NUPENG Urges President Buhari End Fuel Shortages

Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has urged the Federal Executive Council (FEC), headed by President Muhammadu Buhari, to immediately hit the ground running by arresting the worsening fuel scarcity across the country.


NUPENG in a statement, yesterday, by its President, Igwe Achese, contended that since President Buhari was in charge of the Petroleum Ministry, he and his team must put up short and long term measures to end the sufferings of the masses and get products available to Nigerians.
“The expectations are high and FEC should put up concrete policies to hit the ground running by arresting the incessant fuel shortages being experienced at present all over the country. Since Mr. President is personally in charge of the Petroleum Ministry, he and his team must put up short and long term measures to end the sufferings of the masses to get petroleum products without wasting man-hours at the filling stations.
“Mr. President must address the issues of non-payment of cash-calls on joint ventures and also represent the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, after a stakeholders’ meeting to iron out the grey areas.
“The new FEC must address the divestment in the oil and gas industry and tackle head-on the turn around maintenance of the nation’s four refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri. The union will resist any further retrenchment and down-sizing in the oil and gas sector and therefore call for the right enabling environment that will create a level-playing field for investors to operate,” Achese said.
NUPENG also called on the “federal government to quickly address the nagging issue of actualization and outsourcing of workers to labour contractors, which is modern-day slavery. The union wants the problems of power and bad roads to be addressed with diversification to put the economy back on the right footing, as Nigerians resilience and patience should not be taken for granted. Nigerians are tired of lamentations but need action.”

N1.4trn Fine: President Buhari To Decide MTN’s Fate – Minister

The Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, has said that the issue of N1.4 trillion fine imposed on MTN Nigeria by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) is now before President Muhammadu Buhari, who will take the necessary decision at the appropriate time in the best interest of the country.


Speaking, yesterday, at the Alliance 4 Affordable Internet Nigeria Coalition conference in Lagos, Shittu said that the government’s decision to impose fine on MTN was not borne out of hatred but “in the interest of the public.” He pointed out that MTN admitted to the said offence and apologised.
“I don’t think there is any conflicting position on where government stands on the MTN issue. Recall that there were violations which were established against MTN.
“The violations were to the tune of five million subscribers. There are many countries where subscribers, in the entire country, are not up to half of the five million. In the case of Nigeria, we had more than five million violations.
“However, both the government and MTN are on the same page that rules have been broken in this instance.
“The issue is now before Mr President. He will take the necessary decision at the appropriate time. And the President would do what is best for the public interest,“ the Minister said.
“The good thing is that MTN did not contest the fact that they had violated the regulations and guidelines. They never contested it. They admitted they were at fault. They apologized for their role in the saga and they made a commitment that what happened will never happen again. And of course, they made a plea for review of the payment terms,” he said.

Efforts To Recover Stolen Assets Frustrated By Corrupt Judges, Lawyers – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, slammed the judiciary over allegations of judicial corruption, which he noted “have become more strident and frequent”.


Flagging-off the 2015 All Nigeria Judges’ Conference in Abuja, yesterday, Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, accused corrupt lawyers and judges of sabotaging his efforts to recover stolen assets.
“Further on point of negative perception, there is both local and international dissatisfaction with the long delays in the trial process. In the past few years, this has become especially so for high-profile cases of corruption, especially where they involve serving or former political office holders.
“As my lords are undoubtedly aware, corruption transfers from public coffers to private pockets, resources required to deliver social and economic justice.
“Government’s attempts to recover such assets in accordance with the law are often faced with dilatory tactics by lawyers sometimes with the apparent collusion of judges.
“These tactics are often not directed at reaching any conclusion or affirming innocence or guilt, but at stalling trials indefinitely, thus denying the state and the accused person the opportunity of a judicial verdict. I wish to echo the sentiments of the vast majority of Nigerians in saying that we cannot afford to continue on this path.”
President Buhari, therefore, called for a total reform of the Justice sector. He maintained that the judiciary must play its role in ensuring that its internal processes are promptly improved and made ready to expedite trials.
“Delay in judicial processes has cost our economy dearly in terms of much needed investment, as investors prefer other jurisdictions where the progress of court cases is such more predictable and in accordance with the rule of law. Being able to reverse this trend is largely dependent on the efficiency and effectiveness of a justice system.
“Unfortunately, our justice system currently has a reputation for delays, usually occasioned by a combination of endless adjournments, incessant interlocutory applications and overwhelming caseloads. This situation is a huge disincentive for businesses.
“It is not surprising, therefore, that Nigeria ranks near bottom on the ease of doing business index. We are currently ranked 143 out of 189 countries by the World Bank Group’s Enforcing Contracts Indicator.
“Delays in the trial process have damaged the international reputation of the Nigerian Judiciary, even amongst its international peers.
“In pursuing its internal reforms, and without prejudice to the recognition that should be given to the disposal of high profile cases, the Judiciary must always remember that one of its key roles is the promotion of equity and social justice, all persons are equal under the law.
“Judicial reforms must take into consideration the need to clean up the systems and processes in our magistrate and district courts and all other lower courts across the country which handle matters involving th e poor and the less-privileged.
“Together with the Police stations, these courts constitute the only interface between the less-privileged and the Justice system. Our justice sector reforms must, therefore, seek to position and portray these court as humane and efficient.
“I have to admit that reforming the current system must extend beyond the judiciary and necessarily include reviewing laws, institutions, processes and procedures that inhibit speedy justice delivery. We must also re-orientate and improve the attitude of legal practitioners and the legal profession in general.
“Judges must not be weak or appear to be weak in sanctioning lawyers and litigants who deliberately stall and frustrate the judicial process.
“I have consistently declared that this administration is committed to the rule of law and that no one will be related above the law of the land. As the rich and powerful claim legal rights before the courts, we must remember that the poor also deserve social and economic justice.
“This is why our government is determined to fulfil key planks of our campaign promises, as they relate to the provision of social welfare programs in aid of the poor.”
The president pledged to improve the welfare of judges, but stressed that the current economic reality requires modest use of resources to achieve great changes.

Coco shares baby bump photo

Pregnant Coco who is going to be 37 weeks in 3 days updated her followers with a photo of her growing baby bump.
She said:
I'm behind on my baby bump pics! This is from week 36! On Thanksgiving in 3 days i will be 37 weeks! I'm really proud of my new baby blog which 5 new posts were just added.. I got the idea to do one in the middle of my pregnancy when so many people were asking questions. I've spent hours writing and incorporating photos with my words..Soon I will post all bump pics

NYSC DG says the ban on wearing of hijab in camps will not be lifted

Members of Muslim Youths in Da’wah on Tuesday had a peaceful protest at the headquarters of the National Youth Service Corps in Abuja against the ban on the use of hijab by female Muslim corps members, especially during orientation camps.
However the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General, Johnson Olawumi, insisted on the ban, saying it was “for security reasons” and will not be lifted.
The national coordinator of LMYiD, Luqman Hassan; and the Deputy Coordinator, Kamarudeen Adefila, had told the NYSC DG that a major protest by Muslims was averted because of the ban on hijab in most orientation camps.


Hassan told the DG:
“We are here to discuss with you about the incident that happened recently in various camps across the country. We have a guiding principle which is based on the Holy Q’uran. We are all Nigerians and the principle which guides us is the constitution and the African Charter on Human rights.
“Members of the NYSC are Nigerians who have contributed to the development of this country; female corps members deserve protection by the NYSC. We don’t believe that a female corps member putting on hijab has done any wrong against the Act establishing the NYSC. So they deserve the respect of the NYSC. We have travelled far and wide and visited different camps. Why are the rights of female corps members being infringed upon. We are here to register our displeasure.”
“Many Muslim organisations wanted to protest, but we said wait a while. In fact, we have to intervene to avoid the situation and if Muslims march on the streets, it will attract a lot of negative comments, but people won’t know why we are protesting,” Adefila had added.
Olawumi said:
“Under my leadership, the NYSC will accord respect to every corps member, irrespective of tribe and religion. The incident in Benue State was caused by the use of long hijab. The security situation in the country is tough. There is the danger of somebody using hijab for other reasons.
“Why are you so particular on your alleged infraction on the rights of youths without mentioning any one of such on Christian youths? Produce your evidence, write to us and I can assure you that we will act fast. When the incident in Benue State was reported to us, I swung into action and ensured that the camp commandant was decamped immediately. We are not magicians; if you have any evidence, write to us and we will not hesitate to act.”
The NYSC Legal Adviser, Ahmed Tijani Ibrahim, said the incident in Benue State was still being  investigated.
He said,:
"I’m a Muslim and in our camps, I know that we have treated everybody equally. You mentioned the fact that you would have proceeded to protest. Very minor issues could trigger off mass protest.
“We will see the way forward to this complaint. I can assure you that the issue will not be swept under the carpet. The NYSC is very sensitive to the issue of religion and immediately we heard of it, we swung into action and we are on it because issues of religion are very sensitive.”

Punch

Kogi Supplementary Polls To Hold In 91 Units Dec. 5, APC To Fill Vacancy Created By Audu’s Death – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has taken a stand on the legal conundrum created by the death of Prince Abubakar Audu, the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in last Saturday’s inconclusive governorship election in Kogi State.
The INEC returning officer for Kogi state on Sunday declared the election inconclusive because the total number of registered voters in 91 polling units where elections were canceled was higher than the margin between the APC flag bearer and the runner up, Governor Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.


On same day the election was declared inconclusive, Mr. Audu was declared dead, leading to speculations that the election might either be conducted afresh or supplementary polls held in the canceled units with the APC fielding a new candidate as its flag bearer.
Announcing its position on the matter, the Secretary to INEC, Augusta C. Ogakwu, said the supplementary elections will now hold on Saturday, December 5 in the 91 affected polling units.
“The Commission has, after due consideration of the circumstances, decided to allow the All Progressives Congress to fill the vacancy created by the death of its candidate”, Mrs. Ogakwu said in the statement.

Will Smith describes 20 year marriage to Jada as grueling and excruciating

7

47-year-old actor Will Smith opened up about his 20-year marriage to his wife, Jada Pinkett at the Nov. 23 premiere of his new movie, ‘Concussion,’ where he said despite their refusal to split, their relationship is both ‘grueling’ and ‘excruciating.’ He said this when he was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight, when they asked him how they keep their relationship so strong.

“We've been married 20 years and we've been asking ourselves [what’s the secret to marriage] and really at the end of the day it’s just not quitting,” the 47-year-old actor said of Pinkett Smith, who he first started dating in 1995 and then married two years later. “You can’t expect it to be easy, it’s like our marriage was the most difficult, grueling, excruciating thing that we have ever taken on in our lives. And you know were just not quitters.”
“If there is a secret I would say is that we never went into working in our relationship,” he continued. “We only ever worked on ourselves individually, and then presented ourselves to one another better than we were previously.”

Fuel Scarcity: DPR Swoops In On Two Filling Stations In Kwara, Distributes Free Petrol

The Department of Petroleum Resources in Kwara State yesterday enforced the directive by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, by dispensing fuel to motorists and motorcyclists free of charge.
The minister had last week in response to the worsening fuel scarcity across the country, said the country had enough petrol in stock to last for at least 16 days and blamed the problem on filling stations, who he accused of hoarding the product to drive costs up and make dishonest profit in the process.


To put an end to the unholy practice, Kachikwu ordered the DPR to visit any station hoarding fuel and distribute the product free after which the station should be sealed.
It was in view of this directive that the surveillance team of the DPR, acting on a tip-off, swooped in on Alkad and Sons Nigeria Limited, a filling station situated along Olorunsogo, Ilorin.
The team led by Operation Controller of DPR, Mr Salvation Philip, dug up the station’s stock and uncovered 2,300 litres of fuel while the station allegedly told buyers that it had exhausted the stock.
Also Nasmut Nigeria Limited, located in Otte, Asa Local Government Area, of the state, a suburb of Ilorin, was found to be hoarding a large volume of petrol and the DPR operation controller ordered that the commodity be given to members of the public free.
Speaking with journalists, Mr. Philip said the action of the department was in accordance with the directive of the minister.
He stated that the development would serve as deterrent to other hoarders.
Philip said the agency was poised to ensure that the commodity was properly distributed among commuters.
“We are out for surveillance because of the situation on ground and we want to make sure that the fuel that comes in is distributed to commuters. When we got to this place (Alkad), we dug and discovered that they (management of the station) were hoarding 2300 litres of fuel. So, we are simply enforcing the ministerial directive. We are giving the fuel free to fellow Nigerians that need it. It is a critical time we have to utilize what is available. This is the second station so far we caught hoarding”, he said.
“We want to use this to send a very strong warning to all marketers that anybody caught hoarding, diverting or flouting petroleum laws and regulations would be made to face the law. So, we are not joking about it. Let this serve as a deterrent to all intending hoarders of petroleum products. The situation is critical. We want to make sure that what is available is utilized. Any violation would not be tolerated by the Department of Petroleum Resources, especially here in Kwara State”, Mr. Philip added.

Prince Abubakar Audu’s burial

The remains of the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s Kogi governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu was laid to rest on Monday in his country home of Ogbonicha, Ofu LGA of Kogi state.
He had contested the governorship elections in the state on Saturday and he died on Sunday.

TIWA SAVAGE: ” MY BABY WAS LONG OVERDUE, I HAD INDUCED LABOUR”

In a chat with Nigeriafilms.com, Mavin records ‘first lady’, Tiwa Savage revealed she never enjoyed the whole challenges that come with pregnancy and the pregnancy was overdue by about eight days before she was induced to labour.

She said:

“Well, it’s a condition some women have towards the end of their pregnancy.

“For me, it was a period where I had high blood pressure, my feet got terribly swollen and I could hardly walk. Plus, my baby was long overdue by about 7-8 days, I was so scared, but if I didn’t mention it, no one will know. Its better to keep shut because media people can blow things out of proportion a whole lot of times.

“At the end, they decided to induce me to labour because they were worried about my condition. It was a painful ordeal but I thank God everything went well,”

THIEVES STEAL CAR WITH 8-YEAR-OLD BOY INSIDE & DROP HIM OFF AT SCHOOL

Two men dropped a boy off at school Wednesday morning after finding him inside a car they stole. The boy’s mother called police at just after 8 a.m. when she discovered her car was missing.
“The mom ran into work to take care of a few things and left the car running with the music on,” The mother was gone for about 20 minutes, and when she returned her car and her 8-year-old son were missing.
Norfolk police spokeswoman Melinda Wray tells PEOPLE, she said:

“Apparently, this was something she did regularly and had never had any problems.” All of our officers began looking for the car and this little boy, They found him just a little while later, “sitting in class as if nothing had happened,”
“They said his mom had told them to drive him to school, It was slightly odd to him. He was nervous because he had never seen these men before.” The child, after he learned the true details of what happened, he was obviously shaken. But the men were not trying to abduct him,They were just trying to steal the vehicle.”
“Apparently we have a couple classy criminals.”


The vehicle itself was located later on Wednesday, parked about three miles away from the school after a co-worker of the mother, tracked her iPhone she left inside the Chevrolet Impala.

In addition, the boy’s mother may face criminal charges of her own for leaving her son alone. Says Wray,

“Obviously, child neglect is something that investigators are looking into.”

ALI BABA SLAMS AMBER ROSE OVER ‘MR IBU’ SUGAR DADDY POST

Comedian Alibaba didn’t find Amber Rose’s photo funny after she shared “a post relating to the kind of sugar daddy she likes” and decided to slam her …

Read what he wrote alongside the photo collage above:

"There are some women who we sooooooooo love, for their brains, beauty,

empowerment of women, their business acumen, generosity, dress sense,

awesome body, their struggle, their story, education of the girl child,

international reputation and their inspiration of both men and women,

black and white, tall and short…

Then there are some, who nobody wants their daughters to be like. Except

when she done finally enter market. These second type can only inspire

their kind. And much as we like them from a distance, we always strongly

believe that any man that is with them may not be totally alright. Sadly,

these type of ladies, think that they are every man’s dream. Could be true

though. Because if you put it to vote, the men who will love Oprah

Winfrey will most likely be responsible men. Or men with a target to be

with a woman who influences them on their way to being responsible. The

men that will like the other one in the posted picture… You know NA… As

my people say, person wey them pray for no make am NA the one wey

them curse? She even get mind Yabb Mr IBU… Make UNA tag her make

she SEF see comparison. Opio wey dey claim hero"

KOGI APC GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE, ABUBAKAR AUDU, IS DEAD

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Saturday’s governorship election, Abubakar Audu, has died, his friend and close associate has confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES. “Audu is gone,” the distraught associate, who requested not to be named, told our reporter on the telephone.
Though too shattered to provide details of the politician’s passing, he confirmed he was in the candidate’s company when he passed on.
The source said the former governor suddenly took ill and was being rushed
to Abuja preparatory to being flown abroad when he passed on.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared the Saturday governorship election inconclusive, but Mr. Audu was in a pole position to be declared winner eventually.
A PREMIUM TIMES reporter who visited the APC candidate’s Lokoja residence said, “I am currently at Audu’s Lokoja residence. Supporter are thronging the residence, anxious to confirm the news of the politician’s death.

“There is no close relative or political associate to confirm the report. Supporters are praying, “It shall never be true” and “holy fire shall consume anyone that says Audu is dead.”

Meanwhile, a supporter said the news of the sudden illness, and later death of Mr. Audu stalled celebration at his residence Saturday afternoon.
The supporter said:

“As we were preparing for the
celebration and awaiting Prince Audu, one politician came and said we should stop drumming,”

NDLEA NABS DRUG BARON & INTERCEPTS 576KG OF NARCOTICS WORTH N4.6BN IN LAGOS

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested a suspected drug baron, 42-year-old Tochukwu Ubah, alleged to be coordinating a large volume of methamphetamine and ephedrine distribution in the country.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mitchell Ofoyeju, Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, in Lagos on Sunday.
The statement said Mr. Ubah was arrested by the agency’s Special Enforcement Team, SET, at the old local section of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos upon arrival from Enugu.


It said:

“He was apprehended after intense undercover operations in connection with illegal exportation of 576kgs of narcotics to Durban, South Africa through Apapa Port.
The drug made up of 266kg of methamphetamine and 310kgs of ephedrine valued at N4.6 billion were hidden inside noodles, cereals and palm oil,”

According to the statement, preliminary investigations by the NDLEA revealed that the suspect is also known as Etochukwu Alaek Weubah and Eto Ubah.
It alleged that Ubah had a company, Visoch Resources Limited, which he used as a cover for his clandestine drug business.
The statement said:

“Although the surveillance report indicates that he is a major player in drug smuggling, Ubah hides under the cover of floor tile business.
“Apart from the seized drugs, other items in the consignment include maize, vegetables, palm oil, malt drinks, seasoning, noodles and cereals.”

The statement said the suspect who hails from Abia state would soon be charged to court.

Kylie Jenner hints she's back together with Tyga

After the break up rumour, Kylie Jenner shared a snapchat photo of herself and bf Tyga in bed with the caption...Everyone needs to chill. We are chilling, lol.

Toke Makinwa steps out in style in white pant suit

Toke Makinwa looked great in white pant suit which she wore to last night's 35th Anniversary of Silverbird. More beautiful photos of Toke after the cut..

Khloe Kardashian shares health update after staph infection

Khloe Kardashian who is recovering from a staph infection took to twitter yesterday to give fans an update on her health.
"Staph infection is no joke," she tweeted. "Mine was exacerbated by stress which is not a great combo. I'm under great medical care &receiving tons of love!"

Nigeria loses N256bn monthly to oil price crash- CBN Gov

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, at the annual Bankers’ Dinner organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria disclosed on Friday night, talked about how the nation is losing N256bn monthly to pil price crash.


He said:
“Given the sharp fall in oil prices, federation allocation to states have dropped by an average of about N2bn for each month.
“Similarly, average inflows of foreign exchange into the CBN have fallen to by about $1.3bn per month; this has led to a sharp decline in our forex reserves from as high as $37bn as at June 2014, to $30bn.

He said the nation needs to stop to importing everything. He encouraged Nigerians to patronize locally made goods.
Despite the huge drop in the nation’s forex earnings as a result of the fall in crude oil prices, the CBN boss said Nigeria’s import rose to N917bn in September and might likely hit N1.2tn in December.
He said:
“Nigeria cannot continue on this path of importing everything and anything. Indeed, it is both unacceptable and unsustainable and that was the reason we decided at the central bank to prohibit items we can produce here from accessing forex from the central bank.
“The last time we had oil prices at $50 per barrel for an extended period of time was in 2005 and our total import bill for that year was only N148bn. Yet, in the first nine months of this year, our total import bill has already risen to N917bn, and by logical extension, it is heading towards N1.2tn by the end of the year.
“The CBN will in due course embark on a national campaign called PAVE which stands for: Produce Locally, Add Value and Export. We definitely cannot survive as a people by importing everything and anything.’’

Compulsory Retirement Of 14 Perm Secs, Agency Closure, Vindictive Acts By Wike – Rivers APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has described the recent compulsory retirement of 14 Permanent Secretaries in the state’s civil service by Governor Nyesom Wike as a “vindictive act”.
In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, the party alleged that the action was aimed at punishing people, relations or spouses of those perceived to have worked for the immediate past Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi administration or sympathetic to the APC.


“The APC considers the sudden retirement of these exemplary senior civil servants as a vindictive act by Governor Nyesom Wike.
“Whereas these individuals toiled to keep the civil service of the state, which is the engine room of government working for the good of the people, Nyesom Wike decided to punish them for doing their legitimate duties as civil servants.
“Instead of acknowledging and rewarding them with recognition, the governor decided to summarily send them away on compulsory retirement just to exact needless pound of flesh”, the party said.
The opposition party also claimed that Gov. Wike has formally shut down the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA).
“Instead of the governor tasking his intellect for once to find an acceptable solution to the matter or doing the very basic thing of paying the seven months salaries owed the RSSDA workers from the numerous bank loans he has collected, he rather chose the primitive option of closing down the agency and had the audacity to formally announce the mean decision yesterday”, it said.
The Rivers APC condemned the actions by Wike and urged those directly affected to remain strong and prayerful as “God will ultimately see off the Wike rogue regime. There is no doubt at all that God will complete what he has started by getting the so-called election of Governor Nyesom Wike finally dumped into the abyss of history very soon”.

Nigeria Will Shutdown If Governors Stop Payment Of N18,000 Minimum Wage – NLC Threatens

Leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have warned governors in the country not to think of paying anything less than the N18,000 minimum wage, saying that if the governors wanted workers to shut down the nation because of the issue, workers would gladly do so.


Rising from a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the governors had said the N18,000 minimum wage was too much for them to pay, especially at this time of dwindling government revenues.
Factional President of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, while insisting that Nigerian workers totally reject the governors’ position, warned that if the governors wanted organised labour to close down the country, labour was ready to do so. He confirmed that the NLC would be meeting today on the platform of the Central Working Committee, CWC, and the issue would feature prominently after which a statement would be released.
“We reject it totally. Nigerian workers will never accept it. We all know that it is a reality that N18,000 can no longer take the workers home and cannot sustain any family. Many countries are reviewing their minimum wage upwards to meet the current realities. In Nigeria, there is even greater need to increase the minimum wage because our currency had been devalued; inflation keeps rising among others.
“What is the relation of the Nigerian currency to the Dollar or what is value of the N18,000 to the Dollar? We are going to reject the move with all our might. We are not the cause of the problem. They should think out of the box to find solution to the problem. When there was excess crude money, the workers did not benefit and so, we cannot bear the brunt. If the governors want us to close down the country, we will do that.
“What about their outrageous salaries, bloated overhead cost, inflated contracts and others? NLC is meeting tomorrow (today) on the organ of the Central Working Committee, CWC. This issue is going to feature prominently and we are going to come with a strong statement on it. Obviously we cannot bear the brunt. They governors should think how to generate revenue instead of depending on oil money and allocation from Abuja.
“The governors should know that the N18,000 minimum wage was not just negotiated, it was a product of a tripartite process involving the governors, employers and organised labour. It passed through the National Assembly before former President Jonathan signed it into law. If any party wants to breach or renege on such agreement, they should be prepared for the consequences.
“We know there are challenges, but the governors should face reality. The problem is the cost of governance and too many frivolities. Today, with crazy bills from electricity providers, increase in fuel price, school fees, hospital bills, and other utilities, N18,000 cannot take any worker to the bus stop. We want to know their salaries as approved by the Revenue and Fiscal Mobilisation Commission, that of their commissioners, advisers and others, their security votes and others.
In a similar vein, Wabba’s counterpart, Mr. Joe Ajaero, dismissed the governors’ resolution as an empty threat. He said most of them were ignorant of the process that brought about the N18,000 minimum wage, warning the governors not to start a battle they could not sustain because Nigerian workers had the capacity to retrench them.
“Well, because of the falling oil prices, sole administrators should be appointed in the 36 states and Abuja and the office of state governors should be abolished. The sole administrators should not have one single commissioner or adviser. They should also not receive any salary or allowance because we are in a belt-tightening period for us to survive. The governors should know that the process that brought about the N18,000 minimum wage was more democratic than the process that brought most of them to power. They do not have the capacity to abolish the minimum wage. We are even planning to present a new proposal for upward review of the wage because, not only is it due for review, it is also no longer in tune with the socio-economic reality of the time.
“Do not forget that the minimum wage is an act that was passed into law by the National Assembly and signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan in March, 2011. The day the governors say they can no longer pay the N18,000 minimum wage, that is the day they should vacate office as governors. They should not make the mistake that workers have no capacity to retrench them from office.”
Also reacting, Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Mr. Musa Lawal, said labour would never accept the governors’ immodest proposal.
According to him, the governors cannot say they can no longer pay the minimum wage. “If they do, we are going to reject and resist it with whatever it takes. Though we will meet to react appropriately, but we are definitely not accepting it. We are presenting a proposal for upward review of the wage because it is no longer meeting the realities on ground. We were planning our meeting for next month, I am sure because of this development, we will bring it forward.”

