TheNewsGuru

Tag: Sack

  • Melaye condemns sack of Kogi workers, says it is ‘illegal, unacceptable’

    …Urges affected civil servants to seek redress in court

    Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye on Tuesday condemned the state government’s recent sack of some civil servants in the state.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Kogi State Government on Sunday confirmed the compulsory retirement of eight permanent secretaries, some directors and dismissal of 1, 774 others from the state civil service.

    However, Melaye, one of the three senators from the state who is known for his open disagreements with Governor Yahaya Bello in a swift reaction condemned the mass sack insisting it was anti-people.

    Melaye stated this in a statement he personally signed and forwarded to TheNewsGuru.com for publication.

    The outspoken senator, however, urged the affected civil servants to seek redress from a competent law court.

    The statement reads in full:

    The indiscriminate sacking of workers has now become a pastime for Yahaya Bello in Kogi State – a state that has been turned to a Civil Service State owing to the dearth of ideas to turnaround the fortunes of the state for development, productivity and sustainability.

    The latest of Yahaya Bello’s unnecessary war against the civil servants in Kogi State was delivered in a garb of a report by a Staff Screening, Validation and Appeal Committee, which recommended outright dismissal and prosecution of 1,667 workers cutting across ministries, departments and agencies of the state government (MDAs) on the spurious allegation of certificate forgery.

    On Monday, January 8 and Tuesday, January 9, a national daily carried a two-part paid advertorial containing the names of the indicted civil servants and in the words of the committee, they were “indicted for breaching Public Service Rules as a result of falsification of academic records.”

    According to the advertorials sponsored by the state government in this hard times, the committee did not avail the public or Kogites of its methodology of coming to the judgment of falsification against the academic certificates of the said workers.

    For the avoidance of doubt, the committee has no power to declare any worker’s academic result(s) fake except a competent court of law. This goes without saying the embarrassment caused the workers, their families and friends, particularly the elderly victims of Yahaya Bello’s charade, who had served the state for decades and rose to the enviable position of a Permanent Secretary.

    This kind of inhuman government has no place in our society and her actions cannot go unchallenged. Consequently, I sympathise with the affected workers and their families while I implore them to go to court immediately to seek redress and clear their names of forgery allegation leveled against by an anti-people government of Kogi.

    For the records, Yahaya Bello claims he obtained a whopping N10 billion Loan to offset salary arrears. This is a lie and it can be easily detected to be so because there was no approval to that effect by the State House of Assembly on one hand and on the other hand the outstanding 15-month salary due to the civil servants in the state as at today puts a lie to the governor’s claim.

    If the immediate past Governor Idris Wada of Kogi can be spending a little over N3 billion as monthly salary of workers during his time and without sacking anybody, how come Yahaya Bello, who had sacked over 3,000 workers since inception, cannot pay staff salaries today?

    It is clear to me that Yahaya Bello is only trying to reduce Kogi State’s monthly salary bill by victimising innocent civil workers in order for him to have more money for frivolities as we are witnessing in the state of recent.

    Therefore, in order to put an end to Yahaya Bello’s unending lies, I challenge him to publish the names of workers paid their full salaries for the month of December 2017 and the names of banks used in the payment. I also challenge him to a public debate on the state of affairs of our dear Kogi State.

     

  • Court stops sack of over 20,000 Kaduna teachers

    The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Kaduna division, on Thursday, stopped the planned sack of 21,780 primary school teachers who failed a competency test organised by the state government.

    The lawyer representing the teachers, Samuel Atum, had on October 30 filed a motion of “interlocutory injunction”, asking the court to restrain the government from dismissing or disengaging any teacher on the basis of the test conducted in June 2017.

    Justice Lawal Mani granted the application pending the determination of the substantive suit. The case was adjourned to February 6th, 2018.

    The hearing on Thursday was attended by hundreds of teachers and labour leaders.

    The lawyer, Mr. Atum, praised the court for “graciously” giving the order.

    “This is democracy and the premise of democracy is the rule of law, so we expect nothing more than absolute submission by the state government to comply with the order of the court,” he told journalists. “I have confidence that the government will comply or obey this order.”

    Lawyers representing the State Attorney General and the State Government, as well as Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN, declined comments.

  • Tongue in cheek, APC says Buhari’s sack of Lawal, Oke vindicates them

    …Their sack was long overdue – Itse Sagay

    The All Progressives Congress, APC, has said that the party has been vindicated following the sack of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal.

    The APC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this on Monday in Abuja while reacting to the sacking of the suspended SGF.

