28042019 - No delaying minimum wage, go ahead and pay, FG tells MDAs, states, others

PAGE 6 — SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 28, 2019
Anti-graft group calls for probe of controversial
employment at NSIA
Anti-graft civil soci
ety organization,
Coalition Against
Corruption and Bag Governance,
CACOBAG, has
called on President Muhammadu
Buhari to order
the immediate probe of the
alleged appointment of Ms
Aisha Abba Kyari, the
daughter of his Chief of
Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari,
as an Assistant Vice President
at the Nigerian Sovereign
Investment Authority
(NSIA).
A statement by the group’s
Chairman, Alhaji Toyin Raheem,
expressed worry that
Ms Abba Kyari’s appointment
is considered controversial
because it “violates
set procedure at the NSIA,
which is the legally constituted
agency that manages
Nigeria’s excess crude oil
revenues”.
“According to media reports,
the position was not
publicly advertised, contrary
to what is expected of
such position” , the NGO
stated, stressing that such
practice at the highest level
of government runs contrary
to the avowed posture
of the Buhari administration.
The statement went on:
“Equally disturbing is the
revelation that the new employee
is starting up with
an annual package of N32
million. We have chosen to
call for a thorough investigation
of this case because
a similar thing happened
in Pension Commission
recently and, at the
end of the probe, those involved
were relieved of
their jobs.
“Five days after the Abba
Kyari employment scandal
leaked in the media,
neither the Presidency nor
the management of NSIA
has deemed it fit to deny
any of the following
claims: That: members of
staff at the NSIA are infuriated
by the appointment;
that a few of the high-level
personnel privy to the recruitment
initially refused
to interview Ms. Abba-
Kyari.
“We are by this statement
giving the Presidency
notice that we shall
commence series of lawful
civil actions in a matter of
days to compel the Buhari
administration to order a
comprehensive investigation
of this employment issue.”
Emir Sanusi at SUN matriculation: Kano will soon
have quality doctors, engineers, others
Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna attacks: We won’t spare
anyone found wanting irrespective of status — Buhari
By Bashir Bello
President Muham
madu Buhari has
vowed that the
Federal Government will
not spare anyone found
wanting in the wanton destruction
of lives and
property in Zamfara,
Katsina and Kaduna
States.
Buhari, who condemned
banditry in the
three states in strong
terms, gave a marching
order to security chiefs
to, within the shortest
time possible, route out
bandits tertorising parts
of Zamfara, Katsina and
Kaduna states.
The President spoke
through Governor Aminu
Bello Masari of Katsina
State, who, accompanied
by security heads in the
state, visited Yar Santa
•The SUN Registrar, Mr Satya Vir Sighn, administered matriculation oaths on students
yesterday.
and Tsamiyar Jino villages
in Kankara Local Government
to condole with
the people over recent
terrorist attacks on the
communities resulting in
the loss of lives and property
running into millions
of naira.
According to a statement
by his Senior Special
Assistant on Media,
Abdu Labaran Malumfashi,
Masari said the situation
was unacceptable,
assuring that the government
was prepared to
deal with it.
“We will not hesitate to
deal appropriately with
anyone found to be connected,
or in anyway involved,
in the banditry”,
the statement quoted the
governor as telling his
guests.
“Peace and nomalcy
must return to the the
area, as securing lives
and property is the essence
of government, and
failure to do that is tantamount
to shirking the
responsibility of the oath
of office.
“Be rest assured that
government will not
abandon you in your hour
of need, because we will
take the fight to the bandits
where ever they may
be”.
The President, however,
noted that security was
the business of everybody,
more so that there was no
sufficient security personnel
to be posted to every
part of the country in adequate
measure.
“Security and the maintenance
of law and order
are beyond the capacity
of the men and officers of
the security agencies.
Therefore, there is the
need for everyone, especially
leaders in the society,
to contribute towards
ensuring the safety and
security of their respective
environment” , Buhari
said.
By Abdulmumin
Murtala, Kano
Skyline University Nige
ria, SUN, the first private
university in
Kano,yesterday, matriculated
82 pioneer students.
The students were admitted
into various bachelors’
degree programmes in the
School of Arts Management
& Social Sciences,
SAMSS, as well as the
School of Sciences & Information
Technology, SSIT,
based on the requirements
of the National Universities
Commission, NUC.
The Vice-Chancellor,
Prof Sudhakar Kota, in his
address during the maiden
matriculation ceremony,
held at the university premises,
challenged the students
to take advantage of
the opportunity to become
successful.
“The 2018/2019 academic
year is indeed a good start
for Skyline University Nigeria”,
Kota said.
He urged the students
to make the best out of the
university, saying, “SUN
has given assurance to
provide you with quality
inputs, technological integration,
learning resources
and use internationally
accepted pedagogies
that will enhance
your knowledge, skills
and competencies with
values”.
The Vice Chancellor disclosed
that the university
will provide programmes
on legal studies, engineering
and basic medical
courses that are in dire
need in Nigeria and
across the world.
Kota told the students
that it will not be an easy
ride, but stressed the university’s
commitment to
ensuring that they are
comfortable and attain
their dreams at the end
of it all. He affirmed the
university’s commitment
to the protection of the
environment and
charged the students to
contribute to transforming
SUN to green and sustainable
campuses.
In his remarks, the special
guest of honour, the
Emir of Kano, Muhammadu
Sanusi II, encouraged
Kano residents to
apply to the university in
view of its global standards.
He expressed optimism
that Kano would soon get
more quality doctors and
engineers after graduating
from the institution.
Insecurity: Ortom calls for fasting and
prayers
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
Benue State gover
nor, Mr. Samuel
Ortom, has appealed to
the people of the state to
fast and pray against
what he described as
evil forces behind bloodshed
and destruction of
property in the land.
He also urged the people
to participate in a
one-week prayer and
fasting programme organized
by the Christian
Association of Nigeria,
CAN, in conjunction
with the state government
starting next tomorrow.
The governor, who
spoke, yesterday, at the
NKST Church, Iortyer,
in Makurdi during the
wedding of Mimi Terhemba
and Tavershima
Amase, stressed that
God had, severally in the
past, answered the
prayers of the people of
the state during challenging
times.
“We must therefore collectively
approach the
throne of grace by going
into sincere prayers coupled
with repentance
and sustained fasting
particularly against the
rising wave of crime because
such problems
emanate from the spiritual
realm,” Ortom said.
While commending
the church for playing a
pivotal role in his reelection
during the last
general elections, he
pledged to provide quality
leadership that would
uplift the fortunes of the
state.