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Communications Minister, Adebayo Shittu in another salary scandal, sacks aide over 28 months’ arrears
The Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu is no doubt in another salary scandal over the non-payment of 28-months salary arrears allegedly owed his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare.
DAILY POST gathered on Thursday that Oluwadamilare, a former Chairman of Oyo state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), who has worked along with other assistants with the Saki born legal luminary for 28 months, has, however been disengaged by Shittu after the former (Oluwadamilare) demanded for the 28-months arrears from Shittu through a letter personally written by Shittu dated Wednesday, 14th March, 2018.
Shittu in the letter of disengagement sent to Oluwadamilare, a copy of which was obtained by DAILY POST, said that Oluwadamilare from April 1st, 2018, had ceased to be his Special Assistant on Media.
The Minister in the ‘notice of disengagement,’ personally signed by him, however, informed Oluwadamilare that he had issued a draft of N1,300,000 in respect of his outstanding emoluments as at 31st March, 2018.
DAILY POST recalls that as at October 2017, no fewer than six aides to the minister had resigned. Shittu was inaugurated as Minister in 2015. Those who had left him since 2015 parted ways with him due to issues ranging from non-payment of salaries, non-payment of entitlements and other welfare related issues.
Among those who had resigned or left the Minister are Alhaji Rasak Olubodun who until his resignation in October 2017 was a Personal Assistant to the Minister. Olubodun who once served as Special Adviser on Parastatal to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state, resigned his appointment after spending 23 months with the Minister without salary.
Olubodun who also hails from Saki, the hometown of the ex-Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in Oyo State was said to have written the minister through his lawyer, demanding the payment of the 23-month salary arrears and other entitlements running to over N10m. Rasaq Olubodun.
DAILY POST also gathered that apart from Olubodun whose resignation generated a lot of controversy last year, five other aides of the Minister had also resigned.
They include Hon. Ipoola Binuyo, Mr. Abiodun Oyaremi and lately, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare.
The duo of Binuyo and Oyaremi who until their resignations were Chief of Staff and Special Adviser on Special Duties respectively resigned over a year ago due to the same fate they suffered while working with the Minister.
Though, only the trio of Binuyo, Oyaremi and Olubodun’s resignation was made public, sources, however, informed that no fewer than seven aides of the minister have so far resigned their appointments in the last two years.
Investigations by DAILY POST also revealed that almost all those who were initially appointed and those reappointed by Shittu in the last two years had either left or asked for redeployment.
It was learnt that the latest salary scandal involving Shittu and his aides started when Oluwadamilare met Shittu and demanded his salary in his office in Abuja last week.
A source close to the Minister revealed that the argument degenerated to a level that staff of the ministry had to wade in on the corridor of the ministry, when he wouldn’t allow the minister leave without his salary.
He said that this made the Minister to quickly disengage the former Oyo NUJ Chairman.
He added that the timely intervention of a former commissioner in the state who is also eyeing the governorship seat saved the day for both of them.
But, Shittu while responding to the allegations said he disengaged Oluwadamilare because he was working with his political enemies to defame him.
The Minister in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST Thursday afternoon described Oluwadamilare as someone who is not fit to be appointed as an aide, adding that since he was appointed, he has never contributed anything tangible to his progress politically.
Shittu said, “I disengaged him because he was conniving with my political enemies to defame me. He has been saying a lot of things. I have been tolerating him but when I discovered that he is not fit, I had to disengage him.
“I have paid him his money. I have paid him over 2 million Naira.
“He is a useless man, how can I pay an aide Five Hundred Thousand Naira when I don’t collect such? I told him his salary is One Hundred Thousand Naira. He is not productive, no human relations. He has not contributed anything for my campaign. He has gone abroad twice and collected estacode. Could he have gone without working with me?
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The headquarters of Heritage Bank at Victoria Island, Lagos, was besieged on Thursday by members of the labour union, protesting the recent dismissal of 1,000 support workers.
The National President of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, Comrade Anthony Abakpa, led the demonstration, condemning the bank’s management for what he deemed a lack of adherence to due process in the termination of employment contracts.
Speaking during the protest, Comrade Abakpa asserted that the leadership of Heritage Bank failed to follow established protocols before executing the mass layoffs.
He emphasised the union’s commitment to pursuing justice for the affected workers, vowing to escalate their demands until the bank’s management rectifies the situation.
“We will intensify our demands for justice,” declared Comrade Abakpa, urging the bank’s management to take corrective action to address the grievances of the dismissed workers.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, clarified that Nigeria is not utilising its foreign reserves to bolster the naira, despite recent fluctuations in reserve levels.
Speaking from Washington DC, where he is attending the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring Meetings, Cardoso highlighted the influx of $600 million into Nigeria’s reserves account within the past two days.
While the naira has experienced a notable appreciation against the dollar in recent weeks, climbing over 40% from approximately N1,900/$ to about N1,000/$1, Nigeria’s foreign reserves have been dwindling. As of April 15, reserves dropped to approximately $32.29 billion, marking the lowest level in over six years.
Cardoso emphasised that the shifts in reserves are typical for any country, where various financial obligations, such as debt repayments, necessitate withdrawals.
He stated, “What you’ve seen with respect to the shift in our reserves is normal in any country’s reserves where, for example, debts are due and certain payments need to be made. They are made because that is also part of keeping your credibility.”
Continuing, Cardoso underscored the dynamic nature of the market, advocating for a system driven by willing buyers, willing sellers, and price discovery.
He emphasised, “The shift in our reserves has really little or nothing to do with defending the naira, and that is certainly not our objective.”
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has made headlines by announcing a further reduction in the price of diesel, dropping it from ₦1200 to ₦1000 naira per litre.
The refinery’s decision comes on the heels of its recent supply at a significantly reduced price of ₦1200 per litre, which was introduced three weeks ago, signifying a remarkable 30 per cent decrease from the previous market price of approximately ₦1600 per litre.
This substantial reduction in diesel prices at Dangote Petroleum Refinery is expected to reiterate positively throughout various sectors of the economy, potentially serving as a catalyst in alleviating the persistently high inflation rate in the country.
In a statement last week, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual and the owner of the refinery, expressed his optimism regarding the potential impact of the price reduction on inflation in Nigeria.
“I believe that we are on the right track. I believe Nigerians have been patient, and I also believe that a lot of goodies will now come through. There’s quite a lot of improvement because if you look at it, one of the major issues that we’ve had was the naira devaluation that has gone very aggressively up to about ₦1900,” he remarked.
As anticipation builds around the implications of this move by Dangote Petroleum Refinery, stakeholders and consumers alike remain hopeful for the positive effects it could bring to the Nigerian economy in the coming months.
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