Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has given the green light to a fresh minimum wage of N70,000 for civil servants within the state.
The announcement was made during the inauguration of the new Labour House in Edo State on Monday. Obaseki stated that the increased wage will be implemented starting May 1st, 2024.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has revealed that workers have been receiving an additional N35,000 wage allowance since January, with plans underway to introduce a new minimum wage structure.
Governor Sanwo-Olu clarified that employees earning a minimum of N35,000 or more have seen their salaries increase to N70,000 or above since the beginning of the year.
"At a minimum, civil servants and all public officers in Lagos have been receiving an additional N35,000 wage allowance over their previous earnings since January," he stated during a state function on Thursday. "This means that individuals earning a minimum of N35,000 or more are now earning over N70,000. They have been benefiting from this adjustment since January."
Governor Sanwo-Olu also provided updates on the state's interventions to alleviate economic hardship. He announced plans to distribute food items to 500,000 households in Lagos through unions and local governments. Additionally, he highlighted the 'Ounje Eko' initiative, which offers discounted food items through 59 makeshift markets established across the state's 57 local government and local council development areas, operating on a Sunday-to-Sunday basis.
Reports indicate the passing of Senator Ayogu Eze, a prominent figure from Enugu State, at the age of 66. Representing the Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Eze served as a vital member of the political landscape.
Sources reveal that Senator Eze, a former Senate spokesperson, succumbed to a prolonged illness at an Abuja hospital. His declining health prevented him from attending his child's wedding earlier in the year in Lagos State.
A founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Eze later switched allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC), contesting the Enugu State gubernatorial election.
During his tenure in the Senate, Senator Eze held significant positions, including chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Information and Media in 2007, earning him the role of the Senate's official spokesperson. Following his reelection in 2011, he assumed the chairmanship of the Committee on Works.
Senator Eze also served as a member of various committees, including Police Affairs, National Planning, Marine Transport, and Federal Character & Inter-Governmental Affairs.
In May of the previous year, the Senate confirmed Senator Eze's appointment, along with five others, as Federal Commissioners for the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has submitted a notice of withdrawal to cease an appeal against a Kogi High Court order restraining it from apprehending the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
The notice, filed on April 22, cites the overtaking of events and acknowledges that the appeal was lodged beyond the stipulated timeframe. It states, "The appellant herein intends to and do hereby wholly withdraw her appeal against the respondent in the above-mentioned appeal."
This withdrawal is based on the fact that on April 17, 2024, a decision by the same Kogi State High Court rendered the EFCC's application obsolete. The ex parte orders issued by Jamil on February 9, 2024, in the same suit subject to the appeal, were to remain in force until the hearing and determination of the originating motion, which Jamil finalized on April 17, 2024.
Furthermore, the notice acknowledges that the appeal was filed belatedly, thus the EFCC prays for its dismissal on the grounds of being filed out of time and being incompetent.
Meanwhile, the EFCC is prosecuting Bello on 19 counts related to alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds totaling N80.2 billion. The case is being heard by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
EFCC chief Ola Olukoyede, who pledged to prosecute Bello or resign, alleged that the former governor withdrew $720,000 from the state's accounts to prepay his child's school fees just before leaving office on January 27, 2024.
The anti-graft commission had declared Bello wanted after Governor Usman Ododo, his successor, reportedly spirited him away on April 17, 2024, obstructing EFCC operatives from arresting him when they surrounded his residence in Abuja.
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