NUJ DEMANDS IMPROVED EMOLUMENT ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY

The Chairperson of the Nigerian Union of Journalists NUJ, Anambra State Council, Toochukwu Omelu has called on all media organisations to champion the crusade for the passage and implimentation of the Media Wage Bill.

Omelu made the call a while ago when the NUJ paid a courtesy visit on the Silverbird Communications Awka Centre office on the occasion of the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day.

She stressed the need for improved financial support for media workers considering the long hours of duty and hazards involved.

Responding, the Business Manager of the Silverbird Communications Awka, Kelly Ihetu said freedom of the press was inevitable in a world where information is regarded as the most precious commodity.
 Ihetu called on media workers to guard press freedom jealously.

Genevieve Nnaji Clocks 32

Nnaji, one of the most popular and highly valued actresses in Nollywood turned a year older a while ago.

The Mbaise-born talented Actress, Model and Singer was born on May 3, 1979. The globally-celebrated actress who first made her debut in the Nollywood in 1998 at age 19 with a movie “Most Wanted,” turned 32 years today.

The award-winning actress has over the years achieved impressive feat of being one of the most talented and celebrated actresses from Africa. Calm, cool, calculating and collected, the actress is always confident on sets. This is one attribute that has made her one of the most highly paid actresses in Nollywood. She has so far acted over one hundred movies both within and outside the Hollywood.

Aside from acting as a career, Nnaji has ventured into Modelling and Singing. The remarkable success of the “Face of Lux” Project which she championed positioned her as one of the leading models in the world.

Her musics also revealed another side of the multi-talented multiple award winner. Her accolades includee the Best Actress of the year award at the 2001 City People Awards and the Best Actress in a Leading Role award at the 2005 African Movie Academy Awards amongst others.

AriNews wishes Genevieve Nnaji many happy returns as her talents take her to places she never imagined. Happy birthday, rare gem!

JONATHAN PROMISES TO GO BEYOND THE MINIMUN WAGE FOR NIGERIAN WORKERS

President Goodluck Jonathan has assured Nigerians that he would go beyond the signing of the Minimum Wage Act in satisfying his goal of putting smiles on the faces of Nigerian workers.

This was contained in the President’s message for the Nigerian Workers to commemorate the 2011 May Day celebration.

“I want to again assure Nigerian workers that having signed the Minimum Wage Act, I will not be slack to implement it at the Federal level and work synergistically with other tiers of government as well as the Private Sector to ensure that not only do we do right by our workers on the matter of wages, but we take every care within available resources to lift up their conditions of service and ensure that the dignity of labour is not just enhanced  in Nigeria but becomes a pride because therein lies the key to the growth of Nigeria’s economy which key is (to paraphrase our National Anthem)-the labour of our workers present,” said President Jonathan.

The President noted that he desired our economy to be driven by “the production of our people and this will only happen when we make a substantial investment in the Nigerian people by way of increasing access to and the quality of education, working with the Private Sector to improve on electricity generation and distribution and motivating our workers by ensuring that the New Minimum Wage as enshrined in the Minimum Wage Act is implemented throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria.”

President Jonathan commended the Nigerian workers for contributing to the success of the just concluded elections in the country.

“I salute the Nigerian worker and organised labour and thank you for your part in making the just concluded elections a success and to let you know that you have a partner in progress in the administration that I lead,” the message said.

The End of Osama Bin Laden

The US President, Barack Obama has confirmed the death of the al-Qaeda founder and leader, Osama Bin Ladin a while ago.

In an address delivered in the East Room, President Obama said, “I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama Bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.”

The death of Obama brings to an end the about ten years of hide-and-seek between the United States and Osama, who was believed to be behind the September 9/11 bomb incident in the US which claimed thousands of human lives and property worth billions of US dollars.

President Obama described the bomb incident thus: “It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory - hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.”

He said shortly after taking office, he directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, “to make the killing or capture of Bin Laden the top priority” of the war against al-Qaeda.

After several months of strategizing, the United States launched a targeted operation against a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan where intelligence report indicated that Osama was hiding.

“A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability,” said President Obama.

“No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama Bin Laden and took custody of his body.”

Furthermore, President Obama stated categorically that the death of Osama would not be the end of US efforts towards the war against terrorism.

President Obama said “his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al-Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must - and we will - remain vigilant at home and abroad.”

According to President Obama, “we must also reaffirm that the United States is not - and never will be - at war with Islam. I've made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11 that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al-Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.”