OAU Student, Bsharp To Drop New Song Soon

BSHARP, an exceptional and upcoming gospel artist in Nigeria's music industry offers a new single 'YOUR GRACE' to the teeming lovers of quality gospel music and those who long to hear God's word per time across the world, to mark his birthday on the 27th of June 2015.

ABOUT THE SONG 'YOUR GRACE'
'YOUR GRACE' has been revealed as a song for the season and lifetime. After the order of what Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15 vs 10 ''........., but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I but the grace of God which was with me'', this grace sets the pace for our lives, stops disgrace, makes us get those things that we don't deserve.

Everything about us revolves round the grace of God. However, we have no choice but to embrace this grace because its the secret and above all with it we keep going, moving and soaring higher till we meet our saviour Jesus. The track 'YOUR GRACE' contains rhyming words about what God's grace has done and can do. Connect with this grace, speak the words to yourself and your testimonies will follow.
ABOUT BSHARP(B#)
Bsharp is a unique and upcoming gospel artist having God's word for generations. He is set to proclaim God's word through a different style of composition under the inspiration of the Holy spirit. Its high time we received the long expected manifestations of the sons.

Unpaid Wages: Brutalizing The Poor In Osun State By Remi Oyeyemi

I am beginning to be embarrassed by what is going on in my home State of Osun. I am beginning to feel ashamed that this is happening to the common and the poor in the State of the Living Spring. I am beginning to feel compunctious and distressed by the sheer heartlessness that is presently persisting in the state. It is like the State of Osun is being managed by bloodless beings that have no ability to feel and understand the ramifications of owing seven months salaries to workers of varying grades and the pensioners in the state.

I am also being embarrassed as a journalist. Why has it been difficult for this to be headlines in the mainstream media in Nigeria? The primary purpose of government is to cater and guarantee the welfare and security of the governed. The concomitant responsibility of the media is to ensure that the government does not renege in these responsibilities.

I understand that everything is now political in Nigeria and in the Southwest especially where speaking the truth has become a serious challenge. But we have to draw the line where the welfare, security and the survival of a big chunk of our people is concerned. This does not mean that a single life lost would not be tragic, but what is concerned here is not a single life, it is the lives of hundreds of thousands if not millions of our people that are involved. It is emotionally harrowing for any father that cannot put food on the table for his family. It is psychologically traumatizing for a mother to watch her children go hungry when she has not been a loafer.

It is already an eyesore how someone could be presiding over a government that has refused to pay its workers for seven months and still counting! It is tantamount to wickedness and cruelty of the highest order for Osun State government under Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola to owe workers wages for seven months when he has been receiving the state’s federal allocation up to date excluding the month of May 2015, which is at least a matter of public record.

It would be recalled that before the Osun State Governorship Election of August 9, 2014, Governor Aregbesola owed about three months of wages to the civil servants, teachers and the pensioners. It was not until the defeat of his colleague, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State in June that year that he hurriedly found the money to pay the arrears to alleviate the threat of losing re-election. This is despite the fact that Aregbesola has been collecting the State Allocation up until June of that year.

What this scenario suggests is that Aregbesola had the money to pay but did not want to pay? Why this was the case is very difficult to fathom. Is the same situation now repeating itself on a larger scale? Is this a deliberate policy or what? Does Aregbesola realize he is punishing the entire people of the State? What kind of priority does he have for him to allow the people of the State to go hungry for seven months?
It is not an acceptable excuse that the allocation has dwindled. There is no excuse that would suffice under the sun for letting the workers, the pensioners, the teachers – people who struggle everyday to survive- to go hungry because they are denied the fruits of their sweat. If Aregbesola does not have a milk of human kindness flowing in his vein, then it is possible that he does not know the enormity of the damages he is foisting on the state. If he does have some milk of human kindness in him, then he ought to know that seven harrowing months without wages constitute economic, social and security threats to the state and its people.

Yet, here is a man who lays claim to a degree of activism with some bent to socialism from his days in Ibadan Polytechnic. What kind of ideology is this? What kind of “radicalism” is this? And what kind of management is this? Any idea that ridicules the place of man in the economic chain is not worth its salt. Even red hot capitalism knows that without man, capitalism would be doomed. So, what excuses would a “socialist” like Aregbesola have for povertizing the poor people of Osun State?

The Chairman, Finance Commissioners Forum, Mr. Timothy Odah, expressed concern over the low revenue generated for the month of April. He had said “the country is facing serious financial and economic crisis.” He also pointed out that “The Excess Crude Account is depleted already, and you are aware that we had earlier resolved that there should be a stop on the use of ECA to augment what the three tiers of government share monthly. So, the ECA is currently depleted and it has gone beyond the level that we can get anything reasonable from it.” But he also criticized states owing salaries, saying the governors of those states should have made the payment of salaries their top priority after collecting their monthly statutory allocation.

So, one is asking now, what is really going on with the allocations that have been received on behalf of the State? What is Aregbesola doing with the “little” and “reduced” allocations he has been given on behalf of the State of Osun? Where are the monies going? What are the current priorities of Aregbesola? Whatever such priorities are, could there be greater priorities than the welfare of the people? What are the more important urgent needs in the state than the welfare and the survival of the people, many of whom are poor?

It is amazing that social critics like Femi Falana are keeping quiet while this atrocity is going on. Where is Professor Wole Soyinka who is a good friend of the Osun State government? Is he keeping quiet in the face of this tyranny? Where are the Civil Society groups who constantly shout in the press? Are their targets selective? Are they also on the payroll of politicians too? Where are the conscientious people in our society? Where are the national and state leaders of the APC on this matter? Where are the remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party in the State? Is everybody already bought to the point that we are so unfeeling, wicked and inconsiderate? Does this mean that we are ready to sacrifice the welfare of our people for political correctness?

What is going on in our media houses? What has become of journalism for the ideal society that we all seek? Is every journalist bought over? Why is the Media not shouting itself hoarse on this issue? Yes, I know that Osun State is not the only one owing salaries in Nigeria. I know there are other states owing varying number of months of salaries across the country. But seven months is a long time for an average man to do without any income.

It is All Progressive Congress (APC) that is magnifying the dangers of corruption in our society and rightly so. It is the platform that they used to convince Nigerians to vote for the party at the national level. If you don’t pay a man for seven months, won’t such a man look for how to survive and preserve his own family by resulting to corrupt practices? Is this the way APC is planning to fight corruption? By turning everyone into a potential thief? What is “Progressive” about forcing the people to go on undeserved hunger strike?

The state is dying gradually. Families are being dislocated. Unemployment is no longer the injurious mantra to sing about. Lack of wages is the new vogue. The security of the state is under serious threat. The economy of the state is at a standstill. There is no purchasing power for the greatest number of our people. Businesses are panting because of lack of patronage. Market women are wallowing in stagnancy occasioned by this circumstance. Transporters are tottering from the pangs of absentee passengers. Artisans are reeling in redundancy. Teachers are no longer teaching. Children are becoming certified vagabonds. The workers are on strike, there is not even any show of empathy through negotiation and discussion. The State of Osun is in comatose. This cannot continue to go on.

This is tyranny on the part of Governor Aregbesola. This is really mean and inconsiderate. It is high time for Aregbesola to redeem himself. It is time to save the poor from agonies and psychological pulverizing. It is time for him to come down from the horse and feel the pains of the poor people of Osun. He should stop spending whatever money accruing to the state on any other thing until further notice. The only priority that is worth pursuing right now is the payment of wages to civil servants, teachers and entitlements to pensioners until things get better. There is urgent need to put an end to this charade and shenanigans.

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility – I welcome it.” - John F. Kennedy, in his Inaugural Address January 20, 1961.


Written by: Remi Oyeyemi

Source: Sahara Reporters

Students' Union Demands Finance Books Of Faculty & Departmental Associations

The TY-led administration in a bid to curb what it tagged 'exploitation from within' has decided to check and review the finance books including the budgets reflecting revenue and expenditures of faculty and departmental associations.

A meeting of faculty and departmental association Presidents and Vice Presidents had been called by the Vice President of the Students' Union, Oladunjoye Opeyemi a.k.a Oprah sometimes before she was sworn-in which ended in deadlock owning to arguments by the attendees that she was yet to be sworn in and has no constitutional right to summon them as the letter read, not even when they have all been sworn-in in their various capacities.

On the 3rd of June, the meeting was reconvened by the Union Vice President again at Students' Union Building(SUB) which was attended by considerable number of invitees. Oprah started off by apologizing for what transpired in the previous meeting and sought for their understanding.

