Happenings

The Government of Liberia has approved the commencement of free tuition in public unversities in the country.

The approval was  given recently by Liberia's President, Mr. George Weah, the auditorium of the University of Liberia's Capitol Hill campus  in Monrovia.

Recently, Vice President Of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo  disclosed that some religious leaders and members of the elite class pleaded on behalf of political office holders and  government officials, facing corruption allegations. Prof. Osinbajo's statement is coming at a time when allegations of corruption are trailing the activities  of several state Governors and government officials, with one of the state Governors insisting that he has spent N200 billion on infrastructure.  Nigerians   have expressed concern and worry over the ability of the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Crimes Commission(ICPC) to convincingly prosecute the affected officials, including the Kano state Governor, Alhaji  Abdullahi Ganduje.

In this interview with People, the Founder, Spiritual head  and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke opines that the personalities pleading with government to forgive those identified to be corrupt are satanic. Excerpts :

What is your reaction to the Vice President's statement that some  religious leaders and members of the elite class plead on behalf of corrupt government officials ?

Let us first  look at the personality of Mr. Vice President, he is a Pastor and a powerful member of one of the most widely spread religious organizations in Nigeria. He is equally a Professor of law and above all, he is the number two man handling the destiny of Nigeria.

Whatever he says now, needs to be viewed along these three lines of personality colossus. From the religious angle the voice of God, is universal from whichever Scripture it mus have come from.

Proverbs 22 : 22-23, says'' Do not rob the poor, because he is poor or crush the afflicted at the gate. 23-For the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.''

Whoever is  guilty of this offense must therefore face the wrath of the law as he awaits the wrath of God.

The Holy Koran Chapter 5 :62-63 says '' You will see people transgressing in sins, transgressions and corrupt enrichment''.

 However the elite who perpetrate this  evil of institutional indiscipline ought to have been made to face judgement through the admonitions of the Doctors of Law, as well as the heads of religious houses, who will be directly answerable  to the queries from God. 

If Mr. Vice President's statement should be judged against this, he would be  found wanting, as a Minister of God, Professor of law and as an elite in the political realm. From the Governors and the political angle, the Vice President violated the international rules of law against corruption and the need for accountability. For example, Transparency International defines corruption as the abuse of  entrusted power  for private gains The United Nations Development Programme defines corruption as the misuse of a public or private position for direct or indirect personal gain.  It further defines accountability as an obligation 1) to demonstrate the work that has been conducted in accordance with the agreed rules and standards. 2) Report fairly and accurately on performance results vis-a-vis mandated roles and / or plans.

Accountability refers not only to those in power, holding their subjects to account, but also to the authorities, both public and private, been held accountable by their citizens.

The Vice President and the entire government workforce need to role model all these, and stand firmly on the rule of law  to bring to book all  suspects in the arena of institutional indiscipline and corruption, including those so called rotten religious houses in Nigeria, which have enjoyed most from the largess derived from treasury looting.

Government need to embark on  accountability and anti-corruption drives because these provide a democratic means to among others 1) Evaluate the government's conduct 2) Prevent the development of concentration of power 3) Enhance the learning capacity and effectiveness of public administration, according to the World Bank accountability and anti-corruption measures.

It also provides citizens with information, they need to measure and judge the progress of the government of the day as well as  to enhance good conditions of service.

Voices from the houses of worship demanding that government should look away or forgive  corrupt officials will continue to be satanic, until these worship centres are re-orientated towards supporting the cause of the anti-graft agencies, because the impact of corruption in Nigeria has been detrimental as it has stalled progressive development, it has been one of the greatest factors responsible  for the growth in poverty, lack of progressive advancement and internal conflict, as we can link it to underdevelopment.

It has also led to unequal access to power, resources and positions between men and women, as well as the wise poor and the foolish rich.

Besides the above, government  has to get the root of Democracy as established in Greek-egocentredness, is likened to the status of an idiot. Self has no place in governance, clan or ethnic based consideration extended to nepotism will continue to lead to barren development.

Nigerians, generally, from religion, culture, community and ethnic nationalities need to be integrated into an altruistic philosophy for the development of the entire  citizenry as a way of achieving patriotism for true and correct nationhood.

Most  edifice like structure in Nigeria, are products of treasury looting.

Presently, Nigerians are being indoctrinated into the culture of self-enrichment as a way of life, rather than the dignity of labour that would have aided innovation and creativity, which are the bedrock of true  development.

Mr. Vice  President sir, please let us think more of the future,  sustainable development and safe landing into true paradise. 

Residents of Oyo state have been called upon to shun acts of violence as the 2019 general elections draw closer.

This call was made by the running mate to the Governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP)in Oyo state, Prof. Abideen Olaiya in a chat with Federationews2day.

Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala is the governorship candidate of the ADP in the state.

''Residents of Oyo state should be patient, nobody should engage in violence as the 2019 elections approaches. Since Democracy has given us the leeway, the opportunity is coming, residents should keep their Permanent Voters Cards(PVC) and use it judiciously in the 2019 elections'',  Prof. Olaiya stated.

He noted that the Education and Agriculture sectors in the state  were in urgent need of overhauling saying ''if we are elected within a year we would change the face of education,  presently education in the state is at its lowest ebb. Agriculture has taken a leap only in propaganda. The people serving government are not happy.''

Residents in the state have continuously complained about the culture of impunity which has become the order of the day in most communities, just as the number of out of school children keeps on increasing by the day.

Prof. Abideen Olaiya is an Associate Professor of  Crop Ecology at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun state.

The All Workers Convergence(AWC) has declared that the Federal Government was not ready to pay the  N30,000 new national minimum wage.

This declaration was made by the National Coordinator of the AWC, Comrade Andrew Emelieze in a chat with People.

''It is becoming crystal clear that the Federal Government is not ready to pay Nigerian workers a living wage. They might as well continue to deceive us as they have done through the setting up of a tripartite committee, unless our labour centres maintain a dogged position and insist that nothing would be reduced from the N30,000, labour has proposed as the new minimum wage, through strikes and struggles, only then can we compel the government to pay the new minimum wage, which of course, will not take the workers home.''

''It is quite unfortunate that despite the compromise position of our labour centres, to agree for N30,000 as the new minimum wage, our government is reluctant to agree with the meagre amount. The AWC calls for public support and understanding of the masses towards the November 6, indefinite  nationwide strike  action by our labour centres, towards achieving the N30,000 living wage'', Comrade Emelieze concluded.

Nigerians have been advised to resist the moves by politicians to use money and foodstuff to influence their votes in the 2019 general elections.

This advice was given by the Governorship candidate of the National Interest Party(NIP) in Oyo state, Mrs. Bolanle Sarumi Aliyu in a chat with People, in Ibadan, Nigeria.

''If any politician comes with money, don't accept it, tell them to provide empowerment. Don't collect one or two ''Kongos' of rice, don't collect blood money. You should not sell your votes'',Mrs. Sarumi advised.

She also advocated for the participation of more women in governance, saying, ''we need more women in government. Women suffer most, women's rights and children's rights have not been adequately  catered for. Do you think a woman would be the Governor and children would be hawking on the streets ? No way.''

Women in the state complain bitterly of inadequate representation in all sectors of governance.

Helpless Nigerians have raised the alarm over the continuous implementation of the policy of casualization by both the public and private sectors.

They lament that the companies  are  both local and foreign  owned, while stressing that the high unemployment rate was the source of inspiration of these companies.

The companies hide under the guise of outsourcing the recruitment of casual workers to promote slave labour.

Recently aggrieved casual workers of a biscuit and poultry products factory located in Ibadan, Nigeria protested at their respective places of work to bring to the notice of the public their harrowing  experiences.

One of the  workers at the biscuit factory speaking incognito, painted a pitiable picture.

''In this factory we work on three shifts of eight hours, there is no break. And the pay is so meagre. The management treats workers like slaves, we are not allowed to take our phones into the factory, we are not allowed to eat, if a worker has an accident while working such a workers would be queried. For the eight hours work, a worker must not sleep. As at now, three workers, who had accidents while working in September are still coming to work with their injuries. And our salaries are between N14,000, N16,000 and N17,000 per month. For me my salary is below N12,000'', the mpoverished worker lamented.

Another worker at the poultry products factory disclosed that for several years ,casual workers have been shortchanged in the name of outsourcing the recruitment of casual workers.

A man at the factory, who simply gave his name as Emmanuel  disclosed that the contract of the  company in charge of the casual workers had been terminated, while stressing that the workers wages had been increased by N300.00.

In his reaction to the development , the Natonal coordnator of the All Workers Convergence(AWC)Comrade Andrew Emelieze casualization was also the trend in government owned establishments.

''It is unfortunate that Nigerians workers have been maltreated all these years, this has been the case all the while, it did not start today. The issue of casualization does not only affect the private sector, but also the public sector.''

'' The postion of AWC is that workers should continuously protest their pilght and other workers should also protest in solldarity to end slave labour and slave wages. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Prodcutivity should initiate policies to save  Nigerian workers from casualization.''

At the University of Ibadan, non academic staff lament that management staff of the institution, compel junior workers to work after the official closing hours of 4.00pm for personal purposes without extra wages.

In his reaction, the branch Chairman of the Non Academic Staff Union(NSAU)Comrade Oluwasegun Arojo maintained that it was unethical for any staff of the university to subject to such an inhuman treatment.

''I think it is unethical for any staff to compel his surbordinate to work etra hours with compesation. The  extant rule permits that when you do extra work, you must receive  over-time pay. If at all it is happening it is barbaric. And those involved should desist from such act  forthwith. It could lead to crisis. Anyone affected should report to the union leaders in the university'', Comrade Arojo stated.

The Governorship candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria(PPN) in Oyo state, alhaji Bashiru Gbadamosi has condemned the policy of  feeding school children at all levels of government at the expesne of Teachers' salaries.

Alhaji Gbadamosi made this position known in a chat with People.

''Government at all levels decided to feed school children, even though Teachers are been owed several months of salaries. We are not going to feed school children while Teachers' are owed everal months of salary arrears. We shall re-introduce free education.''

''I am a grassroot person, I am part of the suffering. I want to elevate our people. Government has failed to do this. Corruption has eaten deep into the fabrics of society. To curb corruption, the leader must be free of  corruption. We shall not tolerate corrution'', Alhaji Gbadamosi warned.

The All Workers Convergence(AWC) has called on workers in Nigeria to reject the outcome of the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage and the decision of the Federal Government if it does not meet their expectations.

The AWC made this call through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, in a chat with Federationews2day.

''It is important that whatsoever is reached by the tripartite committee and the Federal Government, if it does not meet the expectations of Nigerians workers should be vehemently resisted and rejected by the Nigerian workers''.

''In fact it is a big a shame and a slap on government that workers will have to go on strike for a pay rise. We call on government to stop persecuting Nigerian workers and approve the N66,500 new minimum wage forthwith'', Comrade Emelieze concluded.

Nigerian workers are demanding for a new national minimum wage of N66,500, but the Federal Government  is tinkering with the idea of approving between N25,000 and N30,000.