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Imo Declares Thursdays, Fridays as Farming Days For Civil Servants

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Imo Declares Thursdays, Fridays as Farming Days For Civil Servants
Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha
Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha

The Imo State Government has declared that workers in the state’s civil service will now work for only three days in a week while Thursdays and Fridays should be spent on their farms.

This is the thrust of a new policy by the state government termed “Back to Land for Agriculture”, aimed at promoting agricultural practices among the civil servants in order to boost their means of livelihood in the face of harsh economic realities.

Governor Rochas Okorocha announced the measures when traditional rulers from the state, under the aegis of Royal fathers in Agriculture, visited him at the Government House Owerri on Monday.

He said that the new policy has the approval of the State Executive Council.

Sam Onwuemeodo, Chief Press secretary to the governor, released a statement assuring Imo citizens that the new policy will not affect the salaries of workers.

The statement reads, “Against the backdrop of the “Back to Land for Agriculture” Programme, the governor directed that public servants in the state would now work from Mondays to Wednesdays, and use Thursdays and Fridays for agriculture (farming) while Saturdays can be used for ceremonies. And the directive takes effect from Monday August 1, 2016.

“However, the governor exempted public servants on essential duties like the teachers, nurses, doctors and people involved in Internally Generated Revenue drive. Political appointees are also exempted from the three-days working periods.

“We shall try this programme for the period of one year, starting from 1st of August 2016 and hopefully this will help. Let me make this emphasis before it is misconstrued or misrepresented, that this does not in any way affect the salaries of the workers.

“Workers will get their full salaries as been the practice. So the policy does not mean that there will be a cut in salary rather let us now find a way for our workers to supplement their salaries”.

He continued, “For this reason the issue of annual leave and casual leave is hereby cancelled. Resumption time for work has changed from 8am to 7.30am in the morning and ends by 4pm. Any worker that is not found on his or her seat between7.30am and 4pm on the days concerned will be summarily dismissed.

“Everybody must go back to agriculture. Every political appointee must own a farm. The youths would also be encouraged to take to agriculture. Schools including Universities, Polytechnics and Secondary schools in the state must own farms. The Community Government Council (CGC) must be strengthened for the sake of this agricultural programme.

“Two billion naira (N2b) has been set aside at the micro-finance bank for the purpose of this Back To Land For Agriculture policy so that those willing can access it. And time is gone again when politicians and some Imolites will come to government in the pretence of farming and collect loans and use it to buy cars and marry new wives.

“Again, the June and July Salaries would be paid this week. We are making sure that our workers are comfortable and our pensioners are happy because this is one area the whole nation is having a serious challenge.

“Our problem is not being unable to pay salaries but paying over-bloated salaries. We are also making effort to pay our pensioners once the harmonization is over.

“I also want to announce that government has appealed to families and those who organize burials on Mondays to Wednesdays to please change and have their burials on Saturdays so that we can concentrate on the government’s work and on the agricultural programme.

“Everything that has to do with agriculture no matter what shape it comes, government will support it. So many countries are going through economic crisis because of the fall in oil.

“Our nation is also going through very difficult moment. We have taken responsibility as leaders and we are not blaming anyone. Wise nations and leaders save for the rainy days.

“There were periods the oil price was in our favour. But those in charge then blew the money. They made no savings. Today the oil price globally has crashed and here we are. And we must fall back to agriculture as the panacea.”

The governor had hinted on the new policy last Friday while also disclosing that his administration intends to review downwards the salaries of workers in the state.

“We are considering reducing the working days from five to three in Imo, so that workers will use the rest of the days to work and support their families,” Okorocha had said.

Adding that “Directors in these other South-eastern states (Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu) receive something a little above N90, 000 while in Imo they receive more than N100, 000.

“We intend to clear salary arrears up to July by next week. After that, we will consider downward review of salary to workers to be at par with other states of South-east.’’

 

Buhari Appoints New Post-Master General

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Buhari Appoints New Post-Master General
Adegbuyi
Newlyappointed Post Master General, Bisi Adegbuyi

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Bisi Adegbuyi as Post-Master General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Postal Services, NIPOST.

