News
National Confab Resumes, Today …Threatens To Bar Media
The National Conference holding in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, that adjourned after its inaugural sitting last Tuesday reconvenes today, with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) cautioning delegates to be very thorough and conscientious in discussing issues without playing to the gallery.
Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abuja Council, Mr Chuks Ehirin, who spoke with The Tide at the conference’s venue yesterday in Abuja said, “we have heard about hidden agenda, which has been buttressed by the level of manipulation in the selection of delegates. But even at that, if a man brings you here because he is your friend, remember that you are here to represent either your people and Nigeria”.
The NUJ boss stated that “if you come here and take a wrong decision, it will live to hunt you for another 100 years. So, my advice to the delegates is to look at the problems of the country dispassionately and proffer sustainable solutions to them”.
Ehirin cautioned against vulgar language, parochialism and insensitivity in addressing the problems plaguing the nation, and called for a sense of patriotism that will ensure all the nagging issues are treated dispassionately.
Meanwhile, some delegates at the ongoing National Conference have urged Nigerians to take advantage of the conference’s website: www.nigerianationalconference2014.org, to offer useful suggestions that would enrich deliberations at the conference.
The delegates told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that Nigerians should access the website and pass on their suggestions to them.
The spokesman of Afenifere Renewal Group, Mr Yinka Odumakin, said the idea of a website for the conference was well-thought out.
According to him, the world is now in the digital age where information is passed through the internet.
A delegate of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Mr Steve Aluko, said the website would give public access to information about the conference and the delegates.
Aluko, an executive director, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), suggested that the contacts of every delegate should be published on the website.
According to him, it will enable the people, particularly, major stakeholders, the opportunity to monitor and also give their inputs into the agenda of the conference.
The Secretary-General, Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Isaac Ighure, said the website was going to be of mutual benefit to the delegates and the general public.
Ighure said the platform would make it easy for the public to have an in-depth knowledge of issues that the delegates would be discussing about them and the country.
However, the National Conference has proposed to revoke accreditation granted media houses that published what it considers as, “unfair and offensive” report.
This is stated under Order 14-Miscellaneous of the National Conference Procedure Rules 2014 released to delegates on Thursday.
The rules says, “The Conference may grant approval to the representative of any media to attend the sitting of the Conference provided that if the media publishes a report of the proceedings which the Conference considers unfair, offensive and not a true reflection of what transpired, such permission may be revoked.”
The Conference Assistant Secretary, Communications, Mr. James Akpandem had at the inaugural sitting asked delegates to lodge complain of wrong reporting against any media house at the secretariat.
Chapter 2, Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution states, “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.
Meanwhile, Lagos lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) has expressed fears that the National Conference Procedure Rules 2014 may serve as impediment to its success.
In an interview with our correspondent, Ozekhome who promised to commit his allowances to his charity foundation faulted certain provisions of the rules.
Specifically, he said Order 11 of the rules which provides that, “in case of failure to reach a resolution on the matter by consensus, it shall be decided by vote of three quarter majority” was an aberration.
According to him, considering the different matters like regional federation, fiscal federalism, state police, total resource control, parliamentarian system of government fiscal federalism, that are on top of the agenda of the conference, it would be difficult to achieve a three quarter majority.
“It would be practically impossible to get any consensus on any issue. Just in the same way it would be practically impossible to get people to vote to support an issue.
“In all these sensitive matters, can we get up to 75 percent or three quarter of delegates voting for an issue; I do not know.
“We may end up enthroning minority. If 74 percent voted for an issue and 26 voted against, it means that 74 percent has failed to cross hurdle. It means the 26 percent will carry the day,” he said.
Instead, Ozekhome advocated for a simple majority or two-third majority vote.
He also disagreed on the Order 13 which provides that, “Should the final report lead to the drafting of issues of law and policy, the Conference shall in consultation with the six Principal Officers of the Conference advise the government on the legal framework, legal procedures and options for integrating the decisions and outcomes of the National Conference into the Consultation and laws of the Country.”
Ozekhome said the provision was contrary to inaugural speech of President Goodluck Jonathan who said the decision of the conference could be subjected to a referendum.
He argued that, “Sovereignty belongs to the people. We are representing the people. Whatever we arrive at the end of the day should be taken back to the people for plebiscite or referendum, not to the National Assembly because they will kill it.
He also disagreed with Order nine which states that, “At plenary sessions each representative body shall speak through a delegate nominated by the representative body through its leadership.”
He said, “I do not see why three nominees of a state have to speak through one person. They are representing different interests even though they are from the same state. It could be their ethnic group; it could be their local government interest.”
It also warned delegates from assaulting or obstructing any officer of the Conference while in the execution of his duty.
Comptroller ,Rivers State Immigration Command, Mr Mike Longe (right), condoles Mr Okezie Kalu, father of Sunday Kalu (left), one of the applicants who died during recruitment exercise of Nigeria Immigration Service penultimate Saturday
Justus Awaji, Abuja
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.