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COVID-19: Rivers State Inter-Ministerial C’ttee, UNICEF Partner In Community Mobilization

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The Rivers State Inter-ministerial Committee on COVID-19 and UNICEF have agreed to partner in creating more awareness and mobilizing Rivers people in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic through the communities in the 23 Local Government Areas.
Taking the decision for the partnership on Saturday in his office during a meeting with a delegation of the UNICEF Field Office in Rivers State and its partners, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, siad the community sensitisation and mobilization is one the Committee had planned as its next line of action.
This, the Commissioner explained, is because of the realisation that in spite of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world and Nigeria, and the level of awareness creation made by the Interministarial Committee, some people still do not believe it exist.
He said: “Consistently we (the Committee) have been working round the clock to ensure that people are sensitised and mobilized. In fact,  the next project we want to emback on now is to get vehicles … that will be going round the communities to broadcast prevention messages. It will shock you to know that there are still people who don’t believe that this virus is here.

“So, we want to see how UNICEF will partner with us. Let’s get these open vans that would go round into the 23 LGAs of the State to ensure that this prevention message gets to everyone, just to lend weight to what we have done with the Traditional  Rulers Council, because we had a strategic meeting with them, where we gave them tips on how to use town announcers, which a good number of them have been doing”, he said.
He noted that not long ago, the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had ensured that communities in the State are brought into the fight against the pandemic by setting up the Local Government Task Forces for COVID-19, saying, “there’s no State in this country that has gotten this kind of model of leadership in this season”.
Responding to the level of partnership UNICEF proposed, Nsirim clearly outlined the areas within the purview of the Committee and the extent to which the Committee will go in the partnership.
According to him, in “scaling up of awareness and how to create community watchdogs in electronic platforms for surveillance and all, we’re ready to partner with you in this direction. The only area that may not be within our purview is the one of empowering communities for socio-economic impact.
“What we can do with you along that line is to also create some messages that would make people to accept the social impact things that will come, and also encourage them to prepare for post-COVID-19, like you said.
“Everything that would be required to make our people to survive post-COVID, We’re ready to partner with you, because you spoke extensively on the things they can produce, and also noted that we had Ebola some time, nobody knew there’ll be coronavirus.
“Whatever way we can partner with you to drive that behaviour change Communication in a manner that our people will not just only imbibe the appropriate behaviour change, but also be empowered to be able to cope, peradventure any strange ailment comes again, we, this committee, are prepared, because we’re here to serve Rivers people”, he stated.
This, the Commissioner noted,  is in line with the Governor’s determination “to ensure that this State does not enter community transmission”, saying that, “that’s why he is the Chairman of the Monitoring Task Force. He does it in both day and night. No Governor has shown that kind of passion in this country”.
Earlier in his speech, the leader of the delegation and UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Rivers State, Dr Guy Yogo, had commended the State Governor over steps taken in checking the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that it has set the stage for a successful partnership.
Dr Yogo, who is the leader of the Risk Communication and Community Engagement Pillar on COVID-19 in UNICEF, stated the areas in which they seek partnership with the Interministarial Committee.
Such areas, he said, include “to scale up, raising public awareness, and listening to communities on how best every citizen in Rivers State can be fully informed and empowered for the right behaviour change that we need to do it.
“We want to be able to do an extensive network with knowledge management and monitoring of what is going on in each of the communities in Rivers State, establishing in each community what we call ‘Community Watchdog’ to survey anything going on in that community, provide the necessary solidarity framework, because we might be moving into the need to prevent Community transmission”, he stated.
What this means, he explained, is that “we’re going to set up an electronic platform that the entire Inter-ministerial Committee will be able to monitor on a daily basis exactly everything that is going on at alert in our communities. To provide the necessary proactivity for other teams: surveillance team, Case Management team, to act quickly and decisively to prevent and isolate and assist our communities”.
He also stated that among other things, they will also empower members of communities to be able to produce such items as soap, hand sanitizers, masks, hand washing facilities, and to improve on all supplies that are necessary at this critical time to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 and community transmission.
“What will happen in the future? We need to organise ourselves and get those kind of responses that will be lasting and sustained. In terms of the quality of response, to add to what the State has already done, we’re ready to deploy some additional technical support to the State, taking further the response team that we have currently to 23”,he said.
Meanwhile, they will also make sure that each LGA has its Rapid Response Team, they will “deploy 250 technical Social mobilizers to support the LGA Chairmen and committies to set up in every LGA, every Ward, what we need at the platform of stakeholders coming together”.
Other members of the Interministarial Committee present at the meeting were the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Igbiks Tamuno, and his Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development counterpart, Barr Olisaelloka Tasie-Amadi.
Also in the entourage of the UNICEF delegation were the Lead Coordinator, Risk Communication and Community Engagement, Mr Modekai Oluwole, and the General Manager, Rural  Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Rivers State, Mr Napoleon Ada.

