NEWS
Zulum Directs Borno LG Chairmen to Implement N70,000 Minimum Wage
By Muhammad Muhammad Al-amin
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has issued a directive to all 27 Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen to ensure the immediate and effective implementation of the newly approved N70,000 minimum wage for local government workers.
Zulum gave the charge at the weekend during a high-level meeting held at the Government House in Maiduguri. The meeting was attended by the leadership of the Nigeria LabourCongress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).The governor emphasized the need for proactive engagement, urging LGA chairmen to return to their respective councils and work closely with key stakeholders to develop practical solutions for the smooth implementation of the wage increase.“All local government chairpersons should go back to their localities, engage with relevant stakeholders, and come up with a workable solution to the salary problem at the local government level,” Zulum directed.Zulum reaffirmed that the state government had already commenced the payment of N72,000 minimum wage to state civil servants and all primary school teachers across Borno State.“I want to stress that the payment of N72,000 minimum wage has been fully implemented for state civil servants and all primary school teachers in Borno,” he said.He, however, cautioned against any plans to downsize the workforce at the local government level, insisting that staff retrenchment was not an acceptable solution.“We are not in support of staff retrenchment at the local government level. I direct you to institute a mechanism that will lead to the implementation of the minimum wage,” the governor warned.Zulum appealed to local government workers for patience and understanding, assuring them of the government’s commitment to their welfare.“I want to appeal to workers at the local government level to be patient. We are working closely with the 27 local governments to ensure the implementation of the minimum wage,” Zulum said.Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Modu Alhaji Mustapha, raised concerns about the financial feasibility of implementing the N70,000 minimum wage at the local government level.Mustapha explained that the bloated workforce in Borno’s local government councils was a major hurdle in actualizing the wage increment. According to him, Borno’s 27 LGAs collectively employ around 90,000 workers, a figure he described as disproportionately high when compared with larger states like Kano, which employs about 30,000 workers across 44 LGAs despite having a population three times larger than Borno.“While the intention behind the minimum wage increase is commendable, the reality on ground in Borno is more complex,” Mustapha stated.He cited Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) as a typical example, revealing that its federal allocation sometimes falls below N700 million monthly, whereas it requires N778 million just to cover wage bills under the new minimum wage structure.“When you consider that MMC also needs to fund other essential services such as public health, water supply, and security, the financial burden becomes more evident,” he added.In a related development, the NLC has commended the Zulum-led administration for its successful implementation of the N72,000 minimum wage for primary school teachers in the state.Chairman of the NLC Borno State Chapter, Comrade Yusuf Inuwa, praised the governor during the meeting, highlighting the admiration Borno enjoys at the national level over its commitment to workers’ welfare.“Your Excellency, whenever we attend national executive meetings, the national body is always impressed because primary school teachers in Borno State are being paid N72,000 as minimum wage,” Comrade Inuwa said.He continued, “At a recent meeting, I received a standing ovation when I announced that our primary school teachers receive N72,000 minimum wage. You were highly commended for this milestone.”The discussions concluded with assurances from the government to continue engaging with labour unions and council leadership towards achieving fair wage policies without compromising essential services.
By David Torough, Abuja
The founders and Senior Pastors of Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), Dr. Paul and Dr. (Mrs.) Becky Enenche, have successfully trained and empowered 100 individuals in agribusiness as part of their commitment to youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, and economic development.
Dr.
Paul Enenche made the announcement during the church’s Thanksgiving and Testimony Service on Sunday, highlighting the initiative as a strategic effort to promote self-reliance and agricultural productivity.According to the cleric, each beneficiary will be allocated at least one hectare of farmland to commence farming activities upon completion of the training programme.
He further disclosed that the beneficiaries will receive monthly stipends to support them until their agricultural produce is ready for harvest.Dr. Enenche noted that the training and empowerment programme represents a significant investment, with each participant’s training costing approximately ₦500,000.
The beneficiaries, who constitute Batch A of the Entrepreneurship Agribusiness Training Programme, graduated from the C.S.S. Farm and Skills Acquisition Centre located along the Keffi–Abuja Road. The entire programme was fully sponsored by Dr Paul,Dr (Mrs.) Becky Enenche and the church as part of their ongoing efforts to empower individuals with practical skills and sustainable means of livelihood.
The initiative reflects the church’s commitment to transforming lives through both spiritual and socio-economic empowerment.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has reaffirmed the commission’s neutrality ahead of the 2027 general election, saying INEC has no candidate or political party to favour.
In a post obtained from INEC’s X handle on Sunday, Amupitan stated this during a visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Amb.
Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, as part of the commission’s stakeholder engagement and preparations for the 2027 elections.The visit formed part of activities surrounding INEC’s planned interactive meeting with staff and readiness assessment at the zonal level.
The INEC chairman was accompanied by National Commissioners, the Acting Director-General of the Electoral Institute, his Chief Press Secretary, Chief Technical Assistant, Chief of Staff, Special Aides and other senior officials of the commission.
Amupitan described traditional institutions as important stakeholders in the electoral process because of their influence and reach within communities.
He said elections were fundamentally about the social contract between citizens and those entrusted with public office, stressing that public trust was essential to the success of democracy.
According to him, INEC has commenced preparations early because of the size and complexity of conducting elections across Nigeria.
He said the commission had moved away from last-minute preparations and was testing, auditing and strengthening its operational systems well ahead of the 2027 polls.
Amupitan assured the Emir that INEC remained committed to neutrality, fairness and transparency in the conduct of elections.
“We have no candidates, we have no political party, we have no interest other than the sovereign will of the people of Nigeria,” the INEC chairman said.
He added that the commission would continue engaging traditional institutions and other stakeholders as it intensifies preparations for the 2027 General Election.
The Nigerian Forest Security Service (NFSS), Kano State Command, has deployed personnel to Garko Local Government Area to track and contain dogs suspected to be infected with rabies.
The service said the suspected rabid dog had bitten 18 people in Garko and its environs.
The NFSS State Commander, Abdullahi Al’ameen, disclosed this in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the service, Usman Abdullahi-Umar, on Sunday in Kano.
Al’ameen said: “The command received a distress report at about 2 p.m. that a dog suspected to be rabid has attacked residents in Garko town.
“The dog has so far bitten 11 persons in Garko town before moving to neighbouring communities, including Raba, Kadage, Gurjiya and Dausai.
“It has also attacked and bitten seven additional persons in the affected communities.”
The commander further explained that they had received another report that two more dogs had been infected with rabies in the area.
Al’ameen said personnel of NFSS Garko Division, under the leadership of the Divisional Forest Officer, Auwalu Muhammad, had been deployed to the affected areas to track and contain the infected dogs.
He urged residents of Garko and neighbouring communities to remain vigilant and report sightings of stray or suspected rabid dogs to the nearest NFSS office or other security agencies.
The commander also advised residents who might have been bitten by suspected rabid dogs to seek immediate medical attention.
Al’ameen assured residents that the NFSS would continue to monitor the situation and take necessary measures to prevent further attacks.(NAN)
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