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Jonathan, Amaechi, Others Sue For Unity
Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has enjoined Christians to pray fervently for the nation and its leaders and take advantage of the Easter period to show love and forgiveness.
A release signed by Amaechi’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor, says the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ was a clear indication of the love of God for mankind, and urged Christians to always emulate Jesus Christ and imbibe the virtues of love and forgiveness.
“Let me call on Christians to always pray for the growth of Nigeria. We should also remember that it was out of love that Christ died and forgave us of our sins, so we should also learn to love and forgive one another. That’s a sure path to building a better nation,” Amaechi said.
In his message, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, urged Nigerians to embrace love and peace, as exemplified by Jesus Christ.
Jonathan gave the advice in his goodwill message delivered at a service to mark Easter at the Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.
“We are here today because Christ was killed, buried and rose from the dead. We have hope that he will come again,” he said.
Jonathan said he decided to celebrate 2013 Easter with Lagosians, and to sincerely thank all Christians for their prayers.
“Through the various intercessory prayers, God has continued to stabilise the country. If not, it would have been worse,’’ Jonathan said.
He said that the country had challenges, “especially in these days of terrorism’’.
The president said the government was working hard to check terrorism, adding that such incidents should make Christians wonder the kind of social environment that existed during Jesus Christ’s time.
He said that as a mortal, he would do his best within the nation’s limited resources, to fix infrastructure such as railways and roads, as well as stabilise the power sector.
Also speaking, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), urged Christians to continue in the faith.
Gowon, who is the leader of ‘The Nigeria Prays’, told the President that, if he continued in the faith, things would be well with him.
“Trust in the Lord. He is all sustaining. He did, when l was ruling the country,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to rise above the challenges facing the country and deliver his electoral promises to Nigerians.
The prelate gave the charge at a media briefing where he condemned the level of insecurity, corruption and unemployment in the country.
Martins urged the president to address the contending issues of good governance and commit all available resources to address them.
“Nigerians are tired of mere promises, they want concrete action.
“They want to see in practical terms that this government is committed to fighting insecurity and restoring the country to its past glory.
“Events of the past few weeks, particularly the spate of insecurity in the land, leave much to be desired.
“A specific reference is the callous bombing of a South-bound luxury bus, in which several people were sent to their early grave. This is clearly inhuman, ungodly and unacceptable.
“I want to join other people of goodwill to condemn this dastardly act and to pray for the repose of the souls of the deceased, that they might find lasting peace in the bosom of our Lord,” he said.
Martins commended security operatives for the discovery of lethal bomb-making materials and ammunition in Lagos, and urged Nigerians to be vigilant and to pay attention to events and activities around them.
He also advised landlords to pay attention to those they hired out their properties to.
“I believe this is a way by which we can, as citizens, help to secure ourselves and our environment,” he said.
In the same vein, the Northern States Governors Forum has urged Christians to imbibe the ideals of perseverance, sacrifice and commitment to the will of God which characterised the Lenten season.
The Chairman of the forum and Niger Governor, Dr Babangida Aliyu, yesterday congratulated Christians and all Nigerians, who are alive to witness this year’s Easter.
“We are alive today only by God’s grace and favour and not that we are in any way special before the Almighty,’’ he said.
In a statement signed by Governor Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, the forum urged Nigerians to continue to render selfless service to humanity.
He said that this underscored the essence of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The forum urged citizens to use the opportunity of the Easter celebrations to pray for the quick resolution of the security challenges confronting the nation.
It urged Nigerians to pray and work for peace, stability and progress of Nigeria, while supporting the actualisation of the nation’s transformation agenda.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis has prayed for peace in the world during his first Easter Sunday message, delivered from the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
Addressing an audience of about 250,000 people from around the globe, the pontiff specifically prayed for reconciliation in places of conflict including the Korean peninsula, Mali, the Middle East, and Nigeria, saying that hostage-taking, senseless killings, and bombing by Boko Haram Islamic sect were unnecessary.
“Yes, Christ is our peace and through him we implore peace for the world. Peace for the Middle East, and particularly between Israelis and Palestinians, who struggle to find the road of agreement, that they may willingly and courageously resume negotiations to end a conflict that has lasted all too long. Peace in Iraq, that every act of violence may end, and above all for dear Syria, for its people torn by conflict and for the many refugees.”
After the Easter Mass, the Pope was driven around the square in an open vehicle. He kissed babies and handicapped children along the way and waved to the cheering crowds.
Christians around the world celebrated Easter yesterday. It is the holiest day of the liturgical year that marks the resurrection of their savior Jesus.
United States President Barack Obama and his family attended an Easter service yesterday morning at an Episcopal church near the White House.
In his weekly address Saturday, he said Easter provides an opportunity “to rededicate ourselves to interests larger than our own.”
Many Christians traveled to the Holy Land to visit places where Jesus preached and was crucified.
In Syria, Christians observed Easter in a somber mood, many of them attending mass in areas devastated by conflict.
Iraqi Christians attended churches amid tight security.
In the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino said that just as Jesus rose from the dead, hope has been resurrected among Filipinos against the forces of graft and corruption.
In Australia, on Melville Island in the Tiwi Islands group, worshippers observed Easter with a unique blend of indigenous culture and Catholic influences.
Not all Easter celebrations are strictly religious. Hundreds of New Yorkers participated in the annual Easter Parade that features the city’s residents clothed in their best finery topped with elaborate hats.
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.
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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.