The Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has expressed readiness to organise a hitch free hajj pilgrimage to MECCA and Medinnah for the year, as the Muslim Umar were preparing to perform the 2024 Hajj rites.

The Executive Secretary of the Board, Alh. Salau Babatunde, who dropped this hint in Abeokuta, disclosed that 1, 191 hajj seats have been allocated to the state by NAHCON for 2024 Hajj and will be distributed on a first come first served basis.

Babatunde, in a statement signed by Mrs. Lateefat Ayoola, the press officer, OGSMPWB, said the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced four million five hundred thousand naira (4,500,000.00) as the initial hajj deposit pending the announcement of the final fare.

He further stated that the initial hajj deposit will be paid through bank draft, or by paying directly through bank tellers obtainable at the Board into designated bank accounts, while those that had made some deposits during 2023 hajj are advised to top it up to meet current initial hajj deposit.

While assuring that all hands are on the desk to ensure a hitch-free Hajj exercise, Alhaji Babatunde noted that the State government is ready as usual to make the spiritual journey a memorable and fulfilling exercise.

He, however, urged intending pilgrims to fast-track payment of the initial hajj deposit as the old way of processing visas has changed, informing that visa issuance will be concluded at least 50 days before Arafat by Saudi Arabia.

Alh. Babatunde advised the intending pilgrims to visit the Board's Office located at New Secretariat Complex, Block 'B', Governor's Office, Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta for further enquiries.

So many people are today going through horrible things and difficult times. They seem to have come to the end of their life journey, end of their career or their vision. It is like man and God have since abandoned them. Some have been dealt terribly by Satan, enemies, friends, relations and life misfortunes. Even those that they trusted, loved and helped have betrayed, injured and abandoned them. Some are struggling to bounce back while many others have completely given up, resigned to fate – waiting to be ‘deleted’ and forgotten. In fact they have been left to rot away – with no hope and no future – licking their wounds and tears in secret. Where are you now? Yes, I am asking you. What is your current situation? Were you betrayed? Were you attacked, fatally bruised and wounded? Were you robbed?  Or maybe you are presently abandoned to die? Tell me. Listen now, your story is not worse than the man Jesus described here “…A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ Luke 10:30-35

My God! Listen, your help is coming! He is sending somebody to lift you out of that situation. And surprisingly it will come from where you least expected. I just prayed for a man who thinks everything had come to an end. No money, no peace in the home, no favor, no love and no trust from relations and no hope. And the worst is that he was totally betrayal by those he trusted physically and spiritually.  You know it is easier to endure when you lose physical things. But when those that should help you emotionally and spiritual also disappoint, it makes the matter worse and will take God’s grace for you to survive and still move on. This is why the punishment, the curses for betrayers, spiritual, priestly fraudsters and fakes will always be greatly multiplied. Don’t defraud the innocent, the gullible and the wounded who are seeking for healing in the name of God or religion. Don’t manipulate people to extort and steal from them in the name of God and spiritual help. If you do, your end and reward will sure be painful and disastrous. But that is not what we are talking about today. Our friend, the Jewish man was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho. The men of the underworld, the robbers, and the bandits attacked him, beat him up, stole all his money and goods and left him there on the highway to die. Yes, people can be that wicked. Very wicked! But they were simply imitating their father the Devil whom the bible said that he goes about killing, stealing and destroying. That has been his ministry everywhere, throughout ages.

A priest that should have compassion and offer help came, saw this man, crossed over to the other lane and walked away. And a Levite came around and did the same. Those that are supposed to help him ran away. But help came from an unexpected quarters – a despised Samaritan, one that should not have anything or much to do with a Jew! Those that you expected and waited to help you have disappeared and others are presently watching how you are going to come out of this mess. But I have good news for you today. God is sending a help to rescue you out of that situation! You will not die in it. You will not be consumed by it! They conspired to betray you. They ganged up to attack and steal from you for no just cause. They conspired and took your position. They dealt treacherously with you and stepped aside to watch you weep and lick your wounds. They thought nobody saw them, but God did. He has come to heal you and also punish the wicked. He has come to heal you emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially. Yes, you were wounded, abused and abandoned but you are healing now! It will be a total package. The Good Samaritan, stopped, knelt near the wounded man, cleaned and treated his wounds and bandaged them. He lifted him onto his own donkey. He also took him to a place of safety and total care and paid the cost. My God! This is exactly what God is coming to do for you now. It is going to be a total healing package. Get up and wipe off those tears because something glorious is about to happen to you! Till next week. God bless! Please, share this message.

October 7, 2023, the University of Abuja. The Chancellor, The Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji (Dr.) Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu,CR, stood up and announced to the huge crowd:

By the authority vested on me as Chancellor, I confer upon you the Degree of Doctor of Letters of the University of Abuja.

A fanfare of trumpets followed. The Vice-Chancellor, the renowned scholar of African Literature, Professor Abdul-Raheed Na’Allah, joined the Chancellor onstage. As the only recipient of an honorary degree on the occasion, I was invited to speak. I saw the faces of the graduating students and their parents ready to listen, but I chose not to bore them by limiting myself to three minutes. I promised that part of the response will be released to the media.

Sometimes, when events like this occur, one would take a moment to reflect on the many experiences and journeys that birthed this feat. So, one would understand why I might be filled with joy drawn from these reflections triggered by the honour of receiving the Honorary Doctorate Degree of Letters at the University that stands out in Nigeria. I intend to proclaim this glory to the mountains by drawing a parallel connection to the beautiful works of nature that stand tall as major landmarks and unique features of Abuja, the Zuma Rock, and other remarkable rocks. As a humble African, I still believe that no feat is small and no effort is wasted. While these stand out, they refer to the several mountains crossed in my pursuit of what I am today, and to take a step back, one must appreciate the humble beginnings, challenges, and mountains that have become the anvil and the hammers creating this fine blade. So, the rocks, hills, and mountains remind me of the 18 hours of work every day and relentless spirit from a young age.

The irony about mountains is that, while they are difficult to climb or surmount, they stand as a lifted and oval ground from which one can view the world from more advantageous places. They give the justifications and evidence that one has conquered and the assertion of determination and the spirit of persistence that fueled climbing the rocky roads to the top. I have picked my battles carefully and have fought them step-by- step with intentional attention to needed details. I would say unequivocally that my multidimensional background of perspectives has allowed me to fall in love with history and, most importantly, African history. I then crossed the huddles and took my share of tribulations and pain.

