Governors’ dogs consume over N18,000 monthly, says Murray-Bruce

Ben Murray-Bruce

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The senator representing Bayelsa-East senatorial district, Ben Murray-Bruce, says over N18, 000 is spent on the upkeep of dogs in the various government houses across the country.

He, therefore, stated that it was wicked for governors to advocate for a reduction of the N18, 000 minimum wage.

The lawmaker said this in a series of tweets on his official Twitter handle on Monday.

Murray-Bruce said it made no sense for a National Youth Service Corps member to receive about N20, 000 a month while civil servants, including family men, were denied of the N18, 000 minimum wage.

He said with the high rate of inflation in the country, it would make no sense to reduce wages.

He tweeted, “I know for the fact that even dogs at Government House cost more than N18,000 to take care of in a month. How much more a human being?

“It is unjust for a government to contemplate reducing workers’ pay of N18,000. What can that amount buy in today’s Nigeria?

“A worker with a family earns less than a member of the NYSC who earns 19,800. Reducing his pay is unconscionable. A man earning N18,000 struggles to pay rent, feed his family and pay school fees. To reduce his pay is to punish his family.

“In the last four years, the cost of food and fuel has gone up. Can we, in good faith, make a case for the reduction of workers’ pay?”

The senator said that reducing the minimum wage would increase the rate of corruption as workers would indulge in sharp practices to augment their income.

He said it was hypocritical of governors to spend over N18, 000 per meal and ask civil servants to receive less than N18,000 a month.

He added, “If the government doesn’t pay workers well, it invites workers to steal. To end corruption, we must pay workers well.

“You cannot be spending more than N18,000 per meal and claim that the man who earns N18,000 per month is overpaid.”

culled from punch

Diezani Alison Madueke;s health deteriorates

Former minister of petroleum, has reportedly ordered her relatives to jet her back to Nigeria this Friday as her condition grew worse last weekend.The former minister has reportedly asked her family to fly her back to her home country as she does not seem to improve.

“She has not tasted any solid food since last Monday. She did not speak throughout Thursday. When she eventually spoke Friday morning, she ordered them to return her to the country to visit Prophet T. B Joshua for prayers. a close souce revealed

SILVERBIRD'S PREGNANT STAFF STABBED TO DEATH BY BOYFRIEND

A staff of Silverbird, one Aishat Noble Mustapha, was at the weekend stabbed to death near her residence at Ogudu, Lagos, by her jealous boyfriend.

The deceased, who was described as charming and cheerful by her colleagues and acquaintances, was said to have been pregnant.

THISDAY gathered that the deceased was said to have been stabbed over 10 times by the said boyfriend, who has since been picked up by the police for interrogation.

Until her death, the deceased worked at the box office of the Silverbird Galleria Mall in Ikeja, Lagos.

It was gathered that the suspect was picked up based on information obtained from some neighbours who had witnessed them quarreling before the attack.

Eyewitness accounts said the boyfriend had queried her about her relationship with another man, and she had told him point blank that there was nothing between them.

Refusing to believe her story, the suspect was said to have descended on her, after which he stabbed her repeatedly to death.

As at press time, efforts to confirm the arrest of the suspect by the police proved abortive as a text message sent to the state police spokesperson, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, was not replied.

In another development, the Lagos State Police Command has said that it will ensure that the families of its men who were killed during the recent armed robbery incident in Lekki are compensated for their losses.

Nwosu said: “There is compensation for any police officer that dies in service, and this one will not be an exception.”

He also said efforts were ongoing to arrest the perpetrators, hence the full scale investigation by the police.

SWITZERLAND RETURNS 380 MILLION DOLLARS, ABACHA LOOT

Swiss officials have said they will be returning about $380 million stolen by former dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, to Nigeria.

Geneva prosecutors, according to the Associated Press (AP), said on Tuesday that they ordered the money seized in Luxembourg starting in 2006. It was transferred to Switzerland and officially confiscated last year following an agreement between the federal government and the Abacha family under which the Nigerian government dropped its case against the late dictator’s son, Abba Abacha.

The money, confiscated on the basis that the Abacha family was a criminal organisation, will now be returned to Nigeria under World Bank supervision.
Geneva prosecutors closed their own case, opened in 1999, in which Abba Abacha was the last person still under investigation.
The $380 million had been placed in several accounts abroad that were controlled by the Abacha family, the Geneva prosecutors’ office said in a statement.

The money was seized in 2006 in Luxembourg, under orders from the Swiss authorities.

The Abacha family had also placed some $500 million (530 million euros) in Swiss banks, though those funds have already been returned to Nigeria.

The $380 million will be returned under the World Bank’s supervision, said the prosecutor’s office.

The authorities have also decided to drop their case against Abba Abacha, which began in 1999.

In 2012, the dictator’s son was handed a one-year suspended prison sentence for participating in a criminal organisation.

Switzerland’s top court cancelled the sentence in May 2014, citing procedural reasons.

