Day: July 4, 2023

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday, signed a Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), towards building an effective, accountable, and citizens-centred governance.

The Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola, said during the signing ceremony in Abuja, that the move was also to improve the quality of service delivery in the FCT.

Adesola explained that the SOPs provide a framework for FCTA Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs), to operate in a consistent manner and ensure that services were delivered promptly, uniformly, and with professionalism”.

According to him, the implementation of the SOPs, which will commence in January 2024, is a demonstration of the FCTA’s commitment to reforms that will transform the Administration for better services.

“Putting this document together reflects the FCTA’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of governance that will serve the people with dignity and integrity.

“As we sign the SOPs today, we are embarking on a journey towards a more efficient, accountable, and citizen-centred governance.”

The permanent secretary added that the implementation of the SOPs, would also reduce ambiguity, minimise errors, and promote a culture of continuous improvement in service delivery in the FCT.

This, according to him, will lay a strong foundation for a more streamlined, transparent, and accountable service delivery across the various departments in the FCTA.

Adesola, who explained that the SOPs would be subjected to periodic reviews, advised the SSDAs to comply with the provisions or have their Overhead withheld.

In her remarks, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, acting Director, FCTA Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, explained that the idea of developing the SOPs was hatched in May 2022.

Ahmadu said that the move was in line with the Federal Government’s resolve to digitalise the civil service for effective and efficient service delivery.

She said that the SOPs was designed to provide a framework for consistency and professionalism across all departments, in line with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan.

“The implementation of the SOPs is also a pre-requisite for deployment of Performance Management Systems (PMS).

“This, will therefore, ensure uniform and prompt service delivery.

“It also signifies our commitment to upholding the highest standards of governance to serve our citizens with integrity”, she added. (NAN)(www.nannews.com)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Military Pensions Board (MPB) on Tuesday announced the payment of third tranche of the Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) to eligible military retirees and next-of-kins of deceased pensioners.

Chairman of the board, Rear Adm. Saburi Lawal, made this known in a statement in Abuja.

Lawal said payment of the third tranche, represented the third quarterly payment of the SDA for the year 2023.

He said it was in fulfillment of the pledge made by the board after the payment of the first and second tranches, that payment of subsequent tranches would be effected promptly, once funds were made available by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

According to him, payment of the third tranche was to the military pensioners who were active on the board’s data base, as at Nov. 9, 2017.

He said the payment of the SDA was to give effect to the presidential approval for extension of the payment of the SDA to military pensioners and retirees who exited the services before Nov. 9 2017.

He said the group were originally excluded from implementation of the provisions of the reviewed Manual of Financial Administration (MAFA) 2017, as it relates to the SDA.

“Gleaning from the foregoing, our esteemed retirees are please to note that the SDA is calculated as a function of 10% of the retiree’s annual basic salary as at the time of retirement, multiplied by the number of years in the service

“All concerned military pensioners/retirees and next of kins of deceased military pensioners are therefore advised to contact their banks for their entitlements.

“The board wishes to assure our esteemed military retirees/pensioners, next of kins of deceased military personnel and other well-meaning Nigerians that the Board remains resolute, and will ensure prompt payment of the remaining tranches of the SDA, subject to release of funds by the Ministry.” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that the Green Legacy initiative is aimed at covering each corner of the country.

The prime minister twitted that together with senior government officials, he planted seedlings in South Omo Zone of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region (SNNPR)

“Our Green Legacy initiative aims to cover each corner of the country. Today we plant our print in South Omo Zone, Nyangatom Woreda. Our efforts here aim to avert the threat of drought and will bear fruit through sustaining these activities by planting edibles seedlings,” he said.

on June 8th2023, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched the second phase of the Green Legacy Initiative in Afar region under the theme: “Let’s Plant the Future Today.”

This second phase of the Green Legacy Initiative has been launched following a successful accomplishment of the first phase planting 25 billion seedlings and plan has been set to plant another 25 billion seedlings in the second phase.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

A high-level workshop on Ethiopia’s Holistic Programme for Productive Capacities Development, which is key to fostering a national consensus on the way forward to address the gaps and limitations in Ethiopia’s productive capacities, was held at Radisson Blu Hotel today.

The workshop is expected to provide opportunities to discuss Ethiopia’s National Productive Capacities Gap Assessment (NPCGA) prepared by UNCTAD and its implications for fostering productive capacities in Ethiopia for structural economic transformation and achieving sustained and inclusive economic growth and development. While opening the workshop, UNCTAD Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programs Director, Paul Akiwumi said Ethiopia’s Holistic Productive Capacities Development Program is crucial to advancing structural economic transformation and achieve of the 10-year development plan.

“Our intervention strategy focuses on reducing over dependence by tapping the countries comparative advantages,” he added.

“Ethiopia’s Holistic Productive Capacities Development Program has been developed to address the core development constraints. Overall, it aims at advancing structural economic transformation and enables the achievements of the objectives of the 10-year development plan, a pathway to prosperity.”

The six core pillars of the program are agriculture modernization, manufacturing and value addition; international trade and integration; infrastructure; innovation and technology development; human development and private sector; and institutional building and coordination.

