News
Reintroduce Religious Studies In Schools, CAN Tells FG
The Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Oyo State branch, Pastor Benjamin Akanimu, has urged government at all levels to reintroduce Christian Religious Studies in primary, secondary and higher institutions.
Akanmu made the call while speaking on the significance of Easter, in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan, yesterday.
He said this would go a long way to help the young ones to know about God early in their life as they pursue their academic dreams.
He said this will also ultimately bring peace to the society, as the students grow with the fear of God.
Akanmu urged Christians to have faith in the power that resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead, live patiently and trust in God despite their plights.
“If Jesus didn’t resurrect, we will still be in sin, the Jewish leaders chose to make up the story that it never happened, but on the third day after his death He rose, today He is alive and reigns eternally.
“For broken homes, the neglected, betrayed, bereaved, prisoners, sick, among others, can be restored by the power of His resurrection, the same power that raised Jesus is available for us today, if we can embrace Him,” he said.
Also speaking, the Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, urged Christians to emulate Jesus who laid down His life for the redemption of man.
“Easter Sunday changes the history of humanity, for the righteous, death is a mere passageway, not the end, death will not have the final word, but love and God will; Jesus conquered the devil, death, sin and darkness.
“We must emulate Jesus and live sacrificially; our leaders must similarly make sacrifice for the people, no leadership has legitimacy if it doesn’t make sacrifice and serve citizens.
“Our government must do everything possible to protect Nigerians, secure freedom for the kidnapped, deal with all forms of killings,
“We suffer heavy loss of lives and the authorities do little about it, this must change.
“All Nigerians should believe in Christ and never lose hope, don’t commit suicide, do not despair, God conquered death so what else can He not do for us, let’s always love one another irrespective of tribe, religion or status,” he said.
Badejo further urged Christians to spare a thought for fellow citizens suffering from all manner of insecurity, especially in the North and other places, even as they celebrate the season.
“I express solidarity with fellow Nigerians who are victims of clashes, bloodshed, killings, kidnappings, other tragedies, I pray fervently for a turnaround for peace and harmony all over Nigeria,” he said.
In his remarks, Rev. Alex Okoye of All Saints Anglican Church, Koroduma, Nasarawa, called on the government to emulate the selfless life of Jesus Christ and offer selfless service to the masses.
Okoye urged them to also show love and compassion to the masses by fulfilling the promises they made during electioneering.
“Easter shows that Jesus Christ has power over death, grave, it gives Christians hope, it shows that he who believes in Christ has eternal life; Jesus Christ is the resurrection and life.
“As we celebrate Christ’s resurrection, I pray that everything dead in Nigeria comes back to life in Jesus name, amen,” he said.
It would be recalled that Easter is observed by Christians three days after Good Friday, it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead; churches in Ibadan metropolis joined their counterparts to celebrate the day.
However, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has felicitated with Nigerians across the country on the Easter celebration, and charged the Federal Government to ensure safety of lives, property and free movement of people.
The President of CAN, Rev. Samson Ayokunle revealed this in a statement by the Special Assistant, Media and Communications to the CAN president, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, last Saturday in Abuja.
Ayokunle urged all Nigerians to imbibe the teachings of Jesus Christ so as to drive out vices such as hate speech, bigotry, corruption, banditry and terrorism.
“Kidnapping, increasing wave of armed robbery and resurgence of insurgency coupled with relentless attacks by ethnic militia men are a great concern for patriotic Nigerians and an embarrassment to the nation. These issues should be addressed squarely, promptly and fairly.
“On behalf of CAN, I congratulate all Christians in Nigeria and beyond on this most auspicious occasion of this year’s Easter, which is a commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour,” he said.
He said lack of love today was the breeding ground for religious intolerance, killings and destructions, which in turn lead to insurgency and other forms of violence.
He added that this has led to humanitarian crises such as mass human displacements, hunger, outbreak of sicknesses and diseases across the nation.
He, however, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for assuring Nigerians of his commitment to the provision of security for all, irrespective of tribe, religion or political divide.
The cleric said that Nigerians would want to see that this noble promise is translated into action in the most patriotic way.
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.