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We don’t have issues with workers’ salary – Finance Minister

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November 27, 2020

By Timothy Choji, Abuja

The Nigerian government has assured its workers that despite the effects of COVID-19 and the sliding of the country into recession, their salaries would be paid promptly.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed gave the assurance on Wednesday, at the end of this week’s cabinet meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.

She said already salaries for November have been paid and that of December would also be paid.

“On the issue of Federal workers’ salary, there is no issue with their salary. We have paid salaries for November and we will pay salaries for December. So, there is no issue at all with Federal workers salary,” she affirmed.

The Finance Minister explained that only agencies whose budget funding on the Government Integrated Financial and Management Information System (GIFMIS) have been exhausted had issues with their salaries but that had since been corrected.

“If you hear about any issue it is for agencies whose budget funding under the GIFMIS was exhausted and we have had to make an adjustment.

“When we were doing the 2020 budget, we made estimates of the consequential adjustment that is required as a result of the minimum wage and we had sent the budget before a decision was taken and approval given on that consequential adjustment.

“So, we anticipated that some agencies might run short and we made a block provision in the service-wide vote of the budget. So, when we have such a situation, what we simply do is to remove funds from the service-wide vote to the agencies so that they pay their budget. Therefore, there is no problem with payment of salaries at all,” the Minister explained.

Commenting on the reopening of Nigerian borders, she said the committee saddled with the responsibility of advising the President on the matter has finished its job and would soon submit its report to the Nigerian leader.

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Nigerian women are promoters of peace – President Buhari

Nnenna Okoronkwo

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November 27, 2020

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By Timothy Choji, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigerian women are stabilizers of peace in all parts of the country.

He made the declaration on Thursday, when he hosted the representatives of women at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Nigerian leader therefore urged women to engage the youths in the aftermath of the EndSARS protests, on the need for dialogue, to avoid a repeat of such protests.

He said: “Your visit here today comes in the wake of growing youth restiveness which engulfed parts of the country in the last few weeks. As mothers of Nigeria, you play a critical role in bringing about lasting peace. We very much regret the loss of lives during the protests and damages to businesses including medium and small-scale enterprises.

“I urge you to engage with our children and youth on the need for dialogue that will yield better understanding going forward. Our youth remain our most treasured asset and it is our collective responsibility to present to them a pathway to realising their huge potential.

“I wish to recognise the value Nigerian women bring to our society especially when they are supported and given a voice. This administration is a beneficiary of the strong support of Nigerian women and I truly thank you all for the display of resilience throughout our journey.”

President Buhari informed the women that Nigeria remains fully committed to ending the budding rise of violence against women in Nigeria and the rest of the world.

“At the global level, we will show our firm commitment to bring an end to the extent of exponential rise of violence against women and girls by supporting the Chairman of the African Union, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in his call for a treaty to end violence against women and girls at the African Union Summit in February next year,” the President said.

He said although the country has not achieved the 35 percent affirmation on the participation of women in governance, the current administration intends to exceed the benchmark.

“We have not reached the 35 percent benchmark for women’s participation in governance as recommended in the National Gender Policy, but the current female appointees represent the first step in a strategic intervention for the inclusion of women in the affairs of this administration.

“I truly understand that when equity becomes the guiding principle and women hold strategic leadership positions, not only will our development be accelerated but also the diversity in richness in the quality of our policy design engagement and execution will be improved. I want to assure you that this administration remains resolute to not only meet the 35 percent National Gender Policy but to exceed it across key decision-making roles in government,” he affirmed.

President Buhari also reaffirmed his commitment to end child marriage as well as boost girl child education in all parts of the country.

Earlier, Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Talen, who led the delegation, thanked President Buhari for always supporting Nigerian women, especially in the fight against rape and gender violence.

“This support that you have given by lending your voice and declaring Nigeria’s zero-based tolerance against rape and gender violence has clearly placed Nigeria on the global map to harvesting best practices around such issues as was spotlighted at the UN General Assembly in September 2020,” she said.

