Folarin Kehinde

The Nigerian passport has been ranked among the worst on the globe highlighting significant challenges for Nigerian travelers seeking international mobility.

The latest assessment by VisaGuide’s World Passport Index ranked the Nigerian passport at 191 out of 199 countries above countries like North Korea (192), Iraq (193), Libya (194), Sudan (195), Pakistan (196), Afghanistan (197), Syria (198) and Somalia (199).

The ranking will raise concerns about the West African cpuntry’s recent efforts to improve mobility, including e-visa initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Singaporean passport came first on the chart as the strongest in the world, followed by the Italian, Spaniard, French, and German passports.

The report added that the factors that contributed to this decline include visa-free access, diplomatic relations, and security concerns.

Other factors are visa-free travel, electronic travel authorisation, visa on arrival, electronic visa (e-visa), embassy or other government-approved visas, passport-free travel, and banned entry.

Additionally, the Henley Passport Index, which considers the number of countries passport holders can enter without a visa, previously listed the Nigerian passport among the worst 10 performing travel documents worldwide.

This consistently low ranking highlights the pressing need for Nigeria to address the underlying issues affecting its passport’s global standing.

See the list of top 20 passports in the world.

Singapore
Italy
Spain
France
Germany
Hungary
Austria
Ireland
Netherlands
Belgium
Switzerland
Luxembourg
Finland
Japan
Sweden
Denmark
Norway
Czech
Portugal
Poland

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has disclosed that the Federal Government will, on Wednesday (today), pay N2.75 billion compensation to property owners affected by the demolition necessary for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway spanning from channel 0 to channel 3.

He revealed this information during a stakeholders meeting held in Lagos State on Wednesday.

More compensation is expected to be paid in coming days.

Details later…

President Bola Tinubu heartily congratulates Nigerian workers on the auspicious occasion of Workers’ Day held annually to celebrate the lifeblood of our country.

The President salutes Nigerian workers for their fidelity to the peace, progress, and development of the nation evident in their tireless efforts and patriotic zeal to keep the national engine running.

President Tinubu celebrates Nigerian workers across all spheres – from the clerical officer who ensures the proper documentation and distribution of correspondence; the security officer who remains ever dutiful through all seasons; the teacher who secures the future of our nation by imparting knowledge to the next generation; the doctor who works relentlessly to save precious lives, and to all Nigerian workers who keep the candle aflame.

The President affirms that his administration remains committed to improving the welfare of all workers, noting the various relief programmes, including the wage award and the imminent minimum wage review.

President Tinubu strongly believes that the custodians of the nation’s machinery deserve a fair wage and enhanced welfare and that a labourer is deserving of not just any reward but fair and commensurate wages.

The President assures Nigerian workers of his dedication to not only improving their welfare but also enhancing their working conditions and providing the necessary tools for them to succeed.

The President wishes Nigerian workers Happy May Day celebrations.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

May 1, 2024

Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, has warned youths involved in internet fraud popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo.

Bishop Oyedepo warned that those involved in Yahoo Yahoo won’t end well, stressing that they should steer clear of fraudulent activities and live within the bounds of the law.

Addressing his members at the church’s headquarters in Ota, Ogun State on Sunday, Bishop Oyedepo warned his members against deceit and corruption, specifically targeting those involved in internet scams.

“Nobody playing games has a future in the kingdom. Hear this and hear it forever. If that is your trade, stop it,” he declared, explicitly condemning the activities of those who engage in acquiring people’s ATM card details through deceitful means.

The Bishop emphasized the inevitable bitter end for those involved in such nefarious activities.

“You are on a very fast lane that always ends in bitterness and destruction,” he warned.

Bishop Oyedepo reminded his listeners about the spiritual laws of sowing and reaping, and the principles of seedtime and harvest.

He encouraged engagement with these laws cheerfully, willingly, and tirelessly, suggesting that lawful endeavors would eventually lead to prosperity.

“Engage with that law and watch how you begin to lay up gold with time,” he said.

Despite a court ruling prohibiting the company from implementing the hike, Multichoice Nigeria has forged ahead with its plan to raise prices for DStv and GOtv subscribers.

Initially announced on April 24, Multichoice informed subscribers of an impending fee increase for its cable services, slated to take effect from May 1.

However, a competition and consumer protection tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja issued an interim order halting the price hike following an ex-parte motion.

Despite the court’s directive, a recent check revealed that Multichoice has proceeded with the tariff adjustment as initially proposed. The new prices are now being displayed and enforced on its official website.

For DStv Premium subscribers, the price has skyrocketed from N29,500 to N37,000, a significant increase. Compact Plus subscribers are now paying N25,000 instead of N19,800, a substantial jump. Similarly, the rates for Compact, Confam, and Yanga subscribers have all been adjusted upwards, putting a strain on their budgets.

GOtv subscribers are also affected by the price increase, with changes reflected on their official websites. Elite subscribers (Supa+ and Supa) now pay N15,700 and N9,600, respectively, while Max and Jolli subscribers are expected to pay N7,200 and N4,850, respectively.

Multichoice attributed the price hike to factors such as the foreign exchange crunch, high electricity tariff, and operational costs.

