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Industrial Court validates FG Tenure Policy for Directors, Permanent Secretaries
The Court ruled that the assertion of the former Permanent Secretary Alo Nwankwu that the implementation of the tenure policy is discriminatory cannot stand. The Court held that the tenure policy is of general application to all Directors (by whatever name called) and Permanent Secretaries in the Public Service.
Justice Kanyip stated that the argument of Mr. Alo that there has to be a specific lifting of the suspension of the tenure policy was unfounded as nothing was placed before the Court to show that the tenure policy under the Public Service Rules 2021 will apply only when the suspension of the policy initially made was specifically lifted.
From facts, the claimant- Alo Nwankwu had averred that the Head Of Civil Service of the Federation and Attorney General of the Federation lack the requisite powers to reintroduce the tenure policy into the Civil Service of the Federal Government of Nigeria, same having been suspended by virtue of the directive of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as communicated in the circular dated 20th July 2016.
Alo Nwankwu stated that since the Head of Civil Service of the Federation cannot overrule the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it, therefore, becomes elementary that the Head of Civil Service of the Federation directive reintroducing tenure policy via the circular of 27 July 2023 is illegal and unimplementable.
Alo Nwankwu contends that the decision of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and Attorney General of the Federation to reintroduce the tenure policy to its employment while the same is disregarded for other Permanent Secretaries and some selected Directors is discriminatory.
The learned counsel to Alo Nwankwu maintained that the provision of the Public Service Rules 2021 reducing the length of service of his client, a Permanent Secretary of the Public Service of the Federation, who is eligible to serve for more than four years before attaining the mandatory age of 6o years or 35 years of pensionable service is unlawful.
In defence, 1st defendant’s- Head of Civil Service of the Federation submitted that the Public Service Rules as approved by the Federal Executive supersede any circular that was issued during the operation of the 2008 Edition of the Public Service Rules and cannot be used to invalidate or nullify any provision of Rule 020909 of the 2021 Edition of the Public Service Rules.
To the 2nd defendant- the Attorney General of the Federation submitted that the suspension of the tenure policy in the Federal Civil Service is no longer suspended and that the policy has been re-activated by the approval of the statutorily Revised Public Service Rules 2021 on 27 September 2021 by the Federal Executive Council under the leadership of the former President Muhammadu Buhari, who issued the circular dated 20 July 2016 through the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
The Attorney General of the Federation further stressed that the Public Service Rules 2021 applies to all public servants, whether in the Civil Service or Public Service and discriminates against no one, and prayed the Court to dismiss Alo Nwankwu’s suit in its entirety.
In opposition, the counsel to Mr. Alo maintained that the Federal Executive Council cannot overrule Mr President by restoring the tenure policy, and averred that it is illegal to recommence the implementation of the tenure policy without the directive of Mr President because they have structured their lives and affairs based on the directive of the defendant communicating the suspension of the tenure policy, as such, the defendant cannot be allowed to state otherwise.
In a well-considered judgment after careful evaluation of the submissions of both parties, the President of the Court, Justice Benedict Kanyip held that a comparison between Rule 020810 of PSR 2008 and Rule 020909 of the PSR 2021 will show that under the PSR 2021, the tenure policy is no longer merely a proviso. It is a full-fledged Rule, with a life of its own.
The Court declared Alo Nwankwu’s assertion that the Federal Executive Council cannot overrule Mr President by restoring the tenure policy as bizarre and wishful thinking and affirmed that Mr President is the Chairman of the Executive Council of the Federation that approved the said PSR 2021.
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85 Chinese accused of cybercrime released on bail
Eighty-five Chinese nationals who were remanded at Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja over alleged cybercrime have been released on bail, Sunday PUNCH has gathered.
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Capital Territory Command, Adamu Duza, who disclosed this to our correspondent said the Chinese were released on Friday, December 20, 2024.
The suspects were part of a group of 113 foreign nationals arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on November 24, 2024 on charges of cybercrime, money laundering, and unlawful residency in Nigeria.
The group includes individuals from Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Malaysia, as well as 17 Nigerian collaborators.
Justice Ekerete Akpan, who presided over the case, had initially ordered the remand of the male defendants at Kuje prison and female defendants at Suleja prison.
The charges stem from the allegations that the accused persons used sophisticated computer systems to facilitate hacking activities and operate fraudulent gambling platforms such as 9f.com, c2.top, and 8pg.top.
They were also accused of overstaying their business permits and remaining in Nigeria without valid residency or visas.
The suspects were arrested on November 3, 2024, in Katampe District, Abuja.