This is contained in a statement issued by Bolaji Adebiyi, director media in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The appointment is coming 11 months after the retirement of former Post Master General, Ibrahim Baba who had handed over to the deputy postmaster general (engineering and technical) Enoch Ogun, the most senior official in the postal agency.

Ogun was sacked in March this year following a rift between the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, and the Nigerian Postal Service over the collection of stamp duty.

 

Troops Foil Boko Haram Attack On Borno Village

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Troops Foil Boko Haram Attack On Borno Village
File
File

Soldiers, with help from the youth vigilante group, Civilian JTF, on Monday night succeeded in preventing an incursion into a village in Borno State by Boko Haram members.

The attempted attack, the army announced, took place around 8:00pm at Yauri village, near the state capital, Maiduguri.

“In the encounter, the troops killed 5 of the attackers and recovered 2 AK-47 rifles, 1 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), one 60mm Mortar Tube, 1 Fabrique Nationale (FN) rifle, 2 Dane Guns, 2 AK-47 rifle magazines, 2 FN rifle magazines, 131 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 31 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunitions, a 60mm Bomb,10 Bicycles and the sum of N31,275.00 from the terrorists,” a statement by army spokesperson, Sani Usman, a Colonel, read.

The army announced that calm has returned, with troops deployed in and around the village.

President Buhari Rejigs Education Agencies, Sacks JAMB, NECO Bosses

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President Buhari Rejigs Education Agencies, Sacks JAMB, NECO Bosses
President Muhammadu Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari

The Federal Government has announced sweeping changes in the Ministry of Education with the replacement of 17 Chief Executives of parastatals and agencies under the Ministry.

This was contained in a statement issued on Monday evening by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations in the Education Ministry, Ben Bem Goong.

The statement said four Chief Executives whose tenures were yet to elapse were retained, while others including the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, JAMB, Dibu Ojerinde were relieved of their appointments.

The former JAMB boss was replaced by Ishaq Oloyede, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin.

The 17 agencies affected and their new Chief Executives include: Nigerian Institute for Education Planning and Administration, Lilian Salami; National Examinations Council, Charles Uwakwe; National Universities Commission, Abubakar Rasheed; Nomadic Education Commission, Bashir Usman; and National Library of Nigeria, Lanre Aina.

Others are National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, Abba Aladu; Universal Basic Education, Hameed Bobboyi; National Commission for Colleges of Education, Bappah Aliyu; Computer Registration Council of Nigeria, Afolabi Aderint; National Business and Technical Examinations Board, Isioma Isiugo-Abanihe; and Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Sunday Ajiboye.

The new appointees also included Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Abdullahi Baffa; National Mathematical Centre, Steven Onah; Librarian Registration Council of Nigeria, Michael Afolabi and National Teachers Institute, Garba Azare.

Newly Appointed Agencies/Parastatals
Prof Abubakar Adamu Rasheed National Universities Commission (NUC)
Mrs. Lilian Salami Nigerian Institute for Education Planning and Administration
Dr. Hameed Bobboyi Universal Basic Education
Prof Lanre Aina National Library of Nigeria
Prof Charles Uwakwe National Examinations Council
Prof Abba Aladu National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult, and Non-Formal Education
Prof Bashir Usman Nomadic Education Commission
Prof Isioma Isiugo-Abanihe National Business and technical Examinations Board
Prof Sunday Josiah Ajiboye Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria
Afolabi Aderinto Computer Registration Council of Nigeria
Prof Bappah Aliyu National Commission for Colleges of Education
Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa Tertiary Education Trust Fund
Prof Garba Dahuwa Azare National Teachers Institute
Prof Michael Afolabi Librarian Registration Council of Nigeria
Prof Steven Ejugwu Onah National Mathematical Centre
Prof Ishaq Oloyede Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB
Prof Chinyere Ohiri-Aniche National Institute of Nigerian Languages

Those retained included the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council, Samaila Junaidu; Nigerian French Language Village, Rauf Adebisi; National Board for Technical Education, Mas’ud Kazaure and National Arabic Language Village, Muhammad Mu’az.

The appointments took effect from Monday, August 1 and the new appointees are expected to report at the office of the Education Minister on Tuesday, August 02, for inauguration.