The Minister also appealed to the President on behalf of all Nigerian mothers, to ensure that the issues responsible for the ongoing strike by university lecturers are resolved amicably, to enable universities reopen and students go back to school.

Highpoint of the visit was the presentation of an award tagged “He for She award of excellence” by the National Council for Women Affairs as special champion for Nigerian women, children and the vulnerable as well as his overwhelming commitment toward moving women into the mainstream of governance.

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Nigeria poised to strengthen ties with Algeria

Nnenna Okoronkwo

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November 27, 2020

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By Timothy Choji, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria will encourage and support every move that will enhance economic cooperation between her and the Republic of Algeria.

Receiving a special envoy of the Algerian President, who is also the country’s Foreign Minister, Mr Sabri Boukadoum, at State House, Abuja, on Thursday, the President said projects like the Trans-Sahara road, international gas pipelines, and other areas of economic cooperation would be given adequate attention for the good of the people of the two countries.

President Buhari stressed the need for peace, tranquillity and security in African countries, saying; “unless you secure your environment, you can’t manage it well. We should all secure our countries, because if we don’t, what do we then bequeath to the next generation? We can’t grow or develop in an insecure environment.”

The Special Envoy said Nigeria was the pillar of Africa, and he had brought messages from his President, “so that we consult, and see what we can do together.”

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Nigeria to host headquarters of African Petroleum Producers

Nnenna Okoronkwo

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November 27, 2020

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Timothy Choji, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed the decision of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO) to cite the headquarters of the African Energy Investment Corporation in Abuja, pledging the full support of the country in ensuring the successful take off of the organisation.

At a meeting at the State House on Thursday with Nigeria’s Dr. Omar Farouk, who is the Secretary General of the organisation, President Buhari also gave assurance that Nigeria will pay for its share subscription.

The President, who received praises for the vision of setting up the APPO and the ratification of its charter by Nigeria back in 1985 as Military Head of State, said the peculiarities of the challenges facing African oil producers required them to come together under the association to share experiences and solve their problems collectively.

The President said the growing clamour for a reduction in the use of fossil fuels notwithstanding, countries like Nigeria needed to produce more oil to feed the Petro-chemical industry and create jobs.

Peculiar Challenges

On the peculiar challenges facing the country amid its large population and immense deficit in infrastructure, President Buhari urged the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to consider the weight of the responsibility of the nation with “200 million poor people, with severe deficit in infrastructure” when sharing oil production cuts.

In his remarks, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva informed the President that the proposed APPO Energy Investment Corporation to be sited in Abuja will start with USD 1 billion from the AFRO-EXIM Bank and is expected to bring employment and other benefits to Nigeria.

The Secretary General of APPO was accompanied on the visit by Dr Adedapo Odulaji, the OPEC Governor in Nigeria.

He expressed hope that members of the 16-member organisation will surmount the challenges posed by COVID-19 as well as that from receding fossil fuel use as a result of the climate change treaties signed by member states and other nations.

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VP Osinbajo urges Nigerian businesses to brace up for AfCTA

Nnenna Okoronkwo

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November 27, 2020

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By Cyril Okonkwo, Abuja

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has urged Nigerian businesses to be knowledgeable about the rules of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Treaty as the organisation comes into force in January 2021.

Spokesman to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, said Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Thursday at the opening session of the 52nd Annual National Conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) themed: “Nigeria and Manpower Preparedness for the African Continental Free Trade Area.”

“It is imperative for Nigerian businesses to also familiarize themselves with AfCFTA rules because they will have to assist in providing the evidence to trigger action on trade remedies by government,” Osinbajo said.

He stressed the importance of capacity building in understanding the operations of the AfCFTA, noting that building productive capacity is only the first step.

According to him, the ability of Nigerian businesses and entrepreneurs to integrate successfully into the opportunities of the AfCFTA also depends a great deal on strengthening domestic ability to facilitate trade.

