The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving palliatives of N35,000 to Federal Public Servants monthly to cushion the economic effects of the petroleum subsidy withdrawal on them as the nation awaits the new minimum wage in Nigeria come 2024,
It also commended the President for mobilising the State Governors with the sum of N5 Billion each out of which part of the funds has been released to cater to the masses socially and economically in their States.
The Group, however, observed that it was an oversight not to have carried along retirees of the Federal Government in the distribution; adding that those retirees under the Defined Benefits Scheme and those under the Contributory Pension Scheme ought to be carried along in the palliatives distributions of Federal Government, even if beneficiaries would be given N30,000 monthly till April as the Federal Government promised the civil servants.
Raising this observation, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria noted in the Press Statement issued by its National Coordinator, Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, that as the Watchdog of the Nigerian Society, such an oversight ought to be corrected because while serving Federal civil servants are taking their palliatives to support their transportation costs, pensioners who are battling with escalated cost of drugs and food items would also use the palliatives to cushion medicaments and high cost of living.
He warned that palliatives for Federal pensioners should be given to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs – as the Ministry has its core areas of mandate; rather it should not be given to the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) which oversees the affairs of pensioners under DBS while that of pensioners under Pension Funds Administrators (PFA) ought to be given to National Pension Commission (PENCOM) who have data of all the affected pensioners; adding that routing palliatives of pensioners through Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs would eventually cause confusion.
On negotiation for the New Minimum Wage, Alhaji Abdullahi who is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) stated that as negotiation is about to begin, pensioners’ percent increase should be carried along in the negotiation as the exercise would not serve the desired purpose if this is not done, pointing out that workers of today, are the retirees of tomorrow.
Tributes to Aisha Bello Mustapha and Alhaji Lanrewaju Adepoju
Meanwhile, the Group has praised two Eminent Nigerians who served in the Media for many years but returned to their Lord about 24 hours ago.
They are Alhaji Mas’ud Lanrewaju Adepoju – a Yoruba Ewi Exponent who used his eulogy to better the Nigerian Society by fighting corruption, immorality and all anti-social behaviours in Nigeria; as well as a Veteran Journalist and Newscaster, Hajia Aisha Bello Mustapha.
Late Aisha Bello Mustapha who served in the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) for several years before retiring about 3 years ago people’s favourite on NETWORK NEWS OF THE NTA @ 9.00 pm.
According to the Media Group, the Late Aisha popularised herself by being a versatile Newscaster, using of modest Islamic Dressing, good character, humility and good human relations throughout her service in the NTA.
She would be remembered for a long for her great contribution to the Media through her excellent news casting, nice comportment as well and good human relations, the Group said.
As for Late Pa Lanrewaju Adepoju, the Group stated that for more than 30 years before his death, Alhaji Masud Lanrewaju Adepoju shifted his eulogies from mundane affairs of entertainment to praising Almighty Allah.
MMWG asserted that these two great Nigerians have fulfilled their purposes of coming to this world and have paid their dues.
Dominica Nwabufo
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