Senate extends retirement age of NASS staff to 65.

Senate extends retirement age of NASS staff to 65.

The Senate on Thursday, February 29, passed a Bill that seeks to add five years to the retirement age of staff of the National Assembly Service.

If the Bill is signed into law, staff of the National Assembly Service would now retire at age 65 years instead of 60 years and 40 years in service instead of 35 years.

The Bill titled: “A Bill for an Act to Make Provisions for the Retirement Age of Staff of National Assembly Service and for Other Related Matters, 2024,” transmitted to the Senate from the House of Representatives for concurrence was last week stepped down by the red chamber to allow for further consultation.

In reintroducing the Bill, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said the needed consultations had been done and the Bill was now fit for passage.

The Nation earlier reported that there was tension among staff of the National Assembly over the planned extension of the tenure of the current Clerk, Sani Magaji Tambawal, and over 200 staff due for retirement in November this year would have their tenures extended by five years.

However, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), in a statement in Abuja endorsed the Bill.

Wike approves promotion of 8,785 FCTA staff.

Wike approves promotion of 8,785 FCTA staff.

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has approved the promotion of 8,785 Staff of the FCT Administration.

The Ag. Permanent Secretary of Federal Capital Territory Administration, Udo Samuel Atang, who disclosed this on Thursday, said 8,785 personnel, who sat for the promotion examination and passed were promoted to the next rank under the Public Service Rules.

Accordingly, out of the 9,710 Officers that participated in the process, 8,785 were successful and promoted to their next Grade Level.

The breakdown of the promotion shows that out of 9,710 Officers across the various Secretariats, Departments, and Agencies (SDAs) that participated in the 2023 Examination Exercise, 925 were unsuccessful.

Further analysis shows that out of the 3,924 eligible Officers of Common Services Departments that took part in the examination, 3,295 Staff were promoted.

Similarly, out of the 933 Professional and Technical Officers who participated in the examination, 918 were promoted; while out of the 1,179 Health Officers, who sat for the examination,1,144 were elevated.

According to a statement by the Director of Information & Communication, FCT, Muhammad Hazat Sule said: “Consequently, out of the 3,674 Education Officers and Assistant Education Officers that participated in the exercise, 3,428 were promoted.

“Atang, who commended the FCT Minister for his prompt approval, revealed that the approval for the promotion by the Minister came within 24hrs upon submission.

“He noted that the Minister recognizes the commitments and hard work of the Staff and encourages them to double their efforts in the service to the FCT Administration and the fatherland.

“The Acting Permanent Secretary, therefore, urged all Staff of the Administration to reciprocate the Minister’s kind gesture by supporting the leadership of the Administration to deliver on Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the Ministerial Performance Bond for Presidential Priorities and Deliverables.”

Reps to present amended 1999 Constitution to Tinubu for assent in August 2025.

Reps to present amended 1999 Constitution to Tinubu for assent in August 2025.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) said on Thursday, February 29, that the first draft of the amended 1999 Constitution will be ready by August 2024, saying the House is expected to adopt the final copy of the document in May 2025.

Kalu, who heads the House Constitution Review Committee, said at a press conference that a clean copy of the resolutions of the National Assembly is expected to be available for concurrence by the state Assembly between May 29 and June 13, 2025.

The Deputy Speaker, who outlined the committee’s road map for the Constitution review, said the House will embark on a zonal hearing to collate views of Nigerians in October 2024.

He added that the views collated by the House will be harmonised with the Senate Committee at a technical retreat scheduled for between February 27 and 28, 2025

He said further that the Harmonised document from the retreat will be presented before the House in March 2025, while members will vote on the bills agreed on at that committee level by the 22nd of May, 2025.

Kalu emphasised that the House set a December 2025 deadline for completion of its assignment so that issues being debated will not be tainted with political consideration and delays.

He also announced the appointment of consultants that will assist the committee in carrying out its assignment.

He said the House is working towards presenting the amended Constitution to the President for his assent by August 2025, to give home ample time to study the amendments.

Kalu said memoranda was being expected from Executive and Judicial bodies, State Governments, Women Groups, Academics, Civil Society Organizations, Labour Unions, Professional bodies, Ethnic Nationalities, Nigerians in the Diaspora, Diplomats and the general public.

He said memoranda was expected from Nigerians in the area of the Federal Structure and Power Devolution, Local Government Autonomy, Public Revenue, Fiscal Federation, and Revenue Allocation of Nigerian Police and Nigerian Security Architecture and Comprehensive Judicial Reforms.

