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The Ministry of Labour says the report that President Bola Tinubu would announce a wage award to workers on Independence Day is untrue.

 

This is contained in a statement issued Mr Olajide Oshundun, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour on Wednesday in Abuja.

 

“The attention of the ministry of Labour and Employment has been drawn to reports circulating online claiming that the President will announce wage awards and palliatives to workers during his October 1st Independence Day speech.

 

“The report which is said to have emanated from a purported interview with the Director of Information in the ministry claimed that a last minute meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday between Federal Government and Labour to avert the proposed strike.

 

“We wish to categorically state that the report is false and misleading as at no time did the Director of Information make such disclosure,” he said.

 

He urged members of the public to ignore the report as it is a total fabrication of an interview by the reporter to suit the narrative of the interests best-known to the newspaper.

 

He added that, for the benefit of doubt, it is important to stress that the Director of Information at the ministry does not speak for the President.

 

The director said that he was also not involved in writing the speech for the President to warrant him making any categorical statement on its content.

 

“If and when the Minister schedules a meeting with Labour, the public will be adequately notified through verified channels.

 

“The said newspaper is advised to retract the story and maintain professionalism in its reportage to avoid misleading the public,”he said.(NA

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has notified the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Edo, Kwara, and 22 other states of 48-hour downpour beginning on Thursday.

 

In its weekly heavy rainfall forecast bulletin released on Wednesday, the agency told the residents to also expect flash floods.

Other states listed are Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Enugu, Delta, Bayelsa, Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kwara, and Benue.

The bulletin reads: “Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected within the forecast period (Thursday 28th and Friday 29th, September 2023) over parts of Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Enugu, Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa.

 

Other States are: “Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kwara, Benue State and the Federal Capital Territory.”

The agency said other parts of the country will experience light to moderate rainfall.

On the likely impact of the rains, NiMet warned: “The expected moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to cause some flash flooding over their areas of occurrence.

“Strong winds should accompany the rains with the strongest winds expected over parts of Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi State.”

 

The agency cautioned residents against driving through surface runoff waters, as they have strong undercurrents.

 

It identified slippery road surfaces and reduced visibility as other hazards that may be triggered by the downpou

The Nigerian Air Force has bombed camps housing members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its paramilitary wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Air Force spokesman Gabriel Gabkwet, in a statement on Wednesday, said several strikes were carried out on Tuesday at separate locations of the two eastern states.

 

 

 

He identified the locations as Mother Valley Orsumughu in the Nnewi South Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State and Aku Ihube in the Okigwe LGA of Imo State.

 

Prior to the operation, Gabkwet said troops had received intelligence of the planned disruption of civic activities across the South-East by the terrorists.

The operation, he said, was made possible following collaboration with ground troops and other security agencies that targeted locations believed to house some arms and ammunition of the militants.

 

“The strikes hit the target and were deemed successful following the ball of fire, fleeing terrorists at the location as well as feedback received,” the statement read.

 

“Efforts by the NAF and other security agencies at ensuring all Nigerians, irrespective of where they reside, are safe and free to conduct their activities without fear or being threatened will continue.

 

“While the determination of the security agencies is unwavering, the support of all Nigerians to the security agencies remains critical to defeating these criminal elements whose only intent is to sow fear and division among the citizenry,” the statement read

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, has relieved the heads of 21 parastatals, agencies, and government companies of the FCT Administration of their appointments with immediate effect.

 

Mr Anthony Ogunleye, Director of Press, Office of the Minister stated this in a press statement in Abuja on Wednesday.

 

Ogunleye identified the affected heads of the agencies as follows

1. Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abuja Investment Company Ltd

 

2. CEO/Managing Director, Abuja Markets Management Ltd

 

3. MD/CEO, Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company

4. CEO/MD, Abuja Property Development Company

 

5. CEO/MD, Abuja Technology Village Free Trade Zone Company

 

6. CEO/MD, Abuja Film Village International

 

7. CEO/MD, Powernoth AICL Equipment Leasing Company Ltd

 

8. MD, Abuja Broadcasting Corporation

 

9. MD, Abuja Enterprise Agency

 

10. General Manager, FCT Water Board

11. Director-General, FCT Emergency Management Agency

 

12. Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Healthcare Board

 

13. DG, Hospital Management Board

 

14. Director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board

 

15. Director, FCT Scholarship Board

 

16. Director, FCT Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board

 

17. Director, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board

18. Coordinator, Abuja Infrastructure Investment Center

 

19. Director, FCT Health Insurance Scheme

 

20. Coordinator, Satellite Towns Development Department

 

21. Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council

 

The director of the press said that the affected appointees should hand over the affairs of their offices to the most senior officers in rank.

 

He added that appointments in the offices would be made in due course.

 

NAN

The only solution to the oppression and suppression of the Muslim woman of today is the strict application of the fundamental human rights of the woman as enshrined by the Qur’an and exemplified by Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.)

These were part of the submissions of Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman of the Department of Islam and Development Studies, Faculty of Arts, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, when she delivered the 35th Inaugural Lecture Series of the University with the topic “

Deconstructing The Notion Of Oppression And Suppression Of Women In Islam: Revisiting The Islamic Versus Universal Concepts of Human Rights” on Tuesday 26th September 2023, at the Assembly Hall of the University.

According to Professor Saadatu, the rights to freedom that the modern woman is glamouring today have been given to the Muslim women over 1400 years ago by Islam as proven by the Qur’an and Hadīth and in the formulations of the Sharī’ah. She noted that these rights pertain to marriage, divorce, property, inheritance, custody of children, and evidence of reward and punishments among others.

While affirming the rights of Muslim women, the Professor of Islamic Studies further opined that the Qur’an and Hadīth of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) have given the Muslim women unpprecedented rights that have not been given to them by any religious civilization or by any human rights organization including the United Nations.

Other topical issues discussed by Professor Saadatu during the lecture include the place of Gender in Islam, leadership roles in the family, women’s education, child and forced marriage, divorce rights, concepts of polygamy, women’s political participation, the veil (Hijab), challenges due to traditional cultures amongst a host of other issues affecting the Muslim woman.

In his remark, the visitor to the University and Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule represented by his deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe said Nasarawa State is proud of Professor Saadatu Hassan Liman for being the 1st Female Professor of Islamic Studies from Nasarawa State and the second in Nigeria, he also congratulated her for successfully delivering the 35th Inaugural Lecture of the University.

Earlier in his address of welcome, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Suleiman Bala Mohammed remarked that the Inaugural lecture series affords Professors the platform to address national and topical issues and also to profess on areas they have conducted researches to the benefit of the general audience to understand and gain useful knowledge.

Notable dignitaries who attended the Inaugural Lecture include the founder and first visitor to the University, Distinguished Senator, Abdullahi Adamu, former Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, former Governor of Bauchi State, Dr Ahmed Adamu Muazu, past and serving government functionaries, past and serving Vice-Chancellors and Heads of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, Royal fathers and dignitaries from all walks of life.

The high point of the event was the presentation of the plaque of honour to the celebrant by the Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Saadatu Hassan Liman was the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Administration.