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By Olufemilade Oyinade

Farmers and community leaders in Ogun State gathered at two separate stakeholders’ meetings held at the palace of Onimeko of Imeko and Ijebu East Local Government Headquarters, Ogbere from November 22 to 23, 2021, respectively for a research finding dissemination workshop organized by the Agricultural Policy Research in Africa (APRA), a research consortium funded by Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK.

Speaking at the event, the country’s Coordinator of the programme in Nigeria, Prof Adebayo Aromolaran of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, stated that APRA was focused on working with key Nigerian stakeholders in agricultural and rural development to identify strategies for helping to improve the livelihoods of farm families, women, and youths across Nigeria by providing research-based evidence to support the need for concrete changes in the food and agricultural systems of Nigeria.

Prof Aromolaran explained that APRA Nigeria Work Stream 1 research team has been working in Imeko Afon, Obafemi Owode and Ijebu East LGAs of Ogun State and chikun, kachia and soba LGAs of Kaduna state since 2018 and the research project, according to him, was focused on investigating the potential opportunities and challenges associated with medium-scale farming as a pathway to inclusive agricultural commercialization and improved livelihood outcomes for farm families across Nigeria.

On the key findings of the research programme, Aromolaran stated that less than 6 percent of small-scale farms in Ogun and Kaduna states had stepped up to medium scale (5 hectares and above) in decades, principally because of poor access to land and complementary inputs for expansion

He informed participants that the study found that interactions of medium scale farms with small scale farms around them could increase the productivity and incomes of small-scale farms and reduced poverty among them.

The country’s Coordinator also informed the participants that certain cultural and socio-economic constraints were preventing women and youths from cultivating commercial tree crops, which has the potential to improve their livelihoods substantially, stressing that increased access to land and labour markets, extension services, all-weather roads, and agro-dealer services were found to be major drivers of agricultural commercialization in Nigeria. He assured that if all these challenges were well addressed, a significant number of farm families in Nigeria would move out of poverty.

Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Olanite, represented by Chief Segun Olaleye appealed to APRA to put in all efforts to ensure effective implementation of their findings by policy makers at all levels of government in Nigeria.

Chief Ismail Abdulazeez and Sotunde Adeolu and both farmers’ association leaders said upgrading of farmers from small scale to medium scale level would give more hope to farm families, as this was found to result in increasing productivity and incomes.

Alhaja Risikat Adenokun, a female community leader in Ijebu East said that a major challenge that small scale farmers currently facing were underpricing of their farm produces by traders. She wondered whether the APRA study could help address this challenge.

The meetings gave opportunities to participants to deliberate on the various issues raised by the APRA research project and recommended the specific roles that government, private sectors and communities could play in addressing the issues. Participants were informed that the output of their deliberations would form part of the issues to be tabled at a national stakeholders’ meeting that would be organized by APRA on December 16, 2021.

Similar stakeholders’ key findings dissemination meetings were held in chikun and soba LGAs of Kaduna state from November 15 to 16, 2021.

By Bisade Ojoye

The Executive Chairman, Ikenne Local Government, Hon. Olusegun Ogunleye has sent his warm felicitations to Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Oba Adeleke Idowu-Basibo, Alaperu of Iperu and the entire people of the town on this year’s Akesan Day Celebration with its grand finale holding at Iperu on Saturday, 27th November, 2021.

Ogunleye, according to a release from the council’s Director, Information, Education, and Sports, Tope Oyekan, opined that the 35th edition of the celebration would continue to foster unity, progress, and development in the town.

The Chairman also congratulated the Iperu Community Development Association, led by Chief Babajide Oyeti, all affiliated clubs and associations on this eventful celebration.

He commended Akesan Day Celebration Organising Committee, for the effective planning and preparation towards successful hosting of the event.

The Chairman heartily welcomed the Special Guest of Honour, Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun an indigene of Iperu and Prince of the Amororo and Agbonmagbe Royal Dynasties to the event. He also welcome all eminent, distinguished personalities, friends and associates accompanying the Governor to the event.