They are also expecting memoranda on Electoral Reforms to strengthen INEC to deliver transparent, credible, free and fair elections, Socio-economic and cultural rights as contained in Chapter 2 of the constitution, Traditional Institutions, Issues of Gender, Strengthening the Independence of oversight institutions and agencies created by the constitution or according to an Act of the National Assembly.

It also includes Residency and Indigene Provisions, Immunity, the National Assembly Process of state creation and State access to mining and other matters that will promote good governance and the welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of freedom, Equality, and Justice.

Cement price hike: NIQS throws support for importation.

Cement price hike: NIQS throws support for importation.

.…Hail Tinubu for clampdown of BDC operators over forex.

President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Kene Nzekwe has thrown his support behind the federal government‘s threat to cement manufacturers to open the borders for cement importation in the country if they fail to reduce cement prices.

He said presently, cement manufacturers are holding the country to ransom with about a 100 percent to 150 percent increase in price within just six weeks.

Nzekwe advised the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Dangiwa to not just threaten the manufacturers but work on opening the borders to importation if the manufacturers refuse to play ball.

The President said inflation is part of economic cycles but what Nigeria is currently facing is hyperinflation, which is an uncontrollable surge in general price levels.

He made the statement yesterday in Abuja at a press conference organised by the Institute on addressing the impact of hyperinflation on the Nigerian construction industry: the urgent need for government intervention for stabilizing construction costs in Nigeria.

He said: “We support the Minister’s threat to cement manufacturers in the country about opening the border for importation and we hope it goes beyond threats and the government actually does it because the manufacturers are holding Nigeria to ransom.

“The price of cement, using a 50kg bag as an indicator, between January 2024 and February 2024 a period of about six weeks, has increased from N4,500 to between N12,000-N13,000. This is an increase of between 100% to 150%. Reinforcement steel rods, another major material for construction moved from around N590,000 -N650,000 per ton as of January 2024 to N1,200,000 -N1,400,000 as of February 2024 an increase of over 100% in a short run of less than six weeks.

“This ugly trend is making it more difficult for prospective clients to afford construction projects and has forced many projects to stall, pushing contractors into financial distress. The repercussions extend beyond stalled projects; it impedes the development of crucial infrastructure such as roads, hospitals, and educational facilities. Private sector investors are also reluctant, creating an adverse cycle that hampers economic growth and job losses in the construction Industry.”

He added: “On stabilizing the exchange rate, the government must employ a mix of monetary policies and exchange rate policies to stabilise the exchange rate, making our currency competitive globally. The clamp down on saboteur Bureau de Change (BDC) that are distorting our economy should be sustained and the system cleansed until all forex transactions are transparently done in a regulated manner not hawking currency on the streets as it is currently being done.”

Nzekwe added that the knee-jerk reaction of persuading manufacturers to bring down the prices or face dire consequences at this stage may be counter-productive.

He said: “Our recommendation will be for the government to sustain engagement with local construction material manufacturers to understand and address their challenges. Some of the challenges highlighted by the local manufacturers include exchange rate volatility which has seen our currency depreciate by about 300% in a few months thereby affecting the imported components of their manufacturing like spare parts, mining explosives and import tariff which is indexed in US Dollars.”

Don’t impose imam on us, Islamic clerics urge Osun Gov.

Don’t impose imam on us, Islamic clerics urge Osun Gov.

A group of clerics from Inisa town in Osun State has advised the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to allow due process in the selection of the next Chief Imam of Inisa Central Mosque.

On Friday, December 1, 2023, Inisa Central Mosque reopened for Jumaat prayers after being locked for about five years, following disagreement among the congregation on the choice of a candidate that would fill the post of Chief Imam.

The tussle had polarised the congregation into two groups, with each backing different candidates.

Presenting updates on the issue to journalists in Osogbo on Thursday, the leader of the group, Abdulrasaq Amad, advised Adeleke to allow due process according to Islamic injunctions to prevail in the selection.

Amad, who said the tussle was already a subject of litigation before an Osun State High Court, lamented that the current industrial action by members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria in the state, which has prevented the court from sitting since last November, was delaying the hearing of the case.

He said the appeal to Adeleke was a sequel to the decision of those acting on behalf of the governor to openly support one of the two groups involved in the tussle, insisting that the court should be allowed to adjudicate on the matter.

He added, “Setting the records straight, the Central Mosque of Inisa was never closed down by the order of any court, rather the court gave an order restraining both parties from parading themselves as Chief Imam of Inisa or performing any duty or function of chief Imam of Inisa pending the determination of the case.

“We want to call on the governor to please stay away from this matter, and allow Inisha indigenes home and abroad who have vast knowledge on how a Chief Imam is being selected, to carry out the process.

“We also urge the Olunisa of Inisa, Oba Joseph Oyedele, all the chiefs to please stay away from the Chief Imam selection process and allow due Islamic process be followed.

“We want due process like screening, qualities, exams among others Islamic process of selecting Imam be carried out.”

When contacted for reaction, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, absolved Adeleke of any wrongdoing.

He said government intervention was to prevent a breakdown of law and order, noting that clerics across the county called on the governor to intervene.

Alimi, who urged anyone dissatisfied with the intervention to be patient, said what Adeleke did regarding the disagreement would not in any way affect the pending case.

Umahi charges BUA Cement to do more on price reduction.

Umahi charges BUA Cement to do more on price reduction.

The Minister for Works, Senator David Umahi, has charged the management of BUA Cement with the need to further reduce the prices of cement in the market.

Umahi stated this in Sokoto on Thursday when he led members of his management team to the headquarters of the company in Sokoto.

The Federal Government and cement manufacturers resolved that prices of cement would be reduced to between N7,000 and N8,000.

However, checks by The PUNCH showed that retail prices increased from N7,000 to N9,500, and N13,000 nationwide as of Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

The minister said the Federal Government is embarking on 372 kilometers of road, dual carriageway spanning from Kaduna to Sokoto State.

“I am here to see things for myself, as you are aware, the Federal Government is currently embarking on 372 dual kilometers of road of which the first phase will be done with asphalt, while the step-down will be done with concrete.

“If you calculate the 372 kilometers, because it is a dual carriageway into two will give us a total of 744 kilometers.

“The second 372 kilometers will be conducted with pure concrete in line with the renewed hope agenda of Mr President.

“When the chairman of the company visited Mr President last week, he assured that the 5th line will soon commence operation, and with my visit here, I can confirm the 5th line, though waiting yet to be commissioned has already commenced operation”

He however commended the management of the company for ensuring cleanliness within the entire premises of the company.

“I must commend you for ensuring absolute cleanliness within the environment of the company. It is also worth mentioning that no loitering around of staff in the company, this is a commendable development and I want you to keep it up”.

Also speaking, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, commended BUA management for living up to expectations in the discharge of its responsibilities.

He also appealed to the management of the company to in addition to improved capacity in its production ensure the availability of the product to the masses at affordable prices to meet up with the current administration of housing for all.

Speaking earlier in his welcome address, Managing Director of BUA Cement, Engineer Yusuf Binji, assured that with the fifth line, the company will ensure massive production of the product in the company.

He said the increase in the production of cement will further push down the price of the product in the market.

ASUU sends SOS to Taraba gov over N1.7bn unpaid allowances.

ASUU sends SOS to Taraba gov over N1.7bn unpaid allowances.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Taraba State University chapter, on Thursday, appealed to Governor Agbu Kefas to pay the N1.7 billion accumulated earned Academic and promotional allowances owed to staff of the university since 2014.

This is even as the Union lamented the prolonged delay in the payment of their withheld salaries, noting that with each day passing without the payment of these outstanding salaries, the financial strain on their members intensifies, pushing them further into distress and uncertainty.

Addressing a press conference at the ASUU house at the Taraba State University, the Chairperson of the Union, Dr. Garba Mbave, said the non-payment of promotion arrears and withheld salaries not only create financial strain for members but also erodes their morale and diminishes their trust in the fairness and integrity of the institution.

“These situations we have been subjected to have the potential to disrupt industrial harmony and compromise the productivity and effectiveness of our workforce.

“The prolonged delay in the payment of Earned Academic Allowance has created significant discontent and frustration among our members. The non-payment of these allowances not only undermines the commitment and dedication of our academic staff but also poses a threat to the overall industrial harmony within our educational institution.

“The accumulation of these unpaid allowances since 2014 has only exacerbated the grievances and discontent among our academic staff. We urge the government to take decisive action to address this pressing issue and prioritise the prompt payment of the outstanding Earned Academic Allowances and withheld salaries owed to our members.

“Without a pension scheme in place for members of staff, we are faced with the challenges of financial insecurity and uncertainty. This is an unacceptable situation that highlights the urgent need for action.”

While commending the governor for the renovation of students’ hostels and slashing of fees for undergraduate students, the union urged the government to take decisive action on the issues of outstanding earned academic allowances, withheld salaries, promotional arrears, and construction of a parameter fence for the university.