Rescue Movement Condemns FG’s ‘Shameful’ N48,000 Minimum Wage Offer

The Rescue The Vulnerable Initiative, also known as the Rescue Movement for a New Nigeria, has vehemently condemned the Federal Government’s offer of N48,000 as the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers. The organization’s Director General, Martins Chiedozie Ugwu, described the offer as “shameful” and “embarrassing” considering the immense sacrifices workers make daily to build the country.

Speaking to newsmen in Enugu, Ugwu urged President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to demonstrate his connection with the realities of life by meeting the expectations of Nigerian workers. He questioned the rationale behind the N48,000 offer when political appointees earn a minimum of N100,000 monthly, plus estacodes, despite not regularly going to work. Meanwhile, civil servants who work daily struggle to afford a bag of rice with their entire monthly salary.

Ugwu thus called on leaders across the continent to show responsibility towards workers. He emphasized that this meager offer is an insult to Nigerian workers and a clear indication of leaders’ disconnect from the people’s struggles.

The Rescue Movement demands a fair and living wage for workers, acknowledging their dedication and hard work in building the nation.

Group Defends Seyi Tinubu, Faults Atiku’s Allegation on CDK Contract Award 

Group under aegis of Forum For Good Governance (FGGN), has come out strongly to defend  the President’s Son,Mr.  Seyi Tinubu after former Vice President,Alhaji Atiku Abubakar faulted the award of contract to a company he serves as a board member. 

The former Vice President had accused the federal government of awarding construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway to Hitech Construction Company Ltd. 

He did allege that Seyi is a director on the board of CDK Integrated Industries, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group, which is a parent company of Hitech. 

However ,In a press Statement jointly signed by the National Coordinator and Secretary;Comrade Abraham Douglas and Comrade Bala Galadima Ikara, the group said the fact that Seyi’s father is the President should not deny him access to pursue legitimate business interests within and outside the country. 

While stating that the gigantic projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway would no doubt boost the economy; engender growth and development, it noted, “Seyi Tinubu an adult,who has a right to do business in as much as ,it’s within the limits of the law.” 

The Statement further reads: “From the information we gathered, Seyi joined the Board of Directors of CDK in 2018 as an investor, with a good record of performance. So ,why deny such investor with capacity right to business patronage because, his father is the president. 

“Unfortunately for Atiku who raised the issue, the Chairman of CDK and the highest shareholder of the company is  General T.Y. Danjuma (retd.) and not Seyi Tinubu, who has been involved in business several years,before the father became President. 

“The big question we are asking Atiku is , ” How has Seyi as an investor on  the board of  CDK, conflicts with Hitech Construction Company’s work on Lagos-Calabar Coastal superhighway. 

“He who must come to equity must come with clean hands. If Atiku raised an issue of conflict of interest,what we do say of him during his days as the vice-president, established Intels Nigeria with an Italian entrepreneur while serving in the Nigeria Customs Service . 

“When he was Vice President of Nigeria between 1999-2007, he maintained his business links with Intels that won major port concession deals in Nigeria.”

Gidan Jibir Patriotic Youth Back Ham Traditional Council, Says, Christie Yori Chasing Shadow

Justice Bashir Shittu Yusuf of High Court 10, Barnawa, Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State has adjourned to 6th June, 2024 for hearing in the case filed by the Applicant seeking the court to redirect the traditional council to bury the deceased, Late Captain Saleh Usman whose corpse is still languishing in the mortuary.

Speaking to the press while protesting, today, 7th April, 2024 at the court premises, the Gidan Jibir Patriotic Youth, lamented that, Christie Yori is just chasing shadow as their brother’s corpse have long been buried according the custom and tradition of the Ham people. So, approaching the court is like trying to tell the Ham people the dos and don’ts of their custom and tradition.

It can be recalled that, on Tuesday, 19th March, 2024 High Court 10 Barnawa mentions the case filed by the Applicant, Christie Yori, challenging the decision of the traditional council in Sabon Sarki District, to bury an empty casket against the reposed body of late Captain Saleh Usman.

