Business
Enugu Yet To Spend Paris Club Refund
Enugu State Government says it has yet to expend its share of the second tranche of Paris Club refund as there is no pressing need for it now.
The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr Ogbuagu Anikwe made this known in a statement in Enugu last Monday.
Anikwe said that the government was already meeting its obligation of paying workers salaries and pensions before the issue of Paris Club refund came up.
He said that the government was not indebted to its workforce and pensioners unlike other states that utilised their share to offset such debts.
The commissioner explained that the fact that the state government had not expended its second tranche share of the refund should not be misconstrued as owing salaries.
“Enugu state public workers’ salaries used to be paid promptly on the 25 day of each month.
“However, beginning from three months ago, the governor ordered that civil servants be paid on the 23rd of the month.
“By this executive stroke, Enugu state has become the first state in Nigeria to pay its workers early, with effect from three months ago,” he said.
Anikwe said that though the state was in a precarious situation and sat fifth from the bottom of the monthly federal allocations, it was prudent in managing its resources.
“The governor has through prudent management of resources and an aggressive internal revenue generation, fully discharged his obligations to workers.
“The state still embarks on massive projects to promote its agenda of employment generation, maintenance of social services, and management of security and peace,” he said.
He added that the state government had shown transparency in the management of the refunds since it started receiving it.
The commissioner said that officials of the labour unions and other stakeholders in the state were usually privy to how the funds were disbursed.
“What the state does each time it receives her share of the refund is to immediately call for a meeting of the stakeholders, including representatives of labour unions and pensioners.
“Such meetings also include leaders of traditional institutions and community-based associations, and development experts to decide how best to utilise the refund,” he said.
He said that sharing formula of the funds was established between the states and local councils at the meetings.
“The portion reserved for salary and pensions payments are set aside and used to pay workers and pensioners as and when due.
Business
NAFDAC Decries Circulation Of Prohibited Food Items In markets …….Orders Vendors’ Immediate Cessation Of Dealings With Products
Importers, market traders, and supermarket operators have therefore, been directed to immediately cease all dealings in these items and to notify their supply chain partners to halt transactions involving prohibited products.
The agency emphasized that failure to comply will attract strict enforcement measures, including seizure and destruction of goods, suspension or revocation of operational licences, and prosecution under relevant laws.
The statement said “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised an alarm over the growing incidence of smuggling, sale, and distribution of regulated food products such as pasta, noodles, sugar, and tomato paste currently found in markets across the country.
“These products are expressly listed on the Federal Government’s Customs Prohibition List and are not permitted for importation”.
NAFDAC also called on other government bodies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS) Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Shippers Council, and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), to collaborate in enforcing the ban on these unsafe products.
