Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazak of Kwara

By Olubukola Aiyedogbon

Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazak of Kwara, has declared March 17 as work-free day for civil servants in the state.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Kwara Head of Service, Mrs Susan Oluwole, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Ilorin on Thursday.

According to Oluwole, the work-free day is to enable workers in the state to travel to their respective local governments and places of voting for the gubernatorial and state Houses of Assembly elections, slated for March 18.

The Kwara Governor has graciously approved Friday, 17 March, as a work-free day for the state workforce.

Workers are therefore advised to freely exercise their voting franchise and be law abiding, before, during and after the elections, the statement reads in part. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Vincent Obi

Source: NAN News

Humanitarian stakeholders at the pre-validation workshop for the draft National Cash and Voucher Assistance Policy organised by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in Keffi, Nasarawa State

By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD), on Thursday engaged relevant stakeholders to review the zero draft National Cash and Voucher Assistance Policy (NCVAP) to enhance humanitarian interventions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 69 stakeholders participated in the workshop organised by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in collaboration with other partners.

Mrs Olamide Dauda, Policy Development Consultant, speaking at the two-day pre-validation workshop for the Draft National Cash and Voucher Assistance Policy in Keffi, Nasarawa State, said the policy would enhance local economy.

Dauda said the aim of the initiative was to adopt more use of cash and voucher assistance, so that there would be no disruption to the local economy.

Essentially, were here to get all the stakeholders involved together to align on the policy direction and to guide ahead of the validation meeting.

We have been in the middle of a protracted crisis for over a decade, and in light of disaster related incidents.

So government is leveraging on existing structures within the social investment programme to provide cash assistance to not just to the poor but the vulnerable.

We have a different segments of urban poor, whom any change to their livelihood means a shift from normalcy to poverty.

Also in terms of the victims, its more dignifying because it gives them choice. I may give you a particular food but it might not be your critical need.

Were conducting a needs assessment; we need to understand your needs. So that the policy were designing meets the operational bottlenecks and the challenges that have been identified by the stakeholders.

Dauda said that the policy would provide a pathway beyond responding to disaster to resilience.

She, however, urged the government to provide leadership to coordinate and regulate the actors.

Ms. Rose Iwueze, a Consultant on Environmental Management and Occupational Health, while commending the ministry for the initiative described the policy as apt.

Before now, it has been an ad hoc arrangement but this will be like a formalised way of addressing the humanitarian issues in the area of cash transfer and voucher especially at the grassroots.

And even with the cashless policy introduced by the CBN, I think it will be a collaborative idea to achieve this, although the people in the rural community need a lot of education.

Iwueze said that the beneficiaries should be enlightened on the policy for effective operation.

Another participant with the National Cash Transfer Office, Mr Emmanuel Eban also said the policy was excellent because it would serve as a legal framework that supported humanitarian interventions and operations.

If humanitarian actors want to give assistance in kind or cash to people who are vulnerable by virtue of insurgency or disasters, the policy will be a legal framework that supports our operations.

The policy is welcomed because it tells the actors what they can do or not and within the boundaries operate in a sovereign nation like Nigeria, Eban said.

He said the policy would ensure that people who were disadvantaged by virtue of their location or the events around their lives were taken care of.(NAN)()

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Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Grace Yussuf

Source: NAN News

An

By Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu

The Anambra State Local Government Service Commission says plans are underway to digitalise its operations to comply with international best practices.

Mr Ifeanyi Ezeaka, Chairman of the commission, made the disclosure on Thursday in Awka, at a digital literacy training for Local Government Employees, organised by Integral Development Konsult (IDK).

Ezeaka said, This training is one of the efforts to actualise the initiative of Gov. Chukwuma Soludos administration, which is to digitalise the state and make it a prosperous and liveable homeland.

This is to ensure that every local government staff is computer literate. After this training, there shall be no appointment of personnel who are not computer literate.

We are digitalising the entire system of the commission, including an ICT centre fully furnished with computers and will be connecting all the 21 local governments online.

He urged participants to take the training seriously to reciprocate the state governments huge investment on capacity building.

Declaring the training open, Gov. Soludo said that the local government operations was critical to his administration.

Soludo, who was represented byhis Chief of Staff, Mr Ernest Ezeajughi, said that the training would further improve the skills, and competence of the local government employees in the state.

He said that his administration was committed to ensuring regular training and re-training of employees.