The federal government last night approved a pay rise of between 25 and 35 per cent for civil servants across various consolidated salary structures.

The announcement was made on the eve of May Day, or Labour Day, which is celebrated worldwide to recognise and honour the achievements and contributions of the working class.

The announcement came ahead of the submission of the report of the 37-member tripartite committee on national minimum wage, led by Bukar Goni Aji, a former Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCS), which was inaugurated in January this year.

A statement signed by the Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku, said the increases took effect from January 1, 2024.

But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said the announcement was “a waste of time.”

In an interview with Daily Trust last night, the NLC Assistant General Secretary, Chris Onyeka, said the commission does not have powers to fix national minimum wage.

“What they pretend to have done is a waste of time. It does not amount to anything for us and those in the federal civil service,” Onyeka told one of our correspondents.

He did not make further comments on the matter despite prodding by our reporter. Other senior officials of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) could not be reached up to press time last night.

Njoku’s statement said that the augmentation applies to the six remaining consolidated salary structures, namely the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Paramilitary Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

It added that the federal government had also approved pension increases ranging from 20% to 28% for pensioners enrolled in the Defined Benefits Scheme within the aforementioned consolidated salary structures, with the same effective date.

Before the latest development, salary increases were implemented for tertiary education and health, among them the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS), Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS), Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS), Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS)

When contacted to shed more light on the statement he issued hours to the May Day, Njoku told Daily Trust that there was no wrong time for workers to benefit from government policies.

He also confirmed that the government would pay the arrears of the backlogs from January.

Njoku added that the increment was different from the multi-stakeholders committee headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.

Governor Hope Uzodimma has appointed himself as the commissioner for lands in the state.

The unexpected announcement was made by the governor on Tuesday, April 30, during the inauguration of 24 newly appointed commissioners at the Government House in Owerri.

According to him, the self-appointment is a measure to prevent a repeat of past incidents.

He cited the example of a previous commissioner who was embroiled in controversial land deals towards the end of his first tenure.

Details shortly…

President Bola Tinubu is expected to lead a walk to commemorate 25 years of Nigeria’s unbroken democracy on May 29.

The National Democracy Stakeholders Group (NDSG), organisers of the walk, said it is part of a series of other activities lined up to celebrate the epoch-making event.

The group said the Abuja leg of the walk would be led by the president, accompanied by his vice, Kashim Shettima.

The National Democracy Solidarity Walk would take place concurrently across 36 states and Abuja on the day.

The chairman, NDSG, Dr Kletsaint Akor, in a statement on Tuesday, said as the cornerstone event of Nigeria’s Democracy Week, the 5th National Democracy Solidarity Walk holds special significance.

The statement said: “This symbolic walk will bring together citizens from all walks of life to celebrate the spirit of democracy and reflect on its enduring importance.

“The week-long celebration built around the June 12th annual democracy day will feature a diverse array of activities aimed at fostering dialogue, promoting civic engagement, and advancing democratic ideals and culture.”

According to him, Tinubu and Shettima will be supported by other esteemed dignitaries, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Chief Justice of the Federation, Olukayode Ariwoola, and the Speaker of the House Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas..

The chairman disclosed that the walk in the states would be led by the governors, deputy governors; to be supported by speakers of state assemblies and state chief judges.

He stated that celebrating 25 years of sustained democracy defined the resolve and doggedness of a people towards the ideals of the best form of government.

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According to him, the significant achievement is made possible through the unwavering commitment of the Nigerian people to democratic principles, no matter the unsettling hiccups, which calls for a momentous commemoration.

The statement added: “The Nigeria Democracy Week, scheduled to take place from June 10th to 14th, 2024, will serve as a platform to honour this remarkable journey and reaffirm our collective dedication to democratic governance.

“In the light of this auspicious occasion, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and all Nigerians for their steadfast support of democracy and their tireless efforts in upholding its values.

“Highlights include the launch of the NDSG Book Chain. The Book Chain is a monumental research work detailing Nigeria’s governance culture from the pre-colonial era to the present, and the visions and activities of all the dramatis personae in the sphere.”

Akor stated that the book chain topics centered on presidents, first ladies, and other prominent leaders.

The minister of interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has declared Wednesday, May 1, 2024 as a public holiday to mark this year’s Workers’ Day celebration.

This was contained in a statement by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Aishetu Gogo Ndayako, on Tuesday, April 30.

The minister re-iterated the need for excellence, efficiency and equity in all spheres of labour, re-affirming the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, productivity, and inclusivity in the workplace.

Tunji-Ojo said: “In alignment with this year’s theme, which focuses on ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate, I wish to state that the Federal Government remains steadfast in its resolve to prioritise the safety and well-being of all citizens. Let me reaffirm Mr. President’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for work, where every worker can thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development”

While acknowledging the contribution of workers, he called for proactive measures to mitigate adverse effects of climate change through synergy in in the implementation of sustainable practices and policies that promote well-being in the workplace and in building a nation guided by the principles of integrity, diligence and compassion.

The minister also urged Nigerians to remain committed to the present administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda as he wished workers happy celebrations.