Obi Should Be Ashamed Of LP’s Performance In Abia, PDP Declares
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The Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State, Abraham Amah, has expressed deep concern over the situation in the state, describing it as a shame.
Amah criticised the Labour Party-led government’s actions, particularly its handling of public servants and infrastructure projects.
He said the LP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, should be ashamed of recent developments in the state.
A report by The PUNCH, a circular dated August 30, 2023, and signed on August 31 by the state Head of Service, Joy Maduka, stated, “Following the ongoing reorganisation in the Abia State Public Service and in line with the provision of the Abia State Public Service Rules Nos. 02801 and 02803, I write to inform you that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State has directed the disengagement of all staff employed into the Abia State Public Service from January, 2023 to date.”
However, speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Amah said, “I am profoundly ashamed of what is happening in Abia State. If Abia State is a miniature of the governance Peter Obi promises for Nigeria, then it spells total failure.”
Amah also lamented the inadequate support for education, healthcare, energy, and security sectors, all of which he argued were critical for improving citizens’ welfare.
He said, “This is a government that came on board and suspended all the permanent secretaries, suspended everybody. One year later, they sacked them, without any public inquiry or anything, without giving anything to the public.
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Navy Arrests Two Oil Thieves
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The Nigerian Navy has arrested two suspects and seized a wooden boat filled with 12,000 litres of Automated Gas Oil at Okarki waterfront in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Commander of Nigerian Navy Ship Soroh, Nanmar Lekan, disclosed this while parading the suspects at Okarki waterfront on Friday.
Lekan explained that the arrest and seizure of the boat are in line with the mandate of Operation Delta Sanity, which includes anti-crude oil theft, anti-pipeline vandalism, and anti-illegal refining sites, among others.
He said, “Still working with intelligence gathering from the good citizens of this country, we received credible information that some people want to move illegally refined AGO, popularly known as diesel from the Okarki River.
“We dispatched our men here and they made this arrest here with two suspects. The quantity here is estimated at 12,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.”
One of the suspects, Clement Fimeya, said that he was doing it to feed his four children due to lack of a job.
He pleaded for forgiveness and promised to never indulge in such illegality again if granted a pardon by the appropriate security agency.
Act Now To Avert Violence In Rivers, INC Tells Tinubu
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The Ijaw National Congress has called on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, to intervene in the escalating political crisis in Rivers State.
The President had earlier initiated a peace deal between the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, over the crisis in the state.
This was signed on December 18, 2023, by Fubara in an eight-point peace agreement with Wike, who is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, in a move to end the political crisis in the state.
Despite this, the crisis in the state has lingered with no solution in sight as stakeholders continued to disagree on many issues, including the local government chairmen’s tenure.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the National Publicity Secretary of INC, Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, said there was an urgent need for Tinubu to address the situation to prevent a potential resurgence of militancy in the region.
Oyakemeagbegha expressed concerns over the distribution of firearms during the crisis, warning that these weapons might not be easily retrieved once the conflict subsides.
Minimum wage: Labour Rejects Govs Bid To Take Over Negotiations
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Organised Labour, including the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, has rejected the proposal of the Southern Governors’ Forum to decentralise minimum wage negotiations to state governments.
The NLC condemned the proposal as “unfriendly and anti-worker”, noting that allowing states to determine their minimum wages would be detrimental to workers’ welfare.
On Friday, The PUNCH had reported that the Southern Governors’ Forum sought for states to be allowed to negotiate the minimum wage for workers independently. At the end of a meeting held on Monday at the Ogun State Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, the forum resolved that wages should be reflective of the cost of living.
This was revealed in a communique issued from the meeting and signed by the newly-appointed Chairman of the forum, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; and Vice-Chairman, Prof Charles Soludo of Anambra State.
The meeting was attended by Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos; Godwin Obaseki of Edo; Hope Uzodinma of Imo; Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti; Duoye Diri of Bayelsa; Ademola Adeleke of Osun; Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom; Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers; and Bassey Otu of Cross River.
Other attendees included Governors Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State; Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo; Peter Mbah of Enugu; Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State; and Alex Otti of Abia State.
“The forum discussed the minimum wage demanded by Labour and unanimously agreed that the minimum wage should be reflective of the cost of living, and that each state should be allowed to negotiate its minimum wage,” the communique stated.