News
2023: Return Nigeria To Path Of Prosperity, Peace, Anglican Primate Tells Leaders
Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Primate of All Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev Henry Ndukuba, has called on political leaders at all levels to exert themselves to return the country to the path of prosperity and peace.
According to him, Nigeria was fast becoming a failed state, but the downward spiral must not be allowed to continue.
Ndukuba, who gave the charge in his address during the 11th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Abuja,weekend, listed the challenges facing the country as insecurity, weak economy, and political impunity.
He, however, advised Nigerians, irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliations, to join hands in the collective action to tackle these issues.
“Nigeria is fast becoming a land flowing with tears and blood because the reality of terror, devastation, destruction and fear are evident. The troubles that come to the people are like the earthquake which was followed by a Tsunami with great destruction and property.
“Our people have lost their homes, livelihood, lives and property. Parts of this country are in the hands of different warlords, and state governors are incapacitated and unable to secure their states from the insurgents and the Federal Government also seems to be overwhelmed.
“We are constantly under attacks in our nation and in some parts of our dioceses, churches have been destroyed, our members kidnapped, some people are killed violently by sudden attacks by unidentified gunmen.
“The painful thing is that the dead are not counted and adequate recognition of the evil, made. The trivialising of the sanctity of the lives of Nigerians in their own land is fast becoming a norm,” he said.
As a panacea to these fundamental issues, the Anglican Primate said the urgency of a constitutional reform in Nigeria cannot be overstated.
He said, “The history of this country shows that in the different stages of our development and nationhood, several Constitutions were evolved to guide the country.
“While we commend the National Assembly for their efforts at reviewing the present Constitution, we are convinced that what we need is a totally new civilian constitution made by a sovereign representation of the nationalities of this country.
“This will address the fundamental issues necessary for growing, a united and prosperous nation. We need a new citizen-made national Constitution and not the amendment of a military formulated Constitution.”
On the state of the economy, Ndukuba warned the Federal Government that remaining within the current debt-to-GDP threshold was unsustainable without dire consequences, noting that about 90percent of the country’s revenue goes to debt-servicing.
He said, “The current trend of increased borrowing from other countries and international bodies to fund our national budget is becoming worrisome.
“The country’s rising public debt profile remains of great concern as about 95percent of our revenue goes to debt-servicing. This is unsustainable. In addition, it greatly limits expenditures for other critical sectors of the economy, thus hampering growth and development.
“Any external borrowing, which proceeds will end up in individual or party purses for campaigns, is evil and will destroy the economy more.
“We strongly caution against further borrowing and urge the government to harken to MPC’s advice to seek for alternative, more viable and efficient infrastructure-financing sources in order to ease our expenditure burden.”
He further challenged the government to show greater political will toward rehabilitating the country’s moribund refineries to enable them refine the crude into Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel and kerosene, and thereby stop the importation of these products and the drain on Nigeria’s foreign reserves by the importations.
The Anglican primate noted that the year 2022 was very strategic in preparation for the general election of 2023.
He, therefore, cautioned politicians against bringing foreigners from neighbouring countries in order to enhance their political advantage.
“The foreigner who has no affinity or stake in this country can do any havoc for the financial rewards he stands to gain thereafter. There is a need, therefore, to guard our national borders against marauders and raiders,” he warned.
Ndukuba, nevertheless, urged all eligible Nigerians to be involved in the political process of the nation, saying politics is a God-given process aimed towards ordering the world and society.
“Though some people have hijacked the political processes for their personal agenda politics is not dirty as it was perceived by some people in the past.
“We encourage all citizens to be involved in the political process of our states and nation Christians should register with any party of their choice and be involved in the activities of the party from the ward level to the national.
“Those who contest for political offices are chosen from the grassroots and ward levels. The Anglican Church must be fully mobilised in the political process throughout this country,” he stressed.
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.