By Justina Auta

The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has advocated the creation of special desks in media organisations and other offices to handle cases of Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV).

The Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche, made the call on Tuesday at an event organised by Supporting Hands Initiative, ComfortStream Aid Foundation, NUJ and NAWOJ in Abuja.

Ogbeche, while making a presentation on Gender Based Violence Reporting, described it as a pandemic, stressed the need for more advocacies and awareness to curtail the menace.

According to him, the need to encourage people to speak out when abused would reduce the trend and ensure pepertrators are punished, which will serve as deterrent to others.

The way forward is to speak out and for organisation that has workplace guidance concerning issues of sexual humiliation, there are organisations that have it whereby you cannot have relationship with your fellow colleague.

They should have places, where such abuses can be reported to a special desk where such abuses can be handled because when there are no rules of guidance, it also enables this things to happen, he said.

The chairman also advised journalists to ensure all stories on SGBV are investigated, fact-checked and reported until justice is served.

Similarly, Ms Anne Daniels, Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), FCT Chapter, also called on the government and relevant stakeholders to ensure a reform of the health sector.

Daniels also advised the public, particularly media practitioners to take their health serious and engage in regular medical checkup.

Ms Omotayo Akinremi, a nephrology nurse, Garki Hospital, advised the public to desist from junk and fast food and administering unprescribed drugs to reduce risk of kidney problems.

Akinremi, also the founder of Omotayo Kidney Care Foundation, advised that people should take more water, balanced diet, exercises and regular medical check to improve their health status.

Similarly, Mr Adeoye Olusegun, a Counselor and Therapist, encouraged Nigerians to always speak out, as well as take mental health serious.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other highlights of the day were the free vital checks, urinalysis and counselling therapy for journalists. (NAN)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Okon Okon, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

In the just-concluded celebration of the Civil Service Week, marked globally, the Federal Government expounded its quest to reposition the service with the unveiling of a Culture Change Video.

During the week-long celebration, the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) from 2021 to 2025, was also inaugurated.

The pilot phase of the Federal Civil Service Bus Scheme and the ground breaking ceremony for the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH), award of the outstanding civil servants in MDAs, among others, were the high points of the event.

The theme of the 2022 Civil Service Week is Performance Management System (PMS): Impact on Productivity.

The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, at her assumption of office, introduced several reforms to reposition the civil service for improved efficiency and professionalism.

Yemi-Esan said that the Federal Government underscored the need to introduce the FCSSIP 2021 to 2025, initiated by the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF).

She said the FCSSIP was designed to reengineer the Federal Public Service for increased productivity and quality service delivery.

According to her, the scheme is also aimed at addressing some critical issues in the Federal Civil Service, focusing on capacity building and talents management, performance management system, IPPIS and human resource management, innovation, digitisation and staff welfare.

The Federal Government, however, through the office of the HOCSF, has recorded some of the achievements in its quest to turn the civil service to an Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-centred (EPIC) world class service.

This was achieved through some innovative and proactive programmes and policies under the flagship programme of FCSSIP, she said.

Yemi-Esan said the commemoration of civil service week provided a platform for African nations and Nigeria in particular to recognise the value and virtue of service to the community.

The celebration, according to Yemi-Esan, will provide opportunity to highlight and share best practices on how to reposition the service for enhanced performance.

She explained that the theme for 2022 celebration was adopted as an innovative way of not only getting more work done efficiently and effectively, but also ensure objective way of measuring performance of individual civil servant across board.

This is why far-reaching efforts are being made in the Nigeria Civil Service to replace the subjective Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER) with PMS.

Hence, the choice of the theme is informed by the need for us to highlight the importance of PMS and galvanise action towards its emplacement in the service.

President Muhammadu Buhari who also spoke at the event, said he was delighted to celebrate Nigerian civil servants at the occasion of civil service week, not only to symbolically commemorate the day.

He expressed delight about the ongoing efforts to return the civil service to its pride of place in delivering efficient and effective services to the nation.

Buhari described the present crop of Nigerias civil servants as engine room of government and commended them for partnering the government in driving the implementation of its programmes, in spite of difficult economic situation.

I want to specially appreciate your commitment and dedication during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which your professionalism contributed significantly to contain the spread of the virus to the wonder of the global community.

Speaking on the significant of the FCSSIP initiative, Buhari explained that the initiative was approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2021, with the aim of transforming the nations civil service into a world class service for accelerated development.

