September 13, 2024

Attitudinal change, strong weapon against corruption- ICPC boss

Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offence (ICPC) has called for attitudinal change and anti-corruption mindset to win the battle against corruption.

Aliyu, represented by the ICPC Secretary, Clifford Oparaodu, made the call in Abuja, at a stakeholders’ review roundtable on the implementation of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP) and the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) organised by the ICPC.

The ICPC boss, who noted with concern that corruption was a cankerworm that had eaten deep into the fabric of the nation and halted its development, said attitudinal change was a strong weapon to defeat the menace.

According to him, attitude has to be changed and anti-corruption mindset must be inculcated to overcome national and institutional challenges of corruption.

He said that ICPC was working round the clock to enhance moral re-birth and address the challenge of corruption in the country.

He said that the roundtable was necessitated
to enable stakeholders jointly undertake the crucial task of reviewing the implementation of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy (NEIP) and the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS).

‘This Roundtable Review has become necessary looking at the fact both the NEIP targeted at generating moral re-birth and the EICS as an anti-corruption-driven evaluation tool urgently requires checks to determine ‘how far’ and ‘how well.

‘It becomes imperative, therefore to convene this roundtable so that we can altogether review, evaluate, re-strategise and retool (where necessary) for increased positive impact.

‘Recall that the NEIP was developed by the ICPC in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA),’ he said.

He said it was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Aug. 19, 2020, adding that since then, the Commission had been engaging with stakeholders including deploying various strategies to attract buy-
in of all and sundry.

‘As you are also aware, the EISC is an anti-corruption evaluation tool developed by the Commission in 2015 with support from the Justice for All (J4A), the European Union and some other donor agencies.

‘EISC helps in assessing organisational and corporate culture of ethics and compliance programmes.

‘This important tool, which contains 112 questions covering three main indicators, 12 sub-indicators and highlighting the ethics and compliance activities of MDAs, assesses the integrity and fidelity of systems to mitigate their frailties.

‘The objective of the evaluation of MDAs through the ethics and integrity compliance standards are particularly to monitor and evaluate them on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs),’ he said.

He said that this was meant to ascertain their level of compliance with institutional ethics and integrity requirements and avail the ICPC with a tracking and diagnostic tool and intelligence to monitor system risks and vulnerabilities.

He added that it would al
so help to direct management and leadership of the Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) to take appropriate measures to mitigate them.

‘I sincerely hope that this programme will afford us the needed opportunity to critically evaluate the effects of our numerous efforts in respect to these initiatives in the society, and create in us the motivation to do more.

‘Attitude has to be changed and anti-corruption mindset might be inculcated so as to overcome national and institutional challenges,’ he said.

Alhaji Fuad Adeyemi, National Chief Imam, Al-habibiyyah, said the greatest problem of the country was corruption and must be addressed holistically.

‘The problem of the country is corruption and must be tackled through prevention, because if you allow them to indulge in it you will spend much to recover stolen items.

‘The best way to prevent is through promotion of ethic and integrity with moral re-rebirth and anti-corruption mindset.

‘The ICPC is trying but needs to do more by moving to where people a
re, go to the grassroots. The commission should also name and shame the culprit either corporate or individual.

‘The tools they introduced are good one that the country needs now but it has to be scaled up,’ he said.

Apostle Samson Fatokun, General Secretary, Christian Association (CAN), lauded the effort of the ICPC in fighting against corruption in Nigeria and urged the commission to begin its fight from the top.

Fatokun commended the tools introduced by the ICPC in fighting corruption but stressed that the implementation must be effective.

He said CAN had also put in place different measures to ensure moral enhanced and behavioral change among church leaders and member.

Dr Emmanuel Uche, Programme Manager, European Union (EU) Rule of Law and Anticorruption Programme, urged the MDAs to key into the ICPC behavoural changes policy.

Uche said that this would make them to begin to have attitudinal change to corrupt practices.

