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Aregbesola: How Interior Ministry Managed 1.5m Applicants For 5,000 NSCDC Jobs; 500 Staff Parading Fake Certificates – Head Of Service

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Rauf Aregbesola The recently concluded recruitment into the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has been declared one of the fairest and most transparent in recent time, despite the huge number of applicants who applied for the few positions available.

This was declared by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the Policy Dialogue on Entrenching Transparency in Public Service Recruitment in Nigeria, organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, an institution of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Relates Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja on Tuesday.

“For the NSCDC, about 1.5 million applications were registered on the website. Those who met the requirements on age and height were about 750,000 and were asked to upload their certificates. A total of 217,000 applicants uploaded their certificates of which 113,000 were shortlisted to write the CBT but only 53,116 eventually sat for the test. It is from these that 5,000 were picked among the successful ones.

“In recruiting into the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the board decided to advertise in the media to bring the information to the awareness of as many people as possible.

This rules out secret recruitment. We also put away the manual mode of conducting tests and adopted computer based tests that can be done in any location, eliminating the need to have a mass crowd together in one place. We hired a reputable examination body, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for the aptitude test.

“In addition, we included the National Identity Number (NIN) to authenticate the identities and biodata of applicants and eliminate fraud and possible impersonation.

We also engaged the Federal Character Commission at all stages of the recruitment exercise. All these were done through a dedicated website,” the minister revealed.

The Minister who revealed the process was long and tortuous, however stated that the recruitment exercise was a novelty that came with a lot of pressure, yet we’re able to recruit the best into the service.

“The recruitment process into the NSCDC was long and tortuous, though It is also a novelty. So we expected a lot of pressure. Some of the pressures are understandable. A woman came with her son after getting very high up people to influence his appointment. But we discovered that the son was far, far below the required height of 1.7 metres. Some applicants on wheelchairs also came, demanding for the statutory five per cent allocation for special people. We politely explained to them that the job is paramilitary, requiring strenuous physical exercise for which they are not eligible, given their physical condition.
“One of the lessons we learnt, which we have always known anyway, is that there is no part of this country where we cannot get merit, if we want the best. We got people from all parts of the country who are qualified, including females, as certified by the Federal Character Commission that was part of the process from the beginning to the end,” the Minister noted.
Speaking during his address, the Chairman of the ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, noted that the event was the third in the series and germane in the fight against corruption.

“You will agree with me that the theme for today, Entrenching Transparency in Public Service Recruitment, is very germane in the fight against corruption and more importantly, they contribute towards the attainment of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) one of whose objectives is promoting an improved legal, policy, and regulatory environment for the fight against corruption.

“Indiscriminate recruitment has impacted personnel budget such that government personnel wage bill has continued to rise geometrically almost doubling between 2015 and 2022 from N1.832trn in 2015 to N3.494trn in 2022,” the ICPC chairman noted.
In her keynote address, the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Esan, campaigned for more transparency in the recruitment process of all government agencies.

“Transparency in recruitment is a matter that elicits interests because some people for some incorrect reasons think public sector jobs are somehow better than jobs in other sectors. In fact, according to a 2021 Q3 report, Agriculture, Trade and Manufacturing stands as the highest employers of labour in Nigeria.

She continued, “In March 2021, my office reported to the ICPC that in a particular Ministry, over 1,000 people were carrying fake employment letters and are already enrolled on the IPPIS platform and are drawing salaries from the Federal Government.

She however listed the measures being put in place to ensure transparency in recruitment and also delist those found wanting or parading fake employment letters.

“Just yesterday, the Civil Service Commission sent us a list of 500 people parading fake employment letters and recommended that their salaries be stopped. A list of another 3,000 was forwarded for their salaries to be stopped until their certificates and letter of appointments are verified,” the Head of service stated.

Other dignitaries at the event include, Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, Prof. Tunde Babawale; Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Dr. Bello Tukur Ingawa; Director (IPPIS), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Dr. Ben Nsikak, Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Mr. Adetokunbo Mumini amongst others.

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Folake Soetan, Shettima, Okewale, others to Speak as WHATrybe annual confab holds Sunday

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Dr. Kole A. Shettima, author and Director, The MacArthur Foundation, Africa Office and Folake Soetan, the CEO, Ikeja Electric PLC will lead high-powered speakers at the Women High Achievers Trybe (WHATrybe) 2024 annual conference to be held Sunday 10 March at 4:00pm.
The upcoming free one-day virtual event themed “Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges,” is in commemoration of International Women’s Day.
WHATrybe is a Nigerian non-profit community dedicated to inspiring and empowering women to attain leadership roles in business and management services.
Speaking on the forthcoming virtual gathering, Kiki Okewale, the host and Convener, WHATrybe Community said this year’s conference asides giving women a new reorientation of being a woman with value, it also aims to celebrate the achievements of women while also advocating for gender inclusion and empowerment.
“With a strong emphasis on breaking barriers and fostering connections, this year’s event seeks to inspire women to overcome obstacles and build bridges towards a more inclusive and equitable society. We are coming together to celebrate the achievements of women, break down barriers, and build bridges towards a more inclusive and empowered future,” Okewale stated.
She added that to achieve this, a lineup of distinguished speakers who are leaders and experts in their respective fields have been lined up to share their insights and experiences during the conference.
Other speakers include Dr. Tewa Onasanya, founder,Exquisite Magazine; Josephine Osomwonken Omoniyi, Clinical Psychologist and Entrepreneur; Mabel Adeteye, Head of Brands & Marketing, Wema Bank; Karika Yonreme, Corporate Strategist; and Etemore Glover, Seasoned Development Expert.
The event will be hosted by the dynamic podcaster and coach, The Energetic EJ.
Registration is open now while interested attendees can reserve a spot at the conference by visiting: https://bit.ly/Whatrybe2024 and stay tuned for further updates on WHATrybe social media pages @whatrybe. They can also visit Bit.ly/WHATcommunity to be a member of the community.

