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Pensioners demand payment of accrued rights

Prince Odutola1 month ago1 month ago03 mins

Concerned by the deteriorating conditions of NUP/CPS Retirees in Nigeria, Stakeholders have pleaded with the Federal Government to release funds for the payment of accrued rights portion of retirees’ pension benefits. The Stakeholders, majorly Pensioners from Federal and Lagos State governments, under NUP/CPS Lagos State Chapter and Lagos Sector stated this in a communique issued in Lagos on Tuesday. The Group accused the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein for the refusal to release funds for payment of accrued rights as appropriated by the National Assembly in 2023 and 2024 Budgets. The Stakeholders also claimed Federal government is yet to pay outstanding accrued rights, arising from Pension increment of 2007, 2010 and consequential adjustment of 2019, which includes 20% – 28% increase of 2024 as well as the approved N32,000.00 pension increase across board, arising from the current minimum wage of N70,000.00. The Stateholders also demand the implementation of three months palliatives to Pensioners by the Federal Government. “Denial of Pensioners of the National Health Insurance Scheme NHIS,and that the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, from inception in 2004,is a disaster, a one-chance Agenda, in which Nigerian workers wereblindfolded to accept. “The Stakeholders condemned in strong terms, the withholding ofpension money of CPS Retirees by African Alliance Insurance, AAI asthey have resorted to eating crumbs on the table. “To avert a nation-wide protest, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is urged to take Executive action by directing release of funds for payment of outstanding accrued rights and pension increment to CPS Retirees in nodistant time. “Taking into account, the Pension Reform Act of 2004 and 2014, theStakeholders demand fairness and equity from PENCOM for all CPSRetirees and call for a review of the Pension Reform Act.” They commended Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu forapproving the payment of accrued interest for CPS Retirees in the stateand urged him to actualize it to enable them enjoy the yuletide period.

Nigerians without insurance coverage to get FG’s financial protection

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago04 mins

The Federal Government has initiated a strategy to provide financial protection for millions of Nigerians who are currently without insurance coverage. The initiative, which marks the first major implementation phase of the recently signed Aso Accord, brings together the nation’s top financial and insurance regulators in a collaboration to transform Nigeria’s insurance landscape. Speaking at a roundtable meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, said outcomes of the roundtable will be presented to the National Economic Council (NEC). “This marks the first time insurance is being formally recognised as a critical financial service in Nigeria’s economic framework,” he stated. Sen. Hadejia explained that financial inclusion through insurance is an economic imperative, saying, “We cannot build a resilient economy while leaving millions of our citizens financially exposed. “Financial inclusion, particularly through insurance access, serves as the crucial driver that will propel Nigeria toward sustainable economic growth,” he added. Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Technical at the National Insurance Commission, Dr. Jankara Usman, outlined the transformative potential of the initiative for Nigeria. He said, “Through inclusive insurance, we can provide tailored, affordable products that promote financial readiness and advance social well-being.” Dr Usman quoted a World Bank data that paints a stark picture of financial vulnerability in the region, revealing that only two out of five adults in sub-Saharan Africa can raise $35 within 30 days. “In Nigeria, insurance penetration remains at a concerning 3.3%, significantly below global standards,” he said. In his remarks, Technical Advisor to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion, Dr. Nurudeen Zauro @nazauro, said the meeting demonstrates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s @officialABAT administration’s commitment to the insurance sector. He explained that the government has established a monitoring framework to ensure effective implementation of the decisions made during the roundtable, with a specific focus on forming specialised committees for financial control, developing risk management programmes for smallholder farmers, fostering public-private partnerships, strengthening inter-agency collaboration and simplifying processes for innovative insurance products. The roundtable produced several innovative proposals aimed at expanding insurance access, including enabling insurance purchases through mobile phone airtime, development of specialised micro-insurance products for low-income segments, integration of blockchain technology for insurance delivery and creation of digital platforms specifically for agricultural insurance coverage The initiative has garnered widespread support from major institutions, including the Nigeria Insurance Association (NIA), National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and various other regulatory bodies.

EndBadGovernance: SERAP hands Tinubu ultimatum to release arrested kids

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago01 mins

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued the Federal Government 48 hours deadline to release malnourished children that were arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protest in August. The organisation stated this on its X handle on Sunday. “We’ve given the Tinubu administration 48 hours to release the hungry, malnourished children and other #EndBadGovernance protesters from arbitrary detention, or face legal action. “These children ought to be in school, and not languishing in detention,” SERAP stated.

