News

Plateau: Shock as Gov Mutfwang Inherits N1.1Billion, with N11Billion unpaid salaries

Published

3 years ago

June 12, 2023

vicky

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has raised alarm over the dire financial situation he inherited upon assuming office, revealing that the state government had a meager 1.1 billion naira in its coffers while facing a staggering 11 billion naira in unpaid salaries.

Governor Mutfwang made these remarks during a Democracy Day program organized by the Plateau Radio Television Corporation in collaboration with the office of the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor. The event, titled “Unpacking the Time is Now Vision of HE Barr Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang,” took place at the PRTV TV Studio in Rayfield, Jos on June 12, 2023.

In his address, Governor Mutfwang acknowledged the significant role played by Plateau State in Nigeria’s democratic history, from the time of Chief Solomon Lar to the nominations of MKO Abiola and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. However, he lamented that the state had deviated from the ideals of its founding fathers in recent years, necessitating the “Time is Now” campaign mantra during the election.

The governor highlighted the pressing challenges facing the civil service, stating that out of the 2.9 billion naira wage bill for February 2023, only 900 million naira had been paid. He disclosed that the state currently owed salaries amounting to 11 billion naira, while inheriting a mere 1.1 billion naira in government funds.

Governor Mutfwang expressed his commitment to finding solutions to these financial difficulties, stating that he refrained from pressuring workers to return to their duties until he could secure sufficient funds to pay a portion of their salaries. He assured the public that with the help of God, the situation would improve by the end of the month, enabling the payment of stipends to workers.

The governor also highlighted the shocking revelation that no security meetings had been held in the state for the past year, which he believed contributed to the recent upsurge in insecurity. He reassured citizens that he had discussed the security challenges with President Tinubu and pledged to revamp the security apparatus in Plateau State.

Governor Mutfwang emphasized the need for unity and bridge-building among communities, irrespective of tribe or faith, as the state grappled with poverty and underdevelopment. He pledged to prioritize the revitalization of the Agricultural Service and Training Centre (ASTC) to boost Agriculture and internally generated revenue.

The governor further addressed recent developments, including the dissolution of local government chairmen in the state, which he stated was an intervention made in good faith following the advice of the State House of Assembly. He also mentioned the suspension of recent recruitments by the previous administration, with ongoing investigations to ensure adherence to legal procedures.

Governor Mutfwang concluded by announcing plans to launch a Plateau rebranding project later in the year, aimed at showcasing the beauty of the state and attracting investment.

As Governor Mutfwang grapples with the financial challenges and security issues plaguing Plateau State, the public remains hopeful that his administration will take decisive action to address these pressing concerns and bring about positive change.

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Business

Air Peace announces another disruption on Lagos-London Gatwick flight

Published

53 minutes ago

May 14, 2026

Preport

Air Peace has announced another disruption to its Lagos–London Gatwick service after one of its international flights was forced to return to Lagos due to what the airline described as airspace-related operational issues.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the airline said the incident affected its scheduled Lagos–London Gatwick service of 13 May 2026.

According to the airline, the aircraft returned safely to Lagos after encountering what it described as “enroute access issues” involving the airspace authorities of an African country.

“As a result of the development and the need for immediate operational clarification with the relevant authorities, the aircraft safely returned to Lagos in accordance with established international aviation procedures,” the airline said.

Air Peace said the London service was subsequently rescheduled while discussions with the relevant authorities continued.

The airline added that affected passengers were informed about the development and provided with support services and other necessary assistance following the disruption.

“Air Peace sincerely apologises to all affected passengers for the inconvenience caused by the unforeseen disruption which was beyond our control,” the airline stated.

The incident adds to a growing number of operational disruptions involving airlines in Nigeria in recent months, with passengers increasingly raising concerns over delays, cancellations, rescheduled flights and mid-journey returns.

For many travellers, such incidents have continued to fuel frustration over uncertainty in flight schedules, operational reliability, and passenger experience within the country’s aviation sector.

READ ALSO: Air Peace says aircraft replaced, Gatwick passengers accommodated after incident

PREMIUM TIMES had also earlier reported several disruptions involving Air Peace operations, including passenger complaints linked to delays, cancellations and operational challenges affecting some domestic and international routes.

Although the airline has repeatedly attributed many of the disruptions to operational challenges, technical issues, bird strikes and Jet A1 aviation fuel-related constraints, the incidents have continued to attract public attention, particularly as more Nigerian travellers rely on the carrier for regional and international flights.

Air Peace said it remains committed to operational safety, regulatory compliance and passenger service across its network.

News

OpenAI says Codex is coming to your phone

Published

1 hour ago

May 14, 2026

Preport

Codex is going mobile. The coding tool — which OpenAI launched approximately a year ago — has now been integrated into the ChatGPT app, allowing users to monitor and manage their development workflows remotely.

The new function allows users to see their Codex live environments in any devices where it is running. The company announced the changes Thursday; the update, which is currently in preview, is now available to all plans on iOS and Android.

“This is more than the ability to remotely control a single task or dispatch new tasks to your computer,” OpenAI said in a statement. “From your phone, you can work across all of your threads, review outputs, approve commands, change models, or start something new.”

Last month, OpenAI also gave Codex the ability to run in the background in desktop environments — empowering the tool to take care of various tasks autonomously. Earlier this month, the company also introduced a Chrome extension that allows the agent to work in live browser sessions.

In February, Anthropic released a similar feature — Remote Control — which allows users to remotely monitor Claude Code’s work from afar.

The flurry of feature releases from both OpenAI and Anthropic speaks to the tense competition between the two over whose agentic coding tool will become the most widely used. Over the past year, Anthropic’s Claude Code has gained in popularity among businesses and tech professionals alike, although both tools continue to be widely used.