News
Why I’m Reforming State Civil Service …Unveils UN Office In PH –Amaechi
Governor Chibuike Amaechi has explained reasons behind the
new restructuring in the state civil service, while hinting of plans to enforce
stricter measures in the preparation of 2013 budget.
Speaking at a three weeks training schedule for Ministries,
Departments and Agencies(MDAs) on budget planning, implementation and
Monitoring System organised by the State Ministry of Budget and Economic
Planning on Monday in Port Harcourt ,Governor Amaechi said the new civil
service policy would make room for creativity and innovation.
He declared,” Government would restructure the Civil
Service, and that is to say, all Directors and Permanent Secretaries who have
served for eight years in either of the positions must be retired, and his or
her pension paid to pension board ‘’.
He added,” by the time we begin to retire the old Permanent
Secretaries and Directors, the new ones would come and learn computer
techniques.’’
The Governor who further responded to questions by some of
the participants argued that the aim of the policy was to create a vibrant and
knowledge driven civil service adding,’’ from henceforth any promotion in the
civil service would be based on ICT proficiency…at least a basic knowledge of
computer while the Senior Officers must have an advanced knowledge’’.
Amaechi also hinted that the same compulsory ICT knowledge
would be enforced among the teachers since government was poised to promote ICT
in the new model schools.
Meanwhile, Governor Amaechi has hinted of plans to ensure
stricter measures in the planning and implementation of next year budget.
‘’ The key to the 2013 budget is that it must be scientific’’
Amaechi remarked,’’ to achieve government policies and programmes, and I would
also demand a statistical breakdown of the budgetary demands by the MDAs to
assess our spending.’’
He stated that as part of the budget making process, all
civil servants must be computer literate and must display the ability to draw
up programmes relating to policy of their Ministries, Departments and Agencies,
“ Iam disappointed that there is low compliance of ICT by
civil servants, and we have not achieved success in training workers to be ICT
compliant,’’ he further said.
Against this backdrop, he assured that his administration
would include the acquisition of computers as well as its distribution to the
different Ministries and Parastatals as part of next years budget.
Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Budget and Economic
Planning, Mr. Levi Gogo Charles described the workshop as an instrument of
understanding the effectiveness of the 2013 budget preparation to achieve the
desired objectives of the current administration.
Gogo Charles assured that the workshop would school
participants in the best principles on how to adnvance the welfare of the
citizenry for a balanceed, transparent and focused budget for 2013 to 2015
planning circle on the medium term expenditure framework.
So far, he said the Governor Amaechi administration has
recorded tremendous success in the areas of health, education, road, power
through accurate appropriation policies.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi
has unveiled a new United Nations(UN) liaison office in Port Harcourt, while
calling for the presence of more international bodies in the state.
Speaking at a special event yesterday to unveil the office,
the Rivers State governor said the presence of more international bodies would
facilitate the objectives of the UN and ensure proper planning that would
promote good governance and better the lots of Rivers people.
“ Although proper planning is an issue in the country’’
Amaechi said, “ there is need for the office to ensure proper planning of
functional structures and institutions to promote good governance and better
the welfare of the people’’.
He commended the efforts of the international body in siting
its office in the state despite the challenges attached with the Niger Delta
agitation, as he pledged the partnership of the state government in ensuring
that activities of the UN bring about the desired development and improved
standard of living of the people.
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.