FG lied; ‘high scale secret employments’ ongoing in civil service — Senate

Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment

THE Senate, Wednesday, raised the alarm over what it termed “high scale secret employments” going on the civil service in spite of claims by the Federal Government that it had placed embargo on job placement.

The Senate, while lamenting the situation, challenged the Federal Government to come out with evidence on job embargo.

The lawmakers insisted that that top civil servants engaged in secret job placements, just as it has demanded that the Federal Government step up process of employment to engage millions of Nigerians.

Speaking in Abuja while submitting the report of the Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs on the 2022 Budget to the Appropriations Committee, Chairman of Federal Character Committee, Senator Danjuma La’ah(PDP-Kaduna South) said that government should, as a matter of urgency, ensure recruitment of eligible Nigerians into public service.

Senator La’ah said “many people are being secretly employed but those in charge are claiming that there is embargo on employment.

I don’t know where they got that from. We have been asking them. There is no embargo anywhere.

“Some of the officials of government are so myopic that they decide to take advantage of the situation.

I  have been challenging those who are engaging in secret recruitments, claiming there is embargo, to show us where they got the information from.

“This is the time for them to increase their personnel cost and make provision for employment.

People are retiring voluntarily but we don’t know how they are being replaced. We must know the particular number of people they want to employ.

“We discovered that young Nigerians who graduated from higher institutions some 15 years ago had yet to gain employment.

The development had aggravated insecurity all over the places including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities.

“Some people are taking advantage of the situation (embargo on employment) but our committee is desirous of doing the right thing.

“We are determined that there should be jobs for the graduates that we have in this country, no matter what it takes.

“Our committee has been going to ministries, departments and agencies of government that they must start recruitment instead of doing secret replacements.

“We had even asked them to increase their personnel cost in their budgets so that they could employ people.”

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Public Service Announcement

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Monday, November 22, 2021, is not a Work-free Day in Anambra State

1.      The Anambra State Government wishes to remind all individuals and organizations in the state that Monday, November 22, 2021, is not a work-free day in the state. This reminder has become imperative in view of the tendency of some people to observe in the last few months every Monday as a work-free day, in compliance with the directive by some non-state actors in an effort to press the Federal Government to free the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for some charges in Abuja brought by the federal administration.

2.      The IPOB leadership has suspended the directive requiring people to stay at home every Monday which it said would start from Monday, September 15, 2021, throughout the Southeast geopolitical zone. The IPOB leadership has in the last few days reiterated the suspension, warning that any person who still tries to enforce the earlier decision is on his or her own and will, therefore, be dealt with accordingly. The IPOB leadership has kept every pledge it has made, including rescinding its decision to thwart the November 6 gubernatorial election in Anambra State. In fact, far from disrupting the election, IPOB encouraged the people of Anambra State to come out in their numbers and exercise their democratic right on November 6; the election is now recognized as easily the most peaceful and the fairest election since the State was created in 1991. In consideration of the high level of responsibility displayed by the IPOB leadership, a group of Igbo leaders, including worthy sons of Anambra State, met President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, at State House, Abuja, on Friday, November 19, 2021 to plead that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu be released and the issues around his arrest and trial resolved in a political way.

3.      The people of Anambra State are, therefore, enjoined to go about their normal business every Monday. They should not entertain any fear of disruption of their work or any kind of harassment from any quarters from Monday, November 22, 2021.

4.      The month of December is almost here. It is the month mankind marks the birth of Jesus Christ, and it is defined by peace, unity, love, solidarity and merrymaking. This period also ushers in a new year which itself is a festive period. Ndi Anambra, like many other Nigerians, use the period to launch community and church development projects, hold cultural festivals and conduct important personal, family and community events such as marriages, weddings and title taking. All this requires a lot of money. What is more, parents and guardians pay the educational fees of their children and wards during this period, thus making January the longest month in the year, as it is described in common parlance.

5.      It is in the interest of our people that all markets, all businesses, all offices and all schools in Anambra State operate fully every Monday, with effect from Monday, November 22, 2021. All our people are once again assured that they will not face any kind of molestation on any day of the week from any quarters henceforth.

God bless Anambra State, the Light of the Nation.

Signed

 

C. Don Adinuba

Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment. 

Resins I’ve not been commissioning projects – Ortom

Politics

Governor Samuel Ortom

By Peter Duru – Makurdi

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Sunday gave reasons he had not been commissioning the projects executed by his administration in the last six years.

He explained that the funds earmarked for the commissioning of such projects could be used to execute more development projects in parts of the state, hence his decision to ignore the idea.

The Governor who made this known shortly after inspecting ongoing construction work at the Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Naka, Gwer West Local Government Area, LGA, of the state said if it were the general consensus that it should be done, he would have no choice but to commence the commissioning of projects in the state.

He said: “for me it is not about commissioning of projects because I noticed that each time I want to commission a project, protocol will come with a list of several expenditure, you pay for this and that.

“So I believe that what I will spend in commissioning projects will help me add another development project to the society; that is my take.

“The commissioning of projects should be the siting of those projects and completing them. That is my belief about projects.

“But since people believe in the commissioning of projects, maybe I would have to change my mind about that and start to commission my several projects spread across the state so that they will be appreciated.

“I must say that I am always very surprised when the opposition claim that we have not done projects. We can all see the roads, schools, health facilities, name them in every sectors and all over the state.

