Vanguard, THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015—43
Imo NBA moves against plot to slash salaries of lawyers, judicial workers By Chidi Nkwopara
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WERRI—LEADERSHIP of Imo State Branch of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA,
‘It'll be callous to abandon 2nd Niger Bridge project' By Chimaobi Nwaiwu
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NEWI—THE Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture, ONICCIMA said it will stop at nothing to ensure it persuades the new All Progressives Congress, APC, Federal Government to complete the ongoing Second Niger Bridge project. This was contained in a communiqué it issued yesterday after addressing newsmen in Onitsha on the recently concluded 8th “Edition of the Perspective” of the Chamber at Sharon House Onitsha, Anambra State. The communique said that successive governments promised that the existing Niger Bridge needed to be supported with the Second Niger Bridge to strengthen the life-span of the bridge, but all had been promises until the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration kick-started the project. It said that it will be callous for any government to abandon the project now.
has said it will stoutly resist Governor Rochas Okorocha’s plan to slash the salaries of government lawyers and judicial workers. The position of the Imo NBA was made known by the state Chairman, Mr. Stanley Imo, at a press conference, yesterday in Owerri. It was the considered opinion of Mr. Imo that Governor Okorocha had no right to determine salaries of workers in the judiciary. “NBA is urging the governor to rescind the plan to slash the salaries of such workers, as the union will stoutly resist any such move through all legal means available to it,” Imo said. According to the Imo NBA boss, the executive arm of government cannot arrogate to itself, the power to determine the activities of the judiciary,
including salaries of its workers. Imo roundly faulted the governor for interfering with the allocation of the judiciary, stressing that such interference
was against the law. “The governor should understand that the judiciary is a separate arm of government and should enjoy total autonomy.
Hearing of case between Imo govt and labour resumes today By Chidi Nkwopara
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WERRI—HEARING of the trade dispute filed by the organized labour against Imo State government, resumes today at the Arbitration Panel of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity. It is expected that the state Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Austin Chilakpu and his colleague of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, would lead the workers' team,
while a senior government official would lead the government side. The organized labour dragged the state government to the Arbitration Panel over what they termed “government’s unwillingness or inability to clear the arrears of salaries owed workers in the state.” Vanguard recalls that when both parties met recently, it was deadlocked because labour claimed that the government side was not properly constituted. Labour insisted at the time that an officer of government that can
do not support the idea of NFF narrowing down Super Eagles coaching job to ex-footballers alone. Must one be a former football player in order to be a good coach? They should open the job. -Mr. Fisayo Aderibigbe, Businessman
take decisions that would not be over-ruled by a higher authority, ought to be there for the meeting. When contacted, Mr. Chilakpu confirmed that “labour dragged the state government to the Arbitration Panel and we will be there to pursue our matter to its logical conclusion.” Vanguard recalls that the organized labour last week, called out its members on a five-day warning strike and are likely to take a far reaching decision after the arbitration exercise.
Microsoft crowns Brazil team as 2015 Imagine Cup champion By Emeka Aginam, in Seattle, Washington
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OR THE Microsoft judges, it was a difficult task to select the best team out of the three teams that pitched for the final stage in Innovation, World Citizenship and Games, weekend, in front of capacity audience of 5,000 students, judges, partners, Microsoft employees and the media at the Washington State Convention Centre in downtown Seattle. It would be recalled that Microsoft judges had chosen first-place winners in each of the three Imagine Cup competition categories.
The Teams included IzHard from Russia for Games, Team eFitFashion from Brazil for Innovation and Team Virtual Dementia Experience from Australia for World Citizenship. Although the three teams from Brazil, Australia and Russia did brilliant presentations, the judges eventually selected the best. While Microsoft Chief Executive Officer, Satya Nadella advised the innovative students, including Team LifeWatch from Nigeria, whose solution is already attracting market attention to keep the dreams of Imagine Cup alive, he crowned Team eFitFashion from Brazil as the winning team of the 2015
Imagine Cup World Championship during a live broadcast in front of the audience. This development will also allow them to have a meeting with Microsoft CEO. Team eFitFashion’s project, Clothes For Me, is a marketplace for custom-tailored clothes based on a person’s unique body size and shape. “All of you represent that passion to dream the impossible and make it possible. I want you to keep that dream alive,” Nadella told the Imagine Cup competitors Friday, adding that, “ what you started at this competition is going to grow, because of your passion, your dreams, your ability to take it forward and your ability to learn
On Oliseh as Super Eagles coach W T W W hat I have to say about Oliseh as Super Eagles coach is that such is what it is meant to be, using people with experience and training efficiency to teach the players a thing or two, so as to get positive results. -Mr. Samuel Lilrichey, Student
e should stop wishing our coaches bad luck. The only thing God needs from Nigerians is for us to have faith and believe that Oliseh will bring joy to the Super Eagles and to Nigeria. With our prayers, he might turn to be the best. -Miss Isaac Chika, Nurse
o have played as a footballer is a completely different thing. If Zinedine Zidane can be appointed as a coach by Real Madrid based on his six years experience, then that is why we are where we are today in all areas. -Mr. Frank Anoh, Self-Employed.
on the way. It’s such a pleasure for me to see the passion and the innovation you have demonstrated today. Accordingly, Microsoft panel of distinguished judges including Thomas Middleditch, star of the hit HBO show 'Silicon Valley,' Alex Kipman, inventor of HoloLens; and Jens Bergensten, lead developer of Minecraft had decided between the top three Imagine Cup teams, narrowed down from tens of thousands of teams from across the globe. For 13 years, Microsoft Imagine Cup had inspired and challenged student developers worldwide to master new skills, build strong teams and bring technology projects from concept to fruition.
By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com
PEOPLE SPEAK
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The state counsel are the lawyers handling all the government cases and if the governor can pay private lawyers handsomely, the state counsel should be paid likewise,” Imo said.
hen Steven Keshi coached the Super Eagles to win the Africa Cup of Nations, we said Keshi was the best, but later rejected him and almost stoned him when he failed to qualify for the same competition next year. -Mr. Benjamin Ukposidolo, Worker
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o me this is crap. What has Oliseh done as a coach for him to deserve that position? Why not start him with Eaglets? Nigerian politics in almost all sectors is just crap. What team had he coached? Does he have the experience? -Miss Ukogu Chinasa, Worker