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Senators, PENGASSAN Condemn Xenophobic Attack, Urge Action
Senators yesterday expressed concern over recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa in spite the collective fight against Apartheid.
The senators, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja, recalled how Nigerians were made to contribute to a relief fund to assist South Africa in tackling Apartheid.
Sen. Olusola Adeyeye (APC-Osun Central) said Nigeria had contributed immensely to the liberation of South Africans from oppression and discrimination, and therefore, deserved a pat on the back, not attacks.
He also recalled that beside monetary contributions, some admission slots in Nigerian universities and polytechnics were reserved for South African students during their struggle against apartheid regime.
Adeyeye said that Nigerians gave voice to the aspiration for freedom in South Africa and ought to be welcomed and not attacked.
He called on the South African Government to prosecute perpetrators of the attacks as well as extend protection to Nigerians and other foreigners within its territory.
He, however, called on the Federal Government to put measures in place to tackle the spate of unemployment in the country, which he said, was largely responsible for migration of Nigerians to other countries.
Sen. Robert Boroffice (APC Ondo North) said the xenophobic attack was a social problem in South Africa that needed to be brought under check to prevent any negative effect on South African economy.
Boroffice also called for creation of more jobs in Nigeria to reduce migration of Nigerians to other countries, including South Africa.
He, however, discouraged attacks on South African business in Nigeria, saying that the effect would not be felt as there were few South African businesses and South Africans in Nigeria.
He said that in view of the role Nigeria played in Africa, it would only be proper for it to channel its grievances to the appropriate authorities like the African Union.
On his part, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sen. Andy Uba (PDP-Anambra South), said it was unfortunate that foreigners had to be molested in South Africa.
Uba urged the South African government not to renege on its promise to bring the situation under control.
“The South African government assured us that nothing else will happen to Nigerians and I don’t think anything has happened to Nigerians that we have got in contact with,’’ he said.
Similarly, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on yesterday condemned the xenophobic attacks on migrants in South Africa.
In a statement signed by PENGASSAN’s National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Emmanuel Ojugbana in Abuja, the association urged the country’s government to take urgent measures to end the attacks on foreigners.
The oil workers union demanded that the South African government should ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime that led to the death of many foreigners were brought to book.
ýIt said that the report was disturbing, adding that there was no justification for the act.
”There should be no basis to justify any xenophobic act in South Africa, which the world is greatly admiring as a model in the handling of multi-racial state status.
“By our divergent background and orientation, the process of interrelating and building consensus is key for harmonisation of conflictual views and standpoints.
“Conflicts and disputes are sometimes inevitable, but must be managed in a manner that lives, properties and interests would not be put in jeopardy.
“The South African Government on its part, must ensure that the xenophobic act is expediently and permanently apprehended and never should it happen again.
“All steps and actions required to pacify and appease the affected countries and their nationals must be followed with strong assurances of our joint faith and with due regards for our strong ties and bonds as non-discriminatory black race.
“Strict adherence to the rule of law and due process must be followed and exhausted in dealing with our unresolved differences.
“Culprits must be brought to book to demonstrate to the world that there is no complicity on the part of the South African Government,” the statement said.
It, therefore, called on the Federal Government to urgently put in place a machinery that would adequately develop the nation’s economy, create the enabling environment and opportunities for gainful employment, particularly in the oil and gas sector.
It noted that the optimization of the oil and gas sector had the potential for limitless job creation opportunities that could make many Nigerians seeking greener pasture in other countries to proudly grow this career.
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.