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Verification: Zulum mulls pardon for erring workers

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Verification: Zulum mulls pardon for erring workers

… ‘We are happy with Borno Govt’, says NLC chair

By: Our Reporter

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Monday met with labour leaders after which he revealed that he was considering government pardon for some categories of workers who have spent years in the civil service before they were identified with various irregularities during verification exercises.

Zulum said the pardon was to cushion the effects of economic difficulties being faced by citizens across the state, which he said was biting harder on families of persons either on suspension, without jobs or at the risk of losing jobs.

The governor had a closed door meeting with representatives of labour affiliates led by chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, in Borno State, Comrade Yusuf Inuwa, at the Council
Chamber of the Government House in Maiduguri.

The meeting was also attended by the acting Head of Service, Barrister Mallum Fannami.

While responding to questions he was asked by journalists, Zulum gave highlights of the closed door meeting.

The governor spoke in the presence of labour leaders:

“Generally, the labour union came to appreciate the government of Borno State for some of our activities concerning workers, particularly on the implementation of promotional benefits. All those officers that were promoted from 2016 to 2018 have received their promotional benefits. However, we have those that were inadvertently omitted. I have given a directive that all those that were omitted should be paid this month. We have paid workers promoted in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and then government will look into the possibility of paying promotional benefits for those promoted in 2019, and 2020, insha’Allah” Zulum said.

… Pardon for workers affected by verification

When asked by journalists on the fates of workers fingered by verification committees for different offenses such as fake employment letters, fake certificates and other documents et cetera, Governor Zulum had this to say:

“As you know, I have since set up a committee to review the fates of all workers with issues. The committee under the SSG is working hard to submit a report to me soonest. We have workers that were erroneously affected by the exercise and insha’Allah we are ever ready to correct all the anomalies and ensure that those that were wrongly affected are cleared for them to continue their work. And even for those that have committed some offenses, we are all human beings, and we all know that times are very hard now even for people who have jobs and get paid not to talk of those with issues at work. Insha’Allah, we will consider pardoning many with some categories of offenses. If someone has worked for 20 years or 30 years, we should listen to him or her and help. No one is beyond offenses”, Zulum said.

The governor urged all affected workers to be patient.

“Very soon we will look into their plight” Zulum said.

… ‘We are happy with Borno Govt’, says NLC chair

The Labour is happy with how Borno State Government under Governor Zulum has been paying attention to the welfare of workers, chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, in Borno State, Comrade Yusuf Inuwa has said.

Inuwa spoke to journalists shortly after a closed door meeting with Governor Zulum on Monday in Maiduguri.

The chairman said labour was happy with payment of promotional benefits outstanding since 2016, the governor’s compassionate decision to pardon erring workers, his regular payment of salaries, pensions and outstanding gratuities, allocation of houses to some workers and lots more.

Inuwa however noted that they raised issues of minimum wage for local government workers to start benefiting which Zulum has since been implementing for workers at the state level.

The governor had in response promised resolving the issues of minimum wage at the LG levels soon as committee in place completes its task of identifying the actual number of valid workers, and ascertaining the genuine cost of implementing the minimum wage because at the moment, there is no credible pathway to be relied upon for the implementation.

Verification: Zulum mulls pardon for erring workers

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VP Shettima’s Agricultural Assessment Visit To Ethiopia

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VP Shettima’s Agricultural Assessment Visit To Ethiopia

By: Our Reporter

An agricultural economist by training whose love for agricultural transformation and development has never been hidden, as demonstrated recently when he visited the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan for an on-the-spot assessment of the Institute’s crops and resource potentials, Vice President Kashim Shettima today embarked on an assessment of the popular Adama Industrial Zone near Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

Farms visited by the Vice President for the on-the-spot assessment included the Adama Dairy Farms, Luke Avocado Nursery site, Shera Dibandiba Mojo Family Integrated Farm, Biyyo Poultry Farm, and the Bishoftu Pea Farm.

While speaking on areas of agricultural collaboration between both countries, the Vice President ordered specialised coffee beans seeds for massive production in Nigeria while also directing the immediate training of selected Nigerian agricultural extension farmers on the production of specialized avocado seedlings for the Nigerian market.

VP Shettima also sought an exchange of mechanisation technologies between both countries, stressing that the potential of both Nigeria’s and Ethiopia’s agricultural sectors was capable of capturing world markets, especially when fully harnessed and exploited.

VP Shettima’s Agricultural Assessment Visit To Ethiopia

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Leboku-in-Abuja 2025 Festival Celebrates New Year Festival to Bolster Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage

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Leboku-in-Abuja 2025 Festival Celebrates New Year Festival to Bolster Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage

By: Michael Mike

One of the nation’s most celebrated events, the New Year Festival would berth in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the Kedei Seh Umor-Otutu, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy stage the Lenoku-in-Abuja 2025.

It promises to bolster Nigeria’s cultural heritage and showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Yakurr people in Cross River, the South-South and South-East in the nation and the world at large.

