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Protests rock Abuja over enforcement of judgement on tenure elongation by FCT minister

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Travellers and motorists journeying in and out of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday had some harrowing experiences owing to protests by some aggrieved residents over tenure elongation for council chairmen and councillors whose three years tenure expired same day.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Musa Muhammad Bello had extended the tenure of FCT Council Chairmen and Councillors for another one year.

The extension, he said, followed a Court judgement which affirmed continuity of the incumbent Council Chairmen and their Councillors based on the newly amended Electoral Act.

However, on Friday morning some of the aggrieved residents took to the streets protesting the tenure extension for Chairmen and Councillors in the six Area Councils.

Originally, the Chairmen and Councillors’ three year tenure in office was scheduled to expire on Thursday, May 19, 2022, with the newly-elected officials sworn-in on Friday, May 20, 2022.

Unfortunately, the plan was abruptly stopped by a last minute court judgement leading to the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello announcing the indefinite suspension of the exercise following the ruling of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Apparently piqued by the Minister’s unilateral decision to suddenly obey the court ruling extending the officials’ tenure by one year, some residents in the Abuja accused the minister of obeying the APC procured black market judgement

Some of the protesters who spoke to NationalUpdate at Giri Junction where the Abuja-Lokoja road was practically blocked said it was unfortunate that the ruling party is deliberately over-heating the polity with their inordinate ambition instead of allowing the right thing to be done.

The protesters in the Gwagwalada Area Council stormed the Lokoja-Abuja highway on Friday morning, barricading the road and making huge bonfires with used tyres with clear demand for a reversal of the Minister’s decision.

However the quick intervention of security operatives at the scene helped to prevent the breakdown of law and order as it happened in the Deidei Market clash two days earlier, where lives were lost.

The protesters who were seen carrying and displaying placards with different inscriptions such as; ‘You can’t steal our Mandate’; ‘No Tenure Elongation; ‘Stop Manipulating The Minister’; ‘Give Us True Justice’, and ‘Don’t steal the people’s mandate’; amongst others.

Some of the protesters marched on the FCT Minister’s Office in Area 11, Garki while others were seen venting their anger in front of an “FCT :: Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 3, Abuja.

They all expressed disappointment that a court of competent jurisdiction could grant tenure elongation to the outgoing FCT Council officials who were elected and inaugurated based on the provisions of the old Electoral Act, 2010.
Many legal minds, have warned that in an election year this type of confusion should not be allowed in a Federal capital territory.
Most of the legal practitioners who spoke to National Update expressed the understanding that since the outgoing chairmen were elected and inaugurated on the basis of the relevant provisions of the 2010 Electoral Act, which specified three-year tenure for the chairmen and Councilors, it would be injustice to grant them judgement for tenure elongation.

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Local Government news

NULGE Suspends two weeks old industrial action following Wike’s intervention

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The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has announced the suspension of its 17days old industrial action that commenced on the 12″ of January, 2024 in the six Area Councils and the LEA.

The union indicated that the strike was suspended following the timely intervention of the Minister of FCT Nyesom Wike.

It would be recalled that the FCT branch of the union had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the FCT to pay its area councils’ staff arrears and other allowances.

The union had threatened to shut down government activities across the six area councils after the ultimatum elapsed without the council chairmen meeting their demands.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the emergency State Executive Council (SEC) meeting of the union which was held at the state secretariat in Gwagwalada, the union urged the six area council chairmen to pay all the outstanding allowances of its staff.

The union in the communiqué said despite having written several mails and interfaces with ALGON, the council chairmen failed to implement the 40 per cent Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and the 25 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), as well as federal government 35 per cent palliative for FCT area council’s unified staff.
It also held that the council chairmen also failed to remit pension deductions, corporative deductions, payment of hazard allowances, 35 per cent wage award, peculiar allowance and staff promotion arrears.
Apparently piqued by the failure of ALGON to meet their demands after the 7 days Ultimatum the union embarked on strike on the 12th January, following which activities in the 6 area councils were grounded.
However, in a statement issued by the Union’s secretary, Com. Ogueri Bridget, she stated that an agreement has been reached with the Minister that he will pay 40% of the total sum of the outstanding amounting to N2,793,338,491.81.
However, she said it is with a caveat that the payment will be on instulmental bases in four months arrears across the six area councils, while the Council Chairmen will pay 60% balance accruing to each area council totaling 44,190,007,723.28
It also quoted the Minister to have warned that failure to pay, the monthly allocation to the defaulting Area Council will be withheld and the said amount deducted at the source from JAAC.

