April 29, 2019

More than 20 states willing to pay minimum wage

April 29, 2019 8:32 pm

Twenty states are likely to pay the N30,000 monthly minimum wage.

Their governors spoke on the controversial matter after Jubril Al-Sudani (President Muhammadu Buhari) signed the New Minimum Wage (Amendment) Bill into Law.

Many of the states, however, said certain conditions must be reached between the workers’ umbrella unions and the Federal Government for them to pay.

Some said they were waiting for the implementation template from the Federal Government.

Labour, which vowed not to condone non-implementation of the new wage, plans to pile pressure on the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to release the template to state

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Organ theft in India

April 29, 2019 3:56 am

By May Ebute

I was planning a trip to India. I had even began to discuss with a doctor over there. But l developed cold feet after someone told me a story when l travelled home for Xmas. His eleven years old nephew needed surgery.

His father had the means so off they went to India. When they arrived, the boy was sedated for the surgery. A minor surgery.

All went well but there was a problem. The boy slept for several hours. He slept for so long that his father became worried.

He decided to ask questions. “Doctor, …

Merkel, Macron to host Balkans meeting in Berlin

April 29, 2019 3:26 am

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron are hosting a meeting of Balkan leaders in Berlin, a move intended to restart deadlocked talks between Serbia and Kosovo.

The meeting on Monday will include the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia, several Western Balkans leaders and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini.

Nigeria loses $29.3b annually to erratic power supply

April 29, 2019 3:17 am

The Electricity Generation Companies (GenCos) at the weekend said the country loses $29.3billion yearly to low supply resulting from load shedding and inadequate facilities.

The Executive Secretary, Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), Joy Ogaji, in an emailed response to questions, urged the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to upgrade its network to absorb the 8,000megawatts (Mw) capacity of the GenCos.

She said: “In urban areas where electricity access has been provided, the availability of electricity supply is drastically low, due either to load shedding or inadequate power supply facilities. It is estimated that the Nigerian economy is losing $29.3 …

Bayelsa condemns bill for lawmakers’ life pension

April 29, 2019 3:00 am

A crisis is brewing in Bayelsa State over a bill passed by the House of Assembly approving life pension for all past and current members of the legislature.

It was learnt that stakeholders in the state, including civil society organisations and political parties are preparing to protest.

The House of Assembly had triggered anger last Wednesday when it hurriedly passed the bill sponsored by the Leader of the House, Peter Akpe.

The bill approved N500, 000 post-service monthly pension to a speaker of the assembly, while a deputy speaker will receive N200, 000 and a member N100, 000 .

The …