Addressing a pre-festival press conference in Abuja, President of Kedei Seh Umor-Otutu, a community-based association, Queency Patrick said the forthcoming festival with the theme: “A celebration of heritage, unity and harvest,” is one of the kind.

She explained that Lenoku-in-Abuja 2025 is an internationally acclaimed New Yam festival that is celebrated on August 30 in Abuja, under auspices of Kedei Seh Umor-Otutu, an association of Ugep people living in the FCT.

Patrick said: “Leboku-in-Abuja-2025 aligns with national goals of cultural preservation, inter-ethnic harmony and in promoting Nigeria as a cultural destination.

“The Federal Capital Territory provides the ideal backdrop to unite heritage and modernity, welcoming all who believe in peace, identity and pride of origin.

“For us, it is not just a cultural event, it is a call to national unity, peace and cultural tourism development.

“It is also an opportunity for us to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Yakurr people in Cross River, the South-South and South-East in the nation and the world at large.”

She further explained that: “The event fosters appreciation of Nigeria’s diverse ethnic-root and culture. Leboku-in-Abuja is more than a festival, it is a stage for celebrating our cultural identity, building bridges through tradition and encouraging investment in the creative economy and tourism sector.”

According to her, Mr Obi Asika, DirectorGeneral/CEO of the National Council for Arts and Culture, had in a letter which formally endorsed the association’s collaboration with government described Leboku-in-Abuja, as annual New Yam Festival celebrated in Abuja by Yakurr people of Cross River.

Patrick further quoted him by saying the Leboku festival, deeply rooted in the traditions of the Yakurr people of Cross River, has long been a symbol of unity, celebration, and agricultural prosperity.

Asika, in the letter noted that: “Bringing this renowned festival to Abuja will provide a unique opportunity for cultural exchange, tourism development, and deeper appreciation of our diverse traditions.

“It aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and NCAC’s mandate to promote arts and culture, as essential drivers or Nigeria’s creative economy,” Asika added.

Patrick revealed the event would provide platform for public lecture, economic empowerment, traditional food festival, cultural and arts exhibition, sports, agriculture, trade and tourism development.

The event scheduled to hold at the Bolton White event centre, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja is centered on promoting unity and peace with the toga: “One Yam, One People.”

Leboku-in-Abuja 2025 Festival Celebrates New Year Festival to Bolster Nigeria’s Rich Cultural Heritage

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Crisis brews in Gombe SDP as Yakubu emerges acting chairman

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Crisis brews in Gombe SDP as Yakubu emerges acting chairman

The Gombe State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has appointed a new chairman, Aaron Yakubu to serve in acting capacity following the suspension of its state chairman, Comrade Adamu Abubakar Modibbo, over allegations of mismanagement, lack of transparency, and misuse of party resources.

His suspension was announced at a news conference held in Gombe on Saturday by the party’s Welfare Secretary, Usman Yahaya, on behalf of concerned members of the state executive.

Reading the statement, Yahaya said there were countless complaints against the now suspended chairman, whom he said had side-lined party stakeholders and running the party like his personal property.

“Since Comrade Modibbo assumed office, the party has experienced no meaningful progress. Instead, the leadership claims he has used his position to witch-hunt loyal stakeholders and frustrated committed party members for his personal gain.”

He accused Modibbo of systematically “caging” the party’s executive members and aspirants, depriving over 90% of both returning and newly acting executive members of access to official SDP membership cards.

He further alleged that the selection of party candidates has been done without due process or consultation, with names being announced solely via national platforms involving prominent figures like Malam Nasir El-Rufai, thereby side-lining the state executive.
Yahaya also accused the suspended chairman of allegedly using his personal residence as the de facto party office.

This, the executives say, violates proper procedures and comes despite funds being made available to renovate the official state party office and rent offices across the local government areas.

“As it stands, the SDP in Gombe State does not have a functional or recognised operational office,”

In the light of the above weighty and numerous allegations against Modibbo, the Welfare Secretary said that the Gombe State chapter of the party has taken decisive action by suspending Comrade Adamu Abubakar Modibbo as chairman with immediate effect.

“In this regard, we hereby announce that the current State Secretary of the party, Mr. Aaron Yakubu, will now serve as the Acting State Chairman of the SDP in Gombe.

“Similarly, Ambassador Lukman Adamu Elkanem, previously serving as the Acting Assistant Public Relations Officer, has now been appointed as the Acting State Secretary of the party.”

Yahaya, on behalf of the state chapter of the SDP, appealed for intervention from the national body of the party to look into the allegations against the former chairman and to restore discipline, accountability, and credible leadership to the Gombe chapter of the party.

Speaking shortly in an interview, Yakubu said he would work to build inclusiveness in the party and ensure all party members were carried along in line with the constitution of the party.

He stated that out of the 13 working committee members of the party, nine were present and in support of the suspension of Modibbo.

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