Guber Polls: Sylva Splits Bayelsa Elders Council, Secures Endorsement

The candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer in the Dec. 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State, Chef Timipre Sylva appears to have split Traditional Rulers and Elders of the state as they set aside political pressures to endorse Sylva.
The decision to endorse the APC candidate was taken by the Elders and Traditional Rulers, under the aegis of the Bayelsa Elders Council, after an exhaustive interactive session presided over by Chairman of the Council, Chief Francis Doukpoula and the Amanayabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diette-Spiff.


Also at the meeting were first-class traditional rulers, including the Ebidawei of Kolokuma kingdom, King Agara Onya Mozi, Ebidawei of Boma Clan, King Joshua Igbugburu, Dr. Amba Ambaowei, Chief Douglas Naigba.
However, few of the Traditional Leaders and Elders known to be loyal to the administration of Governor Seriake Dickson, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, including Chief Thompson Okorotie, were noticeably absent from the meeting.
The Bayelsa Elders’ endorsement of Sylva was not without a catch as they secured his firm assurances not to hold any grudges against any politician or individual for their role in the incidents that led to his disqualification to run for a second term in 2012 by the PDP his subsequent travails under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
King Diette-Spiff, who spoke on behalf of the Traditional Rulers, said “Sylva is eligible to run. We have given you our blessings and support. We call on you to be peaceful and not carry any grudge against anyone”.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Sylva said though he was pained by the refusal of the Elders from the State to reach out to him during the political processes that led to the exit of the former president from office, the decision to meet with them is based on the conviction that his governorship aspiration is based on true justice.
“I believe if as a Governor, I was allowed to run in 2012, I would have won and done my second term in office”, he said.

Fuel Scarcity: What You Promised Us Was Change, Labour Tells Buhari

The labour movement in Ekiti State has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to fight the cabals causing persistent oil scarcity in the country.


Speaking in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, labour, under the auspices of Public Service Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), said what Buhari promised Nigerians was a new lease of life. Sadly, for the past one month fuel scarcity has begun to erode people’s confidence in the administration.
The JNC Secretary in Ekiti, Comrade Ayodeji Oladele urged the Nigerian leader to muster the political will to be able to deal with the cabals in the oil sector bringing unnecessary hardship to innocent Nigerians.
According to him, what the Minister of State for Petroleum and the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr Ibe Kachikwu told Nigerians was that there was sufficient petrol in circulation, which suggested that the product was being hoarded to force the price up for marketers to make outrageous profit.
Kachikwu had during the week instructed the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to distribute petrol of any filling stations involved in hoarding to customers free of charge. However, several dealers have refused to sell causing hardship to Nigerians and driving up the pump price of the product.
In some parts of Nigeria, petrol now sells for as much as N250 per litre.

Suspect In Paris Attacks Detained In Southern Turkey

A Belgian citizen of Moroccan origin suspected of playing a role in the Paris attacks has been arrested in the southern Turkish city of Antalya, a police official told Al Jazeera. The detained suspect was being questioned at the prosecutor’s office on Saturday. No other details surrounding the arrest could be divulged at this time because it could impede the capture of other potential suspects, he said.


“There is a confidentiality order on the issue as the investigation is going on in collaboration with other European governments,” the official said. “The Paris attacks happened, and this incident is progressing in various directions … The authorities are collecting evidence,” he added.
State media said the suspect was travelling with two Syrian citizens when detained. The development comes at a time of heightened security in Europe after the attacks in Paris on November 13 that killed 130 people. Belgium increased its security alert in the capital Brussels to its highest level on Saturday, warning of a “serious and imminent” threat.
Turkey has stepped up efforts to identify and capture people with links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in recent months. Over the past two years about 1,300 people were denied entry into Turkey, and more than 2,300 foreign nationals were deported.

No Compromise On Nigeria’s Unity, Buhari Tells Biafra Agitators

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday told pro-Biafra protesters that he will no compromise on Nigeria’s unity.