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FG To Seize Retirees’ Property Over Unpaid Housing Loans

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The Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board says it has begun the compilation of list of retired civil servants who have defaulted on the full repayment of housing loans obtained.
Head of Information and Public Relations, FGSHLB, Mrs Ngozi Obiechina, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Obiechina quoted the Executive Secretary of the Board, Mrs Salamatu Ahmed, as saying that the move was aimed at recovering mortgaged properties from retirees who failed to meet their loan obligations.
Ahmed noted that the decision followed a recent memo issued by Mrs Patience Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
According to her, the memo reminded public servants of the mandatory requirement to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness to the FGSHLB and MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society as a precondition for retirement.
The Executive Secretary said that the board would take necessary legal steps to repossess properties where applicable, in line with the terms of the loan agreements.
She said this was in line with the provisions of the Public Service Rules 021002 (p), issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“I am directed to bring to your attention the provision of Public Service Rule (PSR) 021002 (p), which mandates all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness as a prerequisite for retirement.
“The Federal Government will commence the seizure of mortgaged properties belonging to retiring federal public servants who have failed to fully repay housing loans obtained from the board,” she said.
Ahmed explained that the FGSHLB reserves the legal right to repossess any mortgaged property in cases where a public servant exits service without fully repaying the loan.
She reiterated that the directive also applied to already retired officers who were still indebted.
She urged all affected public servants to regularise their loan status and obtain the required clearance certificate without delay.
“The board is currently compiling a list of such retirees, which will be forwarded to relevant regulatory agencies for debt recovery.
“The FGSHLB remains committed to enforcing compliance and ensuring proper loan recovery procedures are followed, “ she added.

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FG Begins Induction For New Permanent Secretaries, Accountant-General

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The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
The Federal Government has kicked off a three-day induction programme for newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant-General of the Federation, aimed at equipping them for strategic leadership and effective policy implementation.
The induction, according to a statement yesterday by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Eno Olotu, which commenced on Wednesday, is being held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening session, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, congratulated the new appointees and described their roles as pivotal to governance and national development.
“Permanent Secretaries are the engine room of the government. They are critical to driving policy implementation, institutional performance, and reform across the service”, she said.
“The expectations are high, and the responsibility is immense. But with commitment and teamwork, we can deliver a more efficient, accountable, and citizen-centred public service.
“This final lap of FCSSIP 25 calls for urgency, accountability, and strategic focus. You must translate vision into measurable results,” she stated.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, described the programme as a strategic investment in leadership capacity and institutional effectiveness.
The sessions featured expert-led discussions, simulations, and strategic briefings facilitated by a distinguished faculty, including Engr. Suleiman Adamu, former Minister of Water Resources; Dr. Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination; Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice; Alh. Yusuf Addy, retired Federal Director; Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Amb. Mustapha Lawal Suleiman, Mr. Adesola Olusade, and Dr. Ifeoma Anagbogu, all retired Permanent Secretaries.
Participants include Dr. Obi Emeka Vitalis, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, Mr. Danjuma Mohammed Sanusi, Mr. Olusanya Olubunmi, Dr. Keshinro Maryam Ismaila, Dr. Akujobi Chinyere Ijeoma, Dr. Umobong Emanso Okop, Dr. Isokpunwu Christopher Osaruwanmwen, Mrs. Oyekunle N. Patience, Dr. Kalba U. Danjuma, Mr. Nadungu Gagare, Mr. Onwusoro I. Maduka, Dr. Usman Salihu Aminu, Mr. Ogbodo Chinasa Nnam, Mr. Ndiomu Ebiogeh Philip, Dr. Anuma N. Ogbonnaya, Mr. Adeladan Rafiu Olaninre, and Mr. Mukhtar Yawale Muhammed, alongside the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi.
The induction programme will feature sessions on public sector leadership, policy delivery, ethics in service, digital transformation, and performance management.

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NNPCL To Undergo Forensic Audit Soon -FG

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The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has announced that a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) will begin soon.
Edun revealed this at the ongoing Nigerian Investor Forum, held alongside the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC.
The minister explained that the recent changes in the NNPCL management are part of a broader effort by the Federal Government to clean up and examine the company closely.
While addressing top global investors, including representatives from J.P. Morgan, Edun shared key reforms the government has introduced to revive the economy and restore investor confidence.
He told the investors that the government’s bold economic steps have laid a strong foundation to attract private investment.
He stated, “Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it. We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this.”
Edun highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has rolled out major reforms that are already making a difference.
He added that the Nigerian economy grew by 3.84 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024 and recorded a 3.4 per cent growth for the year.
Edun further stressed the importance of the reforms, describing them as “unprecedented,” adding that, “We said we would do it, and now we have done it. This time, we’re staying the course.”
He pointed out signs of progress such as lower budget deficits, a better trade balance, and a more stable exchange rate.
He also said that the focus is now on growing key sectors, especially agriculture.
According to Edun, agriculture is at the top of the government’s agenda, with the aim of improving food supply and increasing productivity.
“We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale and innovate,” he said.
On infrastructure, Edun revealed that the government has rolled out 90,000km of fibre optic cable to improve internet access.
He said this move is crucial for supporting young Nigerians and tech startups.
He also noted that 4,000km of roads have been offered for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already approved for construction.

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