My fellow Nigerians, let me begin by congratulating all of us for witnessing the celebration of another Democracy Day today, the 12th day of June 2024. This year also marks our nation’s 25 years of uninterrupted democratic governance. On this day, 31 years ago, we entered our rites of passage to becoming a true and enduring democratic society. Going through this passage was hard and dangerous. During the fateful six years that followed, we fought and struggled for our natural rights as human beings put on this earth by the divine hand of our Creator. We lost great heroes and…
Author: Adewale A.
In a significant boost to the infrastructure development of Rivers State, the Kalama Development Initiative, a socio-political pressure group, has praised Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara GSSRS for approving the construction of a bridge that will connect Kalama to the rest of the state. The group, founded in 2018 to address the socio-political concerns of youths in Kalama, hailed the Governor’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and improving the lives of the state’s residents. In a statement signed by founder Sobere Opusunju, MBCS, and Head of Administration Comrade Inyie Okpukpo, the Kalama Development Initiative expressed gratitude for this vital infrastructure project. “This…
Professor Ben Nwabueze analysed the National Assembly’s power to replace the Nigerian Constitution in the article below: THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’S POWER TO REPLACE THE NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION: AN ANALYSIS OF PROFESSOR BEN NWABUEZE’S ARGUMENTS Introduction A bill titled “A Bill for an Act to Substitute the Annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with a new governance model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria” has been circulating online for some time. Drafted by Dr. Akin Fapohunda, the bill proposes a new Constitution to be cited as “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria New Governance Model for Nigeria Act 2024.” It…
Engr. Emeka Woke, the newly appointed Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil Spillage, Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), has reiterated his commitment to align the agency with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. During a meeting with management staff at the agency’s headquarters, Engr. Woke emphasized his mandate to refocus, redirect, and revitalize NOSDRA to impact communities affected by oil spills positively. Engr. Woke commended the management staff for their warm reception and asked them to continue performing their duties diligently. He also promised to address the immediate challenges faced by staff, including regular and…
BudgIT, a leading civic-tech organisation promoting transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery in Nigeria, has expressed concern at the Country’s performance in the 2023 Open Budget Survey (OBS) conducted by the International Budget Partnership (IBP), where Nigeria scored lower than the global average of 45 (out of 100) in the Open Budget Index, ranking below Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Benin. The Open Budget Survey is the world’s only comparative, independent, and regular assessment of transparency, oversight, and participation in national budgets. It is designed to help local civil society organisations and the public evaluate government reporting on public…
During the meeting held on Tuesday, 28 May 2024, the tripartite partners, including government representatives and the organised private sector, presented their proposals for the new national minimum wage. Before the shutdown: the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) demanded N494K as the minimum wage: Read the response of the Tripartite Committee to the unreasonable demand At the last meeting on Tuesday 28 May 2024, all tripartite partners were invited to make their offers. Employers made up of the Government side and the Organised Private Sector made offers of N60,000.00 per month which is a…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has condemned the heinous killing of soldiers in Aba, Abia State, according to the statement issued below: Statement on the Killings of Soldiers in Abia I have received yet another disheartening news story about the killing of five soldiers by suspected militants of the proscribed terrorist organisation, IPOB. The slain soldiers were on peacekeeping duty in Aba, Abia State, on Thursday when they were murdered, just two months after a similar tragic incident happened in Okuama, Delta State. These unwarranted barbaric and evil acts are condemnable and should never be condoned or tolerated in our country.…
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has announced that the N494,000 national minimum wage demanded by organised labour, which totals N9.5 trillion annually, is economically unfeasible and could jeopardise the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians. Addressing a press conference in Abuja, Idris responded to the organised labour’s strike threat should their demands remain unmet. He highlighted that the Federal Government’s offer of a N60,000 minimum wage, representing a 100% increase from the 2019 wage, has been accepted by the organised private sector, part of the tripartite negotiation committee. “The Federal Government’s new minimum wage proposal represents…
Starting this Saturday, 1st June 2024, skilled workers from non-EU countries will have the opportunity to move to Germany and search for employment for up to a year, provided they meet certain criteria. This new visa programme called “Opportunity Card” is part of a broader legislative initiative to address Germany’s pressing shortage of skilled labour. “We are ensuring that the workers and specialists our economy has desperately needed for years can come to our country,” said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Saturday. What Does the New Scheme Involve? Eligible individuals can apply for the Opportunity Card, or Chancenkarte in German,…
As a young person living in Ogun State, I am deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The contentious issue of who should lead the party in the state has created a state of unrest and instability within the party, which has great implications for the political landscape of the state as a whole. The PDP is a major political party in Nigeria, and its internal conflict in Ogun State is troubling. As a youth who is eager to see positive changes and progress in my state, I worry about the impact that this conflict…