He said that the introduction of the tools had helped in achieving a lot in the
fight against corruption in the country.

‘There has been a critical movement from grand zero to where there has been substantial movement, part of that was the revival of anticorruption and transparency unit in the MDAs, there has been some major shift,’ he said

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

September 13, 2024

Anglican Church gets new archdeaconry in Abuja

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Diocese of Kubwa, has inaugurated a new archdeaconry in Abuja to further propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Rt. Rev. Duke Akamisoko, the Bishop of Kubwa Diocese, who inaugurated the new archdeaconry (Kubwa North Archdeaconry) with headquarters at the Church of Transfiguration, Arab Road, Kubwa, Abuja, said that the parish deserved its new status.

The new archdeaconry-Kubwa North-with Venerable Emeka Anyaora, as the Archdeacon, comprised six local churches in the area.

They are St. James Gbazango, Kubwa, Church of Epiphany Gbazango Extension, Kubwa, St. John’s Kagini, All Saints Church Guida, Emmanuel Church Kaba and St. Philip’s Church, Jibi.

Akamisoko said the inauguration of the Kubwa North Archdeaconry would bring evangelism closer to the people.

‘It is a plus to the diocese; it is also a growth and with this, we now have 18 archdeaconries in the diocese, and this is one of them.

‘God will continue to help them to
grow and excel in mission, evangelism and other aspects of human relationship as well as work in the diocese.

‘We encourage our members to work hard and show commitment so as to attract God’s blessing.

‘Anyone that is not committed to the things of God is doing himself harm; those that are committed will be blessed.

‘So, I urge everyone to be committed because it can’t go unrewarded.”

According to the Bishop, the economic challenges in the country are man-made, as God did not design Nigeria to be so.

He urged Nigerians to dedicate themselves to the service of God, no matter the economic challenges.

‘God did not put us where we are; with the right leadership, dedication, commitment from leaders and followers, we will get out of this.

‘Nigerian leaders must be courageous; have human feelings and think about the people.

‘The cost of living is getting high; cost of fuel is also going higher and higher.

‘God has blessed this country with all the resources that are available; so, we have no reason to be w
here we are,’ he said.

Director of Administration, Kubwa Diocese, Venerable Adamu Sabo, said the inauguration would galvanise and encourage expansion in the house of God.

‘I was the first Parish Priest of this church and I am happy with what has happened,’ Sabo said.

Chairman, Clergy Association, Kubwa Diocese, Venerable James Lamja, said that the Kubwa Anglican Diocese was growing from strength to strength.

‘I am excited and we thank God for the developmental strides of the bishop.

‘From here, the diocese will be going higher; from 17 archdeaconries, we are now 20, with an additional three new archdeaconries.

‘This is the beginning of good things to come in this diocese; this is bringing administration to the grassroots and connecting with the diocese,’ he said.

Mr Edwin Nwoko, Chairman of the Inauguration Planning Committee, said that the creation of the new archdeaconry would translate to the spiritual expansion of the Church and service to humanity.

He urged members of the archdeaconry to be commi
tted to God’s work.

‘We thank God for a successful event and our people are happy.

‘We expect spiritual and membership growth as well as prosperity among the people and we expect people coming here to know God.

‘We had a short time to plan this, but the members were united and they cooperated among themselves to achieve the result we got,’ Nwoko said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

September 13, 2024

NG-CARES disburses N625bn to 36 states in 3 years

The Nigeria COVID-19 Action, Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES), says it has disbursed N625 billion to the 36 states since inception of the programme.

The National Coordinator, NG-CARES, Dr Abdulkarim Obaje, stated this during the peer learning and experience sharing exercise, on Thursday in Bauchi.

NG-CARES is being implemented by the Federal Government in collaboration with the World Bank and the 36 state governments, to mitigate the negative social and economic impacts occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It also aimed at addressing other shocks through the provision of grants and basic social infrastructure services to poor and vulnerable communities.