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EDE Prize for Language: An Indigenous Language Spelling Bee to Promote Indigenous Literacy and Education

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Rotimi Eyitayo


 The EDE Prize for Language is pleased to announce the launch of our inaugural Spelling Bee, which will encourage literacy and academic excellence among students in Lagos and Ogun states. This first-of-its-kind spelling bee aims to celebrate and preserve the Yoruba language, fostering a stronger sense of cultural heritage and linguistic diversity.
The EDE Prize is proud to lead this groundbreaking initiative in collaboration with Teammasters, a reputable organization that organizes nationwide spelling bees. We hope to empower young people by giving them a platform to demonstrate their language skills and celebrate the diversity of indigenous cultures.
“The EDE Prize for Language represents our commitment to promoting indigenous literacy and preserving cultural heritage,” said Bobo Omotayo, the prize’s creator. “Through our partnership with Teammasters, the Prize’s goal for this event is to inspire the next generation to be proud of their language and culture. 

For the first edition, students from Lagos and Ogun states are eligible to compete for the Prize. We invite schools from both states to participate in this culturally rich educational experience. Participation in the spelling bee is free, and schools can register their students by going to www.edeprize.com.
“The EDE Prize for Language is not just a competition; it’s a celebration of Indigenous languages and traditions,” said Rotimi Eyitayo, Teammasters National Spelling Bee’s founder. 

The EDE Prize for Language will feature several rounds of competition, culminating in a grand finale in which finalists will compete for prestigious awards and recognition. The competition is divided into two categories: (i) Lower Category for children aged 8 to 11, and (ii) Higher Category for students aged 13 to 17.
Schools interested in taking part in this inaugural edition can register their students for free at www.edeprize.com. Registration will open on Monday, March 4, 2024, and close on Friday, March 29, 2024. 

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Violence: Call Aiyedatiwa to order, Akinterinwa’s Campaign Organisation Urges Tinubu

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Wale Akinterinwa

Ahead of the 2024 governorship election in Ondo State, the Wale Akinterinwa Campaign Organistaion has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to call Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to order over alleged use of thugs and other ciminally-minded miscreants against other aspirants.
The campaign organisation, in a statement, alleged that supporters and peaceful members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who turned to receive the president during his trip to family of late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s family, were attacked by armed thugs who were working for the state governor.
The statement, signed by the spokesperson of the campaign organisation, Segun Ajiboye, said property and billboards of other aspirants were destroyed by the rampaging thugs during the attack. 

The statement, tagged: “Ugly attacks on gubernatorial aspirants by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s thugs during President Tinubu’s visit to Ondo State”, said the organisation is being restrained by “the need to save our dear state from an ugly return to the dark days by those who harbor vaulting and mechanical ambition.”
It stated further: “You will recall that the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, was in Ondo state, on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, to commiserate with the family of the former governor of Ondo state, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON and His Majesty the Olowo of Owo, Alayeluwa, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III. The president was also at the residence of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the leader of Afenifere.

“As expected, the good people of Ondo state, particularly the peaceful members of our great party, the All Progressives Congress *APC), trooped out to welcome the president, who is the leader of the party and father of the nation..
“The people were joined by party leaders, party members. In an effort to give our leader a rousing welcome to the state, the different gubernatorial aspirants vying on the platform of APC mobilised their supporters to receive Mr President at the airport. 

“The atmosphere was carnival-like. But that was until what ordinarilly was planned to be a rousing welcome and celebration of the visit of Mr President was turned to a theater of violence and bloody attack on APC members and supporters of other gubernatorial aspirants by thugs sponsored and fully armed by Hon Lucky Ayedatiwa, the governor of Ondo state. 

“The well-orchestrated and executed attacks were carried out by some well-known thugs as well as members of the NURTW loyal to the governor of Ondo state, led by one Mr Eniba. The thugs, who brazenly fired gun shots into the air to cause confusion, went on a destruction spree as they attacked property, while billboards of other gubernatorial aspirants were defaced, pull down or out rightly destroyed. 

“Party members perceived to be loyal to all gubernatorial aspirants sustained varied and diverse degree injuries resulting from the attacks unleashed on them, while those supporting Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa were spared. T-Shirts, faze caps and other insignia wore by members of the targeted aspirants were torn to shreds. 

“The thugs who carried out the orchestrated attacks were armed with all sorts of dangerous weapons. It is sad to note that many of our supporters with deep cuts are in the hospitals receiving treatments at the moment. It is, however, surprising that no aspirant other than the governor was spared of the attacks.

“Let me state here that the need for this press statement is not borne out of fear or inability to protect our supporters. We have the capacity to give adequate protection to all our members who have remained peaceful in the face of this dastardly attack. We are also not unaware of the overriding need to save our dear state from an ugly reenactment of the dark days by those who harbor vaulting and mechanical ambition. 

“At this juncture as members of the Wale Akinterinwa Campaign Organisation, we would also love to state that as responsible leaders and members of our party with genuine intentions to serve our dear people, we are unable and will not accept the imposition on the party members a regime of panic and fear in other to supplant popular participation in a democratic process aimed at emplacing accountable and responsive leadership.  

“We, therefore, call on Mr President and the national chairman of the APC to prevail on Mr Governor to halt the use of thugs to advance his political interest. The field is wide enough for everyone to operate

“Also, we urge all security agencies to not only to be on red alert against future occurrence but also ensure that those who carried out these dastardly attacks are apprehended and brought o books to serve as deterrent to others who may be emboldened by this barbaric act.”

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