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August 14, 2024 Finnish Government Confirms Actions Underway in Simon Ekpa’s Case

Finnish Government Confirms Actions Underway in Simon Ekpa’s Case

Finland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elina Valtonen, revealed during a press conference in Abuja, Nigeria, that the case of Simon Ekpa, reported to the Finnish government by Nigerian authorities, is now being handled by Finnish courts.

Simon Ekpa, who refers to himself as the Prime Minister of Biafra, has been a vocal advocate for sit-at-home orders in Nigeria’s South Eastern states, despite the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leadership having suspended the practice.

In February 2023, just days before Nigeria’s presidential and national assembly elections, Ekpa was arrested in Finland after threatening to disrupt the elections in the Southeast. The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported that Ekpa was apprehended at his home in Lahti. Despite his arrest, Ekpa has continued to actively share his pro-Biafran views on social media.

Valtonen, along with her Nordic counterparts from Sweden, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark, visited Nigeria to strengthen trade relations and discuss countering violent extremism in West Africa. The delegation is also focusing on sustainable development goals and continues their tour in Ghana.

READ ALSO: Simon Ekpa Takes Responsibility for Killing of Four Police Officers in Nigeria’s Southeast

August 14, 2024 Kano Lawmaker Discloses N21m Monthly Salary

Kano Lawmaker Discloses N21m Monthly Salary

Senator Sumaila Kawu of Kano South has disclosed that his total monthly take-home pay is over N21 million. This comes shortly after the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) stated that each of the 109 senators receives around N1.06 million monthly in salary and allowances. According to RMAFC, this would amount to N12.72 million annually per senator, with a total of N1.4 billion spent yearly on the Senate.

In a recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service, Senator Kawu clarified that while his official monthly salary is under N1 million, deductions reduce it to about N600,000, with his total monthly earnings reaching N21 million. His statement contrasts sharply with the figures provided by RMAFC, which claims that the commission only approves salaries and allowances as outlined in the Remuneration (Amendment) Act, 2008.

The issue of lawmakers' earnings has sparked fresh debate, particularly after former President Olusegun Obasanjo criticized federal lawmakers for setting their own pay. Additionally, former Senator Shehu Sani previously revealed that senators receive a monthly running cost of N13.5 million, along with the N750,000 salary prescribed by the commission.

August 13, 2024 Tinubu Approves 300% Salary Rise For Judicial Officers

Tinubu Approves 300% Salary Rise For Judicial Officers

President Bola Tinubu has signed the Judicial Office Holders Salaries and Allowances Bill into law, as revealed by Senator Basheer Lado, the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, in a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja.

In March, President Tinubu had submitted a bill titled "A Bill for an Act to Prescribe the Salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits of judicial office holders in Nigeria and for related matters," seeking to revise the salaries of judicial officers, to the House of Representatives for consideration. By June, the National Assembly approved the bill, which included a 300% salary increase for judicial officers at both federal and state levels.

Lado emphasized that this move demonstrates the President's strong commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers, similar to his recent action in prioritizing the new National Minimum Wage Bill of N70,000 during a Federal Executive Council meeting.

The new Act prescribes updated salaries, allowances, and other benefits for judicial officers to align with current realities. It also amends the Certain Political, Public, and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Act, No.6, 2002 (as amended) by removing provisions relating to judicial office holders from the previous legislation.

Lado praised the signing of the bill as a significant achievement and a clear indication of President Tinubu's dedication to improving conditions for Nigeria’s workforce. He highlighted the President's commitment to ensuring that judicial officers, as well as other salary earners in vital roles, receive fair compensation and recognition.

This decision, Lado noted, not only strengthens the integrity of the justice system but also sets a new standard for leadership that values the hard work and sacrifices of all Nigerian workers. He added that under President Tinubu’s administration, the welfare of workers has become a central focus, with policies aimed at uplifting lives, upholding the dignity of labor, and ensuring just rewards for those who serve the nation.

Lado also commended Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Rt. Hon. Abass Tajudeen, and the 10th National Assembly for their efforts in passing the bill. He urged judicial office holders to continue their work in delivering swift and fair justice, reinforcing the judiciary as the hope of the common man in Nigeria.

August 12, 2024 Tinubu Swears In Didi Esther Walson Jack As Head Of Service Of Federation

Tinubu Swears In Didi Esther Walson Jack As Head Of Service Of Federation

President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Didi Esther Walson-Jack as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The swearing-in ceremony occurred on Monday before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House in Abuja.

Walson-Jack's appointment as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation was approved by President Tinubu on July 17, 2024. Before this role, she served as the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education.

Since her appointment as a Federal Permanent Secretary in 2017, she has held various positions across multiple ministries.
Walson-Jack succeeds Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, who is set to retire on August 13, 2024.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Appoints Didi Walson-Jack As New Head Of Service

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