Obaje described NG-CARES as one of the most successful World Bank’s intervention assisting more than 5.3 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

He said the programme had been restructured to accommodate victims of flood and other related shocks.

Mrs Elizabeth Egharebwa, Chairman, Federal CARES Technical Committee, said the programme had been wo
rking with communities and agencies to alleviate burdens of the poor and vulnerable Nigerians in the last three years.

She was represented by Adamu Gizos, Director Special Duties and Projects, Federal Ministry of Labour.

Egharebwa, who is also the Director, Economic Growth, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, said that: ‘while we are proud of what we have accomplished thus far, we know there is still much work to be done.

‘That is why this peer learning event is so critical. By convening diverse perspectives and experiences, we can collectively identify solutions to the complex challenges we face.’

Also speaking, Mr AbdulAzeez Olorunshola, represtative of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said the exercise was designed to encourage sustainable collaboration between the states.

This, he said, would ensure better understanding for effective peer learning methods among the states

Gov. Bala Mohammed, lauded the NG-CARES over its food security, small businesses and social intervention program
mes.

Represented by Prof. Simon Yalams, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mohammed said the intervention encouraged application of Information Communications Technology (ICT) in the provision of infrastructure and basic services to the people.

He urged the people to protect and ensure effective utilisation of the facilities provided in their communities for sustainable social and economic development in the country.

‘The peer learning and experience sharing exercise is coming at a time when the phase one cycle of the programme is about to terminate.

‘This will therefore provide an avenue for participants to articulate and consolidate all the strategies, techniques and skills applied and used in the implementation of the programme in the country.

‘The lessons learnt would serve as a guide in the conception of development of future programmes, especially the 2.0 whose concept and framework has almost been developed,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

September 13, 2024

Flood displaced 414,000 persons in Borno – UN official

The United Nations (UN) says no fewer than 414,000 people have been displaced by the devastating flood in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Tuesday.

Ms Ann Weru, Head of Public Information, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Abuja, stated this in a Media Advisory.

Weru said that the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, plans to address the media on the issue.

She said that the data was collected by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as of Sept. 11, 2024.

‘NEMA’s records also show that 37 people died, and about 58 people sustained injuries,’ she said, adding that access to hospitals, schools and markets has been hampered.

‘Damage to infrastructure, including bridges, were recorded.

‘Evacuation of people in high-risk areas to safer ground is ongoing, amid concerns about the risk of disease outbreaks,’ she said.

She said that Mr Fall will visit areas impacted by the flooding in Maiduguri and meet with affected people, local
authorities and humanitarian partners.

Government officials, humanitarian partners, representatives of UN agencies and donors, she said, will join Fall at a news conference later in the day.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

September 13, 2024

Nigeria to submit backlog reports on child rights to UN, AU – Official

The Federal Government says it is working to submit backlog of reports on the rights of Nigerian Children to the United Nations and Africa Union Expert Committee on the rights of African children.

Dr MacJohn Nwaobiala, Co-Chairman, National Child Rights Implementation Committee (NCRIC), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

Nwabiola who spoke on the sidelines of the 9th quarterly meeting of the NCRIC, said Nigeria was yet to submit four reports (5th to 8th reports) to the UN and AU bodies.

On the reasons for the backlog, he said that the NCRIC was not functional between 2010 and 2018, there was no budget line for the committee and meetings were not held due to some administrative challenges.

‘We are working assiduously with all partners to ensure that these reports are completed. Members are making input so that we can fast track the process.

‘Although the process of preparing these reports is demanding, but our target for the submission of the reports is by the first
quarter of 2025.

‘We are going to be linking up with the states, zones, NGOs, individuals and organisations.

‘One of the things we are going to be doing shortly is to ensure publications both in the print media, electronic media calling for input in all the sectors for these reports’ he said.

Nwaobiala pledged that NCRIC would work to ensure that Nigeria did not default again in the submission of child right situation reports.

