Tag: Departments and Agencies

Bayelsa Governor Asks Ministries To Generate Payroll With Attendance Register

payroll of workers in BayelsaThe Bayelsa State government is taking a firm stand on its decision to implement a ‘No Work No Pay’ policy, insisting that only workers who sign attendance register will be paid. 

Making good the state government’s decision, the Governor, Mr Seriake Dickson, has directed all Permanent Secretaries in the state to henceforth, generate the payroll of their respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), from workers’ duty attendance registers.

The Governor gave the directive in a closed-door meeting with permanent secretaries in Government House, Yenagoa.

To Check Payroll Fraud

At a press conference after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Honourable Jonathan Obuebite, described the directive as well-intentioned and targeted at achieving total compliance with the new policy to check absenteeism and payroll fraud in the State Public Service.

According to Honourable Obuebite, the meeting emphasised the need for heads of MDAS to instil discipline in their various offices to promote productivity and efficiency.

He expressed optimism on the success of the current monitoring system, pointing out that, preliminary reports indicate that workers have started complying.

The Information Commissioner urged itinerant workers and those on secondment to only sign the attendance register at the outpost where they are assigned to avoid a situation where such workers would be shuttling between their parent MDAs and places of posting.

“On the contentious issue of those who are working in ministries that have outposts, for instance, in the Information Ministry where we have information officers that are posted to different MDAS, they are going to sign their own attendance there and not in the Ministry of Information.

“But it was made clear that every worker will sign the attendance register that is provided for the particular ministry, department or agency they are working. At the end of the period, they are going to do harmonisation of registers.

“The Governor also told them that going forward, payrolls would be generated by them (permanent secretaries), as they are already doing but this time through registers which they have now so that from the attendance, they are going to generate the payroll for payment of civil servants in the state,” he told reporters.

Bayelsa Govt Wages War Against Absentee Workers

Bayelsa Signs MOU For Management of HospitalThe Bayelsa State Government has announced a number of stern measures, including outright dismissal of any of its workers who would be found culpable of absenteeism, truancy, payroll fraud and other sharp practices that are inimical to the public service rules.

While issuing the stern measure, the government said it had made efforts to enhance the productivity and welfare of the workers.

The government has approved the reinstatement of monthly imprest, otherwise known as overhead cost to enable all Ministries Department and Agencies and parastatals cater for some of their basic needs.

Spelling out the various sanctions while briefing reporters shortly after an interactive meeting between Governor Seriake Dickson and members of the State Executive Council, heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Yenagoa, the Secretary to State Government, Mr Serena Dokubo-Spiff, reiterated the present administration’s commitment to bequeathing a robust and result-oriented civil service.

Mr Dokubo-Spiff, who briefed the press alongside the state Information Commissioner, Mr Jonathan Obuebite and Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr Talford Ongolo, said “a full-proof system has already been put in place to identify and weed out unrepentant absentee workers, stressing that, the days where public servants stay at home to receive salaries were over”.

He pointed out that, though, the move was not aimed at witch-hunting any worker, the new monitoring system requires every worker to report for duty on a daily basis and sign the attendance register already provided by the government, as failure to do so would attract severe penalties, including summary dismissal.

According to the chief scribe, Governor Dickson lamented that the lean resources accruing to the state government were being negatively impacted by its over bloated wage bill, and therefore, expressed determination to continue the ongoing fight against those he described as unpatriotic elements in the service, who are hell-bent on fleecing the state dry through the use of ghost workers and other fraudulent activities.

On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Jonathan Obuebite said “the meeting we just finished also mandated government to commence implementation of full payment of all relevant taxes and levies including education levy by workers and other taxable adults as well as corporate entities to boost the revenue base of the state”.

Giving further explanation on the education levy, Honourable Obuebite stressed that its introduction did not mean a reversal of the present administration’s free education policy at the basic and post-primary school levels, but rather, it is targeted at promoting efficient delivery of quality education in the state.

Also speaking, the Chief of Staff expressed confidence in the efficacy of the current monitoring system, which he noted, would be a continuous process, as against the one-off-verification exercises of the past.

While calling for cooperation, Honourable Ongolo urged all public servants to take the state government’s warning seriously by putting up physical appearance at their various duty posts to avoid any unpleasant consequences.

He added that arrangements had been concluded for the administration to launch its new policy of “No Work, No Pay” next week.

FEC Approves Abuja Airport Closure For Repairs

FEC Approves Abuja Airport Closure For RepairsThe Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport Abuja will be officially closed for six weeks to enable repair works on the runway which is said to be dysfunctional.

Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the council meeting.

He said that the federal government will also be spending over one billion Naira to complete the Kaduna airport terminal building, a project that had been abandoned for some time.

Also the Federal Executive Council approved over 4 billion Naira for the purchase of firefighting equipment to enable firemen in the country to perform their functions well.

Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau disclosed this to state house  correspondents after the council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari Presides Over First FEC Meeting In 2017

FEC MeetingPresident Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presided over the Federal Executive Council meeting, the first in the year 2017.

The FEC meeting which convened at exactly 10AM at the council chambers had in attendance almost all the cabinet members and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Channels TV correspondent reports that different files were being shared from some of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies; an indication that there were memos tabled for discussion.

