Mass sack: FG threatens to withdraw licences of recalcitrant banks, telecom firms

The Federal Government, yesterday, expressed shock that employers in the financial sector, especially banks, were breaching its directives to stop further retrenchment, threatening to withdraw the operating licence of any bank or telecommunication company in breach. Speaking to Nigerian journalists at the ongoing 105th session of the International Labour Congress, ILC, in Geneva, Switzerland, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, warned that government would sanction erring companies because government had a duty to protect jobs in a harsh economy. Ngige was responding to questions on alleged breach of his earlier directive to banks and other financial institutions to stop further retrenchment of workers, pending the stakeholders’ meeting scheduled for next month. The minister, who spoke after his speech to the ILO National Assembly, said: “We will go a step further if they continue. We know what to do. After all, the banks have the licences given by the government. We know what to do. They need to comply. They need to come to the negotiation table. We did (halted the spate of sack to hold a stakeholders meeting) in the oil industry and we succeeded. Even if you are going to lay off, there is a way to declare redundancy, there is a process. Section 20 of the Labour Act says it. You must call the unions and discuss with them. You don’t just treat them as slaves in their own country and you want us to keep quiet. “We want them to maintain the statusquo. As far as I am the minister of labour, I will protect the interest of workers; same to the telecommunication companies, they are also talking about compiling lists without discussing with anybody.” On the position of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, that the companies in the private sector had the right to hire and fire and that power did not reside in the government, Senator Ngige said organised private sector, represented by NECA, was protecting its own members, and merely expressing its opinion. He, however, warned that this could not be done tot the detriment of the workers and the law of the land. “The organised private sector, NECA is protecting its own interest. NECA is a leg of the tripod, nothing stops it from having its own opinion. It is the section that protects private investors. It is employers’ body and the people I am talking to are also employers. ‘’The bank’s boards, the banks chairmen, the bank’s managing directors, are the people I am talking to. I also talk to unions whenever need be. In the same order, I also asked the unions not to picket the banks. They had mobilised to picket the banks. It is the job of the government to maintain a peaceful milieu on both sides and that is why I issued the directive. “From investigation and preliminary report available to us, the banks, the insurance companies, other financial institutions are all laying off. And in some cases, they do not allow their workers to unionize and that is wrong and against the ILO principle,” he said. According to the Minister, they have not entered into collective bargaining agreement, CBA, a first step to laying off workers. Earlier in his address to the assembly, the minister said: “Nigeria is not insulated from these challenges which are daily manifesting in the socio-economic crises of today. “’The current challenges in the country are connected with the historical neglect of past administrations to address the consequences of a mono-product economy that had so far depended on revenue from crude oil. “The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, of Nigeria however declined to comment on the development. According to the CBN Director of Corporate Communications, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, “The CBN will not want to comment on the issue.”

CAF condoles with NFF, Nigerians on Keshi‘s death

CAF President, Issa Hayatou, on Wednesday condoled with the President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, and Nigerians on the death of former Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi. This is contained in a statement on the association’s website. Hayatou expressed his “dismay” and “immense sadness” at the sudden death of the former Nigeria international. He paid glowing tribute to the deceased, who emerged as the only African coach to have qualified two African teams to the World Cup – Togo in 2006 and Nigeria in 2014. “’His other enviable record is being the only African trainer to have steered a team to the Second Round of the FIFA World Cup, with Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. “He had achieved the same feat as a player with the Super Eagles at their maiden participation at the Mundial in 1994, in USA. “’The CAF President conveyed the condolences on his own behalf, the CAF Executive Committee and African football family on the demise of Keshi, who was a jewel to his family, friends and the Nigerian football family, who are badly affected. “This is a man, who was twice winner of the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria; in 1994 as captain and in 2013 as a coach, with the latter earning him the distinction of Coach of the Year at the Glo-CAF Awards,” the statement read.

Hillary Clinton emerges first female U.S. presidential flagbearer

Hillary Rodham Clinton, daughter of a naval officer turned textile salesman and a maid turned clerk typist, is on track to becoming the first female president of the United States of America. With 2,497 delegates as of 11:00pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Tuesday, Mrs. Clinton had convincingly clinched enough votes to become the nominee of the Democratic Party. Her opponent, Bernie Sanders, trails behind with 1,663 delegates. Democratic Party rules require the winning candidate to secure a minimum of 2,383 delegates. The delegate count for both candidates will change as results filter in from primary elections held Tuesday in the states of Montana, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Dakota and California. With the majority of the votes in from five states, Mrs. Clinton was the projected winner in New Mexico, New Jersey and South Dakota. Senator Sanders was projected to win Montana and North Dakota. Mrs. Clinton is also on track to a win in California, the largest electorate in the country. With a cache of 475 delegates, a win in California will take her way above the required number of delegates and secure her place in history. Hillary Clinton’s victory came exactly eight years after she conceded the 2008 primary election victory to then Senator Barack Obama. She gave her concession speech and endorsed Mr. Obama on Saturday June 7, 2008 during a final campaign rally at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Born into a conservative household, Mrs. Clinton’s journey to her nomination as the Democratic Party’s flagbearer began in 1964 when she worked as a volunteer for Republican Presidential candidate, Barry Goldwater, in Chicago. Her father, Hugh Rodham, contested unsuccessfully in the Republican Party. Her transition to the Democratic Party found initial expression in her involvement with the Civil Rights movement and opposition to the Vietnam War which put her against the dominant strain in the Republican Party. She co-organized a two-day student strike following the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968 and served as an inquiry staff advising the Congressional House Committee on the Judiciary during the Watergate Scandal that led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon of the Republican Party. Hillary Rodham met Bill Clinton at Yale Law School in 1971, they got married in 1975 and had Chelsea, their only child in 1980. Mrs. Clinton is as well-known for her legal acumen as she is for her political astuteness. In private and public life, she is also known for her calm disposition in troubled times, a disposition she displayed to the hilt during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, to the dismay and annoyance of many declared feminists. She was lauded for her diligence as a senator representing New York and as Secretary of State. The Clintons enjoy the support of many African immigrant communities, especially Nigerians. Bill and Hillary have both visited Nigeria in their different official capacities. Bill Clinton visited Nigeria at least twice, once during the last year of his presidency in 1999 and in 2013 for the groundbreaking of Eko Atlantic City. The Clintons’ relationship with Nigerians has not been without controversy. President Bill Clinton has been condemned several times over the past two decades for the Clinton Foundation’s relationship with Gilbert Chagoury whose family business is indicted in many financial crimes in Nigeria, including the Abacha loot. Similar questions were raised about donations to Hillary’s 2008 campaign by Kase Lawal, a Nigerian-American Oil merchant based in Texas who was then under scrutiny for illegally pumping and exporting 10 million barrels of oil.

BREAKING NEWS… MASSOB backs Niger Delta Avengers, says Biafra goes beyond the Gulf of Guinea

The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Saturday, threw its weight behind the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, whose unrelenting onslaught on crude oil pipelines and installations in the Niger Delta region has plunged production capacity to below 800BPD. MASSOB equally expressed satisfaction with the consistency, selflessness and pragmatism of pro-Biafra groups and revealing that their doggedness during last Monday’s Biafra anniversary which turned bloody has proven their firm belief

