Government raises hazard allowances for health workers, may review doctors’ retirement age
The Federal Government has approved a 600 percent increment in hazard allowance for senior health workers and 350 per cent for their junior counterparts.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, made the disclosure in Abuja after a meeting between the Federal Government and representatives of professional bodies and unions in the health sector.
The meeting, which was held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa Abuja, deliberated on hazard allowance and retirement age for health workers in government health establishments.
On resolutions of the gathering, Ngige said the Federal Government had reviewed upward the N5,000 monthly hazard allowance for health workers.
FEC Okays N5.6bn for 37 Oxygen Plants for COVID-19 Treatment
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved the establishment of an oxygen production plant in each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at a cost of N5.6 billion.
It also approved N9.2 billion as premium for life insurance scheme for federal civil servants and military personnel while also giving the go-ahead for the use of revised national policy on climate change in the country.
Briefing journalists at the end of the FEC meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stood in for the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said the approval was to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic, which has made oxygen a critical commodity.
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He said: “The Minister of Health presented a memo, which was approved, for the emergency supply, installation and maintenance of oxygen production plants and construction of plant houses in each of the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.
Forex: ABCON bans street hawking, moves to cut rate
The Association of Bureau De Change Operators has said it will commence what it called ‘Operation No Street Trading’ to stop the hawking of foreign exchange by BDC operators.
The President, ABCON, Aminu Gwadabe, said this was part of the resolutions made unanimously by BDC directors at the meeting of the operators on Tuesday in Lagos.
A copy of the resolutions which was obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday said, “All operators to collaborate in bringing down the forex rates in the market; street trading by BDC should be discouraged/banned and ABCON will commence operation ‘no street trading’.
“BDCs should improve return rendition to regulatory authorities; margin review to meet operational requirements; widening the scope of transactions; digitalisation of BDC operations.
“ABCON to punish errand members; ABCON compliance officer and staff to commence nationwide supervision of BDC operations.”
Demand surge for ginger raises the commodity’s price by nearly 400%
A pandemic-induced increase in the global demand for ginger has seen the price of the spice surge from N4,000 for a 50kg bag to N15,000, an increase of nearly 400% within two years, benefitting both growers and exporters in the country.
In a report by Reuters on Tuesday, ginger farmers in Kaduna revealed that demand far outweighs supply, which is a boost for local production.
“If I had the capital, I’d plant more. People are looking for ginger now, and there is not enough,” Karima M. Imam said.
Naira gains at I&E window as foreign reserve falls to 1 year low
The exchange rate between the naira and the US dollar closed on Wednesday at N411.06/$ at the official Investors and Exporters window.
Naira appreciated against the US dollar on Wednesday to close at N411.06 to a dollar, representing a 0.23% gain when compared to N412/$1 recorded on Tuesday, 1st June 2021.
On the other hand, the exchange rate remained stable at the parallel market, as it closed at N498/$1 on Wednesday. This is, however, a N3 depreciation compared to N495 recorded as of Monday, 31st May 2021.