Planning and Development Minister, Fitsum Assefa said on the occasion that “the program holds immense significance particularly given the country’s current context. Ethiopia is in the process of recovering from a two-year conflict in the north and actively engaged in revitalizing affected communities and rejuvenating the economy.”

Ethiopia’s resilient recovery and reconstruction framework demonstrates the commitment to addressing the unprecedented recovery needs, the minister stated.

“The government’s recent introduction of Ethiopia’s resilient recovery and reconstruction framework demonstrates the commitment to addressing the unprecedented recovery needs with the ultimate goal of rebuilding a resilient, stable and sustainable society in post-conflict Ethiopia,” she noted.

According to her, the government has already initiated consultations on the second phase of the Home-grown Economic Reform.

For Fitsum, the combination of the Home-grown Economic Reform and the reconstruction and recovery framework exemplifies the government’s determination to keep the economy in high trajectory.

And the holistic program launched holds immense significance, the minister said, adding that “the government is really committed to implementing this important program so that the gaps are addressed and we achieve our highest productive potential possible.”

In order to successfully attain the targets outlined, the sustainable development plan is imperative to Ethiopia to fortify its capacities, she further noted.

Industry Minister Melaku Alebel stressed that realizing productivity and homegrown economic reform need coordination among all stakeholders, enhancing the capacity of institutions and skills, among others.

UNCTAD’s engagement in Asia, Africa and Latin America, have provided UNCTAD with valuable insights into the operationalization of Holistic Program for Productive Capacities Development specifically for Ethiopia, it was indicated.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

All concerned actors need to strengthen their support to solve the challenges that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in African countries are facing, All Africa Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (AAASME) President Harry said.

All Africa Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (AAASME) President, Innocent Iyalla Harry told ENA that even if SMEs in Africa provide 70 percent of the jobs and significantly contribute to the economy they have challenges.

“SMEs contribute to employment, they provide at least 70 percent of employment in the whole of Africa and they are the productive sector of the economy.”

According to him, the enterprises are however facing challenges, including financial constraints and lack of capacity, as they are not well organized.

“SMEs have problems with the financing because they are not well structured and all do not want to lend money to those who are not structured,” the president noted.

So for SMEs, Harry said that the association is trying to get people to understand that they have to keep their houses in order, they have to keep a good book of account, and they have to be able to defend what they are doing with the loan they get.

The president revealed that employments are not being created of late and the association has to go back to the value chain to make sure that people are actively engaged in doing what they need to do.

Thus, the association is working on assessing the value chain to scale up employment opportunities and improve financial access.

“Everyone believes that the governments should solve all the problems, but no; we as individuals have to do the best and get all countries of Africa to work together.”

For the SMEs to get the support they need and participate in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the governments of the African countries, the SMEs themselves, and other concerned actors should do their part, Harry underlined.

The SMEs and other businesses in Africa are also expected to face challenges related to tariff issues on the implementation of the AfCFTA, and the governments of the African countries should make uniform, balanced, and harmonized tariff structure.

“The AfCFTA tariff structure is supposed to be uniform and balanced” to smoothly move goods across the borders of the African countries and facilitate intra-African trade in the continent.

The president added that “the governments of the African countries ought to harmonize the tariff in such a way that it becomes good for every participating country. That is the way forward.”

Representing about 90 percent of the businesses, SMEs are crucial in creating jobs and driving economic development in Africa, creating at least 70 percent employment opportunities and contributing 40 percent of GDP.

The Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement is expected to be beneficial to the SMEs in Africa, which represent about 90 percent of the businesses, create 70 percent jobs and contribute 40 percent of GDP.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Embassy of France in Addis Ababa and Plan International today announced a one million Euro funding agreement aimed at tackling the escalating food and nutritional crisis faced by Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia.

Embassy of France in Ethiopia Collaborates with Plan International to Address Food Insecurity among Sudanese Refugees and Ethiopian Returnees

According to the press release the French Embassy sent to ENA, the signing ceremony took place earlier today at the premises of the embassy in Addis Ababa.

The project, implemented by Plan International Ethiopia, will support 45,000 people affected by the ongoing Sudanese crisis and Ethiopian returnees who previously sought refuge in Sudan during the war in northern Ethiopia.

The intervention will take place over a nine-month period, from June 1, 2023 to February 28, 2024, and will focus on the Metema woredas in the Amhara region and the Kumuruk and Guba woredas in the Benishangul-Gumuz region.

Since the onset of the Sudan crisis in April 2023, nearly 60,000 individuals have sought refuge in Ethiopia, amplifying the urgent need for comprehensive humanitarian interventions, the press release said.

The Embassy’s contribution will support efforts to tackle acute malnutrition among children under five, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

Mental health support, psychosocial assistance, and gender-based violence prevention are also key project components.

Additionally, this initiative aims to provide immediate food security assistance, including hot meals and energy biscuits for young children and pregnant and lactating women.

Where feasible, the project will also explore the implementation of Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) to further enhance the living conditions of these vulnerable groups.

The press release added, France, as a long standing partner of Ethiopia and Sudan is honored to support this critical endeavor.

By partnering with Plan International Ethiopia, we are reinforcing our shared dedication to sustainable solutions that uplift the most vulnerable, aiming to create a secure, inclusive, and sustainable environment for all.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency