The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), has
said the federal government is yet to pay
eight months arrears of the check off dues
owed the union after President Goodluck
Jonathan authorized the payment of 14
months arrears to pensioners.
According to a statement by Secretary
General of the NUP, Elder Actor Zal, said only
6 months arrears were released to the
union.
President Jonathan had late last year in a bid
to avoid an industrial action agreed with the
leadership of NUP, NLC and TUC to pay all the
outstanding arrears of the union's check-
off dues.
Comrade Elder Actor Zal said the amount
released which totaled about N90 million
covered November 2012 to April 2013, and
about 8 months arrears are still pending.
The statement also said the NUP is the only
voice and representative of the entire civil
service pensioners, adding that one
Emmanuel Omoyeni who is claiming to be
national chairman of a group of pensioners,
Association of Federal Civil Service Retirees
(AFCSR), cannot represent pensioners.
“NUP is a registered and legitimate Trade
Union recognized by the extant labour law
and constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. And just like other registered trade
unions is entitled to collection of check off
dues from its members.
“The association chief Omoyeni claims to
represent is a business outfit registered
with Corporate Affairs Commission and not
a registered trade union which would be
entitled it to any check off dues.
“Chief Omoyeni should have at the back of
his mind that as a pensioner he is bounded
by the code of practice of the union and that
his anti-union activities are punishable
under the union's constitution could earn
him expulsion from the union.
“It is therefore unreasonable and
incomprehensible for Chief Omoyeni and his
illegal association which is not entitled to
check off due to have demanded for it in the
first place,” the statement said.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
THIRTEEN AIRPORTS DESIGNATED AS CARGO AIRPORT
Thirteen airports in Nigeria have been
designated as perishable cargo airports,
authorities said on Tuesday, describing the
move as a way of transforming the aviation
sector into a major revenue earner for
Nigeria.
The perishable cargo terminals would be
located in Abuja, Akure, Calabar, Ilorin,
Jalingo, Jos, Kano, Lagos, Makurdi, Minna,
Owerri, Port Harcourt and Uyo airports.
“These airports which are in proximity to
food baskets will be developed with
international standard perishable cargo
facilities to enhance their operations,” said
Yakubu Dati, spokesperson at the Federal
Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.
Nigeria has 22 airports operated by FAAN,
four of which are functional international
airports. Africa’s most populous country also
has a state owned airport located in Akwa
Ibom State.
In addition, there are airstrips or airfields
scattered around the country, built mainly by
the Nigerian Air Force and multinational oil
companies.
But only few of these airports have a
perishable cargo terminal like the Murtala
Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja,
Lagos, southwest Nigeria. The authorities
said that must change.
Dati said state governments have also been
encouraged to partner with the Federal
Government to revive smaller airports.
He said the move is to enable them key into
the over N250 billion annual air freight
export market out of Africa.
“Countries like Kenya, South Africa, Benin,
Cote d’ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia,
Tanzania and Egypt are participating in the
trading in commodities such as fruits, fresh
fish, vegetables and flowers while Nigeria,
which produces these produce in
abundance, records zero participation.
“The strategy is therefore to create the
much needed storage infrastructure in view
of the large volume involved and to facilitate
the evacuation of agricultural produce to
domestic markets, in conformity with
international standards,” he said.
designated as perishable cargo airports,
authorities said on Tuesday, describing the
move as a way of transforming the aviation
sector into a major revenue earner for
Nigeria.
The perishable cargo terminals would be
located in Abuja, Akure, Calabar, Ilorin,
Jalingo, Jos, Kano, Lagos, Makurdi, Minna,
Owerri, Port Harcourt and Uyo airports.
“These airports which are in proximity to
food baskets will be developed with
international standard perishable cargo
facilities to enhance their operations,” said
Yakubu Dati, spokesperson at the Federal
Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.
Nigeria has 22 airports operated by FAAN,
four of which are functional international
airports. Africa’s most populous country also
has a state owned airport located in Akwa
Ibom State.
In addition, there are airstrips or airfields
scattered around the country, built mainly by
the Nigerian Air Force and multinational oil
companies.
But only few of these airports have a
perishable cargo terminal like the Murtala
Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja,
Lagos, southwest Nigeria. The authorities
said that must change.
Dati said state governments have also been
encouraged to partner with the Federal
Government to revive smaller airports.