My early academic pursuits were quite challenging, but the love for greatness and the zeal to contribute to reshaping the African story and identity pushed me onto this path. As difficult as it seems, my days at Obafemi Awolowo University, where I got my first and doctorate degrees, were refining, and they pushed me through the love for history and doing something different in Africa.

Being conferred with the highest academic honour at the University of Abuja, especially because of its distinct position in Nigeria's national and educational history, has made me look back at the mountains I climbed before today. Undoubtedly, my early years have been rightly captured in A Mouth Sweeter Than Salt, twinned by its succeeding memoir, Counting The Tiger's Teeth. For a long time, these moments acted as catalysts to push further with vigour, having understood what it took to combat the demons of circumstantial neediness. This, I likened to an ascent unto the majestic Zuma as it stands formidably.

My ascent as an academic fellow has seen personal contributions to studying African History and Literature. It started with little effort in ways beyond imagination. The various efforts over the past decades, today, have summed up into a colourful tapestry of different threads. These combined efforts resulted in the authorship, co-authorship, and editing of over 200 books, journals, and academic work on African History, Pan-Africanism, Anglo-African cultures, Latin America, and Africa's interaction with the outside world to mention but a few.

As I once inferred many years back in an editorial, "My interest for the past decades has been to analyze Africa since the nineteenth century with a focus on history and how it affects the present and how the twin problems of political instability and underdevelopment can be solved."

In that interview, I commented on how tedious a task it would be. It was hard work because it required research in its purest form for an academic audience through synthesis and publications in textbooks for learning institutions and, by extension, a sort of advisory guide on policies for governments in the continent. On this note, with profound joy and gratitude, I can confidently say that my undying passion and determination for the greater good have pushed me to the valleys of words and the plateaus of creative thought to the peak of knowledge.

Asan African, my inspiration to help recreate the African identity in History and scholarship is a result of the unending challenges posed by crises and the continuous misinformation and misinterpretation of our heritage as a continent. For a very long time, I have always questioned and probed into neglected aspects of our history and aspects of our existence. For instance, would the world be any different and better if Africans had colonized the West? Would our natural ways of life, healing systems, science, and technology be worshipped if we had gotten to their continents before they came to ours? To what extent are we ready to decolonize Africa, its culture, systems, and history? These became the basis for my works, which turned out endless as I got a redefined purpose that could only be satiated by studying and writing, then more writing and studies. After all, Africa is unique with its diversified, beautiful heritage. African history entails stories of countless long-forgotten heritages, human exploits, aspirations, and dreams that have long been misinterpreted through the lens of non-Africans.

Research remains a huge, beautiful part of my life as a learned scholar. Yet, the heights of it all have always been credited to the personal relationships and bonds I enjoyed through association with mentors, supportive friends, collaboration with colleagues, and bright young minds whose enthusiasm for scholarship and knowledge birthed greatness into my work.

Being honoured today by the University of Abuja is a great testimony to the University's commitment to fostering a strong bond amongst academia to lay the foundation for coming generations who would pick up from where we would stop one day. I must proclaim at this juncture that the University will always remain an integral part of my academic identity. I would like to extend utmost gratitude to the University administration, the esteemed faculty of learning, the entirety of the student populace, and the academic community by extension.  You have shown your dedication to our shared vision of furthering the cause of educational advancement through the lens of history and literature. I dare say that this recognition today has strengthened my resolve to continue on this path till we get to the peak.

            I must not forget that this august occasion is not for me but for the fortunate and successful individuals who have made it to this 27th convocation ceremony after completing their degree requirements and being conferred with one honour or the others. I have said much about my paths through the mountains. Many of you have been faced with yours, and many more are starting now. Everyone must understand that the mountains are necessary evils, and despite the situations of things in the country that may throw more hindrances, the wind would only hear the voices of the victorious.

            While we fight our battles, we must understand that we are all individual soldiers to protect African and Nigerian heritage and be carriers of good conscience. I must state that we are not happy that the nation bleeds, that people experiencing poverty get poorer, that our roads are regrettably bad, that our politicians are internationally recognized fountains of corruption, that our cultures are fading, that our values are losing their potency, and that as a people, we struggle. But real change will not execute itself without the deliberate effort of a collective set of people. The University of Abuja has added to the pool of resources capable of changing the country, and I charge accordingly that while we bask in the euphoria of celebration, we take up the challenge to do better.

I also urge the Nigerian government and decision-makers to make academic success and thrive worth it. It is getting hard to encourage young Nigerians to pick up a degree because the most popular jobs and opportunities available have not shown that the degrees acquired to earn a living in Nigeria are worth it. It could have been more encouraging when alluding to them as necessary for technical know-how. This is because society has found a way to reward the lazy and those not making as much effort as others. One thing is to work hard; another is for the system to allow a soft landing to justify the efforts.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says there is a need for its personnel to bear firearms in discharging their duties, considering the level of security challenges across the country.
The Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, made this known on Saturday while inaugurating 1,762 personnel of the corps who just concluded their four-month basic course at the Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC), Kontagora, Niger.

Mr Biu, who was represented by Shehu Zaki, a deputy corps marshal, said that the measure would ensure adequate protection for the personnel who were often attacked in the course of duty by some road users or suspected criminals who take advantage of the security challenges in the country.

“It is left to the political leaders to arm the FRSC, but what we do know is that the issue of the FRSC bearing arms has been on our status since 1992.

“What we are still waiting for is for us to be given the go-ahead to start using arms.

“Right now, looking at the level of insecurity in the country, it is not out of place for the FRSC to start using arms to enable us protect ourselves when the need arises,” Mr Biu said.

He, however, urged the cadet officers, cadet marshal assistants and road marshal assistants to be dedicated to their duties towards bringing glory to the corps and the nation.

The corps marshal urged the personnel to be patriotic and exhibit the highest level of discipline, honour, integrity, accountability, transparency, courtesy, confidentiality, decency, loyalty and team spirit in discharging their duties to ensure success.

Mr Biu said, “As we tackle the challenges of nation-building and sustainable development in a complex operational environment, where you will soon face reality.

“It has therefore become imperative that I sound a very strong caution which is aimed at protecting and preserving your lives in the cause of discharging your duties objectively.

“You must constantly abide by the regulations which guide the work ethics as you carry out your constitutional roles.

“Without this, you will be doing a lot of damage to yourself, the corps and the nation as a whole.”

He thanked the Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, for approving the use of the training facility and also commended the army trainers for their contribution in ensuring a successful exercise.

Earlier, Yakubu Muhammad, the camp commander, said that among the commissioned personnel were 204 cadet officers, 402 cadet marshal inspectors and 1,156 road marshal assistants.

Mr Muhammad said that during the four-month training, the cadets and other trainees were trained in road safety management, physical drills and regimental ethics.

He also said that the corps recently introduced martial arts into the training to enable its personnel to defend themselves in the course of duty when the need arose.

“This is because we have not been authorised to carry firearms, so we should be able to defend ourselves when the need arises,” Mr Muhammad said.

Also, Cadet Chime Martin, the general parade commander, who spoke on behalf of the commissioned cadets and others, promised to utilise the knowledge acquired to create a safe motoring environment in the country.

(NAN)

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government has called for the de-escalation of hostilities between Israel and the Islamic terrorist organization, Hamas.

Naija News reports that in the early hours of Saturday, the Palestinian militant group, Hamas launched an unprecedented and offensive attack by infiltrating Israel through land, sea, and air and firing missiles from Gaza Strip.

The attack has resulted in the confirmed deaths of hundreds of people in Israel, with over a hundred others currently receiving medical treatment in hospitals and dozens of abductions.

In response, Israeli forces have carried out retaliatory strikes in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of nearly 200 people.

In a statement on Saturday night, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, expressed the federal government’s concern about the outbreak of hostilities, calling for a ceasefire.

He noted that the cycle of violence and retaliation that the current escalation has assumed only serves to perpetuate an unending cycle of pain and suffering for the civilian population that bears the brunt of every conflict.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria, therefore, calls on both sides to exercise restraint, prioritise the safety of civilians and give room for Humanitarian consideration.

“We are therefore calling for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue,” the statement read.

[NaijaNews]

Tongues are wagging over the high number of aides appointed by some state governors, Daily Trust on Sunday reports.

Against the backdrop of dwindling resources and high cost of governance, not a few critics have described the appointments as outrageous, even as others have called for a review

Adamawa

In Adamawa State, the appointment of 46 media aides by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, is generating criticism from stakeholders, with many describing it as extravagant.

Humwashi Wonosikou, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, had issued a release announcing the list of 46 media aides.

They comprised two special advisers, 10 senior special assistants and 34 social media assistants.

“Governor Fintiri has approved the appointment of two special advisers, senior special assistants and special assistants to serve as media aides. The two special advisers are Dr John Ngamsa (communication and strategy) and Babayola Toungo (media and publicity).

“The appointments, which take effect immediately, include George Kushi, Senior Special Assistant Media and Publicity; Ijafiya Domiya, SSA Digital and Visual Communication; Sherif Alhassan, SSA Electronic Media; Muhammed Tukur, SSA, New Media; Nurudeen Kama, SSA New Media; Pius Iliya, SSA New Media; Auwal Hamza, SSA New Media; Thomas Terry, SSA Visuals photography), Sunday Wugirah, a lawyer, SSA Public Affairs, and Victor Dogo,  SSA Social Mobilisation, while 34 others are to serve as special assistants, social media and content creation”, the statement reads.

Two months later, precisely on October 6, the governor’s spokesman rolled out another list of 103 aides, including 37 principal special assistants, 45 senior special assistants and 21 special assistants.

149 aides to gulp N28m

Sources revealed that the monthly salaries for principal special assistants is above N300,000, while senior special assistants and special assistants receive N240,000 and N180,000 respectively.

It implies that over N28 million will be spent to maintain the political aides appointed by the governor.

But it is not the first time a governor would appoint a huge number of aides. For example, Nyako ran a monthly financial assistance programme with thousands of beneficiaries known as special assistants who were  placed on monthly stipends. However, what drew attention to Fintiri’s recent appointees is the fact that they were expected to carry out roles as aides to the governor.

Sallau Amada, a chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yola, expressed reservation about the appointments, saying it was done to compensate loyalists and members of the ruling party in the state.

He questioned the governor’s recruitment of dozens of social media campaigners who are concerned with the posting of materials to please their paymasters rather than engage in meaningful conversation to help the state.

“Some are qualified, but many are not. Paid activists on the social media do not care about the condition of the people; they are like praise singers, so just give them what they need and don’t give them a responsibility,” he added.

However, the governor’s press secretary disagreed that the number was extravagant and that the social media assistants may have been recruited to work as foot soldiers to attack political opponents.

According to him, each of the media appointees had been assigned a designation defining their roles, adding that the appointments would also serve as a poverty alleviation measure in the state.

He said, “For the social media assistants, there is no cause for alarm. Their role is to push what is given to them that will promote government policies and programmes. Their engagement by the governor was borne out of the desire for poverty alleviation.”

One of the media aides who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday on condition of anonymity said he believed he would not be redundant because his role was clearly defined.  He noted that the employment of 34 social media assistants would help sanitise posts on various online platforms.

Niger

In Niger State, the appointment of aides by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has been greeted with mixed reactions among citizens, including some officials of the APC in the state.

The governor recently assigned portfolios to newly appointed 41 female coordinators of political mobilisation, media relations, community relations, maternal and child health, Government House counsel, women support group, and women empowerment.

In addition, 90 female senior special assistants were assigned similar portfolios for political mobilisation, among others.

Some residents who spoke with Daily Trust on Sunday said the money to be spent on the over-bloated political appointments should be used to fix critical sectors, especially health and education.

Fatima Muhammad, a mother of 3, said the health sector in the state was faced with dearth of doctors and nurses, and wondered how 131  women appointed as aides would translate into development.

“I took my son to Minna General Hospital but I was disappointed. Only one doctor was attending to the many children that were brought on various health challenges. The doctor rejected our folders, saying he was tired because he was the only one on call. Imagine that,” she lamented.

A key member of the ruling APC who preferred anonymity said many of those who made the list of the 131 women appointed as aides were not qualified. He added that as a result of the appointments, cost of governance would be very high.

“Many of the appointments are merely patronage as most of them don’t have the capacity to contribute anything meaningful to the government,” he said.

Over N23.7m to be spent on 131 aides

Although the newly appointed senior special assistants and coordinators are said not to have done documentations to start collecting salaries, reliable sources told Daily Trust on Sunday that the salary of a senior special assistant is not below N150,000 after the deduction of taxes, while that of a coordinator is not below N250,000.

Special advisers, a position reportedly equivalent to that of commissioners, receive not below N350,000 as salary, while the salary of a special assistants is said not to be below N120,000.

Daily Trust on Sunday found that the Niger State Government would spend nothing less than N 10,250,000 to pay the salaries of the 41 female coordinators and N13,500,000 monthly to pay salaries of the 90 senior special assistants so far appointed.

Cumulatively, at least N23.7m will be spent to maintain the 131 female aides, aside the salaries of other appointees.

Sources said nothing less than N10,500,000 would be spent every month to pay the salaries of 30 special advisers.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, said the appointment of the 131 female coordinators and senior special assistants were in fulfillment of the governor’s campaign promise to carry women along in his administration.

Kano

In Kano, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has so far appointed 406 aides that are working for him.

This is besides commissioners, directors of ministries, departments and agencies and other appointees.

Among the appointees are personal assistants, special advisers, senior special assistants, senior special reporters and special reporters.

While personal assistants, special advisers and senior special assistants are familiar and common to every government, senior special reporters and special reporters are new and initiated by his administration.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, said the appointments were towards fulfilling the governor’s promise of a transparent government that would carry people along.

He said the appointments were also in line with the vision and mission of creating jobs, engaging youths in governance and transforming access to information.

He added that while the personal assistants and senior special advisers would serve their usual functions, the reporters would help in reporting activities and happenings among various agencies, parastatals, ministries and governmental bodies to the state government and the general public.

However, a civil society activist and renowned public commentator, Ibrahim Garba Maryam, said the appointments were not economically wise and would create unnecessary spending of public funds.

Maryam, who is the executive director of a civil society organisation, Gneder and Social Inclusive said, “The appointment of aides by state governors is a waste of resources. They are not doing anything but just receiving salaries.

“At a time when the economy needs to be improved they are busy spending unnecessarily,” he said.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, Baba Halilu Dantiye, said that considering the state’s population, the aides were not even enough.

He said the state government was doing that to ensure that the administration is transparent and always close to the people.

“If you look at our population, we need more that 406 appointees. We have 44 local governments and 447 wards; as such, we need assistants that will be reporting happenings in the nooks and crannies of the state for proper action,” he said.

251 aides to gulp N36.6m monthly

Findings by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed that the new aides are not aware of the amount they will be paid as their appointment letter did not contain their salary structure.

However, it was gathered that the immediate past administration paid N70,000 to senior special assistants as salary with an overhead of N50,000, making a total of N120,000 in a month.

Special advisers were said to have been paid N200,000 by the past administration.

If the present government will maintain the same payment, it will cost them N20,280, 000 in a month to settle the 169 senior special advisers the governor appointed.

It will also cost the government the sum of N16, 400,000 to settle the salaries of the 82 special assistants appointed by the governor.

The salaries of the 138 reporters deployed to ministries and agencies are not yet ascertained as they are new to the system. But there are reports that they will be paid stipends by the various agencies they are reporting from.

Akwa Ibom

In Akwa Ibom State, Governor Umo Bassey Eno recently inaugurated 368 personal assistants drawn from each ward across the state to help the grassroots implementation of what he tagged his ARISE agenda.

Following grumblings that arose from some aggrieved members of the PDP who felt sidelined in the appointments, he promised 4,000 additional appointments, saying they would be used for the Neighborhood City Watch Programme.

This is in addition to 30 existing aides to the governor under different portfolios and the 23 commissioners and one special adviser sworn into office in July.

Dr Godwin Ntukudeh was appointed as his political adviser, as well as three honourary special advisers—Dr Henry Archibong, Sir Udo Kierian Akpan, Bishop Sam Akpan, representing Akwa Ibom North East, Akwa Ibom North West and Akwa Ibom South senatorial districts respectively.

Rationalising the appointments, Governor Eno said, “We had promised to return power to the people in line with our party’s mantra. Power to the people really means power to the people at the grassroots. That’s what we are trying to do.

“We insisted that everyone that had been picked would live within their wards. And I hope this is the true situation. But let me warn that if there is any time we find out that you are not living in your ward, we will not hesitate to remove you.  We want people that will give us reports on the ground in their various wards.

“So, if you take this appointment and we later find out that you are in Uyo, or you are not living within your ward, please note that the same way we appointed you today, we will disappoint you because the hands that appointed can also disappoint.”

Before now, the governor had justified his reappointment of all the commissioners who worked with him in the administration of immediate past governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, saying he was fulfilling his promise to include them in his administration if they supported him to emerge as governor.

Daily Trust on Sunday reports that it will cost the Akwa Ibom State Government not less than N73.6 million to maintain 368 aides as each of them will not earn less than N200,000 monthly.

Ironically, the governor had, in his recent maiden media parley complained that a huge chunk of the state’s monthly allocation, which is the second highest among the 9 Niger Delta states, was expanded on recurrent expenditure, including salaries and payment of project debts, with little remaining for the execution of new projects.

Civil society organisations have condemned the development, saying employing almost 5,000 youths in the agricultural sector to generate income for the state would have been more productive than hiring them as political aides who would contribute nothing financially to the state but rather take from it.

The chairman of civil society organisations in the state, Mr Harry Udoh, who said Governor Eno was ill advised on the large political appointments, added that employing them into the civil service or engaging them in agriculture would have been most beneficial.

“This is not something we are quite comfortable with. He has appointed 368 with the argument that he wants them to work in the communities and give him feedback. If he stops at that, probably we would say it is okay because one of his ARISE agenda points is rural development because rural communities have been neglected by previous governments despite the annual budget for the rural development ministry, but nothing much is happening around rural roads and electricity and medical care.

“But we are quite taken aback to hear that 4,000 more would be employed by the state government. Why we think they should be employed, we don’t think having them as personal assistants to the governor, which often than not keeps them idle, making them political jobbers and tools in the hands of nefarious political holders to drive their agenda, is proper. It doesn’t bring development for the state.