on Biafra secession. A statement signed and made available to Vanguard by MASSOB leader,Uchenna Madu, it explained that the activities of Niger Delta Avengers is a natural confirmation that Biafra stretches towards the gulf of Guinea. “The natural inhabitants and indigenous people of these lands are Biafrans by birth but Nigeria by citizens. MASSOB have made it open that we want Biafra though we chooses non violence approach, we shall also support every genuine and legitimate methodology,approach chosen by any group towards Biafran self determination. “Because of our non violence approach, the Nigerian security forces have killed thousands of MASSOB members and other group members since 1999 when the current struggle started. These extra judicial killings of non violence and unarmed Biafra agitators have gone unchecked by the Nigerian Government and international watchdogs against human rights abuses, brutalities, genocides and pogroms including United Nations. “The western world seems not to react against the Ethnic cleansing of our people because of economic and diplomatic interest in Biafra natural treasures which they aligned with Nigeria, they kept their hypocritical eyes closed against the fate of over 60 million Biafrans. “Nigeria and her likes understand the only language of violent, today, Buhari’s military soldiers are being disgraced, economic power block being dismantled, diplomatic relations being shattered, his Government in disarray even himself is confused because of the activities of Biafran agitators in the Eastern region. Our comrades from Niger Delta who are more United and focused than groups from Igbo based hinterland should not relent as the knees of our oppressors shall bow soon. They will beg Nnamdi Kanu”the statement reads.

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Nigerians mourn Mohammed Ali

Chuka Momah, a prolific boxing analyst on Saturday described Mohammed Ali, who died on Friday, as a boxer of exemplary humanity, whose legacy would always be remembered and cherished. Ali, 74, one of the greatest legends of the sport, passed away on June 3. at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona,U.S., after being admitted on Thursday. He had contracted a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by his years of suffering the Parkinson’s disease. Momah in Lagos said that one of the ways that the upcoming boxers could immortalise Ali as the `greatest boxing legend’, was by imbibing his ethics and morals, which made him outstanding all through his boxing career. “All aspiring boxers should strive to be half as great as he was. They should be honest about it. “Ali had worked hard to reach the top of his profession as amateur and pro-boxer and was humble; his death is so heart breaking, because he was not just a boxer, he was a human rights activists. “He changed the face of boxing and paved a way that, upcoming boxers should take advantage of to also reach the top,” he added. Renowned sports analyst Mitchel Obi of Mastersports International, Lagos, who also acknowledged Ali as the greatest boxer of all time, said he gave boxing a meaning. “Ali was phenomenal. He was superman. A man who refocused our mind to who black Americans were and advocated the virtue of racial equality; he reminded us of what humanity was all about’’. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN and an apostle of Ali, during his days as a student in the U.S., said he was not just great but the greatest legend of all times. “Ali was not just a boxer but a spiritual and political leader, who was at one time, the conscience of all the oppressed peoples of America, particularly the African Americans. He said the legend redefined boxing and made it a proper sport for the world to admire. According to him, Ali described the likes of Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano and Joe Frasier as `jet pilots’ and he an `astronaut’. Ikpeazu, an Abuja-based lawyer, recalled that it was amazing that Ali, who was disqualified from the Vietnam war draft because the eveluators said he possessed low Intelligence Quotient (IQ), turned out later in life to become a philosopher of note, that the world acknowledged. A li, born as Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr, remained the only three-time lineal world heavyweight champion; he won the title in 1964, 1974, and 1978. Between Feb. 25, 1964 and Sept. 19, 1964, Ali reigned as the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion. Nicknamed `The Greatest’, Ali was involved in several historic boxing matches of time, notable among these were the first Liston fight, three with rivals Joe Frazier and `The Rumble in the Jungle’ with George Foreman, at which he regained titles he had earlier been stripped seven years earlier.

