Metro
FCTA Staff Jubilate Over Creation of Civil Service Commission, Women Affairs Secretariat
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
Thousands of staff of the FCT Administration early on Monday morning, came out in their thousands at FCTA Secretariat in order to express their gratitude to the minister, Nyesom Wike over last weekend’s approval by President Bola Tinubu for the establishment of FCTA Civil Service Commission and Women Affairs Secretariat.
The jubilating staff in their numbers, marched straight to the entrance of the minister’s office where they sang his praises with bands and trumpets.
Speaking on behalf of the workers, President, Joint Union Action Committee FCTA/FCDA/SDAs, Matilukuro Muyideen said the management and staff of the Administration are highly excited that the issue which has been lingering since 2004 was addressed barely two months of Wike’s leadership as the FCT minister.
He pledged the total support of the staff of the Administration to the minister noting that staff have never had it this good in recent years. PLAY:
Responding, the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike said he was disappointed when he learnt that staff of the Administration, particularly those at Director cadre could not rise to the apex of their careers as is obtainable in others states.
While assuring that he will implement the establishment of Civil Service Commission before next week, Wike promised the workers of improved welfare as he prepares to carry out more reforms in the civil service.
According to the Minister, “I would convey your message to the President, Command in Chief, for your appreciation for what he did for all of you and our society last week.
“So many people may not understand that “He who wears the shoes, knows where it pinches.
“Nobody talks about the welfare of others, the growth of others.
Who will be happy in life if he cannot attain to the highest peak of his or her career? If I am a judge, I want to reach supreme Court. If I am a civil servant, I want to reach the Permanent Secretary level.
“I’m sure that all of you have lost hope. I told Mr. President, “you said, it is the renewed hope agenda. This people have lost hope, renew their hope. Tell them that everything is not lost and the only way you can assure them, is by making them grow to the peak of their career. And Mr. President said, I’m not aware of this. Now that I am aware, I will be bring back the hope of the civil servants of the FCT.
‘He immediately approved that, we should implement the 2018 law as passed by the National Assembly.
‘Let me tell you, from now till next week, I will implement it, because if I can grow in my career to this level., why should we be a hindrance to other people’s growth?”
Wike added, “So many people are only running away from doing the right thing, so many people will be angry but it doesn’t matter because the truth must be told, which is what we have been lacking in this country. Nobody wants to say the truth. People are afraid of death even though they know they would die one day. So do not be afraid, we are going to look at it sooner and i will tell Mr. President how happy you are.
“The president also believe in Inclusivity and since FCT has been, women are not carried along. Therefore, you now have a mandate secretary that will take care of women in which we may call Commissioner For Women Affairs.
“So you see how he has used one stone to kill 3 birds; One for the civil servants, one for the people of Abuja to encourage development and one for the women. How many people would have done that?”
“More things will come, we are going to bring a lot of innovations, because civil servants will now be part of their own career promotions and the rest of it.
“I didn’t even know about the 2018 law until I saw a columnist saying that nobody has the political will to implement the 2018 law. So I went back and read about this 2018 law and it was an act passed by the National Assembly. Then I said, “Okay, me, I have the political will and I thank Mr. President for having that confidence in us because nobody has gotten that kind of approval before”.
“So all I am saying is continue to pray for Mr. President. More things will come for FCT and we will make all of you happy. If you happy, we will be happy. Because I cannot smile every day and your faces are not looking good. That is not the best.
“We will going to work for the development of FCT. So please, in the name of God, let’s all rededicate and commit ourselves for the development of FCT, so that we can realize the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, he urged the workers
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)
Yuletide: Bode George Urges Tinubu to Reduce Petrol Price
ShareChief Bode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged President Bola Tinubu to...
Tinubu Set for Groundbreaking of Renewed Hope City in Lagos
Share President Bola Tinubu, is set to perform the groundbreaking of 2,000 housing units of the Renewed Hope City in...
Gov. Alia Presents N550.1bn as 2025 Budget Estimate to Benue Assembly
ShareGov. Hyacinth Alia on Wednesday presented the sum of N550.1bn as the 2025 appropriation bill to the Benue State House...
Tax Bills: NASS will not Betray the Trust of Nigerians, says Akpabio
Share The President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, says the National Assembly will prioritise the interest of all Nigerians...
Alia Has Demonstrated Capacity, Courage to Entrench Good Governance—Speaker
Share The Speaker, Benue Assembly, Mr Hyacinth Dajo, has said that Gov. Hyacinth Alia has so far demonstrated capacity, courage,...
Investors Gain N183bn on NGX
Share The Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) continued its bullish trend on Wednesday, gaining N183 billion. Accordingly, the market capitalisation, which...
Energy, Solid Minerals Top Priority, Tinubu Tells German Businessmen
Share President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, assured the German government and businessmen of Nigeria’s preparedness to expand frontiers for investors...
Nigerian Who Wrote WASSCE 17 Times Bags Distinction from London School
Share Dr Emmanuel Ahmadu, a Nigerian who wrote the West Africa School Senior Certificate Education 17 times, has earned a...
INEC Staff Welfare Association Warns Members Against Manipulating Election Results
Share The Abia Chapter of the INEC Staff Welfare Association (ISWA) has warned its members to uphold the integrity of...
Bill for Compulsory Counselling, Training of Convicts Scales 2nd Reading
ShareA bill to amend the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, has successfully passed its second reading in...