“It is quite worrisome to hear political appointments that do not add value to the lives of people employed. They would constitute themselves into a mass of people that would subdue the will and intent of the masses during elections.

“Apart from being burdensome to the resources of the state, we have to look at the future. You cannot keep that number of people redundant, all in the name of personal assistants to the governor of the state. They need to be productive,” he said.

Efforts to get the Commissioner for Information, Mr Ini Ememobong and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor,  Mr Ekerete Udoh to speak was unsuccessful as they did not pick their calls at the time of filing this report.

Plateau

In Plateau State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang has appointed over 200 persons, including, the secretary to the state government, commissioners, heads of agencies, parastatals, special advisers.

Peter Gad, who is the executive director of CLEEN Foundation, a civil society organization, while commenting on the appointment by state governors, described them as waste of resources. He added that the resources often spent on political appointees would have been better channeled to other critical sectors, such health, security, education etc.

He said, “We often appeal that, either at the federal, state or local level, there should be slim governments.

“Running a slim government is that appointment should be on essential and need basis. But when you wake up and appoint 150 special advisers or special assistants, for example, the question is: What are they going to be assisting with or what value are they adding?

“The appointment of these individuals is not benefitting anybody but the individuals themselves. If you appoint aids, you need to buy them cars and get them housing allowances. And the appointees would appoint other people as their aides.”

Musa Adams, the state commissioner for information could not respond to calls or messages to respond to the matter.

Ebonyi

In Ebonyi State, the Governor Francis Nwifuru-led administration has appointed 35 commissioners and 40 special assistants since he assumed office in May.

Boniface Nwankwo, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Documentation, said the large executive was not a political patronage as thought in some quarters of the state but mark of a people-oriented government.

“On Wednesday, Governor Nwifuru appointed more 5 special assistants, bringing the total number to 40 and 35 for commissioners.

“I don’t see anything wrong with that because our governor has demonstrated that his administration is people-oriented,” he explained.

[DailyTrust]

There are growing concerns over the activities of some criminal elements who are reportedly on the prowl in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja and other states of the federation stealing male genital organs.

In recent times, there has been an increase in reported cases of disappearance of genital organs in some states in the North Central, particularly in Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and the nation’s capital.

DAILY POST reports that while it is yet unclear how the miscreants carry out such acts, residents of the FCT have, for over a month now, been living in fear following reported cases of ‘stealing’ of manhoods.

The ugly trend has led to the murder of some persons by irate youths who descended on suspects for allegedly causing the mysterious disappearance of manhoods.

There are different accounts of how the heinous crime is being perpetrated in the city. While some said a mere conversation with the alleged manhood thief can cause disappearance of the victim’s penis, others said it happens after a physical contact, including handshake.

DAILY POST recalls that on August 23, the Nasarawa State Police Command, while cautioning residents against jungle justice being meted out to the alleged organ thieves in the state, revealed that some persons were attacked over same allegations in Nasarawa Eggon, Obi, Lafia and Keffi Local Government Areas of the state.

The State’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, however, said a medical examination conducted on the alleged victims, “gave all of them a clean bill of health”, saying there was no basis for the allegations.

On September 20, some irate youths in phase 2, Gwagwalada area of the FCT, lynched a yet-to-be-identified young man for allegedly stealing a resident’s manhood.

Three days after the incident, another resident, Lucky Josiah was accused of causing the disappearance of one Rokeeb Saheed’s manhood.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, while confirming the ugly development, told DAILY POST that officers of the command quickly responded to a distress call that a victim was being lynched.

Unlike the Gwagwalada incident, Lucky was saved by the police operatives from being killed by the angry mob.

The PPRO revealed that after medical examinations were conducted on Saheed, his male organ was “confirmed to be fine, and Lucky’s injuries were treated”.

Residents of the city have continued to record similar incidents almost on a daily basis in both the city centre and satellite towns.

On Friday, a disturbing motion picture which captured an alleged manhood thief being subjected to torture and dehumanization by mob, including some security operatives surfaced online.

In the video, the alleged thief who was accused of stealing two manhoods, was heard saying he is innocent of the allegations.

False alarm

There are indications that some of the allegations by the victims of manhood theft are false and may have sinister motives.

A security operative in the FCT, who does not want to be mentioned in the news, told DAILY POST that most of the alerts raised by the alleged victims were orchestrated.

According to him, some criminal elements who are on a rampage in the city, deliberately create scenes in a public gathering to enable them to steal from unsuspecting citizens.

He said that some miscreants in the nation’s capital are taking advantage of the trend to perpetrate other heinous crimes.

“About 80 percent of the alarms raised by these people that claim that their manhood is missing are fake. It is a new strategy to steal people’s belongings.

“Most times, what happens is that these people go to places that are crowded and then one or two of them raise the alarm that their penises are stolen. They do it just to capture attention.

“Normally, when such things occur, people tend to forget themselves and focus on what is happening, it is at that moment that other members of the gang will start stealing phones, bags, and even cars.

“By the time the alleged victims notice that the jobs have been done, you will start hearing something like, ‘my manhood is back’, back from where exactly?

“The only way out of this is that when any person raises such an alarm and it is discovered whether in the hospital or anywhere that he lied, such person should be arrested and prosecuted for raising false alarm. If the police do this to at least three persons, the trend will reduce,” he said.

However, a video clip cited by DAILY POST revealed how one alleged manhood thief confessed to have committed the crime in Nasarawa State. According to him, “if I just talk to you and you reply to me, your manhood is gone”.

He claimed to be working for one native doctor.

But the Nasarawa State PPRO told DAILY POST that the confession may have been made under duress.

“The condition he was in at that moment may determine why he made such a confession”, he said.

Manhood theft scientifically impossible

The allegations, according to experts, are only hinged on diabolism as it has no bearing on science.

Residents have blamed the trend on ritualists, particularly internet fraudsters who may have sent boys into the city to diabolically harvest people’s manhoods for sacrifices to woo their prospective victims.

Speaking on the matter, former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani lamented how the claim of manhood theft was becoming rampant in the Federal Capital.

In a post on his official X handle, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain expressed worry over how the accused thieves are being lynched by mobs, saying they may be innocent.