We are investing tax payers money in this project, we appeal to participants to justify the investment in the training, by becoming the best in their line of duties, he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran

Source: NAN News

By Bridget Ikyado

Dr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) says it will synergise with the Bureau of Public Service Reforms(BPSR), on data protection to enhance effective public service delivery.

The national commissioner spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after an official visit to the Director-General, BPSR, Mr Dasuki Arabi, on awareness creation on data protection and provision in Nigeria.

Olatunji said: Knowing the important role of data in public service reforms, we are here to strengthen synergy for better outcomes.

When you are talking about reforms you are talking about digitalization; including the pattern and there is no way you can talk about reforms without identity.

More importantly in the area of digitalization including all the patterns and there is no way you can talk about reforms without identity in the area of digitalization.

He also stressed the need for identities in the cyberspace to be protected by the law and ensure that data was safely processed as projected.

Olatunji said his office would partner the bureau and work together in areas such as creating awareness, capacity building and provision of the laws by the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation(NDPR).

There was a circular issued by the SGF for all MDAs in November 2022, to comply by the directive of having privacy policies, having their data protection officers

It also directed them to ensure that they put in place adequate technical and organizational measures, he said.

The national commissioner said that such measures would protect the data of citizens and all vendors working with NDPR in the public services.

In his remarks, Arabi, commended the team for the visit and the partnership for national development.

He outlined the achievement of the bureau in reforms in the federal public service.

We have installed a new pay regime in the public service; we have cleaned up of the personal payroll in the public service; deployed first electronic FOI portal in Nigeria.

The bureau had restructured ministries to reduce their number, we have also reformed tax, budget, public financial management and due process in public procurement Arabi said.

The director-general said that the bureau had collaborated with Ministries ,Department and Agencies on ideas exchange.

He also said the bureau would collaborate with the data protection bureau on the ongoing review of the national strategy for public service reforms.

We will collaborate to facilitate research on topical reforms issues, impact assessment; monitoring and evaluation, Arabi said.

The director-general also said his office would collaborate with the bureau of capacity building on ICT, e-Government Master Plan and digital literacy of public servants.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

Alhaji Lai Mohammed

By Ismaila Chafe

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the 2023 population and housing census earlier scheduled for March 29 has been shifted to May 2023.

Mohammed confirmed this when he briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to the minister, the decision to shift the census was necessitated by the postponement of the Gubernatorial and State Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from March 11 to March 18.

He also disclosed that the council approved N2.8 billion for the National Population Commission (NPC), to procure some software to be used for the conduct of the census.

There was a memo presented by the NPC, seeking for some software to allow them conduct the census in May this year.

I believe because of the rescheduling of the elections, they cannot commence the census as scheduled.

They sought councils approval for a contract to procure software for the census at the sum of N2.8 billion, he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

By Tosin Kolade

The Organised Private Sector in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (OPS-WASH) has officially announced its commitment to drive private sector movement to accelerate progress to scale up water and sanitation facilities in Zimbabwe.

OPS-WASH National Coordinator, Dr Nicholas Igwe in a statement on Wednesday, said the partnership became necessary, following the critical role that access to clean water and sanitation played in a countrys development.

According to him, the constituency has the means to effectively coordinate relevant stakeholders in Nigeria and globally toward creating innovative strategies for the sector.

Citing activities in Nigeria, Igwe said using the pillars of financial institutions, technology and innovations, philanthropy and others, the OPS-WASH had brought together key organisations such as Coca-Cola, Lixil and FMDQ Group to the sector.

He said OPSWASH, which was borne out of Zenith Water Projects, was already making significant contributions to the WASH sector in Nigeria.

He stressed that private sector investment would help achieve SDG six, through efficiency and sustainability, adding that they had the capacity to boost innovation in the sector.

The statement quoted Dylord Mutamuko of HitBay Sanitation, and a Sanitation and Water For All (SWA) Constituency member, as saying that coordination and partnership was needed for scaling up sanitation in the African region.

I am worried about the lack of coordinating platforms for the rest of Africa, especially given the critical need for accelerated progress at this time.

Mutamuko however, accepted to take the lead in building the OPS-WASH Zimbabwe platform, to ensure better coordination of all private sector players.

The statement also quoted Mr Nesbert Shirihuru, from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural development, as pledging to support OPS-WASH Zimbabwe, particularly in the area of waste management.

Muchanyara Jarawaza, WASH Specialist, UNICEF Zimbabwe, commended the partnership, provided words of support and expressed commitment to facilitate multi-stakeholder collaboration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the OPSWASH and other organisations hosted the 2022 World Toilet Summit, with the theme Sanitation Innovations for Economic Development.

Recommendations from the summit included the need for political leadership at the highest level to galvanise the commitment required at all levels.

Others were; mobilising adequate domestic and external funding for the required economic revolution and sanitation economy. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma

Source: NAN News

By Thompson Yamput

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has completed configuration of the Bimodal Voter Registration Systems (BVAS) for the conduct of the House of Assembly elections in Kogi on Saturday.

Dr Hale Longpet, Kogi Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) made the declaration in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that only the House of Assembly election will hold in Kogi on Saturday.

The as governorship election isto hold in November because Gov Yahaya Bellos tenure ends on Jan. 27, 2024.

The commissioner said that the commission had gotten all materials needed, aside ballot papers and result sheets which are being expected through the Central Bank on Thursday.

Just this Monday, we assessed all the materials to see their levels of functionality and some of the BVAS that were either stolen or damaged were replaced.

Although we have not retrieved any (BVAS) that were stolen, we have successfully replaced them for the purpose and successful conduct of the election.

By Thursday, we shall go for the distribution of the materials such as the ballot papers and result sheets at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Zonal Headquarters here in Lokoja.

Its expected that on Friday evening the Electoral Officers (EOs) in all the LGAs would deploy all the Adhoc staff with the necessary materials to the RAs so that by early morning of Saturday they would be at their various polling units to conduct the election, he said

Longpet urged the people of Kogi to come out en-masse to cast their votes without any fear as the security operatives have assured the Commission of their readiness to protect lives and property better than last time.

They (security agents) have assured us that they have stepped up their security apparatus and strategies to ensure the peaceful conduct of house of Assembly elections in Kogi.

The REC said that security agencies have promised to redoubled their Surveillance at the flash points or black spots to checkmate activities of political thugs and trouble shooters.

What we are expecting from the people is for them to just get ready with their PVCs to vote for candidates of their choices and should make sure that their votes count, Longpet said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Source: NAN News

Dr Jumoke Oduwole, PEBEC Secretary/Special Adviser to the President

By Lucy Ogalue

The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has urged the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to address charges introduced for National Identification Number (NIN) integration and verification.

Dr Jumoke Oduwole, PEBEC Secretary/Special Adviser to the President, Ease of Doing Business, in a statement said this would enable passport applicants get faster and cheaper access to government services.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NIMC introduced a new charge of N1,000 for NIN integration and verification for each Nigerian passport applicant, with effect from April 1.

Oduwole commended the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) for significantly improving the quality of service, accuracy, and speed of passport services through NIN verification.

She said NISs move was in response to the incessant difficulties Nigerians experienced in verifying their NIN during passport registration process.

She, however, noted that the additional cost for each applicants passport initiated by NIMC was not well received by stakeholders.

Furtherance to the provisions of the Business Facilitation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (BFA), which was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 8.

Codifying Executive Order 001 on transparency and efficiency of public service delivery, for the purposes of the One Government directive, where an applicant requires service from a Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA).

The MDA is however mandated to conduct the necessary verification or certification from relevant MDAs, in respect of the applicant, Oduwole said.

On May 18, 2017, Executive Order 001 (EO1) on Transparency and efficiency was issued to strengthen the implementation of business climate reforms.

It was meant to also deepen collaboration among MDAs by instituting a systemic change management process for reforms.

EO1 mandates MDAs to submit monthly reports to the PEBEC Secretariat, the offices of the Head of Service (HOS) of the Federation, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and SERVICOM.

On March 9, PEBEC released its 2022 Executive Order 001 (EO1) Compliance Report, in line with its promise to continuously track and keep the business community updated on the compliance with the Executive Order.

In the last six years, the council has consistently published an EO1 Compliance Report, which captures a periodic empirical analysis of the monthly reports received from MDAs.

The PEBEC, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, was established in July 2016 by Buhari to remove critical bottlenecks and bureaucratic constraints to doing business in Nigeria. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Source: NAN News

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, inaugurating the newly-constructed 60-bed ward at Kishi General Hospital in Oyo State on Tuesday (14/3/24)

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, on Tuesday, inaugurated an ultra modern 60-bed ward at the General Hospital, Kishi in Oyo State.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement on Tuesday, said the project was part of armys civil-military cooperation projects.