The Culture Change Video will go a long way to reinforcing some of the competencies required for improved service delivery and it is a tool for sensitising the civil servants on the required attributes.

The FCSSIP 2021 to 2025, which I am also going to launch today, contains the initiatives for transforming the civil service into a world class service for accelerated development.

According to him, the theme Performance Management System (PMS): Impact on Productivity, is focused on a self-introspection of how the means of assessing what the civil servant does on a daily basis and would affect the generality of the public service and by extension, Nigerians.

The president, nevertheless, assured the civil servants of his administrations commitment to improve the civil service.

Accordingly, I have set up the Presidential Committee on Salaries to harmonise salaries service-wide.

It is my hope that the outcome of the committees work will provide the impetus for an upward review of the salaries of deserving civil servants, having recently increased the Duty Tour Allowance of all civil servants as a starting point.

Some stakeholders have hailed the planned reposition of the civil service, saying it was long overdue.

They attributed the poor state of the civil service to years of poor remuneration.

They said that the civil service reform was necessary, as it would improve efficiency, effectiveness, professionalism and democratic character of the civil service.

A civil servant, Mr Emmanuel Usoh, commended the Federal Government for its innovative projects and reformation programmes, but called for urgent harmonisation of salaries and emoluments of all government agencies.

Usoh also appealed to the government to create conducive working environment for public workers.

Yes, it is true that the present government through the introduction of reform programmes wants to strengthen the civil service.

But my worry is that for how long shall we continue to work with out dated equipment in our offices?

Some of us cannot boast of computer sets in our offices, let alone comfortable office spaces.

Another civil servant, Mrs Margaret Benson, also appealed to the Federal Government to fast-track the implementation of the salary harmonisation, adding that many civil servants are feeling disillusioned working in the system.

With workers in organisations such as NNPC, CBN, NDIC among others, receiving better packages than the rest of us, how can we cope with the present high cost of living?

It is discouraging seeing someone you are on the same level, the same academic qualification, but he is earning more than you, are we not working for the same government?

I will appeal, as we are made to understand that the FCSSIP contents will also affect staff welfare, let government do something about this harmonisation to boost the morale of other civil servants, Benson said.

Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who spoke, described PMS as a pace-setting system that distinguishes serious and forward-looking organisations aspiring to reach the pinnacle in a 21st century competitive world.

According to Oyeyemi, who was a guest lecturer, PMS clearly articulates the vision, goals and objectives of an organisation and stipulates ways of achieving them via strategic focus, without undermining human resource capacity as key variable to their realisation.

Using the FRSC as a case study, he listed planning, monitoring, development and improvement, periodic rating, feedback mechanism and continuous improvement as key elements to the successful implementation of PMS.

Commending the head of service for taking a bold step in the implementation of PMS, Oyeyemi viewed it as a right step in the right direction towards enhancing productivity.

In all, the strategic plan by the Federal Government is to reform and reposition the age-long institution for better service delivery to Nigerians. (NANFeature)

**If used, please credit the writer as well as the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Bosede Olufunmi

The Emir of Kano, Dr. Aminu Ado-Bayero, has renewed his drivers licence at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Drivers Licence Main Centre located at Kano State Internal Revenue Services, Kano.

The Emir obtained his first licence in 1982, according to a statement on Tuesday.

The statement was issued by the Sector Commander FRSC Kano State Sector Command, CC Zubairu Mato, in Kano.

The statement said sequel to courtesy visit of the Emir; there is need for traditional rulers to encourage their subjects to process their licences.

The exercise is good and an excellent example, it said.

It also highlighted importance of obtaining the licence as it could serve as personal ID card.

It said it could also be used for many national and mandatory functions in the bank, for insurance, hospitals to help clarify claim about oneself.

The national drivers licence can be exchange with their countries drivers licence, the statement said.

Earlier, Ado-Bayero called attention of the general public driving vehicles, tricycles popularly known as Keke Napep and motorcycles to do their licences as well renew them when they expire.

He also urged other traditional leaders to show sign of leadership and come out in person to renew their licences.

He thanked the Sector Commander of the FRSC Kano State Commander, Chairman Kano Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) and Director Road Traffic Service for their diligence in making motoring environment safe and easy in the state.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By EricJames Ochigbo

A motion to halt the proposed nationwide ban of commercial motorcycles operation by the Federal Government has been stepped down by the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The motion which was sponsored by Rep. Abubakar Yallemen (APC-Jigawa) prayed the house to urge the Federal Government to halt the proposed nationwide ban.

