News
Local Content: FG Employs 500 Indigenous Engineers
The Federal Government has employed 500 indigenous engineers in the construction sector to boost local content and lay quality foundation for infrastructural development.
President Goodluck Jonathan, made this known at the inauguration ceremony of the 29th President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) last Saturday in Abuja.
Represented by the Minister of State for Works, Mr Bashir Yuguda, the president said the recruitment of the engineers was in fulfilment of government’s commitment to professional excellence and local content drive in the country.
The president said the gesture was also in response to the request of the works ministry in line with his administration’s resolve to bring professionalism into governance.
He said government was reforming all sectors of the economy, especially the road sector to enhance the achievement of Vision 20:20:20.
“In line with the transformation agenda of this administration, the government promotes professionalism and that is why 500 engineers have been employed.
“The National Planning Commission is responsible for the development of a 30 year National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan from 2014 to 2043.
“The commission is working closely with all the relevant stakeholders, including development partners to ensure that it meets the deadline.
“This is to avoid the gap that we have in delivering infrastructure to the nation and we will appreciate the effort of the NSE,” he said.
The president commended NSE’s monitoring and evaluation exercise, saying “it is a welcome development as it will help to enhance infrastructure development.”
Jonathan urged the body to continue to strive to bring up young engineers, especially those involved in industrial training.
Earlier, the former president, Mr Mustafa Shehu, said that the NSE had a lot of achievements during his tenure.
He said that during his tenure, the society upgraded the network of its ICT infrastructure to meet global standards.
Shehu said that the NSE partnered with NIGCOMSAT for the provision of the e-voting software which was solely developed by Nigerian engineers and used for its elections.
“The technology has been tried for two years now and the outcome has been splendid ;it is indeed an achievement the nation can learn from in elections in Nigeria,” he said.
He urged Nigerian engineers to continue to strive to uphold professionalism and engineering ethics while developing the country’s construction sector.
New President of NSE, Engr Ademola Olorunfemi, said his administration would focus on providing quality and inspirational leadership through the display of the ingenuity of Nigerian engineers.
Olorunfemi said that NSE Monitoring Action Groups (NMAGs) to monitor policies and programmes affecting critical sectors of the economy would be established.
He also said that NSE would initiate policy reforms and practical action to mitigate growing youth unemployment and create technological development for sustainable development in the country.
Olorunfemi added that the Nigerian Content Development Law 2010 was a scheme with the potential to create over 30,000 jobs in the next five years, adding that this could only be achieved by encouraging local production.
He further urged government to continue to create avenues to promote local content, saying this would lead to sustainable development.
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.