Proposed review of the civil service
And now, the president has revealed that aside the comprehensive audit of the Central Bank of Nigeria that is ongoing, the government has set its eye on a structural review of the civil service payroll. That the new administration sees the crucial link between civil service reform and the ease of doing business is a masterstroke. The civil service operations constitute the sum of institutional frameworks around which the ease of doing business index is measured. And yet, the size of the civil service workforce is still a serious cause for alarm for any government, like the Tinubu administration, with the objective of capitalizing on the capability readiness of the public service to achieve efficient service delivery. The urgency of re-professionalizing connects the reform of the civil service by the Tinubu administration to the overall goal of transforming Nigeria’s productivity proficiency.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
August 11, 2023 15:45 UTC
Niger junta threatens to kill deposed president after any military intervention
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Niger’s junta told a top U.S. diplomat that they would kill deposed President Mohamed Bazoum if neighboring countries attempted any military intervention to restore his rule, two Western officials told The Associated Press. Representatives of the junta told U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the threat to Bazoum during her visit to the country this week, a Western military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. AdvertisementNnamdi Obasi, a senior adviser with the Crisis Group think tank, said ECOWAS should further explore diplomacy in Niger. “We’re suffering now, but I know the junta will find a solution to get out of the crisis,” he said.
Source:Punch
August 11, 2023 15:12 UTC
26-year-old man in court for stealing employer’s bus
A man, Soji Owowa, had been arraigned before Magistrate Patrick Nwaka of a Yaba Magistrates’ Court for allegedly selling his employer’s minibus valued at N3.2m for N550,000. Owowa was arraigned on Thursday on two counts of stealing. The prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, holding a brief for Haruna Magaji told the court that the defendant committed the crime on March 30, 2023, in the Lekki area of Lagos State. The 26-year-old was alleged to have collected N89,000 while his friend, who is still at large, took the rest of the money. According to Nurudeen, the offences contravened and are punishable under Sections 411, and 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State Nigeria 2015.
Source:Punch
August 11, 2023 14:12 UTC
Video, calls push telecom spending to N3.86tn – NCC
Increased video streaming and talk time raised the amount spent on telecom services to N3.86tn in 2022. Providing a breakdown of the revenue, the commission noted that GSM operators made N3.33tn; Fixed wired operators made N385.07m; Internet Service Providers made N92.08bn; Value Added Service providers made N40.74bn; collocation and infrastructure sharing operators made N3.29bn; and other telecom operators made N5.59bn. According to the NCC, the growth in active subscriptions impacted positively on other derived telecom indicators such as teledensity, Internet penetration as well as broadband penetration. “The total volume of data consumed by subscribers increased to 518,381.78TB as of December 2022 from 353,118.89TB as of December 2021. People made more calls in 2022 with total outgoing local and national traffic for calls hitting 204,091,441,469.16 minutes, a 17.59 per cent increase from the 173,555,413,817.69 minutes recorded in 2021.
Source:Punch
August 11, 2023 13:01 UTC
Sports - African teams missing as Women’s World Cup quarterfinals begin - GUARDIAN Newspapers
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Source:The Guardian
August 11, 2023 12:43 UTC
Ohanaeze wants more ministers for South-east
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said the group is disturbed by President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of only five persons from the South-east as ministers while some other regions had nine ministers. In a statement on Thursday by its President-General, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the group demanded the appointment of more ministers from the South-east region to correct the alleged marginalisation of the region in the ministerial appointments. The Ohanaeze Ndigbo believes in one united Nigeria and this can only be achieved in an atmosphere of fairness, justice and equity. “We therefore demand justice, fairness and equity for every ethnic group in Nigeria including the Igbo,” the statement read in part. READ ALSO:The South-east region has the lowest number of nominees with five persons on the list.
Source:The Guardian
August 11, 2023 10:48 UTC
British Council increases IELTS fee
In a recent announcement, the British Council has revealed its decision to revise the fees for the Academic and General Training Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examinations for Nigerian candidates, starting September 2023. The revised fees will amount to N107,500 for IELTS Academic and General Training Modules, and N116,000 for the UK Visas and Immigration variant. British Council officials have justified the fee adjustment, highlighting the imperative of upholding the benchmark of excellence associated with the testing experience. In a message addressed to test takers, the British Council stated, “Dear valued Test Taker, We would like to inform you that effective from September 1, 2023, there will be a price increase for IELTS tests offered by the British Council. The new prices will be NGN 107,500 for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, NGN 116,000 for UK Visas and Immigration, and NGN 104,000 for Life Skills.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
August 10, 2023 21:18 UTC
West African lions can make a comeback if protected, says Wild Africa Fund
Unlike in southern Africa, where these majestic cats are generally well protected and maintain stable populations, West African lions face extinction, losing 99 percent of their historic range. They have disappeared completely in several West African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Mali, and Sierra Leone. “West African lions might disappear forever if we don’t urgently address the threats they face,” says Festus Iyorah, Nigeria Representative for Wild Africa Fund. Their disappearance in West Africa would be tragic and squander an opportunity to foster wildlife tourism that has provided millions of jobs in east and southern Africa,” said Peter Knights, OBE, co-founder and CEO of Wild Africa Fund. Wild Africa Fund has launched a month-long public awareness campaign using radio, TV, newspapers, billboard, and social media to inform people about the threats facing West African lions and reduce demand for illegal bushmeat.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
August 10, 2023 20:05 UTC
Why organisations should invest in technology, rework employee compensation strategy
Mrs Toki Mabogunje, the Vice Chair of Africa at the World Chamber of Federation, has outlined the reasons organisations should invest in technology and revise employee strategies to redefine the future of work in Nigeria. She stressed the importance of developing a digital transformation strategy to maintain competitiveness and ensure long-term success. Olusegun Mojeed, the National President of CIPM, echoed the importance of redefining the future of organizations through the introduction of technology and global employees. He highlighted the significance of remote or hybrid work, the rise of technology for enhanced productivity, and the lessons learned during the pandemic period for adapting to technology. He added that the conference aimed to promote workplace happiness, reduce employee turnover, and encourage a motivated workforce.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
August 10, 2023 17:34 UTC
Ministerial list: Is it freedom for Nigerian Women?
