Wike flags off 25km abandoned road in Abuja
Photo credit: The Nation Nigeria
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike on Thursday flagged off the 25km Kweita – Yebu road in Kwali Area Council of the nation’s capital.
Wike assured President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come to restore their lost hope by bringing back confidence in the government.
He also assured the people of Kwali that the road construction would not be abandoned like past administrations did.
Wike assured that already 50 percent of the contract sum has been captured in the FCT 2024 budget.
He also changed the delivery time of the contract from 18 to 12 months and asked the contractor if he made more money available, if he can deliver.
Senate passes Bill to remove police retirees from PENCOM for second reading
Photo credit: The Nation Nigeria
The Senate on Thursday, July 4, passed for a second reading a Bill that seeks to remove police retirees from the Contributory Pension Scheme under the National Pension Commission (PenCom) and place them at par with their counterparts in sister security agencies.
The Bill seeks among others to establish the Nigeria Police Pensions Board to correct the inequality in the pension benefits paid to retirees of the Force and their counterparts in other security agencies.
Photo credit: The Nation Nigeria
The Bill, when passed for a third reading and assented to by the President will remove the police from the Contributory Pensions Scheme domiciled with the National Pension Commission (PenCom).
It could be recalled that the Nigerian Army; Air Force; Navy; and the Department of State Services (DSS) have since exited the contributory pensions scheme.
Leading the debate on the bill on the floor of the Senate in Abuja, the sponsor, Senator Binos Yaroe (PDP, Adamawa-South), argued that while the police were saddled with the onerous task of crime detection, prevention, prosecution of suspects and other security duties, its retirees received peanuts as pension benefits, compared to their counterparts in sister security agencies.
Governor Otti promises to reward outstanding corps members in Abia
Photo credit: The Nation Nigeria
Governor Alex Otti of Abia state has affirmed his administration’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the state.
He pledged to recognise and reward corps members who excel during their service. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the 2024 Batch ‘B’ Stream 1 Corps Members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Umunna, Bende L.G.A, Governor Otti, represented by his deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, expressed appreciation for the NYSC’s comprehensive package designed to equip corps members for nation-building and future challenges.
He commended NYSC Director General, Brigadier Y.D. Ahmed, and his team for enhancing the relevance and attractiveness of the scheme to Nigerian youths.
Otti emphasised Abia State’s reputation for industrial and entrepreneurial spirit, urging corps members to fully engage in the skills acquisition and entrepreneurship programs.
He highlighted the programs’ potential to shape their futures and cultivate essential leadership qualities needed to realize the nation’s aspirations.
”I therefore enjoin you to participate actively in all the activities and programmes which will bring out the best in you towards improving where you are posted.
Alake announces new rate regime in solid minerals sector
Photo credit: The Nation Nigeria
In an attempt to position the solid materials sector for economic consolidation and international competitiveness, the federal government has announced a new regime of rates and charges for its various services.
The minister of solid minerals development, Dele Alake, who announced the rates to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday at a Press Conference in his office said 268 items of the ministry’s services are affected by the rate regime.
Alake said the new rates which take immediate effect came on the heels of the introduction of qualitative measures and human and technological capacity upgrades implemented in recent times to raise the level of technical efficiency of the services in the sector.
He further said the new regime which also includes royalties and penalties is designed to improve the traffic of transactions and develop infrastructure to cope with the resurgence of business interests in the sector.
In arriving at the new rates, the minister said a committee of the directors of departments and directors-general of agencies under the ministry was charged to work out new rates to justify the government’s investment in the service infrastructure and to cope with the expected meteoric spike in the traffic of applicants besieging the regulatory machinery.