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Be Agents Of Peace, Wike, Others Urge Fathers
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has felicitated with fathers on the occasion of the Fathers Day, urging them to be agents of peace, discipline, uprightness and development.
In a message on the celebration of the 2017 Fathers Day, Wike advised fathers to work with mothers to build homes that will contribute meaningfully to the growth of the state and humanity.
He charged fathers to be worthy role models to their children, pointing out that their role remains critical to the peace and development of the state.
The governor assured all families in the state that his administration will continue to implement projects and programmes that will empower them to cater for the needs of their children.
He appealed to fathers to use the occasion of the 2017 Fathers Day to re-dedicate themselves as fathers, meditate on the significance of their paternal duties, and strengthen their family structures for the sake of their children.
He said as a father himself, he will continue to live an exemplary life that will serve as an encouragement to other fathers in the state.
In a statement earlier, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, called on fathers not to shirk their responsibilities to their families no matter the challenges that may confront them.
According to Banigo, fathers were supposed to be symbols of discipline and mentorship in homes, stressing that the family becomes dysfunctional when a father fails to play his role.
She said unruly behaviour, truancy, cultism and gangsterism amongst young people can be traced to the absence of a fatherly figure in their lives, and urged fathers to ensure that they direct their children to the right path at all times.
The deputy governor, who quoted Proverbs 22 verse 6; “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it”, said it behoves on fathers to be up and doing in the upbringing of their children.
“I remember with nostalgia how I was groomed by my father during my formative years, and today, I am a public health physician and a deputy governor,” she said to underscore the importance of fatherly tutelage.
She enjoined fathers not to renege from training their female children, adding that, “It is because my dad was determined to train me to my fullest potential that I have been able to succeed in life today”.
Banigo, who felicitated with the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, on the Father’s Day celebration, said despite being a young man, he has continued to discharge his responsibilities creditably as the father of the state.
Similarly, a cleric, Rev. Maxwell Onyia, has urged fathers to promote love and understanding in homes through closer family ties.
Onyia gave the advice, yesterday, while delivering a homily at a Fathers’ Day Service held at the Anglican Church of Ascension, Enugu.
He said that the disciplining of children should be done with love, adding that a father should also show understanding to his spouse in the home.
The cleric said that most fathers had scattered their homes through meanness and lack of love to their wives and children.
“That fathers are losing out in the household communication and communion is a known fact.
“Today, in most homes even where fathers are providing the needed daily bread and necessities, they are still seen as highly rigid and unapproachable.
“Children today confide more in their mothers that listen to them.
“Thus, fathers are largely isolated and left out of affairs and the sharing found in most homes.
“This scenario has made most fathers to stand alone in their homes,’’ he said.
The cleric therefore urged fathers to start cultivating closeness to the children by ensuring that a child clearly understood why he or she was being scolded.
“The present computer-age child is no longer attuned to the authoritarian stand of some fathers, especially when they want to assert their authority as a man without any cause for it,” he said.
Onyia also urged fathers to spend more time with their families, instead of hanging out always in joints with friends and peers.
“Fathers should return home and strive to understand their homes.
“They should understand the individual differences in their children, which make them unique from one another in terms of characters and their view points,’’ he said.
One of the leaders of fathers’ fellowship in the church, Chief Temple Udeh, said that the fellowship was meant for spiritual upliftment and interaction among fathers.
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.
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.
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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