By Olufemilade Oyinade

Ogun State House of Assembly has confirmed the appointment of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s nominee for the post of Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwasina Olanrewaju Ogungbade following his screening by the lawmakers the previous day.

The approval was sequel to the adoption of the report of the Committee of the Whole House chaired by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo as presented by his Deputy, Akeem Balogun, who also moved the motion for its adoption which was seconded by Hon. Ganiyu Oyedeji.

The confirmation of the nominee was thereafter done through a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sherif, seconded by Hon. Abdul Bashir Oladunjoye and supported by the Whole House through a voice vote.

The Assembly had in the previous day screened the nominee during a meeting of the Committee of the Whole House chaired by Speaker Olakunle Oluomo, who also challenged him to ensure the immediate implementation of the State Law Reform Commission, 2021 passed earlier in the year.

The Speaker in company of other lawmakers maintained that the law was targeted at retaining the State in its pride of place through seamless review of the State’s operational laws in line with societal realities and global best practices.

They tasked the nominee to ensure that reforms were put in place to strengthen justice administration through seamless access to justice by the people, with a view to further decongesting all correctional facilities in the State.

In his response, Ogungbade stated that he was determined to ensure that every common man in the society had unhindered access to the justice, adding that he would aggressively explore all legal and administrative mechanisms including plea bargain to aid justice dispensation.

Meanwhile, the Speaker has commended the State Command of the Nigeria Police for its efforts in curbing crimes and criminality in the State, especially its recent break-through leading to the arrest of a five- man gang terrorizing communities in Ewekoro Local Government area, calling for sustained efforts in ridding the State of criminal elements.

The Speaker gave the commendation, while responding to the submission of a member representing Ijebu North 2 State Constituency, Hon. Dare Kadiri, who reported a case of recent kidnapping of a student in his constituency and the bad conditions of some of the roads in his constituency.

He also requested the State Ministry of Works to ensure application of palliatives on the bad portions of some of the roads within the State.

By Bisade Ojoye

The Special Assistant to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Inter- Ethnic affairs, prince Hadi Sani has urged the new leaders of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Ogun State chapter to work towards curbing insecurity challenges in the state.

Hadi who gave this charge at the Swearing ceremony of the newly elected executive of the organisation disclosed that the state Governor Governor believed in the oneness of the people of the state and that he had been working assiduously to ensure enduring peace and tranquillity in the.

Biyi Odubote who is also a Special Assistant to Governor Abiodun on security tasked members of MACBAN to take the responsibility of securing the lives of the people of the State with all seriousness it demanded.

Odubote stated that the security of the stated required collective responsibility, hence everyone must stand up and be ready to work with the various security agencies towards the security of the lives and properties of the people.

The security buff said information remained a vita key to unlock the insecurity brouhaha in the state and indeed in the country and therefore urged the people to assist the security agencies by providing them with impeccable information that could help them in the course performing their responsibility of securing the state.

The National Organizing Secretary Alhaji Aliyu Saleh who represented the National President Of the Association and chaired the occasion, in his remarks urged the newly elected State EXCO to strive to restore the battered image of the Fulanis and work conscientiously towards the restoration of Peace between the Farmers and Herders In Ogun State.

He also charged them work towards finding lasting solutions to the cases Of kidnapping and other related crimes in the state.

The Divisional Police Officer, (DPO), Ilupeju Sabo Division, Commander of Amotekun and the Traditional Rulers of Sabo, represented by a high Chief of the kingdom commended MACBAN for their intervention in restoring peace in the state while charging the newly elected members of the leaders to continued with there effort towards securing the lives and properties of the people in Ogun State.

Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Deinde, the new state Chairman of MACBAN; Alhaji Usman Abubakar Barti, State Vice Chairman and the rest of the state EXCO were given their Certificate Of Return by the National Organizing Secretary of MACBAN.

