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INEC Promotes 5,196 Members Of Staff

Published

5 months ago

December 29, 2023

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promoted 5,196 members of its staff nationwide.

The commission disclosed this in its daily bulletin issued by the Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mrs Adenike Tadese, on Thursday in Abuja.

Tadese said that the promotion came on the heels of the 2023 promotion examination and evaluation carried out by the commission in furtherance of its commitment to the welfare and development of its staff.

A breakdown of the figure, according to Tadese, indicates that 55 deputy directors on Grade Level 16 were promoted to the rank of Director on Grade Level 17, while 54 assistant directors on GL 15 were promoted to deputy director cadre on GL 16.

She added that the commission also promoted 338 officers on GL 14 to Assistant directors on GL 15 while the bulk of the promotion affected 4,749 officers between GL 7 and 13.

Meanwhile, four directors of the commission have been directed to proceed on terminal leave.

According to the statement by the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Sam Olumekun, on Wednesday, the decision follows a directive from the Federal Government via a circular issued on July 27, 2023.

The directive mandated all directors with 8 years or more of service to retire from the public sector.

Olumekun said two of the directors proceeding on terminal leave served as heads of departments at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja while the other two are deployed as Administrative Secretaries in the state offices.

He, however, highlighted that Clinical Officers in the medical cadre were exempt from the Federal Government Retirement Policy “as clarified in Circular MH 7205/T31 dated Sept. 7.

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Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

Published

3 days ago

May 11, 2024

Alero Danjuma

Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.

The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.

Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.

Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.

News

Senate approves death penalty for drug traffickers

Published

5 days ago

May 9, 2024

Alero Danjuma

Senate on Thursday, May 9, approved the death penalty for those convicted on the charge of drug trafficking in the country.

The punishment prescribed in the extant NDLEA Act is a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of a report of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs and Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters presented the report during plenary, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North).

The bill, which passed its third reading, aims to update the list of dangerous drugs, strengthen the operations of the NDLEA, review penalties, and empower the establishment of laboratories.

Section 11 of the current act prescribes that “any person who, without lawful authority; imports, manufactures, produces, processes, plants or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life” was amended to reflect a stiffer penalty of death.

Although the report did not recommend a death penalty for the offence, during consideration, Senator Ali Ndume moved that the life sentence should be upgraded to the death penalty.

During a clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, put the amendment on the death penalty to a voice vote and ruled that the “ayes” had it.

But Senator Adams Oshiomhole objected to the ruling, saying that the “nays” had it.

He argued that matters of life and death should not be treated hurriedly, but Barau said it was too late, as he failed to call for division immediately after his ruling.

The bill was subsequently read for the third time and passed by the Senate.