Hajj 2017: Pilgrims To Pay N1m In 4 Months

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has urged intending pilgrims to deposit a monthly minimum of N250 thousand for four months or N1million once to the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions (SPWB).

The commissioner for Personnel Policy Management and Finance (PPMF), Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo Ibrahim made the call yesterday in Abuja after NAHCON meeting with Chief Executives of the SPWB.

He said the payment which commences December will end in April 2017, when the commission would announce official fares for the 2017 hajj.

Daily Trust reports that intending pilgrims for 2016 hajj exercise paid minimum fare of N998, 248.92 (with $750 Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), medium fare N1, 047, 498.92 (with $1,000 BTA), and maximum fare N1, 145, 998.92 (with $1,500 BTA) for the northern departure zones.

While pilgrims for the southern departure zones paid, minimum fare N1, 008, 197.42 (with $750 BTA), medium fare (with $1,000 BTA) N1, 057, 447.42 while the maximum fare N1, 155, 947.42 (with $1,500 BTA).

“We want to maintain the accommodations in the Markasiyya areas in Madinah and want to extend same in Makkah. We want to ensure that accommodations for Nigerians in Saudi Arabia will not be more than 1km to Haram in the two cities. We want to improve on the gains of last year, if you plan well, you get better results,” Ibrahim said.

He also said the commission would make the fares announcement based on the official currency exchange rate.

When asked to clarify on the new visa fees and rules by the Saudi Arabia Authority, Ibrahim said they are yet to be formally notified by the Kingdom as there were meetings with Saudi Arabia Ambassador who did not mentioned the amount.

Credit: dailytrust

African Leaders Should Pay More Attention To Peace, Development- Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday tasked  African leaders on the need to ensure socio-political stability in their respective countries to achieve peace and speedy regional and sub-regional integration in the continent.

Speaking at a joint press briefing with the visiting Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, after a closed door meeting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari noted that, even though the situation in the ECOWAS sub-region was relatively stable, there was the need to continue to persuade the leaders to pay more attention to security and development.

“The situation in our sub-region is relatively stable but there is the need for us to continue to persuade our colleagues to show appreciation on the efforts the sub-region is doing to make sure that we pay more attention to security and development.”

“I have appreciated very much your efforts and I also congratulate you on your successes. I believe you may even go outside the region, to African Union, so that before the AU meeting we try and persuade the leadership of those countries in our sub-region  to show more patience and accommodation with politics of their countries, President Buhari said.

The President stated that the forthcoming 3rd Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security would discuss some political developments in two countries of the sub-region.

Buhari commended the Liberian leader for handling the affairs of the  ECOWAS diligently and  efforts in stabilising her country.

He added that “I have to very sincerely congratulate you with the way you have stabilised your country and with the small contributions Nigeria was able to make through out those difficult times that you went through.

“And also thank you very much on the way you are handling ECOWAS responsibility.

“We have one or two countries that I believe we will discuss when we go to Senegal today, tomorrow and maybe on Wednesday, in terms of peace and security.’’

In her remarks, the Liberian leader who is also the Chairperson of the Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS  nations,  said she was in Nigeria to be updated on the focus and challenges of the work of the ECOWAS Commission

According to her, the visit is also meant  enable her meet with the entities of ECOWAS, the Commission, the Parliament and the Courts in preparation  for the forthcoming Summit of the Authority  of the ECOWAS, slated for Abuja on Dec. 17.

She stressed the need for leaders in the sub-region to continue to maintain peace and stability to achieve regional integration and economic prosperity.

“I’m glad once again to be back in Abuja. I’m using the opportunity of this visit to be updated on the focus and challenges of the work of the ECOWAS Commission,  to meet with the entities of ECOWAS, the Commission, the Parliament and the Courts in preparation  for the reports I will present at the Summit of the Authority, which will be held here in Abuja, on Dec. 17.

“But,I’m so greatful that while here, I reached out to the President and asked him for the opportunity to call on him to be able to brief him on some of the findings I have had in my two days of consultation with the commission.

 “I also exchange with him  some of the developments in our sub-region, political development; economic development, and to get his wise counsel on how we can ensure that we monitor the situation in  all the West African countries so as  to maintain peace and stability in all of our countries” she said.

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http://leadership.ng/news/562667/african-leaders-should-pay-more-attention-to-peace-development-pmb

Yuletide: Governor To Pay Ebonyi Workers13th Month Salary Bonus

The Ebonyi state governor, Chief David Umahi at the weekend promised to pay extra one month salary bonus otherwise called 13th month to workers under the state employ in the spirit of Christmas celebration.

The state governor, Chief Umahi, who made the promise at a one-day official visit to the state owned University permanent site, Ezzamgbo noted that the State House of Assembly had already given approval to that effect. It would be recalled that Gov Umahi had recently announced five percent salary increment to all the workers on October this year.

He explained that junior workers would receive 100 percent bonus whereas senior ones would be payed 50 percent of whatever they receive monthly, boasting that his administration was neither owing workers salaries nor pensions.

He further disclosed his administration’s plan to begin immediate payment of gratuity arrears owed by both local and state governments since 1993 amounting to eight billion naira (N8bn).

The governor who expressed dismay that civil servants found it difficult to pay their retired colleagues their pensions but would

want to be paid when they retired, said the payment would begin payment of gratuities this December with the families of retirees who had already died.

He said,”We are not owing anybody pension in Ebonyi state. Gratuity is owed since 1993 and gratuity for both local and state governments

is over N8bn but the funny thing is that when you seat as a civil servants, you refuse to pay others their gratuities and when you now leave, you start insisting, we should pay gratuity.

“So, for those we have owed gratuity for a very long time;we are expecting a miracle. What we want to do for our brothers and sisters that were not paid gratuities and they are dead, we intend to look at them and see how we can pay off their gratuities through their families and we hope to do it this December.

“We also want to pay everyone that has retired 10 percent of whatever we owe him/her in the name of pension and other allowances”.

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http://leadership.ng/news/562611/yuletide-umahi-to-pay-ebonyi-workers13th-month-salary-bonus

Man Gets Stabbed For Offering To Pay Prostitute With Boiled Egg

 A prostitute in Zimbabwe beat a punter around the head with a beer bottle after he offered to pay for sex with a boiled egg, the DailyMail UK has reported.

