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Federal Government, States Open Talks On Minimum Wage Review

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The Federal Government and states have begun preliminary discussions on raising the minimum wage.

The debates’ outcomes will influence the Minimum salary Review Committee in developing a new salary for workers.

This is part of the effort to reduce the surge in inflation caused by the elimination of the petrol subsidy and the unification of currency rates.

It is one of Labour’s core demands to alleviate the pain of subsidy removal for employees.

However, the government does not support a pay increase of 100 percent.

“There is a reference to minimum wage only, not a doubling of every worker’s salary. That is misinformation.

“It’s important that we do not get ahead of ourselves and allow the Minimum Wage Review Committee to come to its conclusions as negotiations between the federal and state governments evolve.

“What we know now is that there is consensus that an upward review of the national minimum wage is now in order,” a spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ajuri Ngelale said last night.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18, 2019, signed the new Minimum Wage Bill of N30,000.

A few of the states are yet to implement the minimum wage, while some others, such as Imo, recently increased the minimum wage to N40,000.

Before the increase by the Buhari administration, the minimum wage was N18,000.

On palliatives for the withdrawal of petrol subsidy, Ngelale reassured that President Tinubu would keep faith with all the plans rolled out for Nigerians.

He said: “The President has given a very concrete implementation timeline on the robust set of relief package he has detailed in his most recent speech.

“The end of the first quarter of 2024 is the timeframe for rounding off agricultural interventions and MSMEs (Small and Medium Scale Enterprises) capitalization interventions.

“The CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) supply side and demand side reforms will run in multiple phases, ending between the second quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025.”

In a broadcast last Monday, President Tinubu unfolded a raft of relief packages to cushion petrol subsidy removal pain.

These included the release of over N275 billion to boost the manufacturing sector and the MSMEs.

The President also said talks were on with Labour on the upward review of salaries.

He added that once the terms were agreed on a new minimum wage, budget provisions would be made to cover the review.

He commended the organizations in the private sector that had already taken the initiative to increase remunerations.

“In the same vein, we are also working in collaboration with the Labour unions to introduce a new national minimum wage for workers. I want to tell our workers this: your salary review is coming.

“Once we agree on the new minimum wage and general upward review, we will make budget provisions for it for immediate implementation,” the President said.

Labour had, among others, demanded a pay rise following the petrol subsidy withdrawal, with some chapters asking for N200,000.

BIG STORY

JUST IN: Super Eagles Qualify For 2025 Africa Cup Of Nations

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Nigeria’s Super Eagles have officially qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with two games remaining in the qualification series.

With 10 points, the Super Eagles have secured a top-two finish in their group, especially after Libya’s unexpected 1-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali.

The team will next face Benin Republic’s Cheetahs in Abidjan on Thursday, before concluding their campaign against Rwanda at home.

Neither Rwanda (5 points) nor Libya (4 points) can surpass Nigeria in the standings, ensuring their qualification.

The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

The Super Eagles, three-time African champions, reached the final in the last edition hosted in Côte d’Ivoire.

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Music Band Boy Commits Suicide After Boss Tortured Him For Stealing “Sprayed Money” [VIDEO]

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A Lagos young guitarist identified as Lekan, has allegedly committed suicide after being tortured for stealing money from the leader of a music band group in Ogun State.

Lekan, who was pronounced dead by medical experts at a private hospital in Ifo Local Government Area of the state, was found lying lifeless inside his room after drinking an insecticide liquid, “sniper,” to get away from the trauma that trailed the allegations from his boss who was identified as Sam Omo-Oba.

It was learnt that the deceased was tortured and recorded alongside Ayo, another member of the band, for stealing the money realized from their performance at a Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) anniversary celebration where they entertained guests and worshippers.

The development has thrown the entire Oke-Aro community in Ifo Local Government into mourning, considering the circumstances surrounding the demise of the 26-year-old guitarist who lived in their community but operated often in Lagos.

On Wednesday, a close member of the family told our correspondent that Lekan was pronounced dead by medical experts on Monday, less than 24 hours after they left the church show on Sunday. The source, who identified himself as Kola, narrated that the family, even after seeing him lifeless still rushed him to hospital with a commercial motorcycle popularly called “Okada.”

“He was rushed to a private hospital to save him but the medical facility rejected the family request which prompted the move to another healthcare facility where the doctors pronounced him dead”.

Kola explained that the theft allegation, which was linked to the young artist’s demise, started after Sam Omo-Oba asked that members of his band who could not go home spend the night in his house.

“But they could not spend the night in his house because he was not allowed into the estate, so they decided to lodge at a hotel close to the community.

“While in the hotel, we heard that Sam and the band members drank and slept in the same room. In the morning, the band boss raised an alarm that Lekan and Ayo had stolen money inside his pocket, demanding they return it immediately”.

It was gathered that the deceased guitarist maintained the innocence of the crime he was being linked to during the torture. In the video making rounds online, Lekan was seen being allegedly tortured over the theft despite denying any link to the alleged crime perpetrated.

In the less than one-minute video, Lekan and Ayo were seen being questioned about who took the money and their responses attracted torture after the answers failed to meet expectations of the band leader.

In another video, a voice, suspected to be that of Sam Omo-Oba, was heard announcing that some notes had been discovered where the deceased and Ayo allegedly hid them.

Analyzing the videos, a resident of Oke-Aro who identified himself as Micheal told The Guild that the deceased was wrongly accused of theft, saying, “I know Lekan, rather than steal would prefer to work to earn his pay daily. And since our paths crossed, I have not earned that he stole from people”.

He added, “The torture and recording may have affected him psychologically that he considered suicide as the next option. I say this because, on his body, there were bruises on him which indicated that the torture was too much for him.

“I know him since he started playing drum under Kehinde Carlos and I have no record of theft linked to him. You can see it that the video showed the deceased insisting that he never took the money from his boss even when he was beaten to accept the allegations.

“The entire issue is sad and I can’t believe that Lekan is gone. I wish that this whole scenario could be reversed to avoid this tragedy. This is a young man with aspirations in the music industry. I know how he aspired to handle musical instruments for the big artists in the country. But now, all the dreams have been shattered”.

Efforts to get the Ogun Police Command spokesperson, SP Omolola Odutola, to confirm the sad development proved abortive.

 

Credit: The Guild

 

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Doctor, Three Nurses Die In Same Hospital Within 72 Hours In Saki, Oyo State

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A doctor and three nurses have been reported dead in a hospital in Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State within 72 hours.

According to Vanguard News, this has created panic among residents of the ancient town, particularly around the hospital.

The hospital has been identified as Almusharaf Hospital, Oke Sunah.

A resident of the area, Adekunle Lawal, told Vanguard News: “Three days ago, one nurse died and on Monday another nurse died and yesterday, the doctor and another nurse died.

“We are afraid because we don’t know what caused their deaths.

“The doctor is a quack doctor.

“Maybe all of them treated a patient who has a contagious disease, which, I think, was not well handled.

“It’s a very big hospital.

“They carry out minor surgery on patients and at times they invite doctors from elsewhere to join them.

“If it’s a contagious disease, how come that no patient died but the staff?

“People are also speculating that it could be food poisoning.

“Maybe one of them ate food and gave it to the others to eat.

“We don’t know.

“All these are mere assumptions until those responsible for monitoring these hospitals carry out an autopsy on the deceased.

“None of the patients died.

“It’s only the staff of the hospital.

“All of them have been buried.

“You know they are Muslims.

“Please, the Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies should step in.”

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