News

Subsidy: Salary Payment Unlikely After June, Says Obaseki

Published

2 years ago

May 2, 2023

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, said the Federal Government might not be able to pay workers’ salaries beyond June 2023 without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy.

Obaseki disclosed this while delivering his address during the 2023 May Day celebration with the theme, “Workers’ rights and socio-economic justice,” held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City.

The governor, who reassured the workers that his government would sustain reforms and projects to improve the welfare of workers and ensure better livelihoods for the Edo people, urged the workers in the country to shift from the tradition of reacting after policies that affect them have already been made.

He therefore charged the workers to hold governments accountable for their policies and programmes.

Obaseki said, “It would be a miracle for the Federal Government and state governments to pay salaries beyond June this year without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy. Either of these decisions will bring more hardship and pain to Nigerians, particularly workers.

“We must all make sure that the burden and pain of these measures, which must be taken, are not carried by workers alone. Workers must now rise and ensure that they champion any discussion on subsidy removal. You must shift from the tradition of reacting when these policies have been made but insist that you take charge and ensure full transparency and disclosure. If we are all undertaking a reform, then the benefits and pains that will come out of the reforms must be mutually shared by all Nigerians, not just the downtrodden.”

Reaffirming his government’s commitment to the welfare of workers in the state, Obaseki noted, “I am proud to say that Edo workers are currently the best-paid workers in Nigeria. When we announced the increment of the minimum wage to N40,000 at this venue last year, I expected that the Federal Government and other state governments would follow suit immediately but I am surprised that it has taken them one year already.

“My promise to Edo workers here today is that the day the federal government is able to pay its new minimum wage and hand over a cheque to any federal worker, that day, we will match the federal government and do the same for state workers.

“As your governor, I will ensure that workers are fairly treated so that your take-home pay can really take you home. Our government has kept faith with prompt and regular payment of staff salaries and retirees’ benefits in the State in the last six years.

“As a tradition, salaries are paid latest on the 26th day of every month and for any holiday celebrations, our workers are paid before the celebration so that they have money to celebrate.”

He added, “We currently do not owe arrears of promotion in Edo State because I have approved the promotion of all staff for 2022 which I believe will boost the morale of staff and the performance of our workers.”

Hailing the workers’ contributions to the growth and development of the state, the governor stated, “Our vision is to make Edo State the best place to work and live in Nigeria.”

He explained, “I appreciate the sacrifices of our workers and their unwavering dedication and zeal as these have led to the growth and development of our dear State in the last six years despite the difficulty suffered following the poor management of the nation by the Federal Government.

“Our workers are the unsung heroes of society and the engine that powers our economy and we will continue to prioritize your welfare. This is why we will continue to embark on a series of reforms to boost your morale and productivity, ensuring the right incentives and enabling the environment to deliver quality service to Edo people. This is in addition to the reforms we have embarked on in education, healthcare, technology, economy, agriculture, and many other sectors.”

He added, “We are investing in Infrastructure to provide our workers with a modern, more equipped, and dignified work environment to enable them to become more productive and deliver quality service to our people.

“We are installing fiber optic cables across all local governments so that government offices will now have an Internet connection. The John Odigie Oyegun Service Academy is the best in Africa and is being effectively used daily to train our workers to make them the best in Africa.”

News

BREAKING: Council Of State Approves New INEC Chairman

Published

2 hours ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

The National Council of State has unanimously approved the appointment of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

This was contained in a statement posted on X by the President’s aide, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday.

President Bola Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name to the Council during its meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday. The appointment follows the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who completed his 10-year tenure in October 2025.

Tinubu told the Council that Amupitan, a 58-year-old Professor of Law from Kogi State, is the first person from the North-Central state to be nominated for the position.

More details later…

News

Full List: UI Dethrones Covenant University In Latest Rankings

Published

2 hours ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

The University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State, has been ranked Nigeria’s best university in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.

The ranking, released on Thursday via THE’s official website, placed UI within the 801–1,000 band globally—reclaiming a position it last held in 2023. The institution moved up from fourth place in the 2025 rankings to surpass Covenant University, which had topped the list in 2024 and 2025.

THE evaluated of 2,191 institutions from 115 countries based on 18 performance indicators grouped under five key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook.

