Metro
Desertification: FCTA to plant 170,000 Tree Seedlings Across Territory
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it will plant 170,000 tree seedlings across the territory in fulfilling President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to tackle desertification in the country.
The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello made the disclosure at the 2021 World Desertification and Drought Day and launching of FCT Tree Planting campaign, organised by the Department, Parks and Recreation on Thursday in Abuja.
The President at the 74th UN General Assembly promised that the Federal Government would plant 25 million trees as part of the overall climate change governance in collaboration with various stakeholders.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, Bello said the administration was actively participating in actualising the pledge of Buhari through the department of parks and recreation and support from the Federal Ministry of Environment.
He said that tree planting was a great responsibility aimed at not only protecting and conserving environment for the future but also for improving its aesthetic beauty.
“This is particularly essential for Abuja, the capital city of our country where a green and well laid-out natural environment will further crystallise her image as one of the most beautiful cities in the world,” Bello said.
The minister said that about 20 NGOs and other stakeholders were actively participating in the planting of the tree seedlings across the FCT.
Bello said in recognition of the significance of conserving the environment, the FCTA, while formulating the 2019 FCT Park Policy, noted that the Abuja Master Plan provided about 33 per cent of land for parks, green areas and open spaces for recreation, tree planting and other such activities.
“However, over the years, this percentage diminished and therefore, in considering of the effects of climate change, the 2019 FCT Park Policy made the commitment that all subsequent layout designs in the FCT shall provide for not less than 33 per cent land for parks, green areas and open spaces for carbon sequestration.
“This indeed is a huge step by government in ensuring the protection of the environment and we pledge to continue to support all efforts aimed at sustaining this, ” Bello said.
Earlier, the Director, Parks and Recreation Department, Mrs Riskatu Abdulazeez said that desertification was increasing on alarming rate and it was being brought about by many factors principally, deforestation.
She said the department would continue to champion campaign against deforestation, saying “when we are able to combat desertification, drought will also be taken care of and our land will be restored.”
The director said the department had a mandate of planting trees in the cities and would collaborate with green-minded NGOs in planting trees to carry the exercise into the nooks and crannies of the FCT.
“As we are planning trees in the city, our collaborators are doing same at the area councils,” she said. (NAN)
Metro
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Providing Enabling Environment for Migrants
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing enabling environments and adequate protection for migrants in the country.
Mr Tijjani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI), said this at the International Migrants Day in Abuja on Wednesday.
Report says that the theme of the celebration was “Beyond Borders: Celebrating Migrants’ Legacy, Protecting their Rights.
”The Commission organised a walk in commemoration of the day to sensitise Nigerians of the danger of not following the right path when leaving the country.
Ahmed highlighted the invaluable contribution of migrants to Nigeria’s development, including remittances exceeding 23 billion dollars annually, and advancements in technology and agriculture.
He said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to creating a secure and supportive environment for migrants while enhancing migration governance.
“We are here today to celebrate the migrants for their technological transfer.
“We celebrate migrants because of their contributions towards the development of this country.
“We also celebrate them today in order to inform them that the Nigerian government and the people of Nigeria are there for them.
“We do not forget the contribution of our migrants in the diaspora towards the development of Nigeria,” he said.
Ahmed emphasised Nigeria’s readiness to lead migration governance globally through the “Rabat Process” in 2025, showcasing its dedication to migration management and human rights.
“Nigeria is preparing to take over the leadership of the rubber process by 2025.
“We are asking everyone within and outside this country to support Nigeria to succeed in the governance of migration internationally.
“We have at least 10,000 migrants in Nigeria and over 20,000 outside the country that are contributing towards the development of the country, ” he said. (NAN)
Metro
FCT Civil Service Commission Begins Regularisation of FCTA Staff Appointments
The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission has begun the regularisation of staff appointments in the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The Head of the Civilo Service, Dr Udo Atang, said at the commencement of the exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, that the move was to ensure accurate data of all staff.
Atang described the regularisation as a “critical” exercise, which forms the bedrock of the new FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC).
He pointed out that all the staff were holding letters of appointments from various agencies, departments, area councils, and the defunct Ministry of FCT and FCDA among others.
The holders of these letters, he said, have been raising issues of discrimination based on letters of appointment.
According to him, the exercise and the gazette by the commission that will come thereafter, will give all staff a sense of identity.
“The essence of this regularisation is to ensure that staff are properly documented.
“You will now have letters that will now qualify you as a bonafide staff of the FCT Civil Service Commission.”
The head of service, who appealed for full cooperation of the workers, directed that a list of all staff on course, study leave, leave of absence and other related permissions be compiled and submitted.
He added that the list should be compiled with grade level, designation and record of service, including approvals.
Atang commended the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for his doggedness and commitment in implementing the provisions of the FCT CSC Act, 2018.
Noting Wike’s support and love for the FCT workers, the head of service urged the workers to reciprocate the minister’s uncommon gesture, by being dedicated and committed to their respective duties.
Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT CSC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stressed that part of the responsibilities of the commission was in the appointment, promotion and discipline of all FCTA and FCDA workers.
Ezeh also stressed the need for the workers to be more committed in the discharge of their responsibilities. (NAN)
Metro
Jos School Collapse: CWON Holds Trauma Healing Session for Parents, Survivors
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria (CWON) has organized a trauma healing session for survivors of the Jos Saint Academy School collapse alongside parents who lost their children in the unfortunate incident.The National President of the organization, Dame Mary Gonzum noted that the effort was part of their psychosocial support and counseling services for victims of the school building collapse as a follow-up to the assessment of the condition of the victims during their visit.
Gonzum speaking during a one day trauma session held at the Secretariat of the Justice Development and Peace/Caritas Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese located along Zaria Road in Jos the Plateau State capital said the trauma healing session was in continuation of their intervention to students who experienced the building collapsed.”Today, a trauma healing session was flagged off with a seminar on how to go about handling the trauma that victims of the Saint Academy School Busa Buji in Jos are passing through.”We will later select those that are so traumatic and need help to continue with the process of healing because it is not something that will end in a day or two but will need sometime.”The surviving students who experienced the building collapsed, parents of the students are all here because some parents are so traumatic, we have one other woman that lost two children”This trauma became necessary because when we went visiting in the hospitals, we observed that some of them are really traumatic. Like the other boy, his mother said up till today he kept telling his mother that he is seeing dead bodies, and anybody he sees he will say is his classmate.”Some of the affected parents while sharing their encounters after the incident said they hardly sleep in the day or night time. Some manage to sleep for two hours and they’re awake, and from the little lectures we received today it is clear that there is a problem,” She noted.The President calls on the government to ensure that those saddled with the responsibility of approving, inspecting and supervising structures are meant to do their job with all diligence to avert future happenings again.Some of the affected parents including; Hasana Suleman Sale who lost two of her children recalled with pains the unfortunate development that claimed the lives of her two children. She expressed gratitude for the trauma healing session which she said came as a means of consolation and strength for her to overcome the trauma she is passing through.