Day: June 20, 2024

Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), said the recent physical verification exercise by her.office, exposed workers living abroad but still earning salaries from the service.

Yemi-Esan revealed this during a chat with media executives on Wednesday in Abuja, being part of activities to mark 2024 Civil Service Week.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the theme for 2024 celebration is ‘Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa’.

The HOCSF said many of the civil servants, who were caught up in their games, had to resign their appointments, following their failure to carry out the physical verification exercise.

According to her, the verification exercise was one of the measures by her office, to check corrupt practices, run a smooth civil service and reposition the sector.

‘Recently, there was a circular that went out to all Ministries, Depar
tments and Agencies (MDAs) that, they should do a physical headcount in their MDAs.

‘That means, everybody on the nominal roll, that is receiving salaries, should appear physically and the names of those who did not show up for the exercise should be forwarded.

‘In the circular, I cautioned that Permanent Secretaries and CEOs that give wrong information will be held liable if anything is discovered outside of the information that was given,’ she said.

The HOCSF added that the decision by the government was that, after the exercise, they would stop the salaries of those, in one way or the other, had left the service without proper documentation, but still earning remuneration.

‘From what I saw, the number of people that have gone out of the country and are still earning salaries, is more in the parastatals than in the core ministries.

‘I actually called one of the heads of the agencies and queried why there is such a number of people earning salaries and are not on their desks.

‘I asked how the agency c
ome about such a huge number of the purported workers,’ she said

Yemi-Esan said the reply she got was that some of the civil servants even returned from the UK for the verification exercise.

Yemi-Esan said: ‘The Head of that agency told me that he discovered that, a week after the verification exercise, some of them rushed from the UK to the country, with the intention to do their own verification

‘He said they came to him saying, aah! Oga, we are around; we heard they did verification.

‘The agency head, asked them to come back in two weeks time for their verification; knowing fully well that nobody working in the UK, will be able to have such luxury of time,’ she said.

The HOCSF said from the incident narrated to her, most of the affected workers had to resign their appointments because they knew that the game was over.

She decried the situation, where civil servants who did not have official permission to be out of their office, would travel out of the country for years, and still earning salaries.

Y
emi-Esan added that such development was unacceptable, when there were millions of Nigerians waiting to be employed.

She also used the opportunity of the event, to appreciate media partners whom she described as ‘backbone for the successful reforms carried out’ by her office since her assumption of duty.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Adamawa Government have begun the distribution of farm inputs to 187,250 farmers in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.

Speaking at the event on Thursday at Jabbi-Lamba, Girei Local Government Area, Adamawa, Mr Dominique Kouacou, FAO’s Nigeria/ECOWAS Representative, said that the support followed the seeming escalation of food insecurity in the country.

Represented by Mr Luc Manga, Head of Office, North-East, Kouacou, said that a large population of people in the North-East were at the risk of facing food insecurity.

Kouacou said that the intervention, supported by the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), USAID, Norway’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, and Swiss Development and Cooperation was targeted at benefiting about 26,750 households.

‘In all, the intervention will benefit no fewer than 187,250 individuals across the the three states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe,’ he said.

The FAO representative, said that a total of 5,350 h
ouseholds and 37,450 individuals would benefit from the programme in Guyuk, Madagali, Michika and Girei areas of Adamawa.

‘They will receive essential inputs such as cereal seeds, legume seeds, vegetable seeds and NPK fertilisers.

‘This collaborative effort is geared towards restoring and strengthening food security in the state.

‘It is also aimed at supporting the communities to restart their individual means of livelihood, improve food production and foster economic resilience,’ he said.

Earlier, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri, said that the collaboration was a significant milestone in the effort to transform agriculture in the state and the North-East region at large

Represented by Prof. David Jatau, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Fintiri commended FAO for the support, describing it as timely and impactful.

‘Agriculture is not just a sector, it is a way of life. Your support has been instrumental in building resilience in our agriculture sector and ensuring food security.

‘From these initiatives, the farmer
s will receive high quality seeds, fertiliser and other inputs that will help to produce high yielding crops,’ he said.

The governor said that the state government was already providing training supports to farmers to improve their skills and competence.

‘Our intention is to develop sustainable agricultural practices that will ensure long-term food security for our people,’ he said.

Halilu Bello, a beneficiary, appreciated FAO and the state government for the initiative, saying that the inputs would help the farmers to eliminate hunger and rebuild their sources of livelihood.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that is leading international efforts to eliminate hunger.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Ethiopian coffee has been rapidly gaining traction in the Chinese market in recent years, with sales growing at a staggering rate of 27 percent annually.

This rapid growth has been significantly boosted by platforms such as the China International Import Expo and cross-border e-commerce, which serve as effective gateways for overseas brands to enter China and present numerous opportunities for Ethiopian businesses.

One standout success story is the Ethiopian coffee brand Gera, which showcased roasted coffee beans at the third CIIE. During the expo, the brand’s Yirgacheffe and Sidamo coffees were signed up to a prominent cross-border e-commerce platform, immediately available for consumers.

