City Crime
Rivers NUJ Hails Appointment Of Two Members As Perm Secs
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has described the appointment of two of its members as Permanent Secretaries in the Rivers State Civil Service as historic and commendable.
The President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Sir Honour Sirawoo, and the immediate past Director in the Cabinet Office, Mr Hamilton Amadi, were among those recently named as permanent secretaries by Governor Nyesom Wike.
The NUJ, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Comrades Stanley Job Stanley and Ike Wigodo, respectively, congratulated the duo and other newly appointed permanent secretaries on their appointments.
The union noted that the appointment of Sirawoo and Amadi who are both seasoned journalists was timely and well deserved, as “we believe their wealth of experience would be invaluable to the state”.
The statement also noted that the tremendous efforts of Sirawoo as President of SWAN towards changing the ugly narratives about sports reporting in Nigeria could not be over emphasised.
The union expressed confidence in the ability of the duo to justify the confidence reposed in them by Governor Wike and make journalists in the state proud.
“The union has always insisted on the appointment of journalists into positions of authority, hence the commendations of the appointment of Sirawoo and Amadi.
“We have no doubt that the duo will be priceless assets to the civil service and Governor Wike’s administration”, the statement read.
The NUJ, therefore, enjoined the newly appointed permanent secretaries to see their elevation as a golden opportunity to serve the state meritoriously and to contribute their quota to the ongoing developmental milestones that are being recorded in the state under Governor Wike.
The council, in the same vein, commended the state
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has felicitated Muslim faithful as they celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad, urging them to show love, tolerance, perseverance, patriotism and commitment to the growth and development of the State.
Governor Fubara, in a message in Port Harcourt, the State capital, urged the Muslim Ummah to use the lessons of the 12th day of the third month of Rabi’ al-Awwal to reflect on the core teachings of the Holy Prophet, and interceed for one another as exemplified by the sacrifices He made for humanity.
The Governor charged the faithful in the State and across the country to commit to ensuring that they continue to benefit from the genuine policies and programmes of government put in place to make live easy for all living and doing business in the State, without discrimination.
He said, “I, on behalf of the government and good people of Rivers State, heartily felicitate all Muslim faithful on the occasion of the Eid-el-Maulud celebration, to honour the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, and urge for prayers for the revival and unity of Nigeria.
“The occasion, yet again, provides an opportunity to reflect deeply on the need for greater application of the Prophet’s teachings bordering on piety, charity, patience, resilience, justice and peaceful coexistence,” he added.
Governor Fubara assured the Muslim community in Rivers State, and indeed, all residents of the resolve of his administration to sustain the tempo of providing critical projects and social services to improve the quality of life of the people.
Workers in the nation’s telecommunication-s industry, under the aegis of the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association, PTECSSAN, will today begin an indefinite nationwide strike over sack, and poor working conditions, among others.
Among the employees going on strike include field maintenance engineers, transmission engineers, customer service engineers, fibre engineers, and other critical staff.
There are fears that the strike could disrupt telecommunications services nationwide if not resolved quickly.
The Tide’s source gathered that PTECSSAN, has pending issues with no fewer than 39 telecoms servicing companies including the sack of three of its members by Specific Tools & Technology Limited.
The 39 companies provide critical support services to the telecommunications operators in the country.
The Tide’s source was informed that the union had earlier given a seven-day strike notice to the affected companies to address its demands or risk indefinite strike.
Among PTECSSAN’s demands include immediate recognition of the fundamental right of the employees to freely associate with the union, immediate recognition of the union as negotiating body for the employees on workers welfare and immediate remittance of membership dues into the union’s account as earlier provided.
The demands equally are immediate recognition of the years of service of these workers, immediate commencement of appropriate pensions deduction and remittance of same as required by the Pension Act, immediate approval of the National Health Insurance Scheme that covers the employees, their spouses and four of their dependents, immediate enrolment of Union members in the Group Life Insurance as stipulated in the Pension Reform Act 2004, Section 9(3).
The union is also demanding immediate implementation of leave and leave allowance in accordance with the international best practices, immediate negotiation on review of salaries of the workers to meet the economic reality in the country today, and immediate provision Operational Vehicles or in the alternative immediate negotiation on review of the Self Drive/Self Rental to meet the economic reality in the country today.
Also in the union’s demands are immediate stoppage of 24-hour job and introduction of work hours in line with the international best practices, immediate stoppage of work overload (combining passive tasks to theirs) on the workers, and immediate adherence to occupational health and safety for the workers in line with international best practices.
Announcing the commencement of strike, General Secretary of PTECSSAN Abdullahi Okonu said “We have made every effort to engage with employers, but our legitimate demands have been disregarded.
“This strike is a last resort to protect our members’ rights and well-being. We urge the public to understand our position and support our struggle for fair treatment.”
While pleading with Nigerians to bear with the Union throughout the period of the strike, PTECSSAN “assures that it will engage with employers and the government to resolve the issues, but the strike will continue until their demands are met.”