Nation
Reps To Resolve Staff Pending Issues Soon, Speaker Assures
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has assured that the pending issues raised by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), National Assembly chapter, will soon be resolved.
Gbajabiamila, who made the announcement at yesterday’s plenary, said the issues were of paramount importance to the leadership of the House, adding that an end would soon be reached.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to PASAN that their matter is being looked into, and very soon it will be resolved.
“I know there are pending issues, and hopefully those issues will be resolved this week,” Gbajabiamila said, and appealed to the PASAN members for calm.
It would be recalled that PASAN members had embarked on a nationwide strike after tabling some demands.
The strike action was boycotted by their members at the National Assembly who, however, threatened to join if the issues tabled by the association were not addressed.
Earlier, the National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum, had, yesterday, in Abuja, protested the non-payment of their 20 months’ salary arrears.
Zebis Prince, who spoke on behalf of the protesting aides, said that since the inauguration of the 9th Assembly, their salary arrears were withheld by the management.
He said that the matter was referred to the House Services Committee with the mandate to among other things investigate the irregularities in the payment of legislative aides.
He, however, said that the clerk of the National Assembly (CNA) insisted on getting directives from the chairman of the National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum, National Assembly Service Commission before payment of the arrears.
“We are disturbed that despite an express legislative resolution mandating the CNA to ensure payment three weeks after, the Chief Accounting Officer of NASS has chosen to hold us to ransom.
“The continued refusal of CNA to pay about 2,500 aides their 2019 salary arrears have created a sharp division between Aides and the management,” he said.
He said that having exhausted the internal dispute resolution mechanism, the forum has resolved to pursue their grievances using all legitimate tools at their disposal
“So, we are presenting our demands to the Speaker of the House of Representative, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, as the boss of our principal and the Senate President.”
Some of the demands of the protesters include the implementation of minimum wage, duty tour allowances and training.
While addressing the forum, Gbajabiamila said that every labourer deserved his wages, adding that the NASS leadership were already looking into it.
“The wages owed since 2019 is not excusable, I will just ask that you are a little bit patient and a little understanding.
“I know that there is a financial constraint but one thing I know is that I will make sure that these things are resolved and your arrears paid.
“We appreciate you for bringing this peacefully to our attention,” he said.
Nation
Gombe Opens Bid For Construction Of Three-Arm Zone Project
Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation has opened bids for the construction of three arms zone complexes within the Gombe Capital Special Development Zone which held at the Ministry’s conference hall.
Speaking while presiding over the bid opening proceedings, the Commissioner, Engr. . Usman Maijama’a Kallamu assured the bidders that the bid opening would be carried out using procurement process which is based on specific regulations that are credible, fair, and transparent.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alh. Idris Yambiu Buba said that the Ministry will continue to align itself for optimal results in the implementation of government policies and projects in line with Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to bringing development to the State.
While assuring the bidders of a transparent process, the SSA to the Governor on Special Project, Arch. Yakubu Mamman thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his foresight in infrastructural development of the State, adding that government is committed to ensuring that all bidders had an equal chance to participate and compete based on merit to maintain standards and specifications.
Nation
Gov Mbah Signs Bill To Establish Teaching Hospital In Enugu
Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, yesterday, signed the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) Teaching Hospital Bill 2024 into Law, promising to expedite action to actualise the teaching hospital immediately to provide quality training and healthcare services in the Enugu North part of the State and the State in general.
Mbah, while commending the Enugu State House of Assembly for accelerating action on the processing and passage of the Executive Bill, said that establishing SUMAS Teaching Hospital was in line with his manifesto.
He said, “What we have done by signing into law the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital Bill is that we now have in place a legal framework to immediately begin to put in place all that is required to upgrade SUMAS to a teaching hospital. This is part of our campaign promises and we are committed to delivering on that expeditiously.
“We believe that the importance and significance of siting a teaching hospital in our Enugu North zone can never be lost on us. So, we are not going to spend any time in making sure that everything that is necessary and required to upgrade and get the teaching hospital operational is put in place. With this Law, we are going to redouble our commitment and our efforts to achieve that.”
He assured the Governing Council and the Management of SUMAS of his continued support, adding that his administration would equally be counting on their pedigree and contacts to bring the teaching hospital to fruition in record time.
“We are going to continue to support you and we are also going to continue to count on your experience, network, and profile in raising resources to actualize the project.
“This year alone, we are going to spend 33 per cent of our budget on education. This underscores the importance of education to this administration. So, be sure to come to us whenever there is a need. We are going to support you because we are interested in education and we are investing heavily in it,” he said.
On his part, the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, who also spoke at the Bill signing witnessed by the Chairman of SUMAS Governing Council, Msgr. Obiora Ike, and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Ogbonna, and top hierarchies of the institution, commended Governor Mbah’s speed and faithfulness in delivering on his campaign promises. He assured that the House of Assembly was ever ready to fast-track every executive bill that would impact positively on the state and its people.
“We promised we are going to support this administration by doing our job expeditiously to ensure that there is no delay in your delivery of democracy dividends to our people. Therefore, the SUMAS Teaching Hospital Bill received expedited hearing and today you have the signing of the bill into law,” he stated.
Nation
Ododo Applauds Security Agencies Over Rescue Of 43 Bus Passengers
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has applauded security agencies in the State for their efforts in the rescue of 43 bus passengers.
The Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Ismaila Isah disclosed this in a statement yesterday.
The statement noted that the governor welcomed the news of the release of the abducted bus passengers in Okehi Local Government Area of the State and called for sustained collaboration between security agencies and local communities to improve intelligence gathering and prevent crime and criminality in all parts of the state.
Ododo commended the caretaker chairman of Okehi LGA, Mr Amoka Eneji, the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Professional Hunters, Ebira Local Hunters Group and other security agencies for their intervention, which led to the rescue of the passengers who were abducted outside the state.
“Governor Ododo also commends the response of security agencies to the robbery incidence in Felele area of Lokoja and called for more urgency in addressing cases of insecurity in any part of the state.
“The Governor reassured the people of the state that his administration will not relent in its efforts in deploying maximum resources to ensure that all communities in the state remain unsafe for criminal elements.”
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