We’ll Conduct A Conclusive Election In Edo – INEC

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We’ll Conduct A Conclusive Election In Edo – INEC
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu

The Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Sam Olumekun, has assured that the upcoming governorship election in the state would not be declared inconclusive.

Olumekun was speaking in Benin on Monday during a voter education implementation meeting.

“We want to assure the people that we are prepared to conduct a conclusive governorship election on September 10,” he said.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC National Chairman explained that inconclusive elections were no fault of INEC’s. He said they are as a result of incidents of violence and irregularities always caused by political parties.

He said the aim of the meeting was to find ways of better educating voters in the state ahead of the election that has been scheduled to hold on September 10, adding that elections in Nigeria appear difficult because politicians see politics as a do-or-die affair.

Other participants at the event called for more collaboration between the electoral umpire and other interest groups, including civil society organizations, the media and even physically challenged persons in order to achieve the desired result.

Gbajabiamila Exonorates Self From Speaker’s Travails, Urges Caution

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Gbajabiamila Exonorates Self From Speaker’s Travails, Urges Caution
House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila
House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila

The leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has exonerated himself from the ongoing budget-padding brouhaha rocking the green chamber of the National assembly, while urging Nigerians not to judge the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and the three other principal officers currently embroiled in the controversy.

The Lagos State lawmaker made the appeal in a statement to his colleagues and made available to National Assembly reporters on Monday.

“Yes, allegations have been made but I strongly believe judgment should not be passed based on allegations. We operate a constitutional democracy and we must at all times submit to its dictates and ethos. All parties are innocent until otherwise proven. This should be our guide. I plead with all members. The mudslinging must stop,” Gbajabiamila stated.

The former top contender for the post of Speaker also denied the rumuors making the rounds in the National Assembly that he is working against Dogara behind the scenes and supporting Abdulmumin Jibrin, the former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, who started the series of allegations shortly after being removed from his post by the speaker.

He stated: “Since the budget controversy that engulfed the House  about a week ago, I have pointedly maintained a dignified silence. I did this for the sake of the institution I represent and which I have labored hard to grow and protect, knowing that whatever I say could be impactful both within the House and outside it.

“I was determined to keep in place the glue that holds an otherwise fragmented House, protect its integrity and at the same time avoid eroding the little confidence and vestiges of hope Nigerians have in us.

“Unfortunately, the controversy has now taken a different turn following the rather strange if not comical text making the rounds amongst members about my complicity in this rather sordid matter.   I am being dragged into an arena I tried very hard to stay out of only for the good of the House.

“The Speakership election has come and gone. The election was divisive and acrimonious but I have since worked hard to heal the wounds some of which still fester amongst members on both sides.

“It is my responsibility to bring all tendencies in a House I lead together and I have worked well with the Speaker and all other Principal officers in a bi partisan manner and in the interest of the institution and the country.

“This text message, which desperately seeks to finger me in some macabre plot to destabilize the House is a throw-back and echoes our dark post Speakership election history. The resurfacing or resurgence of the faceless text messengers will not help us as a House and let me quickly add that it will fail.

“My strongest critics and biggest political adversaries in the House cannot deny the fact that my commitment has always been to strengthen the legislature and its processes and our democracy as a whole.

“I consider everyone a friend and colleague and urge that as we collectively work towards a stronger legislature and strive to deepen our democracy, we do not pull back the hands of the clock nor lose sight of the enormous responsibility placed upon us by providence as members of a critical arm of government.”

“On the budget issue at hand, it is clear that our budget process needs radical reform and very quickly too,” Gbajabiamila concluded.

 

Three Die In Kano State Flooding

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Three Die In Kano State Flooding
File
File

Three people were killed in a flooding disaster that occurred on Sunday evening in Hayin Gwarmai Village in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State, while foodstuff and cash crop running into several millions of naira were swept away.

Mudansiru Bebeji, chairman of the local government told journalists on Monday that several farmlands in the area were also washed away by the flood and houses were destroyed.

He called on the federal government to come to the aid of the affected persons in order to alleviate their plight.

The Director of operations in the Kano State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency, SERERA, Abdullahi Dambatta, however said the agency had not been officially informed of the incident by the local government authorities.

He said the agency would forward the list of affected persons to the state government for assistance as soon as it gets it.