Moses Mushonga, 28, walked up to the young lady of the night in the town of Mvurwi in Mashonaland province.

Firstly he manhandled her, leaning into her bra and touching her breast.

This did not endear him to the 23-year-old, called Chipo, but to add insult to injury he then tried to haggle with his only asset.

Mushonga told her he had just spent his last bit of money on buying two boiled eggs, which cost 0.25 Zimbabwe dollars, the equivalent of less than a penny or a cent.

Sadly he had already eaten one too.

 

27 States Struggling To Pay Salaries- Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari,  lamented yesterday that about 27 of the 36 states in the country are still battling with payment of salaries.
President Buhari stated this at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja while meeting with ICRC President, Mr. Peter Maurer.
He commended the role played by the International Committee of the Red Cross in last Thursday’s release of the 21 abducted Chibok schoolgirls.
The president, however, stressed that Nigeria’s biggest problem was, perhaps, the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
He noted that there were over two million IDPs “made up of over 60 per cent women and children. About 60 per cent of the children don’t know their parents, or where they come from. It is weighing heavily on government.”
He said the rebuilding of destroyed infrastructure was a priority of his administration, pointing out that the G7 nations had equally indicated support which Nigeria heartily welcomed.
According to the president, “It is a difficult time for Nigeria. About 27 of our 36 states couldn’t pay salaries when we came last year, and we are still struggling with that. But we will get out of it.”
In his remarks, Maurer described the ICRC’s operation in the Lake Chad region as the second largest in the world after Syria, saying “there are nutritional, health, water and sanitation issues in the North-east, in addition to rebuilding of infrastructure.”
The ICRC president declared that his organisation was ready to engage and play supportive role in responding to crisis in Nigeria.

Credit:

http://sunnewsonline.com/27-states-struggling-to-pay-salaries-buhari/

Nas, The Game & More Rappers Pay Tribute To Tupac On 20th Anniversary Of His Death

Contemporaries of Tupac like Nas and DJ Premier paid their respects to a fallen friend, while others like T.I., Lecrae and The Game took the time to honor someone who inspired their respective careers. Some offered up detailed explanations of Tupac’s effect on their lives while others simply provided a brief message in tribute to a legend.

One of the biggest ways that Tupac’s legacy has lived on is through his influence on hip-hop. There is no better example of his ever-looming presence on the genre and culture than the countless number of rappers he inspired. On the 20th anniversary of his death, many of those MCs who were impacted by Tupac’s music paid tribute to him on social media.

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Nigeria Can No Longer Afford Paying Full-Time Lawmakers – Junaid Mohammed

Dr. Junaid Mohammed, a second republic politician, has advised the country to consider electing legislators on full time because the country cannot afford to pay them.

The idea of electing legislators on part time basis was brought into the front burner some years ago when it was discovered that Nigeria is among few countries that spend huge amount of money to maintain its lawmakers.

However, Mohammed said that it is longer feasible for the country to continue engaging members of the National Assembly on full time.

He said, “I have said it before and I will continue to say it that Nigeria cannot afford the luxury of electing legislators on full time basis.”

Mohammed, who stated that the National Assembly in the Second Republic is different from what we have today, described the allegation of corruption by Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin as a manifestation of the level of indiscipline among lawmakers.

“I am proud to be associated with the National Assembly in the second republic because throughout our time between 1979 to December 1983, no serious allegation of corruption was leveled against any member.

“The only case we had that time was the one that involved one Ibrahim Barau which we later discovered to be a political vendetta.

“I don’t know what Jibrin has against Dogara but the important thing is that members should emulate Hon.Femi Gbajabiamila and subject themselves for investigation.”

Mohammed stressed that the allegation of corruption in the National Assembly can only be referred to the present members.

“When I heard of several allegation of corruption going on in the National Assembly, I expressed gratitude to God that I am no longer there.”

FG Sets To Pay Civil Servants N300bn Death Benefits, Promotion Arrears

The Federal Government yesterday said it was ready to pay death benefits, promotion arrears and other outstanding debts running close to N300 billion to civil servants. Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

She said government would pay the outstanding arrears to federal civil servants in phases, particularly those on promotion arrears, repatriation allowance and death benefits, among others, amounting to about N293 billion.

Oyo-Ita, who addressed the press during the 2016 Civil Service Week celebration, said President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to explore ways to make the payments. She said government had delayed payment due to financial challenges currently facing the country.

Oyo-Ita stated that the affected workers would be paid their benefit claims after the conclusion of the phased payment formula, which the Service was reconciling in collaboration with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

She assured that staff welfare would be addressed from many fronts, noting that the service was exploring the possibility of providing bulk payments of rent allowances for workers within this financial year.

Mrs. Oyo-Ita stated further that a committee had since been set up on national salary review and would sit with the relevant stakeholders to take a decision on pay rise. She added that there was no plan to retrench workers, saying “it is cruel to throw people into the labour market.”

Credit: Vanguard

Court Orders EFCC To Pay N5 Million Damages To Fayose’s Aide

A Federal Capital Territory High Court has granted bail to Abiodun Agbele, an aide to the Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose.

Mr. Agbele was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on July 1 on allegations of fraud.

The EFCC said Mr. Agbele received huge public funds from a former defence minister, Musiliu Obanikoro, and delivered same to Mr. Fayose.

The judge, Olukayode Fadeniyi, declared that the failure of the EFCC to charge Mr. Agbele to court, since his arrest, amounted to an abuse of his fundamental rights.

He ordered the commission to pay a compensation of N5 million to Mr. Agbele.

The court also ruled that Mr. Agbele be admitted to bail with a bond of N50 million and a surety not below the cadre of a director in the civil service.

Alternatively, Mr. Agbele is required to provide a surety who is a responsible Nigerian citizen, with landed property in any part of Abuja.

“The surety shall depose an affidavit of means,” the court also ruled.

Mr. Fadeniyi also ordered Mr. Agbele to submit his international passport at the commission.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Government May Borrow N165b To Pay Civil Servants

With fast declining revenue, the Federal Government said yesterday it is now faced with the prospect of borrowing to meet the monthly civil service wage bill of N165 billion.

Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, who had met with protesting workers of her ministry on Wednesday, said in a statement in Abuja yesterday that she does not have any power to pay N1.2 billion, which was not in the budget of the Ministry.

The minister said she had put all government departments to real squeeze in finances as the country grapples with the financial crisis inherited from previous administrations.Pointing out that many people across the country are now struggling to find work, with some losing theirs, while civil servants in many states are not getting their salaries, the minister urged her ministry workers to be grateful for getting their salaries on consistent basis and work together to get the whole economy back on its feet.

At the meeting to reconcile all parties involved in the workers’ protest, it was agreed that the ministry’s management would meet with unions to consider the issues raised and map out ways to reach resolutions on of before today.

The minister had met with staff unions at the ministry on Wednesday to discuss the ongoing dispute over additional payments, where she urged them to present their grievances in a structured and articulated manner so that each issue would be formally presented and addressed on its merit.

While she expressed understanding for their demand for additional bonuses, based on their past dealings with the previous administration, she explained that she does not have any power to pay N1.2 billion, especially the one that is not in the budget.

The minister added that while government is determined to end the ongoing impasse over bonus and allowance with the workers, the labour unions should propose modalities that would increase revenue generation and structure to pay the bonuses.

Credit: Guardian

APC Begs Fayose To Pay Workers’ Salaries

Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to Governor Ayodele Fayose to pay Ekiti workers to stop untimely deaths among them.

The party said it was saddened that the governor who brands himself the friend of workers to justify and blame his inability to pay five months salaries owed the state civil servants on the state debts profile.

In a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party claimed that six workers in the state were reported dead in recent times over their inability to pay their medical bills.

He said in a statement that the sad development was avoidable if the governor had made the welfare of workers a priority of his administration as promised during campaign.

Accusing the governor of employing misinformation and deceits to manipulate the people, Olatubosun said all the points raised in his allegations against Dr Kayode Fayemi were not new, arguing that, that would not vitiate workers’ demand for their wages after collecting 20 months federal allocations, including local government allocations and  N9.6billion bailout cash.

“We have read time and again all the allegations the governor raised through his media aide and we have not found any merit that can mitigate the feeling among Ekiti people that Governor Fayose has a clear agenda to enrich himself while Ekiti people suffer.

“With all the allegations that the governor raised through his media aide, can he say he did not collect 20 months federal allocations, including N9.6billion bailout cash, refunds on federal roads, Ecological Fund, micro credit cash, banks’ community social responsibility charges, suffocating taxes and the fresh N21.6billion loan the governor took that cannot be traced to any government’s account?

“Again, with all the manipulation of figures, do Fayose’s lies change the DMO’s figure putting Ekiti State’s debts at N18billion under Fayemi’s administration?

Credit: Leadership

MTN Agrees To Pay Nigerian $1.7 Billion Fine

South African telecoms giant MTN said Friday it would pay a $1.7 billion fine to the Nigerian government in a “full and final settlement” over its failure to disconnect unregistered mobile phone users.

The company said in a statement that “MTN Nigeria has agreed to pay a total cash amount of Naira 330 billion over three years.”

Africa’s biggest wireless operator was fined $3.9 billion last year and has since been in negotiations with the government over the payout.

Credit: AFP

Switzerland Rejects Plan To Pay Every Citizen At least $2500 A Month

A proposal to change social welfare policy has been rejected in Switzerland.

The vast majority of Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a referendum that would have provided every citizen a guaranteed income of $2,500 Swiss francs ($2,520) after tax, regardless of their employment status or wealth.

All told, about 77% of Swiss voters were against the measure, which lost by at least 10 percentage points in all of the country’s 26 districts.

The plan would have allowed those earning less than the minimum to have their pay topped up. Those out of work would have been handed the full amount. The income would have been unconditional and untaxed, and it would have replaced various welfare payments.

The Swiss government opposed the initiative, saying it would have needed to find 25 billion Swiss francs a year to pay for it. The resulting new taxes, or spending cuts, would have damaged the economy, it said.

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Presidency To Pay N5000 Monthly To 1m Nigerians

To cushion the harsh effect of the new pump price of Premium Motor Spirt, PMS also called petrol on the people, the presidency is set to implement the N500 billion earmarked in the 2016 budget for social welfare.

A statement by the media spokesperson for Vice President Yemi Osinabjo, Mr. Laolu Akande in Abuja on Sunday stated “All together the federal government would be directly impacting the lives of more than 8 million Nigerians in different social investment 2016 budget spending that would provide succor and be a ready-made palliative to ordinary Nigerians.”

Giving a breakdown of the interventions and palliatives, Akande said that said that there would “the direct payment of N5000 monthly to one million extremely poor Nigerians for 12 months as provided for in the 2016 budget for which N$68.7B has been appropriated.”

Similarly, the government has also made available a “direct provision of very soft loan -cash for market women, men and traders, including artisans and Agric workers. This would be for a total of 1.76m Nigerians, without the requirement for conventional collateral. Some of the traders will likely get about N60,000. A total sum of N140.3B has already been appropriated for this in the budget”.

The details also showed their there would be “payment of between N23,000 to N30,000 per month to 500,000 unemployed graduates who would be trained, paid and deployed to work as volunteer teachers, public health officers and extension service workers among other responsibilities. They would also be given electronic devices to empower them technologically both for their assignments and beyond”.

According to the media aide, “100,000 artisans would also be trained and paid N191.5B has been set aside for this in the passed budget.” He also said that “At least 5.5 million Nigerian primary school children -ie starting first in 18 states-three per geopolitical zones-would be fed for 200 school days under the free Homegrown School Feeding Programme”, as “N93.1B has been appropriated for this in the 2016 budget.”