Following UI in Nigeria’s ranking are the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Bayero University, Kano (BUK), and Covenant University (CU), ranked second, third, and fourth, respectively.

The 2026 global ranking also reflected a changing higher education landscape, drawing on 174.9 million citations from 18.7 million research publications and survey responses from over 108,000 scholars worldwide.

Among Nigerian universities, UNILAG achieved the highest score in research quality, with 66.7 points. BUK ranked best for international outlook, while Covenant University led in industry engagement.

Of the 51 Nigerian universities featured in the 2026 ranking, only UI and UNILAG were placed within the 801–1,000 band. BUK, CU, and Landmark University were ranked between 1,001–1,200, while Ahmadu Bello University, Federal University of Technology Minna, University of Ilorin, University of Jos, and University of Nigeria Nsukka fell within the 1,201–1,500 range.

Additionally, 14 Nigerian universities were placed above 1,500, while 27 institutions were listed as “not ranked.”

THE is a globally recognised independent organisation that provides data and insights on higher education performance.

Universities are considered for the rankings if they teach undergraduates, produce multidisciplinary research, and have published at least 1,000 research papers between 2020 and 2024, with a minimum of 100 annually.

See the full list below:

1. University of Ibadan (801–1000)

2. University of Lagos (801–1000)

3. Bayero University (1001–1200)

4. Covenant University (1001–1200)

5. Landmark University (1001–1200)

6. Ahmadu Bello University (1201–1500)

7. Federal University of Technology, Minna (1201–1500)

8. University of Ilorin (1201–1500)

9. University of Jos (1201–1500)

10. University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1201–1500)

11. Babcock University (1501+)

12.Delta State University, Abraka (1501+)

13. Ekiti State University (1501+)

14. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (1501+)

15. Federal University of Technology, Akure (1501+)

16. Federal University of Technology, Owerri (1501+)

17. Federal University Oye-Ekiti (1501+)

18. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (1501+)

19. Lagos State University (1501+)

20. Nnamdi Azikiwe University (1501+)

21. Obafemi Awolowo University (1501+)

22. University of Benin (1501+)

23. University of Calabar (1501+)

24. University of Port Harcourt (1501+)

25. Admiralty University of Nigeria

26. Akwa Ibom State University

27. Al-Hikmah University

28. Augustine University

29. Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti

30. Bauchi State University, Gadau

31. Bayelsa Medical University

32. Baze University

33. Bells University of Technology

34. Bowen University

35. Evangel University, Akaeze

36. Federal University of Lafia

37. Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun

38. Fountain University

39. Godfrey Okoye University

40. Igbinedion University Okada

41. Kaduna State University

42. Lagos State University of Education

43. Lagos State University of Science and Technology

44. Lead City University

45. Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria

46. Nasarawa State University, Keffi

47. Redeemer’s University

48. Rivers State University

49. Thomas Adewumi University

50. University of Cross River State

51. University of Delta.

News

Elon Musk Joins ‘Cancel Netflix’ Campaign

Published

2 hours ago

October 9, 2025

Editor

Elon Musk has urged his 227 million social media followers to cancel their Netflix subscriptions, accusing the streaming platform of promoting what he describes as transgender propaganda.

In his latest culture war campaign, the Tesla tycoon joined a trend launched by conservative social media account Libs of TikTok that cited the animated series “Dead End: Paranormal Park” and Netflix’s corporate diversity efforts as a cause for dropping the streaming service.

The show’s creator, Hamish Steele, is accused of making social media remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September that were seen by conservatives online as disrespectful and led to the backlash.

Netflix’s shares fell two percent on Wednesday when the controversy gained traction and were down as much as another two percent Thursday on Wall Street.

“Cancel Netflix,” Musk wrote in a Wednesday post on X, the platform he owns, quoting another post made by Libs of TikTok.

That post shared screenshots of a Netflix company report that said it had increased the number of non-white directors and lead actors on its programs.

In a later post on the issue, Musk encouraged his followers to “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids.”
Steele addressed the controversy in a few Bluesky posts that have since been deleted: “It’s all lies and slander!”

Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, has a personal connection to transgender issues. His eldest daughter, Vivian
Jenna Wilson, publicly transitioned in 2022 and legally changed both her name and gender identity.

Musk has claimed his child was “killed” by the “woke mind virus” instilled at an elite California school.