    He added that President Muhammadu Buhari had done the needful by sacking the embattled SGF.

    “Few days ago when the president directed the dismissal of Abdulrasheed Maina, some people say that is right, but what about the suspended SGF.

    “But the President, by virtue of the position he occupies, is the only one who has all the information and he would do what is necessary at the right time.

    “We have been vindicated and it shows that the president has not in any way waiver in his commitment not to tolerate corruption at any level no matter who is involved,” he stated.

    Also reacting on the development, the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, Itse Sagay, said the former SGF’s sack was overdue.

    “I think there has been a consensus on this and that was overdue, there has been too much delay.

    “Although I will like to put a caveat that government usually has a lot more information than the rest of us as the delay might have been discretionary due to the information they had.

    “I was patient and I definitely endorse the final decision that has been taken,” Mr. Sagay said.

    On the appointment of Boss Mustapha as the substantive SGF, Mr. Sagay said he had a very long history of political activities saying that his appointment was a positive development.

    He added that apart from being a lawyer with good reputation in terms of integrity, Mr. Mustapha had always been a consistent person in whatever course he pursued.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that until his appointment, Mr. Mustapha, who hails from Adamawa, was the Director-General of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority.

    The former SGF was suspended by President Buhari on April 19, following allegation of misappropriation of funds and lack of due process in the Presidential Initiative of the North East, PINE.

    The initiative focused on the redevelopment of the North-east following the devastation caused by the Boko Haram insurgency.

    (NAN)

     

  • BREAKING: Buhari sacks Babachir Lawal, Ayodele Oke; appoints Boss Mustapha as new SGF

    President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked the suspended Secretary to Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mr Ayodele Oke.

    The president accepted the recommendation of the panel to terminate the appointment of Mr. Lawal, and has appointed Boss Mustapha as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    The appointment takes immediate effect.

    President Buhari also approved the setting up of a three-member panel to look into the operational, technical and administrative structure of NIA and make appropriate recommendations.

  • Exam failure: Teachers union commence 3-day fasting, prayer over planned sack of 20,000 in Kaduna

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Zaria Local Government Area Branch will on Tuesday begin three days of fasting and prayers over the planned sack of 20,000 primary school teachers.

    68 per cent of the teachers had failed an examination conducted by the Kaduna State Government. The teachers failed to pass the primary four pupils’ exam at excellent level.

    NUT Chairman in Zaria Local Government Area, Malam Yahaya Abbas, said on Monday that the teachers were compelled to seek God’s intervention over the planned sack.

    Abbas said, “Majority of our members here are Muslims and we do not have anywhere to lodge our complaint except to our creator.

    “Therefore, we intend to start a three-day fasting on Oct. 17, in addition to prayers, to seek God’s intervention on the planned mass sack of our members whom government said did not pass its examination.

    “There is no way for everybody to score “A” grade in an examination; that is 75 per cent, this is not what was agreed with the union representatives.

    “The agreement was that the pass mark should be 60 per cent not 75 per cent. Again, the result of the examination is not yet out but the government said it will sack 20,000 teachers.”

    He said that the government still owed some teachers salary arrears of between three months and 13 months, while some of them were being underpaid.

    “I can assure you that there is one female teacher who teaches 200 pupils in a class due to the shortage of teaching staff.

    “Again, sacking of experienced teachers and recruiting new ones is not the solution because anybody who bagged a National Certificate in Education or degree in the last 10 years must have been taught by these categories of teachers.

    “Therefore, if the government argued that the present calibre of teachers are not qualified, then, how do you expect their products to be better than the teachers?”, he asked.

  • Lagos LG poll: APC members protest, call for Muiz Banire’s removal [Photos]

    Some members of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the Mushin area of Lagos, on Tuesday protested to the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa, Ikeja, demanding the expulsion of the APC National Legal Adviser, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN), from the party.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru.com had earlier reported that Banire who is dissatisfied with the inner operations of Lagos APC, said the leadership of the party was not allowing popular candidates to represent the APC in Saturday’s local government election.

    Banire in the said report alleged that one Seyi Oladejo, a commissioner in the state, had concluded plans to mobilise a rally against him for his principled stance.

  • Air Zimbabwe set to sack 200 workers

    Loss-making Air Zimbabwe is cutting half of its 400 jobs as part of a restructuring plan to revive the ailing national carrier, its Chairwoman, Chipo Dyanda, said on Wednesday.