Credit: vanguardngr

FG To Pay Oil Marketers N163m Fuel Subsidy Daily

There are strong indications that the Federal Government would start paying N163m daily as fuel subsidy to oil marketers because of the slight increase in crude prices. A survey of markets around the world showed that oil prices, including Nigeria’s Bonny Light 1have increased from about $29 to $40 per barrel, meaning additional cost to refining companies, which pass the high cost to traders. Consequently, Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, which had discouraged government from paying subsidies because of prolonged era of very low crude prices, has advised it to start payment. The agency believed it has become necessary for the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to commence subsidy payment from this month. In its April, 2016 template posted over the weekend, the agency put the subsidy at N4.09 per liter.

This amounted to N163m daily as the nation’s estimated daily demand for fuel hovered at 40 million liters. PPPRA puts the nation’s landing cost for fuel, including cost and freight, traders margin, lightering expenses, NPA, NIMASA, jetty/depot thru charge and storage charge at N75.79 per liter. The agency put total sub margins, including administrative charge, marine transport average, bridging fund and margins at N14.30 per liter. It puts total cost, including highway maintenance, government tax, import tax, fuel tax and subtotal taxes at N90.09 per liter. PPPRA also puts the official ex-depot, ex-depot and ex-coastal prices at N71.70, N76.00 and N71.19 and arrived at an under recovery of N4.09 per liter. Executive Secretary, Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Olawore said in a telephone interview yesterday that the subsidy is justified because of the slight increase in oil prices. He said the subsidy would enable marketers to recover cost involved in the process of importing fuel into the country. It was learnt that government would need to pay more as subsidy, should crude oil prices continue to surge in the global market. However, there was improvement in fuel supply because of the involvement of many stakeholders over the weekend. A visit to Apapa in Lagos showed that many marketers were involved in lifting of fuel to many destinations. The involvement followed an agreement signed with tank seven farm owners for the storage and lifting of imported fuel few days ago.

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MTN Proposes To Pay N300b To Settle NCC Fine

MTN Group Ltd. has proposed to pay 300 billion naira ($1.5 billion) to settle a record $3.9 billion fine in Nigeria for missing a deadline to disconnect unregistered subscribers, according to a document handed to reporters in the Nigerian Senate. Africa’s biggest mobile-phone company made the offer in order to settle a dispute that has been running since the fine was first imposed by Nigerian regulators in October.

The country’s Senate Committee on Communications met to discuss the matter on Thursday and concluded that the negotiations with MTN must continue with the involvement of Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu. MTN shares have declined more than 23 percent since the fine was made public on Oct 26, valuing the Johannesburgbased company at 272 billion rand ($17.6 billion).

The penalty was imposed for missing a deadline to disconnect 5.1 million subscribers deemed by the government to be improperly registered in the country that’s battling security issues including Boko Haram’s Islamist insurgency. MTN’s management, the Nigerian Communications Commission and Shittu must report back to the Senate in two weeks with the outcome of discussions, according to the committee.

Credit: DailyTimes

CPC Orders MTN To Pay N1.85m To Subscriber Within 14 Days

The Consumer Protection Council on Wednesday directed MTN Communications Limited to pay within 14 days the sum of N1.85m to one of the winners of its Ultimate Wonder Promo for lack of due diligence.

The council’s order came on the heels of a complaint brought by Mr. Omeje Fidelis against the telecommunications company alleging that he had been underpaid after he was declared winner of N2m in the said sales promotion, which was held in 2012.

According to Omeje, he participated in the promo and was called through MTN line 180 on October 10, 2012 that he had won N2m in the Ultimate Wonder Promo and that on October 12 of the same year he got a text message informing him of the presentation ceremony fixed for October 19 at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.

The complainant had claimed that during the said ceremony, he was presented with a dummy cheque of N2m with his name on it, interviewed and paraded before the media and the world as a winner of the said amount.

He recounted further that he was stunned to receive another call from MTN line 180 on November 2, 2012 that his winning was N150,000 and was thereafter given a Verve ATM card for that amount.

MTN, in its response to the Council’s intervention, denied the claim of Omeje, saying that he was from the on-set informed that his winning was N150,000 and that the complainant deceitfully presented himself when winners in the N2m category were called forward on the day of the prize presentation.

The company had stated further that Omeje’s antics was discovered at the verification of winners, which was done after the ceremony and he was thereafter contacted through its 180 line on his misrepresentation pursuant to which he apologized.

Credit: Punch

Resign If You Cannot Pay Minimum Wage, NLC Tells Governors

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked any state governor in the country who cannot pay the N18,000 minimum wage to resign from office without delay.

The NLC insisted that the N18,000 minimum wage for Nigerian workers was not fixed but was negotiated through a tripartite system.
The National President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, made this declaration in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the weekend while speaking with journalists shortly after attending the Janazah prayers organised for the late wife of the former Vice-President of NLC, Mr. Issa Aremu, Hamdalah.

He also warned that any governor reneging on that agreement was breaking the law of the land, adding that such governor should resign from his position.
Wabba also  hailed the ongoing war against corruption by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying corruption had killed more people in the country than auto accidents.

“They have been misinforming the people about the N18,000 minimum wage. Minimum wage is not fixed, it was negotiated through a tripartite system; 10 state governors represented the governors, federal government and organised private sector were also represented. It was a tripartite process of collective bargaining.

“We had looked at all the indices of ability to pay. It is a law and anybody who refuses to pay is breaking the law of Nigeria and we advise such governor to resign.

“Why is it that the salary of councillors to the highest political office all over the country despite their inability to pay is the same? If there is economic challenge, why should it be the workers that will bear the burden? Councillors in least economic viable to the most economic viable states in the country earn the same salaries. So who are they fooling?

“Can they continue to fool us? When the resources were there workers were not enjoying. Now that there is a challenge in the system why should the burden be shifted only to the workers? That is not acceptable to us. This is like a battle for us as we must continue to insist that workers should work in dignity and there must be dignity in labour,” he posited.

Credit: ThisDay

FG Preparing To Pay Contractors, To Continue Work Next Year- Fashola

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has promised the Federal Government’s preparedness to pay contractors handling projects across the country and get them back to work next year.

The Minister, who made the promise at a media conference in Abuja on Tuesday, said that:”For us, our ability to achieve connectivity on load, depends on capital spending in 2016 to pay contractors and get them back to work”.

