Metro
FCTA Releases N1.3bn For Retirees Payment
By Laide Akinboade, Lagos
Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has approved the release of N1, 284,000,000) for the payment of retirees in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Director and Chief Executive Officer, FCT Area Council Pension Board Mr Nanzing Nden revealed this while briefing journalists in Abuja.
The Director stated that the amounts would be used to settle two hundred and forty seven (247) retiree officers of the Area councils and the LEA teachers.
Nden who said that the approval was meant for the payment of those who have submitted their documents and have been processed for payment up to April this year added that as of April to date the board has received only thirty one files that would be process.
He also explained that, “We recalled that at the last briefing I intimated of the fact that we are going to start an advanced payment system for retirees from our system. So as of today, we only have thirty one files that have been send to us from May to date for total liability of one hundred and thirty eight millions which is outstanding”.
The Director further said the Board is sticking its plan that by September this year, the board intend to pay their pensioners three months before their retirement.
He noted that the ideas was to run away from the former system where people retired and stay for years before getting access to their benefits.
Mr Nden also disclosed that by the year 2020 the Board has the vision of paying six months about to retirement year.
The CEO of the board further said they also got the approval of tender board from the FCT Administration which means that all the files of pensioners that have been paid through their system will be converted to e-files adding that all the old files would be sent to FCT Archives for storage.
Speaking further, he said going forward they will have the software for any files or documents coming to FCT Area councils Pension Board.
He said such files or documents must be converted to an E-environment for easy work flow.
Nden also stated that another approval the board has gotten form the FCT administration was for consultancy for insfrastructure and ICT deployment which he said was in favor of files consultant and the consultant are to help them with system for accounting, auditing, pension administration and other services within the pension system.
“Another Consultant that had been approved also by the administration is the Actuarial Variations which is in favor of AD Sani. It will be responsible for upgrading our actuarial variations for pension management so that those who have complains of low payment of benefits before will be attending to”, he added.
The Director while pointing out that in the last variations that was conducted eight years ago some people were omitted from the variation list assured the pensioners that with this consultancy it will cure the defect that were notice in the last variations exercise.
“Those that will benefit from this consultancy service will have better pay out because we are going to factor increases that have been mandated by the Salary Income and Wages Commission which require that every five years we increase pension. These are some of the approval we have gotten”, said the Director.
He also hinted that from now on-ward the FCT Area councils Pension Board will be a reference point to other systems and expected that they work hard to meet up to the expectations of the pension retirement system.
He then enjoined the retirees to be little patient and allow the account people do the necessary processing of the voucher and also allow it go through auditing before payment commences.
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.