Fielding questions asked by journalists immediately after court proceedings, Counsel to the Defendants, Barr. Jerry Joseph Dabo reiterated that the applicant filed an application asking the court to review the decision of the traditional title holders where the deceased, Late Captain Saleh Usman, hailed from to bury him.

So, she (Christie Yori) is challenging the decision of the traditional council for burying an empty casket. The body of the deceased is still in the mortuary and is yet to be buried and the Applicant is seeking the court to review the decision of the traditional council and redirect them to properly bury the corpse of the deceased that is still in the mortuary. The Applicant is saying there was no burial because the corpse is still in the mortuary.

He went further saying, We were served with the application very late, but were able to respond to the application within time. We didn’t go on today because the Applicant still has the opportunity to respond to what we have filed so that we can come proper before the court and fortunately enough the court graciously granted us the opportunity to go an put our houses in order for them to file their response, if need be, for us to also respond to what they have filed.

According to the District Head of Sabon Sarki and Mabudin Kachia, HRH, Mr. Jacob Jeff Dogo, tradition has taken its course, and we have done what tradition told us to do, and we have done it. No position is more than that. We don’t know any Christie Yori. We don’t know her. We don’t have anybody who bears the name Christie Yori in Sabon Sarki District. We have buried our brother(Saleh Usman) traditionally. We have no qualms with anybody. Certain traditional beliefs and rites can not be publicised. We are Ham, and we have our unique culture.

Nigerian-based Civic Entrepreneur, Kingsley Okafor, Releases a New Book, Blind Faculty.

An afrivangelist, civic-entrepreneur, and pan-Africanist, Kingsley Okafor showcases three youngsters who aimed at life with the zest of youths in his newly released book, Blind Faculty.

This book can be ordered online from Kobo.com, a Canadian publishing website and the author’s website, books.kingsleyokafor.com. This action and romantic suspense-filled fictional novel promises to take readers on a ride through the exploration of destiny, ambition, choices, and love.

A fraction of the synopsis placed the story this way, “Ebuka, Temitope, and Nduka were buoyed by exuberance and bonded by providence, these threesome around whom the plot revolves, were well on their separate routes to stardom. They aimed at life with the zest of youth and the resolve of humble beginnings. Ebuka, a rather level-headed teenager with sound upbringing gets yoked to Nduka, a brilliant but somewhat impetuous young lad who easily passes for the enfant terrible of the story. Finding love that essentially redefines life to him, he gets detoured on his way to destiny. Temitope, who happens to be exceptionally gifted in the area of sports, decides to pursue a career along that line.”

In the words of one of the reviewers of the book at kobo.com, Henry Ekene Ozor, wrote, “Blind Faculty, is a captivating exploration of ambition, love, and destiny. Through vivid characters like Ebuka, Nduka, and Temitope, the author skillfully navigates the complexities of youth and the pursuit of dreams. The scene is a powerful centerpiece, reminding us of the importance of resilience in the face of adversity. Overall, a thought-provoking and compelling read that lingers in the mind long after the final page. Highly recommended”.

Blind Faculty is available in eBook format as well as in physical format.

Workers Day: Nigerian workers deserve better life
-Fadojoe

Rescue Movement for New Nigeria aka Rescue The Vulnerable Initiative has made case for Nigerian Workers for better life as the country joins the rest of the world to mark International Workers Day.

In a statement issued on behalf of the group to mark the International Workers Day, by the group’s National Leader, Comrade Faduri Oluwadare Joseph popularly called Fadojoe, said that Nigerian workers are working under serious heavy yokes as the salaries of some workers is no longer enough to even cover the cost of transportation to and fro office for one month. Before you talk of how to cater for their family.

“No doubt Nigerian workers haven’t been this stretched in their life time with the event happening in this new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led APC government where average workers can no longer take home living wage.

“The subsidy disaster seriously affected the workers of this great nation more than any citizens, yet Nigerian workers continue to pilot the economy without giving up in a hopeless situation. Many of them can no longer eat even two managed meals daily in a nation that is theirs.