Mr Fashola informed reporters about his blueprints for handling issues in the three ministries he oversees.

He also emphasized his determination to implement an effective market tariff system for the power sector.

According to the Minister, a tariff system which allows consumers of electricity to pay for only what they consume is one sure way to having stable electricity supply.

“For emphasis and clarity, let me also say that the previous administration had approved the tariff in January 2015 but what they did was not to fully implement it.

“The implementation was suspended at the onset of elections and after elections. The operators asked government to implement and pay for what they had produced.

“I think the outages we saw during and after elections was because the gas companies were not paid.

“At the onset of this administration, the first batch of debt was paid and that is why power went up and which prompted some of the outages that are being experienced now.

“So, what we expect to do is to liquidate the verifiable and agreed debt that have accrued and to approve a market tariff.

“For us, the surest way not to have power is to oppose the implementation of the tariff order; without a tariff system, there will be no power.

“As at May 2015, many contractors had stopped work because of payment. Many families; husbands, wives, had to be laid off,” the Minister stated.

Credit: ChannelsTV

MTN Gets Dec 31 Deadline To Pay N674bn Slashed Fine

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has reduced the N1.04 trillion fine it imposed on MTN Nigeria to N674 billion.

However, the commission has also mandated the telecom operator to pay the fine on or before December 31, 2015.

The fine imposed on the telecom operator was due to what NCC described as MTN’s inability to disconnect about 5.1 million Nigerian subscribers improperly registered on its network, after several warnings in August and September 2015.

In reaction, MTN has said it would carefully study the new development and would mandate its Executive Chairman, Phuthuma Nhleko, to immediately and urgently re-engage with the Nigerian authorities before responding formally.

The reduction, which represents a 25 per cent slash, provides MTN with a reprieve, after series of meetings which have seen several officials from South Africa thronging the country to negotiate the fine.

Credit: Vanguard

Senate Rejects Proposal To Pay Unemployed Youth N5, 000 Monthly

The Senate on Wednesday rejected a motion for the payment of N5, 000 monthly allowance to unemployed youths in the country.

The motion was sponsored by Philip Aduda (PDP, FCT) but was greeted with shouts of “no, no” when he tried to explain it.

Attempts by the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, to second the motion were disrupted by the rowdiness.

Intervening, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, posed the question but the senators responded along party lines.

While Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members yelled ‘’aye’’ in favour of the motion, All Progressives Congress (APC) senators, who were in majority, rejected it.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Moroccans Pay Tribute To Drowned Syrian Toddler By Recreating Scene (PHOTOS)

Dozens of Moroccans lay on a beach in Rabat, Morocco, on Monday, to pay tribute to Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi, who was found dead on a Turkish beach last week.

Dressed in red and blue, around 30 people re-created the heart-wrenching scene when Aylan was photographed lying face down in the sand, triggering an international outcry over the Syrian refugee crisis.

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Three-year-old Aylan Kurdi drowned in an ill-fated journey to Greece while fleeing the Syrian war with his family.

Credit: CCTV

Aregbesola Promises To Pay Outstanding Wages Before September End

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday assured civil servants that they will be paid their outstanding salary arrears before the end of the month.

?Aregbesola made the disclosure while speaking at the National flag off ceremony for the distribution of FGN/UBEC plastic chairs and tables to all the states in the country, in Osogbo, the Osun state capital.

He explained that his administration is committed to the welfare of its workers, and reassured that the eight months salaries owed them will be settled before the end of September.

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Buhari Orders CBN To Pay Amnesty Beneficiaries

President Muhammadu Buhari, has directed Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria  (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to ensure the outstanding tuition, stipends and allowances of all amnesty beneficiaries were paid without further delay.

This is as the European Union (EU) has strengthened its partnership with the  Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, under which the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) is domiciled, to seek ways of ensuring that the programmes meets up with its mandate.

This was confirmed in a statement yesterday by the Head of Communications, Amnesty Office, Mr. Daniel Alabra.

Read More: thisdaylive

Tyga Under Pressure To Pay House Rent Or Move Out

Tyga needs to just move in with Kylie Jenner already, because he’s been ordered to fork over $70,000 in back rent on a house in her gated community… a pad he claims he’s actually buying.

Tyga’s gone to war over the Calabasas home — just a few minutes from Kylie’s and on Monday a judge ruled he had stiffed the landlord. Even with $70k on the line, Tyga didn’t even bother showing up in court … possibly because he says he’s no renter.

Last week he filed suit against the landlord, saying he has an agreement to buy the property, and even plunked down $200,000 as a down payment. Until that’s settled, the bottom line is … he’s gotta pay up AND move out.

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Iran Relaxes Jail Sanction For Men Who Can’t Pay Dowry

Hard up Iranian husbands will no longer face jail for failing to pay dowries that can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, following passage of a new law, it was reported Wednesday.

But spouses who claim to be impecunious yet are then proven to have the means to pay can still look forward to prison.

In the Islamic republic, the families of brides-to-be negotiate fiercely to get the top amount of what is known as Mehrieh, payment in gold coin-like tokens known as bahar azadi (spring of freedom in Farsi).

There are even trendy ways of doing it. A family can ask for one coin for the total number of years in the date she was born, according to the Iranian calendar.

So the dowry of a 24-year-old woman born in 1370 (1991) would be 1,370 coins worth $367,000 (334,000 euros) at the current gold price.

Read More: ngrguardiannews

Aregbesola Will Not Sell Helicopter To Pay Workers- APC

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Famodun, has reiterated that the governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola will not sell the state helicopter to pay salaries of public workers.

Public outcry has greeted the inability of Aregbesola to pay workers in the state since 2014 while the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has urged him to sell the helicopter in order to reduce cost and upset some of the bills.

Read More: vanguardngr

Hold PDP Responsible For Osun’s Inability To Pay Workers’ Salaries- APC Group

Coalition of All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Groups (COASG) South-West zone has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government should be held responsible for the inability, of Osun State to pay its workers’ salaries.

The chairman COASG, Hon. Adebisi Abraham said that there is no smoke without fire and that the Osun State government led by Governor Rauf Aregbesola has done credibly well in terms of providing basic infrastructure for the state compared to his predecessors.

