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Stories from Magnus Eze, Abuja

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has charged the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON) to key into the economic diversification initiative of the Federal Government by making the sector a major job creator.
The minister, who spoke at the 14th fellowship and award ceremony of the body, stated that the proper harnessing of fisheries would employ the army of unemployed youth in the country.
National President of FISON, Dr. Olajide Ayinla, in his opening remarks appealed to the Federal Government to speed up the processes for certification of aquaculture products, as this will pave way for export.
Ayinla also requested the intervention of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, in ensuring that the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal assigned as fisheries terminal by former President Olusegun Obasanjo was not taken away from the Nigeria Fisheries Trawlers Owners Association (NITOA).
He said that huge investments in the sector were being threatened by the absence of aquaculture certification and attempt to eject trawlers owners from the Kirikiri terminal.
The president disclosed that a private investor, who had relied on the advice of the ministry to invest in marine shrimp, was at crossroads because at the time when the first harvest was almost ready there was no certification.


COMMUNICATION: NOA tasks traditional rulers on youth orientation
The Director General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Garba Abari, has enjoined the traditional institutions to deploy its revered offices in orientating youths and guiding them away from vices.
The NOA DG, who made the call when he paid homage to the paramount ruler of Nike, Enugu State, Igwe Julius Nnaji, noted that the traditional institutions in Nigeria has remained largely unchanged by the ethical adjustments of society of the years, thus reflecting their integrity.
A statement from the agency’s spokesman, Mr. Fidel Agu, said the NOA boss spoke as the Enugu monarch urged the Federal Government to take immediate and concrete measures to bring an end the menace of herdsmen attacks on farmers.
Igwe Nnaji, who said the attacks on farmers threaten food sufficiency in the country, noted that without food cattle reared by herdsmen and the meat they supplied would lose value.
He observed that herdsmen of yesteryears were respectful of the rights of others to livelihood and lived in peace with their host communities, while calling on s herdsmen to toe the same line of peace
The Odezuluigbo III of Nike also harped on the need for the creation of at least one additional state in the South East in the interest of political and economic equity.
He said the South East region was being marginalised in the allocation of resources from the centre because of the disparity in the number of states and local government areas in the six geopolitical zones.


FOREIGN: Outgoing permanent secretary bemoans indiscipline in civil service

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Onyeama

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From Basil Obasi, Abuja

The outgoing Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Paul Zom Lolo, has bemoaned the high level of indiscipline perpetrated by civil servants.
Lolo, who made this disclosure yesterday, during the valedictory ceremony organised in his honour by the staff union congress and the Joint Negotiating Council of the ministry, charged civil servants to have a change of attitude in the interest of the common good of the nation.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the high level of indiscipline exhibited by civil servants, especially as it concerns ethics of the civil service; abuse of office and gross indiscipline.
“Some of us have converted the ministry into Wuse market. Some of us would not come to work but still receive payment. In fact, if you see what people, even from the high cadre, do you will cry,” he said.
Lolo thanked the staff for organising the sendoff ceremony, which he said affirmed the respect they have for him. He, however, charged staff to imbibe the virtue of discipline and obedience to entrenched ethics of the civil service.
In a closing remark, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, described Ambassador Lolo as a civil servant par excellence, who has demonstrated exceptional qualities.
“He is, indeed, one of the very best civil servants, very articulate, so intelligent. In fact, he is one of the brightest Nigeria has ever produced,” he said”.


EDUCATION: Embrace change culture, minister tells new CEOs

Minister-of-Education-Adamu-Adamu

Adamu

From Fred Ezeh and Joy Mackson, Abuja

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, yesterday charged the newly appointed chief executive officers of 17 parastatals under the ministry to abide by the change mantra of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
He also gave them one month to acclamatise and familiarise themselves with the system as well as staff members of their individual agencies, and return with a well developed road map and strategies that would help them achieve the desired result in their respective agencies.
The minister, while issuing letters of appointment to the CEOs in Abuja, yesterday reminded them that their appointments were not based on any recommendation or political affiliation but past records, a pointer to their competence and capability to handle such huge task.
He also told them that the ministry has set up an assessment and appraisal mechanism with which their performance will be assessed.
Meanwhile, the CEOs of National Examinations Council (NECO), Prof. Charles Uwakwe; National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB), Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe; National Library of Nigeria (NLN), Prof. Lanre Aina and National Mathematical Centre, Sheda (NMC), Prof. Steven Ejugwu Onah and National Teachers Institute (NTI), Prof. Garba Dahuwa Azare, have promised to justify the confidence bestowed in them by President Buhari.
“The minister challenged us to detest impunity and champion the cause of accountability, transparency, equity and fairness, and we must abide by it for the betterment of our education system,” they said.