PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES 200% PAY RISE FOR NIMC STAFF, NEW CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

    President Muhammadu  Buhari

*Male staff to enjoy paternity leave

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a 200 per cent pay rise and an enhanced conditions of service for the staff of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

Male employees of the agency are now to enjoy paternity leave under the new conditions of service.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, officially conveyed the approvals to both the Chairman, Governing Board of NIMC, Bello Gwandu and its Director General, Aliyu Aziz.

Pantami said the new salary scale was 200 per cent of the total personnel cost of NIMC, which raises the total cost of the agency from about N5.3 billion to N16.7 billion per annum.

He said: “We now have a new condition of service and salary scale approved by Mr. President for the National Identity Management Commission. This new condition of service and salary scale increases with over 200 per cent the total NIMC personnel cost, a significant departure from what is currently obtainable.”

“The NIMC Condition of Service is a comprehensive document that going forward, would serve, as the machinery through which the Commission articulates and implements its personnel policies and programmes,” the minister said.

According to him, the NIMC plays a critical role that impacts the life of every Nigerian.

He said in the light of the foregoing, it was imperative that the vibrant NIMC staff who are tasked with managing one of the nation’s most sensitive and critical asset are provided with the enabling environment to play this pivotal role efficiently and effectively.

According to him, securing a N25 billion approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for NIMC to upgrade its infrastructure led to the rapid increase in the number of enrolments from 41 million to over 60 million in less than a year.

“Securing the N25 billion Federal Executive Council Approval for upgrade and replacement of the NIMC Identity Infrastructure, and the implementation of novel initiatives that has increased the registration of persons to over 62 million on the NIDB,” he added.

The Chairman, Governing Board NIMC, Bello Gwandu, the Director General NIMC, Aliyu Aziz, praised the president and minister for approving this new salary scale and new conditions of service.

The Legal Adviser, NIMC, Hadiza Dagabana stated that in the newly approved conditions of service, NIMC male staff are to enjoy paternity leave, adding that staff on Grade Level 14 and below are getting 70 per cent allowance of their salaries.

NIGERIAN MILITARY REACTS TO PORT HARCOURT -- BONNY CHOPPER ATTACK

The Nigerian military says the report by some print and online media saying that “the military fired at a cargo boat conveying people and foodstuff from Port Harcourt to Bonny is false and calls to question the credibility of the news medium.

In a statement by the Director, Defence Information, Major General Benjamin Sawyer said, contrary to the report, the Air Component of the Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe, (OPD) received reports from ground troops who were on clearance operations but encountered resistance. On receiving the report, a combat helicopter was despatched to provide a close air support mission along the Cawthorne Channel.

The helicopter encountered an illegal bunkerers’ boat popularly called “Cotonou Boat”. The boat which was being escorted by 2 speedboats was suspected to be carrying illegally refined oil products in large drums along the Channel in the direction of OPDS patrol boats.

On sighting the boat, warning shots were fired to dissuade the crew from hostile action. The crew fired back at the helicopter and the boat was engaged accordingly. The 2 speedboats detached from the convoy at high speed leaving the “Cotonou Boat” which was neutralised. The helicopter later went after the 2 speedboats but was unable to get them.

The suspects are still at large and a manhunt has been sent out to apprehend them. 

The statement added that the military remains a professional institution that operates in line with best practices, through the application of the rule of engagement and code of conduct. It is also positioned to protect the populace, rather than victimize their efforts by anyone to protect criminality, by disparaging the actions of the military in preventing economic sabotage and other sundry crimes that need to be condemned by all.

The general public is therefore enjoined to disregard the report and continue to provide accurate information to troops, that will lead to the attainment of their operational mandate of safeguarding lives, property as well as government assets in the South-South region.