NEWS
Abia SME Bank Rolls out Cluster Credit Scheme for Artisans, Businesses
From Josiah Ogbonna, Umuahia
Aba artisans, businessmen and women have been advised to leverage on the “Made in Aba Product” mantra of the Abia State Government and patronize the newly established Small and Medium Enterprise Bank, located at 17b Ngwa Road, Aba to give their businesses lease of life.
Interacting with newsmen in his office, the Managing Director, SME Bank, Aba, Chijioke Nwobilor, said the SME Bank is licenced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), revealing that it stands to serve the purpose of the Abia State Government in the area of encouraging businesses, businessmen and women, artisans to grow their businesses.
Nwobilor said the SME Bank is an off-shoot of the Abia State Ministry of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises created by the Governor Okezie Ikpeazu administration through which youth among other people are rendered the necessary help to assist them in growing any business of their choice.
He stated that in order to key into this ideology of the State government, the SME Bank has come up with a programme called Cluster Credit Scheme intended to grant loans to artisans like shoe makers, Keke Operators and other businessmen who shall gather in clusters to partake in the scheme, stressing that majority of the businesses in Aba are in clusters, which is why the Bank is starting with the cluster credit scheme to capture the needs of these clusters.
Nwobilor emphasised that granting of the loans, is dependent on deposits made by these clusters as each cluster will be accessed on regular basis to ascertain the progress made with the loan, reiterating that this reflects the mandate they were given during their unveiling at Aba Chamber of Commerce on 3rd September, 2021.
He maintained that the effort embarked upon by the SME Bank is closely monitored by the CBN, whose officials train staff of the Bank on regular basis with a view to equipping them on how to deliver their mandate perfectly.
Nwobilor informed that apart from the Cluster Credit Scheme, the Thrift Credit Scheme, Abia SME Asset/Diaspora Investment Credit Scheme, there is also Save-to-Acquire Taxi/Bus and Keke, noting that these loan products and features are designed in line with the Abia State Government Empowerment Policy Thrust to encourage the growth of made in Aba products and other micro economic activities.
He said since Aba is the commercial hub of the South-East, the Cluster Credit Scheme, they decided to kick start in Aba, pointing out that it will get to other towns like Umuahia the State Capital, Ohafia among others as the scheme progresses.
Nwobilor advised people of Abia State, to support the Abia SME Microfinance Bank and stop creating false image or portraying the Bank in bad light, maintaining that they have put the ground running with capable and experienced workforce who understand the nitty gritty of what they are in for.
NEWS
Board Sanctions 118 Immigration, Civil Defence Officers
The Board of NSCDC, Fire Service, Correctional, and Immigration Service, has approved the sanction of 118 personnel for various offences.
The Board Chairman, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known at the end of their meeting on Thursday in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo, who is also the Minister of Interior, told newsmen through the board Secretary, Alhaji Ahmed Ja’afaru, that the erring officers were punished after facing disciplinary panels for various offences.
“These offences range from misconduct, negligence of duty and outright absence from duty posts.
“In the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOs), there were 48 cases of offences, in the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), there were 21 cases.
“Also, in the Federal Fire Service (FFS) there were 12 cases while in the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), there were 37 cases,“the minister said.
Tunji-Ojo added that the board has reviewed and approved new guidelines for appointments, promotions, discipline and general purpose in the services.
He said that the board also considered and approved the timeline for the conduct of the 2024 promotion exercise in the four services.
“The board considered and approved the review timeline for the conduct of the 2023/2024 fire service recruitment.
“As for the ongoing recruitment in the fire service, we hope to publish the names of the successful applicants latest by June 15. That is where we are for now.
“We also want to use this medium to warn the general public to ignore whatever they have been seeing or hearing in the social media space as they did not emanate from the board.
“This is because, we have come to realise that the social media world had been awashed with fake news telling applicants to come for screening exercise or pay certain amount of money.
“Let me put it emphatically that the board is not asking anyone to pay money for recruitment.“
He urged applicants to be patient, saying successful candidates will be notified to come for further screening through their emails and mobile lines. (NAN)
NEWS
NSCDC Inaugurates Female Strike Force to Secure FCT Schools
The FCT Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Olusola Odumosu, has inaugurated the corps Female Strike Force to protect schools in the territory.
A statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Samuel Idoko, on Thursday in Abuja, said the inauguration followed the completion of a three day training for the personnel.
Odumosu said that the primary responsibility of the strike force was to ensure the safety of all schools in the territory.
He said that the training had equipped them with the needed skills and capabilities to carry out their duties.
According to him, the training is a follow up to the recent meeting of all FSF Unit Commanders with the Commandant General, Ahmed Audi.
Audi had charged them to be up and doing in view of the reported cases of kidnapping in some parts of the country.
“The training is imperative to ensure compliance with the CG’s directive on the mandate of securing schools for the safety of students and staff.
“Cases of abduction in schools must come to an end, that is the primary purpose of this training.
“We need to restore the confidence of the people in our ability to secure schools in the FCT,” the commandant said.
He therefore called on schools in the FCT to register with the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre, so that they could be added to the ecosystem.
Odumosu explained that the registration was free and meant to ensure better coordination and make responses to emergencies more quicker and efficient.
Odumosu assured that the training and retraining of the personnel would be held regularly to ensure prompt response to any security threat.
“We must make schools safe haven once again for children,” he added.
He charged the female strike force to conduct routine patrol and surveillance of schools to prevent threats and attacks.
He also enjoined the strike force to hold periodic security awareness and enlightenment talks for student and teachers.
Odumosu also directed the operatives to abide by the corps’ Standard Operational Procedure in discharging their duties and avoid over zealousness in the use of force or fire arms.(NAN)
NEWS
Tinubu Appoints Bello as new Chairman of CCB
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr Abdullahi Usman Bello as the new Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), pending confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.
This is contained in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Thursday in Abuja.
Ngelale said that Bello was a consummate professional with more than 25 years of work experience in consulting, banking, law enforcement, financial services and academia.
He said that the President anticipated the new Chairman would lead the Bureau with utmost integrity toward the realization of its mandate of maintaining high standards of public morality in the conduct of government business.
Ngelale said Tinubu expected the new appointee to ensure that the actions and behaviour of public officers conform to the highest standards of morality and accountability.(NAN)