The Geneva prosecutor’s office yesterday said Abba Abacha had been detained for 561 days from 2004 to 2006, without receiving compensation.

The Abacha affair began in 1999, when Nigeria asked the Swiss judicial authorities to help it recover $2.2 billion ($2 billion euros) embezzled and siphoned off by Sani Abacha while he was in power.

Last December, the State of Jersey, the biggest territory in the Channels Island, announced that it would return £315 million Abacha loot to Nigeria.
The Island famous for its transparent banking services had previously repatriated in two tranches £140 million of the loot.

The money was laundered on behalf of Abacha by Raj Bhojwani, an Indian businessman.

Bhojwani is currently serving an eight-year sentence in a UK prison.

JONATHAN APPOINTS NEW MINISTERS, KORO AMONG NEW APPOINTEES

Amidst all controversies surrounding the nomination of some minister appointees,President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday swore in ‎eight ministers that were recently cleared by the Senate.

The president equally effected a minor cabinet reshuffle as Dr.  Alhassan Khaliru‎ has been named Minister of Health while Engr. Fidelis Nwankwo, (Ebonyi State) is now the new Minister of State, Health‎.

‎The new ministers were sworn in two batches (four per batch) in the presence of Council members, friends and family members.

Senator Patricia Akwashiki ‎ (Nasarawa) is now Minister of Information, Prof. Nicholas Ada (Benue) is now - Minister of State Foreign Affairs 1‎, and Col. Augustine Akobundu (rtd) (Abia State) is now Minister of State, Defence

‎Others were Mrs. Hauwa'u Lawan Bappa, now Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs, Kenneth Kobani (Rivers)‎ is now Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, ‎Sen. Joel Danlami Ikenya (Taraba), now Minister of Labour and Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro‎. (Lagos) - Foreign Affairs II

Jonathan also swore in two commissioners for Federal Civil Service Commission, Dr. Jonah Madugo. ‎He is to represent Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa states and National Population Commission, Mrs. Abimbola Ogundeyi.

In his brief remarks, the president congratulated them and expressed hope that they will join to serve the nation.

"For the ministers this is an injury time, is like bringing a player when you have just five minutes to go in a football match. So everyone wants to know what that player will do, the magic the player will perform within that short period. The player himself will be struggling to at least kick the ball beforre  the end of the game.

"So you are coming in at a quite challenging period and I believe that a number of people will not envy you because government is coming to a close. But sometimes is even good to come at this time because you are now well exposed to Nigerians.

"Your dancing steps will be watching by everybody and ‎we believe you will dance well.

"For the member of the Federal Civil Service Commission, civil service is key is the engine room of government.

"The greatest problem that people complain about is the issues of discipline etc in the service.‎ I believe that with you coming to join others you will continue to modernize the federal civil service.

"Of course population is key for the National Population Commission, we are thinking of how to go for another head count.

NIGERIAN TROOPS STORMS BOKO HARAMS BASE- BAMA IN BORNU

 Nigerian troops yesterday afternoon routed terrorists from Bama in Borno state. Mopping up operation is ongoing. NeverAgain”, the defence headquarters tweeted.
Bama, the second largest Local Government Area in Borno, fell to Boko Haram on September 11, 2014.
Some residents, mostly women and children who tried to flee the area at the time were reported to have died of thirst and hunger as insurgents tightened their grip on the town.
Some men of the town were beheaded, residents say.
Bama was one of two most important towns held by Boko Haram for months.
The other, Gwoza, is now the only town under the control of Boko Haram, a violent jihadist group that has slaughtered more than 15,000 people since 2009.
Boko Haram uses Gwoza as its headquarters.
The victory over Bama came as part of a string of successes recorded by the Nigerian military in the last one month, after struggling for years to contain the deadly sect.
Ahead of elections March 28, the military has rallied its ranks and collaborated more with neighbouring countries to dismantle the sect.
Last week, the military cleared Adamawa of Boko Haram and Monday, it did the same for Yobe State, leaving Borno as the only state with some little presence of the group.
The Bama advance started March 6, our sources said, and was slowed largely because Boko Haram militants had destroyed bridges linking the town to other communities.
REALNIJAGISTS learnt the military spent time constructing a make-shift passage to the town.
The operation, we understand, was led by a Major of the Nigerian Army, who also led past tank operations to recapture Baga, Monguno and Michika.
The military had on February 23 launched intense airstrikes on Gwoza, Bama and Sambisa forest after retaking Monguno, Baga and other towns.
“In furtherance of the mission to clear terrorists from all their enclaves by the military, the Nigerian Air Force has stepped up its air bombardment of identified targets in Gwoza, Bama and Sambisa forest, preparatory to other phases of the mission,” a statement by defence spokesperson, Chris Olukolade, had said at the time.

REALNAIJAGISTS: ANOTHER BOMB AGAIN IN BORNU

REALNAIJAGISTS: ANOTHER BOMB AGAIN IN BORNU: Scene of a bomb explosion •Suicide bombing foiled at Gaidam’s campaign office •FG: Sect is recruiting fighters i...