- Electricity workers suspend one-day strike for two weeks
- Nigerian Musician Buju to face sanction for spitting on police officer
- Nigerians will receive more money as the CBN encourages banks to increase savings interest rates
- We’ve ended IPOB sit-at-home in Imo — Uzodinma
- Jigawa shut down schools over insecurity
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn‘t miss:
Electricity workers suspend one-day strike for two weeks.
The statewide strike by Nigerian energy workers, which resulted in complete blackouts in many regions of the nation, has been called off.
Following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, the electricity workers, who are represented by the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEC) collectively decided to halt the industrial action.
To settle the concerns that led to the strike action, Ngige had called an urgent conciliation conference between the Federal Government and the electrical employees for Wednesday.
The alleged violations of their Conditions of Service and Career Progression, the stigmatization of electricity staff by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, and the market operators’ refusal to provide the funding necessary to pay ex-PHCN employees’ entitlements in accordance with the December 2019 agreement are the problems.
After the approximately four-hour discussion, NUEE President Comrade Joe Ajero told reporters that they had been requested to halt their strike action.
Ajaero expressed optimism that the Federal Government would act in good faith about the contentious issues that have lasted for years, to the point where they are quite dangerous.
According to the agreement made in the meeting, they would halt their industrial action and wait the two weeks necessary for the government to resolve their complaints.
Comrade Chika Ben, President of SSAEC, gave the country his word that the issue would be resolved amicably and that there would be no further blackouts in any area of the nation.
Ngige gave a press briefing on the meeting’s outcome and stated that after lengthy discussion of the topics in contention, they decided to form a bipartite committee to look into the complaints of the energy workers and provide a report in two weeks.
Ngige claims that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment’s Permanent Secretary, General Services Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation Permanent Secretary, BPE representative, two representatives from NUEE and SSAEC, and Minister of State for Power Jeddy Agba are all members of the bipartite committee.
The committee has two weeks to update the entire house, according to the minister.
He added that his government has recognized the conflict and that the conference gave them a chance to work out all the areas in contention.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ms. Daju Kachollom, the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, and the Chairman of the TCN Board, Imamuddeen Talba were present at the meeting.
The Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) were also represented.
Nigerian Musician Buju to face sanction for spitting on police officer
Buju BNXN, a Nigerian music “superstar,” may face investigations after bragging about spitting on a police officer.
This is according to Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command.
On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, Hundeyin announced this on his Twitter profile in response to a message published by the musician.
“@BNXN proudly tweeted that he ‘spat in [sic] a police officer’s face and it felt so good.’ He has since deleted the tweet. The police officers will be sanctioned for their misbehavior if established, while @BNXN will surely answer for his assault on a police officer,” he tweeted.
Buju had shared a tweet where he boasted about spitting on the officer.
“Spat on the police officer’s face and it felt good,” he tweeted.
He has since deleted the tweet.
On Wednesday afternoon, the musician got into a fight with members of the Nigerian Police Force.
In a video that has since gone viral, the singer is seen fighting and confronting the officers who appear to be blocking his car while wearing just a singlet.
Nigerians will receive more money as the CBN encourages banks to increase savings interest rates
In order to get interest rates back to what they were in 2020, before the COVID-19 epidemic phase, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has ordered deposit money banks in Nigeria to give savings deposit account holders an interest of 30% of the present 14% Monetary Policy Rate (MPR).
The apex bank stated this in a circular titled “Review of Interest Rate on Savings Deposits” dated August 15, 2022, and bearing the signature of Haruna B. Mustafa, Director of Banking Supervision.
Savings deposit rates are the interest rates that accrue to customers for keeping their money with the banks.
The circular reads: “It will be recalled that as part of the efforts to ameliorate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Bank of Nigeria reduced the minimum interest rates payable on local currency savings deposits from 30% to 10% of the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR). This was aimed at stimulating growth in the larger economy following the economic-slowdown occasioned by the pandemic.
“Accordingly, effective August 1, 2022, the negotiable minimum interest rate on local currency savings deposits shall be 30% of MPR. This supersedes our letter dated BSD/DIR/GEN/LAB/13/052 on the subject. September 1, 2020.”
Speaking on the increase in interest, a trader in Utako Market, Daniel Osagie, said it would not make significant changes.
He said, “Though I get credit alerts on the interest, most times they are little compared to the other charges removed from my account whenever money comes in or goes out from it.”
Dominic Shale, an economist, suggested that the CBN’s decision could be another strategy for reducing inflation. “The apex bank is now using its tools for monetary management to nudge individuals into more savings. Looking at it from the standpoint of the depositors, I believe the CBN’s decision is correct.
However, Shale went on to say that given the rising cost of living, Nigerians expected to see its effects in the high costs of food goods and other services.
We’ve ended IPOB sit-at-home in Imo — Uzodinma
The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) order to remain at home has reportedly been lifted in all except the most distant areas of Imo State, according to governor Hope Uzodinma.
This information was revealed by Mr. Uzodinma on Tuesday during an interview on the political show “Politics Today” on Channels TV.
Mondays were designated as stay-at-home days in the South-east by IPOB last year in an effort to pressure the federal government to free its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is on trial for treason.
According to Mr. Uzodinma, Mondays are now free days for residents of the state.
He said the government of Imo State has given adequate support to security agencies in the state thereby allowing people to move freely on such days.
“If you come to Imo, there is nothing called sit-at-home again. We have been able to support our security officers to occupy the space,” Mr Uzodinma said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) member Mr. Uzodinma also discussed the presidential campaign and the growing support for Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
He claimed he wouldn’t engage in conflict with Mr. Obi but stated he was devoted to supporting Bola Tinubu, his party’s nominee for president.
Jigawa shut down schools over insecurity
Due to security concerns, the Jigawa State Government ordered the immediate closure of all public and private schools in the state on Wednesday.
Dr. Lawan Yunusa, the State Commissioner of Education, confirmed the development to reporters in Dutse.
According to Yunusa, the decision was made in response to intelligence information about potential security threats on schools, particularly in border states.
Yunusa intimated that since the examinations were internal and not external, plans will be made to re-conduct them when asked about the fate of the students and teachers who were scheduled to take the exams.
The Commissioner asked the state’s higher educational institutions to do the same whenever they felt a security threat.
However, Dr. Yunusa instructed parents of boarding school students to pick up their children.
Joshua is a multidisciplinary creative and tech enthusiast who seeks to create meaningful experiences that make for a better and more equal world. He is a creative entrepreneur and human rights activist whose work navigates socio-cultural discourse and how it can be used as a vehicle for change.