Following the agreement of Presidents and Vice Presidents in attendance to Oprah's plea, the meeting continued to discuss the major agendum of the day which was the serious concern about the 'exploitation' of fresh students by some departmental and faculty associations. According to Oprah, some associations charge their fresh students as high as N11,000 as dues which she felt was not justifiable. The departmental association of Architecture department, IFASA was cited as one of those charging their fresh students exorbitantly.
Upon Oprah's repetition of the word exploitation, objections were raised by some of the attendees saying she cannot be sure if it was really exploitation as portrayed. They believe some departmental and faculty associations charges are justifiable as they give these students packages worth what they have paid. Hence, the word 'exploitation' is not justifiable.

A departmental president further said the case which was supposed to be the discuss is the reported issue of departments (headed by HOD) telling her fresh students to pay another money apart from their school fees. He said this payment is no way justifiable. A department in the Faculty of Sciences was mentioned as a case study in this allegation.

The meeting however after some hours reached a common ground of the initial position of the Students' Union Vice President that faculty and departmental associations should submit the finance record of revenue generated from their students and the expenses incurred on packages and programmes for them. It was also proposed that the matter be discussed at the level of the Students' Representative Council parliament of the Students' Union.

Other issues discussed during the meeting include security, registration and renewal of associations and welfare of students in general. Other Students' Union leaders present at the meeting include the Secretary General, Oketooto Oluwaseun a.k.a Hon. Seun and the Public Relations Officer, Ojedokun Emmanuel a.k.a Immanuel Kant.

OAU Peeps News Agency 2015 Recruitment Test Holds Today

The recruitment test and interview for applicants who have indicated interest to join OAU Peeps News Agency will come up today, Friday, 5th June, 2015.

Time: 3:45pm
Venue: Awo Hall cafe

Candidates are advised to dress corporate and come along with their writing materials.

No N3.2bn Severance Pay For Jonathan, Others Till 2016

Former President Goodluck Jonathan; his deputy, Namadi Sambo; immediate past ministers and presidential aides as well as non-returning federal lawmakers will wait till next year before collecting their severance allowances, investigation by The PUNCH has shown.

Their severance allowances as contained in the remuneration package put together by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission is valued at about N3.24bn.

Sources at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja confided in our correspondent on Thursday that the allowances of the political office holders that left office last weekend were not captured in this year’s budget.

The 2015 budget, which was passed by the National Assembly and signed by Jonathan on April 28, makes a provision of N2.3bn for “entitlements of former Presidents/Heads of state and Vice Presidents/Chiefs of General Staff.”

Explaining the reason why the severance pay was not captured in this year’s budget, the official said as of last year when the 2015 budget was being prepared, the outcome of the April 2015 elections could not be ascertained.

He said since the outcome of the elections could not be predicted, there was no way the Budget Office could have determined the number of political office holders that would not be re-elected.

The official added, “You will recall that the 2015 budget was prepared sometime last year and during the budget preparation, the elections had not been held.

“So it would be wrong to include the severance package of political office holders in the budget because as of the time the budget was prepared, these people were still holding political offices.

“Secondly, including their severance package before the elections were conducted would mean that we were pre-empting the outcome of a political process.

“So what we do is to wait for the outcomes of elections and on the strength of this, we can know the number of people that have left office and those re-elected.

“As for those political office holders that are leaving office this year, their severance package would be included in the 2016 budget which would be prepared later in the year.”

Under the severance package put together by RMAFC, Jonathan is entitled to 300 per cent of his annual basic salary.

The President’s annual basic salary is put at N3, 514,705 and therefore his severance allowance will be N10, 544,115 after May 29.

The severance allowance is without prejudice to his other constitutional entitlements as a former head of government.

Similarly, Vice-President Sambo, who left office the same day as Jonathan, is entitled to 300 per cent of his annual basic salary put at N3, 031,572.50. This means that his severance allowance after May 29 is N9, 094,717.50.

For having held the office of vice-president, Sambo also has some constitutional entitlements and perks.
About 76 senators are not returning to the National Assembly either because they did not stand for election or because they lost their bids to return. They are however entitled to N462,019,200 at the expiration of their tenure on June 5.

Like Jonathan and Sambo, they are entitled to 300 per cent of their annual basic salaries as severance allowances. This amounts to N6, 079,200 per senator.

In the House of Representatives, about 290 members are not returning to the 8th National Assembly to be proclaimed into existence by Buhari on June 5.

Each of the members is entitled to N5, 955,637.50 as severance allowance. This means that the 290 members will be paid N1, 727,134,875.

The former ministers, on the other hand, will be collecting a total of N253, 967,212.5. There were 42 ministers in Jonathan’s cabinet. Thirty one of them were senior ministers and 11 ministers of state.