Speaking on the meeting, Mrs Nkiru Maduechesi, Child Protection Specialist, United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) said they assessed progress in terms of child rights implementation in Nigeria.

She said that almost all the 36 states in Nigeria have implemented the Child Rights Act (CRA) in their various states

‘It is good to know that all the 36 states have enacted the child rights law and. structures are in place across the states,

‘We have the specialised police unit, the family court in some states who are putting in place efforts towards child protection.

‘However, a lot sti
ll needs to be done in terms of public financing of social services pertaining to child’s rights in Nigeria.

‘A lot still needs to be done in making child protection and child’s rights a priority, because by guaranteeing the rights of children, we are guaranteeing the future of Nigeria.

‘Right now, there are large number of children who are still out of school, the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is not yet universal across the state and there is high violent rate against children,’ she stressed.

Maduechesi, however appreciated government’s efforts adding that UNICEF would support the effort of government to ensure the wellbeing and rights of children are guaranteed in Nigeria.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

September 13, 2024

FG unveils initiative to reduce unemployment by 20% in 5 years

The Federal Government has unveiled the National Youth Skills Programme (NYSP), a transformative initiative aimed at addressing unemployment and equipping youths with essential skills for the future.

Dr Jamila Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development, said this at the unveiling of the programme on Thursday in Abuja.

Ibrahim said the programme was developed to tackle unemployment and equip young people with employable skills.

‘The key goals are to reduce youth unemployment by 20 per cent in the next five years and achieve up to a 50 per cent increase in youth-led enterprise.

‘Through regular assessment, feedback loops and data analysis, we will adjust our strategies as needed to ensure that we stay on track and that no one is left behind.

‘With the right skills and training, our youth cannot only find employment but also become the driving force behind these sectors, creating a ripple effect of job opportunities.”

According to her, beyond technical skills, the government is committed to empowering the yo
uths with financial tools to succeed.

‘It is not enough to be skilled; we must ensure these young men and women have access to the capital they need to start their business.

‘Through the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund, we have already allocated 110 billion Naira for the 2024 fiscal year to support youth-led businesses.

‘With the upcoming National Youth Development Bank, we will expand this, providing more youth with the grants, loans and mentorship they need to turn their ideas into thriving enterprise.”

The minister said that woman and persons with disabilities were often left out of the economic conversation.

‘That is why we are committed to ensuring that 50 per cent of programme participants will be female and we have designed specific pathways for young women to thrive in sectors like technology, healthcare and entrepreneurship.”

Ibrahim said that the framework would also allow them to track key performance indicators such as the number of jobs created, the success rate of youth-led businesses and
the overall contribution to national economic growth.

‘We have also partnered with local and international organisations to ensure that persons with disabilities have full access to all training programmes, with necessary accommodation as well to be provided.

‘We will also measure long-term impacts such as income growth and poverty reduction.”

According to Ibrahim, NYSP is designed to target 11 key sectors crucial to Nigeria’s development – agriculture, renewable energy, digital economy and manufacturing.

She listed others as healthcare services, creative arts, sustainable mobility, circular economy, teaching skills, mining and gemstone processing, and blue economy.

‘This dual focus on skills and financial support aims to address the gaps in previous initiatives that lacked sufficient backing.

‘The programme will also ensure nationwide outreach, utilisng digital platforms to connect with both urban and rural areas,” she said.

Also speaking, Dr Aminu Abdullahi, Senior Special Adviser to the Minister,
reiterated the programme’s alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi said the programme aimed at equipping more than five million youths with employable skills and fostering entrepreneurship and innovation.

According to him, the NYSP will implement a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track progress and measure impact.

He said the framework would assess key performance indicators such as job creation, business success rates and economic contributions and annual evaluations.

This, he said would ensure transparency and continuous improvement, learning from past experiences to better support the youth.

He urged private sector partners, government agencies and international organisations to collaborate in driving the NYSP’s success.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria