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·Civil service unions threaten strike over wage increase; ·Nigerian Export Promotion Council says state governments must fulfill all export requirements; ·Action Congress rejects the outcome of last Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra; ·Spain sticks to pension plan, despite protest threats; ·Saudi Arabia's human rights commission seeks divorce for girl-child in marriage; Workers in the public service have threatened to go on an indefinite nationwide strike over poor remuneration. A statement by eight unions, under the umbrella of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, directed its members to brace-up for an indefinite strike, as a result of government's failure to accede to their request for salary increase, for over two years. The unions are the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, the Nigerian Civil Service Union and the Nigerian Union of Civil Service Secretariat and Stenographic Workers, amongst others. The Nigerian Export Promotion Council says any state government interested in exporting yam tubers must fulfill all its laid-down requirements. NEPC Executive Director, David Adelugba, said Benue, Oyo and Niger States had already shown interest in the exportation of the commodity to the U.S. He said interested state governments were required to supply relevant information like areas of trade, volume of yam production and type of yam tubers to the Council. Commuters in Lagos metropolis have stated to show sign of relief, as queues have begun to reduce in many filing stations. Reports say most filing stations got enough supply from fuel depot over the weekend. However, motorists, who spoke with correspondent, Johnson Ayedun lamented that some filing stations were still selling higher than the normal pump price. Meanwhile, the lingering fuel scarcity in Lagos State has made prices of foodstuff to shoot up at various markets. Report revealed that prices of items like yam, rice, beans, vegetable oil and meat have sky-rocked, due to scarcity of petrol. According to the report, a bag of rice, which previously sold for between N7, 000 and N7, 200 now sold for N8, 500. The cost of beans also went up to N14, 000, as against its former price of between N10, 000 and N11, 000. Anambra indigenes residing in Enugu State, have applauded the re-election of Governor, Peter Obi, describing his success as a ``victory for true and sustainable democracy”. The residents, who spoke differently, said they celebrated Obi’s victory by trooping to drinking joints in the coal city. They said Obi’s victory signaled the end of the influence of political godfathers in the state. However, the Action Congress says it is backing its candidate in the Anambra State election, Chris Ngige in rejecting the outcome of last Saturday’s governorship election. In an interview with Correspondent, Esther Oyegue, AC spokesman, Lai Mohammed said they got a report that majority of their supporters were disenfranchised and as such, they cannot accept the result. In another reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party has hailed the just concluded gubernatorial election in Anambra State. PDP spokesman in Lagos, Wale Ahmed, in a telephone chat with correspondent, Ijeoma Okoye, congratulated the incumbent Governor, Peter Obi, saying the indigenes chose the person, they want. Alhaji Ahmed said the party also congratulated their flag-bearer in the state, Chukwuma Soludo for his performance. Meanwhile, the Civil Liberties Organization has called for electronic voting, to avoid irregularities recorded, during the Feb. 6 governorship polls in Anambra State. CLO Lagos State Chairman, Eneruvie Enakoko, said such irregularities would be surmounted with electronic voting. He alleged that the irregularities included missing of names of registered voters and inclusion of names of the dead in the voters’ register. A cross section of Nigerians have condemned the inefficiency of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, saying its performance has taken a downward dive in the year 2010. Speaking with correspondent, Ebere Akubuike, the Nigerians said, the unsteady supply of power was becoming unbearable. They said the power and energy sector need to be revived to correct the situation of premature and unsteady power supply. High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Dennis Kingsley, has expressed his country's willingness, to assist Nigeria, to reduce Nigeria's high infant mortality rate. Dr. Kingsley who said issues of health and trade would form part of Canada's dialoque with Nigeria in 2010, however, noted there would be no impositions. He said his country's interventions would be based on request. Spain's Socialist Government will stand by a plan to increase the retirement age in spite of a threat of union protests. Labour Minister, Celestino Corbacho said government is trying to cut a budget deficit, which hit 11.4 per cent of gross domestic product last year. Mr. Corbacho said the government has already sent a proposal on pensions, to parliament and it is not going to withdraw it, with or without demonstrations. Saudi Arabia's human rights commission has hired a lawyer to help a 12-year-old girl divorce her 80-year-old husband. The girl from Buraidah, a conservative town near the capital Riyadh, was married to her father's elderly cousin last year for 22,670 dollars. Saudi Arabia, a patriarchal society that applies a strict version of Sunni Islam, granted fathers guardianship over their daughters, giving them control over, who their daughters marry and when. BUSINESS: Toyota Motor is preparing a recall of its new Prius hybrid car; ENTERTAINMENT: Dear John dethrones Avatar at US box office; SPORTS: Shuaibu Amodu to lead the Super Eagles, to a friendly game on March 3; BUSINESS Toyota Motor Corp is preparing a recall of its new Prius hybrid car in Japan, on Tuesday, following similar steps in the U.S., Europe and other markets. Toyota, which has earned a reputation, as the green-vehicle front-runner with the fuel-sipping Prius, said it is discussing with safety authorities. Toyota President, Akio Toyoda said the company was rushing to reach a decision on the Prius, as it seeks to restore consumers' confidence in the brand. On the floor of the Nigeria stock market today, UNILEVER topped the gainers with one naira, followed by DANGFLOUR with 61 kobo and ASHAKACEM with 34 kobo. UACN, on the other hand, led the losers with one naira, 99 kobo, followed by NBC with one naira, 42 kobo and FLOURMILL with one naira, 41 kobo. Market capitalization jumped to 5.593 trillion naira, with all share index of 23,226.28 points. EXCHANGE RATE 1 US Dollar = 152 Naira 1 British Pound = 238 Naira 1 Euro = 208 Naira ENTERTAINMENT Romantic drama ‘Dear John’ has knocked sci-fi epic Avatar off the top spot in the North American box office chart. The film, starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried, as lovers, whose romance is curtailed by the 11 September attacks, took $32.4million. James Cameron's Avatar took $23.6million, after seven weeks at number one. SPORTS Despite being demoted to coach the Team B Super Eagles, consisting of locally based players, Shuaibu Amodu is to lead the Super Eagles to a friendly game on March 3. A top NFF source said the team would consist of a combination of local players and fringe foreign-based players. No opponent has yet been chosen for the March 3 date. Meanwhile, Dutch coach, Louis van Gaal has ruled himself out of the Nigeria job, saying he would see out his two-year contract with German club, Bayern Munich. It means that the former Barcelona coach, who joined Munich on July 1, 2009, will not be available until 2011. Van Gaal was one of six candidates shortlisted by the Nigeria Football Federation, after a meeting last Friday. |