden) as the US’ 46th president.

“Even though I totally disagree with the outcome of the election, and the facts bear me out, nevertheless there will be an orderly transition on January 20th. I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted,” Trump said in a statement.

-THECABLE

Police brutality: 75- year- old demands N20m compensation in Rivers

 

A 75-year -old resident of Rumuobiakani Community in Obio/Apor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief Paul Nyeche Amadi, has asked for N20 million as compensation for the  brutalities he suffered in the hands of operatives of defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS in 2019.

Amadi who made the demand while testifying at Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry probing acts of brutality by the Police said the amount demanded would take care of the medical bills he incurred while treating himself of the illness and psychological trauma he suffered in the hands of the SARS personnel.

He also said  the compensation would serve as a deterrent to the police and other security operatives who may want to indulge in the violation of human rights in future.

Narrating his ordeal, the 75-year-old told members of the Commission that in 2019, men of defunct SARS stormed his residence in Rumuobiakani based on a petition by some members of his family, who according to him, were interested in taking over his inheritance from his late father.

He added that he was forced to relocate to his maternal home where he spent one year hiding for fear of being arrested.

“My Lord, I went to hospital as a result of the trauma, abandoning my place of residence for a year. And because I was not used to that kind of life, I started to develop some sign of sickness, I was given drugs and injection”, he stated.

The Police defense team had initially opposed hearing of his petition on the grounds that it falls short of the commission’s scope of jurisdiction.

The Police Lead Counsel, I. N. Ubulom, told the Commission that the fulcrum of the petition borders on criminal investigation while noting that the commission lacks the power to investigate any crime.

He further drew the attention of the commission to the fact that the petition was a subject of a suit before a high court, and as such, was out of the scope of the commission.

But in his submission, counsel to the petitioner, Geoffrey O. A. Joseph while opposing the submission of the police counsel, said the petition bordered on human rights violation, and not a subject matter of any suit in court.

He, therefore, urged the panel to hear the petition as it was within the terms of the commission’s terms of reference.

Also, counsel to the commission, S. O. Inko-Tariah, aligned himself with the submission of the petitioner’s counsel, and urged the panel to entertain the petition as it was within their jurisdiction to hear it.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice Chukwunonye Uriri (rtd) over ruled the police, and ordered the petitioner to the dock for hearing of his complaints.

- PM NEWS

N2.4bn for travels, N135m on refreshments — inside presidency’s 2021 budget

 

The office of the president will spend a total of N2.42 billion on travels and transport (local and international) in 2021, while the state house in Abuja will spend N135.6 million on refreshments according to a budget document seen by TheCable.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on December 31, 2020, signed the N13.58 trillion 2021 budget into law.

In the budget, total expenditure budgeted for the office of the president stands at N3.82 billion, while recurrent and overhead cost is N2.76 billion.

Other key highlights of the 2021 budgetary provision for the office of the president show that supply of catering materials and foodstuffs will gulp N98.3 million; a total of N164.17 million will be spent on honorarium and sitting allowance, while N41.21 million is budgeted for publicity and advertisement.

For the office of the vice-president, N801.03 million will be spent on travels (both local and international), refreshment and meals will cost N18.26 million, honorarium and sitting allowance will cost N20.26 million. N50.88 million is budgeted for the supply of catering materials and foodstuffs, and N23 million for welfare packages.

The office will spend N111.7 million on acquisition of computer software in the year.

The state house in Abuja is to spend N336.26 million on motor vehicles, N478.31 million on honorarium and sitting allowance and N240.7m on welfare packages.

The budget figure for wildlife conservation stands at N51.46 million;  N60.94 million on sporting and gaming equipment, and N45.67 million for generator fuel.

The office of the chief security officer to the president will spend N229.41 million on the purchase of motor vehicles, while drugs and other supplies for the state house medical centre will cost a total of N208.35 million.

- THECABLE

EPL: Chelsea shortlist four managers to take over from Lampard

 

Chelsea has shortlisted four managers to take over from Frank Lampard if the Blues coach is unable to improve the club’s results.

According to the Independent UK, former Paris Saint-Germain manager, Thomas Tuchel, ex-Juventus boss, Massimiliano Allegri, Leicester City head coach, Brendan Rodgers and Southampton’s Ralph Hasenhuttl are the four contenders to replace Lampard should he be given his marching orders out of Stamford Bridge.

The report added that Chelsea hierarchy are also prepared to give Lampard more time to turn around the club’s poor run of form but will continue to monitor the situation.

Chelsea board are also concerned by Lampard’s inability to get the best out of new signings such as Kai Havertz and Timo Werner following a summer of major investment.

Chelsea have only managed to win just one out of their last six matches in the English Premier League (EPL).

Lampard’s side also lost 3-1 to Manchester City in the Premier League at home last Sunday.

Chelsea is currently in the ninth position on the Premier League table and seven points behind leaders Liverpool.

Their next game is against Morecambe in the FA Cup this weekend.

- DAILY POST