General

Strike action: Details of meeting between FG, TUC emerge

Published

4 weeks ago

September 5, 2023

Olayiwola Quadril

The Federal Government has set a two-week timeline on wage award, tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers to “cushion the pains and anguish they are going through as a result of subsidy removal,” as put forward by the Trade Union Congress.

The government also agreed to iron out the modalities of accessing the intervention fund that was recently announced as palliative to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

The Congress said only federal workers had not benefited from the palliatives rolled out by the government so far.

President of TUC, Comrade Festus Osifo, said this on Monday during a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong.

But the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) boycotted the meeting convened by Lalong targeted at averting the two-day warning strike already declared by NLC.

Only the leadership of TUC led by its President, Osifo showed up for the meeting slated for 3:00 pm but started at exactly 5:32 pm.

The meeting lasted 30 minutes.

Some of the issues requiring urgent attention included implementation of palliatives; wage award; tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers; modalities for N70bn SMEs; RTEAN crisis among others.

Lalong said: “We are going to address those issues within the period of two weeks and come back for further discussion. Some of the issues we discussed are those that are very urgent. There are some that will require a long span of time. This was the basis of our discussion.

“We agreed that there should be no strike within the two-week period while we are doing our deliberations and working towards realising some of these objectives.”

Before the meeting went into a closed-door session, Osifo said the TUC leadership would continue to engage with the federal government to ensure that its demands are addressed.

The TUC ruled out any plans to join the two-day warning strike declared by the NLC

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General

#SaferKwara: Governor AbdulRazaq Meets Army Chief

Published

3 hours ago

October 4, 2023

Olayiwola Quadril

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq receives Commander 22 Armoured Brigade Ilorin Brigade General Adebayo Abdulrahman Babalola at Government House, Ilorin.

During the visit, the Governor explored strategies for strengthening security in the state with the Army chief.

Military personnel have made several efforts to dislodge security threats from the state.

The Army chief reiterated that the operations will be sustained to keep the state safer for peaceful and law-abiding residents.

Football

Football is coming home! UK & Republic of Ireland set to host Euro 2028 as Turkey withdraw bid

Published

4 hours ago

October 4, 2023

Olayiwola Quadril

The United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland look set to host Euro 2028 after the Turkish FA withdrew its bid to host the tournament.

The Turkish FA has officially withdrawn its bid to host Euro 2028 in order to focus on its plan to co-host the tournament with Italy in 2032. UEFA has now approved the joint proposal, which was first announced in July.

Turkey’s withdrawal from the 2028 bidding process means that the UK and Republic of Ireland’s bid will now run unopposed. Wembley Stadium hosted the semi-finals and final of the delayed 2020 European Championship, but the UK has not hosted an entire major tournament since 1996.

Both bids will require official approval at a meeting of UEFA’s executive committee on Tuesday. An official statement from UEFA read: “The presentations at that meeting will be an important part of the process which will take due consideration of the content of the bid submissions before reaching a decision.”

If approved, then Euro 2028 will be hosted in the UK and Ireland. Among the ten proposed stadiums are Wembley Stadium, Hampden Park and the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, as well as the currently unbuilt Bramley Moore Dock stadium in Liverpool and Casement Park in Belfast

Football

Messi makes decision on when he will leave Inter Miami

Published

4 hours ago

October 4, 2023

Olayiwola Quadril

Lionel Messi has reportedly decided where he will end his playing career, but it won’t be in Miami or Barcelona.

Messi’s Inter Miami contract is set to expire in 2025, at which point – according to El Nacional – he will look to return to boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys in his native Argentina. There is an option for the World Cup winner to extend his deal with Miami for an extra year, but the report states that he wants to retire in his homeland.

Messi left Barcelona in 2021 after more than two decades at the club, having joined the Spanish giants from Newell’s as a 13-year-old. He snubbed a return to Camp Nou when he left Paris Saint-Germain over the summer, and it now looks like a fairy tale return to Barca is never going to happen.

Messi scored 10 goals in his first seven games for David Beckham’s Miami franchise, but he has spent the past month injured. He will play a farewell match at Barcelona at some point, even if he does not return to play for the club