News
NIPOST Workers Vow to Resist Retrenchment
NIPOST workers, under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) have vowed to resist retrenchment of workers at the Nigerian Postal Service during the execution of a planned reform at the agency.
The Federal Government intends to overhaul NIPOST in a bid to reposition the country’s postal and courier system for better performance.
Adebayo Shittu, former Communications minister, had disclosed of the plan to unbundle the agency into six different establishments, which would comprise a microfinance bank, a property and developing company, a transport and logistics company, an e-commerce company, an e-government services company as well as a digital services firm.
Punch Newspapers citing feelers at NIPOST headquarters in Abuja said that there were fears among workers of the agency that the reform could lead to job losses.
The labour union, however, said it was ready for a showdown with the government should it retrench workers of the agency in the name of reform.
Mr Ayo Olorunfemi, general secretary of the SSASCGOC, in an interview with Punch, said the government had at previous meetings with the labour said the reform would not involve job losses.
But he admitted that the labour union could not trust the government to keep to its promise.
Olorunfemi said, “When they came up with the idea of unbundling or restructuring or whatever they called it, they said more jobs will be generated though the initiative.
“If government changes this approach of employing more people and decides to sack, we will also engage them by changing our strategy. When we discover that their sincerity is in doubt, we will change our strategy accordingly.”
He however stressed that the union was not opposed to reforms, as long as they would achieve the expected results.
Olorunfemi added that NIPOST workers were prepared to learn new skills in order to properly fit into the expected new arrangement.
“If there will be requirements for new skills, which we know will certainly occur, we will also position our members to re-skill. Whatever technology you are bringing, it is just for them to learn that technology in order to measure up,” he said.
“We don’t have any problem with any form of reforms they want to implement at NIPOST as long as it is in line with our understanding that the reforms will increase the staff strength, rather than lead to job losses,” the SSASCGOC scribe added.
Describing NIPOST as a ‘sleeping giant’, Olorunfemi insisted that the proposed reform should rejuvenate the organisation.
News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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