Cross River rice farmers protest unpaid salaries

 At least, 300 youths engaged as Rice farmers by the Cross River State Government protested on Monday over the non-payment of three months salaries.

The workers, who protested with placards at the Ministry of Agriculture in Calabar, said they worked at the state rice farm and they could no longer continue working everyday without being paid at the end of the month.

One of the workers stressed that harvest has began for rice that was planted over three months ago and yet their salaries are nowhere to be seen.

According to one of the workers, they have started harvesting the rice, which they planted three months ago, yet they have not been paid their salaries.

The worker said, “We are some of the people who worked in the Cross River State rice farm at the time. We resumed on May 4, this year.

“We worked and they paid us salaries on the 6th of June. But they did not pay everybody because they left that day when the governor personally came to the farm to pay.

“The next day, we resumed work and the farm manager said they gave him information that we should go and rest for two weeks and we will receive a call to come back.

“After three weeks, about 50 of us got text messages to come back and since that July till now, we have not been paid even though we are almost through with the harvest of the rice.”

Officials of the ministry did not address the protesting workers, who vowed to continue the protest until their salaries were paid.

When contacted, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Okon Owuna, who said he was not in town, admitted that the workers were being owed. 

Messi says goodbye to Arturo Vidal: I'll miss you

 Arturo Vidal is closing in on a transfer to Inter and will leave Barcelona after two seasons at Camp Nou, with Lionel Messi sad to see him go.

Havingng become close friends with the Argentine and Luis Suarez, he departs with one LaLiga Santander title and one Supercopa de Espana.

"I only knew you from facing up against each other and you always seemed a phenomenon, but after I was lucky enough to get to know you personally and you surprised me even more," Messi said in a post on Instagram.

"They were two years sharing a lot and you made yourself noticed a lot. The dressing room will miss you, Arturo.

"I wish you the best in this new era and your new club.

"We'll meet again for sure."

Vidal then responded to the heartfelt message.

"Thank you, alien, it's an honour to have played with the best in history and thank you very much for your friendship," he replied.

"I miss you all already, we'll see each other soon."

FG orders all bank, other account holders to reregister

 The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

The Federal Government has ordered all account holders in the country’s financial institutions to register their details again.

The order was given despite the possession of the Bank Verification Number and the National Identification Number by account holders.

This new order was disclosed by the government on its Twitter account, @NigeriaGov, on Thursday.

It said, “This is to notify the general public that all account holders in financial institutions (banks, insurance companies, etc) are required to obtain, complete and submit self-certification forms to their respective financial institutions.

“Persons holding accounts in different financial institutions are required to complete and submit the form to each one of the institutions.

“The forms are required by the relevant financial institutions to carry out due diligence procedures in line with the Income Tax Regulations 2019.

“The self-certification form is in three categories: Form for entity – for controlling person (individuals having controlling interest in a legal person, trustee, etc) – Form for individual.

Failure to comply with the requirement to administer or execute this form attracts sanctions, which may include monetary penalty or inability to operate the account.”

The government, however, did not give more explanation on this order.

NLC, Danjuma, others reaffirm support for Obaseki

Labour unions in Edo State, including the Nigeria Labour Congress Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees have reaffirmed support for the second term bid of Governor Godwin Obaseki, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, promising to mobilise members to ensure his reelection.

The workers hailed the governor’s developmental strides across the state, noting that Obaseki’s sterling performance would earn him victory at the poll on Saturday. 

The Chairman of NLC in Edo State, Emmanuel Ademokun, commended Obaseki for prioritising the welfare and wellbeing of workers in the state.

Ademokun said, “We did not come here to campaign today but to let everybody know that the governor doesn’t joke with payment of pension and salaries. What do we want again? You don’t change a working governor, but rather you reelect him.”

The, Chairman of TUC, Mr. Marshal Orhue, said, “For four years in Edo State, workers have been promptly paid their salaries; for four years in the state there have been no strike actions. What else could we have asked of this man?”

The Chairman of NULGE, Mr Lazarus Adorolo, commended Obaseki for redefining governance in Edo and repositioning the state on the path of progress.

Menwhile,  Senator Daisy Ehanire Danjuma has urged Edo electorate to come out en masse for the election.

Senator Danjuma, who represented Edo South Senatorial District in the Senate from 2003-2007, made the call in Benin City, Edo State capital.

Danjuma who is a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, said, "Politics should not be about the party but about the individual who has done well ; this is why i support Governor Godwin Obaseki for continuity. Anybody who has done well deserves a second term." 

“I don’t see any reason why a performing governor should not have a second term.”

Former head of IAAF jailed for corruption

 

Lamine Diack: Former head of IAAF jailed for corruption

  Wednesday 16 September 2020

Image:Lamine Diack, the former head of world athletics' governing body, was convicted in France on Wednesday of corruption in a Russian doping scandal and sentenced to spend at least two years in jail.

Diack, 87, was found guilty of accepting bribes from athletes suspected of doping, to cover up test results and let them continue competing, including in the 2012 London Olympics.

The court also found Diack guilty of accepting Russian money to help finance Macky Sall's campaign for the 2012 Senegal presidential election, in exchange for slowing anti-doping procedures.

Image:Diack attended court in Paris on Wednesday to hear the verdict

Prosecutors said Diack had solicited bribes totalling 3.45m euros (£3.15m) from athletes suspected of drugs cheating. The presiding judge said the former long-jumper's actions had "undermined the values of athletics and the fight against doping".

The court handed Diack a four-year prison sentence, two years of which are suspended. It also imposed the maximum fine of 500,000 euros (£457,000).

Diack was once one of the most influential men in the sport, leading the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) from 1999 to 2015. The IAAF is now known as World Athletics.

Covid-19 in Nigeria

The state of the pandemic in Nigeria is very confusing to say the least, a lot of citizens feel the numbers are unreal and throw caution to the wind. I'm on the fence also, i just sit my ass at home attending online classes, working out, Netflix and chills. 

   How is the government containing it? It would surprise you that there has not been any free distribution of face masks and hand sanitizers, despite the chunk of funds donated to the government. The country is littered with citizens using cloth masks which has relatively low virus resistance, we deserve better!

   What happened to the protective gears donated to Nigeria by Jack ma? I know  it's not enough to go round, but was it evenly distributed? It's probably wasting away in the homes of influential citizens.

  We deserve better definitely, our bank accounts deserve to be funded monthly till this deadly virus is eradicated.