Nwachukwu said the health facility which was constructed and fully equipped by the army, contains female, male and children wards, labour room, consulting rooms, nurses station as well as a reception.

Speaking at the inauguration, the COAS described the project as one of his special Intervention Civil-Military Cooperation projects aimed at winning the hearts and minds of Nigerians by complementing existing infrastructure.

Yahaya said the Nigerian army owned it a duty to partner Nigerians at ensuring that the nation was safe and secure, adding that the army belongs to Nigerians.

He thanked President Mohammadu Buhari for his unflinching support for the armed forces and reaffirmed the loyalty of the officers and soldiers to the constitution.

Gov. Sheyi Makinde of Oyo State, who was represented by Mr Lateef Adediran, extolled the Nigerian army for being instrumental to national unity and global peace through its internal security operations and contributions of troops to Peace Support missions.

Makinde expressed appreciation to the Nigerian army on behalf of the state government and people of the state for choosing Kishi for the execution of the laudable project.

The facilitator of the project, Maj.-Gen. Kunle Adesope, Chief of Defence Accounts and Budgets and an indigene of Kishi, said the choice of the project was premised on needs assessment and consultation with community leaders.

Adesope thanked the COAS for approving and sponsoring the project, adding that it will positively impact on the health of the people. (NAN) ()

Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Vincent Obi

Source: NAN News

Some suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists collaborators apprehended by MNJTF troops

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) says its troops of Sectors 3 and 4 have apprehended more than 900 suspected family members and collaborators of Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents.

This is contained in a statement on Wednesday by MNJTF, Chief Military Public Information Officer in NDjamena Chad, Lt.-Col. Kamarudeen Adegoke.

Adegoke said that the infighting by the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups, as well as effects of MNJTF and other national operations bombardment, especially effects of the air strikes, had triggered their movement.

He disclosed that there had been continuous movements of large bodies of people from the Sambisa forests to the Lake Chad basin within the last one month.

In a joint coordinated operations between Sectors 3 and 4 of the MNJTF in the Kamadougu Yobe River general area, along the Nigeria/Niger common border areas, more than 900 people, made up of women, children and elderly people suspected to be families and collaborators of the insurgents, have been arrested.

Collaboration with national authorities and subsequent profiling and handing over is ongoing.

Also, troops of Sector 4 conducted a night patrol along Ngagam Djalori Axis where they rescued three women alongside their four children who were fleeing from the fighting between the Boko Haram and ISWAP from Sambisa forest.

In a related encouraging development, on March 8, troops of Sector 3 Nigeria deployed at Damasak, intercepted 70 terrorists family members comprising 43 women and 30 children.

They are currently receiving medical attention and profiling, he said.

Adegoke explained that the emerging situation by the MNJTF troops of Sector 3 Nigeria started on March 5.

He said this followed the arrest of two suspected Boko Haram terrorists logistics suppliers and their collaborators Muhammed Sabo and Sarki Danladi while trying to exit Munguno town to the Tumbuns to link up with the terrorists.

He said that the items recovered from the suspects included two blankets, two fishermen identity cards, three wristwatches, two access passes which were issued by the terrorists, 20 empty sack bags, some personal clothing.

He added that troops on stop and search operation along the Main Supply Route Monguno Kekeno Cross Kauwa- Baga on March 4, arrested two suspects conveying some quantities of wrappers and other logistics to the terrorists.

In the same vein, on March 5, we arrested one Abubakar Usman with First Bank ATM card and an invoice containing the lists of items to procure and possibly deliver to the terrorists.

During the preliminary interrogation, the suspect confessed that he has been involved in the supply of several logistics to the terrorists, he added.

The MNJTF spokesman said that troops had apprehended some key terrorists logistics suppliers in different locations in recent times.

He said that several items such as fishing hooks, fishing threads, corn flower, mosquito nets, cooking pots, clothing as well as cash were recovered from the suspects.

In his massage to the troops, the Force Commander, MNJTF, Maj.-Gen. AbdulKhalifa Ibrahim, commended the efforts of the troops and the commanders for the effective coordination of the operations.

Ibrahim urged them not to relent in their determination at degrading the BHT/ISWAP logistics couriers which would have an overall positive impact on the counter insurgency operations.

He noted that the end of insurgency was in sight, and urged the troops to collectively deal a deadly blow on the insurgents.

He reassured them of the continuous support of the Headquarters MNJTF and called on the people of the Lake Chad Basin to be observant and report any suspicious activity to the security forces. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Deborah Coker/Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News