Okolobi Gist Specials

 REACTIVATE ALL BLOCKED LINES, NCC ORDERS TELECOS Telecommunications operators in Nigeria are now ordered to restore all blocked phone lines, immediately. The Nigerian Communications Commission,NCC, gave the directive in a statement made public on Monday. It was signed by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka. In the statement, NCC noted that those lines were reported blocked due to non-linkage of National Identification Numbers to SIM cards. NCC said the directive was in response to the widespread disruption caused by the blockages. It insisted that there is need to always prioritise the conveniences of the consumers. “The consumer is our priority; therefore, considering the challenges the blockages have caused, the Commission has directed all operators to reactivate all lines that were disconnected over the weekend, in view of the short time available for consumers to undertake the verification of their NINs with their SIMs." Many telecommunicat...

  President Bola Tinubu says he does not owe any cabal compensation as he spent his fortune pursuing his presidential ambition during the last election. The President, who received a delegation of Islamic leaders led by Sheikh Bala Lau, at the State House on Thursday, July 15, said his victory at the polls was purely by divine intervention. The President dismissed claims that he is being controlled by some ‘’cabal’’ to make some of the economic reforms his administration embarks on. “I have no cabal. I have no sponsors. The money I spent on the elections was my personal fortune. At some point, the odds were against me; banks were locked. But Allah, the Almighty God, said I will be the President. Mine is to now follow the leading and teaching of the Almighty God. One of the most potent elements of defence is a good conscience. It is also a defence against corruption. What should be uppermost in our minds is the future of our children. We have a lot to teach them on what ...

  Understanding the Difference Between National Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate in Nigeria  In Nigeria, the political landscape is governed by a multi-layered legislative framework comprising the National Assembly, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Each plays a crucial role in the governance and legislative processes of the country, but they serve distinct functions that are essential to Nigeria's democratic structure. What is the National Assembly? The National Assembly stands as the highest legislative body in Nigeria, vested with the authority to make laws for the Federation. It consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. This bicameral structure ensures representation from both federal and state levels, allowing for comprehensive legislative oversight and decision-making. The Senate: Core Functions and Responsibilities The Senate represents the upper chamber of the National Assembly, embodying a pivotal role in Nigeria'...

  NIGERIAN N70,000 MINIMUM WAGE PASSED BY SENATE, HOUSE OF REPS IN RECORD TIME  On Tuesday, the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives passed the new minimum wage bill. The bill is raising the country’s minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000. It was passed Within an hour by both chambers. The bill was forwarded by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to them. It was presented and passed first reading, and  second reading where it was debated based on general principles before the third reading. The debate was led by Opeyemi Bamidele who is the majority leader of the senate. He said the N70,000 was agreed upon by all the parties after negotiations. He said: “This is part of the federal government’s short term measure to mitigate the situation in the country." The Chip Whip, Tahir Monguno said there is a need to review the minimum wage to align with economic realities. “The review of the minimum wage used to be after every five years. It is now every three ...

 AMEAEHULE LED FACTION OF RIVERS ASSEMBLY WARNS RIVERS RESIDENTS NOT TO HAVE DEALINGS WITH THOSE MASQUERADING AS LG CARETAKER COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN AND MEMBERS  The Rivers State House of Assembly at its 7th Legislative Sitting of the Second Session of the Tenth Assembly, Monday,  deliberated on a statement by the House Leader, Hon. Major Jack, wherein he drew the attention of the House to the illegal activities of some persons in the State, masquerading as Chairmen and members of Caretaker Committees. These individuals the Leader said go about imposing and collecting fees, levies and rates  from unsuspecting members of the public, in breach of the recent Supreme Court judgement, and the provisions of the Rivers State Local Government (Amendment)Law, 2023 that prohibit Caretaker Committees in whatever guise or nomenclature. Debating on the statement by the House Leader, Members condemned and berated those they described as impostors, and warned all banks, tradit...

  HELP GOVT FIGHT CRUDE OIL THEFT, GOV FUBARA TASKS MONARCHS •Says Economic Sabotage Inimical To Development  Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that it is the duty of everybody, especially traditional rulers, to join efforts together to ensure that there is stability and unfettered progress of Nigeria. He has also advised traditional rulers to take charge of their domains and ensure that they make life difficult for ill-guided youths involved in acts of economic sabotage in their various communities. Governor Fubara gave the charge while declaring open the 117th/118th Combined Quarterly General Meeting of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers at their Secretariat in Port Harcourt on Monday. The Governor maintained that it should be the concern of everybody to support and see Nigeria progress as a stable country while advancing economically, adding that this is possible only when there is high production of crude oil, as the mainstay of t...

United States of America President, Joe Biden has stepped down as the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. President Biden announced his withdrawal from the November 2024 presidential election in a statement on Sunday. The Democratic presidential nominee endorsed his Vice President, Kamala Harris in his stead to lead the ticket. Kamal will be facing former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party nominee, in the November election. President Biden’s announcement has ended weeks of calls on him by party leaders to leave the race. The call was necessitated by his disastrous debate performance against Trump. Many Democrats feared that with such performance and for the fact that was too old for office, it would be difficult to defeat Trump. He said: “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term. “My very first decision as the party nominee in ...

The Rivers State Government has described as fake the news circulating in an online media that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has proposed to pay N80,000 as new minimum wage to civil servants in the State and local government areas. A statement released on Friday in Port Harcourt by the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, said the news is not only false but misleading. It stated that ordinarily, there would not have been any response to such fake news but a refusal would stem the wrong impression already created in the minds of the public, especially civil servants in the State. The statement insisted that the unverified claims that was circulated by Newsweekng.com, and titled: 'Breaking News: Governor Fubara Proposes N80,000 minimum wage' is only a figment of the imagination of those who concorted it. It advised the general public, and particularly civil servants in the State to discountenance the false claims in the online media platform, assuring...

  Labour Party suspends actress Hilda Dokubo over alleged financial misconduct  Nigerian actress turned politician, Hilda Dokubo has been suspended as a member of the Labour Party at her ward in Asari Toru Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State. Dokubo’s suspension was blamed on her alleged involvement in financial misconduct, ab¥se of office, and breach of party regulations, among others. Dokubo, the Labour Party’s chairperson in Rivers State was suspended on Thursday following an emergency meeting of the party’s ward executive committee held on July 15, the News Agency of Nigeria reported. The suspension was conveyed through a letter addressed to the LP’s chairman of Asari Toru and signed by the ward Chairman, Ajalamonia Ibama; the Secretary, Lole Amacheer; and the Treasurer, Emmanuel Ibamathe. Others signatories to the letter include the Women Leader, Osaki Dieypiriye, and the Publicity Secretary, Osaki Dokubo. The ward executives said the decision followed a thorough ...

 GOVERNMENT SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, the Governor of Rivers State, has approved the appointment of the underlisted to serve as members of the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board and the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board. A. RIVERS STATE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS BOARD  1. DR. SAM EMEJURU - CHAIRMAN 2. MR. FRANCIS JACOB - MEMBER 3. DR. MRS. GRACE A. JAJA - MEMBER 4. MRS. JEMINA MARGRET BRIGGS - MEMBER 5. MRS. LOVE AGUMA - MEMBER B. RIVERS STATE UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION BOARD 1. ALABO DR. DAVID T. BRIGGS - CHAIRMAN 2. NWUKE ANUCHA - MEMBER 3. DR. ALOM ANYANYA AUSTIN-MBA - MEMBER 4. DR. WALSON OMINIMI - MEMBER 5. MRS. IBIERE PEPPLE - SECRETARY The newly appointed Board Members, along side one (1) guest each, are expected to be seated at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House today, Friday, 19th July 2024, at 1:30pm, for the swearing-in ceremony, by...

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has challenged the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters to focus on amendments that contribute to improving the electoral process in the country for good of society and not to advance individual gains. The Governor maintained that any legislation targeting to empower or undo particular individual(s) is misplaced, and urged the lawmakers never to pay attention to identified problem promoted it. Governor Fubara gave the charge when he hosted a delegation of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, led by its Chairman, Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli and co-Chair, Hon Adebayo Balogun, on courtesy visit to Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday. The Governor said: "You are still working on your electoral amendment. I wouldn't say much on that until when we see your proposal and conduct public hearing where we will make our inputs. "But, legislate in such a way and manner, knowing fully ...

  The House of Representatives at a plenary session on Thursday pledged to give up 50 per cent of their salaries for six months to address the hunger across the country. During the session presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu amended the motion, urging his colleagues to sacrifice 50% of their salaries. He made this plea when it was his turn to speak, seeking their support for this gesture. “This government is doing its best but one year is not enough to address the challenges of this country. I want to plead with our colleagues to sacrifice 50 per cent for a period of six months.  “Our salary is N600,000 a month. I want to plead that we let go of 50 per cent of our salary for a period of six months,” Kalu said. With each member paying N300,000 into a common purse, the legislative chamber will be contributing N108m monthly to the Federal Government and N648m for six months.

 The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero on Thursday gave reasons why the Organized Labour accepted the proposal of N70,000 minimum wage from the President, Bola Tinubu. Ajaero, who spoke to State House reporters after the meeting with the President, said the unions agreed to the offer because of other incentives attached. He said another reason for accepting the offer is because “ the President promised a review every three years as against what obtained in the past.” President Bola Tinubu on Thursday approved the sum of N70,000 as national minimum wage, his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga said. Tinubu was said to have announced the new wage during a meeting with the leadership of the Organized Labour in Abuja. Thursday’s meeting came a week after the first meeting the President had with the Labour leaders last week. The new minimum wage when approved by the National Assembly will replace the N30,000 minimum wage which expired on April 18...

  The bill seeking to amend the 1999 constitution to provide for a single term of six years for the Offices of the President, State Governors and Local Government Areas Chairmen passed first reading on Wednesday, July 17 .   The private member bill, sponsored by the member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency, Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere and 50 other lawmakers, seeks to curb wastages occasioned by four years periodic elections.   The proposed bill seeks to alter Sections 7, 135, 137, 180 and 182 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).   Clause 2 seeks to amend Section 7 of the Principal Act by inserting a new subsection (5) immediately after the extant subsection 4 and before the extant subsection 5 as follows, “(5) A holder of the office of a Local Government Chairman shall vacate his office at expiration of a period of six years commencing from the date such holder was elected into office.”   Clause 3 of the bill seeks to amend Sect...

  TINUBU APPOINTS WALSON-JACK AS HEAD, FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack is to resume as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation of Nigeria. Her appointment was approved by President Bola Tinubu and it is taking effect from August 14, 2024.  This was contained in a statement made public by the Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, on Wednesday night. Mrs. Walson-Jack was appointed as Federal Permanent Secretary in 2017 and had served in several Ministries. Her posting before this new appointment was as the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education. Mrs. Walson-Jack brings to this office, a robust background in law, legislative drafting, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding. This new appointment will be in recognition of her exceptional leadership, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the development of Nigeria's civil service.

The Rivers State Government has received the donation of 21,650 bags of grains from the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu. Governor Siminalayi Fubara took delivery of the donated items in Port Harcourt on Wednesday. The event formed part of the Rivers State Government and NEMA joint Flag-off of the Federal Government Grain Distribution exercise in the State. The donated food items consist of 3, 680 bags of garri and 17,970 bags of corn. They are part of the Presidential food palliative initiative distributed to cushion the effects of hunger and the economic hardship faced by many families across Nigeria. Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo represented governor Fubara. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the donation of the food items to the State. Governor Fubara informed that a Local Organising Committees (LOCs) has already been set up. He said the committees are headed by the Caretaker Committee Chairmen i...

  President Bola Tinubu has forwarded to the Senate for consideration and approval the injection of N6.2 trillion into the N27.5 trillion 2024 budget. The President, in the request via a letter read on the floor of the Senate by its President, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary on Wednesday, specifically sought for withdrawal of N3.2 trillion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, for capital expenditure. The President in the second leg of the request sought for withdrawal of another N3 trillion from the consolidated revenue fund for additional recurrent expenditure for the year ending on December 31, 2024. According to the letter, Tinubu is also seeking an Act to amend the Finance Act of 2023, to impose and charge windfall tax on banks and to provide for the administration of the tax and matters related thereto. For expeditious consideration, the Senate had already listed the two requests on its Order Paper as Executive bills for consideration. If the requested N6 2 trillion is injecte...

  COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE PDP GOVERNORS’ FORUM AT THE END OF ITS MEETING IN ENUGU, ENUGU STATE ON WEDNESDAY, 17TH JULY 2024. The PDP Governors’ Forum under the leadership of H.E. Governor Bala A. Mohammed, CON, held a meeting at the Enugu State Government House, Enugu, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. 2. The meeting deliberated on a wide range of issues that border on our critical national interest, the state of our party particularly the forthcoming congress, the unprecedented hardship faced by majority of Nigerians as a result of the dismal performance of the APC-led Federal Government, the minimum wage negotiations, and the recurring issue of inter-governmental relations with special reference to local government autonomy and funding. 3. Following exhaustive discussions and consultations, the meeting resolved as follows: i. UPCOMING PARTY CONGRESSES a.   In the spirit of the founding fathers of our great party who adopted internal democracy as the fundamental principle on...