 A very good morning to you. You're welcome to the breakfast on Plus TV Africa. It's Monday the 8th of January 2024. My name is Vrmé Paulsen. And my name is Nyamgoul Agadje. We're so glad to know that you are there and you've kept fit with us. You've always been there for us and we thank you for that. It's another wonderful week that we are beginning with you. And today on the show we'll be looking at the Lagos State budget for 2024. Lagos Assembly raises an OK's 2.267 trillion Naira 2020 budget. Yes. And also for our second hot topic, well, we'll be looking at how to map out your success in 2024. I mean, it's the new year and I'm sure you have your resolutions, you have your goals and aspirations. And so how do you start to map out your success and ensure that at the end of the year, all of these goals and dreams are achieved. So that's all we'll be looking at. But first, let's take our quote of the day and that would set the tone for our program today. And don't forget that we'll have all the press this morning as well, but the words of Robert Shuler right now to begin. OK, today's accomplishments were yesterday's impossibilities and that is from Robert H. Shuler. I feel this is a very good quote to even start the year. I mean, what you thought about last year that you could not achieve, you're already achieving them. So yesterday's impossibilities, you thought it was not possible. How can I do this? But guess what? You're accomplishing them today because you have the capabilities for more than you even think. A funny thing that happens is that sometimes you sit and you smile to yourself, sometimes you even chuckle and everything that always brings that kind of reaction from you is always something that you almost or actually cried about before. You think about how it was and you're like, so I survived this and got to this point. So there's always that moment that you think that you cannot surmount a particular thing. But at the end of the day, you find out that you have passed it without even knowing in most cases. It's like learning your ABCs when you were small and you thought it was such a terrible thing to even do to learn ABC. It was so hard and you find out that you've grown old enough and then you're writing without even thinking about it. The ABCs are still there. That's how life is. I remember when I was trying to drive for the first time. In fact, I learned how to drive about four times. My brother thought me, my cousin thought me. I went to two driving schools and I thought it was such a feat that maybe I might not be able to drive in my life. I was so scared. And I remember when I first got my car and when I drove it on one of the streets, it was moving so fast and I'm like, oh my God, can I control this? Maybe that was a test for you. Yes, it was so fast for me. But guess what? Now I entered the car, I know the buttons to press and moving without even thinking because guess what? My mind is already used to it. I'm already used to it and it's just like driving. You might think you might not be able to do this but guess what? You might be on that journey and you don't even realize that you've gotten so far. And you start to look back at how was I able to accomplish all of this and even surpass it. So you might have the goals, you might have the dreams and you might be like, how can I get there? But guess what? You have been blessed with so many talents, so many skills, so many gifts and you would even be able to pass that impossibility that you thought it was and then it becomes achievements and there's even so much more. Now I know we're in a new year and sometimes because you're setting your goals for the year it might just be like, at the end of the year will I be able to have all of this? But guess what? At the end of the year you just might be able to have all of that and even get more. I remember someone was saying maybe 2023 did not meet your expectations but then I'm like 2023 even surpassed my expectations. I did not even realize that I would do so much in this year. But I'm sure at the start of the year maybe I had a good feeling about my year saying it was going to be a good year but at the start of the year I was like am I sure I'm called for this? Am I sure I'm going to be able to do this? But here I am floating. That's the word. I'm just floating and cruising and it doesn't even seem impossible and that has strengthened me giving me more courage to actually push in and say yes this might seem impossible but guess what? If I've done all of this before I can do it again and so there is nothing impossible and I'm going to end it here. Someone said the sky is not your limit. This is the starting point. Yes, it's your mind that is your limit. So if you tell yourself it is impossible then it's impossible but if you tell yourself it's possible guess what? Your mind will never limit you. The beautiful thing is some people who say they achieve what they set out to achieve are the people who have seen what blessing God gave to them. Some people just remain aware and think that okay the negatives that I had in 2023 this was what defined my 2023. What about the positives that you had? Because like let's say count your blessings and name them one by one you'll be surprised what the Lord has done for you. So why not just sit down and tabulate the kind of things that God has done for you. Sometimes you say a prayer you plan your life but what you planned doesn't come to be but something else sometimes even better than what you planned for comes your way and then you don't look at what has come you look at what you've lost and what you've lost always brings that feeling that okay you did not achieve your inadequate your this and that but there are so many positives and they outweigh the negative all the time so 2023 was good at least you survived it didn't you? Yes. So it's a good opportunity a good basis to begin the year 2024 aspiring for even better. That's right well we're talking more about this when our guests come in for our second hot topic which is mapping your success in 2024 but first let's look at our top training stories and the first top training story here comes from Plateau which says Plateau teachers suspend plan strike. Teachers in Plateau State on Sunday suspended their plan strike built to commence today Monday. Their decision to suspend the strike was reached