Lamenting further the negative effect on the average Nigerian worker, that, “many can no longer send their children to school as the salary no longer cater for the need of the family

“Yet in the midst of all these, they still continue to show up for work, despite high transportation costs and high cost of food, while hoping for a better tomorrow.

“We hope the President of this nation does about this unbearable situation.

On the issue of insecurity of life and property in Nigeria, Fadojoe stressed that it affects Nigerian workers most, as well as “the sticky health system we run affects no other person most, than the workers of this nation. I get it the services here in America and I see it as supposed to be.

“But on this day that we mark workers’ day, I want to assure you that better days are ahead and some day to come our nation will be great Again.

“Workers will smile again, wages will rise again, quality of life will improve again, and we will look back to where we were coming from and what all Nigerian workers have gone through to get to where we are and thank God for a new Nigeria.

“We are going somewhere, though we are not there yet. I plead with Nigerians not to give up on this nation yet. This is the only country we have: let us come together to rebuild it, to fix it. Politicians won’t fix it, our present leaders won’t fix it. Those who steal our public resources daily in government won’t fix it. But some day we will fix it.
In all, let’s continue to lift up our flags, our nation, and hope for the better.

Concluding by calling on “the government of President Tinubu to look into making the lives of Nigerian workers less miserable, by providing buses as promised by his administration to ease the transportation cost for these nation builders, paying them a living wage and not a working wage, trainings where necessary and creating more enabling environment for workers to strive.

“Create a robust economy that will support and create more jobs on the private sectors and policies that will help the private sector survive, not go into extinction.

“I still and strongly believe that Nigeria will still be great. May God bless Nigerian workers, and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Happy International Workers Day from all of us at Rescue Movement for New Nigeria aka Rescue The Vulnerable Initiative.

I remain Faduri Oluwadare Joseph Former Presidential Aspirant LP
And Leader
Rescue Movement for New Nigeria

Workers Day: DICON Workers Embark on Protest over Non-payment of Wage Rewards, Urge Tinubu to Intervene 

As Nigeria joins the world to mark the Workers Day, the civilian staff of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), have used the occasion to protest what they termed unfair treatment and transparent payroll practices by the management. 

The workers,who trooped out today at the premises of Ordinance Factory Complex , Kakuri , Kaduna  with various placards with inscriptions such as :”Pay us our wage award”, “we are tired of management incompetence”, ” military said we are not special” etc complained about denied access to a critical program that promotes transparency and efficiency in wage distribution as regards the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

According  to workers, the exclusion prevents them from receiving the recent wage increases implemented for IPPIS-enrolled employees.

The aggrieved  workers during the protest  raised concerns about the accuracy of their payroll data outside of IPPIS, said, ” To add insult to injury, the Deputy Director of Human Resources, Mercy Philip, curtly dismissed our inquiries, calling IPPIS a “no-go area” and suggesting they forget about enrollment altogether until she retires.

Speaking further about their concerns , the workers alleged :  “Allowances for scarce skills (established in 2008) and transportation (introduced in 2015) were abruptly stopped without explanation, causing frustration and a sense of unfair treatment. This is they described as a reprehensible treatment of a dedicated workforce.”

” To confirm the maltreatment, the workers alleged  that Director of Production Air Commodore, Ola Emmanuel in his address to some staff in the factory justified reasons civil staff have not  enjoyed wage award . Stressing, We have not received a single month of the wage award since it was announced September 2023.

He also said that rather than questioning our management , we should go and ask the Accountant General and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defense and offices budget office and salary and wages commission to confirm why the non payment of the wage rewards . 

They  explained further,” We are owed eight months of minimum wage arrears dating back to 2019. Additionally, we haven’t received the N35,000 six-month wage award initiated by the federal government in September 2023. With a new minimum wage on the horizon, we are concerned that we may be left behind again.

“Unfortunately, our attempts to address these concerns through open communication with DICON’s management have fell on deaf ears.

