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FG threatens to take action against striking doctors who fail to resume work today as negotiation meeting ends in a deadlock

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The Federal government has threatened to take action against any resident doctor on its payroll who fails to resume work today, June 17.  Recall that the National Association of Resident Doctors began a nationwide strike on Monday, June 15. The striking doctors are among other things demanding the payment of their COVID-19 inducement allowances. A negotiation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige with the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, and the leadership of the Resident doctors, ended in a deadlock on Tuesday night June 16 after many hours of deliberation. The doctors refused to return to the meeting after a recess was taken.

The National President, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, told newsmen that the doctors would only suspend the ongoing action within 24 hours if the government brings something tangible to the table. “We are not coming back, we told them if something tangible is brought to the table, we can suspend the action within 24 hours but for now, the strike continues.I am not coming back, others may come back. The outcome is that all our discussion and demands have not materialised… to a positive outcome and we have assured the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment that once we are able to get a tangible outcome, a notice of the meeting shall be conveyed within 24 hours to review the industrial action.

” Sokomba said Reacting to the striking doctors’ position, a visibly angry Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said he was shocked by the position of the doctors. According to him, Nigeria is the first country where doctors will be embarking on a strike action during a pandemic. Speaking to the striking doctors, he said”One day you will be sitting where we are sitting; you will be going through the same thing we are going through. It is a circle of life. In other countries, we have seen retired doctors and workers come out of retirement.  Nigeria is the first country in the world where health workers went on strike during a pandemic.” The Minister said a directive would be issued to medical directors of all the hospitals to open a register on Wednesday June 17 to collect records of all doctors who report to work and those who did not so as to determine those who are still in service.

”Health is very important and a critical area at that, and under this circumstance, the health workforce is essential persons. We have pleaded with them over their demands so that the issues can be settled amicably. A number of them (their demands) do have merits, but the government has also tried to meet their demands. Sometimes, under pressure the way the system is; we have an obligation as a ministry to be ready to protect the lives of Nigerians, we are not going to allow our hospitals to empty. The government has an obligation to support the needs to safeguard the health of the citizens.

The resident doctors have told us that they are not going to return to work anytime soon until certain conditions are met and we are not sure that they would not continue expanding the goal post every time we try to reach a solution. Therefore, certain steps need to be taken to protect the citizens, particularly those who are in hospitals. The Ministry of Health will issue a directive to all medical directors and Chief Medical Directors of all federal hospitals across the country to open up a register by 7 a.m and record all those who come to work and all those who do not come to work. Further action would follow that and those who come to work, it will be understood they are still in service and when the register closes at 12 noon we will be able to know who comes to work or not.” Ehanire said

Politics

Breaking: UAE lifts visa ban on Nigerians

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Tinubu and Uae ambassador

In a significant development, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially lifted the visa restrictions that were previously imposed on Nigerian travelers. This announcement came from the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, following a Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

“I can tell you that the agreement has been reached and effective from today, Nigerian passport holders intending to travel to the UAE are able to do so,” Idris confirmed.

The lifting of these restrictions marks the end of a prolonged diplomatic dispute between the two nations. The UAE initially imposed the visa ban due to several unresolved issues, including financial disputes. Notably, Dubai’s Emirates airline had suspended flight operations to Nigeria over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s inability to remit an estimated $85 million in revenue to the UAE.

In June, after extensive negotiations, the Nigerian government reassured its citizens that the visa ban would soon be lifted. The government also announced that it had paid 98% of the $850 million owed to the UAE, paving the way for this positive outcome.

Further details on the agreement will be provided later today, as mentioned by Minister Idris. This development is expected to strengthen bilateral relations and promote travel and trade between Nigeria and the UAE.

Stay tuned for more updates as the full details of the agreement are released. For now, Nigerian travelers can start planning their trips to the UAE, free from previous travel restrictions.

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Politics

I’m leaving PDP for APC – Gov Umahi of Ebonyi State

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The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, told the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja on Tuesday that he was leaving the party.

He said he would join the ruling All Progressives Congress which he claimed would protect the interest of the South-East in the 2023 elections.

Our correspondent gathered that Umahi told the members of the National Working Committee of the PDP that his decision to join  the APC was irrevocable.

The members of the PDP NWC, who were led to the meeting by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, were said to have tried in vain to convince the governor not to abandon the party.

Apart from Secondus, among those that were at the meeting at the Ebonyi Governor’s Lodge in Abuja were Deputy National Secretary, Agbo Emmanuel; National Organising Secretary, Austin Akobondu; Financial Secretary, Abdullahi  Maibasira;  National Women Leader, Mariya Waziri  and Senator Sulieman Nazif.

The governor was said to be friendly when he received the PDP delegation, but stuck to his decision to leave the PDP when the issue came up.

It was gathered that the PDP delegation impressed it upon the governor that there was no need leaving the PDP for the APC, which they argued had become unpopular.

Sources at the meeting, however, said the governor was not convinced, insisting that  the APC was planning to zone the 2023 Presidency to the South-East.

He was said to have promised to stay in the PDP if the party could make a pronouncement that it would zone the Presidency to the same zone.

One of the sources said, “I think his (governor’s) mind was made up. We told him there was no need for him to abandon the party that had made him a deputy governor, state chairman of the party, two-time governor and all that. But he refused.

 “He wanted us to unilaterally zone the office of the Presidency to his area. We cannot do that. Parties are not run that way. He told us he was leaving. That is what we got from him.’’

When contacted, Secondus confirmed that the party’s leadership met with Umahi.

 He, however, refused to declared the details of the meeting, insisting that the meeting was on ‘‘national issues.’’

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Crime

We Spent ₦2.2 Billion On Prayers Against Boko Haram – Adariko

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An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigating officer, Adariko Michael, on Tuesday, alleged that N2.2 billion was spent on prayers in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to win the war against Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
Mr. Michael was giving evidence as the first prosecution witness (PW1) in the trial of Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (ONSA) to President Goodluck Jonathan, in the alleged two billion dollars arms deal fraud.

Others charged with Mr. Dasuki, a retired colonel, are a former General Manager with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited, and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

The EFCC charged them with 32 counts bordering on misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, dishonest release and receiving various sums of money before Husseini Baba-Yusuf.

Led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, Mr Micheal said N750 million was allegedly transferred from the ONSA special account to Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account with First Bank.

He added that N650 million was also transferred to Acacia Holding Limited’s account with EcoBank, while another N600 million and N200 million were transferred to the company’s account with UBA.

“Between September 27, 2013, and April 16, 2015, N50 million was credited to Reliance Referral Hospital’s account.

“Based on responses from the banks involved, as investigating officer, we found out that money was transferred to several individuals and companies.

“When we went through the account statement, we asked the second defendant (Aminu Babakusa) the reason for this.

“He informed us that the money was used to hire clerics to pray for the nation as regards Boko Haram crisis.

“When we asked him to provide the names, contacts and phone numbers of the clerics he hired to pray for the nation, he mentioned only two,” he said.

Mr Dasuki spent four years in detention, following his arrest in 2015 over alleged misappropriation of N2.2 billion meant for arms purchase during his time as National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan

After the Federal Government had consistently failed to honor court orders granting him bail, including an ECOWAS court judgment in 2016, he was finally released on December 24, 2019

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