He wrote, “The claim of manhood stealing is becoming rampant in Abuja and the lawlessness is when the accused or wrongly accused are lynched by a mob. There is no scientific basis behind such claims. It’s simply magicians at work”.

According to a health expert, Dr Kaleb Ugo, who spoke with DAILY POST on Saturday, it is medically impossible for a man’s organ to just disappear without a cut.

He said the allegations are “based on African magic and not facts.”

Ugo, however, said there are medical conditions that may lead to a shrinking of manhood but not a total disappearance as being peddled by alleged victims.

He said peyronie’s disease and erectile dysfunction can lead to the reduction in the size of penis.

The doctor explained that peyronie’s disease condition is when a body begins to form a condition called plague, which is the forming of scar tissue in the lining surrounding the corpora cavernosa, known as the tunica albuginea.

According to him, the condition can lead to the shortness of the penis.

He said patients suffering from the disease will always notice that their organs are shorter than they were.

On erectile dysfunction, Ugo explained that when a man stops experiencing an erection for a long time, there are possibilities that the manhood would shrink.

“Just like every other thing, for instance, when your car packs up and you stop using it for six months, you don’t expect it to remain like it was.

“Somehow, when our body stops having regular erections, the elastic tissue that stretches the penis from the flaccid state into the erect state can transform in a way that the penis loses its elasticity.

“And when the penis is no longer elastic, it won’t stretch when you get an erection, and you will notice you lost length”, he said.

DAILY POST reports that the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Haruna Garba had warned against spreading false information regarding alleged organ disappearance.

According to the CP, such rumours had led to public anxiety and disruption of peace across the territory.

[DailyPost]

My draft for the third edition of my serial on _Time To Serve The God of
Big Things _was ready when three significant readers posted my 2017 article titled, ‘_Truth In A Grave’_ to me. All of them urged me to
republish the article for this season when all manner of writers, opinion leaders, editorialists, commentators, are debating the same
facts from a certain University in Chicago. As one of the readers puts it to me, people are helping to speak in tongues with clear statistic
even in this age of the big data…’ Another one noted to me: as you noted in 2017 and 2020 on different issues of our time, again, many of
our political people and their dependent writers and commentators are hiding truth in a grave’ again… Here is the riginal article: ‘In the complex logistics of everyday life as a journalist reporting, writing and analysing issues in the news that feeds our fragile democracy, it is quite clear to me that there has been too much deception in most of our affairs.

As one encounters fellow citizens of all classes, high and low, rich and poor, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find good people who will tell you the truth about anythingfrom the mundane to the serious issues of life. The artisans, the mechanics, the petty traders in your estate, all are artful dodgers in the business of people deceiving people. They deceive you about current trends and pricing and the nexus between it and transportation. They deceive about the effect of weak Naira on the prices of even kola-nuts, pepper, tomatoes and sundry food items. It is worrisome that even church elders and leaders deceive their congregation that cannot “study to show themselves approved” these days. The dubious pastors quote scriptures out of context to deceive miracle (not Christ’s) seekers.

It is obvious that clerics of some other faiths to deceive their followers with scriptures that they know the illiterate and the poor in their adherents cannot read. They hypnotise malleable and naïve millions with elements that appeal to the flesh and base sentiments.

Gripped by the arms of flesh that will always weaken the physical man, these ignorant ones are told that they will get to sleep with hundreds of virgins in paradise if they can carry out certain deadly operations against some unbelievers. They are never told the truth about how to make heaven.

It is clear to me that the spirit of deception is now very strong in our midst and it has become a potent weapon that drives our governance system and, in fact, part of the news items and impuritiesthat feed our democracy. It is also sad that most of us as citizens have given up on pursuit of truths. It is also saddening that our leaders now daily exploit our culture of low expectation and indeed laziness nurtured by the newspeak now dressed as political correctness to tell us lies and damned lies. They now lie with statistics even in this age of the big data. Our leaders have been lying to us since democracy returned in 1999 why they cannot give this blessed nation electricity, for instance. Since 1999, they have been hovering around 4000 megawatts of electricity. I now understand from Bill Muehlenberg’s commentary that deception is actually one of the most powerful – albeit negative –forces in the universe.

According to the public commentator on CultureWatch, it is risky to discount the enormous power of deception. All forms of deception can be immensely powerful and controlling, and self-deception is certainly one of the most worrisome among them. The ability of people to deceive themselves, or be deceived, seems almost limitless. And I think that is where we have been since 1966 when the ‘militicians’ struck and toppled democracy and federalism.

And once someone is in the throes of deception, it can be very hard indeed to break people out of that. It is like some great force has
taken over and they become almost unreachable. It is as if they are now under the control of someone else. And they are.

Research has shown that there are different types of deception. Mass deception is another sort that is frightening to behold. The power that demagogues and charismatic leaders can have over the masses is all too familiar. Whether it be a Hitler, or a Jim Jones, or some other cult leader or political personality, masses can be easily led – and deceived – by these leaders.

Even those who claim to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ can have their heads and hearts turn to mush as they hold some men of God and leaders up to be some messiah figure. They are quite happy to jettison core biblical values such as humility, righteousness, godliness, integrity, honesty and decency as they shill for their man of God as if he were God of man.

According to Bill, That is mass deception of a high order, and it is one of the most shocking things we have had to deal with in recent times in this country. But individuals can and do become deceived quite easily as well. But the good news is that there is yet another powerful force that can neutralise the power of deception. The name of that powerful force is truth. It is written that it (truth) is the most powerful force on earth. I had never been conscious of the power of this ancient word until 2013 when a Muslim friend and a colleague who is a member of the Guild of Editors, sent me a stunningly deep Easter greeting: “Martins, this season means just one inescapable fact: that you can actually keep truth in a grave but it won’t stay there.” I was shocked to receive this message from a Muslim. I have been sharing the import of the message actually credited to Clarence W. Hall who originally noted that:

“Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there.”
The original Easter quote: “If Easter says anything to us today, it says this: You can put truth
in a grave, but it won’t stay there. You can nail it to a cross, wrap it in winding sheets and shut it up in a tomb, but it will rise!