    Dyanda told Reuters that Air Zimbabwe would cut 200 jobs in its fourth round of layoffs in eight years.

    “We were overstaffed by a lot and we are also trying to weed out people without the right qualifications.

    “The retrenchment is meant to give space to the airline so that we can redeploy the money saved back into the company,” Dyanda said.

    She said Air Zimbabwe required a ratio of 45 workers per aircraft.

    The airline currently flies four planes which have forced Mugabe to hire private jets for his foreign travels at times.

    “As part of the strategic plan, we would like to get more reliable planes and expand our routes,” Dyanda said, without giving details.

    Air Zimbabwe cut 300 jobs in August 2015 following cuts in 2009 and 2013 but has since re-hired some of the workers.

    Like most state-owned companies in the southern African country, Air Zimbabwe has been making losses for years due to mismanagement, high operating costs, old aircraft and equipment.

    President Robert Mugabe’s son-in-law, Simba Chikore, was appointed chief operating officer last October, drawing accusations of nepotism from the opposition and critics of the government.

    An official at Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Transport said the airline, which has debts of more than $300m, is looking to lease aircraft from Malaysia.

     

    NAN

  • JUST IN: S’Court sacks Senator Danladi, orders him to return salaries, allowances within 90 days

    The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday, ordered Sen. Sani Abubakar Danladi, representing Taraba North Senatorial District, to vacate his seat and refund all salaries and allowances he received within 90 days.

    The court also declared Alhaji Shuaibu Isa Lau, as the senator representing Taraba North.

    The order was contained in the judgement of the court on the appeal filed by Lau.

    Both Danladi and Lau are members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

    Lau had challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal that upturned his victory during the primary elections. He claimed that he was wrongfully substituted.

    The apex court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw the certificate issued to Danladi and issue a fresh certificate of return to Lau.

    The apex court in the unanimous judgment of a five-member panel held that the appellant had the right to participate just like any other candidate in the primary election.

    The court added that if Lau felt that his right was infringed upon, he had the right to approach the court.

    “From the totality of the appeal before this court, all the issues are resolved in favour of the appellant.

    “His substitution at the primary election is null and void since the appellant scored the highest number of votes, the only option is to declare the appellant as the winner of the primary election.

    ” This court hereby orders that the appellant be issued with the certificate of return and the respondent should immediately vacate the seat.

    “He should return to the National Assembly, all salaries and allowances received as a senator within 90 days.

  • ‘Resume work or risk sack,’ Gov Ayade warns striking workers

    Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has ordered that the striking workers in the state should immediately resume work or he will sack them.

    Organised labour in the state have been on an indefinite strike since Monday this week over nonpayment of salaries to several civil servants, pension, and gratuities as well as the lack of promotion. The leadership of labour in the state said on no account must workers return to work without all issues being addressed.

    The labour union called for the sacking of secretary to the state government and for the governor to account for N31.1 Billion federal bail out funds he has so far collected for payments of pension, gratuities, and salaries.

    However in a statement by Ms Tina Banku Agbor, secretary to state government, the governor said, ” Workers are hereby advised in their own interests to resume work immediately or risk consequences. ”

    The statement expressed total disappointment with labour which they said forced workers who have enjoyed regular payment of upfront salaries, to stay at home.

    It described the action of labour as unpatriotic and unnecessary especially as it has come at a time when they know that the dwindling federal allocations to the state has not improved.

    Government disagreed with labour and insisted that since assumption of Ayade, he has cleared the six years promotion arrears, insisting that he has paid salaries promptly unlike in many states.

  • Buhari sacks striking doctors

    Buhari sacks striking doctors

     

    The President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government has asked Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals to replace resident doctors who are currently on a warning strike.

    This development is coming barely 24 hours after the commencement of one week warning strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD.

    The government’s directive to sack the striking NARD members was contained in a circular with Ref. No. DHS/828/T/199 dated January 19, 2017 issued by the Director of Health Services in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Wapada Balami.

    However, in a swift reaction, the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA in a statement ordered the immediate retraction of the directive by the Federal Government.

    The statement reads in part: “While still looking forward to an amicable resolution of the germane issues raised, the NMA demands an immediate withdrawal of the threat as contained in circular no. DHS/828/T/199 of January 19, 2017 issued by the Director of Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health to Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals to employ temporary doctors to replace the members of NARD who are currently on a warning strike action to press home their unmet demands.”

     

    The NMA advised Nigerians to prevail on officials of the Federal Ministry of Health not to “further jeopardise the health of Nigerians already burdened with the biting economic recession.”