He said, “Despite the financial shortage, even the most virulent critics of this government cannot deny that the administration has performed creditably well.”

Abraham said, “Governor Aregbesola’s government built roads, schools, supplied students with Opon Imo (Tablets of Knowledge), distributed uniforms to all public students in the state, created welfare programmes for the old and vulnerable people as well as supporting farmers.’’

He said that you cannot compare Aregbesola with other PDP governors which have failed totally in terms of payment of salaries and infrastructural development in their states.

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National Assembly Broke, Borrows To Pay Lawmakers

The stark reality of the sharp drop in the nation’s revenue following crude oil price slump at the international market now stares Nigerians, including federal lawmakers in the face.

Now, the National Assembly Service Commission which is on first line charge and used to get about N150 billion yearly to run its affairs, has come out to say it is cash-strapped and cannot pay salaries of its legislators most of whom have completed their tour of duty and were either voted out or did not seek re-election.

Also unable to pay salaries in their states, governors will consult with President Muhammadu Buhari next week to discuss the way out of the quagmire.

They will meet him under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) that has also congratulated and pledged to work with the leadership of the National Assembly.

A top management official of the commission with knowledge of the financial state of the National Assembly told The Guardian: “Our account is in the red. We can’t even pay our staff salaries. In fact, I can confirm to you that we are yet to complete the payment of salaries of the Seventh Legislators that wound up their activities last June 9. We have to obtain loans from banks to be able to pay them. So nobody is talking about the allowances of this Eighth Assembly now. We don’t know how we are going to handle it.”

“I don’t know where the information came from that we are going to pay wardrobe allowance amounting to almost N9 billion.

“Whoever is peddling that rumour is really doing a disservice to the new presiding officers and members of the Eighth National Assembly who may unduly come under pressure from their constituents. I can assure you that nobody knows when the Eighth Assembly members are going to get any kobo here.

“In fact, our financial situation is compounded by the inability of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) to meet last Tuesday or yesterday as is normally the case, because even after the meeting, it takes more than two months before the Federal Government would source for money to its agencies. That is why you see that salaries of some agencies too are in arrears.

“What the Federal Government does after every FAAC is that it manages to settle the states and local government counterparts of the allocation while it begins to source for its share of the allocation which is just on paper.

“The implication of this is that even if FAAC meets today or next month, we don’t expect to get our own share of the allocation released to us immediately until the next two months except President Muhammadu Buhari is going to reverse the trend.”

“What is most disturbing to us as management at this time is how to even arrange for residential and office accommodation for the new presiding officers as the residences of both the Speaker and the Senate President were sold to former Speaker, Dimeji Bankole and immediate past Senate President, David Mark.”

Read More: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/06/national-assembly-broke-borrows-to-pay-lawmakers

Pay Us Before We Die, Ondo Pensioners Tell Gov. Mimiko

Ondo State retirees have protested the delay in the payment of their three months pension arrears and gratuities, lamenting that they are dying of hunger and frustration.

The retirees, who besieged the governor’s office on Tuesday as members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, complained that they were owed three months areas and 33 per cent increment in arrears in the last five years.

They marched with placards having inscriptions such as “Pay Our 3 Months Arrears”; “We Are dying of Hunger and Starvation, Save Our Soul, ” and “We Are Oil Producing State, Why Owe Us our Entitlements?”

Akin Adubuola, who is the Chairman of NUP in Akure South Local Government Area of the state, said the pensioners had been abandoned in spite of their old age, and having served the government meritoriously.

“We appeal to the state government to come to the rescue of our members by paying them all their entitlements so as to put an end to problem of sudden death, prolonged sicknesses and suffering,” he said.

Another pensioner, Femi Odere, urged Olusegun Mimiko to show compassion on the retirees who are dying of hunger and frustration.

“It is ungodly to maltreat the old folks in such a manner. We have served the government in all capacity with the best of our ability,” he said.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Union Matters, Dayo Fadahunsi, told the pensioners that the delay in the payment of their allowances was as a result of the financial crisis currently assailing the entire country.

He said the state government was committed to the welfare of its citizens, especially pensioners, and promised to take their grievances to the governor.

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CBN Explains Why States Can’t Pay Salaries

The dwindling resources of states and local governments suffered a 30.6 per cent fall from federation account allocation in April 2015 when compared with what the states got in the same period last year.

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Economic Report for the month of April said that the total statutory allocation to the state governments stood at N153.45 billion in April 2015. This was 30.6 and 22.9 per cent below the 2014 monthly budget estimate and the level in the preceding month, respectively. The dwindling revenue of federal, state and local government is as a result of falling oil prices.

Giving insight into the poor financial status of states which depends on monthly federal allocation, the CBN report for April said: “The breakdown showed that at N119.27 billion or 77.7 per cent of the total, state governments’ receipt from the Federation Account was below both the 2014 monthly budget estimate and the level in the preceding month by 29.7 and 30.3 per cent, respectively.

“At N34.17 billion or 22.3 per cent of the total, receipts from the VAT Pool Account was below the monthly budget estimate by 33.4 per cent, but exceeded the level in the preceding month by 22.2 per cent. Total receipts by the local governments from the Federation Account and VAT Pool Account stood at N88.91 billion at end-April 2015.

“This was lower than both the budget estimate and the level in the preceding month by 33.8 and 19.7 per cent, respectively. Of this amount, receipts from the Federation Account were N64.99 billion (73.1 per cent of the total), while the VAT Pool Account accounted for N23.92 billion (26.9 per cent of the total).

“At N735.07 billion, estimated federally-collected revenue in April 2015, was lower than the monthly budget estimate by 9.8 per cent. It was, however, higher than the receipt in the preceding month by 35.8 per cent. The decline in estimated federally-collected revenue (gross) relative to the monthly budget estimate was attributable, largely, to the shortfall in receipts from oil revenue during the review month

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Don’t Pay $50,000 To See Me Or My Husband, Aisha Buhari Warns

Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, has warned that anyone who demands $50,000 to enable him see her or her husband should be disregarded.