“The corporate existence of Nigeria as a single entity is not a subject of debate and will not be compromised,” Buhari affirmed in a message to the investiture of leading traditional ruler in the Southeast and Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe as the 7th Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
The message was delivered by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Onwuka, who himself is from the Southeast.
“The country is currently facing challenges of insurgency and other forms of insecurity that has become a threat to Nigerians to live their country and be educated in their country.
“The security situation in the country entails that every Nigerian must discharge his responsibility in bringing about peaceful coexistence.
“The menace of insurgency and actions of some people agitating for dismemberment of this country will be surmounted.
“I therefore sound a note of serious warning that the corporate existence of Nigeria as a single entity is not a subject of debate and will not be compromised,” he said.
On the state of education in the country, Buhari pledged to “put our education system back on sound track.”
Universities, according to him, “should on their own part key into the wave of change across the country. As pacesetters, the universities must avoid any corrupt practices.”
In his prepared speech, Obi Achebe who has spoken against secession said: “we may have lost our bearing as a nation with the discovery of petroleum in the 50s. A false sense of national wealth has turned us into a nation of frolickers and hustlers, who are fighting one another for a greater share of the proverbial national cake, and spending it extravagantly, rather than leveraging the God given windfall to build a stable, diversified, and more prosperous nation.
“As the volume of production and market value of petroleum have fallen, that is, as the national cake has shrunk in size, the competition and struggle for a stake in that cake has become more intense.
“Thus, today, there is tension everywhere – Niger Delta, Boko Haram, MASSOB, industrial strikes, armed robbery, kidnapping, ethnic rivalries, tension between and within the political parties, etc. The sum total is that, our national mindset, particularly amongst the upper and middle classes, which includes most of us in this audience, has been focused on the consumption, rather than the creation, of our national wealth.”
“We spend unbelievable amounts importing petrol and subsidizing its retail price whilst our three refineries with adequate capacity to meet our national requirement are literarily moribund, despite huge sums spent on endless turn around maintenances; smaller and less endowed countries successfully operate their own refineries optimally and do not suffer scarcity.
“Nigeria is probably the largest importer of electric generators in the world despite our endowment with natural sources of energy, such as petroleum, coal, hydro and solar energies, and the huge sums spent by successive governments on the power sector. On the other hand, a smaller country, Ghana, takes gas from Nigeria and generates most of its electricity requirements.
“Our food import bill, spent mostly on rice and wheat, is about $22 billion annually, yet our country is blessed with vast arable land and a large population of young jobless people that can be usefully deployed to agriculture.
“Road construction in Nigeria is more expensive than most parts of the world, yet our roads are breaking down faster than we build them because the traditional mode for heavy haulage, namely, railways, pipelines and waterways, are comatose; a trailer load of petrol from Mosimi to Maiduguri causes more damage to our roads than the value of the product being transported.
“A majority of our state governments have recently taken the so-called “bailout loans” for recurrent expenditure, meaning that future generations are being inflicted with the burden of the profligacy of the current generation,” he noted.

I Never Said FG’ll Write Off Bailout Fund Or Give States Moratorium – Amosun

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State on Saturday denied reports that he said the federal government will write off the bailout fund extended to some states of the federation.
“I was quoted out of context. I never said the federal government was going to write off the bailout fund”, the governor said.


A statement issued by his media aide, Adejuwon Soyinka said, “Contrary to reports in some sections of the media, at no point during the opening session of the state Treasury Board meeting for the year 2016 budget held on Friday, November 20, did the governor categorically state that the federal government was going to write off the bailout debt of states.
“What happened is that the governor, upon being briefed by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, who attended the last National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held on November 19, said states of the federation spoke about challenges they were facing in meeting their obligations towards repayment of their rescheduled loans or bailout fund.
“He said in view of this, states requested for some sort of moratorium or outright cancellation of their debts. Governor Amosun never said that the federal government has decided to write off the debt or give any sort of moratorium”.
The statement said Governor Amosun also disclosed how Ogun State is the only state that opted for 10 year repayment plan as opposed to the 20 years that was originally proposed by the federal government.
He assured that his administration intends to fully repay the bailout loan before the expiration of his tenure.
Meanwhile, Governor Amosun has notified the state House of Assembly of his readiness to present the 2016 Appropriation Bill on Tuesday.

Omotola stuns in black and white dress at event in Ghana

The beautiful mother of 4 was in Ghana recently for the launch of a cosmetics line...and stunned in a black and white monchrome cutout dress...

Kylie Jenner breaks up with Tyga...again?

According to MediaTakeOut, that is the gospel truth! Read below but expect photos of the lovebirds holding hands as they go to dinner tomorrow evening. MTO report below...
Well Tyga and Kylie Jenner are officially over!! MediaTakeOut.com confirmed yesterday that Kylie Jenner has completely cut off all contact with her former love. What happened? According to a person extremely close to the Kardashians (So close their name starts with a "K" lol) - Kylie caught Tyga Facetiming a girl that Kylie says is a "stripper."
According to our snitch Kylie is EXTREMELY BROKEN UP about it - because she absolutely LOVED Tyga . . . and he's the one who TOOK HER VIRGINITY. Anyways, the entire Kardashian family now HATES HIS AZZ. You'll notice that yesterday was Tyga's birthday and NOT ONE OF THEM wished him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY on social media and neither Kylie or Kendall attended his OFFICIAL birthday party last night at L.A. hot spot THE NICE GUY.

Buhari’s Corruption Claims: Figures Staggering And Untrue – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Thursday, in Washington denied claims by President Muhammadu Buhari that about $150 billion was lost to corruption under the previous administration.
“Corruption is now used for political campaign, during the first visit of  President Buhari to the United States he said that about $150billion was lost to corruption, though he didn’t mention me, he said by previous administration,” Jonathan said at the U.S National Democratic Institute (NDI) where he was hosted by the nonprofit organisation.

“The figures are staggering and untrue,” he claimed. “Another governor said someone stole a million barrel of oil per day”.
The former President, however, said he would not join issues with the administration of President Buhari.
Jonathan also faulted claims made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that he never intended to stay beyond the term limit while he was in power.
According to him, Obasanjo agitated for a third term but failed.
“Of course I was a governor at that time but due to strong resistance from the National Assembly the third term bid failed,”
He noted that Africa needs strong parliaments to checkmate presidents who influence parliaments to consider amendment to the constitution that would extend their stay in office.
“Changing constitutions to eliminate term limits in order to favour incumbents is inconsistent with democratic principles and reduces confidence in democratic institutions,” Jonathan said.
He warned that repressive actions by some of these leaders is setting “a disturbing precedence for the region and continent”.
Jonathan said it is not a sustainable path and the reason he is setting up the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation is to address these issues and mediate in the continent.
The event was moderated by U.S former deputy Secretary of State for Africa, Ambassador Johnnie Carson,  who is now a USIP Senior Advisor to President Obama and member, NDI Board of Directors.  
The event also had in attendance U.S Policy makers, think-tanks, members of Congress, and U.S government officials.

