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The Lagos State Public Service Joint Negotiating Council (LSPSJNC) wishes to address the recent statement made by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu during an interview on Channels Television on October 16, 2024. In the interview, Mr. Governor announced a new minimum wage of ₦85,000 for Lagos State workers.

We must clarify that the labour side learned of the ₦85,000 minimum wage through the media, just like the general public. This figure was not the product of any formal discussions or negotiations with the Union. We believe that Mr. Governor may have been misinformed regarding the outcome of an impromptu and informal meeting held with Top government officials earlier in the week. The only resolution from that meeting was the setting of a date for formal negotiations, which has been communicated to our members. We have since received an official letter from the government, confirming that negotiations will commence on October 21, 2024.

We are, however, pleased to note that Mr. Governor acknowledges that wage and salary matters should be the product of negotiation. His public offer of ₦85,000 reflects an understanding that Lagos workers deserve higher wages given the unique economic pressures they face. This offer sets a positive tone for the upcoming negotiations, especially considering the Governor’s progressive stance on exceeding the national benchmark for minimum wage. We are confident that the final outcome of these negotiations will bring meaningful economic relief to our members.

It is important to clarify that our comments do not undermine Mr. Governor’s right to make public statements on governance matters. Rather, we are simply underscoring that while Mr. Governor’s announcement was well-intentioned, the proper negotiation process had not yet taken place.

To provide context, on Monday, October 14, 2024, at approximately 4:00 p.m., the Union received a call inviting us to a meeting to discuss the minimum wage. As a responsible representative of the workforce, we attended the meeting. However, we made it clear that formal discussions could not proceed in the absence of all relevant stakeholders. In line with best practices and in the spirit of social dialogue, we insisted that negotiations should be inclusive. As a result, the meeting was adjourned to October 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

The public announcement of any figure was therefore unexpected. The labour side remains fully committed to upholding the principles of social dialogue and tripartism, as laid out by the International Labour Organization (ILO). These principles are fundamental to ensuring that the interests of all parties are fairly represented in this vital negotiation process.

While we commend the ₦85,000 offer as the highest proposed minimum wage in the country so far, we must emphasize that it falls short of what is required to meet the current economic realities in Lagos. We are confident that Lagos State, given its economic strength, has the capacity to do more. We believe that when we present our case, Mr. Governor will give due consideration to the labour side’s proposal, and we expect a positive outcome from the negotiations.

We would like to remind everyone that collective bargaining is not a mere formality but a legally binding process that is essential to sound industrial relations. The labour side is committed to following this process to ensure the best possible outcome for all workers in Lagos State.

Finally, it is crucial to recognize that the growth and resilience of Lagos have been built on the dedication and hard work of its workers. We take this opportunity to salute their tireless commitment to the progress of Lagos State. As representatives of the workforce, we remain steadfast in our dedication to working with the government to ensure that workers’ contributions are fairly acknowledged through just policies and equitable wages.

We strongly caution against any action that might undermine future negotiations on workers’ wages. We reaffirm our unwavering resolve to protect the rights of workers and ensure that their welfare is at the forefront of all discussions.

In solidarity,

Lagos State Public Service Joint Negotiating Council (LSPSJNC)

Public Health experts and food sovereignty activists call on the Nigerian Government on the occasion of the World Food Day 2024, to halt the introduction of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into the Nigerian food system as their use deprive Nigerians the right to safe food for better life and better future according to the day’s theme.

This call was made during an online event organised by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) on 16th October 2024 to highlight the implications of modern agricultural biotechnology on the rights of consumers, farmers and of our environment as well as other implications on our food system.

While moderating the event, Joyce Brown, Public Health Expert and HOMEF’s Director of Programme noted that the theme of the World Food Day is so apt and urged the Federal Government to critically review its decisions regarding the use of GMOs in our food system through the human rights lens. Additionally Brown noted that majority of the Nigerian population rejects GMOs due to their economic, environment and health implications; and the government’s continued approval of permits for these products outrightly tramps on the rights of the people.

