Unpaid salaries hit N110bn in states

No fewer than 12 of the 36 states of the federation are facing difficult times as the salaries they owe their workers are approximately well over N110bn. This represents the salaries being owed by government of 10 of the states of the federation. They are Osun, Rivers, Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Ondo, Plateau, Benue, and Bauchi states.

The 36 state governors, who met during the week in Abuja under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for the second time after the May 29 inauguration of the new government, expressed their concern over the issue.

The situation, according to Saturday PUNCH investigation, has been giving some of the governors’ aides serious concern as they are also being owed salaries and allowances.

The governors had resolved to meet with the President to demand the refund of the money spent on executing Federal Government projects in their respective states to enable them to pay their workers.

Rivers State, for example, which has a monthly wage bill of about N7bn, has not paid its workers for three months, putting the total amount of salaries the state owes its workers at N21bn.

It was learnt that while some workers in the state are owed 10 months’ salaries, the core civil servants have not been paid their salaries for the past three months. Drivers, gardeners, cleaners and some office assistants are some of the workers being owed salaries for 10 months. These workers are always paid from government overhead or imprest.

MTN Nigeria gets investors in People Gold Accreditation

Leading ICT company in Nigeria, MTN has been awarded the prestigious Investors in People (IIP) Gold certification by the governing board of the UK-based organisation. The Investors in People Standard is a UK quality standard introduced in 1991. The Gold certification followed an earlier accreditation of MTN Nigeria as an Investor in People organization in 2013 – the first company in all of West Africa to receive such recognition.
The assessment of MTN Nigeria was carried out by a team of IIP assessors from the United Kingdom; their findings culminated in the award of the Investors In People Gold Level accreditation.
Organisations accredited by the IIP go through a series of precise assessments with particular reference to the company’s people management practices in line with the IIP Framework. The rigorous process involves the administration of structured questionnaires among all categories of employees and contract staff to establish the correlation between the company’s people management practices and business performance.

JOB

FULL-TIME Store Keeper, Lagos.
We are John3v3, a reputable fashion company located in Ikoyi, Lagos. We seek qualified applications for this role Summary of duties - Receiving,...

FULL-TIME IT Technician, Lagos.
We are John3v3, a reputable fashion company located in Ikoyi, Lagos. We seek qualified applications for this role Job Summary Provides hardware and...

FULL-TIME Administrative and Accounts Assistant, Lagos.
We are John3v3, a reputable fashion company located in Ikoyi, Lagos. We seek qualified applications for this role

ENTERTAINMENT

 Charlie Boy @ 64, says I don’t smoke, drink nor abuse my body 

Charlie Boy and Wife 

Nigeria’s all time showbiz star, Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa, popularly known as Charlie Boy, on Friday, said smoking and drinking were not part of his lifestyle.

Charlie Boy, who is 64 years old on Friday, said this in  interview in Abuja.

The maverick, who spoke on his lifestyle said “I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I don’t abuse my body.

“I also engage in regular bodily exercise and this keeps me smart and healthy.

“I know that this may be hard for some persons to believe, but one does not need those things to aspire as an artiste.

“I stopped drinking and smoking so many years ago.

“My father never smoked nor drink and he lived very healthy for well over 90 years, and that is how I planned to live.’’

Serbia make history in New Zealand 2015.

THE DAY REPLAYED - In the end, a tournament full of surprises and late, late drama had a fitting conclusion. Serbia, playing in the FIFA U-20 World Cup for the first time as an independent nation, will leave as its champions. That is the remarkable outcome after a dramatic and enthralling final day of action that thrilled a sell-out, 25,000-plus crowd at Auckland's North Harbour Stadium. Nemanja Maksimovic's decisive, 118th-minute goal settled the final 2-1 in favour of the delirious Serbians, and left five-time champions Brazil to settle for silver.

DONE DEAL! Liverpool sign young England defender Joe Gomez from Charlton

Liverpool have completed the signing of young Charlton defender Joe Gomez for £3.5m.

The 18-year-old England youth international has signed a five-year contract with the Reds and becomes Brendan Rodgers' fifth capture of the summer following James Milner, Adam Bogdan, Danny Ings and Divock Origi.