Guests at the occasion included: Special Guests Present at the Occasion were Traditional Rulers And Security Agencies, the DPO Of Ilupeju Sabo Police Division, Commander Amotekun and Commander of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Aare Shola Shodiyan

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By Olufemilade Oyinade

Fatimo Amele Bamigbetan, wife of Kehinde Bamigbetan, a former Commissioner in Lagos State, has died.

Kehinde Bamigbetan, a veteran journalist was a former chairman of Ejigbo local council development area of Lagos State and former commissioner for information in Lagos State during the Akinwunmi Ambode administration.

The cause of this sad incident that happened on Monday could not be ascertained as at the time of publishing this story.

Good morning gentlemen

2. It’s no longer news that the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry that investigated cases of police brutality as well as the incident of Oct. 20th, 2020, at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos has submitted its report. The submission happened while I was out of the country on national assignment. Unlike many commentators and analysts, we took our time to read and digest the report, and we are now well placed to respond.
3. Without mincing words, let me say that never in the history of any Judicial Panel in this country has its report been riddled with so many errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendoes, omissions and conclusions that are not supported by evidence. What is circulating in public space is simply a rehash of the unverified fake news that has been playing on social media since the incident of Oct.
   20th 2020. It is simply incredible that a Judicial Panel set up to investigate an incident has submitted a report laden with allegations, the same allegations it was set up to investigate in the first instance. Instead of sitting for all of one year, the panel could have just compiled social media ‘tales by the moonlight’ on the incident and submitted, saving taxpayers’ funds and everyone’s time. That report is nothing but the triumph of fake news and the intimidation of a silent majority by a vociferous lynch mob.
4. Gentlemen, we have read some critical analysis of the report by a courageous few. One commentator, a lawyer, said it raised more questions than answers. Another commentator, a journalist, called it a ‘disgraceful report by a disgraceful panel’, saying it reported allegations instead of investigating the allegations. Yet another wondered how a Judicial Panel could use the words ‘massacre in context’ and equate such to a massacre. All these and many more have raised valid questions on that report. We salute their courage and refusal to be cowed by the rampaging lynch mob that has been screaming blue murder since the report was released.
5. We do not intend to bore you by rehashing details of the discrepancies, innuendoes, inconsistencies and errors in that report. They are already in the public space. Let us, however, point out some key highlights of such discrepancies, errors, omissions, etc.

i) – The report threw away the testimony of ballistic experts who testified before it. The experts said, inter alia, in their testimony:

”The Team finds that from the medical data examined, including the timeline of arrival at medical facility and the nature of the injuries
sustained by the Victims, who were taken to the 5 medical facilities, that no military grade live ammunition (high-velocity) was fired at
the protesters at Lekki Tollgate on 20th October 2020, within the timeframe of reference (18.30- 20.34hrs). That the GSW (Gun Shot Wounds) injuries (4 in number between 19:05 and 19:45 hrs), which were
examined by the Team, can be safely identified as being discharged by either low velocity caliber and/or artisanal/12-gauge firearms
(artisanal firearms are locally-fabricated weapons). What is however certain is that had the military personnel deliberately fired military
grade live ammunition directly at the protesters; there would have been significantly more fatalities and catastrophic injuries
recorded. This was clearly not the case.’’

ii) – The same panel that said it deemed as credible the evidence of the Forensic Pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa, that only three of the bodies on which post mortem were conducted were from Lekki and only one had gunshot injury went on to contradict itself by saying nine persons died of gunshot wounds at Lekki!
iii) – The man whose evidence (that he counted 11 bodies in a military van where he was left for dead before he escaped) was found to be crucial by the panel never testified in person. Rather, the video of his ‘testimony’ was played by someone else. It did not occur to the panel to query the veracity of the testimony of a man who said he was shot and presumed dead but still had time to count dead bodies inside a supposedly dark van at night!
iv) – The panel said trucks with brushes underneath were brought to the Lekki Toll Gate in the morning of Oct. 21 2020 to clean up bloodstains and other evidence, but still found bullet casings at the same site when it visited on Oct. 30th 2020. It said soldiers picked up bullet casings from Lekki Toll Gate on the night of Oct. 20th 2020, yet claimed that policemen came to the same spot to pick the same bullet casings on Oct. 21st 2020!