on Sunday during a meeting with a 17 local government chairman in the state and the representatives of Labour Union which was held in just the state capital. The state secretary for Nigerian union teachers Michelle Dichong announced the suspension of the plan strike after the meeting. She explained that the resolution reached in the meeting would see the one month salary arrears to be paid along with January 2024 salary for local government councils. Also agreed was a pledge that during the personal audit exercise staff due to promotion due for promotion who have received their promotion letters will be captured on their current promotion status and have their arrears paid to the deserving workers after the audit exercise while the promotion will be implemented by January 2024. The promotion of junior staff of non-professional teachers is expected to be first tracked and released for immediate capture during the personal audit exercise and subsequent implementation. Furthermore the personal audit will involve all the industrial unions in the local government councils simultaneously with effect from Monday the 15th of January 2024 and to be completed within 21 days. Meanwhile the labour representatives will take part in the personal audit exercise and other staff on government level 15 and 16 not enjoying domestic servant allowances shall have the as implemented along with January 2024 salary. When I saw the headline for the first time without reading it I thought they were going to strike because of the security situation that is not allowing their children to go to school and for them to work but I now saw that it was about salary and all that. There are so many things that should make people strike to rebel to do a lot of things because of what is given to them as it were. The government or whoever is responsible should not allow this to be an issue how can someone be protesting for salary for arrears for promotion that is due them that is in the books that you are supposed to give them and that is why people in Nigeria will tend to lie all the time because I am thinking about retiring and I know that when I retire I might not get my benefits because when I am in the service even I am not getting my benefits so when I retire is that the time I am going to get my benefits so I want to falsify my years and I am 80 years and I am still sometimes when I am 50 years my son is 49 years because I don't want to leave the service because when I leave I might die without having my benefits and this should never and you need income flowing every month. It should never be. Now we have heard that the president has approved payments of allowances and salaries for sports people, the super eagles and other groups that were arrears and all that. We do hope that it will trickle down to all aspects of our economy, all aspects of our national life if it is salary let it be paid on time, if it is retirement benefits let there be a system that you don't have to go and struggle for it and be spending time. There are some people slumped there, some die there on the lines when they are waiting to get verification and the rest of all those things. It is not good enough. In the UK they added whether two years or three years to the retirement years of the people and they were protesting. How can you add that? We want to retire and go and rest. In Nigeria people are falsifying their years to make sure that the money is coming and when they extended it by five years a lot of people were clapping because you know those are the only years that you might see what is called salary or emoluments from the government and it should stop. I think a liberal is due to wages if someone is working for you, pay them it is un debatable. They gave you services, they brought themselves to you, worked for you. Why are you not going to pay them their salaries and guess what? They are paying transport to come to you, right? They have to feed their families, they have to pay their rent. There are so many things people have bills to pay and we are talking about a crippling economy. So how do you expect them to survive? So if someone is working for you, pay them if they are due for a promotion promote them. You don't strife all their growth and you don't hold their money to ransom you should be able to pay them because I think money most times is a motivator especially if I am working for you and you are paying me on time. I am happy that you are paying me and I am being motivated to come to work and even do more but if you are not going to pay me, I can now decide I want to be like a daisical and I am not bothered after all I don't have money. I am not going to show up today. That's always the case and even if it is a private entity pay your workers. Sometimes there is this mentality also from the private sector where maybe you have a domestic servant and the domestic servant has worked for a month and when you manage to pay the domestic servant you are expecting the domestic servant to come back and say Madam thank you for what? Do I need, I am not only thanks, if I say thank you it's fine. But don't be entitled to it's not a right that you have. Whatever you employed me to do I have done. Thank you is not part of it. It's a transaction. I am not saying it's not good to say thank you and all that but did you how many thank yous did you say when that person was working wake up in the morning you employed someone to take care of your children that same person is washing your clothes, sweeping your house all the things that were not in the agreement I am not saying thank you. You are still loving it over that person shouting down on that person and then you pay the portrait some that you are paying and if he doesn't or she doesn't say thank you you fire her or you punish her or you do some other things I don't even want to go into domestic Next up trending issue is still on Labour. Labour raises negotiation team as Labour president lists conditions as an issue. Labour has raised a team to negotiate with the government in line with the promise made by President Bola Ahmed Tinibu in his new year address that his administration will implement a national living wage. The current minimum wage negotiated in 2018 expires in April 2024 which is part of the standard of each agreed minimum wage having a 5 year lifespan. The current minimum wage