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Alternative Electricity Supply costs Manufacturers Over N143b

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) reveals that in the last two years, 2019 to 2020, Manufacturers in Nigeria, spent about N143.29 billion on alternative power supply,

The Association said members in 2020 spent N81.91 billion on alternative power as against N61.38 spent in 2019, saying the increase in alternative energy expenditure in the sector was due to general high inflationary pressures on the economy.

It also noted that the increase in petrol pump price exerted significant influence on prices of some of the fuel used by the sector to generate electricity.

In its bi-yearly review of the economy report, the manufacturers’ body called on the Federal Government (FG) to review the recent increase in electricity tariff,  as many Nigerians have decried the increase in monthly electricity bills.

However, Energy information generated from the sector has shown constant improvement in electricity supply to the manufacturing sector. In the second half of 2020, electricity supply from the distribution companies to the sector increased to 12 hours on a daily average from 10 hours per day on the average recorded since the first half of 2019. The average daily power outage had constantly averaged four times per day.

The report further read, “The pandemic had a crushing impact on the manufacturing sector as it sector fell into economic recession in the third quarter of 2020. At the moment and following the impact of COVID-19, productivity in the sector is at its lowest and therefore requires an orchestrated action to rekindle significant productive activities in the sector.

Nigerian Labour Congress and Fight for Minimum Wage – Analysis

Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba, who led a recent protest in the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Abuja, decried how little and insufficient the current minimum wage is, especially with the current exchange rate and inflation in Nigeria.

A minimum wage of 30,000 Naira as proposed by the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC, has been overtaken by market forces especially the continued high inflationary level of consumer prices. The new minimum wage translated into so much in the pockets of the workers but so little in the market place where the cost of living and the fate of the workers are determined.

Which leads us to many questions like…should the NLC be going on strike or fighting for a 30,000 naira minimum wage or should there be other negotiations to be discussed with the federal government considering the economic realities on the ground especially with the latest figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics NBS that Nigeria’s inflation rate climbed to a 34-month high, rising to 17.33% in February from 16.47% in January 2021.

Honourable Garba Mohammed (APC, Kano) introduced a bill in the National Assembly; That seeks to allow the federal and state governments each to freely negotiate the minimum wage, It passed the second reading in the House of Representatives on February 23.

Should the bill become law, the federal government will not have exclusive jurisdiction to determine a national minimum wage and states will now have the power to determine their own minimum wages.

US $15 minimum wage Concerns

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden’s proposed minimum wage increase would cut 1.4 million jobs but lift 900,000 people out of poverty, according to a study as many concerns are been raised.

The Congressional Budget Office, for example, projected that an increase to a $15 minimum wage by 2025 could mean an average of 1.4 million jobs lost, a fall in business revenues leading to a $9 billion drop in real income, and increases in the prices of goods and services across the economy.

As arguments for raising minimum wage remains or continues to heat up, new research shows that raising the minimum wage improves workers’ productivity and lifts people out of poverty, but generally Firms respond to these higher labour costs by reducing employment, reducing profits, or raising prices.

According to a report by the US Congressional Budget Office, the overall increase in earnings outweighs those lost through the projected job cuts.  In other words some will win and some will most definitely lose.

In the meantime, NLC, TUC have argued, should the minimum wage be decentralised there will be a lot of confusion and discrepancies. While the National Assembly claims moving the minimum wage from exclusive list to concurrent list would enable each state to handle workers according to their capacity.

China Warns EU, Says We Will Not Back Down Under Sanctions

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China has given the European Union a stern warning against planned EU sanctions for human rights violation, stressing that it will not yield if Brussels interfered in its internal affairs.

China’s ambassador to the 27-nation bloc, Zhang Ming said they are seeking dialogue, not confrontation. Speaking at an online seminar on Tuesday he said they would not back down in the face of any confrontation.

EU ambassadors were on Wednesday expected to give the go-ahead for sanctions to consist of travel bans and asset freezes against four Chinese officials as well as one entity.

EU diplomats said it was in response to alleged persecution and forced labour against China’s Uighur Muslim minority, a claim which China has rejected and describing the claims as “lies for political gain.

Zhang also gave a warning to the EU not to link an investment deal between both countries in December with human rights issues or Beijing’s actions on Hong Kong.

Analysts say that while the investment deal could redress unbalanced trade relations between the two, EU lawmakers will need to approve for the deal to take effect and the human rights issue could pose a problem.

Ancient Christian Ruins Discovered In Egypt’s Western Desert

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The Egyptian Antiquities ministry says New Christian ruins have been discovered in Egypt’s Western Desert, revealing monastic life in the region in the fifth century AD.