The motion called for adequate palliative measures before such decisions are implemented, adding that such ban should be restricted to local government areas where mining and terrorist activities occur.

Presenting the motion, Yallemen said that the proposed ban would render millions of Nigerians jobless, which could be catastrophic for a nation grappling with unemployment and poverty.

He said while banning commercial motorcycle operation as a means of curtailing security challenges, the welfare and wellbeing of the citizenry should be considered foremost.

Yallemen said the security and welfare of the people should be the primary purpose of government as provided in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.

However, after a brief consultation with the sponsor, the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Ahmed Wase, stressed the need for the parliament to support the Federal Government in combating insecurity.

We appreciate what our brother has brought, and our appeal to government is, as it implements this policy or if it is going to implement, it should look at those areas that are not vulnerable.

Most of us; 90 per cent of community if not to 99 per cent, this is the only means of transportation.

So we appreciate this motion but in line with our principles to help curb the incessant insecurity in our country, we have to cooperate with government.

You cannot imagine what is happening today in Abuja, I will be frank with you, I went through DSS report, 44 reports were given before the attack of Kuje; I want to confirm to you, I read through all the reports.

It has to do with this, there is no community that an attack will happen that you will not have an intel and this is part of the intel they have given as to what will happen.

I want us to cooperate with the government and step down this motion, he said.

Responding, Yallemen said having listened to the presiding officer, the bill should be stepped down for further legislative consultations. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abubakar Ahmed/Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Mohammed Bello as Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

Bellos confirmation was sequel to the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on National Planning and Economic Affairs.

Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Olubunmi Adetunmbi, presented the report.

Adetunmbi said that from the available documents and the presentation made to the committee, the nominee satisfied the requirement for appointment as the chairman of the commission.

He added that, the nominee is very well experienced and adequately exposed at the top levels of government administration and has acquired the capacity to function as chairman.

Adetunmbi disclosed that there were no petitions against the nominee and no objections raised from the Senators from his state of origin for his nomination.

The nominee is proper and fit to occupy the office of the Chairman in the Commission, the lawmaker said.(NAN)
(www.nannews.ng)

KC/BRM/JTJ

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani/Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By Deji Abdulwahab

A political group, Tinubu Youth Disciples (TYD) has called on Nigerian youths to put aside tribal and religious sentiments in order to build a better and united nation.

The Convener of the group, Prince Koyoyo Uhrorho, gave the charge on Tuesday at the Unveiling/Inauguration of Tinubu Youth Disciples (TYD) in Abuja.

Uhrorho said, At this critical stage in our country, Nigeria, the sentiments that have divided and held us down as a country should be abandoned and put aside to build a better nation.

By divine mandate, we were born Nigerians by tribe and nationality before religion was introduced, it is therefore awkward to promote the issue of religion to the detriment of our great nation.

On the Muslim/Muslim ticket of Tinubu/Shettima, it is our take that what this country needs at this crucial time is competence and the ability to deliver.

The problem bedeviling us today is not religion, hence the hullabaloo about the Muslim/Muslim Tinubu/Shettima ticket is unnecessary politicised and misplaced.

He said that the group, having carefully studied and analysed the antecedents, track records, developmental stride and youth-oriented governance of Tinubu had decided to support his presidential candidacy for 2023.

According to him, the group identifies with the need for the Nigerian youths to stand, galvanise and mobilise fellow youths in support of Tinubu/Shetima mandate come 2023

Uhrorho also dispelled that the notion that Nigerian youths are not in support of Tinubu/Shettima ticket.

It is worthy of note that a great percentage of the Nigerian youths in politics are in the APC and are very ready to support the Tinubu/Shettima mandate.

We hereby reassure Nigerian youths that under Tinubu/Shettima the Nigerias dreams would be a reality, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the TYD is a forum for the Nigerian youths with membership cutting across the country, who share the political ideologies of Tinubu.

It was also birthed to actualise the vision of the Nigerian youths to effectively participate in politics. (NAN) ()

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By Ibukun Emiola
The Oyo State Government has sanctioned some head teachers for collecting illegal fees and denying pupils access to examination halls in the ongoing Public Primary Schools Unified Examinations.