Speaking at an appreciation dinner she hosted for women and youths at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa on Saturday, she said whoever demands money to facilitates his or her seeing her or her husband was neither working for the President nor the All Progressives Congress, APC.

She said: “I will like to inform you that in the past regime, whether it is true or false, only God knows. Some people were going round, parading themselves as personal assistants. If you wanted to see the First Lady, you will pay $30,000 or $50,000; and if you are seeing the President, you will pay all that you have gathered in your lifetime.

“This will not happen in our regime. Whoever asks you to give a single penny in the name of coming to see the President or his wife is not our staff. He is not an APC member; it is a lie. Don’t be deceived.”

She stated that there was nothing people did not say about the past administration, stressing that it was not former President Goodluck Jonathan that was not good but the people around him.

The President’s wife said the people that are going to be around her husband have to be very careful because the election ended peacefully.

“We are praying and hoping that people around him should know that it took him 12 years to get to that position and they must know that they are coming to serve the masses, not President Muhammadu Buhari in person.

“It is the people that are around him that will determine the political health of our state.

“I am so delighted to stand before you today as the wife of a former Head of State and today being called the wife of the President. It was such a long journey and we thank God it ended this way; we really thank God.

“I want to thank all Nigerian women and youths for the crucial roles they played towards the success of the last elections. I am very much aware of your steadfastness during the election campaigns up till the elections proper,” she said.

She explained that in line with the philosophy of her husband, the administration would be open to all Nigerians.

While noting the challenges faced by the country in the areas of security, unemployment and corruption, she said the responsibility to solve the problems should not be left for the government alone.

Mrs. Buhari also used the occasion to explain that her husband never put her in purdah.

She urged Nigerians to come up with practical solutions, collectively and individually, that would facilitate answers to the ills of the society, especially women issues.

“Even, by the recent campaigns, it was Bola Ahmed Tinubu who insisted that I should come out and support my husband. Not that I never liked supporting my husband but it all depended on the people around him. And now, it is the people around him that said they wanted me to participate; we did and we have seen the difference.

“My husband is a gender- sensitive being, having so many girls as his own biological children and then having me as his wife. Then, you can see the generation gap. He allowed me to go to school. To cut the story short, he is the pillar of my success.

“The women of Nigeria are not asking for equal representation but a fair representation.

“As you are all aware, they were the major voters; we constitute more than 50 per cent and in the end, we found out that the number of female legislators that we used to have declined. I do not think this is fair to women. We feel we are not adequately represented.

“We should now make it as a mission in the next four years, to fight for fair representation of women in both leadership and decision-making bodies,” she said.

She also spoke on the high rate of divorce in the North, widowhood in the South and female students’ harassment in higher institutions, demanding that something be done to solve the problems.

Creditnationalmirroronline

Sell Helicopter To Pay Workers’ Salaries, PDP Tells Aregbesola

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has urged the State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, to sell the state-owned helicopter to raise funds to pay workers’ salaries.

The party also blamed the governor for the financial crisis facing the state; accusing him of reckless spending such as the funding of the impeachment plot of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State.

But the Governor described the allegation as “infantile,” saying it would not amend the PDP’s battered image before the eyes of the Osun people.

He also said he would not sell the helicopter because it was meant to provide and complement security operations in the state.

Workers in Osun State are on strike over unpaid seven months salaries.

A statement by the PDP’s Director of Media and Strategy, Diran Odeyemi, in Osun, said one of the ways out of the financial crisis facing the state, was for the government to “sell the helicopter Governor Aregbesola said it procured for the state and stop frivolous trips to Cuba.”

While describing it as one of the drain pipes of the state funds, the opposition party said the administration had told the people that the helicopter was to be used for surveillance, but had since been serving the travel needs of Mr. Aregbesola and his family.

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Okonjo-Iweala Vows Not To Pay Marketers

The federal government is spoiling for a fresh showdown with oil importers over subsidy payment.

This is coming as there is no end in sight yet for the current face off between the two sides that has grounded the nation for several days now.

Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala yesterday accused them of submitting to government suspicious payment claims to the tune of N159billion in exchange rate differentials.

The payment claims, according to her, reeked of fraud.

She told reporters at a farewell meeting in Abuja that she would not approve payment of the claims unless verified by the relevant authorities.

“Marketers were asking for N159 billion for exchange rate differentials from the outstanding N200 billion. There has been so much fraud and scam so I have refused to sign for that money but have agreed that a committee be set up involving the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to verify marketers’ claims,” she said.

”Marketers just want to make Nigerians suffer,” she added.

The minister also slammed the marketers for allegedly blackmailing Nigerians and asked the people to resist.

Insisting that the current fuel scarcity has nothing to do with paying the marketers, she said: “They are making a lot of money from black market activities, people should rise up against the blackmail of oil marketers.

“I will not pay the N159 billion without verification, Nigerians should not allow themselves to be blackmailed.”

The minister said there was something curious about the supply of and payment for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Her words: “I cannot say that the problem is due to not paying marketers, the process of paying marketers is always a rolling process and there has never been a time government reduced its financial obligation to marketers to zero.

“In a year where so much effort has been made to pay marketers including prioritizing their payment as subsidy claims in favour of other financial obligation like paying contractors, yet fuel scarcity still persists at this  particular point in time suggests that something suspicious is happening.”

She responded to the claim by Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, that the Jonathan administration will be leaving a $60 billion debt burden for   the in-coming government.

She said that Nigeria’s total debt indeed stands at $63.7 billion but it is the totality  of all the debts incurred by successive  governments since 1960.

“No $60 billion was accumulated under the Jonathan administration,” she said.

She added: “Current debt stock includes both federal and state governments debts made up of $9.7 billion external debt or 15 per cent of total debt stock and $54 billion or 85 per cent domestic debt stock.

“Nigeria is still repaying the multilateral loans it collected on concessionary terms with as long as 40 years maturity periods.”

The breakdown of the accumulated domestic stock is  $18.575 billion outstanding by 2007, $17.3 billion accumulated between 2008 and 2011 and $18 billion accumulated between 2012 and 2015.

