Happenings

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.

The Non Academic Staff of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria have declared that despite the poor conditions of service and renumeration they will never engage in acts that would promote certificate forgery.

They made this declaration through the branch Chairman of the Non Academic Staff Union(NASU) of the institution, Comrade Oluwasegun Arojo in a chat with People.

''Although the working conditions and our salaries are not in tandem with the economic realities of today, we are contented. We never go to the length of encouraging failures, we will never promote failures. There are four major stakeholders in the university system, the NASU, SSANU, NAAT and  ASUU.

And our goals include ensuring that products of the institution are qualified and credible. Our members will never engage in any illegal  act that would tarnish the image of the institution'', Comrade Arojo opined.

In most recent  times, empolyees of educational institutions in Nigeria  have connived with individuals to facilitate the availability of ceritificates through the back channel for other purposes.

Health workers in the University College Hospital(UCH)Ibadan, Nigeria have expressed reservations over the insistence of the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole that their salaries for April and May would not be paid until the leaders of their unions apologize for embarking on the suspended strike action.

The UCH health  workers made this known through the Chairman of the National Union of Allied Health Professionals of Nigeria(NUAHP)UCH branch, Comrade  Oladayo Olabampe.

''The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has said that the two months salaries owed workers in the UCH would onlybe paid, when our union leaders apologize for the strike action that has been suspended. But we are not ready to apologize. The strike action was legal''.

''However, salaries for 17 days in April has been paid, remaining 13 days , while May salaries are yet to be paid. The five unions in the health sector are working tirelessly to ensure that salaries are paid'', Comrade Olabampe disclosed

Youths in Uganda have expressed  worry over the increasing rate of under age females who engage in prostitution.

According to  the chairperson of the youth council, Mr Shafik Kyagulanyi over 100 girls, a sizable number drop outs, are affected.

"We are worried that the number of underage girls joining the sex workers network could increase because once we have the vice as part of the normal activities, many young girls could see it as an opportunity to make a living," Mr Kyagulanyi said.

"Some of the young girls who have dropped out of school think that the sex workers earn quick money. We now have a fear that several young girls could get attracted to the vice which exposes them to HIV/Aids among other diseases," Mr. Kyagulanyi stated

Nigerian workers have been called upon to vote out corrupt and anti-people political office holders in the 2019 general elections.