He said the move is to enable them key into
the over N250 billion annual air freight
export market out of Africa.
“Countries like Kenya, South Africa, Benin,
Cote d’ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia,
Tanzania and Egypt are participating in the
trading in commodities such as fruits, fresh
fish, vegetables and flowers while Nigeria,
which produces these produce in
abundance, records zero participation.
“The strategy is therefore to create the
much needed storage infrastructure in view
of the large volume involved and to facilitate
the evacuation of agricultural produce to
domestic markets, in conformity with
international standards,” he said.
150 GUNMEN ATTACK VILLAGE IN ZAMFARA STATE
An armed gang has raided a village in
Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, and killed
48 people in an apparent reprisal attack
targeting a local vigilante group, a state
official said Wednesday.
The attack saw gunmen move house to
house as well as take positions atop a hill
and open fire, the official said. Houses were
also burnt, but it was not clear how many.
“There was an attack by armed bandits early
Tuesday on Kizara village where 48
residents were killed in apparent targeted
killings by cattle rustlers that have been
terrorising the state for some time now,”
said Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji, commissioner
for information in Zamfara State, where the
remote village is located.
Dozens of gunmen arrived in the village
before dawn on motorbikes, he told AFP.
“Some of them climbed up the hill
overlooking the village and opened fire
indiscriminately,” he said.
“They later moved house to house, telling
residents that they were looking for
members of local vigilante (groups) whom
they said had been disturbing them.”
He said those killed included the Village
Head, Alhaji Lawali Muhammad, the Chief
Imam, Alhaji Usman Adamu, and his
assistant.
The Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, Mr
Usman Gwary, who visited the village under
tight security, confirmed that 32 persons
were killed while the villagers claimed that
58 persons lost their lives.
The police chief told newsmen that he had
mobilised his men to search for the fleeing
gunmen.
“The police from nearby Keta mobilised and
engaged the bandits in a shootout, but they
were overwhelmed by the gunmen’s
superior firepower and were forced to
retreat,” said Birnin-Magaji. The Chairman of
Tsafe Local Government Council, Alhaji Aliyu
Abubakar, also said the villagers had been
living in fear since suspected men of the
underworld sent a letter to the head of the
vigilance group threatening to kill him.
Following the attack also, several residents
of the village were seen fleeing the village
for fear that the attackers would return to
kill them.
Many villages in Nigeria form local vigilante
groups to defend themselves against violent
cattle rustlers or other criminal gangs,
sometimes leading to a cycle of clashes and
reprisal attacks.
Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, and killed
48 people in an apparent reprisal attack
targeting a local vigilante group, a state
official said Wednesday.
The attack saw gunmen move house to
house as well as take positions atop a hill
and open fire, the official said. Houses were
also burnt, but it was not clear how many.
“There was an attack by armed bandits early
Tuesday on Kizara village where 48
residents were killed in apparent targeted
killings by cattle rustlers that have been
terrorising the state for some time now,”
said Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji, commissioner
for information in Zamfara State, where the
remote village is located.
Dozens of gunmen arrived in the village
before dawn on motorbikes, he told AFP.
“Some of them climbed up the hill
overlooking the village and opened fire
indiscriminately,” he said.
“They later moved house to house, telling
residents that they were looking for
members of local vigilante (groups) whom
they said had been disturbing them.”
He said those killed included the Village
Head, Alhaji Lawali Muhammad, the Chief
Imam, Alhaji Usman Adamu, and his
assistant.
The Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, Mr
Usman Gwary, who visited the village under
tight security, confirmed that 32 persons
were killed while the villagers claimed that
58 persons lost their lives.
The police chief told newsmen that he had
mobilised his men to search for the fleeing
gunmen.
“The police from nearby Keta mobilised and
engaged the bandits in a shootout, but they
were overwhelmed by the gunmen’s
superior firepower and were forced to
retreat,” said Birnin-Magaji. The Chairman of
Tsafe Local Government Council, Alhaji Aliyu
Abubakar, also said the villagers had been
living in fear since suspected men of the
underworld sent a letter to the head of the
vigilance group threatening to kill him.
Following the attack also, several residents
of the village were seen fleeing the village
for fear that the attackers would return to
kill them.
Many villages in Nigeria form local vigilante
groups to defend themselves against violent
cattle rustlers or other criminal gangs,
sometimes leading to a cycle of clashes and
reprisal attacks.
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