News

We expect new minimum wage implementation by July, says TUC

Published

4 months ago

June 28, 2024

The organised labour movement is hopeful that the new minimum wage would be announced, passed into law, and its implementation begin before the end of next month.

President, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo, stated this when he received the Special Adviser on Labour Matter from the Kogi State Governor, Onuh Edoka, and his delegation in Abuja.

Osifo said there was a need for the National Tripartite Negotiation Committee, made up of government, labour, and organised labour, to find a common ground so that the bill would receive prompt attention from President Bola Tinubu as well as the National Assembly and be passed into law.

He said: “What we are working on from both labour centres is that before the end of July, we should have a new minimum wage that must have passed through the processes and that must have been assented to by the President so that the plight of the workers will improve much more.

“So that the economic challenges that we are facing as a country will be improved upon so that an average worker will be able to go to market and buy one or two things to take care of his or her family because of this skyrocketing inflation that we have in our country.

“As you are aware, Labour has submitted N250,000, the government and organised private sector N62,000. Let both parties come together; let all parties come together.

“We will resolve and have a common front so that the President will be able to send the bill to the National Assembly, and at the end of the day, we will have a new national minimum wage. This is key; this is a topic that is germane for all labour unions today in Nigeria.”

Osifo, who commended the government of Kogi State for the clarification of payment of the N30,000 minimum wage to workers, however, noted that state governments should begin to put plans in place to begin the implementation of the new wage once it is signed into law.

“We are not at this moment even dwelling on the N30,000 again. I was listening to a state, I think Nasarawa State, that said they started setting aside some money to meet the new obligations when the new minimum wage is passed. So, I wish to also appeal that in Kogi, let that be the top priority amid this scarcity of income, amid this scarcity of revenue

“I wish to also use this opportunity to speak to all other states that they should be putting plans in place to implement the new minimum wage because, in Labour today, we are totally ready because when the new Minimum Wage Act is passed, we are going to follow it state by state to ensure that it is implemented.

“Let the workers heave a sigh of relief and we have the trust and the belief that, with the high Labour representation in the Kogi State government, we believe that the Kogi State government will do the needful.’’

Earlier, the Special Adviser on Labour Matter to the Kogi State Governor, Onuh Edoka, noted that the administration of Governor Ahmed Ododo has corrected the shortcomings of the immediate past administration, especially workers’ welfare.

News

I regret obtaining NDA form for Lagbaja, says family head

Published

14 mins ago

November 10, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The head of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja’s family, Pa Tajudeen Lagbaja, has expressed regret obtaining Nigerian Defence Academic (NDA) form for the deceased.

Pa Tajudeen, the younger brother of the late COAS’s father, stated that he would not have bought the form had he known it would lead to his death.

Some family members also alleged that Lt. General Lagbaja may have been killed through diabolical means due to a land dispute in his hometown.

According to TheNation, In 2023 a dispute arose in Ilobu, the headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area in Osun State, when representatives of the Nigerian Army planned to establish a hospital in the community.

Pa Tajudeen told TheNation that he initially obtained the NDA form for the late Lieutenant General.

“Everyone who is born must die. We give glory to God. The year that I obtained NDA form for him, if I had known that he would die before me, I would not have done so. I regret obtaining the form for him. But it is destiny.

“The death that killed Taoreed Lagbaja ought to take me. I took him as one of my children. We are greatly bereaved, we are sad. He constructed a borehole in his father’s compound and other places in the community.

“We can never forget him, his death is so shocking to us. I have accepted the fate, all the promises he made to me have hit a brick wall. He always gave us hope in the family, despite the sorrow, I give thanks to God,” the family head said.

News

Tinubu Reappoints Prof Abdullahi Mustapha As DG Of Biotechnology Agency NBRDA

Published

19 mins ago

November 10, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

President Bola Tinubu has reappointed Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha as the Director-General of the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA).

Prof. Abdullahi is expected to serve another second term of five years as the head of the research agency.