Speaking further on the issue of rights, the Deputy Director at Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Barr. Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, noted that “our socio-economic system doesn’t support the right of consumers to choose as labeling is not effective and consumers can’t tell which products are genetically modified or not by their physical characteristics. Our markets are not designed in ways to differentiate between organic foods and GMOs.”

“Another key rights issue is the fact that farmers have to depend on the biotechnology seed companies season after season for seeds as productivity of GM seeds reduce after the first generation. This undermines the culture of seed saving and sharing among local farmers.” Orovwuje added.

On the right to information, Dr Segun Adebayo, Deputy Director of the Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research, highlighted that the processes of GMOs approval in Nigeria is flawed. He added: “It is not sufficient to announce notification of applications on the website of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) – which many people do not know exists, in their office or in two national dailies. There is no risk assessment report/documents on the NBMA website indicating that proper due diligence is done before these products are released into the environment” The composition of the board of the board of the NBMA – with the presence of key promoters of GMOs including the National Biotechnology Development and Research Agency – and other flaws in the biosafety regulatory system in Nigeria necessitate an urgent review of the NBMA Act. 

Dr. Ifeanyi Casmir, a Molecular Biologist also speaking at the event noted that GMOs directly disrupt the rights of peoples to a safe environment which we depend on for food. “Studies have revealed that GMOs designed to pest resistance, increase the dependence on synthetic pesticides which destroy non-target organisms including pollinators and soil living organisms, leading to loss of biodiversity and soil degradation. This has severe implications on food productivity, he added”

Dr Casmir also noted: “the Cry Proteins/toxins produced by the GM crops designed to be pesticides including the TELA Maize, Bt Cowpea and Cotton, disturb rhizospheric and soil eubacterial communities. Furthermore, Bt crops are produced using antibiotic markers which are implicated in increasing cases of antibiotics resistance.”

Speaking on the sustain-able, just and healthy alternatives for our food system, Lovelyn Ejim, a farmer and women farmer group leader urged the Nigerian Government to focus on Agroecology which uses ecosystem principles in the management of agriculture systems thereby assuring optimum and sustain-able food productivity while addressing social and economic barriers in food production. She stressed on the need to support the set up of markets for organic products and to focus on achieving food sovereignty through increasing support for smallholder farmers.

We all have a role in saving the environment.
See something, say something

Kome Odhomor

Media/Communications Lead

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) Int’l Office; 30, 19th street,Off Ugbowo-Lagos Road, P.O. Box 10577|Ugbowo, Benin City
300212, Nigeria

www.homef.org |Twitter: @Ecohomef | Instagram: @Ecohomef | Facebook: HOMEF
Tel +234 803 753 2160

Until You Return The Tithes You Collected, Your Apology Is Nothing – Satguru Maharaj Ji Hints Pastor Adeboye

The Living Perfect Master and theFounder of One Love Family, Satguru Maharaj Ji, has called out the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, following his recent apology on tithing.

Pastor Adeboye’s name has been trending on social media after the clergyman tendered a public apology over his sermon of many years ago, in which he declared that people who do not pay tithe would not make it to heaven.

Pastor Adeboye tendered this apology during his church’s Internation Youth Convention (IYC) at the Redemption City of God, Mowe, Ogun State.

“I’m apologizing for saying,’If you don’t pay tithe, you won’t make it to heaven.’ I’m sorry, that’s wrong, and it’s not in the Bible. What the Bible says is, ‘Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God,” Adeboye had said.

Maharaj Ji said Adeboye’s apology does not mean anything until he returns the tithes he collected from his congregation.

“I truly believe that a lot of the fakest people are found in churches, my opinion not yours. Your apology doesn’t mean anything unless you promise to return the tithe money they give you for mumu people wey wan bribe dia way to heaven.

“Since your announcement decades ago, that people should trow away their TVs, I had always known that your way is not pure as person wey dey “drink tea with God”.

“There is nothing worse than a fault finding finger pointing Pastor who is as fake as the blings. Apology? when you know exactly what you’re doing.”

