Enugu Rangers management cut John Obuh, other coaches’ salaries

 The team has been given an ultimatum to win four matches straight.

The Enugu Rangers coach, John Obuh, and his coaching assistants will be on half pay for the next two months until they meet a four must-win match ultimatum as soon as the second round of the Nigerian League 2013/14 season commences.

According to a statement by the spokesperson of the club, Foster Chime, the club’s management was unsatisfied with the performance of the coaches in the just concluded first round of the league season; hence the latest development.

Mr. Chime explained that Mr. Obuh and his assistants pay cuts were based on the coach’s attitude during a home match.

“Management on Wednesday, after a crucial meeting with the technical crew, took far-reaching decisions to improve the club’s performance in the second round after a poor run in the first round,” he said.

“This included four must-win straight matches starting with the El Kanemi match in Enugu; placing the technical crew on half salaries for two months to improve, and possible reductions.”

He also stated that the coaches were advised to beef up the team with quality new players, while plans are on to reduce the current playing staff strength of the club.

Enugu Rangers is 15th on the league table with 24 points from 19 matches.

The second half of the league commences after the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

LUTH management slashes cost of services by 50 per cent

The doctors have ended their three-week old strike.

The management of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba, has agreed to reduce the cost of healthcare services in the hospital by 50 per cent. The striking doctors have also agreed to call off their strike.

The President, Association of Resident Doctors, LUTH branch, Omojowolo Olubunmi, told journalists in Lagos that this was part of the agreement reached between the hospital’s management and health workers.

Mr. Olubunmi said, following the agreement, which also met other demands of the association and other health workers, the association had decided to end its three-week old industrial action.

“You cannot get 100 per cent of what you want, but I think we have got over 90 per cent and we are okay. The management has accepted and has reviewed downward some of the prices of services, especially some of the minor surgical procedures, to less than 50 per cent of the present
rate.

“Also, management has issued letters to specify the tenure of residency training for all residents that are involved. It has also given its commitment that immediately the circular we are expecting from the Federal Government comes, it would issue fresh letters to all residents.
 The issue of communication has also been taken care of. The only area we were not able to resolve is the issue of taxation but we will continue to negotiate on that,” he disclosed.

Mr. Olubunmi said that the association, along with LUTH management and other hospital unions, under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, had signed “a mutually beneficial agreement.”

“The agreement we signed with the Ministry of Labour actually provided for a committee to monitor compliance to this agreement. So, I believe that management will comply with its own side of the bargain.

The management should always be proactive and listen to the unions whenever they make their presentations. They should engage in dialogue on time with sincerity. Also, there should be a committee or group of elders of the profession that will always serve as intermediary to intervene before these things get out of hand,” he advised.

In her reaction, Hope Nwawolo, the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, said, “It is heart-warming that the strike has been called off. Generally, it may be absolutely difficult to prevent strikes because workers will always agitate from time to time.

 However, the hospital management will continue to pursue vigorously and embrace the option of dialogue in resolving issues as and when they arise.”

(NAN)

Abuja residents protest demolition of homes

The residents barricaded the Kubwa expressway causing a heavy gridlock there.

Some residents of Abuja on Thursday protested the demolition of their homes in the Nigerian capital.

The residents barricaded the Kubwa expressway causing a heavy gridlock there.

Details later…

Confab divided over arrest of 486 Northern “travellers” in Aba

A delegate raised concerns over a possible infiltration of the South by Boko Haram

The delegates to the ongoing National Conference on Thursday exchanged strong words over the arrest of 486 travellers by troops from the Nigerian Army in Aba, a commercial city in Abia State.

The military announced the arrest of the travellers and said it was investigating them for alleged Boko Haram links. It later said it identified a wanted Boko Haram kingpin among the travellers.

Trouble started when a South-South delegate, Sergeant Awuse, raised a motion of urgent national importance, drawing the attention of the Conference to the degenerating security situation in the country.

Mr. Awuse had expressed concern about the safety of Nigerians but noted that the arrest of 486 persons who claimed to be travellers going to Port Harcourt to seek jobs at 2 a.m. was worrisome.

