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Onnoghen, Acting CJN Takes Oath …As Buhari Urges Judiciary Redemption …Unveils New Economic Plan, Dec
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, swore-in the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, charging him to work hard to restore the integrity of judiciary officers and the confidence of Nigerians in the judicial process.
The swearing-in follows the retirement of the incumbent, Justice Muhammad Muhammud.
Present at the occasion which took place at the Presidential Villa were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and many other Justices of the Supreme and Appeal courts.
Buhari urged the judiciary to restore the country’s past glory.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony yesterday in Abuja, Buhari challenged the judicial arm of government to partner with his administration in bringing Nigeria back into line.
According to him, the judiciary can effectively perform their constitutional responsibility by ensuring the success of the ongoing campaign against corruption and making sure that the economy was managed efficiently.
“I congratulate the new acting CJN, who comes at a time that the institution that he is going to head plays the role of one of the constitutional bodies at this trying time of our nation.
“In this room contains the constitutional bodies that are responsible for bringing Nigeria back into line in terms of security and managing it efficiently while making sure that the economy is resuscitated and that security of doing business at all stages in the country is free and fair.
He congratulated the immediate past CJN, and urged the acting one to play his constitutional role diligently.
“I am being honoured today as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to say goodbye to the former Chief Justice and to congratulate him for the time he spent in the highly respected position.
“I sincerely congratulate the outgoing CJN and wish him the best of luck in his retired life, and I wish the incoming CJN a successful tour of this vital constitutional body of our country,’’ he added.
In his remarks, the acting CJN, Justice Onnoghen, reassured that his tenure would witness the fullest cooperation of the third arm of government in the continuation of the war against corruption and misconduct in the judiciary.
According to him, he will continue from where his predecessors stopped.
“I intend to carry on from there, modify certain areas but with the general ultimate gain of having a better judiciary befitting the nation, Nigeria.’’
He thanked the President for the confidence reposed on him, saying “by the grace of God we shall succeed.’’
Justice Walter Onnoghen, was born on 22nd December, 1950 at Okurike Town, Biase Local government Area of Cross River State.
He attended the Presbyterian Primary School, Okurike Town between 1959 and 1966.
Onnoghen later proceeded to Accra, Ghana to attend Odorgorno Secondary School, Adabraka, between 1967 and 1972 for his West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Exams.
He was at Accra Academy, Ghana between 1972 and 1974 for his WAEC (A-Levels) before proceeding to the University of Ghana, Legon, between 1974 and 1977 to obtain his Bachelor of Law Degree (LL.B (Hons)) and graduated with 2nd Class Upper Division and was among the best graduating students.
The acting CJN attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos between 1977 and 1978 for his B.L certificate.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari will inaugurate the National Economic Reconstruction and Growth plan in December, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, has said.
Udoma, who disclosed this at a National Economic Retreat in Abuja, yesterday, stated that the plan is in furtherance of the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition the country towards sustainable growth.
According to the minister, the retreat is intended to provide an opportunity for stakeholders from the various sectors of the economy to consult and exchange views on the medium term economic plan for the country.
He said the economic recovery plan would be a detailed document that would bring together various plans put together by the Economic Management Team.
The various plans include the Strategic Implementation Plan from which the Medium Term Expenditure and Fiscal Strategy Paper was developed, and the Medium Term Sector Strategies (MTSS).
Udoma said as soon as the consultations with stakeholders were concluded, the economic team would receive inputs from the National Assembly.
It is also expected that other development partners will be consulted before the inauguration of the final document by the President in December.
Udoma said the ministry had developed sectoral plans in five thematic areas as part of the economic recovery plan.
They are macroeconomic stability, where the focus would be on fiscal and monetary condition, low inflation, stable exchange rate and strong economic growth; economic diversification and building competitiveness in the private sector.
Others are job creation and social inclusion; governance (such as security); and human capital.
The Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Ibe Kachikwu; Minister of State for Budget and National, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; and the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mrs Sarah Aladdin, were some of the key personalities at the retreat.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.