Month: June 2024

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Mohammed Ndarani, has commended President Bola Tinubu for establishing the evaluation standards for the assessment of his ministers.

Ndarani said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday while reacting to the recent event of presentation of ministerial scorecards demanded by President Bola Tinubu.

He urged strict adherence to them for the good of their ministries, and also for the people of Nigeria as a whole.

‘It is only proper that to whom much is entrusted, much is expected, which means that these assessments would in addition keep political appointees on their toes.

‘Article 19[1]2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides a guide for the assessment of ministers and other federal appointees.

‘The assessment will help the public to also track the performances of these minsters and know when and how to hold them accountable”.

He recalled that Tinubu had instructed 47 ministers to present their performance scorecar
ds ahead of his administration’s one-year in office.

Ndarani also commended Tinubu for mandating no fewer than 140 officials to track and assess the performance of all federal ministries, departments, and agencies ahead of the first assessment exercise.

He noted that although some ministers might have embarked on extensive media hype with little to show in real achievement, much might not have be heard of others, who may have performed well.

‘Sometimes, it is not the people that you hear of who are the performers in this country, so, nobody can evaluate any minister other than members of the public,” he stated.

‘They are the ones who would have felt the impact of the ministers’ actions, or the lack thereof”.

He equally urged the president to consider Section 14[1], 2[a] [c] of the constitution to serve as the foundation during the next ministers’ assessments.

‘Section 14[1], 2[a] [c] of the 1999 Constitution says, ‘(a) sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom government through this Con
stitution derives all its powers and authority; (c) the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in it.

‘In the light of the above, it is desirable that citizens’ opinion and assessment is considered, in order to get an accurate rating of the ministers.

‘There should be modalities for the assessments, key performance indicators and the reporting mechanisms made available for the public to participate in the exercise”.

He said that while a few ministers have performed well, others are still learning on the job.

Ndarani suggested that allowing only ministers to evaluate their own performance undermines the objectivity of the assessment as a minister cannot be the judge in his own case.

‘We know that sometimes highly placed public officers operate under serious constraints with several factors in play, which revolve around a paucity of funds.

‘Nonetheless, the ministers alone cannot be left to make their own assessments, as this would negate the principle of ‘Nemo judex in causa su
a’, which simply says that one cannot be a judge in his own cause.

‘A scorecard where only the ministers assess themselves and score themselves might be a watered-down exercise which could raise questions as to the objectivity of the assessment.

‘There should be an avenue, a mechanism or a survey put in place where people can vote or voice their opinions on the performances of ministers, or public officers, generally.

‘Nigerians should be given a voice in the ministers’ assessments since this will improve the outcomes, and bring them into compliance with global best practices.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigeria Business and Disability Network (NBDN) says it plans to launch an app designed to connect People With Disabilities (PWD) with potential employers.

Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, Chairperson of NBDN and Head of Sustainability at Access Corporation, unveiled this initiative during the NBDN 2024 Annual Diversity and Inclusion Conference held on Wednesday in Lagos.

The conference, hosted by Access Bank, centered around the theme, ‘Disability Inclusion in Corporate Sustainability’.

It aimed to address the challenges faced by PWDs in accessing employment opportunities.

Victor-Laniyan emphasised the importance of creating a safe and inclusive space for PWDs, stating that the app would alleviate the hardships and discrimination they often encounter during job searches.

‘The app will serve as a platform for PWDs to access job opportunities and receive guidance on CV writing and other necessary skills,’ she explained.

She further highlighted that the app would enable employers to post job vacancies and se
arch for potential candidates, facilitating a seamless connection between PWDs and employers.

While the launch date of the app is pending due to ongoing partnerships, Victor-Laniyan reassured attendees of NBDN’s commitment to advocating the rights of PWDs despite challenges in data collection.

In her opening speech, Victor-Laniyan underscored the need for increased employment opportunities for PWDs and urged corporates to integrate them into suitable roles based on qualifications.

The conference featured panel discussions and keynote addresses from industry experts, including Dr James Lalu from the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Ms Adenike Oyetunde from the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA).

Others were Dr Toyin Adeyemi from Save the Children International, and Dr Joy Shuaibu from Sightsavers Nigeria.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (TCNMW), says it will hold its 8th meeting on June 4 to continue negotiations.

Mr Ekpo Nta, member and Secretary of the committee said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

According to Nta, I respectfully invite you to attend the 8th meeting of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage.

‘The meeting is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Area 11, Abuja at 10.00 a.m. prompt,” he said.

