Man docked for refusing to pay his workers

Man docked for refusing to pay his workers

by P.M News

A 34-year-old man, Benson Abayomi, who allegedly refused to pay the salaries of his workers, was on Wednesday brought before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, western Nigeria.

Benson, the manager of Trove Creative Resources, who lives at 54, Alaha Abose St., Ogudu in Ojota area of Lagos, is being tried for a three-count offence of obtaining money by false pretences, cheating his workers and stealing.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Lucky Ihiehie, told the court that seven employees came to the Ogudu Police Station to report the case.

He gave the names of the complainants as Adams Oluwatoyin, Onabanjo Blessing, Bakare Oladotun, Daodu Monday, Sylvester Joseph, Okenu Rosemary and Babatunde Tope.

According to Ihiehie, the complainants alleged that they had not been paid for the past two months since they started working for Benson.

“They were not paid salary for two months; all they have been getting is excuses from him.

“Adams who spoke on behalf of others told the police that they all heard about Trove Creative Resources on a radio programme called the Job Show.

“The radio programme which is broadcast every Wednesday at 10 a.m. advertised job vacancies for administrative and sales executives.

“They all applied for the job and sometime in April and May they were all asked to pay N5,000 each for their certificates,’’ he said.

The prosecutor said the accused promised the complainants a salary of N60,000 per month, but after two months he failed to pay them.

Ihiehie told the court that the accused pastor held a meeting with the complainants, begged them and promised that the accused would pay them on July 20.

“On July 22, Adams and Blessing traced him to his house at 54, Alaha Abose St., Ogudu, and met him washing his clothes.

“On sighting them, the accused told them to wait for him to finish washing his clothes, promising to take them to a nearby ATM point.

“While on their way the accused stopped in front of Ogudu Police Station and started shouting and calling the complainants thieves.

“As a result of this, the police came out to arrest the situation.’’

The offences contravened sections 285, 312 and 321 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 312 stipulates the highest penalty of 15 years imprisonment for offenders.

The employer, however, denied the charges, saying he is a project supervisor of the company and not the owner.

Counsel to the accused, Mr Rufus Kayode and Mr I.O. Ojei urged the court to grant him bail on liberal terms.

In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, granted the accused bail in the sum of N20,000 with one surety in like sum.

Amzat also said the surety must show evidence of employment, residence and tax payment to the state government as part of the bail condition.

Hearing in the case has been fixed for 21 October, 21.

TSA: Banks move N1.2 trn to CBN

TSA: Banks move N1.2 trn to CBN

By Omoh Gabriel
LAGOS — Banks were, yesterday, busy with the transfer of an estimated N1.2 trillion of public sector funds to the Central Bank of Nigeria in compliance with the Federal Government directive on Treasury Single Account - TSA.

As the deadline for the implementation of the Treasury Single Account for MDAs closed, yesterday, Nigerian banks were sorting out accounts of MDAs the CBN circulated among banks to identify which of the accounts was domiciled in their banks.

As a result, there was no trading between banks. According to Gov Central Bank of Nigeria, Central Bank of Nigeria, banks made no bids on the inter-bank money market yesterday as they were engaged on how to comply with the directive to transfer government revenues into a single account with the Central Bank.

President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered that all revenues be paid into the “Treasury Single Account” (TSA) from yesterday, as part of a drive to fight corruption and aid transparency. “No trading is currently going on because no bank was willing to put out quotes until there is a clearer direction with the implementation of the Treasury Single Account,” one dealer said.

“The market is frozen right now, as no trading is going on,” a bank treasurer said.

Analysts have predicted that implementation of the government policy will drain liquidity from the banking system, potentially putting some banks in a dire situation.

The overnight lending rate closed at five per cent on Monday, but dealers said the rate was initially quoted at 200 per cent yesterday. No deals were done using that rate.

About 1.2 trillion Naira, or 10 per cent of banking sector deposits, is expected to be transferred to the government account with the Central Bank in the course of implementing the TSA policy.

Bismarck Rewane, CEO of Financial Derivatives Company said: “We expect an initial paralysis in the market and a disruption of operations of some of the banks, but they would overcome that.”

He said the Central Bank could reduce the size of the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) commercial lenders are expected to keep and inject some liquidity into the banking system to minimize the impact of the new accounting policy. The CRR, which is the amount the Central Bank requires banks to set aside, is currently 31 per cent for both public and private sector deposits.

We’ll comply with directive— Banks

Many of the banks contacted by Vanguard said they will comply. This is because since it was the CBN that provided the list of MDAs accounts for banks to move the funds in them to the Single Treasury Account, it is CBN that can say a particular bank has complied. “By the end of today (yesterday) each bank will know if it has satisfied the CBN,” one of the banks’ treasurers told Vanguard.

