Metro
Consumers Demand Govt Intervention in Cooking Gas, Kerosene Prices Hike
Some residents of Ado village and its environs in Nasarawa State have appealed to the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the high cost of cooking gas and kerosene.
The residents, who made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said they were unable to cope with the situation in addition to other financial responsibilities.
They urged the government to take drastic measures to crash the prices of the products in the interest of the masses.
Many households worried that the cost of the products had risen beyond their reach, urging urgent steps to make them affordable.
Marketers of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), otherwise called cooking gas had expressed concerns over the supply shortage and persistent increase in the price of cooking gas and cylinders in Nigeria.
The marketers had warned that the 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas, which then sold at between N7,500 and N8,000 could rise to N10,000 by December if the government fails to address the crisis.
The marketer blamed the hike in the price of the product on the recently introduced import charges and Value Added Tax (VAT) by the Federal Government.
A resident, Mrs Janet Raymond, explained that the increase in prices of cooking energy had become additional challenge to her, coupled with the high prices of food stuff in the market.
“Honestly, I find it very difficult to cope with. Imagine the 12.5 kg of gas we were buying N5,000 before, is now being sold for N8, 000, and you cannot use it up to two months before it finishes, talk more of kerosene.
“Kerosene now is almost N400 per a litre and for you to use a litre of kerosene to cook in the house, you can only cook two meals and before you know it finishes and the N400 is gone, then you will be looking for another N400 to buy another one.
According to her, it has not been easy as she has undertaken some of such little responsibilities to assist her husband, whom she said has other major roles to play at home so as to make things easier for them.
Raymond, therefore, made an appeal to the Federal Government to try as much as it could to reduce the prices of both cooking gas and the kerosene, even as Nigerians were discouraged to use firewood for cooking.
“From the news I heard, I learnt the hike came as a result of the increase in the recently introduced import charges and Value Added Tax (VAT) by the Federal Government.
“Whatever the case may be, I am appealing to the government to consider that it is the poor masses that are mostly affected,” she said.
On her part, Mrs Gladys Bernard said the most painful thing to her was non-durability of cooking gas, a condition she was wondering if gas dealers were selling fake gas now a day.
According to Bernard, you will buy gas today and it cannot last any longer and the situation has aggravated the suffering of the people.
“I don’t know if gas is purely air these days, gas is no longer lasting. Before, I used to fill 6kg at N3, 000, but now it is sold at N4, 200 and I cannot afford it anymore. What I do now is to fill what I can afford.
“I used to fill the gas up, but today, I can only tell the seller to fill what I can afford,” she said.
Another resident, Mrs Victoria Agbor, in her tale of lamentation on kerosene, explained that the price of the product was becoming too high for her to cope with.
According to Agbor, one litre at the filling station now is N350, while at home (black market) is N400 per litre unlike she used to buy at the rate of N200 or N250.
She said things were really tough for her and the family, considering other financial issues for her.
She said that that due to the daily rise in the prices of cooking energy, she had resorted to the use of firewood and charcoal to cook.
She, however, she lamented that even charcoal and firewood were gradually getting out of hand as N300 charcoal could not sustain her in a day.
“Things are really difficult for me and my family. I don’t know how long Nigerians are going to endure this hardship, government should intervene please,” she said.
Another consumer, Mrs Patience Gabriel, said it was her belief that the Federal Government had the power to do the right thing by intervening in a difficult situation like what Nigerians were facing. (NAN)
Metro
FCT Civil Service Commission Begins Regularisation of FCTA Staff Appointments
The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission has begun the regularisation of staff appointments in the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The Head of the Civilo Service, Dr Udo Atang, said at the commencement of the exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, that the move was to ensure accurate data of all staff.
Atang described the regularisation as a “critical” exercise, which forms the bedrock of the new FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC).
He pointed out that all the staff were holding letters of appointments from various agencies, departments, area councils, and the defunct Ministry of FCT and FCDA among others.
The holders of these letters, he said, have been raising issues of discrimination based on letters of appointment.
According to him, the exercise and the gazette by the commission that will come thereafter, will give all staff a sense of identity.
“The essence of this regularisation is to ensure that staff are properly documented.
“You will now have letters that will now qualify you as a bonafide staff of the FCT Civil Service Commission.”
The head of service, who appealed for full cooperation of the workers, directed that a list of all staff on course, study leave, leave of absence and other related permissions be compiled and submitted.
He added that the list should be compiled with grade level, designation and record of service, including approvals.
Atang commended the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for his doggedness and commitment in implementing the provisions of the FCT CSC Act, 2018.
Noting Wike’s support and love for the FCT workers, the head of service urged the workers to reciprocate the minister’s uncommon gesture, by being dedicated and committed to their respective duties.
Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT CSC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stressed that part of the responsibilities of the commission was in the appointment, promotion and discipline of all FCTA and FCDA workers.
Ezeh also stressed the need for the workers to be more committed in the discharge of their responsibilities. (NAN)
Metro
Jos School Collapse: CWON Holds Trauma Healing Session for Parents, Survivors
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria (CWON) has organized a trauma healing session for survivors of the Jos Saint Academy School collapse alongside parents who lost their children in the unfortunate incident.The National President of the organization, Dame Mary Gonzum noted that the effort was part of their psychosocial support and counseling services for victims of the school building collapse as a follow-up to the assessment of the condition of the victims during their visit.
Gonzum speaking during a one day trauma session held at the Secretariat of the Justice Development and Peace/Caritas Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese located along Zaria Road in Jos the Plateau State capital said the trauma healing session was in continuation of their intervention to students who experienced the building collapsed.”Today, a trauma healing session was flagged off with a seminar on how to go about handling the trauma that victims of the Saint Academy School Busa Buji in Jos are passing through.”We will later select those that are so traumatic and need help to continue with the process of healing because it is not something that will end in a day or two but will need sometime.”The surviving students who experienced the building collapsed, parents of the students are all here because some parents are so traumatic, we have one other woman that lost two children”This trauma became necessary because when we went visiting in the hospitals, we observed that some of them are really traumatic. Like the other boy, his mother said up till today he kept telling his mother that he is seeing dead bodies, and anybody he sees he will say is his classmate.”Some of the affected parents while sharing their encounters after the incident said they hardly sleep in the day or night time. Some manage to sleep for two hours and they’re awake, and from the little lectures we received today it is clear that there is a problem,” She noted.The President calls on the government to ensure that those saddled with the responsibility of approving, inspecting and supervising structures are meant to do their job with all diligence to avert future happenings again.Some of the affected parents including; Hasana Suleman Sale who lost two of her children recalled with pains the unfortunate development that claimed the lives of her two children. She expressed gratitude for the trauma healing session which she said came as a means of consolation and strength for her to overcome the trauma she is passing through.Metro
Catholic Church Welcomes New Apostolic Nuncio
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has welcomed the newly-appointed Apostolic to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty.
Crotty, an Irish, was appointed by the Vatican.
He will oversee the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the church in Nigeria.
The position, an ambassadorial status, advances cohesion in the body of Christ.
In his welcome message for Crotty on Tuesday, the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, said that the Church was glad to receive him.
The CBCN president, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, said,” With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, clergy, religious and lay faithful in Nigeria.
“We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.
“His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries,” he said.
He said that although Crotty was the first Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland to serve in Nigeria, many Irish missionaries had played significant roles in spreading the gospel in Nigeria.
“We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria and assure him of our full support and cooperation.
“We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure for our excellency,” he added. (NAN)