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Tinubu to open CORFEPS colloquium on repositioning the public service
he Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries (CORFEPS), will hold one week forum to explore ways of getting the Nigerian Public Service back on track towards serving as the engine of good governance in the country.
A statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by Dr Goke Adegoroye, the National Publicity Secretary of the Council, said the 2024 CORFEPS Week will be in three parts.
It will include a colloquium on Tuesday in Abuja expected to be declared open by President Bola Tinubu.
“The morning session will be chaired by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Minister of Finance, His Majesty Oluyemi Falae, the Olu of Ilu-Abo and Baba Oba of Akure Kingdom.
“The afternoon session will be chaired by Amb. Babagana Kingibe, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Minister of Foreign Affairs,” Adegoroye said.
He said the council will hold its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday in Abuja while Thursday will be for the Investiture of its Grand Patron, President Tinubu.
Adegoroye said the colloquium has as its theme, ‘Reflections on Nigeria’s Public Service: Way Forward for Good Governance’.
The lead speakers for the Colloquium are Dr Bukar Usman, who is to give the general overview of the topic, while Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agary will present the ‘Insider’s Perspective’.
Mr Martins Oloja, the Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief of The Guardian, will present the ‘Outsider’s Perspective’.
“There will be three discussants, all retired Permanent Secretaries, namely, Amb. Godknows Igali, Ammuna Ali, and Dr Goke Adegoroye”.
The national publicity secretary said Falae and Kingibe were selected to be part of the event because they “are treasures of the glorious era of the Nigerian public service”.
Adegoroye said they stood out for their courage and ability to speak truth to power which made the post-independence civil service an institution that commanded the respect of all Nigerians.
“No one is better placed to remind us of how it was in those days, and what made the political masters respect the permanent secretaries than the duo of Falae and Kingibe,” he added.
Adegoroye said vital questions including how Ministers and Permanent Secretaries used to have mutual respect for each other and also between civil servants and the public, will be explored.
He said that the aim was to understand what went wrong and agree on ways to reposition the civil service to ensure good governance in the country.
The CORFEPS Week was instituted by the current Chairman of the council, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Minister of Defence and later Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Chief Philip Asiodu, currently sits as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and was the
foundation chairman of the Council.
He was succeeded by the late Mrs Francesca Yetunde-Emanuel, the first female federal Permanent Secretary.
The council was set up to engage in meaningful discourse on important and relevant issues of national development, including matters pertaining to the Public Service.
It is also to draw public attention to matters of desirable national living standard and standard of values, morality, performance and conduct.
It carries out periodic objective assessment of the overall performance of the nation and offers constructive advice on key public policy issues.
The council also seeks to assist in restoring and maintaining the proper role of the Civil Service as a non-partisan organ to serve the government and the nation, among others.
News
Cement price hike causing building collapse – COREN
Cases of building collapse in the country have been attributed to the arbitrary increase in the price of cement by producers of the product.
The President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Sadiq Abubakar, stated this on Monday in his remarks at the investigative hearing organised by the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Solid Minerals, Industry, Commerce and Special Duties, to probe the price increase of cement in recent times.
This was as the Chairman of the Joint Committee and member representing Karu/Keffi/kokona Federal Constituency, Nasarawa State, Gaza Gbewfi, summoned the Chairman of the Cement Producers Association of Nigeria, David Iweta, for questioning over the development.
Iweta, who did to turn up for the investigative hearing on Monday, was summoned after previously turning down two invitations by the committee.
The committee also charged the association to desist from using frivolous court injunctions to interfere in its work as guaranteed by the provisions of the 1999 constitution (as amended)
“You will agree with me that an increase in the price of cement is one of the key culprits of building collapse. I am trying to connect the hike in the price of cement with the standardisation in our building and the direct connection of building collapse.
“There is a connection with that, and I think this something we must interrogate,” the COREN President said.
Gbewfi, while agreeing with Abubakar, also argued that the cost of cement has also brought about an increment in housing rents across the nation.
“Anything that has to do with livelihood should be treated as an emergency’” the committee chairman said.
At the investigative hearing, the joint committee also queried representatives of the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute and the Federal Competition and Consumers Protection Council on the arbitrary price increase.
Gbewfi also chided the representative of the Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Boladale Adeyinka for not doing enough to protect the consumers of cement in line with the Act establishing the agency, saying, “You are a mother that has forgotten your children.”
News
Osun State Assembly okays salary increase for political office holders
The Osun State House of Assembly is to send a bill to Governor Ademola Adeleke to increase the salary package of some political office holders.
This was made known by the Speaker of the Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, during plenary on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the salary increment bill titled, ‘Osun State Public/Political Office Holders Reviewed Remuneration Package (Amendment No. 2) Bill 2024,’ was presented to the Assembly on April 30, 2024.
The Majority Leader and the lawmaker representing Ede North State Constituency, Kofoworola Adewunmi, presented the bill to the House as a private member bill.
While reading the policy thrust of the bill, Adewunmi stated that the last time the salaries of public/political office holders in the state were reviewed upwards was in 2007.
He said the salaries stipulated for public office holders in the Osun State Public/Political Office Holders Remuneration Package Law 2007 was, however, no more in tandem with the current economic realities.
“You will agree with me that the current economic reality is not the same as what was obtainable 17 years ago when the law was passed.
“It has, therefore, become imperative to review upwards, the salaries of some public/political office holders to better their living standard which is in tandem with the five points agenda of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“In addition, the State Assembly resolution taken on May 8, 2008 wherein there was an upward review of the remuneration package of some public/political office holders not covered by Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, as proposed by the state government, has been further reviewed and subsumed under this bill.” he stated
He equally clarified that the salary increment didn’t affect or cover the lawmakers’ salaries, explaining that state lawmakers’ salaries are statutorily reviewed by the National Assembly.
News
Minimum wage: Labour issues two-week ultimatum to defaulting states
The organised labour comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, on Monday, ordered state chapters to issue two weeks ultimatum to states that have failed to implement the old N30,000 minimum wage.
The NLC and TUC took this decision during a jointly held National Executive Council meeting which took place on Monday.
“NEC-in-session further directed all state councils whose state governments are yet to fully implement the N30,00 national minimum wage and its consequential adjustments to issue immediately a joint two-week ultimatum to the culpable state governments to avert industrial action,” NLC’s National President, Joe Ajaero; and TUC’s National President, Festus Osifo, said in a statement.
Speaking further, the unions also called for a one-day action in Anambra State following what was described as the failure of the state government to meet the demands of civil servants in the state.
“Consequently, the NEC-in-session accordingly reaffirms the NLC and TUC joint ultimatum earlier issued to the Anambra State Government by its Anambra State councils. It therefore directed all affiliates and workers in the state council to mobilise their members to ensure a successful action in the event the state government fails to meet the demands of workers by Thursday, the 23rd of May, 2024.
“In the event that the government fails to meet the demands outlined within the stipulated timeframe, the NEC authorises the leadership of the NLC and TUC to take appropriate actions, including but not limited to the mobilisation of workers for peaceful protests and industrial actions, to press home these demands for social justice and workers’ rights.
“NEC therefore calls on all affiliate unions, and workers including Civil Society Organisations across Nigeria to remain united and steadfast in solidarity during this critical period. Together, we shall prevail in our pursuit of a fair and just society that guarantees the dignity and well-being of all its citizens,” the statement added.
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