Protest
Anambra: JUSUN strike a national issue, not state-driven
The Anambra State Government on Monday said the ongoing strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), was a national issue and not state-driven. Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, Secretary to the State Government, made the assertion, while addressing members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Anambra branch, at a peaceful protest to the Government House in Awka. Newsmen report that the protest followed a directive issued on April 18 by the President of the NBA, Mr Olumide Akpata, to all branches of the association. Chukwulobelu said the executive was aware of the need to ensure that all aspects of the three arms of government function properly. “Your demands on independent judiciary are very important, but it is a national issue. “The fact that the courts are not sitting is not becaus...
Over 130 Belgian Venues Reopen Illegally in Protest of Government Restrictions
On April 30th more than 130 venues in the Belgian cities of Brussels and Wallonia opened their doors, breaking government protocols instated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The venues are hosting events for the general public for nine consecutive days in protest of the restrictions, IQ Magazine reports. Campaign group Still Standing For Culture is the body behind the protest events which span entire cities and will conclude on May 8th, when government restrictions are eased to allow open-air events with a maximum capacity of 50 individuals. “We will do this without underestimating the dangerousness of the virus, but we recall that experiments and studies show that the opening of cultural places has only a minimal impact on the contamination curves in the face of the effects ...
Akwa Ibom first lady leads women’s protest on raped, murdered job seeker
Wife of Akwa Ibom State’s Governor Udom Emmanuel, Dr. Martha Emmanuel, on Wednesday led over 3,000 women from different walks of life on a solidarity march to protest the gruesome murder of Miss Iniubong Umoren. The women took over Uyo metropolis, singing dirges and carrying placards with different inscriptions like: “We want justice for Iniubong,” “Justice for one is justice for all,” “No more rape, no more gender-based violence.” Other inscriptions said: “#Stand in Solidarity with Akwa Ibom State women and demand justiceforIniubongUmoren,” “#Rape is a crime punishable by law,” among others. The women marched from Ibom Connection down to Nuwana Iba and then moved to Wellington Bassey Way leading to the state’s Government House. Other dignitaries who accompanied the wife of the Governor on...
EKSU: SSANU urges Ekiti governor to intervene over proscription of staff unions
File Photo The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Western Zone, has called on the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to as a matter of urgency, intervene in the crisis rocking the Ekiti State University, following the proscription of staff unions by the Governing Council of the university led by Prof. Tale Omole. Staff unions proscribed by the Governing Council are the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) of the university. While addressing journalists at a press conference on Monday at the University of Ibadan, the National Vice President of SSANU, ...
South-east governors reiterate support for state police
The South-East Governor’s Forum on Sunday reiterated its support for the establishment of state police in view of the current security challenges in parts of the country. The chairperson of the forum, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, disclosed this in a communique issued at the end of their security meeting with opinion leaders in the zone in Enugu. The governor said the forum had set up a committee to work out acceptable modalities for the workability of state policing and would submit the same to the National Economic Council (NEC). “The meeting is in support of restructuring, the setting up of state police and other national issues as discussed at the last NEC meeting. “A committee has been set up to work out acceptable modalities and submit the same to NEC in its next meeting,” he said. ...
Official: Why inmates of Kano prison rioted
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has clarified why there was violent protest among inmates of Kurmawa Custodial facility in Kano metropolis on Thursday evening. The Public Relations Officer, NCoS Kano State Command, DSC Musbahu Kofar-Nasarawa, told newsmen on Friday in Kano that the riot was not over alleged poor quality food in the facility as was speculated. Kofar-Nasarawa who said that normalcy had been restored as the inmates were confined and security beefed up at the facility said the prisoners rioted in protest against attempt to take away prohibited items from them. “There was an attempt by some inmates to cause pandemonium in the prison yard, however, the situation was brought under control by concerted efforts of the warders and security operatives. “The inmates are not pr...
