Ndigbo in the Crosshairs of ‘Days of Rage’ (2)

THE ‘Ides of March’ are now set for August. And that month is two days hence. Typical of Nigerians the ides of March have been re-branded and rechristened and restructured. Our own, if they actually happen, will not be for one momentous occasion. They are programmed to last for days, all of 10 consecutive days, from August 1. What a time to be alive.

Date President Tinubu is Expected to Sign Minimum Wage Bill into Law Revealed

Tinubu Appoints 8 New Permanent Secretaries 

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma President Bola Tinubu is expected to sign the Minimum Wage Bill into law next week, following its passage by the National Assembly. The bill was finalized on Wednesday and transmitted to the President on Thursday, after its swift passage by both chambers during Tuesday’s plenary. According to multiple sources within the National Assembly, the President is expected to give expeditious assent to the bill. The Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters, Senator Abdullahi Gumel, confirmed the development, stating, “The bill will be transmitted today (Thursday).” The National Minimum Wage Act 2019 (Amendment Bill) was approved separately by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Tuesday, following a unanimous vote after a clause-by-clause consideration. The bill aims to increase the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000, replacing the expired minimum wage that was effective until April 18, 2024. The President had transmitted an executive bill to the National Assembly, requesting prompt consideration to reflect the new minimum wage and reduce the periodic review period from five years to three years. This followed an agreement reached with labour leaders on the new minimum wage benchmark. The Tripartite Committee on the New National Minimum Wage had submitted separate figures, with the government team and organised private sector proposing N62,000, while Organised Labour demanded N250,000. The President held meetings with stakeholders to harmonise the figures before transmitting the executive bill to the National Assembly.

BREAKING:Tinubu meets governors in Aso Villa

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with some governors at the presidential Villa in Abuja. The meeting followed the calling off of the National Executive Council (NEC) that was earlier scheduled for Thursday. The state chief executives were ferried in a single Coaster bus to president’s office at about 1.20 pm. Bwala meets Tinubu in Aso Rock, alleges foreign connection to planned protest   Even though the agenda of the meeting has not been made public, it may not be unconnected with the ongoing hardship in the country and efforts to ameliorate the situation. The federal government is also striving to avert the planned protest by youths against the high cost of living. The issue is likely to feature prominently in the meeting. Among the governors sighted coming in for the meeting are the chairman of Progressives Governors Forum and Governor of Imo, Hope Uzodinma, and his counterparts from Kebbi, Kaduna, Benue, Jigawa, Ekiti, Ondo; the deputy governor of Nasarawa, among others.

Tinubu Sends ₦70,000 Minimum Wage Bill To NASS

Questions For Akpabio’s Senate Over Confirmation Of ministerial nominees

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday transmitted a national minimum wage bill to the House of Representatives in the National Assembly for consideration and passage. The President and the leadership of the Organised Labour had last Thursday agreed on ₦70,000 as the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers. Information Minister Mohammed Idris had said “the new national minimum that Mr President is expected to submit to the National Assembly is ₦70,000”. The truce between the government and labour sides followed a series of talks between labour leaders and the President in the last few weeks after months of failed talks between labour organs and a tripartite committee on minimum wage constituted by the President in January. The committee, which comprised state and federal governments and the Organised Private Sector, had proposed ₦62,000 while labour insisted on ₦250,000 as the new minimum wage for workers who currently earn ₦30,000 as minimum wage. Labour had said ₦30,000 was unsustainable for any worker going by the economic vagaries of inflation and high cost of living which followed the removal of petrol subsidy by the President. Despite its initial insistence on ₦250,000 as the new minimum wage, Labour accepted the President’s offer of ₦70,000 last Thursday. The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, said Labour accepted ₦70,000 and rejected a proposal by President Bola Tinubu to pay ₦250,000 minimum wage on a condition to increase petrol prices. He also said Labour agreed to the ₦70,000 offer because minimum wage won’t be reviewed once in five years anymore but once every three years. The transmission of the wage bill came about six weeks after the President said in his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, that an executive bill on the new national minimum wage for workers would be sent to the National Assembly for passage.

Tinubu To Attend AU Meeting In Ghana

President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to depart Abuja for Accra, Ghana on Saturday, July 20. According to a Friday statement by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu is to participate in the sixth mid-year coordination meeting of the African Union (AU), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and the African Union member states. Tinubu, in his capacity as the Chairman of the ECOWAS authority of heads of state and government, will address the meeting on the status of regional integration across various areas in Africa, highlighting the achievements and challenges encountered in West Africa since the last meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, in July 2023. The President and Chairman of ECOWAS will present the ‘2024 Report on the State of the Community, focusing on peace, regional security, governance, economic integration, humanitarian and social development, energy, mines and agriculture. “The Mid-Year Coordination Meeting was conceptualized in 2017 as the principal forum for the AU and the RECs to align their work and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda, replacing the June/July summits,” the statement read. “In July 2023, President Tinubu, who was then elected as the Chairman of ECOWAS, delivered his maiden speech at the AU Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, where he affirmed Africa’s strength and the need for unity. “In Accra, the items on the agenda will include evaluating the AU’s early warning and conflict prevention mechanisms and promoting cooperation among regional economic communities to accelerate integration.” He will also present the ‘2024 report on the state of the community, focusing on peace, regional security, governance, economic integration, humanitarian and social development, energy, mines and agriculture. The meeting will be convened under the AU theme of the year 2024: ‘Educate and skill Africa for the 21st Century.’ President Tinubu, who will be accompanied by senior government officials, will return to the country at the conclusion of the meeting.

BREAKING: Tinubu effectively kicks off student loan scheme in Aso Rock

Tinubu Appoints 8 New Permanent Secretaries 

By Doris Isreal Ijeoma Following a mild amendment to the Student Loan Scheme, the Federal Government has effectively commenced the programme. As of the time of filing this brief report, the President, Bola Tinubu is currently inaugurating a presidential committee to drive the Scheme at the State House, Abuja. To kick start the programme, the President had recently approved ₦35 billion to be disbursed through specific criteria by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFund, targeting 70,000 initial applicants. Jim Ovia who was appointed by Tinubu to Chair the Governing Board of NELFund had approved the disbursement of loans to successful applicants during its inaugural meeting in Abuja last month. At the inauguration currently taking place in the Villa, Tinubu is expected to give the implementation team terms of reference to ensure the scheme does not derail from its mandate. Details later…

Tinubu mourns Labour Party lawmaker 

President Bola Tinubu has commiserated with the National Assembly and the Kaduna State Government over the passing of Honourable Ekene Abubakar Adams, a lawmaker representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna State in the House of Representatives. The President also extended his condolences to the family and friends of the late lawmaker, urging them to find solace in the Almighty and in the legacy of the deceased. President Tinubu prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed lawmaker and strength to his family. Ekene died on Tuesday morning after battling an unknown illness. He was 39 years old.

UAE Reopens Visa Access for Nigerian Travelers

Nigerian passport holders can now obtain visas for travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following the lifting of a travel ban, announced by the Federal Government. Minister of Information Mohammed Idris confirmed the agreement on Monday during a briefing with State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.  “Effective from today, July 15, 2024, Nigerian passport holders can now travel to the UAE,” Idris stated.  He shared that the decision follows successful negotiations between the governments of Nigeria and the UAE, resulting in mutually beneficial terms. In a statement on social media, the Minister mentioned, “An agreement has been reached, allowing the resumption of travel to the UAE for Nigerian passport holders. The new agreement includes updated controls and conditions for obtaining a UAE visa.” For additional information about the updated visa conditions, Nigerians are advised to visit documentverificationhub.ae.