N80bn Fraud: Yahaya Bello’s Actions Sending Wrong Signals To Investors, Youths– CSOs—-Concerned by the number of court summons and arrest warrants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to compel Kogi State former governor, Yahaya Bello, to respond to allegations against him, Civil Society Groups have described the former governor’s decision to continuously boycott the court as wrong signals to investors and youths that the constitution is ineffective.

They argued that this behaviour not only sets a dangerous precedent but also sends a disheartening message to investors and Nigerians especially the youths on the integrity of law and order, as well as, leadership.

According to them, boycotting courts undermines the fight against corruption, threatens the integrity of essential institutions, and further alienates the public from their leaders.

The human rights activists raised concerns on Thursday hours after the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a public summon on the former governor and mandated the EFCC to paste the order on the last address linked to Bello, No. 4 Bengazi Street, Maitama Abuja.

One of the organisations, the Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER), stated that the efforts by the anti-graft agency to bring the Kogi former governor before the court as stipulated by law were legitimate and should be commended.

The Executive Director of the centre, Nelson Ekujumi, meanwhile, described the former governor’s boycott as a sad development for the country’s democracy.

Ekujumi noted that the public, particularly the youths, could begin to see his boycott of court order and adoption of different tactics to evade arrest as an idealogy that could be adopted when they assume leadership positions.

He said: “It’s a sad development for our democracy that someone who once held public office in trust with the oath of the constitution can be brazenly defying the constitution by refusing to answer questions to the constitution on his account of stewardship in public office.

“The message the refusal of former Governor Yahaya Bello is sending to our youths is that leadership is a position for people to be lawless, that it’s not a position of responsibility, civility, and respect for the laws and customs of the land, it’s very unfortunate, reprehensible, condemnable and unacceptable”.

A young human rights activist, Emeka Onwuka, noted that the former governor’s action raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in promising investors zero tolerance against corruption.

According to him, the EFCC has been a crucial institution in Nigeria’s fight against corruption, working to investigate financial crimes and hold public officials accountable.

He argued that Bello’s actions, which appear to undermine this institution, reflect a troubling trend where powerful political figures allegedly sidestep legal scrutiny.

“Nonetheless, Bello’s avoidance tactics can be seen as part of a broader pattern among politicians who perceive themselves as above the law.

“Such actions erode public trust in government institutions and fuel the cynicism that many citizens feel towards their leaders. In a democracy, elected officials are meant to serve the public and uphold the law, not manipulate it to their advantage. By attempting to bypass EFCC arrangements, Bello risks normalizing a culture of impunity, where those in power evade accountability with relative ease.

“Moreover, this situation highlights the inherent challenges the EFCC faces in executing its mandate.

“The commission is tasked with rooting out corruption, but when political figures actively resist its efforts, it raises questions about the agency’s efficacy and autonomy. Are the very institutions designed to safeguard democracy being weakened by the actions of those who should be upholding the law? If influential figures like Bello can avoid legal scrutiny, what hope is there for smaller offenders?

“This vicious cycle can lead to a decrease in reported financial crimes and, ultimately, a decline in the public’s faith in Nigeria’s justice system”.

Grade Level 8 To Earn N1.48m Annually As FG Begins Payment Of New Minimum Wage (See Full List)—-Seven months after concluding negotiations on the new N70,000 minimum wage, the Federal Government has commenced payment of the revised salary structure.

Public servants across all levels of the federal civil service will receive the new wage, starting this month.

Over 1.2 million civil servants under the Federal Government’s payroll are set to benefit from this adjustment. A directive for the September salary payment, signed by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, was issued to the Budget Office of the Federation, authorizing the payment of the new wages.

Documents obtained from the National Income, Salaries, and Wages Commission provide a detailed breakdown of the salaries public servants will earn under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, with figures calculated on an annual basis.

According to the breakdown:

Grade level one officers will earn N930,000 annually,
Grade level two officers will earn N934,160,
Grade level three officers will earn N937,713,
Grade level four officers will earn N950,243.
For other levels, salaries range as follows:

Grade level five: N973,123,
Grade level six: N1,041,786,
Grade level seven: N1,277,667,
Grade level eight: N1,479,276,
Grade level nine: N1,641,226,
Grade level ten: N1,806,041.
Senior officers will see further increases, with:

Grade level 12 officers earning N2,007,152 annually,
Grade level 13 officers earning N2,182,637,
Grade level 15 officers earning N2,358,936,
Grade level 16 officers earning N3,611,689, and
Grade level 17 officers, the highest level reserved for permanent secretaries, earning N6,918,560.
Under each grade level, the salary will increase incrementally based on the officer’s step within the level, with step promotions affecting the pay every year. For example, a level one officer at step two will earn N935,585, increasing to N1,008,209 by step 15.

Confirming the new wage implementation, the Director of Press at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, stated, “The new minimum wage payment begins today (Thursday) for this month’s salary. Civil servants should expect their payment alerts soon.”

A civil servant who wished to remain anonymous also confirmed that some staff had already started receiving the new payments.

The September salary breakdown, covering employees across Ministries, Departments, Agencies, the Armed Forces, Paramilitary units, and Federal Universities, among others, totals 1,236,824 workers.

The new wage structure was set in motion after President Bola Tinubu signed the minimum wage bill into law on July 29, 2024, following meetings with the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria. The approved wage will officially take effect from that date.

A letter from the Accountant-General, dated September 24, 2024, confirmed that the implementation of the new salary, including the 35% and 25% salary adjustments for workers on specific salary structures like CONPSS, CONRAISS, and CONPASS, has commenced.

The letter also indicated that the Federal Government would spend approximately N334.93 billion monthly, totaling N4.019 trillion annually, to cover the wage bill for public servants. Additionally, N52.32 million was allocated for the newly created Federal University Teaching Hospital in Wukari, employing 239 staff.

This payment follows efforts by the government to generate additional revenue for the new minimum wage, a move that had a noticeable impact on revenue allocation to states during the August FAAC meeting.

(PUNCH)