National News

Back After Kashim Shettima Sent Us ‘Packing’

Published

2 years ago

January 5, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Back After Kashim Shettima Sent Us ‘Packing’

By Stanley Nkwocha

The mood at the Vice President’s wing of the Presidential Villa on Friday December 22, 2023, was different from what it used to be during preparations for festivities in the yuletide. On the faces of the aides and staff working in the VP’s office was a concatenation of excitement and incredulity. Even an amateur telepath would effortlessly sense the relief and exhilaration coursing through them as they discussed among themselves.

What was the excitement all about? The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, had just directed that all his aides and staff who are Christians should proceed on Christmas holidays and resume after the New Year celebrations. It was a big relief for them, especially those who had already been slated for advanced movements ahead of the VP’s official visits to some states.

The thrilling sensation in the VP’s office that weekend was however not unexpected. Such a gesture from a leader pertaining to the welfare of his workers is quite rare in this part of the globe, especially in Nigeria where aides and staff of Aso Rock Villa would have to work round the clock to maintain and sustain presidential schedules.

As an aide or staff in the seat of power, your life is no longer your own. Work-life balance doesn’t exist. You hardly have a weekend planned, entailing that you must have to cope with events of close friends and family members you will have to miss. This is apart from not seeing them more often, as you would not be at liberty to frequently take a vacation.

However, it was a completely different ball game for the 2023 yuletide, as the workers were asked to go home and celebrate the Christmas holiday with their families, courtesy of the VP’s human side of officialdom and bureaucracy. That is Vice President Shettima for you – a boss who takes the welfare of his workers seriously. He cares about life outside of work and is conscious about the things that are important to those working with him, irrespective of class and religious affiliations. He would check in to see how things are going for them.

A true example of what it means to be a servant leader, the Vice President is one of the most humble, compassionate leaders that I have personally met. He is a man who leads by example and is committed to creating a better future for the next generation.

His approach to work and style of leadership which treats the ‘ordinary’ man with the same delight as those of the ruling class are fundamentally both humane and democratic. At work, he gives you ample time to explain your expectations, as he patiently answers your questions, and he is available if you need help. He also encourages all his staff to work together, help one another and be a true team.

Yet, for himself, state governors and other top government officials, Vice President Shettima did not see the need to go on vacation when, according to him, a lot needed to be done to save the nation’s economy. At the 138th meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) which was held on December 21, 2023, he told council members to shelve the idea of vacation and concentrate on issues of governance with a view to easing the burden of the citizens.

“As the year draws to a close, none of us in this chamber should anticipate a vacation. I tend to think so because upon our shoulders rests the weight of responsibilities from which we cannot escape. We are returning to be judged by the promises we made to be here,” he told the NEC members suggestively.

The message here was simple and direct: as public office holders, members of NEC should realise that there is no time for revelries and merriment because ‘to whom much is given, much is expected.’

At the national level alongside his principal, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a seasoned democrat, Kashim Shettima is replicating the same leadership direction required by his Boss as manifested during his visit to Bende in Abia State last Friday where he unveiled the Peace in South East Project (PISE-P) initiated by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

The VP declared the readiness of the Tinubu administration to put an end to the reign of terror in the South East region by those he designated as self-serving criminals working in cahoots with certain persons taking advantage of the security situation to foster their dangerous political agenda. He vowed that the administration will deploy all available resources to eliminate the purveyors of falsehoods and propaganda that have become weapons against Nigeria’s unity.

And to confirm the confidence the people of the South East have in the VP and his boss, the duo were given traditional titles. President Tinubu was conferred with Omeziri Igbo 1, while VP Shettima got the traditional title of Enyioma Ndigbo by the Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Linus Mbah.

Tacitly justifying the traditional titles conferred on the VP and his principal, chairman of the South East Governor’s Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, said Senator Shettima has demonstrated sufficient goodwill to the people of the region. “Our Vice President has shown sufficient goodwill to the people of the South East. From this part of the country, we will continue to work with the rest of Nigeria to make the country a prosperous nation for the interest of all of us for service to God and humanity,” the governor stated.

Indeed, in a country where religion, tribalism and regionalism are often used to divide and conquer, Vice President Shettima remains a staunch believer in the unity and progress of Nigeria. He has consistently demonstrated his commitment to a united Nigeria where every citizen is treated equally, regardless of their religion, tribe or ethnicity.

As we return to work following his ‘henlele dey go’ directive, one cannot but see the freshness amongst fellow colleagues who clearly are more invigorated and focused to support the Vice President in achieving the monumental set goals, targets and visions of the Tinubu administration.

May God bless us with a most prosperous new year.

Nkwocha is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President).

Back After Kashim Shettima Sent Us ‘Packing’

National News

NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members

Published

2 days ago

December 13, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members

By: Michael Mike

The DG/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote has approved the promotion of 523 Staff of the Commission.

The promotion, according to a statement on Saturday by the spokesperson of the Commission, Dr. Kayode Adegoke is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Adegoke said: “This is a statutory part of the performance reward system for Staff who sat and met the pre-requisite conditions as spelt out in the Public Service Rules (PSR) in the 2025 promotion exercise.

He disclosed that accordingly, two staff members were promoted to the Director’s cadre (GL 17), and eight staff members moved to the Deputy Director cadre (GL 16) and 35 staff staff members promoted to the Assistant Director cadre (GL 15).

He further disclosed that 35 staff were promoted to the level of Chief Identity Officers (GL 14), with 109 moving to Assistant Chief Identity Officers (GL 13).

Adegoke said 113 officers moved to the rank of Principal Identity Officer (GL 12), while 82 were promoted to Senior Identity Officer ranks (GL 10), and 130 to the rank of Identity Officer 1 ( GL 9).

