CURRENT ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL EVENTS IN NIGERIA

Delta State commissioner for information PATRICK UKAH had given an assurance that the permanent secretarial of the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) will be ready for inauguration soon. MR. UKAH who stated this when he paid an inspection visit to the project site expressed satisfaction with the pace of work. He commended Governor IFEANYI OKOWA for releasing funds for the conclusion of the project and assured Journalist of continue to work corporation of the government in providing conducive atmosphere for them to perform their duties.

The federal government had alleged the fear over the state of health of PRESIDENT MOHAMMADU BUHARI ; insisting that there is no course for alarm, the Minister for information and culture ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED cleared the air about the president’s health at the town home meeting Umuahia, Abia State in Nigeria organized by his ministry. Answering questions from a participant argued that they should regularly pursue Nigerians about the state of health of the MR. PRESIDENT in London. ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED said that, that would have been necessary if MR. PRESIDENT were in critical situation. According to him He also specified that he can comfortably stay in their midst to declare to them that there is absolutely no course to alarm concerning the issue of MR. PRESIDENT. He also said that MR. PRESIDENT called him at 02:43 pm on Saturday being 27th of February 2017 and he also said that MR. PRESIDENT is neither critically ill nor in the Hospital, that He is saying that with assurance because he spoke with him for hours. The Minister for Information and Culture also urged Nigerians not to relent in their prayers for the successful vacation of MR. PRESIDENT abroad.

The Minister of Labor and empowerment DR. CHRIS NGIGE, provided an access to the implementation of the earn power program to enhance youths empowerment. According to DR. CHRIS NGIGI who said that the scheme was meant for 500 thousand  persons scheme but as of the moment they are taking 200 thousand persons while there are deficit of 300 thousand persons to supplement the scheme and the empower is the one that had not taking off because they are still harmonizing their relationship with the state governments and federal centers where these people would be taught the skills, according to him  about 50,000 persons are not common to this particular program. And he said that they are doing that as well as getting consumable for their teachings.

The minister for Agriculture CHIEF AWUDU OGBE assured Nigerians that government had wake up modalities to solve the problem between herdsmen and farmers in the country. According to CHIEF OGBE, he said that the president had set up a committee head by GENERAL NZE from Enugu State who is working on the machinery controlling the development and responsibilities of the herdsmen because as a farmer, nothing can be more offensive as arriving at my farm to discover that my crops are being destroyed. So, in the interim and mostly on behalf of the government he apologizes to all who had been victims of the herdsmen and had suffered the ordeal but we had to bring it to a stop. Also according to the correspondent reporter of this incident who also said that five ministers featured at the town hall meeting.

There are plans to reform the public service into a world class institution by the year 2030, the minister of state for budget and national planning HAJIA BELLO AHMED made this know at the one day stakeholder’s Forum on national strategy on public service reform in line with the current administration’s Manifesto. HAJIA BELLO AHMED said the reform host to destroy professionalism in the entire ministry, departmental Agencies by next year. Also a consultant and a facilitator MR. CHARLES OKATA said 13 years is a long time to put things in order, but a public servant had to be carried along in every way possible, according to MR. OKATA who also said that we have degenerated from the various angles including human capital, in politics and it is important the recognition of the problem is the step to the solution; it is good that we have realized that they have decayed. As we are trying to do something, let us be fast about it, 13 years from now is a long time, we can put things together in the next 2,3,4 or 5 years if we are serious about it.  MR. OKATA also expressed that there were chances for the public service to become a valued based and strong institution. According to him, he also said that if re-orientation starts from the civil service and the human resource then believe we need a change, once the political will and willingness is there, than it is very possible to execute the plan, according to him he said that it is a matter of doing things right and doing the right things, that is the different between efficiency and effectiveness. So if we decide on our own as Nigerians that it is time for us to move forward. We would achieve the world class status; there is nothing new under the sun.

The director general of budgets MR.  BEN AKABUEZE said the issue of budget could not be ruled out of the reform process of public service in its implementation stage; according to MR.  BEN AKABUEZE he said that in the processes of implementation stage, we should divide interest 100% in the implementation as part of our pursuit and timely approval, timely measurement; timely reporting ultimately as the budgets emits to an end. We should understand that budget is a critical instrument; it drives social and economic development in the country. MR.  BEN AKABUEZE also said that the National strategy of public service Reform was a responsibility of every Nigerian and not just statistics of the ministry of Budget and National planning of the Bureau of the public service.

NEWS REPORTER: ONYIA EMEKA HARFORD

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