Solomon's Column

  The Federal Government has been called upon to account for the deductions of the National Housing Fund from workers' salaries. This call was made by a former chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze. ''The National Housing Funds deductions from the salaries of workers has been non-functional as workers do not have access to the loans as a result of the stringent conditions attached to the loans. The government should account for the deductions, otherwise the widespread feeling is that the NHF is a ploy to swindle workers of their hard-earned money,''Comrade Emelieze stated. Similarly, the N35,000 wage award  cannot solve the problems workers are presently experiencing. This assertion was made by a former chairman of the National Union of Allied Health Professionals(NUAHP) University College Hospital(UCH)Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Olusegun Sotiloye. There is no way that N35,000 can alleviate the sufferings o

  The attitude, behavior and activities of millions of Nigerians are crucial to the visibility of the positive impact of education on their lives. Even when the whole annual budget, once the needful by Those-in-authority is not done, salvaging the deteriorated standard of education would just be an exercise in futility. The open display of lawlessness, indiscipline, criminality and evil in different parts of the country are pointers to the unwavering fact that education is yet to achieve its purpose in Nigeria.

  A former Bureau of Prisons supervisor, Kevin X. Pearce, 39, was sentenced yesterday to 66 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for leading two cover-ups of assaults of inmates held at U.S. Penitentiary Big Sandy. Pearce was convicted after a six-day trial. His co-defendants, former corrections officers Samuel Patrick and Clinton Pauley, previously pleaded guilty and were respectively   sentenced   to 36 and 40 months in prison.  “As a supervisor, this defendant was responsible for safeguarding the rights of thousands of inmates, but he abused his authority by leading cover-ups of two violent assaults of inmates in his custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable law enforcement officials who violate federal civil rights laws or who cover up violations. We will protect the rights of all people, including those held inside our jails an

  The harsh and problematic economic environment in Nigeria has made the media industry vulnerable to censorship. This assertion was made by the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Jagaban Communications International, Mr. Samuel Adenitan. ''The bad state of the economy has negatively affected the media industry. The industry is vulnerable. It has suffered greatly in this dispensation. Owners of media outlets are finding it increasingly difficult to  operate and stay afloat. In Nigeria, we censor the truth. Any country that censors the truth will not be taken seriously. We have good laws, but the effectiveness of the laws constitutes a problem. In Nigeria, the truth is censored.

  In the times of King Jehoash of Israel, money collected in the form of taxes were used to carry out worthwhile repairs. Those who handled the money could be trusted completely to use it for its intended purpose. 2 Kings 12 :1-15 1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name  was  Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 And Jehoash did  that which was  right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. 4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD,  even  the money of every one that passeth  the account , the money that every man is set at,  and  all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD, 5 Let the priests take  it  to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let