The ministry said in a statement that a French-Norwegian archaeological team uncovered several buildings made of basalt while others were carved into the bedrock while others were made of mud bricks.

Head of Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities, Osama Talaat said the complex at the Tal Ganoub Qasr al-Agouz site was made of six sectors containing the ruins of three churches and monks’ cells.

Head of the mission, Victor Ghica said the walls of church had religious inscriptions and some biblical passages in Greek, giving insight into the nature of monastic life in the region.

He added that the latest discovery is proof that monks were present there since the 5th Century AD and will help people understand how the first monastic communities were formed and buildings developed in that Region of Egypt.

Egypt has announced several major archaeological discoveries in recent times in the hope of encouraging tourism which has suffered some setback since the uprising in 2011 as well as the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Former French President Sarkozy Again Goes On Trial After Corruption Conviction

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Problems seem to be continuing or Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy who on Wednesday went on trial over claims that his failed 2012 re-election bid was financed illicitly.

Just two weeks ago, on March 1, Sarkozy bagged a three-year term, out of which two years were suspended, for corruption and influence peddling.

The case is one of several facing the former French President since he left office making him the Country’s first post-war president to be sentenced to prison.

Sarkozy of course has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the charges are trumped up and that he was a victim of a saying he is the victim of a spiteful judicial system between 2007 and 2012.

Sarkozy who was absent on the opening of his latest trial in Paris on Wednesday has been accused of spending up to 20 million euros in order to finance his failed re-election bid in 2012.

According to Prosecutors, say accountants had alerted him that his campaign about to exceed the 22.5 million euro spending limit between rounds of voting, but Sarkozy insisted on holding more events.

The former president says he was unaware of the fraud and has appealed the verdict, effectively crushing any hopes of another presidential comeback.

The trial is set to run until April 15 and If convicted, Sarkozy risks being sentenced to up to a year in prison and a fine of 3,750 euros.

On March 1, he was found guilty of forming a “corruption pact” with his lawyer to convince a judge to share information about yet another investigation into the politician’s affairs, relating to his winning 2007 campaign.

This sentence is not expected to see him serve actual jail time with two of the three years suspended by the court and the remaining year set to be served at home with an electronic bracelet.

Education Reform Concerns: Parents, Stakeholders Express Concerns Over Manitoba Government Plans

Parents in Manitoba have expressed over the proposed changes to the province’s education system.

The Progressive Conservative government plans to eliminate all but one of Manitoba’s elected school boards, merge school divisions and set up a province-wide education authority.

Education Minister, Cliff Cullen said Monday changes to kindergarten to Grade 12 schooling are aimed at cutting $40 million in administration costs and redirecting the money to the classroom.

A bill before the legislature would replace elected school boards in 37 school divisions with the exception of those governing the French school division.

The government says that would make decisions more local and more centralized while community councils would be set up at every school to involve parents.

Nigerian singer Bharry Jay did not kill his label boss – Ghanaian Police

The Ghanaian Police has cleared Nigerian singer, Bharry Jay, of any involvement in the death of his record label boss, Babatunde Oyerinde Abiodun, popularly known as Kashy Godson, CEO of Cash Nation.

Ever since the news of Kashy Godson’s death on March 7, 2021, it had been shrouded with mystery as different stories of his death filled the Nigerian digital space.

However, the Office of the District Commander, Ghana Police Service, Adabraka-Accra, has revealed what led to the death of the record label owner.

The statement read in part, “It was established during investigation that on 7th March 2021, the deceased ― Babatunde Michael Abiodu ― a Nigerian, together with two Nigerians, Oluwakayode, a male, and a female friend, came to Beauford Ridge Apartment at Adabraka and checked in for three-bedroom apartment to lodge.

“That in the mid-night of the same day, the deceased’s male friend, Oluwakayode Balogun, and one Ghanaian music producer were in one of the rented rooms doing recording and editing when the deceased girlfriend, who was in one of the bedrooms with the deceased, suddenly rushed into the recording room and reported that the deceased was behaving abnormally.

“On receipt of the report, the deceased’s friend, Oluwakayode Balogun, came out to see what was happening. He met the deceased and then approached him to ascertain what really the matter was. To his surprise, the deceased became more violent and attacked him instead, which resulted in a scuffle between the deceased and his friend, the suspect, Oluwakayode Balogun; and in the process, the deceased hurt him with a water closet cover and pressing iron and also pulled a knife and threatened to stab him to death.

“The suspect, for fear of his life, ran away to the reception. Further investigation also revealed that after the suspect had succeeded in escaping, he spent 15 minutes outside of the apartment before the deceased threw himself over the corridor from the fourth floor to the down floor and died instantly.

“This assertion was corroborated and confirmed by an eye witness who occupies another apartment next to the deceased who could not bear the level of disturbances and came out to meet the deceased who kept on disturbing.

“The witness pleaded with the deceased to minimize his disturbance but he ignored him and continued misbehaving abnormally. The witness decided to leave him alone to his fate, moved a short distance away from him and was monitoring the behaviour of the deceased for about 30 minutes until he finally raised himself over the corridor from the fourth floor of the building, fell on the floor in a prostate position and died instantly.”

The Ghana Police said a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage installed at the reception covered the movement of the suspect and the deceased during and after the event and was played before counsels from both the deceased and suspect’s lawyers.

The statement said all parties were satisfied with the footage of the incident, which occurred on that fateful day at Beauford Ridge Apartment, Adabraka, as there were no questions raised concerning the CCTV coverage leading to the death of the deceased.

It added that on March 10, 2021, a post-mortem examination was performed on the body of the deceased by a pathologist of the Police hospital ― C/Supt. Dr O. Owusu Afriyie ― who gave the provisional cause of death as “severe head injury; fall from a height”.

Bulawayo School Teachers Launch New Union

School teachers in Bulawayo have launched a new union claiming the existing ones were no longer serving the educators’ best interests.

The new union, Educators Union of Zimbabwe (EUZ) formed by some disgruntled teachers, is accusing colleagues within existing unions of abandoning their mandate and dabbling in national politics.

The new teachers’ group also accuses the unions of using the plight of suffering teachers to advance political ambitions.

They say that some union leaders have since left the profession but continued leading teachers.

EUZ Interim secretary general, Justin Murema said the new union was apolitical and solely formed to champion teachers’ issues.

Unlike existing teachers groups, Murema said, EUZ will not be advocating wage hikes but restoration of 2018 salaries.

The union has more than 2 000 members whose interests it seeks to serve.

The EUZ interim executive is headed by Interim President Tafadzwa Munodawafa, first Vice President Tapedza Zhou, second Vice President Molly Banda, National Vice Secretary General Thando Muba, among other members.

The new group comes after lengthy and repeated calls by teachers to have their working conditions reviewed with remuneration being the main bone of contention.

WNBA Champion Shares How Faith Kept Her, After Bullied For Being Straight

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Former WNBA star Candice Wiggins sees herself as a non-traditional Christian who has walked a rocky road.

Three years ago, Wiggins says she was forced to retire early in part because she was bullied for being straight in a league she estimates is 98% gay. After telling her truth, though, Wiggins now reveals how she leaned on her faith after being attacked with “unimaginable anger.”

“It was an anger directed toward me that I have never imagined was possible. It was unimaginable anger that I had sparked,” she explained in an interview a day after the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.

Wiggins played for four WNBA teams and won a championship with the Minnesota Lynx in 2011. She was named the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year in 2008 when she was the No. 3 overall draft pick out of Stanford University. She played overseas in places like Greece and Spain.

In 2016, however, at age 29, Wiggins voluntarily ended her WNBA career. A year later, she disclosed in an interview, along with other tensions, that she had been bullied in the WNBA for being straight and that the culture in the WNBA encouraged women to look and act like men in the NBA.

Zimbabwe State University Employees Plan Strike Over Poor Wages

Zimbabwe State university staff has written to its employer informing the latter of its intention to go on strike in the next two weeks.

The workers, under the umbrella of Zimbabwe State Universities Joint Council (ZSUJC), said in their letter that they were earning poor wages and were incapacitated.

The council is made up of the Zimbabwe Universities and Allied Workers Union (ZUAWU) as well as the Zimbabwe State Universities Union of Academics (ZISUUA).

The letter was directed to chairpersons of Zimbabwe State Universities’ Councils and copied to Zimbabwe State Universities’ Vice Chancellors, Zimbabwe State Universities’ Registrars and the Public Service ministry.

It was co-signed by the presidents of the council, Readyforward Dube and Alois Muzvuwe on Tuesday.

In the letter, ZSUJC is giving the state a 14-day ultimatum to meet their demands for wage increase and improved working conditions shot of which they would go on strike.

The group wants salaries returned to the level of July 2018 by the employers while making simultaneous steps to ensure the attainment regional level salary scales as per the agreement of 2010.

The group also demanded urgent redress on a wage disparity created in October 2019 (NDI/DI).

In November, last year Zimbabwe State Universities Union members also vowed to down tools at all government-run universities citing poor working conditions and salaries.

Zimbabwe has 12 state universities countrywide which includes University of Zimbabwe, National University of Science and Technology, Midlands State University, Great Zimbabwe University, Gwanda State University, and Lupane State University.