Tinubu places limitations on Ministers

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago02 mins

President Bola Tinubu has restricted Ministers, Ministers of State, and Heads of Agencies of the Federal Government to a maximum of three vehicles in their official convoys. No additional vehicles will be assigned to them for movement. The cost-cutting measure was announced on Thursday in a statement signed by the President. In January this year, President Tinubu took significant steps to reduce government expenditure by reducing his entourage on foreign trips from 50 to 20 officials. For local trips, he reduced it to 25 officials. He similarly reduced the Vice President’s entourage to five officials on foreign trips and 15 for local trips. In the directive issued today, President Tinubu also ordered all ministers, ministers of state, and heads of agencies to have at most five security personnel attached to them. The security team will comprise four police officers and one Department of State Services (DSS) officer. No additional security personnel will be assigned, he ordered. Tinubu instructed the National Security Adviser to engage with the Military, Paramilitary and Security Agencies to determine a suitable reduction in their vehicle and security personnel deployment. All affected officials are expected to comply with these new measures immediately, underscoring the urgency and seriousness of these changes.

Subsidy: Tinubu reels out gains in governance

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago05 mins

Here are the gains Nigeria has achieved and what the President Tinubu-led government has been able to actualize from the removal of Fuel Subsidy among other ongoing reforms in the country… Economic Gains: Investment Gains: Transparency and Accountability Gains: Energy Sector Gains: Social Gains: Environmental Gains: Overall: These gains demonstrate the positive impact of fuel subsidy removal on Nigeria’s economy, energy sector, and society. It has been a challenging year so far, but it must be said that so much progress has been made in the bid to reposition the economy for a sustainable future.

Stop misusing DSS, proxies to silence us, SERAP tells Tinubu govt

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago011 mins

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu and his government “to stop the ‘weaponization’ of the country’s security agencies to target Nigerians simply for the peaceful exercise of their human rights, and to direct the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately withdraw the baseless defamation lawsuit by their proxies against our organization and management staff.” Two named DSS officials last week filed a defamation lawsuit against SERAP, following allegations by the organization regarding the recent invasion of its Abuja office by some officials of the security agency. In the open letter dated 19 October 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “We are seriously concerned that your government seems to be weaponizing the DSS and misusing defamation laws as a tool of repression and to target those who defend human rights.” SERAP said, “Rather than addressing the allegations of widespread corruption in the oil sector and the worsening economic situation in the country, and reducing the cost of governance, your government is targeting those who campaign for actions in these areas.” The letter, read in part: “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are immediately taken following the receipt and/or publication of this letter. “If the lawsuit is not immediately withdrawn, we will be prepared to defend our organization and management staff in court, and to join your government and DSS in the lawsuit. This may include calling witnesses to ensure justice, end impunity for rights abuses, and achieve legitimate public interests in this matter. “We have since 2004 pursued several public interest cases against the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari. This is the first time any government will weaponize the country’s security agencies to intimidate and target our organization. “The defamation lawsuit is brought by two named DSS officials but their names are unknown to our organization. The lawsuit by these officials is apparently instigated and sponsored by the DSS under your watch. “It is critical for human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other citizens to be able to organize and freely exercise their human rights without the threat of baseless lawsuits by your government or its security agencies and/or their proxies. “Weaponizing the security agencies to intimidate, harass and silence human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other civil society actors will weaken representative democracy, deepen impunity and undermine the rule of law. “Rather misusing the security agencies to crackdown on human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other civil society actors, your government ought to take steps to thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigate the allegations raised by SERAP. “We are disappointed that your government has so far failed to respond to our recommendations calling on you to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to immediately reverse the apparently illegal and unconstitutional increase in the pump price of petrol across its retail outlets. “Your government has also failed to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC, including the spending of the reported $300 million ‘bailout funds’ collected from the Federal Government in August 2024, and the $6 billion debt it owes suppliers, despite allegedly failing to remit oil revenues to the treasury and to prosecute suspected perpetrators. “Your government also continues to refuse to obey several court judgments obtained by SERAP, including those which ordered the Federal Government to disclose the details of the agreement with X, formerly Twitter, to assess whether the agreement complies with the exercise of Nigerians’ human rights online and to account for payments of N729 billion to 24.3 million poor Nigerians for six months. “SERAP had on 9 September 2024 also called on you and your government to direct the DSS to end the intimidation and harassment of our organization and our staff members. “Our call followed the invasion of our Abuja office by some officials of the DSS. SERAP was subsequently served with a defamation lawsuit with number CV/4547/24. “The country under your government has witnessed an escalating crackdown on human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and media freedom, as well as socio-economic rights. “The judicial harassment of those who peacefully defend human rights is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations. “Under your government, human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other civil society actors such as the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) continue to face harassment, intimidation, and arbitrary detention simply for carrying out their legitimate work. “The judicial harassment of SERAP by your government and its agencies shows hostility towards civil society actors defending the rights of other citizens, criticizing human rights violations, and challenging a culture of impunity for perpetrators. “SERAP therefore urges your government to end the intimidation, harassment and threats against our organization and management staff and other human rights defenders, activists as well as journalists and other civil society actors, including intimidation, through baseless legal processes. “SERAP strives to ensure that our human rights and anticorruption work meet the highest standards of analytical rigor devoid of politics. Our work is driven solely by the fundamental principles of justice, impartiality, solidarity and universality of human rights. SERAP believes that no government is beyond scrutiny and accountability. “SERAP’s non-partisan work in the field of human rights and anticorruption has been widely recognized nationally and internationally. Our organization received the Wole Soyinka Anti-Corruption Defender Award in 2014, and was nominated for the UN Civil Society Award and Ford Foundation’s Jubilee Transparency Award. SERAP was also nominated for the 2024 Columbia Global Freedom of Expression Prizes. “Our organization’s calls on your government regarding the persistent increases in fuel prices and allegations of corruption in the NNPC are based on the constitutional and international responsibilities of your government to Nigerians who are victims of corruption, and your constitutional oath of office. “SERAP believes that it is through action like this that any…

Shettima embarks on 2-day visit to Sweden

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago03 mins

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, will depart Abuja for Sweden on a 2-day visit to represent Nigeria in bilateral engagements with the Scandinavian nation. At the instance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Vice President, during the working visit, will engage in high-level bilateral talks with key government officials, including a meeting with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and the Swedish Prime Minister. Senator Shettima will use the visit to explore opportunities for strengthened collaboration between Nigeria and Sweden in areas such as ICT, innovation, education, digitalisation, sustainable transport, mining, and agriculture. He will also meet with key stakeholders in both the Government and Private Sector. The Vice President will also meet with Norrsken, a Stockholm-based venture capital impact investor, which recently launched Norrsken22, a USD 205 million tech investment fund for Africa. Norrsken22 is a technology growth fund, backed by over 30 prominent unicorn founders, partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs building Africa’s next tech giants. The meeting with Norrsken will provide insights into how Nigerian entrepreneurs can benefit from this fund and further strengthen the technology ecosystem in Nigeria. Notably, 40% of the investments from Norrsken22 are expected to be allocated to Nigerian technology entrepreneurs. Twelve (12) Nigerian private sector companies that are doing business with Sweden are going independently as a private sector bloc. While in Sweden, VP Shettima is also expected to articulate Nigeria’s economic vision and the reforms being undertaken by the administration to create a business-friendly environment in Nigeria for investors. The myriad of opportunities that abound in Africa’s largest economy will also be showcased. The Vice President is expected back in the country on Saturday.

NLC condemns increase in petroleum pump price

Prince Odutola2 months ago2 months ago03 mins

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd). NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajero stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday. The statement reads; “We are dismayed by the latest increase in the pump price of petrol. “It looks like the only thing this government is known for is increase in the pump price of petrol without commensurate capacity of Nigerians or mitigatory measures. “Even following the logic of market forces , we find it an aberration that a private company (NNPCL) is the one fixing prices and projecting itself as a hegemonic monopoly. “We challenge the government to go to the drawing board and present us with a blueprint for an inclusive economic growth and national development instead of this spasmodic ad hocism and palliative policy. “It needs no stating the fact that the latest wave of increase has grossly altered the calculations of Nigerians once again at a time they were reluctantly coming to terms with their new realities. “It will further deepen poverty as production capacities dip, more jobs lost with multidimensional negative effects. “In light of this, we urge the government to immediately reverse this rate hike as previous increases did not produce any good result. People only got poorer. “But more fundamentally, the government should be bold enough to tell Nigerians in advance the destination it wants to take the country.” The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) on Wednesday increased the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as Petrol of fuel from N855 to N998 per litre. It was gathered that the increment has been initiated across all NNPC Ltd filling stations. The new development is a 12.7% or N113 increase from the initial price.