“Our logistics chains, port processes, and customs procedures must be dynamic and efficient and it is obvious that the capacities of the operators and workers in these areas need to be rapidly up-scaled through training including on the use of technologies.

“This is why we are paying particular attention to the rapid implementation of the National Single Window project which we expect to radically improve trade facilitation.

“Given the size of our economy, it is also clear that Nigeria must play a leading role in the harmonization and integration of border management, regulatory cooperation, and the formalization of informal cross-border trade in the continent. These actions are necessary to assist and support our MSMEs to be able to make use of the opportunities afforded us by the AfCFTA.”

The Vice President said that it was clear that Nigerian businesses must strengthen domestic capacity to produce, disseminate and use reliable trade statistics to enable them to measure the impact of AfCFTA on the economy, including providing evidence on its benefits or on unfair trade practices

“This is important not only for monitoring progress but also for establishing safety nets as we implement the AfCFTA,” he stated.

Speaking on the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure that Nigeria benefits maximally from the policy, the Vice President said “the creation of the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiation (NOTN) was a deliberate decision by this government to change our approach to trade negotiations by ensuring that our participation is underpinned by top-class technical knowledge and adequate preparations.”

Explaining further, Prof. Osinbajo stated that “it is imperative that Nigeria continues to lead on AfCFTA negotiations as we move into the second phase that will focus on intellectual property, competition policy and investment policy.

“This will require the scaling up of our official negotiating capacities and the private sector must support this process by bringing its interests, concerns, and understanding of the practical dynamics of international trade to the attention of government and by paying close attention to the negotiation process.”

The Vice President gave the assurance that aside prioritizing trade negotiations, the Buhari administration is also paying attention to the agreement on free movement of persons.

He said that “for Nigeria, this protocol on free movement of persons is crucial, we have comparative advantage in very skilled and competent personnel and these opportunities cannot be realized without the protocols being passed.”

The 3-day conference will feature presentations by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan; the Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, Mr Peter Cheese; President of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Mr James Quinn, among others.

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Netflix cancels African Original series, ‘Queen Sono’

Entertainment/Tourism

Aisha John-Mark

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November 27, 2020

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Netflix has reportedly halted plans for a second season of its debut African Original series, ‘Queen Sono’.

According to a statement shared by a Netflix spokesperson, the decision to cancel production of the series’ second season follows difficulties encountered due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We’ve made the difficult decision not to move forward with season 2 of ’Queen Sono’. The company thanked the Diprente team for their work on the show and fans of the show.

“We are incredibly proud of the Diprente team for sharing their audacious vision and bringing it to life with Netflix.

“A huge thank you to our fans across the world for the love shared for our first African Original series.

“Netflix is also grateful to the amazing efforts shown by the cast and crew for their stellar efforts in creating this show for our members around the world.”

Reacting to the development, ‘Queen Sono’ director and screen-writer Kagiso Lediga said: “We wrote a beautiful story that spanned the continent but unfortunately could not be executed in these current trying times.”

The six-episode South African crime drama series follows Queen Sono (Pearl Thusi), a field operative for an intelligence agency who sets out to uncover the mystery behind her mother’s death. It premiered on Netflix on February 28, 2020.

Reps call for strengthening of security in North East

Nigeria

Nnenna Okoronkwo

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November 27, 2020

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Lawan Hamidu, Abuja

The House of Representatives has urged the Executive Arm of Government to direct the Nigerian Army to strengthen security in Chibok, Gwoza and Demboa areas of Borno State, in the North East.

This followed adoption of a motion under matters of urgent public importance on the recent attacks in those areas that led to the destruction of property and abduction of residents of the area.

Presenting the motion, Ahmed Jaha from Borno State explained that giving the area adequate security for people in the area to harvest their farm produce.

