The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ministry

  • TUC lauds Ambode for creating Wealth Ministry

    TUC lauds Ambode for creating Wealth Ministry

    Lagos State chapter of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has  hailed Governor Akinwunmi  Ambode for creating the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Empowerment.

    Its Chairman,  Comrade Akeem Kazeem, said the development would impact the citizens, urging the governor to appoint a personal assistant or consultant on labour matters in his cabinet.

    He said: “Labour is also in support of the on-going restructuring in the state civil service. Round pegs are being put in round holes. Merit and excellence is now recognised and put into consideration in appointments in the state.’’

    Kazeem noted that the advertisement for teachers and surveyors jobs was a positive step to reduce unemployment, urging the Federal and the state governments to embrace the idea.

    “We commend the good work being done in the area of security and the marginal improvement in power supply, particularly in Lagos State. This trend should be sustained and improved upon,’’ he said.

    Also, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has criticised the claim by Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) that government plans to sell off hospitals under the guise of public-private partnerships (PPP).

    The association said the union was afraid of the work place discipline that private sector control would bring to hospitals.

    Dr Joseph Ana, head of NMA’s clinical governance committee, accused JOHESU of backing its members to continue with their bad work ethics.

    He said the private sector’s involvement in health would ensure corporate efficiency, discipline and resources which government alone cannot afford, if it is to deliver on its health promises.

  • Ministry of National Re-orientation?

    SIR: Nigeria has remained undeveloped not because she does not have institutions and resources and some measure of capacity, it is because of mismanagement of the people’s resources. The parent of that mismanagement is indiscipline. Corruption is a direct child of indiscipline. Indiscipline has grandchildren, great grandchildren etc. But Corruption is the most progressive and flamboyant child of indiscipline.

    There is need for the creation of a Ministry of National Re-Orientation (MNR). The creation of such a ministry is borne of the need to sustain the fight against indiscipline. If this is not done, who will continue this all important social fight after Buhari has left office?

    It will be the continuous responsibility of the ministry to insist that Nigerians do the right things in the right ways. We recall that in the 2015 elections, Nigerians agreed that corruption had eaten too deep into our blood and institutional systems and that it was time to check it. There is therefore every need to flush corruption out of our blood and institutional systems. In this regard, it will be the duty of the ministry to design subtle ways and means to make Nigerians hate and avoid corruption without coercion. It will also be its responsibility to regularly enlighten Nigerians on government’s policies, programmes and decisions. Such enlightenment should be to explain to the public the reasons and means of achieving government policies. Through this means, government will be able to provide detailed political, social and economic explanation for its actions. Presidential Media Advisers may not be able to do this.

    With the ministry on board, what happens to the existing National Orientation Agency (NOA)? NOA and all such similar government-owned agencies should be dissolved and absorbed by the ministry. Given what Nigeria has suffered to  indiscipline, a Ministry of National Re-Orientation should be the most important ministry.

    I therefore do not have any doubt that if it is created and it does well, even after Buhari, indiscipline and all its tentacles would have been uprooted from their strongholds in Nigeria so that the country will have strong relief. That will be the forerunner for change and true progress.

     

    • Okachikwu Dibia

    Abuja.

  • Ministry of Water Resources to pay arrears

    Ministry of Water Resources to pay arrears

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Musa Istifanus, on Wednesday said the ministry had started working on the payment of promotional arrears for workers.

    Istifanus said this in an interview in response to protest by workers over unpaid arrears.

    The workers on Tuesday protested against lack of training, unpaid promotional arrears as well as the running of the ministry by Mr. Istifanus.

    But the permanent secretary dismissed the allegations against him, adding that the workers were protesting because he refused to approve Sallah package for them.

    He said one, out of the three persons owed promotional arrears had been paid, adding that the ministry would reprocess the other two before they could be paid.

    He said: “In respect to promotional arrears there were three batches one has been paid. But the other two could not go through to the Budget Office because it was a blanket request. Usually if you want to pay promotional arrears you attach evidence of the approval for the promotion from the commission, the list of officers affected and the grade level they are moving from and the state they are moving from and the distress that will arise as a result of that. You send this to internal audit for audit purpose and you must attach this computation sheet before you submit to budget office.

    “When I requested to take a look at the three issues only one of them actually met this requirement the other two was a blanket request and budget office could not have approved something like that. As it is now we have to reprocess the other two arrears. But one of them that went through the normal process has been paid since early this year.

    “I do know that starting from about two years ago most training was for every staff. The money that is available cannot train all the staff in one year. So what is being done is to train a portion of the staff in a particular year and another staff in the next year until all the staffs has been covered and then they come back and repeat the same process. If ten years the officer has not been trained it means he was not in our nominal rule.”

  • Defence Ministry joins arms purchase probe

    Defence Ministry joins arms purchase probe

    The Federal Ministry of Defence was stopped from taking part in arms procurement, Permanent Secretary Ismaila Aliyu said yesterday

    According to him, the Services took over completely what should be part of the ministry’s  responsibilities.

    He believes the probe of arms purchases ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari will ensure cost effectiveness in future procurement.

    Aliyu, addressing reporters at the State House after a meeting of top officials of the ministry with the President, said President Buhari had approved the inclusion of a representative of the Ministry on the panel.

    He said: “Mr President has asked that the Ministry of Defence be included in that committee. The ministry was very involved in the procurement in those years. So, definitely we have something to present to that committee.

    “We are now part and parcel of that committee. The ministry is very excited that this committee has been formed.

    “Apart from the administrative and financial support, it is to make sure that the policy thrust is being complied with, procurement of relevant equipment, according to specification of the armed forces, is being complied with and we are very happy for that.

    “At the end of this, we hope to have procurement that will be value-added, cost effective and will meet our needs both locally and internationally.”

    “Definitely the ministry was involved in the procurement of arms but in recent years the responsibility was shifted to the services,” he added.

    On the meeting with the President, he said: “This is a family meeting. We have briefed him. Mr. President is happy with the operations of the ministry, the operation of the fight against insurgency, there is substantial progress – and achievements.

    “He has asked us to continue with the momentum and he is very willing to support the needs of the armed forces.”

    Aliyu said the new service chiefs are doing everything possible to win the war against Boko Haram before the three months deadline.

  • Photo: Women ministry briefs Buhari

    Photo: Women ministry briefs Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari welcoming the Director General, National Centre for Women Development, Onyeka Owenu while the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi (m) and others watched during the Presidential briefing by the Ministry at the State House, Abuja.
    President Muhammadu Buhari welcoming the Director General, National Centre for Women Development, Onyeka Owenu while the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi (m) and others watched during the Presidential briefing by the Ministry at the State House, Abuja.
    L-R Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi, President Muhammadu Buhari and Director General, National Centre for Women Development, Onyeka Owenu and during the Presidential briefing by the Ministry at the State House in Abuja.
    L-R Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi, President Muhammadu Buhari and Director General, National Centre for Women Development, Onyeka Owenu and others during the Presidential briefing by the Ministry at the State House in Abuja.

  • Ministry, agents disagree over practitioner’s fee

    The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Asso-ciation of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has ordered its members to shun a Federal Ministry of Transport  letter on payment of practitioner’s fee to the Council for the Registration of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

    The July 15 letter, exclusively obtained by The Nation, was signed by the ministry’s Director of Maritime Services, Musa Nagogo.

    It reads: “The Minister of Transport had approved the collection of Practitioners’ Operating Fees (POF) vide a letter referenced T.4252/s.46/C.3/1/177 dated 26th February, 2015 for the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to collect Practitioners’ Operating Fees.

    “Further to the Resolutions reached at the Stakeholders meeting held on 3rd July, 2015, the Ministry hereby informs the Nigeria Customs Service, all registered freight forwarders, all seaports terminal operators, all airports cargo terminal handlers and the general public that CRFFN is hereby authorised to immediately commence the collection of Practitioners’ Operating Fee (POF),” Nagogo said in the letter

    But ANLCA’s National Publicity Secretary Dr. Kayode Farinto told The Nation that the group has instituted a case at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, challenging the directive by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir, on payment of the fee.

    Joined in the suit are the CRFFN and Inspector-General of Police (IGP). Under the new fees regime, importers will pay N1.50 per kilo of every air cargo, N1,000 per 20-foot container, N2,000 per each 40-foot container, N500 per car or Jeep imported into the country and N1,000 per every truck or 20-foot equivalent.

