News

Blackout: Corpses In Army Mortuaries Decomposing, COAS Laments

Published

3 months ago

February 23, 2024

Editor

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has appealed for the liquidation of the N42bn electricity debt of the Nigerian Army following the disconnection of various Army barracks and cantonments by power distribution companies.

Lagbaja also revealed that the blackouts in barracks had led to the decomposition of corpses in Army mortuaries, a development that had warranted protests by owners of the corpses.

The Army chief made the appeal when he visited the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, in Abuja, where the minister told him that the debt would be restructured and not written off.

Lagbaja, in a statement issued in Abuja by the media aide to the power minister, Bolaji Tunji, said the main reason for his visit was to discuss the consequences of the power outage in Army formations and the way forward.

He regretted that some barracks and cantonments had been in total blackout since January.

He was quoted as saying, “Debt owed is loaded on the meter, so no matter the amount of credit we put, the meters pick it automatically. Corpses in the Army mortuaries are decomposing and the owners of the corpses are protesting.”

According to the statement, “he (Lagbaja) further stated that the army couldn’t raise funds to pay the entire debt, as he solicited liquidation as was done in 2005 by the then President.”

He also described blackouts in army barracks and cantonments as security threats.

Meanwhile, the Army chief assured the minister of the Army’s unflinching support towards developing intelligent strategies in curbing the menace of electricity infrastructure vandalism.

Responding, Adelabu assured the Nigerian Army of his readiness to dialogue with the power distribution companies to relieve the Nigerian Army of its electricity debt burden amounting to N42bn.

He reiterated the importance of liquidity and funding in the power sector, adding that the debt could not be written off.

Adelabu told his guest that he would intervene to restructure the debt payment if there was assurance of regular payments by the Nigerian Army.

He further revealed that the debts owed by power distribution and generating companies were not the only challenges bedevilling the power sector.

According to the minister, the vandalism of power infrastructure, which often leads to national grid collapse, theft, inefficiency in billing and collection process, poor metering gap, liquidity, shortage in gas supply, transmission stations being blown up with explosives in volatile areas, were all part of the issues being experienced in the power sector.

“The fundamental issues in the power sector value chain could be traced back to the last 50 years and a government that is barely eight months old cannot use a magic wand to proffer a solution. There is a saying that you won’t know what is happening in Rome until you get to Rome,” he stated.

The minister said power outages were not peculiar to army barracks but a national issue, adding that the Discos and Gencos were profit-oriented organisations.

“We can only plead with them to adopt a repayment plan monthly instead of embedding the whole debt in their meter,” Adelabu stated.

He charged the army to continue assisting the ministry in safeguarding power facilities across the country and pledged to seek collaboration for the army through any of the development partners for the installation of solar PVs and Battery Energy Storage Systems as alternative power supply sources in army barracks and cantonments.

A lot of government agencies and parastatals owe power distribution several billions of naira in electricity debts that have continued to drag on for years.

On February 20, 2024, The PUNCH reported that no fewer than 86 ministries, agencies, and departments of government were owing the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company to the tune of N47bn.

A public notice by the management of AEDC listed the Presidential Villa as owing the Disco the sum of N923.9m; National Security Adviser, N95.9m; Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory being supervised by Nyesom Wike, N7.57bn, while Adelabu’s Ministry of Power owed N78m.

In the notice, AEDC said it would be constrained to list the names of MDAs with “long outstanding unpaid bills for services rendered to them through the provision of electricity supply in that our previous attempts to make them honour their obligations have not been achieved the desired result.”

The power firm had threatened to disconnect the MDAs in 10 days should they fail to pay their debts.

News

JUST IN: NLC To Picket Turkish Airline

Published

10 mins ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The national secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress has ordered its members in Lagos State to shut down Turkish Airlines in the state on Tuesday over the sacking of seven of its members.

The NLC stated that it would ensure the picketing of the airlines until its management reinstates the affected workers.

According to an NLC statement signed by the union’s General Secretary, Chris Uyot, on Monday, the NLC noted that seven of its members working with the airlines were sacked for unionising under the umbrella of the National Union of Air Transport Employees.

In April, NUATE threatened to picket airlines operating in the country after they had refused their staff the opportunity to join trade unions of their choice.

NUATE said such an act was against labour law for some airlines to make employment conditional upon not joining a trade union, adding that those who threaten workers with sacks, if they join unions, are working against Nigerian laws.

Aside from the seven persons earlier sacked, the NLC noted that it has gathered that the airline is attempting to lay off four other members of the union.

