As the Nation awaits the new minimum wage in Nigeria come 2024, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving palliatives of N35,000 to Federal Public Servants monthly to cushion the economic effects of the petroleum subsidy withdrawal on them.
It also commended the President for mobilising the State Governors with sum of 5 Billion each out which part of the funds have been released to cater for the masses socially and economically in their States.
The Group however observed that it was an oversight not to have carried along retirees of Federal Government along in distribution; adding that those retirees under Defined Benefits Scheme and those under Contributory Pension Scheme ought to be carried along in the palliatives distributions of Federal Government, even if beneficiaries would be given N30,000 monthly till April as the Federal Government promised the civil servants.
Raising this observation, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria noted in the Press Statement issued today by its National Coordinator, Mal. Ibrahim Abdullahi, that as the Watchdog of the Nigerian Society such an oversight ought to be corrected because while serving Federal civil servants are taking their palliatives to support their transportation costs, pensioners who are battling with escalated cost of drugs and food items would also use the palliatives to cushions the effects of high cost of medicaments and high cost of living.
He warned that palliatives for Federal pensioners should not be given to Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs – as the Ministry has its core areas of mandate; rather it should be given to Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) who oversees the affairs of pensioners under DBS while that of pensioners under Pension Funds Administrators (PFA) ought to be given to National Pension Commission (PENCOM) who have data of all the affected pensioners; adding that routing palliatives of pensioners through Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs would eventually cause confusion.
On negotiation for New Minimum Wage, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi who is a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) stated that as negotiation is about to begin, pensioners percent increase should be carried along in the negotiation as the exercise would not serve the desired purpose if this is not done, pointing out that workers of today, are the retirees of tomorrow.
MOURNS VETERAN AISHA BELLO MUSTAPHA & ACE EWI EXPONENT ALH. LANREWAJU ADEPOJU
Meanwhile, the Group has praised two Eminent Nigerians who served in the Media for many years but returned to their Lord about 24 hours ago.
They are Alh. Mas’ud Lanrewaju Adepoju – a Yoruba Ewi Exponent who used his eulogy to better the Nigerian Society by fighting corruption, immorality and all anti-social behaviours in Nigeria; as well as a Veteran Journalist and Newscaster Hajia Aisha Bello Mustapha who died last night and buried this afternoon.
Late Aisha Bello Mustapha who served in Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for several years before retiring about 3 years ago was peoples’ favourite on NETWORK NEWS OF THE NTA @ 9.00 pm.
According to the Media Group, Late Aisha popularise herself by being a versatile Newscaster, using of modest Islamic Dressing, good character, humility and good human relations throughout her service in the NTA. She would be remembered for long for her great contribution to the Media by her excellent newscasting, nice comportment as well as good human relations, the Group said.
As for Late Pa Lanrewaju Adepoju, the Group stated that for more than 30 years before his death, Alhaji Masud Lanrewaju Adepoju shifted his eulogies from mundane affairs of entertainment to praising of Almighty Allah – Creator and Sustainer of the Universe as well as praise of the Messenger God and Prophet – Sayyidina Muhammad (SAW).
MMWG asserted that these two great Nigerians have fulfilled their purposes of coming to this world and have paid their dues; adding that Muslims throughout the Country should emulate them and pray for them to be accepted by Almighty Allah as true servants on Yaomal Qiyyamah (Day of Judgement) and reward them with Al-Jannatul-Firdaous.
MMWG commiserate with their families and prayed to God to comfort them, the statement concluded.