He said that he minutes of the 7th meeting, the draft agenda for the 8th meeting, and the Zoom Link for virtual attendance will be forwarded in due course.

Nta called on the chairman of the committee, members and observers to take note.

It would be recalled that Organised Labour at the 7th TCNMW meeting had expressed disappointment that no governor was present at the last meeting.

Labour had also complained that ministers were absent except the minister of State for Labour and Employment who also doubles as a conciliator.

Labour s
aid that there was none present on the side of the government with appropriate authority to commit them to any outcome.

Meanwhile, labour has begun an indefinite nationwide strike following the Federal Government’s failure to meet their demand on the new minimum wage.

It would be recall that the Federal government was offering N60, 000 as the new national minimum wage for workers in the country while Labour is demanding for N470, 000.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali Mohammed Ali said on Monday the agency would ‘adopt the military style of pulling out its retirees’ from service.

Ali said this during the send-off party organised for the agency’s immediate past Head of Politics Desk Mr Inuwa Ali, after 35 years of service.

Military pulling-out parades, also known as farewell parades, are held at the instance of retiring senior officers who have served the nation meritoriously.

According to the managing director, the military-style pull-out ceremony will be significant because it will indicate that their contributions and service of more than 30 years have been recognised and acknowledged.

‘I think we will now adopt the military style of pulling out its retirees because they have contributed enormously.

‘This style of celebrating our retirees in the newsroom will have to change and we will now have to pull them out like it is done for generals in the military,’ he said.

Ali reiterated his commitment to leve
raging technology to deliver the agency’s mandate by building a workforce that is in tune with technology and digitally savvy.

‘Recently we made some changes in the editorial department – at least in the multimedia unit – because we want to reposition the agency such that it can face the impending challenge of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

‘Now the shape of the newsroom in the digital or AI era is quite scary and unless we wake up to that reality and equip ourselves with the right knowledge and tools, we will be left behind.

‘We are determined to collectively confront and understand the threat of job losses because, with AI, you won’t need many people in your operations,’ he said.

He congratulated Inuwa on his retirement, describing him as a close friend, a selfless and generous man, and fun to be with.

In his speech, Mr Ephraims Sheyin, NAN’s Editor-In-Chief (EIC), said Inuwa was not only an effective staff member but also one of those persons a leader could rely on for their support.

Sheyin said Inuw
a always made everyone around him in the newsroom feel at ease and laugh even when the situation was tense.

‘He seemed to know many things happening in many parts of the country and would tell stories using the happenings and make everybody around him laugh,” he said.

The EIC described Inuwa as one of the staff members always willing to do their best and sacrifice for the agency, advising editorial staff to continue to offer their best services.

The agency’s Director of Administration, Mr Abdulkadir Khaliel, also congratulated Inuwa on his retirement and prayed to God to grant him a brighter future in his retirement life.

Also speaking, the agency’s Director of Special Duties, Mr Mufutau OJo, described Inuwa as an effective media manager who offered his subordinates effective leadership and trained them to become better reporters without having to bully them.

He urged other leaders in the agency to emulate Inuwa’s leadership style.

‘One thing we have learned about him is that you can be an effective me
dia manager without being a bully.

‘He is a type that has been doing a lot, even without being noticed,” he said.

Deputy Editor-in-Chief (DEIC) and Head of NAN Abuja Newsroom, My Kayode Olaitan, described Inuwa as a friendly and calm person with whom he had worked over many years.

‘One thing I know about him is that he is a very calm person who will never reject a request from you,” Olaitan said.

Another DEIC, Hajia Hadiza Aliyu, the Head of the Health and Gender Desk, described herself as a member of ‘Inuwa’s tea-drinking club”.

She said that Inuwa was retiring even when he still had so much to offer the agency and the nation.

She said Inuwa would be remembered for his sense of humour in the newsroom and for sharing tea with his colleagues.

Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Mrs Ese Eniola-Williams, also extolled the good qualities of Ali, describing him as a generous person always willing to share good things with his colleagues.

Another Assistant Editor-in-Chief, Gregory Mmadukolam, urged NAN managemen
t to find a way to re-engage Inuwa even after retirement for his wealth of experience and skills.

A politics correspondent, Emmanuel Oloniruha, described Inuwa as hardworking, jovial, and open-hearted.

‘Inuwa is a man who does not hide his feelings when you fail to carry out instructions.

‘However, the moment you let him see reason and apologise, he let go,” Oloniruha said.

He prayed to God to grant him a fulfilled life in retirement.