Each of the former senior ministers is entitled to N6, 079,200 as severance allowance while each of the ministers of state will receive N5, 872,740.

This means that collectively, the senior ministers will get N188, 455,200 while collectively, the erstwhile ministers of state will receive N65, 512,012.5 .

The aides to the former President comprising special advisers, senior special assistants and special assistants will get N775, 207,125.

They were 23 of them that worked with the president as special advisers. Apart from this number, however, there were several others estimated at 110, who worked with the vice-president, the wife of the former President and special advisers that were designated either as senior special assistants or special assistants to the President.

This means that there were about 133 aides to the president and each of them is entitled to 300 per cent of their annual basic salary which amounts to N5, 828,625.


Source: Punch

We Will Employ Experts To Calculate Hon. Seun’s CGPA –EPC

The Election Petition Committee (EPC) of the Great Ife Students’ Union for the 2014/2015 session hearing the petition of Awotiwon Ibiyemi questioning the eligibility of Oketooto Oluwaseun a.k.a Hon. Seun, the Students’ Union Secretary General has concluded to employ the service of experts to help with calculating Hon. Seun’s CGPA.

With one week in office, the fate of the mandate given to Hon. Seun by the generality of Great Ife students is yet to be determined. The sitting of the Election Petition Committee that was initially scheduled to hold on Wednesday morning was postponed till the evening.

Following the Committee’s cross examination of the documents tendered by the defendant in the case before it to substantiate the result he used in contesting for the post of the Secretary General of the Students’ Union, the members of the committee failed to reach a common ground as they had divergent opinion and interpretation of what CGPA should be.

Some of the members of the Committee feel Cumulative Grade Point Aggregate (CGPA) can be aggregated at any time, be it during the Harmattan or Rain semester while others said CGPA can only be obtained at the end of a session, that is, after two semesters. The later believe the only thing you will get at the end of a particular semester is Grade Point Aggregate (GPA).
Another high point of divergence in the committee’s opinion lied strongly in the calculation of the CGPA itself. The members after calculating the results had varying aggregates. With this, the correct and accurate way of calculating CGPA is in serious doubt by the committee.

The Committee following the many disparities in its member’s opinion on CGPA calculation and what CGPA actually means has resolved to employ the services of experts to help in giving a professional assessment, calculation and interpretation of the CGPA.

“We want to adjourn this meeting now and employ the service of experts to come and do the calculation before us.” The Secretary of the Election Petition Committee submitted.

The committee chairman was conspicuously absent from the meeting likewise the petitioner and defendant. Judgement for the case has been adjourned till further notice.

Senators, Reps Leave With 109 Jeeps, 360 Exotic Cars

Outgoing Senators and members of the House of Representatives will go home with the operational vehicles of the National Assembly currently in their possession as the 7th Assembly winds down on Friday.

Each of the 109 senators has a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Jeep assigned to them for “operational” duties including the committee activities and oversight functions.

The situation is the same at the House as each member has a 2011 Toyota Camry model attached to them for operational duties.

Apart from the operational vehicles, principal officers, including the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, have additional vehicles assigned to them.

But the Prado Jeeps and Camry are properties of the National Assembly that ought to have been left behind by the outgoing legislators.

The understanding of the management of the federal lawmakers, the vehicles have been valued, taking note of the years of depreciation, to allow lawmakers who wish to go home with them to do so by paying 30 per cent of the purchase price.

To this end, the money is to be deducted from the severance package of the senators and the House members.
But investigations showed that in line with the arrangement, the Prado jeeps, valued at the market price of about N9million, would be given away to senators at a reduced sum of N2.7million.

Regarding the members of the House, each of them will part with about N1.9million to go home with the Toyota Camry, valued at about N6.5million.

Confirming the deal an official of the National Assembly management, who sought anonymity over the “deal” said that “The cars have been used for four years, so this valuation has taken cognizance of the years of depreciation. The vehicles are not taken away free of charge. As a matter of fact, it is optional. A lawmaker who does not want to go with the vehicle will submit it to the National Assembly and it will be so documented.

“The deduction will be done from their severance package at source, which makes it easier. It is a practice that has been put in place over the years.”

It was also gathered that aside the operational vehicles, each of the senators, on resumption in 2011, was given 300 per cent of their total basic salaries as car loans and 300 per cent as housing allowance. About 250 per cent was advanced to them as furniture allowance.


Source: Leadership