Dr Nureni Adeniran, the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), made this known in a statement on Monday in Ibadan, while monitoring the examination.

Adeniran said that five head teachers of Methodist Basic School (School one to five), Gan-gansi, were found culpable in the alleged illegal collection of fees, spearheaded by the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) of the school, who chased the pupils home.

He said that the present administration had abolished collection of any development levy in all schools across the state.

Adeniran frowned at the role of the school authority who compelledparents to contribute the said fee.

No doubt, SBMCs, PTAs can contribute to the development of their local schools, but it must not in any way affect the education of pupils.

No child should be discriminated against in the state education sector, Adeniran said.

According to him, some parents had reported to the board that head teachers of the school denied their children access to the examination hall for failing to pay the N100 development levy charged by the schools management and SBMC, through a popular radio station in Ibadan.

Adeniran said that the present administration, under Gov. Seyi Makindes leadership, would not fold its arms and allow saboteurs to ridicule its efforts in mandating free education.

For denying Gov. Seyi Makindes pupils access to write examinations,queries have been issued to head-teachers of the affected schools, he said.

The SUBEB chairman, also directed that all learners should be allowed to sit for examinations without any form of hindrance.

He urged teachers in all public schools to adhere strictly to the state governments policies and directives on education.

Some of the schools visited included IMG, Ibuko Ibadan South East LGA; Ratibi Muslim School, Molete, South-West; IMG Basic School, Idi-Iroko, Molete.

Adeniran, who led a team of officials from SUBEB also visited Islamic Mission School One, Bode, Ibadan; Methodist Basic School One to Five, Gan-gansi and Community Primary School, Awotunde, Ona-ara LGA and a host of others.

He said that the monitoring exercise would continue in the course of the week, which would also be extended to other zones of the state, including Ogbomoso, Oyo, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Benson Iziama/Olagoke Olatoye

Source: NAN News

By Joan Nwagwu

The Federal Government on Monday says it has shut down the diving operations of Scorpion Oil Services onboard MV African Installer offshore Lagos for operating without the requisite approvals.

Mrs Lauretta Adogu, the Director of Factories of the Federation in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, said this during a monitoring exercise conducted by the ministry and the Chief Inspector of Diving, Mr Julius Ugwala.

Adogu, who is also the Director, Occupational Safety and Health Department, said this in a statement signed by Mr Olajide Oshundun, Head, Press and Public Relations in the ministry.

The director said the shut down had become necessary as they had also violated the provisions of the Factories (Diving at Work) Regulations, 2018.

She said that the monitoring exercise was aimed at ensuring full compliance with Nigerias Factories (Diving at Work) Regulations, 2018.

According to her, the diving operations being carried out by the contractor, Scorpion Oil Services, posed huge threats to the divers.

She also said that an on-the-spot assessment also revealed that the company was using inappropriate equipment and unqualified personnel.

Adogu said that Scorpion Oil Services also disregarded the Local Content law, with the operations wholly dominated by foreigners.

The operators did not comply with the Factories (Diving at Work) Regulations, 2018.

The Regulations stipulate that before any diving operation commences within the Nigerian territorial waters, there must be an authorisation approval issued by the Director of Factories of the Federation.

Additionally, the Local Content law says Nigerians should be considered first for such operations, but the operators did not meet that requirement, as the place was filled with expatriates, she said..

She also added that diving operations must get authorisation approval before commencement, and this company has not requested for any approval and does not have one.

The company is being closed for non-compliance to these, and work here has been prohibited, she said. (NAN) ()

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Source: NAN News

By Sarafina Christopher

The Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners, Repairs and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) has appealed to the Federal Government to review its proposed ban on motorcycle.

Mr Samsudeen Apelogun, ACOMORAN President made appeal at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on July 21, the National Security Council proposed a nationwide ban on commercial motorcycle operation.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who disclosed the councils plan linked it to the fight against terrorism.

According to Apelofun, the proposed ban on commercial motorcycles will create more problems because they also serve as means of transportation to the people.

The council is proposing to put an end to the means of mobility and source of livelihood of 40 million Nigerians.

This will have a negative effect because motorcycles are means of commercial transportation that has provided the needed jobs for millions of Nigerian citizens,

Some of this riders are graduates of higher institutions who would have been an added weight on an already over-blown unemployed sector of the country.

Commuters see motorcycles as a relief to traffic and other transportation problems while riders see it as a source of livelihood, he said..

The ACOMORAN president said that without doubt, motorcycles had enhanced mobility for the middle income earners and also contributed to increase in productivity through increase in man-hours.

It has also improved accessibility, employment opportunities and job insecurity thereby, reducing poverty through improved income and a boost economic growth.

A reliable and affordable road transportation system plays a very useful role in the social-economic development of nations. Apelogun said.

He further said that members of the association were law abiding citizens who believed there was dignity in labour.

We struggle every day to provide for our families and also ensure we dont do anything that will contravene the law of the land.

We ensure we pay our tax daily to the government in form of tickets and levies and never fail to comply with safety directory.

We want to put it on record that 95 per cent of those riding motorcycles are doing it because they dont have any better option and they are unwilling to resort to crime, he said.

Apelogun noted that the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with the association introduced a security wise app called NISPSAS.

This app ensures the proper registration of the database of all riders and proffers a lot of advantages in helping to compose riders.

ACOMORAN as a body foresaw this kind of plan by the government which led us to introduce an innovative idea to develop an app named ACORIDE,

ACORIDE is a large database that serves a regulatory purpose between the association, riders and commuters, the association leader said.

He, however, reiterated the associations promised to support the Federal Government in bringing to book anyone or group that intended to jeopardise its efforts.

We, therefore, appeal to the government to carefully think through the proposed action which will subject severe hardship on the masses.

We also appeal passionately to the government to take holistic view of the problem concerning the ban and call for a parley with all the stakeholders to proffer solutions, he added.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chinyere Bassey/Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Angela Atabo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the deadline for the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise remains July 31, and those who register more than once would not get their PVCs.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC FCT, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, made this known at a news conference on the commissions state of preparedness for the 2023 general elections, on CVR,PVC validity andcollection in Abuja.

Bello said that all CVR activities except the collection of already printed PVCs would be suspended on Sunday July 31, adding that the commission increased the closing hours to 5pm daily including Saturdays and Sundays.

According to him, this was done to accommodate the reawaking of those who now realised that they need their PVCs at the last hour of the programme that has been ongoing for over a year.

He said, The number of people who registered and whose registration has been invalidated is becoming alarming; a lot of people have registered in one or two registration centres.

They will get nothing by doing so whatever their intentions were, because at the end of the day, they will be declared as people without PVC at all.

Any double or triple registration is null and void, we will go through our machines after these exercise and clean our register so that we can come up with the list of people who genuinely are going to in 2023.

So let me appeal to people thatthey should always tell our staff at registration centres exactly what they want to do ,whether they have never registered before ,they have lost their cards ,or it is defaced, or they want transfer from one place to another.

Bello urged them not to register afresh because it would not help them .

He appealed to residents to patronisecentres close to their locations, adding that there was no need for people in the suburbs to come all the way to INECs office in Area 10.

He said that the commission on Monday July 25, began special registration for Persons With Disabilities at the designated CVR centres to ensure inclusivity explain that both PWDs and other Nigerian could use the under listed centres.

TheCVR centresremains : City Centre -Diplomatic Park, Area 1 , Gwarinpa GSS Life Camp, Wuse GSS Zone 3 , Kabusa Primary School and Lugbe Primary School.

Others areGiwa Gwagwa Primary School,GUI -Gosa Primary School, Karshi- Karshi Development Centre,Orozo Orozo Primary School.

The rest are:Nyanya G.S.S Nyanya ,Kubwa- L.E.A Primary School Kubwa,Dutse-Aljaji L.E.A Primary School Dutse, L.E.A Primary School, Dawaki L.E.A and Primary School, Mpape, he said

Bello said that the commission had made an arrangement with a Civil Society Orgainsations (CSOs) to make PVC collection easier for citizens at the end of the CVR exercise, using SMS to reach them at their nearest locations.

He added that those who participated in the CVR would get theirPVCs by October.

The REC said that the commission had investigated the claim by residents that its staff were charging them money before registering them.

He said that the commission found out that the claim was false because the people involved were not staff of the commission, but those who claimed to be volunteering and the issue had been addressed.

He said that INEC was working to ensure that anything that would mitigate the 2023 elections is taken care of.

Bello said that the 2023 general elections would be much more better than previous elections conducted so far in the country.

He appealed to politicians, electorate and other stakeholders to cooperate with INEC to make it work .(NAN)(nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News