News

We Owe No Workers Salaries-Edo Govt

Published

11 years ago

January 12, 2016

By Monday EBALU, Benin City

Edo state government has reiterated that no workers in the state is owned salary, saying that December salary was paid before Christmas day.
Reacting to the coalitions of tertiary institutions workers who protested round some major streets in Benin demanding for their five months salaries owned them by the Edo State Government, the state commissioner for Education, Gideon Obakhan said the state government does not owe any of its works force, including workers of the state owned tertiary institutions.
Gideon Obakhan said yesterday while interacting with some journalists on the issues said Edo state government is the few state in Nigeria today that have been able to pay salaries.
“The issue with the coalition of tertiary institutions union is between them and their management. Every month the state government gives subvention to these institutions and they are expected to also generate revenue internally to be able to runs the schools.
“I think it is either misunderstandings of how these institutions are run on the part of the coalitions or people are just trying to be mischievous.
“It is untrue that the ministry have not wadded into the crisis between the union and their management. We have series of meetings in my office where they appeal for support and bailout and in December last year, close to the Christmas period, the governor, in order to reduce the pressure on the workers who were saying the schools have not paid them, approved a bailout for them which was paid to the institutions.
“I have received messages from these institutions that they have received same and have also paid their workers.
“Like I said earlier, their agitation could be due to the misunderstanding on how the processes works or people just want to be mischievous for political reasons.
“Says they (coalition) have raised several issues which are largely internal to them and we have sent messages to their management in that regards and awaits responses from them.
“I cannot rely on hear say or act based on what I heard from one party. When I get the responses from management of these institutions, I would decide on the next line of action to take.
According to the commissioner, “How the government operates is that we give subvention to these institutions on a monthly basis depending on their size to support the running of the institutions.”
“One thing I want to state here is that these schools are largely autonomous. For instance, AAU get a subvention of about N254 m, USEN get something of about N25m.
“What they are expected to do with the fund is to run the schools which involves the payment of salaries, provision of facilities, although they also get support from TETFUND. Government provide some counterpart funding to run this.
“These institutions are also to generate revenue internally through school fees, and other legal means. This is expected to be argument to the subvention in the running of the schools.
“Payment of salaries is solely their responsibility. They decide the number of lecturers and administrative staff they employ. The prudence of how these funds are expended rest with the management of these schools.
“We do not interfere in the management of these institutions. They decide whether properly staff or whether their internally generated revenue is sufficient to argument what they received as subvention from the government.
“If they decide today to reduce the staff strength to meet up with their financial requirement is entirely up to them. We do not interfere on how with how they pay but we support them through monthly subvention.
“So when this people come out to say government is owing them, it shows their lack of understanding of the processes or being sponsored by opposition.
“But I expect that haven being in the system for so long, they should know how these schools are run.”
Responding to the commissioner comments, the president of the coalitions of tertiary institutions said, “it is not true as I have said several times. We didn’t request for bail out but said they should pay us our salaries. They are owing the Colleges in the coalition between 3-5 months. We embarked on another street protest in December because the state government was still owing us and as I speak with you now, they are still owing us.
“The problem started about two years ago since we started our agitation. At a point they used the trust fund or corporative to pay us. After the first tranches of about N89 million naira they paid in 2014 to bail the school out of the crisis, and they set up an investigative panel and after that it never came out with any other payment. The government is owing us and we are embarrassed.”

News

Court stops APC, INEC from altering Benue APC primary winners

Published

2 hours ago

July 16, 2026

milcah

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo in a dispute over the party’s candidates emerging from the Benue State APC primaries for the 2027 general election.

The order was made on Thursday by Justice Inyang Ekwo during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, filed by Engr. Sesugh Akaagba and other aggrieved APC candidates from Benue State against the APC and INEC.
The plaintiffs had, through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, 2026, sought six interim reliefs, including an order restraining the APC from substituting its validly nominated candidates in Benue State through its June 29, 2026 correspondence, or any subsequent communication, to INEC, pending determination of the substantive suit.
They also sought an order compelling the APC to immediately transmit to INEC the names of candidates validly nominated during the primaries monitored by the electoral commission.

When the matter first came up on July 8, 2026, the court declined to grant the interim application immediately, directing both APC and INEC to appear and respond before any decision was taken. The matter was adjourned to July 16.

At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel representing the APC and INEC were present in court, while the plaintiffs were represented by Mohammed Ndarani, SAN, alongside his legal team.

In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that since issues had been joined by the parties particularly with INEC now before the court, the defendants were required by law to preserve the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the substantive suit.
When counsel to the plaintiffs urged the court to caution APC and INEC against taking any further action that could affect the disputed list of candidates, the judge responded that it was “not a matter of advice but of law,” stressing that the defendants were bound to maintain the status quo.

The court consequently restrained APC and INEC from taking any action capable of altering the disputed list of candidates pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The defendants did not object to the restraining order.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court noted that all parties had voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction by duly filing and exchanging their respective processes.
It held that there was no procedural or jurisdictional impediment to the expeditious determination of the substantive action, and directed that the matter be heard without further delay.
In furtherance of the objective of preserving the res and safeguarding the efficacy of the judicial process, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit, restraining any act or omission capable of prejudicing the rights of the parties or rendering the proceedings nugatory.
The court further directed that INEC be served forthwith with the originating and all consequential processes.
The effect of the subsisting order is that INEC is restrained from tampering with the existing list of candidates pending final determination of the suit, and from receiving, recognising, or acting upon any purported substituted list of National Assembly candidates from Benue State submitted by the APC.
The matter was adjourned to July 21, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.

News

Goodluck Jonathan’s Family Celebrates Son’s Graduation in UK

Published

5 hours ago

July 16, 2026

milcah

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and former First Lady Patience Ibifaka Jonathan recently celebrated a significant family milestone as they attended the graduation ceremony of their son, Ariara Goodluck Jonathan, at Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.

The proud parents joined family members and well-wishers to witness Ariara receive his degree, marking the successful completion of his academic programme. The occasion was filled with joy as the Jonathan family commemorated the achievement, highlighting the importance they place on education and personal development.

The graduation ceremony attracted warm congratulatory messages from friends, associates, and admirers, who wished the graduate continued success in his future endeavours.

News

2027 BENUE GUBER: MORE TROUBLE FOR GOV ALIA

Published

2 days ago

July 14, 2026

milcah

The Following names joined the political family of Sen. Dr. George Akume today after leaving the sinking Alia ship .

Under the leadership of Barr. Emmanuel Jime .

The are ;
Chief Nelson Alapa
Douglas pepe SAN senatorial Aspirant zone A,
Engr Peter Ashiekaa
QS Clement Beetseh
Former commissioners
Joy Luga
Ann itodo
Barr martins Shaagee
Miss Dorcas
Prof Usar Joseh
Prof Cephas Tushima
Chief Patrick Idoko
Hon Patience Akor
Hon Fred Idoko
Hon Lawrence Ekpo Onoja Jnr
Hon Andrew Abah
Hon Agbo Innocent Ikwumonu
Hon Simon Omachoko
Hon David Egboja
Dr John Garba
Among together,