“Management has brushed aside our concerns, and even the Employee Town Hall, promised by the Director General to be held every two months, has never been held. This lack of transparency is further hindering progress.

“We have held peaceful protests, first on July 3rd, 2023, and most recently the one we declared on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, demonstrating a commitment to finding solutions. As DICON is a non-union workplace, we are staging this peaceful protest on a symbolically significant day for workers’ rights: May 1st. This comes amid reports of a list being compiled to terminate the appointments of those believed to be spearheading the ongoing protests.

“Furthermore, it should be noted that the demoralization and potential dismissal of a highly skilled workforce with exclusive expertise in producing restricted goods like weapons and explosives poses a significant security threat. Disgruntled or desperate workers could be more vulnerable to exploitation or radicalization, potentially jeopardizing the security of these sensitive materials. Will laying off such a critical workforce not exacerbate security threats by placing sensitive expertise in uncertain hands?

The workers however, said the failure on side of  DICON Management to meet the obligations to its civilian workforce has has negative impact on employees morale which raises serious concerns about fair treatment.

They  urged President Bola Tinubu  to take immediate action to address the concerns regarding fair treatment; transparent payroll practices, and the timely resolution of these outstanding issues. 

Electricity Tariff: CSOs Condemn Power Minister’s Position on Hike, Fix Thursday to Embark on Protest

Angry over proposed hike in electricity Tariff, Civil Society Organisations under umbrella of Forum for Good Governance in Nigeria( FGGN) said it has concluded arrangements to Embark on Protest on Thursday against the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu for insisting on electricity tariff hike, despite economic hardship facing Nigerians.

The CSOs, which described the position of the Minister as “Insensitive” said his claim that there would be total blackout in the country in the next three months if the proposed tariff hike is not implemented is wicked .

According to the CSOs, the excuse he also gave that “if the Federal government Continue To Pay Electricity Subsidy For Nigerians, Investors Will Not Come” is illusionary and unacceptable.

In a press statement jointly signed by National Coordinator and Secretary;Comrade Abraham Douglas and Comrade Bala Galadima Ikara, the FGGN that stated this, said rather talk about hike in tariff during this dwindling period of dearth of development in the country, the Minister is expected to work on measures to restore constant power supply that help to attract investors to establish sustainable business and boost the economy.

While supporting the Senate Committee on Power, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on concerns over the suffering of Nigerians, the CSOs however joined the Senate committee to rejected the new tariff regime.

The statement further reads: “We are standing as a voice for Nigerians to continue to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack the Minister of Power, Chief Adelabu Adebayo citing alleged ineptitude.

“Nigerians know that the Ministry of Power under Chief Adebayo Adelabu is ‘powerless’ and has no value addition either to Nigerians in general or the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration in particular.

“The level of cluelessness within the ministry is nauseating and embarrassing as our national electricity grid keeps collapsing like a pack of cards.

“Adelabu has no business remaining in the critical offices he occupies .For failing Nigerians he should just take the honourable path and resign, or be faced with a frequent civil society mass actions, because Nigerians are sick and tired of his weakness and lack or capacity to deliver on Tinubu’s campaign promise .

“Just imagine,within a quarter of a year, Nigeria has experienced six incidents of electricity grid collapse with an agonising reality of the poorest and most epileptic power supply in many years with attendant impact on businesses and the economy at large”.

Labour Party cannot afford to fail Nigerians, I support NLC for better resolution.
-Fadojoe

A former Presidential Aspirant under Labour Party and the leader of Rescue Movement for Nigeria, Comrade Faduri Oluwadare Joseph popularly called Fadojoe has asserted that Nigerians have high expectations in Labour Party is the third force, hence the party cannot afford to dash the high hope of Nigerians.

This he disclosed during a live interview on ‘Inside Politics’ program on SilverBird Television, anchored by Chris Kehinde Nwadu on Friday, April 19, 2024.

Affirming that he doesn’t belong to any faction in Labour Party. But “part of the stakeholders who come together and want to resolve the internal crisis. Right now, what the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is doing is resolving the crisis. Don’t forget that Labour Party is a baby of NLC. So since we lack leadership at the top to resolve the crisis, the NLC had to set in. For instance at the beginning of the Crisis, if Mr Peter Obi had managed it on time and handled it well, it wouldn’t have gone this bad. So because the man at the center could not handle it, that was why the NLC had to come in”.

Adding that the Anambra State Labour Party convention was mere political kangaroo, “what Abure did in Anambra State and tagged it national convention was a mere kangaroo gathering. It’s now that the NLC will organize a real convention from the Ward to the Local Government, to the State and finalized at the National level. Abure Kangaroo convention in Anambra State was never endorsed by any stakeholder in the party and even INEC didn’t agree with it. Everything is just about greed and greed and greed and that is why we are where we are today. Everyone fighting for selfish interest, personal interest and not national interest”.

Emphasizing the legitimacy of NLC intervention he noted, “within the confide of the law, NLC has the power to take over the party to resolve lingering crisis, if the situation is getting out of hand.

“Labour Party has no national leader for now. Because Mr Peter Obi that supposed to intervene on the issue of the crisis has not been proactive to initiating amicable resolution. So NLC had to step in.

“I came from US because of the NLC intervention in resolving the crisis as I was invited, though I couldn’t meet up on the day of the meeting, but my media director represented me there and it was a robust engagement.

“Note that a house divided against itself cannot stand. With the crisis in Labour Party, it will be easier for the enemy to penetrate and even use people from within against Mr. Peter Obi and that is another reason he should have been more proactive in handling the internal crisis”.

On the solution to the conflict in Labour Party, Comrade Fadojoe noted that, “the solution to the lingering problems in Labour Party is restructuring and reorganizing the party. First and foremost, these set of leaders – The Abures the Apapas, – need to step aside for new leaders who are ready to work and have the interest of the nation at heart. And give the younger generation opportunity to be part of the leadership. Nigerians are looking at Labour Party as alternative, and we cannot afford to fail them. So we shouldn’t see in Labour Party what we are seeing in APC and PDP. Therefore let’s support the good move by the NLC to reposition the Labour Party.”

As his parting words, he briefly highlighted that if he is the present president of Nigeria, what he would have done differently as follows, “I would not have removed subsidy in day one. But before I remove subsidy I would have held various meetings with the marketers, meet with everyone involved in that sector and agree on something cogent and put measures in place to cushion the effects.

“On the monetary policy, I would have also first entered into the system, see the way money is played within the system and see what to do before unifying the currency.

“And most importantly on the issue of electricity supply, I would have done everything within my power in my first year as president to ensure we have stable power supply in this country. A country that has stable power has cut its problems half way”, he concluded.

Banditry: Kaduna CAN Branch , Family Demand Justice for  Killed ECWA Pastor  

The Christian Association of Nigeria , Gure Branch and family members have  demanded justice for the pastor of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Kaduna Central District Church Council was attacked and killed by Bandits recently . 

The Pastor, according to information gathered was attacked  on Tuesday April 23rd, 2024 was attacked and killed by suspected bandits along Birnin Gwari-Kaduna road, Kaduna State, Nigeria. 

He was on his way from an official Church assignment from Kurebe area in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Before his untimely death ,Rev Manasseh was a pastor serving with the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) at Kaduna Central District Church Council (KCDCC). 

In a press statement jointly signed  by and family and CAN Chairman ,Gure branch Rev. Yahaya Kinge, the family of the deceased urged Governor Uba Sani led government  as well as the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to help  secure justice for killed cleric . 

According to the statement, the Nigerian youth and women who are direct victims of banditry and insurgency are fed up inability of federal government to find a lasting solution to the incessant killings of innocent people. 

The statement further reads: “The hard push to the wall is enough for us to bear no longer. As at the time of filing this report no statement is made either by Kaduna state Police command nor the state government. “

” The remains of his body has been deposited in Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, Nigeria.”