In 2007 President Umaru Yar’dua appointed seven women out of 39 cabinet ministers. President Goodluck Jonathan (2010-2015), during his campaign in Jos, promised to allocate to women 35 per cent of ministerial and ambassadorial postings. He appointed more women to cabinet positions than his predecessors (military and civilian), assigning the most pivotal ministries of the economy to women. The performance and track records of the women ministers are there for reference in public opinion. Nigerians will expect nothing but the best from the women appointed to serve as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Source:Punch
August 10, 2023 13:59 UTC
England star Lauren James handed two-match ban after red card against Nigeria
The Chelsea star was dismissed late in the second half for stamping on Nigeria forward Michelle Alozie following an altercation. FIFA said in a statement: “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has imposed a two-match suspension on England’s player Lauren James following a violation of article 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code at the FIFA Women’s World Cup match England v Nigeria. “The suspension will be served for the Women’s World Cup quarter-final and the next international fixture following that.”England’s Lauren James is sent off after a VAR review (Zac Goodwin/PA)It means James will be available for the tournament final should England progress that far. James already knew she would miss Saturday’s quarter-final against Colombia following her red card in the game, which England won on penalties. All respect for Lauren James.”
Source:The Guardian
August 10, 2023 13:58 UTC
What happened the last time Nigeria intervened in a coup crisis of another country
While the West African authorities are expected to make a difficult decision for the good of everyone, it's important to look at what happened the last time the Nigerian military intervened in a similar crisis. In its bid to restore democracy, ECOWAS sent an ECOMOG force led by Nigerian troops to Sierra Leone to engage the rebel forces. There were allegations that Nigeria intervened in the crisis without any official mandate from other West African leaders. Pulse NigeriaMany other West African leaders reportedly frowned at Nigeria's military intervention in the Sierra Leone crisis. Pulse NigeriaHe insisted that Nigeria should not be blamed for the ECOWAS peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone.
Source:The Guardian
August 10, 2023 13:34 UTC
PHOTOS: Sanusi meets Niger coup leaders
The leader of the Tijjaniya Movement in Africa and the 14th Emir of Kano Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi has met with the leaders of the military junta Niger Republic in what appears to have taken the world by surprise. Recall,the military junta had aborted a meeting with representatives of African Union (AU), Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and a top US diplomat. However, on Wednesday, Sanusi, whose Tijjaniya sect has a large following in Niger met with the military leadership . Khalifa Sanusi might used his influence as the head of the Tijjaniya sect in Nigeria to broker peace with the military leadership. Sanusi from the footages was in company of the Sultan of Damagaran as well as other unidentified persons.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
August 10, 2023 09:03 UTC
Tinubu, what about the refineries?
MORE than two months after President Bola Tinubu extinguished petrol subsidies a month ahead of schedule, he has been largely silent on the fate of the four moribund state-owned refineries. At his inauguration on May 29, his “subsidy is gone!” blast triggered record-breaking petrol prices across the country. Like his predecessors, Tinubu has misdiagnosed Nigeria’s energy predicament: a major crude exporter with current production OPEC quota of 1.8 million barrels per day, it irrationally imports refined petroleum products because its refineries are comatose. Prices soared to between N568pl and N617pl in July on the back of higher crude oil prices. Tinubu, a former oil sector executive, should realise that the real catastrophe is Nigeria’s dependence on refined petroleum products.
Source:Punch
August 10, 2023 03:48 UTC
Poor condition of service affecting judges’ health – SAN
President Bola Tinubu had recently increased the retirement age of the judges and some people had seen it as a good development. The lawyer stated that though the state high court judges can retire at age 65, they can, nevertheless, work till they reach 80. Another lawyer, Victor Opara (SAN), stated that robust healthcare schemes for the judges should be put in place and dutifully implemented. Ogu Ogedi, a lawyer, argued that the Bench didn’t need an increase in retirement age. He said an increase in retirement age could never enhance productivity, not even the experience as some people would want to argue.
Source:Punch
August 10, 2023 03:44 UTC