Entertainment
NULGE And Healthcare Law
The recently enacted Primary Health Care Board Law which compels local government councils in Rivers State to contribute 10 per cent of their total revenue monthly to the board is raising some dust at the third-tier of government. The umbrella association of the council workers is crying wolf over two sections of the law, which it considers offensive. The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) thus called for amendment to the sections, if the local government system is to be sanitised.
NULGE did not stop there but proceeded to take its protest of the law to the state government. As it stands today, the law has pitched the Board it sets up against the grassroots workers’ union, and except something is done urgently to assuage the situation, the third-tier system may be the worst for it.
Aside NULGE, the councils’ authorities themselves view the new law as an affront on them and are reluctant to abide by its provisions, especially the aspect that mandates them to contribute 10 per cent of their total revenue to the Board. The situation at the councils may snow ball into a major crisis between local government chairman and the Board on one hand, and NULGE and the Board on the other, except the law is re-visited and the offending sections amended.
At the Port Harcourt City Local Government, Obio/Akpor and Emohua councils for instance, the issue has been at the front burner of discourse among stakeholders who view the ‘offending’ sections as ‘Obnoxious and stringent so should be expunged from the law. Same is the feeling at the NULGE Consulate (secretariat) in Port Harcourt.
For NULGE, it is a slight on the union that the law did not also include the union on the Board as a member but, rather prefers medical and health workers union to be o n the Board. And NULGE is not prepared to take this, hence it is leading the third-tier of government on the protest to have these sections amended.
How far NULGE can go in achieving this feat remains to be seen but the leadership of the union is optimistic and sees light at the end of the tunnel. The Weekend Tide accosted NULGE state president, Sir Barr. Franklin Ajinwo and he said just this.
Sir. Barr. Ajinwo said he could not understand why 10 per cent of the total allocations of councils in the state which amounts to over N200 million monthly, using the new salary scale should be paid to the Board as overhead when the councils were still required to pay primary healthcare to workers.
He fumed saying that “by the provisions of that law, local government councils in this state are expected to contribute 10 per cent of their total allocation to that board and the deduction is to be made at source,” adding despitefully, “that does not even stop it, after contributing the 10 per cent, the local government councils will also go ahead and pay the Primary Healthcare workers (whereas) that 10 per cent ordinarily is enough to pay their salaries and remain, but they said, that’s just overhead cost!”
The NULGE boss told The Weekend Tide that as a union, they find this inconceivable and therefore unacceptable.
His words, “As a union, we saw that and felt that it was not in the best interest of the union or the system because by the time you make that deductions, cumulatively, using the May, 2011 allocation (formula) as a case study, 10 per cent will give you almost 200 and something (naira) to be used as overhead for just one board!
Barr. Ajinwo said the fact that the over N200 million will not be used for salaries makes the law even more worrisome, adding that they have protested to the government and expressed the hope that the state governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi “being somebody who believes in the right things being done, in the rule of Law” will ensure that these offending sections of the law will “certainly be amended”.
He told The Weekend Tide that “another aspect of the law we did not like is that in that primary healthcare board, we have medical and health workers union being represented in the board while NULGE where the money is going to be generated from (is not on the Board).”
“Ordinarily, every staff of local government is a member of NULGE. NULGE means National Union of Local Government Employees so the fact that you’re an employee of local government makes you a member of NULGE, you can belong to your professional body, that does not remove you from NULGE. As a lawyer, I pay my subscription to NBA, Engineer can pay to NSE, all that. If you are a doctor employed by local government, you’re a staff of local government so a member of NULGE, but that does not mean you should not pay your subscription to NMA, so every staff of local government is a member of NULGE, therefore, if you’re taking any decision that affects them, naturally, NULGE should be part of it”, he explained.
“But we discovered that in that law, instead of making NULGE to be represented on the Board, they rather went and maked Medical and Health Workers Union to be represented,” he said and explained that medical and health workers union is the union that brings together health workers in the hospital, the UPTH, secondary and tertiary sectors. Ajinwo said,“If you say they are professionals want them to pay their professional and fees to you, it’s different from union dues because everything we discuss here, we do so as a union; as members of NULGE.
We are people who have common problem. So we come together, that’s the essence of union; we come together to see how we can solve our common problems”.
Barr Ajinwo insisted that NULGE should be represented on the board, the Board should be re-constituted and that section of the Law should be amended to include NULGE as a member, adding, if they say Medical and health Workers should be members, as a matter of fact, we don’t even see the need for them, NULGE is the appropriate union to be there.
But if medical and health workers union should be there, well!.
Barr Ajinwo further told The Weekend Tide that they’re relating with the local Lgovernment chairmen that were newly elected, with a view to seeing that they walk as a team for the interest of the 3rd tier system.
Justus Awaji
Entertainment
“French Up Your Career” PH, 2025 :Consul General Of France Harps On Proficiency In French
The Consul, General of France in Nigeria, Laurent Favier has encouraged French Learners to improve their skills on the language, as there are lots of opportunities up for grabs on the job market with fluency in French Language, saying that there are many other career paths which are often less well known to learners of French.
Participants at the “French Up Your Career” event held in Port Harcourt.
Favier who disclosed this during the just concluded third edition of the seminar tagged “French Up Your Career” organized by Alliance
Française, Port Harcourt explained that learning French doesn’t mean adding a language to your resume. It rather provides learners with new opportunities. Irrespective of their area of interest, be it diplomatic and International relations, international development, translation and Interpretation or journalism.
According to the Consul General, it was important to create awareness for young Nigerians in Port Harcourt who desire to have better understanding of how been fluent in French can create diverse career opportunities for users of the languages in Nigeria and the world at large, emphasizing that proficiency in French could possibly make learner a bridge between Nigeria and fast-developing regions.
“You previously heard this morning about how you can improve your French skills. This afternoon you will discover how being fluent in French can provide a significant edge on the job market and lead to professional careers that you may not have even considered before,”
“This event comes at the right time, as it launches the celebration of the richness and diversity of French-speaking cultures, which will mobilize us for more than a month throughout Nigeria and alongside other French-speaking countries,” Favier added.
He further highlighted that French is spoken by over 300 million people across the world, saying that, it’s one of the official languages of the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union.
“There are many neighbouring African countries to Nigeria ,who have French as one of their primary languages of communication including Cameroon, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. So, what does this mean for you as students here in Nigeria?” He asked
“These sectors in which the French Embassy is often mobilized are the business and marketing field for example, as French is often the preferred language in many multinational companies, particularly those in the energy, oil and telecommunications sectors. I’m thinking as well in technology and IT,” he said
He noted that French-speaking countries in Africa are investing heavily in tech, innovation, and infrastructure, revealing that companies in Tech are looking for bilingual professionals to assist with software localization, customer support, and managing projects in French-speaking regions.
“The French embassy is not only mobilized to help learners discover promising sectors. We are also providing our support and expertise in
training teachers and optimizing university programs,” he summed up
Also, the linguistics cooperation attaché, French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange, who also gave a lecture at the seminar, in an interview with Newsmen said that the main purpose of the seminar was to be more informative and supportive to those who want to make a skill out of French Language,saying that as the linguistics cooperation attaché of the French Embassy it is her duty to promote French language through culture.
She cited traditional stereotypes as a major challenge affecting the growth and development of French in Nigeria, as school, teachers at the primary and secondary level in most cases teach French using the traditional way, where students learn French, but could not put words and grammar together as a skill for communicate.
“French is important. I don’t see French as colonization, l see French as a key to embrace globalization, l hope that learners will be inspired and ready to embrace the global village,” Losange said.
She however said that the French Embassy is working to ensure that equipments to facilitate the learning of French is put in place to enable learners improve their skills fast, which in two to three years learners should be able to communicate with French, advising learners to be intentional with learning the language, through social media and other workable devices to advance their skills for certification and better opportunities.
Highlight of the event which had about 250 participants in attendance was the eloquence award ceremony where students were awarded for their eloquence in French language by the Director, Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs.Marina Lacal alongside the Linguistics cooperation attaché of the French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange.
After two edition of the seminar it was the turn of the Alliance Française, Port Harcourt to host the Third edition.
It would be recalled that the first edition of ” “French Up Your Career” event was organized at the Alliance Française Lagos on October 23, the second one at UNILAG on November 24, 2024 respectfully.
Popular Nigerian comedienne, Tomama has revealed how she waited for Afrobeats superstar, Wizkid outside the bathroom.
She shared this while recounting her encounter with the singer at a recent event with heavy security.
In a video posted on her Instagram page, Tomama explained that she waited by the bathroom in an attempt to have a one-on-one conversation with Wizkid.
She stated that she positioned herself near the restroom, hoping Wizkid would eventually use it, giving her the perfect opportunity to speak with him.
“Wizkid, I saw you, and I waited for you to pee, but you didn’t even stand up from where you were sitting. You just stayed there. All your crew members standing around got up to go pee. I was standing by the bathroom, waiting for you to come pee so that you would notice me,” she said.
Content creator and actor, Mr Macaroni has opened up about his financial struggles, saying he was both a victim of a scam and a failed investment in 2021.
He revealed that after losing all his savings, he resorted to borrowing to settle pending commitments and slipped into N500 million in debt.
He admitted that he is financially reckless and generous, impacting his financial stability negatively.
In lengthy post shared via his X handle yesterday, Mr Macaroni wrote, “Sometime around 2020/2022, I was a victim of a scam and simultaneously a failed investment that cost me all I had saved at the time. It shook me deeply but I told no one about it. If you know me well enough, you would know I do not like to share my problems. I could be going through the worst and at the same time helping others solve their own problems but I just would never share mine.”
“After I lost all the money I had then, Trouble started when I had to borrow money from different sources to settle all pending commitments and also fulfill certain responsibilities I have always believed were mine to fulfill. I make money in millions so I never thought borrowing money to pay back with interest could ever be a problem. But I got too comfortable and it took me a long time to realise that I was using the money I was earning to pay back interests. Also, my financial recklessness did not help. Please don’t borrow money! But if you must, please be responsible.”
The actor stated that 2024 marked a pivotal moment in his acting career but it was also the most challenging year for him as he faced over half a billion naira in debt.
Mr Macaroni revealed that his frustration grew worse after he was betrayed by someone he considered “a friend and sister.”
He added that with the support of family and friends who stood by him during his trying times, he now “feels better than I have felt in the last three years!”
The comedian stated that he decided to finally share his story to encourage others who are going through challenges.