The DG/CEO congratulated all the promoted staff and charged them to see the promotion as an opportunity to serve the country better. She reiterated zero tolerance for extortion and warned staff to desist from it.

Engr Coker-Odusote, furthermore, encouraged all staff members of the Commission to work harder in the coming year 2026 and ensure the successful implementation of the National Identification Number project. She reiterated her commitment to prioritise staff welfare and ensure the dignity of labour.

NIMC Promotes 523 Staff Members

National News

VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67

Published

2 days ago

December 13, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has congratulated Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Senator Hope Uzodimma, on his 67th birthday, saying his exemplary and progressive leadership within the All Progressives Congress (APC), his state, and the nation at large is worthy of emulation.

He noted that as Chairman of the PGF, an umbrella body of Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Uzodimma has demonstrated exceptional capacity to unite and galvanise the party’s Governors towards achieving a collective vision for Nigeria’s development under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Vice President on Saturday, described the age of 67 as an important milestone in the life of Uzodimma, noting that the special moment reflects how far the Governor has come, and sets the stage for what lies ahead.

Acknowledging how Uzodimma’s “exemplary leadership as Executive Governor of Imo State continues to inspire confidence and progress,” VP Shettima described the PGF Chairman as a committed servant of Nigeria.

“Your recent appointment by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as Renewed Hope Ambassador is a well-deserved recognition of your unwavering dedication to the ideals of our administration and your proven ability to articulate and champion the transformative agenda of the Renewed Hope mandate across our nation,” the VP told the Governor.

This singular honour, Senator Shettima said, reflects President Tinubu’s confidence in Governor Uzodimma’s leadership and commitment to national progress.

He observed that the Imo State Governor’s strategic governance, infrastructural achievements, and dedication to the prosperity of his state exemplify the progressive leadership Nigeria needs at this crucial time.

The Vice President prayed the Almighty God to grant Governor Uzodimma continued wisdom, good health, and strength to sustain his “remarkable service to Imo State and Nigeria.”

VP Shettima Extols Gov Uzodimma’s Progressive Leadership At 67

National News

EU Invests Additional €45 million in Nigeria’s Digital Economy

Published

3 days ago

December 12, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

EU Invests Additional €45 million in Nigeria’s Digital Economy

By: Michael Mike

The Europe Union (EU) is investing an additional €45 million in Nigeria’s digital economy.

The package was signed by the Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela in Brussels.

A statement on Thursday by EU read: “At the EU-Nigeria Digital Open Day, which just took place in Brussels, a €45 million programme completing the EU Digital Economy Package for Nigeria was signed between Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, and the European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela.

“This investment will further support the cooperation in digital sector between Nigeria and the European Union.”

The European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela, said: “Global Gateway is about delivering new opportunities, and the EU-Nigerian cooperation in the digital area has a very strong potential to do exactly that. Our approach to digitalisation is based on skills-transfer, open standards, data protection, privacy and security. This way, we make sure that technologies truly enrich human lives. The new package will take our efforts even further by supporting modern e-public services and investing in the skills that will prepare Nigeria’s youth for the digital future.”

The Nigerian Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani added: The EU–Nigeria digital economy cooperation reflects our shared belief that digital transformation must provide a platform for growth in productivity driven by technology. As part of this, Project Bridge provides a commercially sustainable entry point for European investors and suppliers to participate in deploying an open-access fibre network at scale. Combined with our leadership in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Public Infrastructure and programmes such as 3 million Technical Talents, Nigeria offers European businesses a market where talent, demand and policy alignment converge to support long-term investment and expansion.”

The programme signed on Thursday includes a flagship Global Gateway support to the Project Bridge that aims to deploy 90 000 km of fibre-optic backbone across Nigeria. This project is the country’s most ambitious digital investment supported by loans from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank and African Development Bank.
The €45 million grant supports the preparation of this strategic project with technical assistance and equipment in three complementary ways: for the detailed fiber optic network design, for local skills development and for the supply chain deployment with the mobilisation of the EU private sector.

The EU programme will also contribute to modernise Nigeria’s public administration through secure, user-friendly digital services. it also involves targeted support for Nigeria’s nationwide digital-skills programme, helping train a new generation of technicians, engineers and IT specialists.

According to the statement, this is essential to create new jobs, because large-scale digital projects can only work if the local workforce can maintain, operate and innovate on these networks.

The objective of the EU-Nigeria Open Digital Day was to facilitate access to information for European investors and suppliers interested in participating in the Nigerian digital ecosystem. The focus was on the Project Bridge, presented as an opportunity for collaborations between the EU tech sector and Nigeria.

With this €1.7 billion flagship project is projected to extend Nigeria’s total fibre to 125 000 km (+70%), making it the third-longest terrestrial fibre-optic infrastructure in Africa, following Egypt and South Africa.

Digitalisation is a priority area for the EU-Nigeria partnership as reflected in the €820 million Digital Economy Package launched in 2022 under the EU Global Gateway strategy. The EU-Nigeria collaboration in this sector spans from connectivity to digital skills, entrepreneurship, service and governance with multiple projects.

Nigeria’s digital economy has potential to create jobs, foster economic growth and open greater democratic space in Africa. Nigeria hosts big companies, and Lagos offers digital and business ecosystem with incubators, access to finance and digital service platforms. It has the biggest e-commerce market in Africa with 87 platforms, employing some 2.9 million people.

It is also leading on the continent on digital and start-ups – of the 8 existing African unicorns, 6 are Nigerian, with impressively dynamic States (Lagos) eager to create an ecosystem that promotes innovation, youth and growth largely led by the digital sector.

Global Gateway is the EU’s positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems.

The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions.

Together, they aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap.

EU Invests Additional €45 million in Nigeria’s Digital Economy