He said, “We were told that those men are members of the dreaded Boko Haram and theses are happenings that make us to begin to see that we should be more proactive about these matters.”

He drew attention to a publication in the media where Governor Kashim Shetima of Borno State was quoted to have said that if Boko Haram succeeded in over-running the North-East, the terrorists would try to overrun other parts of the country.

“For those of you who are familiar with Port Harcourt, you must be aware of the oil installations there. We are worried that any attempt to attack any oil installation in Port Harcourt will cause so much trouble to the country,” he said.

“This is important because the people of the South-South enjoy the friendship of all Nigerians. But a situation where 486 “travellers” were found at 2 a.m. going to Port Harcourt, we should begin to be careful.

 We are asking that this Conference should bring to the notice of the security agencies that any attack on any of the South-South states, will be felt by people all over Nigeria. We don’t want Boko Haram in the South-South. From dependable security sources, we know that some of the buses had infiltrated the South-South.”

However, Bashir Dalhatu, a delegate from Jigawa, would not allow Mr. Awuse brand the travellers as Boko Haram.

He warned that due to the security circumstances that the country was facing, the delegates should be cautious when speaking on the floor of the Conference. He said while hundreds of Northerners were arrested and branded as Boko Haram, people should be careful.

According to him, information from independent sources showed that those who were arrested in Aba were migrant traders.

 He said that while he would not condone or support anything that would breach the security of any part of the country, he would resist any action that will alienate Northerners.

According to him, Rivers State has been receiving people from all over the country. He pointed out that every night, convoys of people from the South arrive at the North and were accommodated.

He said: “We wanted to organise a press conference on the matter but was asked to stay action because investigations were on-going. Let no one here, Sir, think that because of the language I speak and because of the way I dress, I am a member of the Boko Haram sect.

This is a very serious issue. Now we understand that Northerners have to pay to get identity cards. The authority should better take heed that if others decide to take a cue, the consequences will not be palatable.

“Let no one be left in doubt because what these people are trying to do will bring serious crisis in this country. We should not be cowed to remain at home while other people are going about doing their businesses. A word is enough for the wise.”

Another delegate, Hanatu Ibrahim, however, pleaded with her colleagues to give peace a chance, saying that as privileged Nigerians with high expectations from the public, delegates should show good examples.

She said, “As mothers and sisters of the nation, we want peace in this country because God created us as one. We must have respect for one another no matter of where we come from.

Today Mr. Chairman, we do not want to be a party to those who cause problem in this country. We need peace, we need peace. We need to love each other.

We should bury our sentimental feelings and march together in unity. For God sake, let us restrain ourselves. We want peace; we want unity in this country.”

Lagos APC condemns attack on APC governors

“All things considered Lagos APC is led to believe that PDP led by President Jonathan is ready to pull Nigeria down and crush the project Nigeria instead of allowing the opposition to win power in a free and fair process”

The Lagos State chapter of the APC has warned that Presidency and its agents are capable of crashing our hard earned democracy unless Nigerians rise up to defend their fundamental human rights of freedom of speech and freedom of association.

In a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, the Party says all pretences and doubts about the dictatorial tendencies of President Jonathan have now been removed as Nigeria is now under a full blown dictatorship.

 Nigerians should no longer pretend that all is well with the polity given the disturbing and dangerous signals coming from the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr. Igbokwe said, “Today Thursday June 19 2014 Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s aircraft was forcefully prevented from landing in Akure Airport on his way to Ekiti State to show solidarity to his colleague, Governor Kayode Fayemi

“Governor Chibuike Amechi who cleverly avoided confrontation with Airport security personnel’s learning from previous experiences tried to reach Ekiti State by road but soldiers stationed by President Jonathan menacingly stopped him from reaching Ekiti State.

“It is now crystal clear that the presidency and PDP are bent on taking the country back to the days of locusts and this portends grave danger to the political landscape given the hard road Nigeria traveled to get to where we are today.

“All things considered Lagos APC is led to believe that PDP led by President Jonathan is ready to pull Nigeria down and crush the project Nigeria instead of allowing the opposition to win power in a free and fair process.”

