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Minimum Wage: FG Raises Workers’ Hope

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The Federal Government, yesterday, raised the hope of Nigerian workers with the recommendation of a 29-member Minimum Wage Committee that will work out modalities for with a new minimum wage that will bring relief to the work force
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who disclosed this while presenting the report of the Technical Committee on Minimum Wage and Palliatives to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir David Lawal, said the welfare of Nigerian workers was key to the change agenda of the current administration.
The technical committee set up by the Federal Government will also be a secretariat of the committee to be domiciled at the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission.
Eight persons are to represent the Federal Government, organised labour, private sector and three members representing the state governments to be drawn from the Governors Forum, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors Forum and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Governors Forum.
These were disclosed, yesterday, in Abuja when the chairman of committee and Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, submitted its report to the Federal Government through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government set up the committee to work out palliatives to cushion the effects of the pump price increase as well as look into the review of the minimum wage which is a constitutional matter in the wake of May 2016, upward review of the pump price of premium motor spirit, PMS, from N96 per litre to between N143 to N145.
The committee comprising labour and government, inaugurated on May 17, 2016. Speaking while handing over the document to the main Committee on Minimum Wage and Palliatives headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Lawal, Senator Ngige said that the welfare of Nigerian workers was key to the change Agenda of the current administration.
According to him: “We have no problem in tackling the issue of the minimum wage. We recommended a 29-man Minimum Wage Committee to be chaired by a reputable Nigerian, who will be neutral and non-partisan, with labour and civil service experience so that the person would be on a familiar turf.
There will also be a secretary with the secretariat of the committee to be domiciled at the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission.
Eight persons are expected to represent each of the following; the Federal Government, organised labour, private sector and three members representing the state government to be drawn from the Governors Forum, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors Forum and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Governors’ Forum.”
“Recall that in May 2016, the Federal Government effected an upward review of the pump price of premium motor spirit to between N143 to N145 and on May 17, set up a Committee comprising labour and government to work out palliatives to cushion the effects of the pump price increase as well as look into the review of the minimum wage which is a constitutional matter.
Government did this knowing full well the attendant sufferings which the nation’s workforce, indeed, regular Nigerians were passing through as a result of this tough government decision, taken anyway in the overall interest of the generality of the people.
“The current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had no option than to demonstrate that whatever decision it had taken was in pursuit of the wellbeing of the citizenry.
And today, the report of the technical committee is ready and we are confident that its far reaching submissions will make a lot of meaning in the life of the Nigerian worker and that of his family.”
He further said that the submissions of his committee were in two volumes comprising the Minimum Wage and the Palliatives.
He noted that the minimum wage was last reviewed in 2010 and signed into law in 2011 under the previous administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that the current exercise was in compliance to a five –year constitutional provision on minimum wage review.
On Palliatives, the Minister said that the Committee identified dwindling economic fortunes of the Federal Government as the major problem having taken submissions from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Budget and Planning as well as the Ministry of Finance.
He however, enthused that the committee made far reaching recommendations capable of alleviating the sufferings of the masses.

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Rivers Capable Of Delivering Massive Votes For Tinubu, Chinda, Others -Fubara …Charges APC, Rainbow Coalition To Embrace Team Work

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the  State is capable of delivering massive votes for President Bola Tinubu,  the  All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chinda and other candidates of the Rainbow Coalition in the 2027 general elections.

Fubara, who stated this yesterday at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, said the surest path to victory is for the  members of the Presidential Campaign Council drawn from the APC and the Rainbow Coalition to embrace the spirit of teamwork.

He said what the state was witnessing in the current political season is a repeat of the successful mobilization done in 2022 and 2023, when a large campaign council worked in unity to deliver victory for him and for President Tinubu.

He added that the present council is bigger, wider and better coordinated and should therefore achieve even better results.

He noted that the beauty of the new council is the fact that some persons who were in the opposition camp during the previous elections are now part of the team, saying their inclusion has made the task easier, provided everyone works as one team and with sincerity of purpose.

The governor thanked the  Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, and other leaders who worked tirelessly to bring the council to fruition, stressing that nothing  is impossible especially when people work together for a common purpose.

He expressed optimism that with seriousness and commitment, the state would record a higher number of votes than it recorded in 2023.

Fubara, while congratulating members who made the list, appealed to those whose names were omitted not to be discouraged, as there are still sub-committees to be constituted and the list can still be updated, even as he warned against double loyalty.

He said the state has gone past the stage of division and is now looking to the future and what God holds for Rivers people, expressing confidence that with the strategy already put in place, the APC and the Rainbow Coalition would come out victorious in 2027.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Coordinator of the Campaign Council, Chief Nyesom Wike, while  inaugurating the Council, lauded Fubara for finding time to attend the ceremony and other engagements of the Council in spite of his busy schedules.

Wike, who is also the National Leader of the PDP/ Rainbow Coalition, reminded members of the Council that they were chosen based on their capacity to participate  in the activities of the group and deliver positive results.

He charged them to work hard to win votes for the candidates of the APC and the Rainbow Coalition for the Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly as well as State House of Assembly elections next year.

He disclosed that apart from the Presidential Campaign Council and its sub-committees, the Local Government Campaign Councils will soon be inaugurated to ensure better coverage of the grassroots during the current campaign season.

 

 

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RSG Floats MNET Culture Content Promo

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The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism  has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.

He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.

He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.

“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.

Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.

The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.

On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.

Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.

With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers  State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.

He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.

Kevin Nengia

 

 

 

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APC Presidential Campaign Storms PH, ‘Morrow

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Barring last minute changes, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will storm Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tomorrow.

This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.

The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.

The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.

President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.

The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.

The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.

The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.

Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.

 

 

 

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