NEWS
Interior Minister Promises to Reform Four Services
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has promised to embark on comprehensive reforms in key sectors under his ministry to enhance their operational capabilities.
In a video broadcast on Sunday monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Tunji-Ojo reaffirmed his commitment to executing the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Tinubu, a transformative plan aimed at revamping sectors.
The four sectors include the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOs), the Federal Fire Service (FFS) as well as the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Acknowledging the leadership of Tinubu, Tunji-Ojo expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve and promised to uphold the responsibilities entrusted to him.
He emphasised that his focus would be on ensuring that the government’s promises translate into meaningful action, making a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians.
The minister promised to do all he could within his capacity not to disappoint the president in terms of the implementation of the “Renewed Hope Agenda”.
In addressing challenges relating to NIS, the minister highlighted his determination to enhance the experience of Nigerians seeking to register and obtain passports for various purposes.
“I assure Nigerians of our desire to proceed with reforms in our NIS, such that Nigerians can be treated with respect, and that we get to unbuckle all bottlenecks of passport collections.
“We will also ensure that other issues associated with the service in general are under control,” he stressed.
Besides, Tunji-Ojo said he would ensure the decongestion in NCoS custodial centres as well as providing inmates with the opportunity for rehabilitation and re-integration into the society.
“Of course, with beaming life, and hope we’d groom inmates and help inmates to ensure proper re-integration into the society.”
The minister further said that on the proposed reforms for the FFS, he would ensure that response times to emergencies was enhanced.
“We will do everything within our power as a ministry to ensure that there are key reforms in the nation’s fire service centres and turn around the response time to say 15 minutes.
“The commitment further reflects the administration’s recognition of the critical role played by the service in safeguarding citizens and infrastructure.”
Tunji-Ojo further pledged to prioritise the protection of national assets and facilities, as well as to ensure the effective protection of national infrastructure by the NSCDC.
The minister added that his commitments to reform all the services under his ministry reflect the administration’s vision for a more secure, efficient and prosperous Nigeria.
“We will ensure that in terms of protection of national assets, it’s expected of the NSCDC to respond to ensuring that our national asset are well protected.
“I assure Nigerians that under my leadership as the Minister of Interior, I will not rest on my promise of taking a clue from the zeal, determination and commitment of the President.
“I also assure that the Renewed Hope finds its footings in the Interior Ministry, and Nigerians will be proud of this administration,” he added. (NAN)
The Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU) under the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination has lauded the leadership of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). This is contained in a statement by FAAN’s Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs Obiageli Orah, in Lagos.
The CDCU made the commendation during an assessment tour of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja. Report says that CDCU is responsible for tracking the progress and performance of presidential and ministerial deliverables to ensure alignment with achieving the eight presidential priorities of President Bola Tinubu. Aviation, as captured in the fifth priority, focuses on “Enhancing Infrastructure and Transportation as Enablers of Growth”. According to the CDCU, to achieve the objectives, it liaises with Delivery Task Teams across all ministries, departments, and agencies, which monitor progress and submit quarterly reports. The CDCU led by Dr Hendrix Odige expressed satisfaction with the strides made FAAN under the leadership of Mrs Olubunmi Kuku. It said that Kuku’s comprehensive report presentation and extensive tour of Domestic Terminal 1 and the international terminals of MMIA provided visitors with an on-the-spot assessment of the progress achieved. The FAAN boss had led the CDCU team as well as Mr Haliu Mohammed from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development on the tour. (NAN)
World Bank has promised to continue to provide necessary support to the Katsina State Governmenttoward the development of the education sector.The World Bank Country Director, Dr Ndiam Diop, made the promise in Katsina on Thursday at the Adolescent Girls Initiative forLearning and Empowerment (AGILE) project Implementation Support Mission (ISM) meeting.
The meeting was organised by the state’s Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education,in collaboration with the AGILE office in Katsina. The project has been supporting the education sector in the state through the construction, rehabilitation of schools, provision of potablewater in schools, conditional cash transfer, among others.The country director, however, said “we are here to learn not just about the project and how we are modestly supporting you, but also to learn about Katsina itself.“So, I would like to really commend the ministry and the leadership for the commitment to education.“I’m very pleased to see the progress that you have already made so far. I was just looking at the numbers in 2021 when the project started, the completionrate at the senior secondary education level was only 21 per cent.“This was very low, and I think by today, the number has gone up quite significantly, but we’re still not there yet.“But I think the objective should be to really go even further. But I would like to commend you for the commitment.”Diop added that the global research in Nigeria and elsewhere, shows that each additional year of education at secondary level increases the lifetime earning of the beneficiariessignificantly.He stressed that “if we want to reduce poverty in the future, we cannot skip education, we have to put a lot of efforts and emphasis on the sector.“As you know better than me, education is a sector that’s complex, with many stakeholders involved and many factors affecting the result, that’s why leadershipand commitment at the top is critical.”He pointed out that basically, officials cannot make significant progress in education without strong commitment and leadership, commending thestate government and other stakeholders’ commitment.“I also want to reiterate the commitment of the World Bank to continue supporting this sector to achieve the results that you have sets for yourselves,” the country director assured.Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Zainab Musawa, said huge successes were recorded in the sector, “due to the political will of Gov. Dikko Radda.“I would like to assure you that anything education, comes from the bottom of his heart. He takes it so personal that nothing slips under the carpet without his knowledge or decision.“The ministry is the highest level of decision making in terms of education. We have about five agencies, 13 departments that are very key and institutional to education in the state.“I would like to say that AGILE has been able to give the girl-child the opportunity to know that she is special.”(NAN)
An Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Thursday, ordered the remand of a 35-year-old man, Shaibu Lawal, in a Correctional facility over an alleged armed robbery and attempted murder.Lawal, whose address was not provided was charged with conspiracy, armed robbery and attempted murder.The Magistrate, Mrs Kausarat Ayofe did not take the plea of the defendant for want of jurisdiction.
She directed the police to return the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice. Ayofe thereafter adjourned the case until Jan. 23, 2025, for mention.The Prosecutor, Insp Toyin Ibrahim told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Oct. 26, at about 6.01 p.m, at Ago-Are, Tede area of Ibadan.Ibrahim said the defendant and others at large, while armed with knives, cutlasses, robbed Jamiu Wasiu of his motorcycle worth N1.2 million.He said the defendant also unlawfully attempted to cause the death of Wasiu by cutting off his left arm.Ibrahim said the offences contravened Sections 516 and 319 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000, as well as Section 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Laws of Nigeria,2004.(NAN)
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