PTAD: Implementation of pension adjustment in progress
Dr Chioma Ejikeme, Executive Secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), says implementation of the pension adjustment is in progress. Ejikeme in a statement on Thursday in Abuja through Mr Gbenga Ajayi, PTAD’s Head of Corporate Communications, noted that the implementation was most likely to commence at the end of April, going by the submissions that had been made by all stakeholders. “Ejikeme held a meeting with the National Executives of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) led by Dr Abel Afolayan on March 16, where the issue of the implementation of the pension adjustment was openly discussed. “The union gave their understanding at the meeting, the executive secretary told the union that the implementation is most likely to commence at the end of April, going by ...
Lagos: Police arrest protesting Uber, Bolt drivers
The police in Lagos have arrested some members of the Professional E-hailing Drivers and Private Owners Association (PEDPA), the umbrella body of e-hailing ride companies including Uber and Bolt, who had embarked on an industrial action over the services rendered by the platforms. Five drivers, including the president of PEDPA, Idris Shonuga, were arrested on Tuesday. Speaking on the arrest, Kolawole Aina, the Regional Vice President PEDPA, South-west, said the drivers were picked up by the police at the National Stadium in Surulere while they were gathering for a peaceful march to Alausa. Newsmen reported that Bolt and Uber drivers commenced strike on Monday to express their displeasure over the “unfavourable pricing” of the companies and its impact on their business. Shonuga, who listed ...
JUSUN: No going back on strike
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) on Monday commenced its nationwide protest over financial autonomy of the Judiciary. The National Treasurer of the union, Comrade Jimoh, leading the protest, said they will not back down on the strike and protest until their demands are met. JUSUN had on April 6 shut down all courts in the country to protest the refusal of governors to comply with the constitutional provisions for financial autonomy of the Judiciary. However, due to the failure of talks with the governors, JUSUN on Friday threatened to add mass protest to the strike. Alonge, while speaking with journalists at the Court of Appeal take-off point of the protest to the National Assembly, stated that the judiciary is confronted with myriads of problems, but noted that once the issue ...
PDP wins all seats in Rivers council election
File Photo In line with expectation and trends in other parts of the country, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers has been declared the winner of all the chairpersons and councillorship seats contested for in the State local government election held on Saturday. The announcement that the PDP won all the seats contested for in the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers was made by the State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, in Port Harcourt on Sunday. However, one of the parties that participated in the election, the Social Democratic Party, SDP has described the poll as a ‘sham’ while calling for the resignation of Chairman of RSIEC, Justice George Omereji [rtd]. The party also called for cancellation of all the results of the election. The SDP councillorship candidate ...
NULGE to occupy homes of lawmakers supporting bill to scrap LGAs
File Photo The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) is planning a protest to occupy the country homes of all federal lawmakers in support of a bill calling for the scrapping of local government councils. The union says all in support of the bill are enemies of Nigeria and democracy, and were insensitive to the plight and governance needs of Nigerians in rural areas. NULGE president Ambali Olatunji spoke in reaction to the bill before the House of Representatives seeking to abolish the third tier of government. The bill is being sponsored by a House of Representatives member, Bob Solomon, PDP-Rivers. Olatunji said if the bill was not killed immediately, the workers would in the next few days stage a protest at the National Assembly, after which they would storm the country ho...
Group advocates palliative for terrorism, banditry victims
A group under the auspices of Initiative for Conciliation and Right Protection has advocated for palliative for victims of terrorism and banditry to cushion the effect of the ugly trend. This is contained in a statement jointly signed by Mable Bremah, Godwin Ekoja and Halima Bukar, Assistant Secretary, PRO and Deputy Organising Secretary respectively in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday. It observed that victims of terrorism, banditry and oppressed deserved better treatment to enable such victims resettle and gradually recover from their trauma. The statement urged Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliation to collectively join hands toward ending the insecurity bedevilling the country to pave way for a better Nigeria. It observed that Nigerians were living in an unpreced...