Another reporter, Angela Atabo, described Inuwa as a good boss always willing to assist reporters with their reports regardless of the time of the day.

‘As my desk head, I learned a lot from him, especially how to cover civil society organisations.

‘He will be greatly missed. I wish him all the best in life,” she said.

Responding to the encomiums poured out upon him, the retiree, thanked his colleagues for the outpouring of love and for celebrating him.

‘I started my career in the Lagos office of the agency on the sports beat and met colleagues who became like brothe
rs to me.

‘I have travelled to more than 10 countries across the world in the course of my job. I covered three Africa Nations Cup tournaments.

‘I have been to South Africa, Spain, the U.S., and Sydney, among others, covering sports.

‘I am proud to have worked in NAN.

‘All the experiences helped to shape my life and made me who I am today, and I am fulfilled because I am leaving NAN today feeling like a two-star general,” he said

According to Inuwa, journalists give their all in their jobs, yet what they are paid is not commensurate with what they put in for the sake of society.

He called for the implementation of a decent media salary structure acceptable to Nigerian journalists.

‘We are getting so much less. Nigerian journalists are suffering and I think it is time now for the NUJ to champion this cause, for them to have a better salary scale in this country.

‘That is the motivation. We have offered so much to Nigeria. We deserve so much from Nigeria too,” he added.

Source: News Agency of Nigeri
a

All eyes are on the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) as South Africans eagerly await the outcome of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.

The official results are expected to be announced at the commission’s Results Operations Centre in Midrand on Sunday evening.

Millions of eligible voters across the country made their mark at more than 23 000 polling stations in South Africa’s seventh democratic elections on Wednesday.

This followed two successful days of special votes, which saw South Africans who had registered for a special vote making their mark at 22 626 voting stations and during home visits across the country.

Voting abroad took place between 17 and 18 May 2024 in 111 South African missions across the world.

Observers, from both South Africa and other countries, have closely monitored the electoral process.

At a media briefing, the commission said the release of the official results on the fourth day after Election Day was to factor in the third ballot and to deal with the 50% a
dditional work imposed by the third ballot.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The 2024 Elections have tested the strength of the country’s institutions, the integrity of systems and the resolve of citizens, says Electoral Commission of South Africa Chairperson Mosotho Moepya.

‘These elections were undoubtedly the most highly contested,’ Moepya said, speaking at the announcement of the results of the National and Provincial Elections at the national Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Midrand this evening.

Moepya, who declared the elections free and fair, said there were many challenges the commission had to overcome during the voting process.

‘As a nation, we have emerged triumphant, having conducted these elections with the utmost transparency, fairness and adherence to the highest standards of democratic practice,’ Moepya said.

WATCH |

The path to this moment, he said, has been paved by the sacrifices of those who came before and the unwavering belief in the power of the people’s will.

‘Just as the watershed elections of 1994 laid the foundation for our democratic order, the 202
4 elections mark a milestone in the continued growth and maturation of our nation’s electoral process.

‘Throughout this endeavour, the Electoral Commission of South Africa has never sought to waver from its commitment to deliver elections compliant with South Africa’s constitutional order. To do this, the Electoral Commission put significant measures in place to safeguard these elections.’

Moepya said journey to this point was not without its challenges.

‘It sometimes entailed concerted [and] significant attacks on members and key staff of the commission, attempts to undermine the credibility of this institution, relentless and targeted social media attacks, disinformation campaigns, unwarranted allegations and sometimes what appeared to be acts of intimidation.

‘As an institution with an enormous amount of responsibility to the nation we all love and proudly call home, we persevered and remained focused on the challenges before us.

‘We remain grateful to all of you, for your kind thoughts, encouragement
, correction and prayers throughout this journey.’

He said the commission remained steadfast in the country’s Constitutional mandate, rising above the distractions, to ensure that the will of the people was accurately reflected in the results of these elections.

‘In any election, the most anxious moments come with the declaration of the election results. South Africa’s nascent democracy has experienced one of the most peaceful electoral periods in recent times.

‘For this, we thank all her people. You have enabled us to truly capture a climate in which elections could be held,’ he said.

Held on Wednesday, 29 May 2024, the elections saw millions of eligible voters across the country making their way to more than 23 000 polling stations to cast their votes in the much-contested seventh democratic elections. Citizens living abroad and those requiring special votes cast their votes ahead of the main Voting Day, ensuring that all eligible voters have a chance to make their voices heard and play a part in streng
thening democracy.

Source: South African Government News Agency