During the fifth CIIE, Ethiopian highland coffee with vibrant orange packaging was drawing eyes. After being showcased in an e-commerce livestream during the expo, 17,000 boxes were sold in just one evening. Online sales of Ethiopian coffee surged 300 percent during the sixth CIIE.

Traditionally, Ethiopian coffee grower
s and processors only accounted for less than 10 percent of profits in the export trade, with the majority of profits lying in distribution and sales. Leveraging the CIIE for cross-border e-commerce sales has effectively reduced trade costs, benefiting Ethiopian coffee farmers and allowing Chinese consumers to enjoy premium coffee beans at more affordable prices.

Witnessing the growing popularity of Ethiopian coffee among Chinese consumers, Tefera Derbew Yimam, Ethiopian ambassador to China, expressed great delight. He noted that China has become one of the primary importers of Ethiopian coffee. Ethiopian coffees have received rave reviews at the CIIE over the years, prompting many businesses to showcase their products at the event. ‘The embassy will continue to facilitate Ethiopian business participation in the expo,’ Yimam said.

Coffee trade is just one aspect of the trade relationship between China and Ethiopia. Products like sesame seeds and green beans from Ethiopia have also made their way to supermar
kets, stores, and retail markets in China.

At the sixth edition of the expo, Ethiopian sesame trader Duka Engineering and Trading Plc reached a preliminary cooperation agreement with Shandong’s Ruifu Sesame Oil Co Ltd, which would purchase 6,000 metric tons of sesame seeds.

In October 2023, Ethiopia and China upgraded their bilateral relationship to an all-weather strategic partnership. In a joint statement, China expressed its desire to continue encouraging and supporting Ethiopian exports to China, including agricultural and food products.

With the Chinese market serving as a key driver of Ethiopian exports, Ethiopia’s distinctive offerings are expected to make a splash at this year’s expo, presenting vast business opportunities for its enterprises.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has initiated a water quality analysis following a cholera outbreak that has resulted in the deaths of 30 people across several states.

Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday that this was necessary following continued reports of outbreak in many parts of the country.

According to him, the ministry’s concern highlights the severity of the waterborne disease, which is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and spreads rapidly through contaminated water or food.

He said the symptoms of cholera include vomiting, severe dehydration, and diarrhea, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.

‘In response to the outbreak, teams from the National Water Quality Reference Laboratories in Lagos, Enugu, and Sokoto have been dispatched to collect water samples and investigate the presence of Vibrio cholerae in the affected areas.

‘Additionally, the ministry is coordinating with State Technica
l Working Groups and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agencies (RUWASSAs) through the WASH in Emergency Technical Working Group (WiETWG) to address the outbreak comprehensively’.

Shinkafi said that before the outbreak, the National WASH in Emergency Technical Working Group had already trained state working groups on preparedness, prevention, and response strategies, as well as hygiene promotion and water safety planning.

These states, he said have now intensified their community sensitisation efforts to reduce cholera cases and are promoting campaigns against open defecation, a known transmission route for the disease.

He however urged Nigerians to take precautions to protect themselves and their families by boiling or treating drinking water before consumption.

The permanent secretary called on all Nigerians to always wash ehands with soap under clean, running water regularly, especially before eating and after using the toilet.

He said the ministry will continue to provide updates in collaboration wit
h the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as the situation evolves.

‘Let’s wash fruits and vegetables with safe water and salt before eating.

‘Let’s also seek medical attention immediately if experiencing symptoms of cholera, such as vomiting, severe dehydration, and diarrhea.

‘Together, we can overcome this challenge and prevent further loss of lives’.

NAN quotes the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention as saying ‘as of 11 June 2024, 1,141 suspected cholera cases had been recorded across 30 states in Nigeria since January 2024.”

The 10 states that recorded 90 per cent of the cases are mostly located in the South (Bayelsa-over 400 cases, Lagos, Abia, Cross River, Delta, Imo States), with some situated further north (Katsina, Nasarawa, Zamfara.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS), has commended Kogi Government on the recruitment of 1,050 young men and women to join its fold to boost security in the state.

The Commandant-General of NHFSS, Dr Joshua Osatimehin, gave the commendation on Thursday in Abuja.

Osatimehin said the recruitment would go a long way in helping the government’s resolve to deal with the challenges of terror attacks, banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other related criminal activities in the state.

He said that Ododo had through the action, demonstrated that he meant business when he recently gave quit notice to all criminal elements to leave the state.

According to him, the recruitment of 1.050 indigene of the state into the NHFSS will ensure that criminal elements operating within the forested regions of the state will henceforth be flushed out.

Also speaking on the development, the Deputy Commander General of NHFSS, Technical Services, Amb. John Metchie, commended the speaker and members of the Ko
gi State House of Assembly for the promptness with which they approved the governor’s bill.

Metchie described them as true representatives of the people who were committed to the security, peace and overall wellbeing of the state and its people.

He also used the opportunity to urge other state governments to emulate Kogi, Ondo, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Borno and others that are currently working with the NHFSS.