v) – The panel was silent on the family members of those reportedly killed, merely insinuating they were afraid to testify. Even goats have owners who will look for them if they do not return home, not to talk of human beings. Where are the family members
of those who were reportedly killed at Lekki Toll Gate? If the panel is recommending compensation for the families, what are their identities and addresses? Who will receive the compensations when no family members have shown up to date?

vi) – How did a man who reported seeing the lifeless body of his brother himself ended up being on the list of the panel’s deceased persons?

vii) – How can a Judicial Panel convince anyone that the names of some casualties of the Lekki Toll Gate incident listed as numbers 3 (Jide), 42 (Tola) and 43 (Wisdom) are not fictitious names.

viii) – Why did the Judicial Panel feel compelled to concoct a ”massacre in context” as a euphemism for ”massacre”? A massacre is a massacre. What is ”massacre in context?”

ix) – The report never mentioned cases of police personnel who were brutally murdered or the massive destruction of police stations, vehicles, e.t c during the Endsars protest. Does this mean that the panel didn’t consider policemen and women as human beings?

x) – The report didn’t make any recommendation on the innocent people whose businesses were attacked and destroyed during the protest in Lagos. I think it was too busy looking for evidence to support its conclusion of ‘massacre in context’.

6. It is clear, from the ongoing, that the report of the panel in circulation cannot be relied upon because its authenticity is in doubt. Besides, the Lagos State Government, being the convening authority, has yet to release any official report to the public.
   Neither has the panel done so. The cowardly leakage of an unsigned report to the public is not enough. Assuming the report in circulation bears any iota of genuineness, it is basic knowledge that the report of such a panel is of no force until the convening authority issues a White Paper and Gazette on it. It is therefore too premature for any
   person or entity to seek to castigate the Federal Government and its agencies or officials based on such an unofficial and unvalidated report.
7. CNN AND OTHERS
   The CNN has been celebrating the leaked report of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry. In its rush to claim vindication, CNN apparently didn’t even read the report before rolling out the drums in celebration. By that action, CNN has celebrated prematurely and has now committed a double faux pas: First, by relying on unverified social media stories and videos to carry out an investigation of the Oct. 20th 2020 incident at Lekki, where it did not have a correspondent on ground. CNN goofed in its report on the findings of the panel, which fell below the main standards of journalism. Secondly, CNN rushed to the air to celebrate an unsigned and unverified report that is riddled with inconsistencies, errors, discrepancies, innuendoes. That’s double faux pas by a news organization that is eager and willing to compromise standards just to claim vindication.
8. Sadly, a section of the Nigerian media has also joined the lynch mob. Honestly, in an attempt to vilify government at all costs, they have done themselves a great disservice. How can any news organization worth its salt write an Editorial validating this kind of report? Are they not seeing what others, including journalists and lawyers, are seeing? In a shocking twist, a Nigerian newspaper chose to hail what it calls ‘’detailed investigative report’’ by CNN, even when the news channel did not even cover the incident of Oct. 20th 2020! It’s a classic case of cutting your nose to spite your face.

9 CONCLUSIONS
i) – Gentlemen, there is absolutely nothing in the report that is circulating to make us change our stand that there was no massacre at Lekki on Oct. 20th 2020. For us to change our stand, a well-investigated report of the incident that meets all required standards and will withstand every scrutiny must be produced and presented to the public. The report in circulation does not meet those requirements. We also appeal to the families of those allegedly killed in Lekki to speak out. It’s untenable to say that some families did not come out because they are afraid. Any parent who is afraid to testify about the death of his or her child is not worth to be called a parent.

