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Anglican Church Lists Nine-Point Agenda For Tinubu’s Govt
With seven days to the inauguration of a new government on May 29, the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has congratulated the citizens for their resilience and patriotism, especially the young people, for the change in the political landscape of the country, saying the birth of a new Nigeria was possible.
The Church said this was the best time to test the resilience of the nation’s judicial system in the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
The Primate of the Anglican Church, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, stated these in his presidential address delivered last Saturday during the first session of the 12th synod of Abuja Diocese with the theme: “Synodality: The Transforming Journey with Jesus Christ.”
While congratulating the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the incoming governors, and members of the 10th National Assembly, he said they should be magnanimous in victory and see their victory as “a call to duty and an opportunity to make a difference in the service of God and humanity.”
According to him, Tinubu, governors, and national and state legislators should give due diligence to the security of lives and property, education, healthcare, the economy, the rule of law and law enforcement, all-inclusive government, addressing infrastructural neglect, the completion and operation of critical industries, and the building of a united and prosperous nation.
He said, “Having interacted with political actors, the Anglican Communion demands of the President-elect and his team, the Governors-elect and the national and state legislators that emerged victorious at the polls to give due diligence to the following, namely:
“Nigerian citizens demand that government put high priority on the security of lives and property of citizens by providing adequate security for all citizens. The present state of insecurity and attacks on Christian churches, communities, and indeed the citizens of this country, is worrisome. The security of lives and property of citizens will foster economic growth of the country.
“The government should ensure that education of our children at all levels is given top priority, as this is the best legacy our country can bequeath to her youth. The government should improve the healthcare delivery system, so that the current medical tourism among top government functionaries and privileged few can be completely eradicated or reduced. We have the capacity to provide and be a destination for health tourism, at least in Africa.
“We have great apprehension over the rising inflation, debt servicing burden, fuel subsidy and fear for the future of Nigeria. Alleviating the suffering of the masses should be the priority of the government, hence the Church demands adequate provision of education, economic empowerment and job creation/employment opportunities for the teeming youths and citizens.
“The provision of grants and loans for indigent people as a social safe-net for the citizens will offer every citizen the opportunity to contribute to the development of the country they call their own.
“The Church frowns at the negligent attitude of the leaders and lack of political will to enforce the rule of law. We, therefore, advise the government to maintain the rule of law and uphold civil rights, justice and equity. The judiciary should be made to serve the citizens in matters of justice and equity. Decentralising the police force and creation of state police will help to improve security and maintenance of law and order.
“The Church requests that our leaders should make a comprehensive assessment of the policies and procedures of governance to be able to make governance in Nigeria an all-inclusive affair. The government should ensure that appointment into political offices is not lopsided or done based on sentiment or sectional interests. We have an opportunity to give a new direction to this country, therefore competence and sacrifice for the good of all the citizens must be a priority consideration. The enforcement of the federal character and other regulatory policies will help to restore balance and fairness in the country.
“We encourage the incoming government to address the problem of infrastructural neglect and see to the full execution and completion of road construction, projects, schools and other basic infrastructure and make up for the long infrastructural deficiencies we have suffered in the country. The Church demands that the government should provide social amenities especially electricity, good public transport system and housing for the citizens because this will enhance better life for the citizens.
“The government needs to take as very important the development of key critical projects that are strategic for more economic and technological development of the country, especially, the Ajaokuta Steel Industry, our refineries and the need for modular refineries, textile industries, and other agro-based industries. These sectors will engender fast economic growth and employment opportunities in the country.
“The Church yearns for a rebirth of our nation through the leadership that ensures security of lives and property, a growing economy with a great future, respect for the rights, welfare and equity for all citizens, irrespective of tribe, religion, political affiliations and other preferences, but above all, we need a Nigeria where no person is haunted or oppressed.”
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.