In order to resolve the raging dispute over the full implementation of financial autonomy for state judiciaries and legislatures, the Federal Government and Governors of the 36 States of the Federation have agreed on a revenue-sharing formula.

If the agreement is accepted by judicial and parliamentary workers, who have been on a strike for over one month to press home their demands for financial autonomy for the two arms of government in the 36 states of the federation, funds from the Federation Account due to each state are to be jointly shared among the executive, legislature and judiciary in each state.

The new proposal, which was given to the leadership of both the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) at a conciliatory meeting last Thursday in Abuja, seeks to replicate the federal revenue-sharing structure in the states.

Newsfocusng gathered that under the new template, the governors will establish, within 45 days of the agreement, States Accounts Allocation Committee (SAAC) to share revenues among the executive, the judiciary and the legislature, the same way the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) shares revenue between the federal, states and local government councils.

The proposal also stipulates that the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) will invoke Executive Order 10 against any state that fails to abide by the terms of the agreement.

A presidency source revealed at the weekend that among the new offers made to the judiciary and legislative workers by the federal and state governments was a reassurance that state governors are committed to implementing full financial autonomy for the two arms of government.

“They also agreed that they will set up all the structures necessary for the implementation of the financial autonomy, including the budget committee where the judiciaries and state legislatures will forward their expenditure estimates. That will be based on the budget envelope of the projected annual revenue earning for the arms of government as is being done at the federal level,” he said.

The source, when the executive, judiciary and legislature prepare their annual budget estimates, they will forward them to the state House of Assembly for consideration and approvals.
“So when the revenue comes from the federal and the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the State Fund Allocation Committee will now convene the State Accounts Allocations Committee (SAAC), which will now oversee the disbursement of money to different arms of government,” he stated.

He added that each state will ensure that it establishes Fund Allocation Committee for its legislature and judiciary to be headed by the head of the courts and the legislature.
“The two arms of government will also be expected to set up a tenders’ board to be headed by the court registrar and clerk of the state Houses Assembly,” he said.

He added that the same structure at the federal level would be transposed down to the states.
He said the same template used by the National Judicial Council (NJC) at the federal level would be adopted in disbursing funds to the judiciary in the states.

He said under the new arrangement, state Fund Allocation Committee would be headed by the state Commissioner for Finance.
Also, state Houses of Assembly will be allocated funds in the same manner that the National Assembly receives its allocation after the budget approval.

“So, if there is a breach on the part of the state government that will trigger off Executive Order 10, which empowers the Accountant-General of the Federation to remit funds directly to the state judicial and legislative arms of government. But if you are doing all that is provided in the proposed template, there will be no need to invoke the Executive Order,” he said.

The striking judicial and legislative workers had earlier vowed not to compromise on their demands for the implementation of 1999 Constitution as altered.

The workers said last week at a meeting with a federal government team, led by Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, that the issue of financial autonomy for state legislatures and judiciaries was a constitutional provision that did not warrant any negotiation with governors.
JUSUN and PASAN had also insisted that the governors must fully implement financial autonomy for the two arms of government in the 36 states of the federation as guaranteed by the constitution before the strike would be called off.

The federal government had also pleaded with the unions to consider the efforts being made to resolve the dispute and suspend their strike to enable the court and legislatures to reopen.

Ngige had said last week that progress had been made in about 90 per cent of the issues in dispute.
However, the meeting between the federal government team and the leadership of the unions had ended with an agreement that the unions should go and study the government’s proposal before the next meeting, billed for tomorrow.

In an effort to ensure the nation’s economy is revamped through the Mineral and Metals Sector, the Federal Government has approved the supply of power to ALSCON to facilitate its return to full production capacity.

The Minister of State Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah made this known during his extensive tour of the ALSCON facility in Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom State on Friday, 7th May, 2021.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Head Press & Public Relations Unit, Mrs Etore Thomas, the Minister stated that the Federal Exceutive Council approval to connect the Company to the National Grid is a sign of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration’s committenent to ensuring that ALSCON is functional, adding that the plant has great economic potential that would benefit not just Nigeria, but Africa.

He noted that the Company could employ about two thousand Nigerins when it began full operations. He therefore stated that the Federal Government will ensure it provide all necessary support to see the plant is up and running.

Also , the Managing Director of the Plant, Zavalov Dmitry, revealed that the plant was forced to shut down in 2014 due to gas supply cut. He however disclosed
that the Company has began plans to restart the Plant.

While applauding the Federal Government for approving the supply of power to the Plant, he appealed for the provision of alternative source of gas supply as according to him, “globally, industries that produce metal always have two sources of supply of gas.”.

Similarly , the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Charles Udoh stated the Akwa Ibom State Government support for Federal Government’s decision to resuscitate the ALSCON Plant. He disclosed that the State is committed to partner with the Federal Government to ensure that the Plant begin operations.

In a related development, the Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah during a meeting with Stakeholders enjoined operators to ensure they always obtain the relevant liences and pay due royalties to the Federation Account to enable Government meet its obligations to the citizens.

Dr Ogah noted that with the above 8 mineral resources in the State, it could create wealth for the people of Akwa Ibom if the operators are willing to work together and synergize, adding that they should bridge the gap between the Federal and State Governments for the smooth running of the Sector in the State.

He tasked the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Charles Udoh to follow up and resolve the issue of the Akwa-Ibom State Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO).

Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Charles Udoh disclosed that with the approval of the Akwa Ibom Deep Sea Port, dredging business is going to increase in the State. He therefore tasked the miners to ensure they register and regularise their operations so they can grow their business and benefit from the huge mining opportunities in the State. He supported Federal Government’s strategy to have synergy so as to harness the benefit in the sector.

The miners appealed to the Ministry to help resolve the challenge of double and multiple taxation they are facing. They also enjoined the Ministry to assist them access loans to enable them buy equipment to grow their business.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday described the wave of destruction of Police formations, particularly in the South East as “madness”.

Buhari who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu wondered who would protect the same people destroying the stations and killing security personnel.

He, however, condoled those who lost family members due to the attacks.

His reactions was contained in a statement detailing how the President intends to celebrate the El Al-Fitr.

He said , the President, in addition, takes this opportunity to condole with all who lost family members due to what he described as the ‘madness’ going on in parts of the country.

The President called on all local leaders to talk to their youths and warn them against being used to incite and foment violence.

“If we attack institutions guarding us,” the President wonders, “who will protect us in future emergencies?”

Meanwhile, the President has directed that all celebrations in connection to the El Al Fitr be limited due to the global Coronavirus crisis.

The statement further stated that “as Muslims in Nigeria join others globally in preparations towards Eid Al-Fitr, a day that is celebrated to mark the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, President Buhari directs that all celebrations be limited due to the global Coronavirus crisis.

“To this effect, the President, First Family, his personal aides, members of cabinet and Service Chiefs who choose to remain in Abuja will congregate in full compliance with COVID-19 protocols at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa to observe the Eid prayers. Time fixed for the prayer is 9:00am.

“Thereafter, there will be no traditional Sallah homage to the President by religious, community and political leaders. As was the case last year, the President encourages such leaders to be content with modest celebrations at home in view of the pandemic.

“President Buhari specially thanks the Ulama (Islamic Clerics) and all other religious (Muslim, Christian) leaders who continue to pray for the wellbeing of the nation and its people”.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) for instigating the move to slash workers’ salaries in the country.

Condemning the move, the PDP alerted that intelligence at its disposal indicated that leaders of the APC recommended the move to slash workers’ meagre salaries despite the current excruciating economic hardship which the Buhari-led administration had plunged the nation in the last six years.

The PDP, in a statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan which a copy was made available to newsmen in Abuja described as wicked and completely unacceptable that APC leaders could go after workers’ salaries even after their party, the APC, had endorsed the increase in the cost of fuel, electricity and other tariffs, leading to the steeply rise in the cost of food and other essential commodities beyond the reach of millions of Nigerians.

The statement reads in parts; “Our party rejects the baseless argument that the move to cut salaries is necessitated by dwindling revenue to finance the national budget.

“Rather than impose more hardship on our workers, the APC and its administration should realign the budget by removing their padded figures as well as end the exposed looting in the integrated payment system, where trillion of naira are being siphoned through non-existent workers and overheads.

“It is distasteful that the APC and the Buhari administration are contemplating a salary cut in a country with a paltry N30,000 monthly minimum wage, an amount that can barely run a small family for less than a week in the face of escalated cost of staple food and essential commodities.

“The PDP also finds it appalling that at a time leaders of other countries are seeking ways to provide economic stimulus and incentives for their citizens, the APC and the Buhari Presidency are rather seeking to cut salaries in a country with frightening 33.3 percent unemployment rate; where over 60 million citizens have lost their jobs with over 40 million businesses closed within six years of the APC administration.

“Our party cautions that APC and its administration against the proposed salary cut as it will trigger an immediate negative spiral effect, particularly with the escalated cases of terrorism and other social vices, confronting our nation,” the PDP said.

The party added that it is distressing that in the last six years and particularly in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the APC and Buhari Presidency have failed to take any decisive steps to stimulate to economy and promote production.

“Instead, the APC and its administration had engaged in mindless external borrowings, bulk of which had also been looted by APC leader and their cronies in government. Now that they have borrowed from every corner of the world, the APC and its administration are now turning to salaries of our workers,” the party said.

The PDP advised the Buhari administration to leave workers salary alone and seek help by getting more capable hands to manage the economy and create wealth instead of plunging Nigerians into more hardship.

The Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar, has suspended activities marking the end of the Ramadan fast in the emirate council over security.

The royal father ,however, directed district heads in the council to join the people in their domains to pray for peace in Nigeria.

Among the affected activities is the procession (Durbar) to the Emir’s Palace on Sallah Day. The Emir has also directed that no district head should visit him on that day.

The directive was contained in a circular dated May 6, 2021, and addressed to the district heads in the emirate.

The circular was signed by Danejin Daura, Alhaji Abdulmimini Sahihu.

It reads in parts, “The Emir instructed me to inform you that, due to the insecurity in the country, kidnappings for ransom and other threats to national stability, the usual Sallah Durbar will not hold this Eid-el-Fitr.”

“Instead, the focus will be on performing special prayers on the Sallah day as soon as the Eid prayers are performed.”

The circular further said the royal father had instructed the district heads to conduct the Eid prayers with people in their domain and offer special prayers for lasting peace in the country immediately after the Eid prayer.

You are by this notice to inform all the imams to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari (Bayajida II) and other leaders for protection from all evils of the enemies of progress of this country, its stability and its corporate existence,” the circular added.

The spokesman for Daura Emirate council, Usman Ibrahim also confirmed the development.