A ball-playing defender in the Rio Ferdinand mould

"It's a dream come true. It's a bit surreal and it hasn't really hit me yet. But I'm buzzing and just excited to get started," said Gomez.

"The club has got great history and it's a great club, and one that I've always been following from when I was young.

SPORTS

IUFC STADIUM TO BE READY IN TWO MONTHS

The construction of an 18 thousand  capacity international standard stadium in Nnewi Anambra state by Dr Ifeanyi Uba owner Ifeanyi Uba united football club IUFC, will be completed by August 2015.

The Engineer in charge of the project mr Ebi Ekpei who  is also a FIFA licensed agent said in an interview, "due to the recent suspension on some clubs stadiums  by the LMC because of bad pitch, The Proprietor Dr Ifeanyi Uba wants the stadium to be ready in two months" Mr Ebi who's company has installed over one hundred and fifty synthetic football pitches around  the world also said the pitch of the stadium will be one of the best in the world. 

It will be recalled the League Management Company LMC recently suspended eight football stadiums across the nation, which prompted Ifeanyi Uba united FC to play their week 12, match against Dolphins   which they won by a lone goal at Rojenny stadium Oba

Obiano Promises To Restore Health Tourism Confidence In Making Anambra Next Tourists Destination

The Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has reiterated his call on Anambrains worldwide to think home and ensure they institute the headquarters of their businesses in the state.
He assured of the government provision of necessary facilities that will aid the smooth operation of their business including enhance health facilities with the move to making Anambra the next health tourism center after USA, Germany, France even Dubai and other notable improve health friendly countries of the world.
The governor, stated this while speaking with newsmen shortly after inspecting the ultra-modern pharmaceutical company owned by JUHEL Pharmacy Ltd, Awka, promised to improve facilities to encourage investment to thrive in Anambra.
Gov Obiano also promised to provide a 10MV Power supply machine to improve power supply for the factory and its environs and instructed the state commissioner for Health, Dr. Josephat Okabuike to ensure the comapny becomes the net supplier of the state  pharmaceutical  products.

South African Airways Group walks away with an armload of Skytrax awards

 The South African Airways Group this year walked off with no less than three awards confirming the group is on the right strategic path which is showing in customer satisfaction results.

South African Airways (SAA) Acting CEO Nico Bezuidenhout this year received three awards on behalf of the SAA Group.
South African Airways was named Best Airline in Africa for the thirteen consecutive year.
Feedback from SAA’s customers also ensured that SAA walked away with the award for Best Airline Staff in Africa for the fourth time.
The awards for Best Airline Staff are special and coveted accolades, as they represent the combined quality performance of an airline’s front-line staff, across the on-board cabin staff category together with the airline’s airport staff.
Mango, SAA’s low-cost carrier, received the award for Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa.
“Receiving three customer satisfaction awards on behalf of the Group, in front of an audience of peers in the aviation industry at an auspicious event such as the Paris air show, was a most satisfying experience. These awards are dedicated to the people working at SAA and Mango who with hard work and perseverance have shown detractors that the SAA Group is going from strength to strength. Excellent Customer Service is one of the five strategic objectives of the Group’s Long-Term Turnaround Strategy, these awards confirm our efforts are paying off,” said Nico Bezuidenhout, SAA Acting CEO.

President Buhari Never Ordered Sale of Presidential Fleet---Presidency

Contrary to reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the immediate disposal of nine of the 11 VIP transport aircraft in the presidential fleet, the presidency on Friday denied knowledge of any such directive.
Ashiwaju.org newspaper had quoted unnamed sources as saying the president had directed the selling of serviceable and unserviceable aircrafts to cut maintenance costs in line with the government’s policy to drastically reduce its annual expenditure.
Eight of the planes in the fleet, including Boeing 737, two Gulfstream 550 jets, Gulfstream V jet, two Falcon 7X planes, the Hawker Siddeley aircraft and Augusta Westland chopper, the report said, are reserved strictly for the president’s movement.
Other aircrafts, including two Falcon 900 planes, the Dornier, the Cessna Citation, the Beechracft King Air, and two AugustaWestland choppers, are reserved for the airlifting of the Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as visiting African heads of states.