Even before Hall was a synoptic preface to this: Some 2500 years ago, the three guardsmen of Persian king Darius held a contest as to what was the strongest thing in the world. The first wrote, ‘wine is the strongest”. The second wrote, “the king is strongest.” The third
wrote, “women are strong but above all things, truth is strongest”

(1 Esdras 3:10-12) And as Carlo Beenakker was quoted as saying on this at the Phoenix Institute Symposium on Responsibility in decision making” (Bruge Belgium, 2000), what message could a scientist have, at
the gathering of young professionals focused on “responsibility in decision making”? I have one message: Truth is strongest. Which is
what may have inspired Mike Murdock who is credited with saying that “Truth is the most powerful force on earth because it cannot be
changed.”

The point I have been trying to make today is that there is a need for national value reorientation for all of us as citizens, leaders and
followers to imbibe a culture of telling the truth at all times.

Specifically, those who have a responsibility to lead us at any levels, should note the subtext of Clarence W. Hall that “you can put truth in a grave, it won’t stay there…”. I mean here that our leaders at all levels need to know that no one teaches anymore Joseph Goebbels Principles of Propaganda in today’s world of the big data, except for the purpose of historical references. In today’s world being daily driven by the forces of “citizen journalism” powered at the speed of thought by the big data dynamics being leaked to the cyber space by the powerful “office of the citizens” every minute, no one teaches “principles of propaganda” for the purpose of driving operational efficiency in marketing management or public communications or reputation management. Deception, yes, deception management is a hard sell now in dealing with issues that are either customer-centric or people-oriented.

That is why we need to tell reputation managers, political managers and those who manage their lies and lying liars that tell them (apology to Senator Al Franken, U.S) that they need to imbibe a culture of telling the people, their customers nothing but the truth at all times. They do not need to deceive the people about medical conditions of their principals.

They do not need to hide any truth of their net-worth even in dollars anymore. Our leaders yesterday and today need to tell us
pointblank that the parlous state of the hospitals in the country has compelled them to seek medical advice or check-up in the West. They
should not allow the Falana’s of this world to tell us that hospitals in Nigeria are mortuaries. They should not create a diary of confusion
in the system when it comes to managing presidential movements. Has the truth they put in a grave about presidential vacation not come out after three weeks? Is anyone in doubt now about a public relations tragedy that a simple statement of medical vacation would have averted? Most of the president’s ignorant men who have kept the spokesmen of the president out of the picture of the state of health of the president would have realised by now that indeed the most powerful force on earth is truth and deception of any hue has not been helpful in all generations. It won’t help in this age of “citizen journalism” when information rips out of a grave at the speed of thought (not of light anymore).

The lesson of how to prevent public relations disaster should not be lost on all our leaders: they should tell us everything about themselves. They should tell us how much they earn, their net-worth including constituency and other sundry allowances from the public
purse. The reasons are not far to seek. The truth is the same for every one. It is not relative, not bound to a certain culture or ideology. There is only one truth, not a scientific truth on the one hand, and a religious or political truth on the other hand. The conclusion of the whole matter is that we should at all times remember that as leaders and managers, we can keep or even hide truth in a grave, it won’t stay
there. Just as it happened more than two thousand years ago when they kept Him in a grave: a fter just three days, truth resurrected. That is
why truth is the most powerful force on earth: Tell it, it will set you free, after all.

Nigerian corruption is aeroamphibious. It permeates air, land and sea.

The other day, when it was reported that an aircraft was— mercifully— grounded because its tank was laden with a mixture of aviation fuel and water, nobody laughed. I can swear to that because the usual “happiest people on earth” who cobble online jokes out of every disaster were, for once, dumbfounded. They didn’t want to imagine what could have happened if that plane had taken to the skies. There are some things you can’t joke about.

Contrast that with the hilarity that attended the posting of a photograph of an Aero Contractors  Boeing 737 aircraft disembarking passengers in Bauchi in December 2015 with the aid of a LADDER because the motorised staircase was reportedly ‘unserviceable’. Yes, the same good old ladder defined by Britannica Dictionary as “a device used for climbing that has two long pieces of wood, metal, or rope with a series of steps or rungs between them”.

I am still trying to verify if the Guinness Book of World Records has anything close to that feat. The authorities threatened hail and brimstone, but as usual, the issue was overtaken by more urgent existential tragedies elsewhere, and we simply moved on. Someday soon, one of my compatriots is going to climb a ladder to heaven!

Our aviation sector has its fair share of carcasses in the netherworld, starting from Nigeria Airways and scores of private airlines that have bitten the dust. We have made a tourism spectacle of so many disused aero-carcasses littering sections of our airports which ought, really, to be redesignated as ‘air cemeteries’. One word that is a recurring decimal in any serious diagnosis of the problem of the aviation sector: corruption.

Having said that, however, air travel is still the safest mode of journeying in Nigeria. Many of the major interstate highways have regressed to the state of nature and road travel has become a high risk expedition. If the craters, gullies and muddy lava don’t do you in, the wide assortment of terrorists, ‘ungun knownmen’, bandits and kidnappers who are looking out to have a good day in the office, will.

I did listen to Works Minister Dave Umahi the other day lamenting the humongous cost of projects he inherited. He insisted that he would not append his signature to any deal which appeared to have shortchanged Nigeria. The minister is rightly reiterating the same thing Nigerians have been saying on social media for a long time. If we have truly spent trillions of Naira on road construction in the last eight years, where are the roads? The same question can be asked of state and local governments.

As corruption had dogged both the aviation and road sectors, the hope of Nigerians when the immediate past administration pursued the rail programme started by the Jonathan government was that, for once, the rejuvenated service would be run professionally so that there could at least be one means of transport that was reliable and safe. Alas, corruption has, again, attached its own coaches to the engine, and is sharing the takings at the till with the government.

I witnessed the scam going on at the railway sector last year on a trip between Abuja and Kaduna. To begin with, a racketeering group controlled the (especially first class) tickets. The cartel warehoused the tickets and sold the premium seats at 300% profit. It was plain sight robbery. And the surprise of the scandalous situation was that even senior government officials and legislators patronised the touts while commoners queued at the ticket booths to buy their economy tickets.

Having experienced the shameful situation, I advocated for online ticketing and the removal of touts from the railway stations. As always, no one in authority could be bothered. Considering that the rail infrastructure was procured with huge loans from the Chinese government which had to be paid back, I wondered how the government could ever hope to break even, talk less of making a profit, if the open thieving going on at the stations was allowed to continue.