At the end of the meeting, Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, disclosed to State House correspondents that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja would be officially closed for six weeks as the FEC had approved repair works on its dysfunctional runway.

Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, also disclosed that the Council approved over 4 billion Naira for the purchase of firefighting equipment to enable firemen in the country perform their functions well.

Government’s Audit Report To Be Submitted To Lawmakers By 2017

National Assembly in NigeriaActing Auditor General for the Federation, Mrs Florence Anyanwu, says the nation’s first ever performance audit report will be submitted to the National Assembly by the first quarter of 2017.

The performance report was conducted on government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and would be submitted to the National Assembly.

At a meeting in Abuja on Monday, she said that the report would serve as an assessment test for the key government agencies, under review to check their effectiveness in the deployment of available resources.

She stressed the need for a continuous audit process that would help plug leakages and reduce corruption in Nigeria.

FG To Introduce Procurement Guidelines

external reserves-procurementsThe Federal Ministry of Finance has announced plans to introduce price guidelines for procurement purposes by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Having reviewed the overhead expenditure data of the MDAs from 2012 to 2014, the unit found that cumulative expenditure on items purchased was 825 billion Naira.

According to the head of the unit, Mrs Patience Oniha, the figure represents 61% of the cumulative total overhead expenditure of 1.35 billion Naira for the period.

In order to cut costs on recurrent expenditure, Mrs Oniha said that the efficiency unit of the Ministry would introduce ministerial debit cards to the MDAs to monitor procurement and expenses.

FEC Discusses Economic Growth In First Meeting

FEC-BuhariThe Federal Executive Council (FEC) says it is perfecting strategies towards plugging leakages in the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Briefing State House correspondents after the council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, said the strategy which is the only item at the first meeting of the FEC in 2016, is aimed at fiscal growth of the economy.

Mrs Adeosun decried a situation where many agencies of government don’t remit revenues to the Federation Account.

She maintained that henceforth, MDAs must submit a budget which must be approved by the government to ensure that public monies in public agencies are well spent.

She said the objective is to ensure that every Naira of government is well utilized.

The Council observed that in the past, MDAs spend money without control.

The Minister of Finance also denied reports that the Federal Government has withdrawn the budget.

According to her an audit has been carried out on agencies that collect money in foreign currency, to ensure that such agencies comply with the extant rules.

Dasuki’s Trial Is Partial Indictment On National Assembly – Saraki

Dasuki's Trial Is Partial Indictment On National Assembly - SarakiSenate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, says the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), over alleged mismanagement of billions of Naira meant for arms procurement is a partial indictment on the National Assembly.

Dr. Saraki made the statement after the Upper Chamber debated a motion on Tuesday at the National Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

He said the Senate had not properly performed its oversight functions on Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“Distinguished colleagues, I want us in this 8th Senate to ensure that our committees carry out proper oversight and we the leadership are going to ensure that we too find a way of making sure that the committees do their work of oversight because truly, that is the bottom line to this,” the Senate President said while reacting to Dasuki’s trial.

Senator Saraki said the inability of the Senate committees to effectively oversee government MDAs had ensured that gross mismanagement of revenue and incompetence in MDA’S have been left unchecked for too long.

“We must play our role in the area of oversight because if we do not play it, this is what we get at the end of the day,” the former Kwara State Governor said, as he tasked his colleagues on efficiency.

Polio-Endemic Countries: Buhari Applauds Nigeria’s Removal From List

buhariPresident Muhammadu Buhari has commended the announcement by World Health Organisation (WHO) that Polio is no longer endemic in Nigeria.

A statement released by Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, confirmed that President Buhari is delighted by the announcement, which follows the absence of any case of the wild Polio virus in Nigeria since July 24, 2014.

Buhari also applauded the concerted efforts of government officials, health workers, volunteer groups, civil society, religious leaders, traditional rulers and international partners, which resulted in this historic achievement.

While he joins other Nigerians and the global community in celebrating this achievement, President Buhari urged for continued vigilance to ensure that Nigeria maintains this new status.

He directed all government Ministries, Departments and Agencies involved in the Polio eradication effort, to remain proactively engaged and on guard against the re-emergence of the virus in Nigeria.

He assured the WHO and the global community that the Federal Government would ensure that immunisation and surveillance activities continue across Nigeria, to keep the country Polio-free.

Jonathan Directs MDAs To Submit Hand-over Notes

Jonathan-FECThe President has directed all ministries, departments and agencies to submit their handover notes to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation by the 20th of April.

President Goodluck Jonathan further stressed that  the directive is to ensure a smooth transition to the next government.

Briefing state house correspondents on the outcome of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting, the Minister of Information, Mrs Patricia Akwashiki said that the President also asked the ministers to come up with a list of the inherited projects.

The Minister further said that President Jonathan also directed the ministers to submit a list of the projects that have been executed as well as all projects initiated by his administration, as well as on-going or abandoned ones so that he would have a comprehensive package to hand over.

Mrs Akwashiki added: “This does not mean that government activities have come to an end as the government would continue to function until the hand over date on May 29.”