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2023: Nigeria Now Ungovernable, Things Have Fallen Apart – Anglican Primate

Published

1 year ago

January 14, 2023

Editor

Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba has described the situation of Nigeria as worrisome.

The church leader spoke in Enugu on Saturday at the Good Shepherd Specialist Hospital, where he commissioned the Ear, Nose and Throat, ENT, Centre of the hospital.

DAILY POST reports that the hospital belongs to the Anglican Diocese of Enugu.

The function is part of the activities lined up for a thanksgiving service by the Archbishop of Enugu Province and Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma who is due for retirement next year.

The Primate said with the 2023 general elections a few weeks away, it was incumbent on the citizens to change the status quo.

“Every Nigerian is aware of something- that things have fallen apart; it is clear that the centre cannot hold, because those leading us politically now have one way or the other compromised the things that needed to be done for their own selfish or sensational interests

“Because of that, Nigeria has become ungovernable in terms of insecurity, hunger, poverty and sorts of things that have gone wrong,” he declared.

While blaming some of the country’s problems on sectionalization of leadership positions, Ndukuba urged politicians to place the interest of the country above self.

He said there could be no peace in the absence of justice.

According to him, “Even in the appointment of those who take care of the different sectors of the economy and all areas of government, look at when we talk of security, when we talk of economy, when we talk of education, when we talk of even water resources, you see the same group of people.

“This is a nation that is multicultural, multi-linguistic, multi-ethnic and multi-religious, yet a group, a section of this nation has hijacked everything.

“And it is the same people that will begin to cry woe tomorrow when other people do the same. I think ‘do unto others as you would want them do to you’ is a very wonderful principle, both in the scriptures and in dealing with one another.

“The way things have gone has not been for the good of the citizens of this nation; those in authority may have tried their best but in some cases, they lacked the political will to take the stand they should take in order to make things work and where there is no justice, there can never be peace, where some sections are oppressed, I believe that the country will not be healthy and that is what we have suffered so far.”

The Primate then charged the electorate to use their voting power and change the current state of things in the country.

“If you know that you have not liked the way things have gone, and you know that things can be better, this is the time everyone of us, citizens of Nigeria must get involved. Thank God for this opportunity for us to use the printing of our thumb to change the government.

“We want to urge our people, every citizen, go and collect your PVC and do not sell your PVC. February 25, go out and vote, vote for people, leaders that will be mindful of our plight, of our suffering, vote for credible people, vote for those who are not out there for what they will get; vote for those who will be touched by the plight of ordinary Nigerians.

“We are believing God that Nheria must change and get better. All of us have a role to play and this role, we must never fail. We will continue to pray but prayer is not enough.

“We are not voting for any party, we are voting for those who can stand; so no matter their party, what we want is a credible individual that will represent us well. Vote for people and not just party; don’t sell your vote,” he further stated.

He charged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, “to make sure that this election is fair and credible and handled in such a way that there will be fairness to all and the records will not be tampered with.”

He demanded that none of the key INEC officers should be changed “until this work is done and finished.

“We pray that God will give us such a peaceful election.

“As the politicians continue their campaigns, we are asking that they be mindful that the campaign should be on issues and policies, on things they will do.

“Although in Nigeria all of them are saying the same thing, we know those that can deliver; let us go for them. Remember what you have been through, let us use this opportunity to make a turn around and progress that will take us to the promised land.”

News

UBTH Gives Ultimatum To Owners Unclaimed Corpses

Published

1 hour ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

Management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) has given six weeks ultimatum to owners of the unclaimed corpses lying fallow and abandoned in its mortuary facility to come and move them out or face a mass burial.

The warning was contained in the hospital’s circular.

The management also said that the corpses, include both infants that have been in the mortuary since January 2023 and adults that have been there from April 2021 and December 2022.

“This is to inform the general public that the Management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH has concluded plans to dispose off all unclaimed Corpses that have been in the Hospital’s mortuary, which has been a home to several Corpses “for a very long time.

“Any unclaimed Corpse(s) at the expiration of six weeks period shall be disposed off through mass burial or any other manner considered appropriate”,the notice partly reads.