The party adds, “All eyes are now fixed on Ekiti State to see what we make of June 21 2014 Guber Elections and should we bungle this litmus test once again as it was done in Anambra State? No, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

The party says “It is warning the powers that be in Abuja to go back to history to learn the bitter lessons of the South West politics that the people have zero tolerance on electoral brigandage as fingers can be burnt in the process”

“It is not too late for the President and his agents to retrace their steps and allow a free and fair process to prevail in Ekiti State.”

Joe Igbokwe
APC Publicity Secretary

Court orders Nigerian lawmakers to halt probe of Alison-Madueke

The Assembly planned to probe the minister on N10 billion spent on a chartered aircraft.


An Abuja Federal High Court on Thursday restrained the National Assembly from proceeding with its proposed probe of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The House of Representatives had summoned the minister to appear before its committee investigating her alleged spending of N10 billion on a chartered aircraft.

The minister and the NNPC, first and second plaintiffs, however, filed a suit seeking to stop the lawmakers from embarking on the probe.

The plaintiffs had joined the Senate and the House of Representatives as co-defendants.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed, in his ruling, ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing of the substantive suit.

He said that the committee had no genuine reason to go ahead with the proposed probe, being aware of the pending suit seeking order to restrain it from doing the investigation.

The judge said that the filing of the suit did not amount to usurping the legislative powers of the National Assembly as claimed by the committee.

“Section 6 (1), 6(6) (b) of the Constitution gives the court inherent powers of interpretation and determination of disputes between government and individuals and within arms of government.

“I hereby direct parties to maintain the status quo in this matter until the next adjourned date,” the judge ordered.

It would be recalled that the House Committee on Public Accounts had planned to carry out the probe on June 25, 26 and 27.

The counsel to the plaintiffs, Etigwe Uwa, had earlier informed the court of his application, praying the court to grant a preservative order pending the hearing of the suit.

Mr. Uwa said that the House Committee on Public Accounts, in its letter dated May 23, inviting the minister for the probe was tantamount to disrespect of the court.

He argued in the originating summons that the National Assembly lacked the power to summon the minister without the consent of the president.

The counsel to the lawmakers, Aminu Sadauki, urged the court to refuse the application for an interim order.

Mr. Sadauki argued that it would amount to granting the relief sought by the plaintiffs in their substantive suit.

Also, the Senate counsel, Obasi Nwabueze, had said that he was not aware of the letter inviting the plaintiffs to appear before the house committee on the stipulated dates.

Mr. Nwabueze had, therefore, urged the court to apply its discretion on the issue.

Justice Mohammed adjourned hearing in the case until July 3.
(NAN)

U.S. pleads for free, fair governorship election in Ekiti

United States Mission to Nigeria would be watching the election with great interest.

The United States government on Thursday sent a passionate plea to both organisers of the elections and the electorate to ensure a free and fair governorship election in Ekiti State come Saturday, June 21.

The U.S. government, in a pre-election statement issued on Thursday through its embassy in Abuja, underscored the significance and importance of the day in the lives of the people of Ekiti and its residents.

The government reminded the people of Ekiti that as they go to any of the state’s 2,195 polling units to select their next governor, they should consider the importance of a successful exercise to the entire electoral process as Nigeria approaches 2015.

“A well-conducted election in Ekiti that is free of violence and that accurately reflects the will of the voters would both constitute an important demonstration of the credibility of the electoral system as the February 2015 elections draw closer, as well as bestow legitimacy on the winner of the election”, the embassy statement read.

“We call on INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) to ensure that registered Ekiti voters will be able to cast their ballots efficiently and without hindrance; the security services to provide security in an impartial, judicious manner; and the candidates and parties to play by the rules at every step of the process, while also encouraging voters to go to the polls.”

The statement said the United States Mission to Nigeria would be watching the election with great interest.

It said it would have more than 30 accredited election observers on the ground in the state on Election Day to monitor the elections.

“We hope all electoral stakeholders will seek to meet the high standards that the Nigerian people demand and expect,” it stated.