Niger Delta Avengers: Britain cautions FG over military option

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, Paul Arkwright, on Thursday in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, cautioned the Federal Government over military option as a measure to tackle the resurgence of militancy and other criminality in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. TheBritish High Commissioner stated this during an interview in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, shortly after his courtesy visit to the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo. Arkwright who arrived the Ake Palace at 11am was accompanied by political Counsellor, Ben Llewellyn-Jones, and former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Dr Emeka Anyioku, also advocated for dialogue as part of a comprehensive approach that should be adopted by Nigerian government to address the situation, adding that force alone may not bring about a lasting solution to the Niger Delta issue. Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), an armed militant group, and other violent youth organisations have been launching violent attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta area. This action has forced the Federal Government to respond by deploying troops to the area’s creeks to stop the alleged destruction of national economic assets and spate of sabotage being perpetrated there by the region’s restive youths. While speaking with newsmen, Arkwright said though, there is the need to protect the investments, not just the British companies and international companies operating there, but also Nigerian companies from acts of criminality going – on in the region, the military should tread softly. He noted that Britain is already talking to Nigerian government and its authorities on need to take a “comprehensive approach” and not to rely solely on military option as solution to the Niger Delta militants. According to him, it is important that the Nigerian government explores ways to engage the communities in the area, understand the grievances of the people and also ensure that the environmental damage is cleaned up. He also suggested that same option should be applied to conclude the fight against Boko haram terrorists in the North East of the country as being canvassed ever since by Britain. “We need to protect the investment there, not just British companies, international companies but Nigerian companies as well. “We are talking to Nigerian authorities about that, we need to have what we called a comprehensive approach to this; in other words we need to have dialogue and we need to engage the communities down there. “We need to understand the grievances of the people down there. We need to ensure the environmental damage is cleaned up. “We need to protect the investment there, not just British companies, international companies but Nigerian companies as well. “When there is criminal activity, (it) is right that the government should take proactive action against that criminal activity, we strongly support them but we don’t think military solution alone is the final solution to handle issues in Niger Delta. “And to handle Boko Haram in the North, so we need comprehensive approach and that is what we have been talking to the Nigerian government about. “I was very encouraged to hear Hon Minister Ike Chukwu say about the need for dialogue and we are certainly looking to see what we can do to help in dialogue and bring peaceful outcome to what you say is economic threat to this country.” While speaking on the looted fund stashed in British banks, the British High Commissioner assured that Britain is committed to her intention to return all looted funds from Nigeria back to the country. He said his country would follow the rule of law and also wait for the judiciary to take a decision on the matter before the loots could be re – directed to Nigeria, its “rightful place.” He said: “President Mohammadu Buhari made the same point when he was in London for Anti Corruption summit which my Prime Minister setup we need international action to fight corruption. “We need all the looted funds around the world, including United Kingdom to return to rightful place which is Nigeria, United Kingdom is doing everything we can to ensure that those funds are return to Nigeria. “We have no interest, no intention of keeping the money, we want it to go back to Nigeria, full stop.The issues is that you will understand that United Kingdom just like Nigeria, is a country which respect the rule of law. “We have independent judicial process, that judicial process need to run it course and we are doing what we can to help accelerate the return of the funds, if there are delays and issues surrounding that, these are delays related to judicial process. ” And have nothing to do with political will of the British government which my Prime Minister has made it clear and as i have said in the past Umited Kingdom wishes that the funds is return as soon as possible.” Meanwhile, the Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo has called for the resuscitation of the British Council Library in his domain as part of contribution of the United Kingdom educational development in the area. The traditional ruler recalled that the Library which has been in the town, has contributed immensely to the reading and learning culture among the young and the old. He however, lamented that the extinction of the library had brought education development backwards. He said “We want to request that as you go back, the British Council Library be restored so that the young one can learn more about the world. The monarch recalled that there had been an aged long relationship between Egba and the British, which was dated back to 1843, through Henry Townsend, “who brought a new Bible in 1904, after the first one got burnt. It was that period that we “Treaty of Friendship” by Egba United Government. Oba Adedotun added “in 1906, the British facilitated Electricity supply into Egba and it also included four key areas of monarchical form of government, education (western), military and cultural link. “During the military, we have some friends including France, British who gave us the wherewithal and logistic supports to win the battle in 1830. In education, you allowed us to produce the first medical doctor and engineer.”