ii) – We reject the notion that our soldiers and policemen massacred innocent Nigerians at Lekki on Oct. 20th 2020. That conclusion is not supported by the weight of available evidence. Indictment for murder is a very serious issue that cannot be done on the basis of allegations and corroborations, as the panel did. Such allegations must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The report in circulation is calculated to embarrass the Federal Government and its agencies without foolproof evidence. The Federal Government has never condoned the abuse of the rights of Nigerians by security agencies under any guise, hence it disbanded SARS and encouraged states to set up the panels to investigate reports of human rights abuses allegedly committed by the disbanded SARS personnel

iii) – The 37 policemen and six soldiers who died across the country during the Endsars protest are also Nigerians and should not be forgotten.

iv) – Those who have engaged in premature celebration of the report in circulation should now go back and read it thoroughly and tell Nigerians whether it can pass any serious scrutiny.

v) – We are saddened that anyone died at all during the Endsars protest as the life of every Nigerian and indeed every human is sacrosanct. As we have disclosed many times, 57 civilians, 37 policemen and six soldiers were killed across the country during the protest, and we commiserate with their families.

By Bisade Ojoye

Former Commissioner for Youth and Sports Hon. Bukola Olawale Olopade will today enpower over 100 Bukola Olawale Olopade for Dapo Abiodun for Second Term ( BOOM4DA2) members as well as market woman across 8 wards of Abeokuta South Local Government Area of the State.

A statement signed by the Chairman BOOM4DA2, Alhaji Oladeinde Soremekun made it known that the beneficiaries of this year cash empowerment were carefully selected across the 15 wards of the Local Government, saying that, with the instructions of Hon. Bukola Olopade that some market woman would also be considered for the gesture.

He said those selected were needy who with a token could start up petty trading, adding that the event would be one of the several events the former Commissioner would be sponsoring to lift and encourage some members in starting a new life.

Soremekun said the event which would start by 12pm would have All progressive Congress (APC) party leaders across the wards to grace the occasion as beneficiaries were also advised to be on ground at exactly 11:30am with full adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

By Our Correspondent

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Monday released the 2021 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results.

WAEC Nigeria reported that a total of 80.56 per cent results have been fully processed, and 19.44 per cent still being processed — due to some issues being resolved.

According to Patrick Areghan, the Head of Nigeria National office of WAEC, a total of One Million, Five Hundred and Seventy-Three Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty-Nine (1,573,849) candidates registered for the examination from Nineteen Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty Five (19,425) recognised secondary schools in Nigeria.

Of the number that registered for the examination, One Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty One (1,560,261) candidates took the examination.

“The examination, which was an international one, took place simultaneously throughout the five-member countries of the Council – The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, using the same International Timetable,” Areghan said.

“The examination spanned seven weeks, between August 16 and October 8, 2021. Throughout the period, we were faced with serious security challenges in the South East (IPOB and ESN sit-at-home order) and banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, etc, in the north and other parts of the country. All these, coupled with the continuous effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic, made the whole exercise a herculean one.”

Candidates can visit the WAEC Direct Online website, https://www.waecdirect.org, to check their result.

By: Adémólá Òrúnbon

Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola has been named as the Fellow of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro in Ogun State.

The Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr. Olusegun Aluko stated this while speaking at the official inauguration of ultra-modern productivity library facilitated by the Senator to the institution, said, the Senator representing Lagos West at the National Assembly would be the fifth personality to be honoured as the Fellow of the Federal Polytechnic.

He said the formal conferment of the award would take place during the next convocation ceremony of the institution slated for March 31, 2022.

Aluko listed former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the first rector of the Polytechnic, Dr Tayo Ogunbadejo, the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, as the past recipients of the award.

While describing Adeola as a “passionate individual and benefactor” of the institution, the rector added that the Senator has been on the forefront of the process of upgrading the polytechnic to a university.

Aluko observed that the new library complex would enhance learning and provide conducive atmosphere for research for students, promising that the school would make use of the facility judiciously.

In his remarks, the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, lauded Senator Adeola for facilitating the building of the library complex, calling on other well-to-do indigenes of Ogun West to emulate the gesture of the Senator.

The monarch, however, reiterated that he would continue to identify and encourage sons and daughters of the senatorial district to contribute their quotas to the development of not only Ogun West, but the state in general.

The Director-General, National Productivity Centre, Dr. Kashim Akor, represented by a Director in the centre, Mrs. Rabiu Abodunrin Adebukola, noted that the project supervised by her agency would not only enhance the infrastructure in the school, but provide more students with the opportunity to enjoy quality library service.

By Bisade Ojoye

Delegation of the Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II on Tuesday visited Fábrica do Samba to be intimated with Unidos de Vila Maria for Carnival 2022 in Brazil and to meet Afro Brazilian stakeholders ahead Ooni’s trip to unveil a Back-To-Home Project, themed the “Precious of Our Ancestors”

The team had on Monday arrived Sao Paolo for the purpose of establishing more connections between Brazil and the African continent and to fulfill a ten-day schedule organized by Oduduwa Heritage Home Brazil, a cultural institute based in Rio de Janeiro, whose purpose is to strengthen ties and build bridges that facilitate cultural exchange between these two countries connected by fraternal ties for centuries.

The Ooni’s team
Comprising two kings; Oba Joseph Adewole, the Ajero of the Kingdom of Ijero (Ekiti) and Oba Kayode Adenekan Afolabi, the Alapomu of Apomu (Osun); Moses Olafare, Coordinator and Ooni’s Director of Media & Public Affairs; Saagba of Ogbagi Akoko in Ondo State High chief
Adekunle Sumbo and Prince Fagoroye Olokoba .

The team had earlier, same day, Tuesday visited the Afro Brasil Museum in Ibirapuera Park, where they had the opportunity to inspect the place where the schools in São Paulo develop their artistic projects to produce the parade of samba schools, a spectacle internationally known for its grandeur and luxury.

Received by Mr. Adilson de Souza, president of Unidos de Vila Maria, where the “Treasures of Our Ancestors” project would also be presented, and the pre-launch of the “Back to Home” program.

The Ooni’s team was able to know part of the project being developed by the school for the 2022 parade, when the theme “The World Needs Each One of Us”, will be presented by the carnival artist Cristiano Bara, who would perform his third job at the school.

According to the manager, receiving Ooni’s entourage opened up a range of exchange opportunities for partnerships, especially at a social level. “For us who represent Brazilian culture, it is very important an honour to feel the presence of the Ooni here with us. We are happy because we can have the opportunity to know more about the Nigerian culture and open space for new partnerships, carrying out joint actions, with exchange of culture and actions could serve as a mutual example between the two countries.

“Vila Maria School has a very strong social work and is available so that we can increasingly strengthen these ties with training between professionals, everything possible to enhance the carnival and the culture we defend”, said Adilson.

For Ajoyemi Osunleye, president of Oduduwa Heritage Home in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil said the visit of the Ooni’s team is another step towards consolidating the link between Brazil and Ile-Ife which is the source of the Oduduwa race, strengthening the ties between Nigeria and Brazil “Carnival is the largest open-air cultural festival in the world and we observe that, every year, black representation is present in the plots. Through this festival, we revisit history, our ties with Africa, our cultural and religious memories of Yoruba origin. Establishing this connection between Brazil and the African continent, more precisely Nigeria, has been a constant challenge and there, during the parades, it is when we feel totally connected, through the orixás, as children of Oduduwa”, says Ajoyemi. .

In the same vein, Moses Olafare, Director of Media at the Palace of the Ooni of Ifé, defended a greater cultural connection between the sister nations, so that the Brazilian people could better know their identity.

“We are on an important mission here as assigned by the Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, which is to reconnect with true history. We are all children of Oduduwa and now, knowing the scale of this responsibility, be rest assured that the Ooni and all traditional rulers of Oduduwa Race worldwide will work together with you to strengthen these cultural, diplomatic, tourist and economic ties.”
Olafare said.

…increases quarterly pension payment to N1bn quarterly

By Bisade Ojoye

As part of efforts to address the plight of workers and pensioners in Ogun State, Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun on Friday released 2 Billion Naira for four months to offset part of Global Cooperative deductions, a debt profile inherited from the past administration.

He also promised to settle the rest of the deductions by releasing one billion naira quarterly until all the deductions made were defrayed.

Similarly, he released another 1 Billion Naira for state and local government pensioners’ gratuities.

The new gratuities is a 100 percent increment from the earlier quarterly payment of N500M he had earlier commenced last year.

Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Ogun State branch, Comrade Akeem Lasisi, disclosed these at a press conference after a meeting among the leaders of Labour, Pensioners’ Unions and Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

According to TUC Chairman, “we had a fruitful meeting with the governor today. This is a follow-up to other meetings we had before. In the meeting, we told the governor that workers were tensed up and restless due to non payment of their deductions, and the Governor agreed to do something about it.

“I am glad to inform you that he has directed the immediate release of N1bn for the payment of gratuities and that N1bn will be released on quarterly basis for the Pensioners. As at today, four months of global deductions has been paid and the governor also promised to do this on quarterly basis” he explained.

Lasisi also said the Governor had promised that promotion letters for 2O18 would be fully implemented by the new year while promotion entitlement for 2019 would commence by March next year.

Gov. Abiodun also assured workers of their promotion entitlements for 2020 from May or June next year.

The State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Chief Waidi Oloyede, appreciated the state government for the gesture and lauded the Governor for accepting to look into the monthly increment, saying that some of pensioners were collecting as low as N5,000, as monthly pension.

Secretary of the pension union, Dr. Bola Lawal in his contribution said, as a responsible union, its members would not embark on any form of protest without informing the government, noting that the last protest was done by an Association and not his union as ,”there is a difference between an association and a union”.

State Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSON) and Chairman Joint Negotiations Committe, Comrade Isa Olude, called for commitment on the part of the parties involved in order to build trust and avoid misunderstanding.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Waheed Odusile, reiterated government’s commitment to the welfare of workers who are serving and Pensioners who had served the State meritoriously.

…increases quarterly pension payment to N1bn quarterly

By Bisade Ojoye

As part of efforts to address the plight of workers and pensioners in Ogun State, Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun on Friday released 2 Billion Naira for four months to offset part of Global Cooperative deductions, a debt profile inherited from the past administration.

He also promised to settle the rest of the deductions by releasing one billion naira quarterly until all the deductions made were defrayed.

Similarly, he released another 1 Billion Naira for state and local government pensioners’ gratuities.

The new gratuities is a 100 percent increment from the earlier quarterly payment of N500M he had earlier commenced last year.

Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Ogun State branch, Comrade Akeem Lasisi, disclosed these at a press conference after a meeting among the leaders of Labour, Pensioners’ Unions and Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

According to TUC Chairman, “we had a fruitful meeting with the governor today. This is a follow-up to other meetings we had before. In the meeting, we told the governor that workers were tensed up and restless due to non payment of their deductions, and the Governor agreed to do something about it.

“I am glad to inform you that he has directed the immediate release of N1bn for the payment of gratuities and that N1bn will be released on quarterly basis for the Pensioners. As at today, four months of global deductions has been paid and the governor also promised to do this on quarterly basis” he explained.

Lasisi also said the Governor had promised that promotion letters for 2O18 would be fully implemented by the new year while promotion entitlement for 2019 would commence by March next year.

Gov. Abiodun also assured workers of their promotion entitlements for 2020 from May or June next year.

The State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Chief Waidi Oloyede, appreciated the state government for the gesture and lauded the Governor for accepting to look into the monthly increment, saying that some of pensioners were collecting as low as N5,000, as monthly pension.

Secretary of the pension union, Dr. Bola Lawal in his contribution said, as a responsible union, its members would not embark on any form of protest without informing the government, noting that the last protest was done by an Association and not his union as ,”there is a difference between an association and a union”.

State Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSON) and Chairman Joint Negotiations Committe, Comrade Isa Olude, called for commitment on the part of the parties involved in order to build trust and avoid misunderstanding.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Waheed Odusile, reiterated government’s commitment to the welfare of workers who are serving and Pensioners who had served the State meritoriously.