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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has said the leadership deficit in the world, especially in Africa and particularly in Nigeria, is responsible for the situation the country has found itself in. Obasanjo accused an unnamed Nigerian president of coming to office without a plan. He said the President made a pronouncement on an issue that hadn’t
Certain Nigerian President came to office without plan – Obasanjo alleges

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has said the leadership deficit in the world, especially in Africa and particularly in Nigeria, is responsible for the situation the country has found itself in.

Obasanjo accused an unnamed Nigerian president of coming to office without a plan.

He said the President made a pronouncement on an issue that hadn’t been studied, arguing that it shows a lack of leadership quality.

The former President, who spoke on Thursday in an exclusive interview with Kayode Akintemi on News Central Television, stressed that leadership is something Nigeria should pay attention to.

Obasanjo said: “I will say, at this point in time, generally there’s a leadership deficit in the world. Otherwise, the situation we have found ourselves in should not be the position we are in. Unfortunately, in Africa, and in Nigeria in particular, we take two steps forward, one step sideways, and take two or three steps backward. That can’t take us far. Leadership is something we should pay attention to.

“What do you say of a Nigerian President who came to office without a plan? And he woke up and just said, ‘three-point plan.’ What are the three points? What are they going to achieve? Who are the people who have worked on it? Oh, you just come and open your mouth and make a pronouncement on something that hasn’t been studied.

“Let me again give you an example: when I was military Head of State, we decided to really be part of the frontline states to fight the last vestiges of colonialism and apartheid.

“And we were determined. So, as a result of our policy, pronouncements, and determination, we became known as members of the frontline states, even though we were a thousand kilometers from the frontline. And we decided that we must do what needed to be done. We worked with the frontline states.”

Certain Nigerian President came to office without plan – Obasanjo alleges

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved a new minimum wage of N85,000 for civil servants under the employ of the Rivers State Government. The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting chaired by the Governor, attended by representatives of organized labour under the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council at the Government House in Port
BREAKING: Rivers State govt approves 85,000 new minimum wage

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved a new minimum wage of N85,000 for civil servants under the employ of the Rivers State Government.

The decision was reached during a closed-door meeting chaired by the Governor, attended by representatives of organized labour under the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.

After the meeting, the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, speaking on behalf of the government, confirmed the approval of the new minimum wage by Governor Fubara.

According to Nwaeke, the implementation will commence in November 2024.

Regarding potential arrears of the new wage, Nwaeke stated that a technical committee has been established to develop a feasible payment plan addressing the arrears.

Nwaeke said, “He, Gov Fubara has pronounced a figure that is higher than the National Minimum Wage. He pronounced a sum of N85,000.00, which is higher than the minimum wage that was prescribed nationally.

“So, as the Head of Service and a major stakeholder in the labour family, I am very happy to say that the Rivers State Civil Servants have never had it this good since the inception of this State.

“The labour union leaders and all the other major stakeholders were happy with this development,” he added.

“Issues of arrears will be worked out by the committee that I am going to be Deputy to the SSG. We are already going to work on it in a technical committee that will now get the nitty gritty of the payment and inform the press later.”

Rivers State Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Emecheta Chuku, noted that this was their first meeting with Governor Fubara to discuss the new wage, which aligns with the Federal Government’s approved rate. Chuku expressed satisfaction with the N85,000 wage, highlighting it as a gesture of goodwill towards workers.

He said, “For the Governor to come, against all the crisis, against all the things that he is facing and more, to say he will pay N85,000.00 minimum wage, I think our hearts are full of joy.

“Of course, we have no doubt, knowing the kind of person we have as our Governor. He is a decent man; very responsible enough; and grew through the rank and file of the system. He understands what it takes to earn a living salary; he understands the difference between gifting money and paying somebody a salary that can sustain him or her from the first day to the last day of the month.”

Similarly, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers State Chapter, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, emphasized that Rivers State now surpasses Lagos State with the highest minimum wage for civil servants in Nigeria.

He stressed, “Why do I say that? Lagos State said N85,000.00 and Rivers State is paying N85,000.00. The IGRs of Lagos State and Rivers State are not the same. So, for the Governor to agree to pay the same rate with Lagos, that means we are at the top of it.

“We are the best, and we want to continue to commend the Governor. We assure him that, as far as this State is concerned, labour is going to stand with him. We will be with him even until the next eight years.

“I want to commend His Excellency, Executive Governor of Rivers State, our own Number One Worker in Rivers State, he has, once again, proven that the workers in Rivers State gave him an award on May Day as the Champion of Labour, as the Most Labour-Friendly Governor in Nigeria. He, again, has shown that to us today, and I want to commend him.”

BREAKING: Rivers State govt approves 85,000 new minimum wage

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