Duza confirmed to Sunday PUNCH that the release of the 85 Chinese nationals was supervised by the FCT Controller of Corrections, Ajibogun Olatubosun, to ensure all protocols were followed and their personal properties were returned.
He said, “85 Chinese in our detention facilities have been released on bail. The Controller was on ground to ensure their release and their properties intact.”
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Yuletide: FG plans 60 buses for inter-state routes
The Federal Government is set to unveil a total of 60 buses any moment from now as part of its commitment to ease the transportation of Nigerians travelling by road during the yuletide season.
This initiative is part of an agreement signed with transport unions under the Ministry of Transportation’s free transportation programme.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi, disclosed this during an interview with Sunday PUNCH, on Friday.
On Friday, the government, through the Nigerian Railway Corporation, declared free rides for 340,000 train users travelling to their hometowns for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Providing further updates on the scheme, Oluwagbemi said the buses for the programme would soon be launched for the benefit of Nigerians.
He explained that the buses would transport passengers travelling between Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as to Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta, and other surrounding areas.
Oluwagbemi said, “There is an agreement on the mass-transit programme. You all already know that in Abuja today, we have those 15 buses running interstate from here to Gwagwalada, to Keffi and Nyanya, as well as Zuba in Niger State.
“That programme is already ongoing, and it will be expanded to interstate routes this week. So, we are going to put an additional 60 buses to run interstate here in Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as Lagos, Ibadan, and Abeokuta and neighbouring states.
“These buses will be providing free transportation till the beginning of next year as part of the Ministry of Transportation’s free transportation programme.”
Oluwagbemi also stated that the government planned to reduce transportation costs by converting cab drivers’ vehicles to CNG by the end of January 2025.
He added, “We signed a number of those agreements, but mainly two types of agreements, the transporters-vehicle agreement, where we are converting their vehicles.
“I believe a lot of them are now converted and before the end of January, they should be able to apply those discounts when they reach the benchmark targets.”
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FG allocates N960bn for aircrafts, security equipment in 2025
The Federal Government of Nigeria has earmarked a total of N960bn for the maintenance of the country’s defence aircraft and the purchase of security equipment across various sectors in the 2025 fiscal year.
The agencies procuring this equipment include the Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, and Nigeria Immigration Service, among others.
Although not explicitly stated in the proposed 2025 budget, the allocation of this amount could be linked to the government’s commitment to bolstering national security amid persistent challenges such as insurgency, banditry, and cyber threats.
In the breakdown, the Nigerian Defence Academy allocated N2,149,210,875 for security equipment, while the Nigerian Air Force budgeted N5,250,000,000 for security equipment and N70,450,575,356 for defence equipment.
The Nigerian Navy allotted N39,445,320,666 for defence equipment, while the Nigerian Army budgeted N4,873,731,363 for security equipment and N110,202,679,367 for defence equipment.
Others include the Ministry of Defence, which allocated N2,752,000,000 for defence equipment and N1,081,270,000 for security equipment, and the DSS, which earmarked N10,323,730,384 for security equipment.
The Nigeria Immigration Service had the largest single allocation with N438,817,624,296 for security equipment, while the Nigeria Correctional Service budgeted N1,231,334,077 for security equipment. The Ministry of Police Affairs allocated N62,508,813 for security equipment.
Additionally, the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit allocated N100,000,000 for security equipment, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps earmarked N82,165,473, while the National Security Adviser’s Office set aside N170,002,000,000 for security equipment.
For the maintenance and fuelling of the country’s security aircraft, the Nigerian Army allocated N8.3bn, while the Nigerian Navy voted N5.6bn, bringing the total to N13.9bn.
The Army also budgeted a total of N51.5bn for the procurement of arms and ammunition, N350m for 10,000 litres of Jet A-1 Bowser, N6bn for protective gear (ballistic helmets and ballistic vests), N2.9bn for uniforms and boots, and N19.1bn for unmanned aerial systems and additional ground stations.
Additionally, N14.4bn was budgeted for the procurement of EQ series 4×4 multifunctional vehicles and camel MRAPs, while N2.29bn was allocated for all types of vehicle tyres, including run-flat tyres.
Recall that in the first seven months of this year, the government spent N63.6bn to procure equipment and ammunition for the military and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
President Bola Tinubu, on December 18, presented a proposed N47.90tn 2025 budget to the National Assembly, describing it as the “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace and Rebuilding Prosperity.” Out of the proposed sum, N4.91tn was allocated to defence and security, underscoring the administration’s focus on addressing the nation’s security challenges.
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