Breaking News: NAFDAC Staffs Begin Nationwide Strike

Activities were brought to a halt in all NAFDAC offices nationwide due to the ongoing 7 days warning strike declared by the Federal Area Council (FAC) of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), which is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the interests of its staff members.
The chairman of the NAFDAC branch of MHWUN, Comrade Olu Ogundola, said that NAFDAC offices will remain under lock and key until their plights are met by the management and the Federal government. Com. Ogundola also declared that after the 7 days warning strike and nothing happened, the Union may consider an indefinite strike, which may last for months.
The issues were contained in a communique issued by the NAFDAC branch of MHWUN at the end of their 6th extra-ordinary congress held at NAFDAC Headquarters, Isolo, Lagos on Ocyober 4, 2015. The contending issues include:

Review of salary/allowances. Appointments of Deputy Directors In-Charge for Laboratory services and Food Safety & Apllied Nutrition Directorates respectively. Drivers mandatory training by the Ministry of Works Training School, Abeokuta. Appointments of Consultants in NAFDAC. 2015 Productivity Allowances. Suspension of staff members without trial.

Also, the FAC Chairman, Com. Attah Ibrahim, said that activities were grounded due to NAFDAC management’s insincerity and insensitivity to the sufferings of the entire staff of the award-winning agency. And that until the NAFDAC management meets the plights of its staff members, the gates will remain locked.

Eye-witnesses disclosed that so many customers and visitors were denied entrance into all NAFDAC offices. Above are photos showing the ever-busy Isolo Lagos office of NAFDAC looking so deserted, not even a single vehicle or person in sight.

Source: Ozone Views

7 Survival Skills Every Nigerian Woman Should Have

Let’s face it, many things don’t work in Nigeria. Most of the time you are on your own, with no good emergency services in place to help you out in trouble.

 

Here are a few tips for every Nigerian woman, please be free to add more in the comment section.

1. First aid: You do know there is nothing like a first responder or 999 to call when there is a medical emergency right? It is highly important to know how to administer first aid, and also to know the dos and don’ts when dealing with an injured person. For instance, what should you do when someone is bleeding or is having a heart attack? Many of us don’t know! Many deaths could have been prevented if people around knew how to give a CPR or administer first aid before they got to the hospital.

2. Self Defence: From the senate floor, to offices, clubs and market places, a minor argument can turn into hot slaps and deadly blows in few minutes. Before you realise it, a seemingly charming man can turn into a defiler! Sometimes the only way to save your life will be in how fast you can punch your attacker’s groin, or in knowing where to hit him on the head so he can lose his grip and you can escape. Do you know how to turn the seemingly insignificant things in your bag into a weapon when your life is at stake? Important!

3. Driving: A man fell ill in the middle of the night. There were cars to take him to the hospital but his wife couldn’t drive, his sister who lives with them couldn’t drive too and their driver lives miles away! Whether you have a car or not, whether you have a driver or not, it is important to know how to drive a car. The difference between life and death sometimes can be in your ability to drive.

4. Swimming: We haven’t seen the end of the floods yet because proper precautions are still not in place. This means that one day someone will wake up to a chest- level flood in her living room. You should be able to at least stay afloat till someone can hear you screaming. It is also shocking to know that many women go so close to the water at the beach and pose for selfies at the tip of swimming pools without knowing how to swim! Dangerous!

5. Talk your way out of trouble: There is so much lawlessness, on the road, in the market and even in your neighbourhood you will encounter people who will try to take advantage of you. Sometimes knowing your rights and standing by it works. Sometimes all that works is to be able to come down to the level of whoever you are dealing with and resolve issues amicably. You need to be able to know the situation and the kind of people involved to know which approach to use. Don’t start stating your fundamental human rights to an agbero with a dagger in his hands, toss him the naira he asked for and flee!

6. Put out a fire: There are fire service stations , but they don’t always have the resources they need to put out a fire, and when they do, they may get caught in traffic or their truck may be too big to navigate your street. In other words they are not reliable. Knowing how to quench a fire as soon as it starts may save your live and your property. For instance do you know that a simple fire in the kitchen can be put out immediately using a fire blanket or portable extinguisher. Do you know that some fires require C02 extinguisher and not water extinguisher? Do you know the STOP, DROP and ROLL procedure for when the clothe on your body catches fire? These things are not so hard to buy or know, yet many of us don’t know or have them.

7. A smile, a wave of the hand and maybe a “good morning”: Don’t snub people around you that you see everyday – gate men, petty traders, and even neighbors, except they are a dangerous threat to your safety. People around don’t have to be your friend, but they don’t have to be your enemy too. A smile, a wave and an occasional “good morning” can do wonders. You just never know when you will need someone’s help to kill a snake on your couch, jump start your car battery or to even get you to a hospital.

Source: womanng.com

Answer to yesterday's brain teaser

Her reply after taking out one matchstick from 'E' to form 'F' was HOTFL 

(Hold On Till Father Leaves)