“This is so because of something that happened in 2010 because of the salary increment under Yar’Adua administration which increased civil servants salaries by 53 per cent.

“Those bonds have been rolled over and government had to weather the difficulties because resources to fund such increase were not there,” she said.

She described Nigeria’s debt to GDP ratio as one of the lowest in the world.

On the domestic debt stock, she said 20 per cent is owed by state governments with Lagos state having an external debt burden of N1.169 trillion while the balance of 80 per cent belongs to the federal government.

Reviewing her tenure, Okonjo-Iweala said she has no regrets in serving the country and declared that anyone called upon to serve Nigeria should consider it a privilege.

“Some people criticise from afar but some came home in spite of challenges to serve,” she said.

She faulted suggestions that the economy was mismanaged, saying: “The economy is reacting to the forces of demand and supply but there is hope for the country. Only that people will have to make sacrifices.

“The out-going government, she said, achieved a lot but she lamented that “there are very serious attempts to rewrite history.”

Meanwhile, there is still no respite for motorists and commuters across the country as the fuel scarcity persisted yesterday.

Most filling stations remained shut and only a few managed to sell but at exorbitant prices.

On the other hand black markets continue to thrive with operators charging as much as N350 per litre in parts of Lagos.

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How APC Members Allegedly Pay To Join Buhari’s Cabinet

The deafening sounds of “Sai Baba” and “Change” have died down, the infectious and wild celebrations and boastful commentaries on how “change” finally came no longer enjoy prime place on street corners as reality is beginning to set in.

Reality as to the enormity of work that awaits the incoming All Progressives Congress, APC-led government of General Muhammadu Buhari and reality as to the fact that campaigning and winning election may not be the same as forming the government and appointing a credible and workable cabinet that will help in bringing about the promised change.

As Nigerians count days and look forward to the May 29 inauguration of General Muhammadu Buhari as the President and Commander in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with measured optimism, the APC, from all indications, is faced with the herculean task of coming up with a formidable and credible cabinet that will give Nigerians hope of a better future. This task can as well be termed the party’s second litmus test.

Read More: dailypost

 

We Are Borrowing Billions To Pay Salaries- Okonjo-Iweala

In the face of dwindling oil revenues, Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said the Federal Government has borrowed about N473billion to pay salaries and fund the 2015 budget.

The Minister, who was speaking in Abuja on the details of the N4.493trillion appropriation already passed by the National Assembly, said the federal government had to raise its borrowing level from N570 billion to N882 billion to enable it meet its financial obligations to workers and contractors.

The minister blamed it on the decline in oil revenue in late 2014, which accounted for 50 per cent cut in the total federally collectible revenue as well as the low revenue receipts from non-oil sources.

Despite past efforts to reduce government borrowing level, she said the acute cash flow problems forced government to take the decision to curb the negative impact of revenue crunch.

The Minister said about N380billion came from external sources, while the balance is for domestic borrowing.

“We have tried to work within the budget,” she said. “Last year, the borrowing came down to about N570 billion. But, this year, because of the very difficult cash flow situation, we have provided N882billion in borrowing.

“About N380billion of that is external borrowing and the balance of N502 billion is for domestic borrowing. All we have borrowed so far is N473billion, which is within the budget.”

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Nigeria Borrows Money To Pay Government Salaries- Aljazeera

Africa’s biggest economy faces “revenue challenges” that have affected expenditure, finance minister says.

Africa’s richest economy is borrowing money to pay salaries as it struggles through a “difficult cash crunch” brought on by halved oil prices, Nigeria’s finance minister revealed.

The news comes as Nigeria prepares to welcome a new government at the end of this month and the country’s naira currency remains in a slump, hovering between 180 and 220 to the US dollar. It was trading at 160 a few months ago.

Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala tried to be upbeat in a speech on Tuesday after lawmakers approved the 2015 budget – revised three times because of slashed oil prices that provide 80 percent of revenue for the government of Africa’s biggest petroleum producer.

She said “revenue challenges” had prohibited the release of any funds for capital expenditure this year but that food prices and single-digit inflation remained quite stable. And she said the economy still was on course to grow 4.8 percent this year.

“We have front-loaded the borrowing program to manage the cash crunch,” Okonjo-Iweala told lawmakers.

“Out of the 882 billon naira budgetary provision for borrowing, the government has borrowed 473 billion naira to meet up with recurrent expenditure, including salaries and overheads.”

That is bad news for the incoming government of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, who takes over on May 29 from incumbent Goodluck Jonathan.

Buhari acknowledges that constricted revenue and endemic corruption threaten his will to deliver on development and reconstruction of areas devastated by a nearly 6-year-old rebel uprising in the northeast.

He says his fight against corruption should produce the money needed to bring change to a country where oil proceeds benefit a small clique while the majority of the 170 million people in Africa’s most populous nation live hand to mouth.

Critics blame the financial crisis in part on the most expensive election ever held in Nigeria, though no one knows how much politicians from both sides spent during their campaigns.

NLC Asks Governors To Pay Salaries Before May 29

The Nigeria Labour Congress, has asked the state governors to pay outstanding salaries before the May 29 handover date. Factional Deputy President of the NLC, Peters Adeyemi, said this at the ninth National Delegates Conference of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria in Abuja.

Adeyemi said workers had commenced the campaign to prevail on the outgoing governors to pay outstanding salaries before they leave on May 29.

The National Administrative Council of the NLC had on March 19, 2015 set up a committee saddled with the responsibility of compelling state governments to pay over eight months salary arrears owed workers.

Last week, the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, himself a former President of the NLC, had urged labour to unite and compel state governors owing workers’ salaries to pay before the May 29 handover date. The congress had on December 31, 2014, said 11 states owed workers their salaries.

Read More: Punch

Pastor Chris, Anita Reportedly Share Their Two Children

Months after the separation of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the founder of Christ Embassy Church and his wife Pastor Anita, the estranged couple have reportedly shared their two children.

While Sharon, the eldest, prefers Pastor Chris, Charlene is presently with Anita. Anita had last year April approached a London court, seeking a divorce on the grounds of adultery among several allegations.

Read More: dailypost.ng