He said “Barely one month my Constituency was attacked more than seven times in seven days and in every attack we recorded loss of lives and property with millions of naira including worship houses and houses of clergymen in that particular environment. We have been witnessing for a reasonable period of time right from the inception of insurgency, it has become part of our lives today since nobody can assist us”.

“As I’m talking to you now, a substantial part of our Constituency is still under the occupancy of Boko Haram and you cannot go to a farm one kilometer away without being in the hand of Boko Haram.”

Mr. Jaha also urged the North East Development Commission, NEDC and the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA to assist those affected communities as their houses and sources of livelihood were destroyed during the unfortunate incidence

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House demands adequate funding for science and tech sector

Nigeria

Nnenna Okoronkwo

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November 27, 2020

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By Lawan Hamidu, Abuja

The Nigerian House of Representatives’ Committee on Science and Technology has reiterated its commitment to ensuring adequate provision of funds for the sector as part of a legislative effort to transform the country.

The Chairman of the committee, Beni Lar from Plateau State made this known when the committee invited the Minister of Finance and the Director-General Budget Office over the low budgetary allocation for the sector.

Mrs. Lar expressed concern over the non-appearance of the Minister, Zainab Ahmad, and DG Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, describing it as unfortunate considering the role of science and technology to National Development.

Speaking after the failure of the Minister and DG to appear before the committee, a member of the committee, Mr. Awaji Abiante from Rivers State called on the House to return the 2021 budget estimates as the present appropriation lacks the capacity to pull the country out of economic challenges.

The lawmakers who frowned at the way releases were being made to government’s Ministries Departments and Agencies said that insufficient budgetary allocation to developmental projects that have the capacity to transform the nation remains Nigeria’s biggest challenge.

Other members of the committee who expressed displeasure at the representation sent in by the Minister and D.G, noted that there are numerous questions needing their personal attention.

The Committee had queried the budget office for approving the sum of twenty million naira as against the one billion naira needed to kick start the laboratory structure.

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Health Workers Declare Nationwide Strike

vonacess

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September 26, 2020

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The Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) has asked its members to withdraw their services and embark on a nationwide strike starting from midnight on Sunday, September 13, 2020.

This decision was reached after the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union held a meeting on Saturday.

The Union in a statement on Sunday said it gave the Federal Government one week to address all lingering issues and nothing concrete had been achieved.

The health workers are asking the Federal Government to address the failures and decaying infrastructure in the health sector and pay the shortfall in COVID-19 hazard allowances for their members.

The Union is also seeking the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, implementation of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria consent judgment and other court judgments, and pay all outstanding salary arrears.

Ronald Bell Of Kool And The Gang Dies At 68

Entertainment/Tourism

vonacess

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September 20, 2020

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Ronald Bell — a co-founder of Kool and the Gang, the heavyweight funk group behind hits like “Celebration,” “Jungle Boogie” and “Ladies’ Night” — died Wednesday. He was 68 years old.

The performer died at his home in the US Virgin Islands, the group’s publicist Angelo Ellerbee told AFP, without specifying a cause of death.

Bell founded Kool and the Gang with his brother Robert and friends Dennis Thomas, Robert Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown and Ricky West in the early 1960s, fusing a foundation of jazz with smatterings of funk, disco, R&B and pop.

The group became a major smash in the 1970s, its brassy funk putting it in a class with Earth, Wind and Fire, the Isley Brothers and Sly and the Family Stone.

Kool and the Gang scored a Grammy in 1978 for their contributions to the soundtrack for “Saturday Night Fever” starring John Travolta.

The group was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.

Born in Youngstown, Ohio in 1951, Bell also went by his Muslim name Khalis Bayyan.

A self-taught musician, he wrote some of the ensemble’s major hits including “Celebration,” which is still a popular anthem at sporting events.

The group remains a DJ favorite and is heavily sampled especially in the rap world, its tracks appearing in songs by artists including Jay-Z, Nas, NWA, Tupac, The Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest and Busta Rhymes.

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