News

JUST IN: Labour Rejects FG’s N54,000 New Minimum Wage Offer, Talks Adjourned

Published

2 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

Meeting on the ongoing negotiations on new minimum wage has been adjourned till Wednesday after the organised labour rejected the new N54,000 minimum wage proposal by the Federal Government, a highly reliable source who attended the meeting told our correspondent on Wednesday.

According to The PUNCH the Federal Government had upped its offer from its earlier proposed N48,000 to N54,000.

Tuesday’s meeting came as a result of the walkout staged by members of the organised labour following the proposal of N48,000 as minimum wage by the Federal Government during last week’s meeting.

During that meeting, the OPS had also proposed N54,000 while labour insisted on its N615,000 living wage demand.

The PUNCH correspondent who spoke to sources who attended the follow-up meeting on Tuesday learnt that the Federal Government upped its offer from N48,000 to N54,000.

“Well, during the meeting, the government increased its offer from N48,000 to N54,000. However, labour rejected that offer and the meeting has been adjourned till Wednesday,” a source who asked not to be named said.

When asked if the government’s side was showing any sign of seriousness, the labour leader said, “No seriousness at all. Even state governors did not show up. Those who represented them, like Bauchi and Niger states, did not have the mandates to speak on their behalf.

“As regards the private sector, we did not get to them before the meeting was adjourned but we hope they also increase their initial offer.”

Organised labour on Monday reiterated its May 31, 2024 deadline for the implementation of the new minimum wage.

The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, insisted on N615,000 minimum wage, arguing that the amount was arrived at after an analysis of the current economic situation and the needs of an average Nigerian family of six.

He blamed the government and the OPS for the breakdown in negotiation, saying, “Despite earnest efforts to reach an equitable agreement, the less than reasonable action of the Government and the Organised Private Sector has led to a breakdown in negotiations.”

In a statement released at the end of the jointly held NEC meeting by the NLC and TUC which was signed by Joe Ajaero, NLC president and Festus Osifo, TUC president, the unions said they acknowledge the ongoing negotiations between the NLC/TUC, the Organised Private Sector and the Federal Government regarding the new national minimum wage.

While appreciating what they described as the efforts made thus far, the NLC and TUC emphasized the urgency of reaching a fair and equitable agreement that reflects the true value of Nigerian workers’ contributions to the nation’s development and the current crisis of survival facing Nigerians as a result of government’s policies.

They also affirmed commitment to ensuring that the interests and welfare of workers are adequately protected in the negotiation process.

President Bola Tinubu through Vice President Kashim Shettima, on January 30, 2024, inaugurated the 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage to come up with a new minimum wage ahead of the expiration of the current N30,000 wage on April 18.

With its membership cutting across federal and state governments, the private sector and organised labour, the panel is to recommend a new national minimum wage for the country.

During the inauguration of the panel, Shettima urged the members to “speedily” arrive at a resolution and submit their reports early.

“This timely submission is crucial to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage,” Shettima said.

In furtherance of its assignment, a zonal public hearing was held simultaneously on March 7 in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, and Abuja.

The NLC and the TUC in different states proposed various figures as a living wage, referencing the current economic crunch and the high costs of living.

In their different proposals on the minimum wage, the NLC members in the South-West states demanded N794,000 as the TUC suggested N447,000.

At the North-Central zonal hearing in Abuja, the workers demanded N709,000 as the new national minimum wage, while their counterparts in the South-South clamoured for N850,000.

In the North-West, N485,000 was proposed, while the South-East stakeholders demanded N540,000 minimum wage.

But organised labour settled for N615,000 as a living wage.

News

JUST IN: CBN Raises Interest Rate To 26.25%

Published

4 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria has increased the benchmark interest rate to 26.25 per cent.

This was disclosed by the Governor of the CBN who doubles as the Chairman of the MPC at the end of the 295th MPC meeting held in Abuja.

At the March MPC meeting, the benchmark rate had been increased by 200 basis points from 22.75 per cent to 24.75 per cent.

The MPC has maintained a hawkish stance since it resumed meetings this year in a bid to tackle Nigeria’s persistent inflation.

As of April, Nigeria’s inflation rate had risen to 33.69 per cent.

A number of analysts have projected a rate hike while some suggested that the apex bank may consider a hold stance as the growth rate of inflation moderated month-on-month.

Details later…