Metro
Covid-19: FCTA Receives $15m Intervention Funds From FG
By Laide Akinboade
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has received $15m from the World bank support of $750m through the Federal Government to mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic nationwide, more especially among the poor and vulnerable households and supporting the recovery of local economic activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, who made this known on Tuesday during the inauguration of a steering committee to pilot the FCT CARES program, said that the program would use the money to help restore the livelihood of the poor and vulnerable, maintaining food security and facilitating recovery of small and medium scale enterprises.
Adesola, who was represented by the Director, FCT Human Resources Management, Bashir Mohammed, explained that the arrival of COVID-19 in Nigeria in 2020 had a devastating impact on jobs and livelihoods, that the lockdown which was imposed as part of containment measures against the virus severely affected income, as businesses were limited and restricted in the FCT.
According to him, a significant reopening of the economy has been on several months, but the recovery from last year’s forced contraction and economic difficulties continues.
“The FCTA is especially eager to support the acceleration and expansion of this recovery to help businesses regain markets, income, and confidence. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy arising from the global lockdown and its severe negative impact on livelihood and food cannot be overemphasized.
“As a result of this, the federal government in collaboration with the World Bank and the Nigeria Governors Forum developed the States/FCT CARES program to cushion the effect of the pandemic, most especially on the most vulnerable segment of the Nigeria population.
“CARES is a result-oriented program to deliver the results in the following three key areas; result area one; to increased social transfers, basic services, and livelihood support to the poor and vulnerable household, under this, 42,606 individuals are expected to benefit directly, while over 180,000 people will benefit indirectly,” he said.
He further explained that the result area two would be to increase food security and safe functioning of the food supply chain, that under this, a total of 12,293 farmers will benefit directly, while over 100, 000 people will benefit indirectly.
“Result area three, to facilitating recovery of SMEs through grants, under this, a total number of 612 business will benefit directly, while over 10,000 people will benefit indirectly.
“Outcome from the three result areas reinforce each other, enhancing the wellbeing of poor and vulnerable households, together with employment and livelihood grants can help boost demand for the agricultural produce of farmers and food suppliers and other goods and services offered by SMEs,” he said.
Adesola further said that the newly inaugurated steering committee is expected to provide oversight and policy guidance to the implementation of the program (PforR) at the FCT, by the financial agreement and operations manual, that they will also liaise with the National Assembly for adequate allocation/appropriation of resources.
Also amongst other expectations, he said that the committee is expected to consider and clear the work plan and budget of the FCCU and delivery units/platforms to be funded from the NG CARES resources of the FCT. That it would also support the FCCU in ensuring the prompt release of funds from the treasury for FCT CARES activities of delivery units and FCCU.
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)
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.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has welcomed the newly-appointed Apostolic to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty.
Crotty, an Irish, was appointed by the Vatican.
He will oversee the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the church in Nigeria.
The position, an ambassadorial status, advances cohesion in the body of Christ.
In his welcome message for Crotty on Tuesday, the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, said that the Church was glad to receive him.
The CBCN president, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, said,” With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, clergy, religious and lay faithful in Nigeria.
“We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.
“His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries,” he said.
He said that although Crotty was the first Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland to serve in Nigeria, many Irish missionaries had played significant roles in spreading the gospel in Nigeria.
“We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria and assure him of our full support and cooperation.
“We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure for our excellency,” he added. (NAN)
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