“In the light of the above, I have been directed to inform you that the strike has been suspended with effect from 30° January, 2024 and you are expected to resume duty with immediate effect.

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NULGE shuts down Bwari Area Council over non implementation of benefits

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The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees protesting at Bwari Area Council on Monday
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***Vows not to surrender until the demands are met

The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees Bwari Area Council Branch on Monday made good their threats to shut down all activities at the Area Council Secretariat by barricading the entrance gate.

Led by their chairman Emmanuel Ishaku, the workers barricaded the Bwari Area Council Secretariat with their vehicles where they addressed the gathering on their grievances.
They promised not to surrender until their demands are met.

The workers were seen carrying placards bearing inscriptions like; What is our offence? Pay us our 35% wage award, FCT chairmen Key into the renewed hope Agenda of Mr. President.
“A hungry man is an Angry man, Be more responsive pay us our right, an injury to one is an injury to all.

Other placards read, “You can not achieve any community project or development without the staff, Wike is the answer, We say No to ALGON FCT, ALGON FCT put your House in order, ‘40% perculiar allowance, New CONHESS/CONMESS, a right not a privilege.
According to them the allocation to the Area council is more than enough to implement all their entitlements. They accused the Area Council Chairmen of trying to rubbish the good intentions of the FCT minister Nyesom Wike for the FCT.
They reminded the Area council Chairmen that Public servants are master planners as they would not be able to achieve anything without them.
The parent body at the union at FCT level had written to the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike where they raised issues on the non implementation of their 40% allowance, pension deductions, statutory deductions and other rights and privileges.

The letter which was made available to the Guardian was signed by Comr. Ibrahim Abdullahi Kabi, State President Nulge Fct chapter and
Comr. Bridget Ayendi State Secretary NULGE FCT Chapter
The letter reads, “The SEC-in session after exhaustive deliberations on lingering issues as regards the non-implementation of 40% peculiar allowance, pension deduction, hazard arrears, cooperative deduction, 25% adjusted CONMESS/CONHESS respectively Resolved that a seven (7) day ultimatum be issued to Area Council Chairmen with effect from 3” January to 11 January, 2024 to maintain existing industrial peace and harmony. ‘

“That if after the 7 days ultimatum and our demands are not met, then the Union would have no option than to shut down activities in all the Area councils and LEA on Friday 12” January, 2024 until our demands are met.

At the time of filling this report all the primary schools, junior and senior secondary schools under the council were under lock and key as students were forced to return home

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NGSG Expresses Commitment to the Welfare, Prompt Payment of Salaries of LG Staff

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The Niger State government has expressed its commitment to the welfare and prompt payment of Salaries of local government staff in the state.
The state government also promised to ensure the functionality of all agencies under the ministry for local government, community development and Chieftancy affairs to fast track the transformation and development of the local government councils in the state.
The newly sworn in Commissioner for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Mu’azu Hamidu Jantabo stated this in Minna on Monday when he under took a familiarisation tour of all the agencies under the Ministry, including the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the local government service commission.
He indicated that aside staff welfare and prompt payment of Salaries of local government staff, all other issues affecting smooth running of local government administration in the state will be given the desired priority.
The Commissioner pointed out that the essence of his familiarisation visit which is coming barely one week after taking over the affairs of the Ministry was to acquaint himself with the challenges being faced by the agencies and to enhance the relationship between the Ministry and the agencies for the overall benefits of the people, especially at the grass roots.
Hon. Jantabo assured that the challenges will be addressed as quickly as possible, but however warned that the era of allocating money to agencies without positive impact is over.

He added that “the Ministry will ensure constant supervision of the activities of every agency under my watch”.
According to him, “The essence of the visit is to identify agencies or institutions that are strategic to our operations to further enhance the already existing relationships.
“I’ve been a council chairman for four year’s and I know areas where to experience conflicts, so we want to avoid such conflicts this time around”. he stated.
The Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress Comrade Idris Lafene while welcoming the commissioner, said some of the challenges the Labour Union is having with the ministry include failure to implement the consequential adjustment of Minimum wage, non payment of Salary arrears and lack of promotion for civil servants at the local government councils.

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