will be due for review soon. What is the situation on the setting up of the committee for the exercise? That's the question While the federal government has yet to set up the committee to determine a new recommended minimum wage, NLC have submitted the names of those who are to represent Labour in the committee. While the federal government effectively reneged on all the agreements reached with the NLC in the memorandum of understanding including the 35,000 Naira petrol subsidy palliative wage award which only one month was paid, the NLC president comrade Joe Agiro insists the government will start the year with the payment of arrears according to the NLC president. In coming to the proposed new minimum wage of 200,000 Naira, the value of $200 at the time was used as a benchmark. While not revealing the strategy Labour intends to use in its negotiation with the government, comrade Agiro explained that the considerations at the forefront of proposal will include the cost of leaving the evaluation of the currency and the labour market vis-à-vis the countries that share the same economic indices with Nigeria. Minimum wage, 35,000 Naira, some states are still not paid, they're still not able to pay 35,000 Naira, in short 30,000 Naira minimum wage. This wage award of 35,000 Naira was promised by the government and they didn't pay, the federal government they didn't pay according to that report is only one month that they paid and we're talking about 200,000 Naira minimum wage. It is realistic, it is achievable but the word realistic that you're using I'm sure can it be done? Can Nigeria do it? If we're leaving from 35 that has even not been paid I'm going to 200. Yeah but Libo had a point when they were negotiating for 30 the dollar was 200 Naira per dollar. Now the dollar is 1,200 Naira and if you're talking about going to 200,000 Naira minimum wage that would be wrong. There would be less than 200 Naira. But will the federal government even do it? Because as we speak according to the report there has been no committee set by the federal government to talk about this. Libo has already done theirs but the government hasn't done theirs and if by April where the minimum wage that we are operating upon now expires will that be the time they will start to talk about whatever is supposed to be spoken? I honestly I even think the amount of 200,000 is quite little. It's small. So what can 200,000 actually afford you? Right now in Nigeria we're talking about the value of our currency. Now I remember as a student when I was studying in the UK and the minimum wage at that time was £6.50 and as a student I can only work 20 hours per week. So I'm just trying to roughly do the calculation. So if I'm working £6.50 per hour and I'm doing 20 hours a week that's about 130 pounds that I'm making in total. Now per week. Times that by four weeks especially on the summers so on summers I would take jobs. We're looking at at least over £400 that I'm making in a month as a student and I'm only working 20 hours. I'm not doing a full-time job. For a full-time job we're looking at seven hours which kind of like averaged to about 40 hours in a week. It doesn't exist in Nigeria anyway. So you get to work at seven close at six or five. Yes. That's even more than the time but let's just say 40 hours. Imagine how much I would be making as a full-time in a full-time job. You're hearing people making money of about 30 £40,000. So guess what? What is 200,000 going to do? That's 2.4 million now. We're doing the numbers right now and it's not adding up because before I pay my rent out of that what's left I'm trying to live in a small sized apartment before I pay transportation to my workplace before I eat because I have to eat now and I need strength before I'm able to even put clothes on my body. So when you think of all of that the value of 200,000 doesn't really do anything but I'm sure we're going to have this conversation later on when they're done with their negotiations and stuff. Am I sure that 200,000 now is realistic if we're leaving from 30,000 to 35,000 all the way to 200,000 and even that 200,000 doesn't even have value. Question number one, can Nigeria pay? Yes. Will Nigeria pay? We're not sure. I would have just said no but we are not sure of that but let them do something that will show that they have the interest of the people that have. I mean if I can build a train for instance from Lagos to my village in Lagos and I am paying very little amount of money it will mean that I will not lack for food because there's a lot of food where I come from so I can always go anytime I want to get the food or get that food sent to me here in Lagos. So things will be so easy I will not be considering what kind of money you're paying me. If education is so simple or cheap that my children can go to school I will not be thinking about that. If there's regulation in the kind of rents, landlord, laws that we have and we see that we can afford our rents I will not be thinking about 200,000 so there are a lot of factors that the government is not looking at so even just increasing it, even if you're increasing it to one million naira and there are no regulations and there are no things that are put in place it will still be not be enough because once that 200,000 comes, trust me, one room apartment not even a self calling, it fits me, it fits your apartment could go as far as 300,000, 500,000 naira and there's no water inside, there's no toilet inside and there's nothing inside but we have just heard that this thing has come, there's been a raise in the main home wage. Does the value go hand in hand I think maybe that's the question. So it will not go hand in hand until a lot of things are put in place, that's the thing. And I feel like if you can afford 160 million naira SUVs for your, I know I keep bringing this up but if you can afford that for your house of representatives and all of that then why can't you pay people because guess what their salaries are huge their salaries are not only huge, but have you noticed that the budget of the national assembly is higher than education budget and so many other sectors put together maybe like five sectors put together and you're telling me salaries for people, there are less than a thousand people in the national assembly and they don't even do, fine, I understand, I can't imagine what