According to him, their synergy with the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, NSCDC, DSS and others, especially in the areas of intelligence gathering and sharing, has been a major contributing factor to the relative peace in the states.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Kogi State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, approved the recruitment, with a view to strengthening the security architecture of the state.

Gov. Usman Ododo had earlier forwarded a letter to the assembly requesting for approval of the recruitment of 50 people from each for the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.

After reading
the letter, the Speaker, Aliyu Yusuf, said it was previously resolved by the lawmakers that there was need for the recruitment hunters into the NHFSS, given the security challenges in the state and the shortage of manpower.

In a voice vote, the lawmakers unanimously approved the recruitment of 1050 hunters, adding that the payment of their salaries would be paid by the respective Local Government.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A coalition of human rights groups and the Human Rights Advocacy Crusaders (HRAC) have urged the Police and other security agents in Rivers to maintain neutrality and impartiality in the ongoing local government crisis.

Pastor Jerry Nicholas, the group spokesperson, on Thursday in Abuja said that taking sides could escalate the crisis.

He added that it could lead to further violence and clashes between supporters of different parties, resulting in deaths and destruction of property.

According to Nicholas, the expiration of the tenure of local government chairmen and other officials is a constitutional matter, hence security agents should help to maintain the peace in the state.

‘The law is clear: the 1999 Constitution and Section 9(1) of the Rivers State Local Government Law No 5 of 2018 provide for a 3-year tenure for local government chairmen, with a possibility of a second term,’ he said.

He urged the security agents to prevent violence and maintain peace while allowing the democratic process to unfol
d, and ensuring that the rule of law is upheld.

Nicholas urged the former chairmen and others who are still eligible to seek re-election into the councils whenever elections are scheduled by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

He reiterated that security agents must remained neutral and not take sides with any party.

It would be recalled that after the expiration of the tenure of local government chairmen, vice and councillors, Gov. Siminalayi Fubara ordered heads of administration in the 23 local government areas to take over the administration of the local government areas

He subsequently swore in caretaker chairpersons in accordance with the law.

However, some local government chairmen have insisted on holding on to their offices.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Stakeholders at the ongoing 30th General Assembly of the African Organisation for Standardisation have called for standardisation in promoting sustainable development, innovation, and export-oriented manufacturing across Africa.

The stakeholders said this on Wednesday in Abuja at the ongoing 30th General Assembly of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO).

According to them, such measure will facilitate trade in the African region.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the programme is ‘Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century, Building a Quality Culture: One Market, One Standard.’

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite, said a symbiotic relationship existed between education, sustainable development, industrialisation, and trade in the 21st century.

The minister was represented by her Permanent Secretary, Nura Rimi.

According to Anite, the ministry considers these essential for economic efficiency, trade facilitation, and tackling developmental c
hallenges.

She said standardisation was a strategic pillar for governments, stakeholders, and the standardisation community.

‘The theme points out the need to equip the African youth with relevant skills and SMEs with innovative tendencies needed for the 21st Africa’s Industrial Development and Integration Agenda.

‘As provided under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it is necessary to create awareness of the role of standardisation in sustainable development to catch up with the rest of the world.

‘Standards shape our everyday lives, drive economic efficiency, facilitate trade and are the fulcrum for tackling the challenges of moving towards a more sustainable and resilient development model,’ she said.

The minister called for enhanced synergy and collaboration among African nations and ARSO member states to implement the AfCFTA agreement effectively.

She reiterated the Nigerian government’s goal to rejuvenate the economy through innovative strategies in alignment with President Bola Tin
ubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with standardisation playing a key role.

She urged delegates to leverage on the platform to foster greater political commitment and strategic partnership to effectively implement AfCFTA and the African Union’s 2024 Year of Education.

Earlier, the Director-General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, said it was important to address the enormous challenges hindering progress on the continent.

Okeke called for concerted efforts to equip African youth with the cognitive skills and knowledge necessary to navigate and succeed in an increasingly complex global landscape.

‘Standardisation is not merely about setting guidelines; it is about fostering a quality culture that permeates every aspect of our lives.

‘Stakeholders must re-commit and work collaboratively to address challenges such as out-of-school children and learning poverty rates.

‘Our task is daunting yet achievable with concerted efforts and innovative approaches through the application of available
technologies,’ he said.

Mr Zubairu Abdullahi, representing the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, said the ministry would introduce standardisation courses in its curriculum.

According to him, this is a way of ensuring the standard of products and will also help raise consumer awareness in the country through education.

Meanwhile, the President of ARSO, Prof. Alexander Dodoo, called on African countries to use trade standards and collaborate to change the narrative for Africa.

‘We have to create African solutions for African problems. If not, quality education will be meaningless.

‘Our biggest challenge is our jobs; our youths are going across borders in the new slave trade because we have not created meaningful jobs for them.

‘We owe it to ourselves as leaders to confront the African reality and forge a way for progress,’ he said.

NAN reports that the event was attended by government officials and key stakeholders in the sector on the continent.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria