A child rights group has denied allegations of fraud levlled against it and published in the current edition of a national news magazine. This was contained in a press statement issued by Stepping Stones Nigeri- a British based group was – signed by its Advocacy and Campaigns Officer, Lynda Battarbee.

On the second question, it seems that the use of the words “written declaration” is unduly restrictive in the midst of words like “transmit” and “otherwise” already discussed above. No doubt, the intention of the words “written declaration” was to have a permanent record of the decision of the president.

“It is exactly a thousand days this morning that I took the oath of office before God and Lagosians to use all my best endeavours to deliver a bright and rewarding future.

Although our work is not finished, I stand here very proudly today to assert that the results of our collective efforts have become visible for all to see.

As I have said in the past, it is no longer important whether people believe what we say. What is important is that they cannot disbelieve what we do. The evidence of the unmistakable transformation that is taking place here is there for all to see”.

With these Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State began his address at the commemoration of his 1000 days in office with the theme tagged “Repositioning the Public Service for effective service delivery towards a model mega city state” held last Monday at the Blue Roof of the Lagos Television (LTV) Ground, Alausa, Ikeja.

The high point of the event was governor Fashola’s announcement of an approval of 15% basic salary as Furniture Allowance to Public Servants in Lagos State and also the review of allowances to Judicial Service workers.

The announcement was followed with a loud ovation from the crowd .

Governor Fashola had also approved the payment of 27. 5 percent increase for teachers in the state public service. The increment took effect from January 2010. The was increment announced in a circular signed by Head of Service, Alhaji Yakub Balogun.

According to Balogun, the payment of the allowance to teachers is to encourage them attain optimal performance in the discharge of their duties..

The non teaching staff will also benefit as they are to receive 7.5 percent of their basic salary as their hazard and journal allowances.

As part of the on going upgrading in the system, salaries of teachers are now being paid promptly and simultaneously with those of other public servants in the state, as they have been integrated into the oracle payroll system.

The state government on February 26th, 2009 released the sum of N5 billion for the payment of the pension arrears of teaching and non teaching primary school and local government retirees, a feat unprecedented in the history of the state.

This, no doubt has further boosted the morale of teachers . As a result teachers are now less worried about what the future holds for them.

Fashola, also revealed that in the last 1,000 days, policemen, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officers, teachers, healthcare workers and many of the civil servants have been rewarded for bravery, gallantry, sterling services and so much more.

He said within his limited resources, unlimited demands and the increasing cost of running the machinery of government, his administration tried to respond to the demands. Among the demands met are: allocation of vehicles to octors and other health care workers, and for school principals to ease transportation problems and elevate their status, a new mortgage plan being worked out, while liquidating arrears of pensions and gratuity in Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), the Local Government and other parastatals in which the exercises will continue until government totally completes the processes.

“We have kept our promises to review allowances for teachers, judicial workers, approved the payment of hazard allowance to non-teaching staff in the state public schools, approved the payment of clinical allowance and increased journal allowance for health workers in the State”

The governor who said that the processes for implementation are underway added that the state workforce has grown from 100,737 in May 2007, to 114,516 as at December 31, 2009.

“We have just approved the employment of 3,636 teachers and 1,555, Non-Teaching staff, the promotion of 13,528 teachers 1,375 Non-Teachers to new grades with increased salaries and today our wage bill has grown from N2,461,000,000.00 as at May 2007 to N3,221,000,000.00 as at January 31, 2010.”.

Apart from this, Governor Fashola revealed that his government has embarked on a reform programme through a Committee of the Executive Council and Permanent Secretaries, called the ways and means committee, whose mandate is to review processes, to highlight things that government can do better and those that it should change or discard.

He explained that the objective is simply, to make life better for the people as well as reduce the time it takes to get things done and to bring about a greater efficiency in government.

Meanwhile, the allowance which is 15 percent of basic salary across board will be paid with the monthly salary for a period of five years with effect from January, 2010.

Most of the state civil servants who reacted to the increment received it without any excitement saying the increment is retrogressive as it only favours the high income earners.

According to a middle aged worker who preferred anonymity; “It is rubbish, the increment has no positive impact on us, I am very sure those who hailed the governor at the 1,000 days celebration were rented crowd because we, the low income earners have nothing to jubilate about.
“,For instance a worker in Lagos State civil service who is earning as low as N7,500, 15 percent of that is N1,125 for furniture allowance, of what economic benefit is that to him or her. The increment according to information is also being taxed, that is there is going to be tax deduction. This is all a ruse. They described the largesse has given out with one hand and receiving same with the left hand.

However, another civil servant said, “the 15 percent increase in furniture allowance is an answered prayer and it shows the big heart of the governor for his teeming workers. Don’t forget, he has promised to review it regularly. It’s a welcome development to us, we wish him more welfare package delivery.”

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and a private firm-Prosec Systems (Nig) Limited- have began exploratory talks with a view to collaborating in the area of the establishment of Hi-Tech Training Centers for the purpose of training unskilled unemployed Nigerian as part of the job creation programme of the Directorate.

To say that Yooyo and Mbayongo council wards in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State are now ghost communities is an understatement. This is no thanks to the activities of a notorious armed group led by one Terwase Akwaza also known as ‘Ghana’ which recently unleashed terror on the communities.

Operatives of the nation’s education system at the federal and state levels as well as stakeholders from all parts of the country gave approval to a number of initiatives that are critical to effective education delivery during the 56th National Council on Education (NCE) summit which held in Abuja last week.

THE chairman of the Governing Council, Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof. Peter Okebukola, has called for accountability and transparency in the management of Nigerian Universities to enable them get world ranking.

Many dignitaries who came from different parts of the country for the 56th NCE meeting had thought that the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu would not arrive on time to flag off the ministerial session of the meeting which kicked off on Thursday last week given his tight schedule and the state of the nation with respect to Yar’Adua’s ill health.

Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili has counseled Nigerians to concentrate more on the good aspect of our people in order to correct the wrong impression we have over the image of this country adding that Nigerian people are not as bad as it is being portrayed nationally and internationally.

Ten resource centres for the use of public schools in Akwa Ibom State have been put in place by MultiChoice, bringing the total number of beneficiary schools in 19 States of the federation to 161.

Four staff members of Adeniran Ogunsanya Colege of Education (AOCOED), Otto/Ijanikin, Lagos, have been honoured for the contributions to their growth and development of the institution. It was the first ever productivity Award of the College since establishment, instituted by the Governing council, designed to reward some of the outstanding workers for their dedication, commitment, hardwork, diligence and industry.

The Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission, NUC,Prof Julius Okojie said that it would not accredit any universities operating on temporary site in the country.

For prospective proprietors seeking to establish private schools in Lagos State, the processes involved in obtaining approval are not as cumbersome as before.

Shake – Tremble – Shudder – Quiver – Quake

These words – shake, tremble, shudder, quiver and quake are all related in meaning. ‘To shake’ is shared by the rest synonyms. Tremble, shudder, quiver and quake are all modes of ‘shaking’. To be able to use each word accurately, note the various shades of meaning that distinguish one word from the other.

The difference between average performers and excellent performers is their commitment to the regimen of practice. Majority of the talented individuals I have been able to coach believe all they need to keep doing to stretch their talent is to keep using their talents.On the contrary, the gospel truth is that practice helps you to sharpen and refine your talent into a skill.The talent alone will not takeyou to the pinnacle of success , you,ve got to constantly work on your craft.