    Others include N2,000 per truck or 40-foot equivalent, N3.50 per every ton of general cargo imported into the country and N1 per ton of every dry bulk cargo handled in any of the nation’s seaports.

    The minister also approved various registration fees for freight forwarders, including Nigerians and non-Nigerians, which range from N7,500 to N50,000 yearly depending on the category of membership as well as yearly subscription fees ranging from N10,000 to N60,000 for the various levels of the membership of the council.

    But in a motion on notice filed by Ayodele Olaniyi on its behalf, ANLCA is asking the court to grant an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants by themselves, their agents, servants, employees, assigning, representatives and/or privies from further collection of the POF pending when the Governing Council of the CRFFN will be elected and or re-constituted and pending the final determination of the suit.

    ANLCA is also seeking an order of mandatory injunction restraining the third defendant (Inspector-General of Police) from using his instrument of office to coerce and intimidate its members into paying “the illegitimate fees” pending “when the court will make its final pronouncement on the matter”.

    In an affidavit in support of the motion on notice, Farinto averred that by virtue of the Act establishing the second defendant (CRFFN), the council is only empowered to collect the fees through its Governing Council.

    He claimed that the Governing Council has since been dissolved and the Registrar of CRFFN assumed the duty of generally overseeing the affairs of the council.

    ANLCA, it was gathered, has also suspended any further discussion between the association and CRFFN until the court settles the matter.

    Farinto said that the Governing Council of the CRFFN has since been dissolved and that its Registrar assumed the duty of generally overseeing the affairs of the council.

    He claimed that consequently, the first defendant ordered the Registrar to commence collection of the POF “which is an exclusive duty of the Governing Council which is not in place”.

    The image maker is therefore, requesting for an order compelling the defendants to pay N50 million in damages to ANLCA.

     

  • Fear of ‘scrapping’ grips aviation ministry

    Fear of ‘scrapping’ grips aviation ministry

    Indications emerged at the weekend that President  Muhammadu  Buhari may not appoint a minister for the Aviation Ministry.

    Industry sources hinted that the President may merge the ministry with the Ministry of Transport.

    The move, a source said yesterday, “is creating fear among top officials of the aviation agencies because the merger may scale down their current positions from managing directors to mere directors”.

    The decision to scrap the ministry, it was learnt, followed recommendations by stakeholders in the transport industry, who have identified the ministry as one militating against the growth of the sector.

    A source said Buhari decided to “collapse the two ministries as a way of cutting cost as well as for effective monitoring of the sector.”

    Under the new arrangement, rather than have a substantive minister of Aviation, Buhari may likely appoint a director general or secretary to head it under a substantive Ministry of Transport.

    The agencies under Aviation, it was gathered, will be managed by directors as against the positions of managing directors.

    Sources noted that key players in transport sectors had called on Buhari to start with the scrapping of the Ministry of Aviation and all aviation related Senior Special Assistant positions in line with the change he promised Nigerians.

    According to key players, the Ministry of Aviation has increased the cost of service delivery, bureaucracy and processing time.

    A source said: “They have overburdened the Aviation agencies with personnel and bills to the detriment of efficiency, safety and profitability as agencies are forced to pay for their chartered flights and tickets of family members till date.”

    The non-appointment of a substantive minister for Aviation, according to some workers who spoke under anonymity, “will douse tension and the jostling for the position”.

  • Ministry moves to curb poultry diseases

    Ministry moves to curb poultry diseases

    THE Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through the Department of Animal Production and Husbandry Services, has begun the training of stakeholders in the poultry industry  to enhance disease prevention, detection and control.

    Speaking at a workshop in Nasarawa State, yesterday, Departmental Director Dr. Ademola Raji said the training was a response to the attention given to animal health globally.

    Raji, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Dr John Taiwo, said the workshop, titled: ‘Behaviour Change in Biosecurity in Poultry Production’, would arm stakeholders in disease prevention.

    He said the workshop was also a response to the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza, saying that proper knowledge and application of biosecurity would help curb the ugly situation.

    “The workshop has the objectives of developing an action plan in all aspects of disease detection, prevention and control, explain appropriate biosecurity for poultry farms and live birds market in rural and urban areas.

    “It would build capacity in technical, communication skills and advise poultry growers, sellers and live birds marketing administrators in developing a biosafety plan,” he said.

    Registrar, Nigeria Institute of Animal Science (NAIS) Dr Oyedele Oyedeji said the workshop would address challenges facing the sector.

    He said it would impact the standards used in crop and animal production, addng that “products are as good as the process used in producing them.”

    Oyedeji noted that the participating stakeholders were required to train farmers and other actors along the poultry value chain in their localities.

    The registrar urged the Federal Department of Animal Production and Husbandry Services to convene a meeting of stakeholders to review the livestock policy for Nigeria. This, he said, would give a proper direction to animal breeding and genetics, animal nutrition, marking, operating procedures and animal welfare to be disseminated to states through extension services.

     

     

  • Ministry moves to curb poultry diseases

    THE Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through the Department of Animal Production and Husbandry Services, has begun the training of stakeholders in the poultry industry  to enhance disease prevention, detection and control.

    Speaking at a workshop in Nasarawa State, yesterday, Departmental Director Dr. Ademola Raji said the training was a response to the attention given to animal health globally.

    Raji, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Dr John Taiwo, said the workshop, titled: ‘Behaviour Change in Biosecurity in Poultry Production’, would arm stakeholders in disease prevention.

    He said the workshop was also a response to the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza, saying that proper knowledge and application of biosecurity would help curb the ugly situation.

    “The workshop has the objectives of developing an action plan in all aspects of disease detection, prevention and control, explain appropriate biosecurity for poultry farms and live birds market in rural and urban areas.

    “It would build capacity in technical, communication skills and advise poultry growers, sellers and live birds marketing administrators in developing a biosafety plan,” he said.

    Registrar, Nigeria Institute of Animal Science (NAIS) Dr Oyedele Oyedeji said the workshop would address challenges facing the sector.

    He said it would impact the standards used in crop and animal production, addng that “products are as good as the process used in producing them.”

    Oyedeji noted that the participating stakeholders were required to train farmers and other actors along the poultry value chain in their localities.

    The registrar urged the Federal Department of Animal Production and Husbandry Services to convene a meeting of stakeholders to review the livestock policy for Nigeria. This, he said, would give a proper direction to animal breeding and genetics, animal nutrition, marking, operating procedures and animal welfare to be disseminated to states through extension services.

     

     

     

  • Creditors sue ministry over N3b debt

    A group, JTF House Boat Owners Coalition,  has sued the Ministry of Defence at the Federal High Court 1 sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, over an alleged N3billion debt.

    The businessmen said the debt was owed in respect of 13 house boats rented for use by the personnel of Military Joint Task Force (Operation Pulio Shield) in the Niger Delta region.

    The matter, which came up for hearing on Monday, was adjourned to April 23.

    The presiding judge, Justice Lambo Akanbi, said the adjournment was to enable the defendant have enough time to respond to the statement of claim presented by the plaintiffs.

    Counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. A.O Yusuf, said: “We just filed and we expect them to pay the money or call us for settlement out of court because the Defence Ministry is a Federal Government parastatal and I know they won’t like to be disgraced before the court.”

    Dr. Etiese Etuk, who spoke for the firms faulted the “forceful seizesure” of the “equipment for over 36 months for security surveillance.

    “Having not paid us and having done all manners of consultations and appeals we decided to use the last resort which is the common man strategy to come to court to ask for redress and for the payment of our money”

    Similarly, another rep, Mr. Oloriegbe Majeed said, “the matter was filed to enforce our rights against the federal government. We are Niger Delta people who have house boats and gave them to the federal government for surveillance and protection of pipelines in Nigeria. To our utmost surprise and indignation, we have not been paid for 36 months.

    “We have pleaded, we have written, we have done publications, we have done everything that is necessary to be done, but yet the government paid a deaf ear to our complains and that is why we have filed this suit and pleading with the court to give us accelerated hearing so that we can remain in business.”

    “We are very surprised that the government is not paying serious attention to the issue of pipeline vandalism, because we are the ones providing the boats for the protection of the pipelines and we are astonished that we have not been paid for 36 months. If the government is serious about the security of pipelines, they will pay the people who provide services for the protection of those pipelines.”