 

We’ll Abide By Ruling On Nigeria-Cameroun Border Dispute – Buhari

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We’ll Abide By Ruling On Nigeria-Cameroun Border Dispute – Buhari

Buhari Intl court of justice

President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged that his administration will abide by the decision of the International Court of Justice on the Nigeria – Cameroun border dispute.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu in a press release said the president made the pledge on Mondaywhen he received a United Nations Mission led by a Special Representative of the Secretary General, Mohammed Ibn Chambers, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Buhari said that Nigeria will not do anything to hamper the work of the various UN committees on the border.

“We will abide by the law. Having accepted the judgment of the ICJ, we are ready to support the security and logistics requirements of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, CNMC, to carry out the border demarcation,” he said.

The President expressed his total support for the exercise, recalling that as Military Head of State between 1984 and 1985, his administration instituted the demarcation of the Nigeria land borders from Benin to Bakassi and urged that all committees be allowed to carry out their functions in line with the ICJ decision.

Earlier, Mohammed Ibn Chambers, Chairman of CNMC, had informed President Buhari that 2,001 kilometers out of 2,100 kilometers separating Nigeria and Cameroon had been marked, leaving a balance of 99 kilometers to conclude the demarcation.

He expressed hope that the remaining area will be completed latest by the first quarter of next year following the relative calm that has returned to border areas which were captured and held by Boko Haram terrorists.

 

Three Repentant Militants Bag First Class In UK

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Three Repentant Militants Bag First Class In UK

Graduands

Three former Niger-Delta militants, who were sent to the UK on scholarship under the amnesty programme, have graduated with First class Honours in their respective disciplines and another eighteen of them graduated with Second Class Upper.

Lucky Azibanagein graduated from the University of Liverpool with a first class in mechanical engineering and Robotic system, while Terubein Fawei and Nicholas Goodness made first class in telecommunication and networking engineering and public relations, respectively, from the University of Bedfordshire.

Coordinator of Presidential Amnesty Programme, Paul Boroh, in a ceremony organised for the students by the Nigerian High Commission in the UK, congratulated the graduates for making Nigeria proud, while restating President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment towards sustaining the amnesty programme.

“President Buhari is ever ready to implement the blueprint upon which the amnesty programme was established. The era of impunity and phoney contracts are gone for good,” Boroh said.

Boroh also called on other militants to lay down their weapons, embrace dialogue and support the president in his agenda to develop the Niger Delta region.

Communities Petition Kano Government Over Illegal Ramps On Federal Highway

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Communities Petition Kano Government Over Illegal Ramps On Federal Highway
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje

By Babale Umar

Thirteen communities in Jigawa State have petitioned the kano state government on the preponderance of illegal ramps on federal highways from kano leading to their various communities.

The petition, signed by Ibrahim Gumel, coordinator for the communities, said over 1000 ramps have been illegally constructed on several federal highways in kano, which have made traveling on the roads by trailers and trucks a dangerous and unsafe venture.

The petition said fuel supply to these communities in Jigawa has been affected because of the difficulties tanker drivers experience while traveling on the roads.

The affected communities are: Gudunwawa, Dan Zaki, Jogana, Dausayi, Tsamiyar kara and Gezawa. Others are Guruma, Yarkanya, kwazari, kawo, Dadin Duniya, Gabasawa and Gidan Lagge.

The petition also stated that one of the communities- Gidan Lagge- has not less than 81 illegal ramps.

Part of the petition reads: “The hazard been experienced is threatening the vehicles plying these roads, especially tanker drivers and heavy trucks. This is affecting the supply of petroleum products to these sections of Jigawa state, and this will invariably affect the life of our people. Haulage of farm produce and other materials are becoming difficult, and all these are caused by ramps built on roads that link Jigawa to kano.”

The communities called on the state government to immediately order the removal all illegal ramps on federal highways in the state.

The petition also asked government to initiate a law banning people from constructing ramps illegally on federal roads in the state. As an immediate measure, the communities urged the state government to issue a directive to all communities along federal roads to seek government permission before constructing ramps.

The state commissioner for information, Mohammed Garba, said he was yet to see the petition but stated that the government would be willing to alleviate the suffering of the people.

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