“Even in the area of security you can see what we have been able to do. You can see where we were from 2015 and where we are today.

“We have done so well, we are gradually fishing out the deadly criminals operating in the state so that development can come. And I can assure you that in the next few weeks if you ask a criminal to come to Benue whether armed herders or anyone, they would decline.”

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Opposed to Bitcoin Payments, Bank of Russia Says State Should Not Stimulate Spread of Cryptocurrencies

News 

Bank of Russia Reiterates Negative Stance on Cryptocurrencies, Legalization of Bitcoin

A “responsible state” should not stimulate the proliferation of cryptocurrencies, according to Elvira Nabiullina, chair of the Central Bank of Russia (CBR). The head of the monetary authority made the declaration in the lower house of the Russian parliament, the State Duma.

The high-ranking official emphasized that the bank has “an extremely negative attitude towards cryptocurrencies” which she described as “private currencies pretending to be money.” Quoted by the Tass news agency, Nabiullina elaborated:

At the same time, people need to be given an alternative, the governor acknowledged. Bank of Russia is trying to do that through its projects. “I have already spoken about the digital ruble – in our opinion, this should develop,” Elvira Nabiullina added

The head of Russia’s monetary policy regulator remarked that the CBR is not against digital currencies in general, provided they are not used for “shadow operations.” Nabiullina pointed out, however, that Bank of Russia continues to oppose the legalization of bitcoin as a payment instrument in the country.

In response to the rising popularity of cryptocurrencies and the significant increase in electronic payments, the Russian central bank has stepped up its efforts to create a digital version of the national fiat, the ruble. This year, the regulator formed a digital ruble pilot group with over a dozen financial institutions. A prototype of the CBDC platform will be launched in December, with trials scheduled to commence in January.

The digital ruble is what the Russians need as it will facilitate cheap and reliable non-cash payments, Nabiullina recently told participants in an international banking forum. According to the country’s latest financial market development strategy, the state-issued digital currency should prevent citizens from using ‘money surrogates,’ a term used by officials in Moscow to describe cryptocurrencies.

Ekwunife Celebrates Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Okwadike At 83

  Ekwunife Celebrates Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Okwadike At 83

The Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Uche Ekwunife, PhD, celebrates the former governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Okwadike as he marked his birthday, yesterday November 20, 2021.

Dr Ezeife, a respected Igbo leader was the governor of Anambra state between 1992 and 1993. He was later appointed the Presidential Adviser on political matters to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Eulogizing Dr Ezeife, Ekwunife describes the Igbo-Ukwu born elder-statesman as a political colossus, accomplished scholar and respected Igbo opinion leader.

"Your Excellency, I remember playing the role of Chairman, planning committee during your 80th birthday celebration where you launched the book Okwadike: Nigeria, Democracy and the State of the Economy. In the book you articulated your vision on how to re-engineer Nigeria and return her to God's original design. Your courage, brilliance, intellect and commitment to nation building were and still remain exceptional.", Ekwunife notes.

"On behalf of my family and the good people of Anambra Central Senatorial District, I thank God for granting you longevity, sound health of mind and body, and pray Him to sustain you as you continue to deploy your experience and knowledge in service to Igboland and Nigeria at large", the ranking lawmaker concludes.

Signed

Kingsley Ubani 

SA Media to Senator Uche Ekwunife

Senator Uche Ekwunife facilitated presentation of Technology Story Board

 News Education

Senator Uche Ekwunife facilitated presentation of Technology Story Board Materials for selected schools in Anambra State

On November 19, 2020, the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Uche Ekwunife, PhD, facilitated a presentation of technology story board materials to selected secondary schools in Anambra State.

The programme which held in Awka was organized by the National Office for Technology Acquisition And Promotion (NOTAP), an agency under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

Giving his welcome address, the Director General of NOTAP, Dr Dan-Azumi Ibrahim lauded Senator Ekwunife for facilitating the programme which is designed to cultivate the culture of innovation and productivity in the minds of young Nigerians, particularly pupils and students in primary and secondary schools.

Dr Ibrahim described the Senator as an excellent representative who is committed to touching the lives of her constituents positively. He stated that the programme is geared towards engineering the minds of the younger ones on the role of science and technology in national development.

Speaking at the event, Ekwunife who was represented by the former commissioner for commerce and Industry Anambra State, Hon Ken Arinze commended the National Office for Technology Acquisition And Promotion (NOTAP) for living upto its statutory mandate of engendering the benefit of science and technology in the country.

She noted that the story boards which show pictorial representations of the technological processes of production will reawaken the interest of primary and secondary school pupils and students in science and technology.

While calling on government at all levels to show greater concern towards science, technology and innovation, the Federal Lawmaker urged the students and other participants present at the occasion to see the event as an opportunity to deepen their interest and knowledge in science and technology.

Some of the students and teachers who reacted to the reception of the story boards appreciated the Senator for making the programme a reality. They prayed for God's blessings upon her and wished her success in all her endeavors.

The beneficiaries include, Federal Government Technical College Awka, Ideke Science School Odekpe, Community Secondary School Akpo, New Era Secondary School Nteje, Obosi Girls Secondary School, Community High School Ogboji, Special Science School Abagana, Abbot Girls Special Science School Ihiala and St Charles Special Science School Onitsha. 

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