An official of Guaranty Trust Bank, who did not want his name in print, said that the CBN gave banks a very long list of accounts of MDAs in banks. Each bank was told to identify the accounts domiciled in their bank and remit the funds to the CBN. He said that the list was very long, showing that the CBN did its home work. He said that banks have no option but to comply with the directive, saying that the policy will further squeeze the already tight liquidity situation in the economy.

He, however, said that if government fulfils its obligation by paying contractors its debt, part of the money will return to the banking system.

Another banker with First Bank said that “the deadline for the implementation of TSA was yesterday and we can confirm to you that the bank is in the process of complying with the directive. As we speak, we would not be able to give an accurate figure involved industry wide.” It was the same story at UBA.

Data from the CBN indicate that as at end of June, 2015 total deposits (demand, time and savings) in the financial system was N13.5 trillion. Analysis of these shows that the private sector accounts for 90.7 per cent (N12.2trillion) of total deposits, while public sector funds accounts for 9.3 per cent (N1.3trillion) which will be lost to TSA.

In a circular with reference No BSD/DIR/GEN/LAB/08/048, dated September 7, 2015, entitled: “Deadline for transfer of Federal Government funds to Treasury Single Account,” signed by Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, CBN Director of Banking Supervision, the CBN warned that it would “impose severe sanctions on any bank that fails to comply on or before the deadline of September 15, 2015.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday set a deadline of September 15 for MDAs to commence the use of the approved government bank accounts for payments as part of efforts to ensure transparency and stamp out corruption, following observations that some officials were foot-dragging. Femi Adesina, the President’s spokesman, had explained that all receipts due to the government or its agencies must be paid into the TSA maintained by the CBN and linked to other government bank accounts, before the deadline.

Since August 2013, when the CBN raised the CRR from 12 per cent to 50 per cent, banks have continued to struggle to source deposits from the private sector and individuals, through increasing interest rates on savings accounts and other facilities.

Public sector deposits with banks which only fell two per cent in October 2013, representing N3.99 trillion from September’s N4.06 trillion, stood at N4.02 trillion in November.

Treasury Single Account deadline: Lawmakers laud Buhari’s political will

As the deadline for compliance with the Treasury Single Account for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) ended yesterday; some members of the National Assembly have lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for introducing it.

The lawmakers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that full compliance with the directive would help in blocking leakages and ensure transparency. Sen. Ali Wakili, (APC-Bauchi), who commended President Buhari for the directive, said the implementation of a TSA was backed by law.

Wakili said the development would enable banks, which hitherto relied majorly on MDAs, to become more resourceful. According to him, fragmented banking has before now affected government’s ability to undergo successful cash planning and management.

Sen. La’ah Danjuma (PDP-Kaduna) said that the implementation of the policy would go a long way in revamping the economy.

He expressed optimism that the move would yield positive result in the long run.

“It is time for Nigerians to support all policies of government aimed at improving the economy. There is no doubt that the TSA would have an immediate impact on banks but the long-term effect will be beneficial, so I support it,” he said.

The Treasury Single Account is a unified structure of government bank accounts that allows consolidation and best use of government cash resources.

Section 80 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended makes provision for implementation of TSA.

It states: “All revenues, or other monies raised or received by the Federation shall be paid into and form one Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.”

Running teaching hospitals with TSA difficult, says medical director

But the Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Dr Thomas Agan, has said that the hospital will face challenges with the new treasury single account.

Speaking with newsmen in Calabar yesterday, Agan said that most of the items used in running the hospital were in a revolving system. He said that meant that the management collected items and in turn remitted the proceeds and retained a little percentage.

“We have not been given detailed information on how we are going to operate. Until we are given a clear cut directive on our functions in the present situation, there is bound to be serious challenges,” Agan said. He said that although the account was introduced by the government to ensure transparency in governance, it was necessary to critically analyse the whole process as it concerned the health sector.

He added that the hospital had improved on its services to the people, especially in the area of clinical services.

“We now have clinical services for the treatment of sickle cell that runs every Thursday as well as diabetes clinic that holds every Wednesday. People can avail themselves of these and many more, including open heart surgery, to live normal lives,” he said.

He lamented the non-capture of training in the hospital’s budgetary provisions and called on the relevant authorities to reverse the trend.

You Really Can Change Your Reputation at Work

You Really Can Change Your Reputation at Work

 - Carolyn O'Hara

Do you ever feel that people have the wrong impression of you at work? Maybe you’ve been pegged as arrogant after you advocated for your project or as a pushover after a negotiation gone awry. How can you change others’ perceptions of you? Should you directly address the reputation you want to shake? Or should you focus your energy on changing your ways?