“Pastor Adeboye tells pastors to tell their church members they won’t make heaven unless they pay their tithe. One word for him: fraud! We need to put an end to pastors blackmailing the hopeless and poor into giving what they don’t have.

“Only thing Pastor Adeboye knows how to do is stand on that pulpit to ask people to donate billions of Naira to build more church branches. Please, how is this any different from a business model? Of course you’ll be right to say “taking care of IDP Camps is government’s responsibility” but, the Bible didn’t teach that we should leave kindness and humanity to government, so. I am telling you that Pastor Adeboye declaring non-payment of tithe as the ticket to hell is FRAUD!

“I know many of you will come and say “How do you know Pastor Adeboye is not doing this already?” My answer is NO! In furtherance, don’t be a fool to defend a pastor that doesn’t even know your name. It’s time everybody came to full appreciation that churches in Nigeria are business establishments set up to extort the poor and hopeless. If you give your tithe, the windows of heaven will open to you…” IT IS A SCAM!

“How many rich men of this world give tithes? Dangote dey pay tithes? Okay, I know you’ll say devil gave them that money. Shut up! If Jesus Christ was in Nigeria, would he ignore the IDP Camps and not bring good tidings to them? Aren’t they our brothers, sisters and neighbors? Why can’t Pastor Adeboye say “okay this month, we are raising N500m for our kinsmen in IDP Camps”? Pastors acquiring private jets, building mansions, amassing stupendous wealth, but they’re teaching the poor masses “Heaven is your goal and home, this world is a journey”

“Pastors that take money from politicians, then are the first to call judges (a member of their church) when such politicians face charges in their court. Nah, not today Satan. Typical Nigerian church: — Preach prosperity — Ask for donations — Do thanksgiving — Ask for donation — Preach about tithe — Ask for donation. Money, money, money, money. All the tithe RCCG has been receiving, what have they done with it? They successfully built a school that members of their church can’t afford. School built with their hard-earned money.”

“Wow!!! Is this for real? If it is, are this man’s senses still in his custody? Is this how hard this tithing issue is biting them? Do I sense desperation? Philippians 3:19 ►New International Version Their destiny is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.

“Mark 12:31 ►NIV The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Tithing is the law and teachers of the law are going to Hell according to the Bible read it! Christianity deserves an apology for this unscriptural doctrines and teaching. Let me tell you guys the real truth, tithing is an unprofitable venture because it is the LAW and it brings curses, especially when you don’t obey the entire law.”

“Ask yourself this question and answer in your own honesty, then see who and who are true Christians: How many tithes did Christ and the Apostles collected in order to spread the gospel we have today since you’re saying tithe is used to fund spreading of the gospel. While you’re giving the response kindly put up Bible verses to show that Christ and the Apostles received tithes to fund spreading of the gospel.”

“Paying of tithe has stopped since My appearance as the Satguru Maharaj Ji of this age whose love and compassion from the Creator has come with Divine Knowledge to reveal the third eye to flush out all evils, principalities, negativity in our lives. 

“You will be shocked and surprised to know that the European Aristocracy forged the Holy Books by removing and replacing the Original Holy Name of The Creator Called Maharaj Ji with God, Allah etc., in their Constantinople Conference 21AD and AD60, and that was the beginning of the problems of the entire human race today, waiting for the Creator to come down.

“Sometimes ago, the constitutional lawyer and human rights activists took a swipe at Pastor Adeboye saying he is creating business centers rather than churches because the branches will be engaging in the task of contributing more money for the church.

“This carnage has been sustained with information war (books, films and billions of money) and they are advancing and revising strategies year after year, providing cars, homes for adherents, but this has not been able to solve the already deadly situationas century after century, the protagonists of this sacrilege endlessly keep bending the minds of the people with all kinds of mantra like climate change, Jesus is coming etc., saturated with all kinds of promises on socio economic projects and policies which have not been able to save man from incessant wars, genocide, accidental deaths, hunger, poverty, creating a vacuum without a Divine Teacher capable of directing the affairs of the human race like the role the air plays in human life.

“Moreover, the sin and repent syndrome introduced through the backdoor, does not correspond with the social practice of the nucleus black man nay the core traditionalist and farmers who live beyond 100, cannot be compared with the polluted and educated people who are dying mysteriously below age 90 for being used, overworked and sapped to sustain the colonialists who are producing what we cannot produce and that is why we lose the methuselah in us, for being exiled from The Creator (MAHARAJ JI) to follow the laws and principles of nature which would have recharged and purified our hearts and stayed within us to live longer.

“Some of us claim God has done it for them through prayer can only be found in SDPC (Spiritually Displaced People Camps) all over Africa where qualification, profession, capacity, merit, hard-work, intelligence  etc., are no longer considered the criteria for promotion which automatically renders one a slave as in the case of some African countries, particularly Nigeria whose southern inhabitants are blindfolded by religion and politics of attraction have been ripped off of their title of first children of the Creator.

“The Colonia Governments have apologized times without number for the genocide committed but our leaders are yet to wake up from this night mare of a leader who cannot transform his dreams into reality on one hand and our lack of understanding that is Absolutely Unacceptable to agree to the philosophy that man has to die to see the Creator who is Omnipresent, Omniscience and Omnipotent. It does not make sense even though there is enough evidence to prove that we are the perfect image of the Creator and He is always living with us but perhaps He is a Melanin man, hence the present dichotomy, chicanery and rebel liken to replace Him with books, guns and money and only to lose the life.

“Remember, if prayers is the answer with Africa having the highest number of religious houses in the world, we would have become the leading exporter nation and among G7 nations of the world. 

“With the Holy Name Maharaj Ji, you will find peace, love, harmony and would be lifted out of poverty instantly because the Grace will reveal to you what you, the brother, sister and or the nation needs to do to become perfectly in effective control of every situation to ensure peace and tranquility. 

“At his age, with all the money and wealth that he has, does he need to still deceive the people again through his sermons? Enough of the way you’re leading an entire youth generation with this scam! Come out now to tell the world the real truth that the Master, Satguru Maharaj Ji is walking on the planet. He has come to reveal Divine Knowledge which is our birth right to the people of the world.

“It is about empowering man with the knowledge of how to utilize the quantum of Divibe energy in him or her to achieve redemption from the problems of earthly life. He is the revealer of the Divine Light that dwells in man. 

“Christianity in the Western countries is in a sheer decline, particularly in Europe, where church audience levels has fallen very low. In most countries, the tendency is the same, even if less dramatic. The truth is that modern people just aren’t very fascinated anymore in practicing Christianity. A large number of churches in European countries stand deserted. Many churches have been made into buildings for non-religious use. Many others have been sold to non-Christians who have changed them into their own places of worship.

Why has it happened? “The point simply is,” observes Koenraad Elst, writer and Inadologist, “that European Christians of many generations, have outgrown Christianity. Most people who left the church have found that they are not missing anything, and that beliefs which provided a framework for interpreting and shaping life, were but a bizarre and unnecessary construction after all. They know that Jesus was not God’s Only-begotten Son, that he did not save humanity from eternal sin, and that our happiness in this world or the next does not depend on believing these or any other dogmas.”
Wall Street Journal, a leading financial newspaper of US, recently published an article, Europe’s Empty Churches Go on Sale. According to it, “The rapid weakening of the faith in Europe is reflecting in closing of Europe’s churches. Europe-wide numbers of closed churches are scarce, but figures from individual countries are telling. The Church of England closes about 20 churches a year. Roughly 200 Danish churches have been deemed nonviable or underused. The Roman Catholic Church in Germany has shut about 515 churches in the past decade. But it is in the Netherlands where the trend appears to be most advanced. The country’s Roman Catholic leaders estimate that two-thirds of their 1,600 churches will be out of commission in a decade, and 700 of Holland’s Protestant churches are expected to close within four years.”
“Your last chance now is to tell the whole world the truth about The Master, Satguru Maharaj Ji.
“People going to church to pray is like feeding a phyton which a fresh egg, what do you expect from such action?