His appointment was announced in a press statement issued by the Press Secretary to the NBRDA Director-General, Toyin Omozuwa, in Abuja on Saturday.

According to the statement, Mustapha’s reappointment was conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary to the

Government, George Akume.

“Mustapha’s second term is effective from 31st October 2024 and is in line with the provisions of Sections 10 (1) and (3) of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (Establishment) Act, 2022,” the statement said.

Omozuwa stated that industry experts regard the reappointment as an expression of Tinubu’s confidence in Mustapha’s capability to drive innovation towards achieving food security.

He added that the reappointment would allow the Director-General to complete his work in enhancing pharmaceutical production, as well as positioning Nigeria at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Mustapha is a Professor of Bioinorganic Chemistry and hails from Dambatta Local Government Area of Kano State.

The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) is an agency established in 2001 under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, that implements policies, explores resources, conducts research, promotes, coordinates and develops biotechnology in Nigeria.

The NABDA also controls and supervises the introduction of genetically modified organisms into Nigeria.

News

Legal Questions Arise Over Elon Musk’s Immigration History Amid Calls for Citizenship Revocation

Published

7 hours ago

November 9, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

Elon Musk, a citizen of the United States could be at risk if it is proven that he misrepresented facts during his immigration process, according to legal experts. This debate comes I the middle of calls for the revocation of his citizenship, fueled by Musk’s vocal support for Donald Trump and his controversial remarks on immigration.

Musk, originally from South Africa, moved to Canada before settling in the U.S., where he eventually became a naturalized citizen, but reports recently alleged that he may have worked in the U.S. without proper authorization in the 1990s.

According to ‘The Washington Post’, Musk was admitted to Stanford University in 1995 on a student visa but did not enroll, instead working on the startup that became Zip2. Court records and former associates cited by the “Post” suggested that he lacked proper work authorization during this period.

But Musk has debunked these claims, as he said that he was in the U.S. legally on a J-1 visa, which later transitioned to an H1-B visa. However, a 2005 email cited in a defamation case reportedly revealed Musk admitting that he applied to Stanford because he “had no legal right to stay in the country.”

Legal experts indicated that working without authorization and misrepresenting such actions during the immigration process could constitute grounds for revocation of citizenship under U.S. law.

The Legal Framework

The U.S. law permits the revocation of citizenship if it was obtained through “concealment of a material fact or willful misrepresentation.” Violations such as unauthorized work can be flagged during multiple stages of the immigration process, including green card and naturalization applications.

Amanda Frost, a professor of immigration law, explains that misrepresenting visa violations could lead to denaturalization. “If a person violated the terms of a visa and later failed to disclose that during the naturalization process, their citizenship could be deemed ‘illegally procured,’” she stated.

Stephen Yale-Loehr of Cornell Law School adds that while such cases are legally valid, they are rarely pursued unless the violations are deemed material.

Potential Outcomes and Implications

If evidence of wrongdoing were uncovered, Musk would not face immediate deportation but could be subjected to a lengthy legal process. Criminal penalties for making false statements during naturalization include up to five years in prison.

However, legal experts note that such cases often hinge on whether the alleged violations would have materially affected the individual’s eligibility for a green card or citizenship. Immigration attorney Greg Siskind believes it’s unlikely that Musk’s actions, if proven, would have prevented his eventual naturalization.

Political and Public Backlash

The controversy has reignited debates about immigration enforcement and denaturalization. Under the Trump administration, efforts to revoke citizenship increased significantly, with thousands of cases investigated and dozens referred for deportation.

Musk, a high-profile immigrant, has faced criticism for his frequent comments on immigration issues, with many accusing him of promoting divisive narratives. His extensive ties to government contracts and national security projects also add a layer of scrutiny to his case.

Calls for Musk to release his immigration records under the Freedom of Information Act remain unanswered. Meanwhile, legal analysts emphasize that any action against Musk would depend on clear evidence and prosecutorial discretion.

This unfolding situation underscores the complexities of immigration enforcement and the potential implications for high-profile figures.