“By the above action of unjustifiable dismissal of their workers, the management of Turkish Airlines has put to waste 10-14 years of service. And this fate has befallen these hapless workers purely on account of exercising their constitutional rights to belong to a trade union. Congress will not tolerate this situation.

“Therefore, the Lagos State Council of NLC is hereby directed to commence picketing of Turkish Airlines in Lagos with effect from Tuesday 21st May 2024 until all staff of Turkish Airlines who have been sacked, dismissed, forced to abandon duty, or forced to resign under duress, including those victimised for their union membership in 2020, have been fully restored to their jobs without any losses of any kind.

“All affiliate unions in aviation are particularly charged to mobilise heavily for the picketing action without fail, please.” the union’s statement read partly.

Meanwhile, the union further stated that the Federal Capital Territory Council would be standing by in case “the need arises to escalate the matter to the Abuja airport.”

News

Edo Govt Presents Confirmation Letters To 200 Education Managers

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government has confirmed the appointment of 200 Education Managers into the State Civil and Public Service to strengthen its workforce and ensure effective service delivery.

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Ozavize Salami, said this during a one-day engagement with over 400 education managers including education Secretaries and other basic education sector managers drawn from the 18 local government areas in the State, at the New Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City.

She noted that over the last quarter, SUBEB had an increase in students’ enrolment following engagement with different stakeholders in various communities, which led to an addition of 50,000 pupils in just over a term.

While presenting some of the confirmation letters to the beneficiaries, she said the State values performance and would continue to reward those who work hard.

The SUBEB Executive Chairman commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for his unwavering support for Edo SUBEB to undertake deep-rooted reform of the basic education sector.

Salami said the government has over the years, worked on ensuring the sustainability of the reforms of the basic education sector, noting: “As part of that sustainability plan, we employed and brought into the Edo State Civil Service Education Managers in the first phase of the EdoBEST programme, which kicked-off in 2018.

“In 2020, 200 staff were employed to strengthen that function. Two years later, many of them have completed their probation period as required by the Civil Service and today, we have given them their confirmation letters.”

Salami commended the education managers across the 18 local government areas of the State for the successes recorded in the enrolment of students in EdoBEST programme.

She noted: “Our success today has been made possible because we have the political will and backing of Governor Godwin Obaseki. EdoBEST has been stabilized over the years and the programme is working in Edo State.”

News

Oba Of Benin Accuses EFCC Of Corruption

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II has alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is aiding crimes in the country.

The monarch made the allegations when he received the new Benin Zonal Director of EFCC, Effa Okim in his Palace in Benin on Monday.

He cited a case involving unnamed former palace officials who were left off the hook after they were arrested for fraud and handed over to EFCC in Benin for investigation and prosecution.

The Oba alleged that some EFCC operatives allegedly handled the case with kid gloves, which led to the release of the culprits a few years ago.

The monarch, who did not name the palace officials, expressed shock that the EFCC investigators allegedly swept glaring evidence of fraud against them (the palace officials) under the carpet.

While tasking the commission to fight crime without fear or favour, the Oba added, “We want to draw your attention to one or two grey areas in your operations”.

“No matter how much you try to support the EFFC from the palace, It is very difficult because they seem to listen to other parties. What I have been told is that they take instructions from the highest bidder.

“You know that I have been known for speaking the truth. I was not happy about certain things that happened with your predecessor.

“We get news from everywhere. We try to assist the EFCC. I even wrote a letter to the then-chairman who was removed from office.

“I even sent an emissary to talk to him regarding certain elements in Edo State, particularly the palace.

“How can EFCC operatives, especially, the lady who handled the case I cited earlier behave like that? If I was asked to comment on her performance, I would score her zero. I do not know if she was doing an EFCC job or just dancing to the tunes of people who were giving her money.

“At the time we were trying to assist EFCC, the report we kept getting was negative and I was not happy about it,” Oba Ewuare II added.

The monarch, however, said the newly appointed Chairman of EFCC, Olanipekun Olukayode is on the path to greatness if he continues to demonstrate fidelity in his duties.

He also pledged the palace’s support to the state government in addressing social inequality and reducing social vices.

Earlier in his address, Okim appealed to the Oba to support advocacy against financial crimes with Edo State ranking second behind Lagos State in the financial crime index in the country.

Recalling the historical ties between his state of origin, Cross River and Edo State, he solicited prayers and royal blessings to enable him to discharge his duties diligently.