General
Ambode Promises Review Of Retired Perm Secs Pension
By Dipo Olowookere
Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday said his administration would initiate a process of an upward review of pension of retired Permanent Secretaries in the state, just as he expressed the readiness of the state government to commence massive training of civil servants starting from 2017.
Governor Ambode, who spoke at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja when he received the report of the 2016 Summit of Association of Lagos State Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, said the decision to review the pension was borne out of the need to reward appropriately those who have served the State meritoriously for several years.
While alluding to the years of experience of the retired Permanent Secretaries, the Governor said his administration would tap into the wealth of experience of the members of the association and use it to help the civil service and also develop the State.
He said: “We will collaborate together more vigorously and tap into your wealth of knowledge. We want to start this with our massive plan starting from next year for capacity building for the largest civil service in Nigeria, the Lagos Civil service. We will also use it as part of our own development plan and imbibe this knowledge into the existing public service.”
Speaking on the review of pension of members of the association, Mr Ambode said the struggle for dignity of labour for civil servants had been on for a while, but that it was time for it to be actualized.
According to the Governor, “We are going to look at the pension of Permanent Secretaries positively because the whole essence is that if people retire at that level, and those coming behind us, there must be dignity in labour and then there must be some sense of fulfilment.
“That is why we must reward glowingly those who have served the State meritoriously. When we go out and see all the beautiful things in Lagos, we must realize that some people actually built those things and this is the time to celebrate and reward them,” he said.
He said over the past fifty years, Lagos had distinguished itself as the only State that has continually progressed in a manner that anybody would be proud of, adding that the progress was largely attributable to civil servants both retired and the present ones, who he described as the best in the country.
“What people don’t understand is that there is a culture of excellence in the civil service; there is a culture of resilience; there is a culture of capacity building which cannot be seen in the textbooks.
“There is also a culture of tenacity in which you have all that it takes to bring out your competences, your capacities and characters. That is what this association personifies and today, whatever it is that we have done in terms of public sector reforms is never enough because the whole essence of governance is to give back to the people the real quality service delivery that the civil service stands for,” he said.
Besides, Governor Ambode said it was a thing of pride that a member of the association is now the Governor of the State, which is a also a pride to the civil service, adding that all necessary support would be given to the association to further contribute to the development of the State.
Earlier, leader of the delegation and first Vice President of the association, Mr Mohammed Ajibola Olagbeyi commended Governor Ambode for his various developmental initiatives in the State, and support for the association.
While reeling out some of the recommendations in the report of the 2016 Summit of the association, Mr Olagbeyi said the group was satisfied with the utilization of the Security Trust Fund, while it was recommended that Bi-annual security summit should be held at the Local Government level.
He said the association recommended the Inspectorate Department at Ministry of Local Government to ensure proper monitoring of Local Government to achieve targets, as well as the re-establishment of the Teaching Service Commission.
The association further recommended the reintroduction of primary health care activities and establishment of blood banks in all hospitals; strengthening of intermodal transport system, and review and harmonization of all environmental laws.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance, peace, and unity, urging citizens of all faiths to reject violence and intolerance amid ongoing security challenges across the country.
In his 2025 Christmas goodwill message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President emphasised that no Nigerian should suffer discrimination or violence because of their religious beliefs, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of worship and national cohesion.
“As your President, I remain committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect all people of different faiths from violence,” Mr Tinubu said, noting that all Nigerians have the constitutional right to live, worship, and pursue their aspirations in safety and dignity.
The President acknowledged growing concerns around religious intolerance and insecurity, revealing that he had engaged extensively throughout the year with leaders of Nigeria’s two major faiths.
In the last few months, the country faced a spate of attacks including kidnapping of school children and armed terror, involving the death of a high ranking army personnel.
He also said the government would continue to build on these engagements to strengthen collaboration with religious institutions, prevent conflict, and promote peaceful coexistence.
President Tinubu described Christmas as a period for reflection on the message of Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace, urging Nigerians to draw inspiration from values of love, compassion, and goodwill that cut across all major religions.
He commended Christians in Nigeria for their contributions to national development, particularly their role in caring for the vulnerable and promoting harmony within communities.
“The love for God and love for humanity is at the heart of all the great faiths. These shared values must continue to bind us together as one indivisible and resilient people,” he said.
Reiterating his administration’s stance on security, the President said the government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s unity and stability has remained unwavering since he assumed office in 2023. He stressed that the state would not tolerate violence targeted at any group on the basis of ethnicity or belief.
President Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians travelling during the festive season to exercise patience and discipline on the roads, wishing them safe journeys and returns.
Expressing optimism about the country’s future, the President said that with faith in God and collective resolve, Nigeria would overcome its challenges and build a nation that future generations would be proud of.
He concluded by wishing Christians in Nigeria and around the world a Merry Christmas and Nigerians a happy New Year in advance.
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