Just last week, an outraged passenger who was witnessing the sleaze going on at the railways took to social media to give a detailed account of the organised thievery he witnessed at the Obafemi Awolowo Train Station, Ibadan . Her video narrative went so viral that it was sent to me 17 times via various sources.

Travelling in a party of five, she was accosted by a uniformed railway official who chaperoned her group to the screening point, ignoring her protestations that she needed to buy tickets first. The crook told them that the tickets would be available before boarding but that they should go through the security check first.  He then handed them over to a lady accomplice who took them to Coach 7.

The crooks played hide and seek with our narrator for long enough to eat up the whole time until the train left the station. Then, an official showed up to announce that the passengers were to pay cash. In all, the lady estimated that there were more than 60 people in her coach and each paid N3,000 cash to the official rogues.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has since suspended some of the workers it identified. The organisation issued a press statement:

“Following a viral video that has been trending on various social media platforms, vividly showing Railway workers negotiating with our esteemed passengers onboard Lagos-Ibadan Train Service (LITS) to pay without obtaining official boarding tickets, the general public is invited to note that the NRC seriously condemns such acts of misconduct which is a flagrant disobedience to laid down rules and utter betrayal of the confidence reposed on such workers, especially at this time that the Federal Government is making all efforts to revitalise and modernising the Corporation.

“This misconduct is regrettable and unacceptable as it negates the tenets and norms of the Corporation. The Corporation has therefore placed the identified erring officers on immediate suspension pending the outcome of the in-depth investigation already ongoing by the management committee set up to look into the issue.”

We’ve heard such ‘official lingo’ before! It is usually done to buy time. Corruption is so intricately woven into the fabric of many government agencies that the best way to solve the problem is to limit the government’s role to regulation, not commercial operations. NRC ought to simply be the regulator of the rail sector while the service is concessioned to private entities who can run it  efficiently and profitably in such a way as to enable repayment of the Chinese loan.

If history is any guide, there is no magic wand that the management of NRC can wield to run the rail service efficiently and transparently. When we took our sleaze to the skies, we grounded Nigeria Airways; now the private sector fully runs the show while the government regulates. Also, I hear that some major highways in the country are to be concessioned soon so that professional outfits can handle them on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis and collect tolls over a stipulated tenure. That is the way to go.

And that is what we should do to arrest the entrenched sleaze in the railways.

Over one million Nigerians have lost their jobs under the N-Power programme of the Federal Government following the indefinite suspension of the scheme by the government.

The N-Power programme was established by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to address youth unemployment as beneficiaries were paid N30,000 monthly stipend.

It is a component of the National Social Investment Programme put in place by the previous administration through the on-boarding of 1.5 million unemployed Nigerian youths (mostly graduates), providing capacity building, targeted tenured employment and structured of-boarding unto various career paths.

In February this year, figures obtained from the Humanitarian ministry in Abuja indicated that the programme had enrolled 200,000 youths in Batch A; 300,000 in Batch B; 510,000 in Batch C1; and 490,000 in Batch C2.

Although the number of beneficiaries who had exited the scheme could not be confirmed at the time of filing this report, it was gathered that virtually all enrolees in batches C1 and C2 were still enrolled in the scheme, representing about one million persons.

Many N-Power beneficiaries teach in primary schools across the country.

But on Saturday, the Federal Government announced the indefinite suspension of the programme and vowed to investigate the funds spent on the scheme.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, announced the indefinite suspension of the programme during a live interview on TVC News.

Edu said the programme had been marred by irregularities, adding that the government had launched an investigation into the utilisation of funds since the inception of the scheme.

She added that some of the beneficiaries of the programme were not found in their places of assignment, yet they were receiving monthly stipends.

Edu also stated that some of the N-Power beneficiaries ought to have exited the programme in 2022, but were still on the payroll.

She said, “We must go back to look into N-Power and understand what the problems are; so we will basically suspend the programme for now until we are done with proper investigation into the utilisation of funds by the N-Power programme.

“We want to know how many people are basically on the programme right now; how many people are owed and the amount they are owed. We are totally restructuring N-Power and expanding it.

“There are lots going on. We met people who were supposed to have exited the programme since last year and they are still claiming that they are teaching.

“Sometimes, we contact the schools or the places where they are working and they are not there. They are not working, yet they keep claiming that they are being owed eight or nine months’ stipends. About 80 per cent of them are not working, yet they are claiming salaries.”

Previous investigations

The N-Power scheme has been marred by irregularities as the humanitarian ministry had in a response to an enquiry by The PUNCH in December 2022 detailed how some of its officials were being investigated.

In the response, which was signed by the immediate past Permanent Secretary, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, the ministry said it was aware of publications regarding ongoing investigations in relation to fraud allegations in the programme.

It said, “We wish to state as follows: the ministry has deployed a well-rounded mechanism for the selection of eligible beneficiaries from across the country and this has been in place since the inception of the programme.

“Working with our service provider, programme beneficiaries are on-boarded, trained and deployed to pre-selected places of primary assignment.

“When it came to our notice that there might have been sharp practices by some personnel of the payment service provider involved in the payment processes of the beneficiaries, the matter was immediately referred to the ICPC for a thorough investigation.

“We are aware that certain persons have consequently been invited for interrogation as part of the ongoing investigations.”

The former permanent secretary said the ministry had carried out thorough reinforcement of its systems to eliminate all anomalies and prevent similar occurrences in the future.

He added, “To this end, we are in close collaboration with the ICPC to support the successful determination of the investigation.

“The public may wish to note that in a bid to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of the N-Power and other National Social Investment Programmes, namely the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and the Conditional Cash Transfer, the ministry has over time involved other government MDAs, security agencies and Civil Society Organisations in monitoring and compliance checks across the 36 states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory.

“We want to assure all N-Power beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s continued commitment to the programme and the subsequent exit/of-boarding channels activated.”

The ministry had also urged all programme beneficiaries to continue to apply themselves to their utmost at their places of primary assignment.

“All monthly stipends will continue to be paid in line with programme expectations,” the ministry had stated.

It also called “on members of the public to come forward with information on any irregularities noticed in the implementation of the National Social Investment programme” through some email channels and phone numbers at the time.

[Punch]