January 31, 2024
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero said in a television interview that most Governors of the 37-Member Tripartite Committee On Minimum Wage are not complying with the proposed base pay structure.
Recall that Vice President Kashim Shettima had inaugurated the committee in Abuja earlier on Tuesday, saying the decision was aimed at ensuring a decent living wage and in compliance with the existing National Minimum Wage Act of 2019 which will expire in a few months from now.
He said said, ”Most of the governors in the minimum wage committee are those who are not paying minimum wage or paying them in breaches.”
”The governors who are in full compliance with the minimum wage are not adequately represented, so whatever made the Federal Government bring in those who are not compliant or compliant in breaches to form the bulk of the membership of the minimum wage committee from the state government that will unfold with time,” he added.
The House of Representatives’ move to amend the National Minimum Wage Act in 2017 for a compulsory review of workers’ remuneration every five years led to the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
When sked to name certain states that have failed to implement the minimum wage, Ajaero said, “A state like Zamfara, I don’t know how much Borno and Bauchi are paying, there is a minimum wage law which criminalises the non-compliance of the minimum wage.”
”And the Nigerian state has not tried to enforce these laws, others are just enforcing them in breaches. Take Anambra State for instance, Anambra State pays N30,000 for the least paid. I challenge anybody from Anambra to prove that even a permanent secretary is earning up to N170,000 or N180,000,” he said.
Two African teams currently at the African Cup of Nations, Afcon; Nigeria and Ivory Coast will be presenting formidable opposition to the Argentine national team in March of 2024.
The Official social media handles of Argentina made announcements about the games.
The selection of two African teams was motivated by the lack of a formidable European opponent or a location with advantageous logistics.
The Argentine football team will play two African opponents during the friendly window in March when it travels to China, the AFA announced on Monday, following an agreement with a Chinese corporation.
The Albiceleste’s two longtime allies, Nigeria and Ivory Coast, will put them to the test as they get ready to defend their continental crown in the US.
During their tour of China, Argentina will play Nigeria at the Olympics Sports Center stadium in Hangzhou.
It will be the tenth high-level match between Nigeria and the Argentine national team, with the latter leading the former in the FIFA rankings at 42.
In particular, their five World Cup meetings have resulted in victories for the Albiceleste (2-1 in 1994, 1-0 in 2002, 1-0 in 2010, 3-2 in 2014, and 2-1 in 2018).
The other win came in a friendly match in 2011 when Argentina won 3-1 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The only ever draw was in the King Fahd Cup (0-0) in 1995; the other two losses were in friendlies, with the most recent one occurring in Abuja in 2011 and from 2-4 at Krasnodar, Russia, in 2017.
January 29, 2024
Three countries have abruptly pulled out of the Economic Community of West African States; ECOWAS citing influence of foreign powers and refusal to reverse sanctions meted out to them since democratic governments were toppled in their domains.
Niger Republic, Mali and Burkina Faso announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ‘with immediate effect’.
The countries did so on the grounds that after 49 years, the bloc no longer pursues the interests of its people but is influenced by foreign powers. They also criticised ECOWAS over the sanctions imposed on them as part of efforts to reverse the coups in their countries.
The joint statement reads: “After 49 years of existence, the valiant people of Burkina, Mali and Niger note with much regret, bitterness and great disappointment that their organisation has moved away from the ideals of its founding fathers and Pan-Africanism.
“Furthermore, ECOWAS, under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, has become a threat to its member states and its populations whose happiness it is supposed to ensure.
“Indeed, the organisation has not provided assistance to our States in the context of our existential fight against terrorism and insecurity; worse, when these States decided to take their destiny into their own hands, it adopted an irrational and unacceptable posture by imposing illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions in violation of its own texts; all things which have further weakened populations already bruised by years of violence imposed by instrumentalised and remote-controlled terrorist hordes.
“Faced with this continuing situation, Their Excellencies, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Colonel Assimi Goïta and Brigadier General Abdourahamane Tiani, respectively Heads of State of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger, taking all their responsibilities in the face of history and responding to the expectations, concerns and aspirations of their populations, decide in complete sovereignty on the immediate withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States.”
Mauritania was the first Country to pull out of the West African bloc in December 2020, after giving the required one year notice according to the treaty.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have progressed to the quarter-finals of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations after a 2-0 win over Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Ivory Coast on Saturday.
Nigeria will face Angola; who also got a win over Namibia in the same stage, in the quarter-finals February 2, as they hope to claim a fourth continental title after previous wins in 1980, 1994 and 2013.
It was a blockbuster clash that had generated reviews as the old rivals squared off yet again at the continental showpiece, but it was the Nigerians who made short work of their eastern neighbours with a comfortable victory in Abidjan.
Nigeria had a goal disallowed in controversial circumstances after defender Semi Ajayi found target in the ninth minute off Ademola Lookman’s corner that was parried into the pathway of Simon Moses, before Semi got his attempt.
Moroccan referee Redouane Jiyed ruled out the goal for offside after consulting the Video Assistant Referee.
The Super Eagles, however found the back of the net in the 36th minute after Osimhen displayed strength and alertness to win possession off Oumar Gonzalez just outside the penalty area, then picked out Ademola Lookman with a diagonal pass to the right of the penalty area and the Atalanta winger’s shot squeezed in through Ondoa’s gloves to give Nigeria the lead.
Ademola Lookman grabbed his second of the night just before the 90th minute mark after a quickly worked free-kick on the left, from which Alex Iwobi sent Calvin Bassey clear inside the box. Bassey found Lookman and the winger’s measured finish hit target once again through Ondoa’s fingers on a night to forget for the Cameroon goalkeeper.
