Economy
Abia Workers Beg Governor Alex Otti To Pay N70,000 New Minimum Wage
Abia Workers Beg Governor Alex Otti To Pay N70,000 New Minimum Wage
Abia workers beg Governor Alex Otti to pay N70,000 new minimum wage. The organised labour in Abia has appealed to Governor Alex Otti to ensure the implementation of the new minimum wage of N70,000 for some categories of workers.
The organised labour in Abia has appealed to Governor Alex Otti to ensure the implementation of the new minimum wage of N70,000 for some categories of workers.
The organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, made this appeal during the 2025 May Day celebration on Thursday in Umuahia.
The state NLC chairman, Ogbonnaya Okoro, delivered the joint address prepared by him and his TUC counterpart, Ihechi Enogwe.
Mr Okoro listed the people affected, including environmental health officers, health workers in the ministries, and Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba.
According to him, veterinary officers in the Ministry of Agriculture and local government areas, the Ministry of Social and Women Affairs and the Secondary Education Management Board are also affected.
Mr Okoro said the unions could not guarantee industrial peace in those sectors, for anything short of the minimum wage implementation.
He expressed deep appreciation to the governor for successfully negotiating and implementing the new minimum wage for the state and local government workers.
The NLC chairman further thanked the governor for his outstanding work since he assumed office, especially in infrastructural development, education and agriculture.
He further called the attention of the governor to the outstanding arrears of the minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
Mr Okoro commended the governor for rolling out the contributory pension scheme for the state workers. He, however, urged the state government to complement the contributory pension scheme by contributing its own percentage.
Mr Okoro decried the arbitrary and high taxation on workers’ salaries while urging the governor’s intervention on what he described as “economic evil imposed on Abia workers.”
Responding, the governor said he had paid careful attention to all the requests and assured that they would be painstakingly considered.
Otti said that his administration would continue to prioritise the welfare of workers in the state and appreciate them for their contributions to the economy.
He assured the workers of prompt and regular payment of their salaries, usually on or before the 28th of every month.

Minimum Wage
Mr Otti said his administration had since assumed office in 2023, defrayed over N30 billion salary arrears owed to workers by his predecessor.
He said the government would continue engaging and interacting with workers in building a new Abia.
Economy
Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition
Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition
Lagos assembly strongly seeks suspension of Makoko demolition. The Lagos state house of assembly has called for the suspension of demolition activities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities following protests by displaced residents and growing public concern over the exercise.
The call was announced on Tuesday by Noheem Adams, chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande auditorium.
Adams called on all state ministries to cease demolition work and promised compensation to the affected residents.
“On behalf of the speaker and all 40 members of the house, we are directing that all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro communities should stop from today until further notice,” New Telegraph quoted Adams as saying.
He called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and the criteria used for engagement, insisting that residents must be actively involved in the process.
“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those task forces and the criteria for those that we are inviting,” Adams added.

Lagos Assembly
“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.”
Stephen Ogundipe, member of the ad-hoc, said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plans in advance.
Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to governor of Lagos on E-GIS and urban renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern, internationally compliant water city.
He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterated the administration’s commitment to handling the situation with a human face, prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.
Yusuf Sagra, baale of Makoko, described the assembly’s decision as a “word of peace,” while Orioye Ogungbure, another leader of the community, praised the “democratic responsiveness” of the government.
Crime
EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video
EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video
EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.
Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.

EFCC
Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.
The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026
Economy
Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime
Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime
Access Bank gets new board chair Ifeyinwa Osime. Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29.
Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29, according to a statement to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Monday.
Ms Osime, a legal practitioner, joined Access Bank’s board in November 2019 as an independent non-executive director and had chaired its Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination, and Remuneration Committee. This role made her contribute significantly to the bank’s corporate governance, leadership development, and sustainability initiatives.
Additionally, Ms Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Ltd. and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial matters and contributes to strategic leadership.
She is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Women Corporate Directors, Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms Osime is committed to mentoring youths and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Speaking on her appointment, the group chairman, Aigboje Aig-lmoukhuede, said, “Mrs Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.
“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”
Mr Aig-lmoukhuede also congratulated Mr Usoro on the completion of his tenure and on his exemplary leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to the group, saying he remains a valued member of the Access family.
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