their job description would be like, I can't imagine having to think and manage, hold on, hold on, I'm trying to play devil's advocate, but I can't imagine maybe having to rule the affairs of the ministry and stuff, but if you're going to do that, I'm sure you're not the one in the field, I'm sure you're not the one doing all of the work, you're probably in your office, on your desk receiving a very cool air conditioner and signing stuff. For a minister, I could even understand because you are doing the thinking and then you're organizing everybody else to think, for a representative you're supposed to go home to your people, they tell you what their problems are and you can't manage problems and take them to the national assembly you're not even expected to just be there and decide for your people if I'm representing my people, what are the problems of my people, that's why they call some things, town hall meeting, have this town hall meeting, let them tabulate their problems, your own is, maybe there's a legal framework that has to follow that and all that, so you go there, fine tune everything, present it to the national assembly, so what thinking cup are you wondering, that you'll be given 2 million Naira in your inbox to go and enjoy yourself, where the people back can't have any food to eat normally, so nobody should tell me their workload is so much, there's nothing, they buy the 160,000 Naira SUV to drive on the roads that they have refused to legislate or make sure there's nobody available to work on these roads, they're not telling the federal government this is what it's supposed to be done, they want to come and drive on those roads and they don't go home how many of these legislators actually go home, maybe they want to do that I think our politicians have made politics, so people, right because they come from us, so people have made politics a poverty elevation scheme because you're thinking, oh I'm going there just to make money for myself thinking of your nation, but I mean let's leave it there, let's just run through this last one Seraptel Stinebu to probe better edu over 585 million Naira payment, more outrages continued to troll the alleged instruction by the minister of humanitarian affairs, better edu to the accountant general of the federation to transfer 585 million Naira to the bank account of an individual, the instruction for the payment is contained in a leaked letter dated December 20, 2023 in the letter edu instructed the accountant general to transfer 585 million, 189,500 Naira to the UBI account of one Onigelu Brigitte Modusola the transfer contravends various sections of Nigerian's financial regulations 2009 which are meant to prevent fraud and other forms of corruption, reacting in a statement the socio-economic rights and accountability project SERAP acts precedentinable to probe this third payment, the group specifically wants the president to direct the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice Mr Latif Fagbemi and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly and thoroughly probe the alleged payment by the minister of humanitarian affairs, better edu of 585.2 million Naira, meant for this boss meant to vulnerable people in a quarry bomb, cross river, Lagos and urban states into a private account. SERAP deputy director Kolaulia Oluwadare said in a statement that anyone suspected of involvement in an improper payment or diversion of public funds should be brought to justice and any diverted public funds return to the public treasury and pay directly to the rightful beneficiaries. Meanwhile the minister has denied any wrongdoing in a post on X insisting that the payment follow due process. She claimed that under a watch no one at the ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty elevation will embezzle government funds. Edu's project predecessor Sadia Omar Farouk has been investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for alleged fraud. The fraud allegations now taint the government intervention program. I mean I chuck holes there because is this something that we keep seeing? And the last one had something like this and now it seems that ministry just... My problem here is well according to better I do and a lot of people in that ministry the money was approved, it passed through due process and it is wrong to pay to an individual account but they have been doing it in the ministry so if it has passed through all the relevant processes maybe an accountant in that place or something whatever it is. It is wrong. I know that but my problem is that better I do blew the whistle on the 44 billionaire diversion by the president and some other people and because of that that's just me thinking because of that this one has not come up. Everybody's talking about this and nobody's remembering seems to be remembering because this report for instance is talking about what better the ministry has done. Even though there are evidences and this payments have been done already there are evidences like that but nobody seems to be talking or giving much attention to the 44 billion that was diverted without any due process. So now let's bring something else so that the weightier matter can be forgotten. We should treat them individually or we should talk more about the 44 billion not the 500 and something millionaire. I think Nigerians it was wrong for them to pay into an individual account but the prominence that this is taking above the 44 billion is what is worrying me. I think Nigerians the moment something happened they forget the other ones and then focus on the new thing that has just happened but it shouldn't be that way. Let's probe into all of them if anyone is paying to an individual account so even the minister's wrongdoing was paying into the individual account but we can have evidence that all the payments to the rightful people have been done. It's a lesser evil. The person who removed 44 billion and we don't know where it went to or what is being used for and who approved it we don't even know that. We should talk about that even more. Anyway let's go on a quick break. We'll look at what the weather is this morning in Lagos and other states of the federation as well as Africa and the world but when we return we're looking at off the press and knowing what the national daily's are saying this morning. Stay with us.