What the Experts Say
it can be frustrating when others don’t see us as we intend. “But we forget that we have so much more information about ourselves than other people do,” says Heidi Grant Halvorson, author of No One Understands You and What to Do About It. We also forget that nearly every action is open to multiple interpretations. Take the seemingly straightforward act of bringing someone a cup of coffee. You may intend it as a nice gesture but others might see it as the opening salvo in asking someone for a favour. Resist the urge to say someone’s understanding of the situation is mistaken, says Dorie Clark, author of Reinventing You and Stand Out. “A person’s perception may be different from what you feel is the truth, but it’s not necessarily wrong,” she says. “It’s real for them, and the onus is on you, not them, to work to change the dynamic.” Here’s how to change your reputation at work.

Be upfront about the issue
when you know you’ve made a poor impression, or you believe you are being unfairly branded, it can be useful to address the misperception head-on. If you think you may have offended a colleague, reach out to apologize. If you were late delivering two reports in a row, approach your manager to say you know it’s an issue and that it won’t happen again. “Naming the issue shows you are aware of it,” says Clark. It can also start the process of changing how you are perceived. Otherwise, “the negative association just keeps festering and strengthening in people’s minds “But if there’s a sort of mea culpa involved, it’s often a good idea.”

Don’t get defensive
if you do address the misperception directly; make sure not to get angry or cast aspersions. “You can’t go into the conversation saying, ‘You know, I think from our last encounter, you see me like a jerk, and I’m not,’” says Grant Halvorson. “You’re basically accusing them of getting you wrong.” Instead, accept that they feel a certain way about you and apologize if necessary. Then pour your energy into building a standing that you think is more reflective of your actual self.

Look for opportunities to work together
Just saying you aren’t a pushover isn’t going to do it, nor is standing up for yourself once. “One time being nice is not enough to override an initial impression of you being arrogant,” says Grant Halvorson. You have to provide evidence to the contrary—the more often, the better. “Frequency is your friend,” she says. A smart way to achieve this, especially if you don’t regularly encounter the person you are trying to convince, is to volunteer to work with them. Not only do you have more opportunities to change their mind, the person is more motivated to soften their stance toward you. “When they have to work closely with you, it is in their self-interest to pay very close attention to you and who you are,” says Clark. Grant Halvorson agrees. “They think, ‘If I am going to succeed, I need you to work well with me,’ and that really gets people motivated” to open their minds, she says.

Go above and beyond
it can be tough to change people’s minds so when your reputation is on the line, “you have to over-deliver,” says Clark. If you are the kind that comes to work late, “getting into the office at 9:01 AM is a problem,” because you are proving people’s assumptions right. Instead, you need to get there at 8:45. If you believe you offended someone with an offhanded comment, you have to be especially vigilant about watching your tongue. And if your boss thinks you’re the meekest participant in meetings, you need to now offer up frequent, thoughtful contributions. “You have to recast yourself and perhaps play dramatically against type,” says Clark. “But over time, once people’s perceptions begin to shift, you can migrate back toward the centre where it feels more comfortable.”

Find common ground
“Finding common ground gets the other person to start thinking of ‘us’ rather than ‘them,’” says Clark. “They will be far more receptive to listening to you and to taking in whatever you say.” The shared trait can be relatively inconsequential: Living in the same neighbourhood, wearing the same brand of shoes, or being a dog lover. “People will sort of unconsciously re-categorize you” when they believe you both have something in common, says Grant Halvorson. “They’ll think, ‘we want the same things and we have the same goal.’ And we automatically have a much more positive attitude toward people that are in our ‘in’ group.”

If you don’t feel you are making much headway with someone, another strategy is to ask that person for advice. “The person usually feels flattered,” says Clark, “and it changes the dynamic because you’re making yourself vulnerable to them.”

Patience
Don’t expect results overnight. “If you want to know how long it will take changing someone’s perception, Grant Halvorson follows this rule of thumb: “Longer than you want it to.” It depends of course on many factors, including how extreme the difference between the impression you gave and the impression you want to impart, and how many opportunities you have to make your case. “The stronger the impression, the longer it’s going to take to change,” she says. Clark says to give yourself a few months. But don’t let that discourage you. “Just think: If you begin now, you can begin to start turning the tide,” she says.

Principles to Remember:

Do:

·            Address the issue head on, especially if you were in the wrong.

·            If you want a more positive impression to stick in someone’s mind, you have to offer it up repeatedly.

·            Look for characteristics you share with the person. Common ground will help soften their stance.

Don’t:

·            Accuse the person of being wrong about you. Their perception is their perception, and it’s up to you to help “correct” it.

·            Avoid working with the person. The more you’re in front of them, the better.

·            Expect people to change their minds on a dime. Shifting someone’s perception often takes time.

“I’ve always believed if you do good work and you put good out there, good will come back to you,” she says. “I learned that if you do your job and be a leader, others will take note.”