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Senate to speed up conclusion of Nigeria Forest Security Service Bill

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The Nigerian Senate is to take up the issue of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) Bill to ensure its passage into law without further delay.

 

 

Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin stated this weekend when the Commander General of the NFSS, Dr. Wole Joshua Osatimehin, led a team of top officers of the Service on a courtesy visit to his residence in Abuja.

Senator Jibrin said Nigeria urgently needs the services of NFSS in its efforts to rid the country of banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and related crimes that are carried out within the forests.

He commended Dr. Osatimehin and his management team for the successes being recorded by operatives of NFSS, saying that signing of their Bill into law would enable them to go out fully in their complimentary duties to the miliary, the police, office of the National Security Adviser, he Department of State Security Service and others, towards tackling insecurity in the country.

“We want to appreciate you and your officers and men for what you are doing so far. The contributions you are making in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and related crimes, have helped the country a lot. It is therefore easy to understand that signing of the Nigeria Forest Security Service Bill into law would enable you to do more. When you go to other climes, they are identified with different names according to the thinking of the people. In some places, they are called agro-rangers, Forest Guards, Forest Security Service or whatever name.

“The most important thing is that when we have a fully funded and well-equipped Service dedicated to manning the forests, there won’t be room for criminals to operate within the forested regions. Therefore, what you are doing and your aspiration is in our own interest as a nation.

“We are giving you full assurance that we will support you, we will stand shoulder to shoulder with you to ensure that the Bill is concluded within the shortest time possible. I will stand and make sure that before we go on recess, the Bill would be given needed attention because it is in our national interest to do so,” the Depuy Senate President stated.

Earlier in his remark, Dr. Wole Joshua Osatimehin said he visited the Deputy Senate President with his team, to consult and brief him on the need to see that the NFSS Bill is brought to a logical conclusion and signed into law.

He updated the Senator Jibrin on the complimentary roleS being played by operatives of the NFSS especially on intelligence gathering and sharing with security agencies as well as arrest and handover of criminals, which he said have contributed immensely to the successes recorded in the fight against insecurity in the country.

He told Senator Barau Jibril that already, NFSS has established functional command and control offices in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, without thousands of operatives recruited and deployed, adding that the signing of the Bill into law would help to boost the morale of officers and men who have already proved their capacity to carry out their responsibilities, especially in view of the trainings they have undergone with several security agencies.

In his reaction, the Deputy Commander General, Intelligence, of the NFSS, Ambassador John Metchie thanked the Deputy Senate President for his pledge to see to the logical conclusion of the NFSS Bill.

He described Senator Barau as a quintessential deputy who has worked closely with the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio to ensure that President Bola Tinubu delivers on his Renewed Hope Agenda to the people of Nigeria.

Metchie who is also the African Director, International Association of World Peace Advocates, IAWPA, commended the National Assembly in general, saying that the NFSS Bill has enjoyed the support of both Senators and House of Representatives members, adding that with the commitment of Senator Barau Jibril, the process would soon be concluded.

Metchie also commended the Commander General of NFSS, Dr. Wole Joshua Osatimehin for his great leadership stride, which he said was responsible for the various achievements recorded by the Service and called on the National Security Adviser and other critical stakeholders to work together in getting the NFSS bill signed by President Bola Tinubu, saying it would add great value to the collective efforts to secure Nigeria, especially the forested and ungoverned areas.

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NiMet DG Anosike urges service providers to move beyond institutional compliance to measurable impacts on citizens

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The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Professor Charles Anosike, has called on public institutions to move beyond regulatory compliance and certifications to delivering measurable results that create lasting value for citizens.

 

The DG/CEO of NiMet, who was represented by the Director, Engineering and Technical Services, Engr. Hamid Olayinka Abdulkareem, made the call during his keynote address at the 3rd National Quality Improvement Summit and Awards, organised by the Quality Improvement Institute of Nigeria (QIIN) in Abuja on Thursday 12 November 2026. Speaking on the theme, “Quality: Powering Performance – Moving Beyond Compliance to Measurable Results,” Professor Anosike emphasised that institutional credibility must be earned through consistent service delivery, accountability, innovation and continuous improvement.

 

Highlighting NiMet’s commitment to international quality standards, the DG/CEO disclosed that the Agency secured ISO 9001:2015 certification for aeronautical meteorological services at Yola, Osubi and Owerri airports in July 2026, alongside the successful recertification of five other airports, bringing its total number of QMS-certified airport stations to eight. He stressed that quality assurance in meteorological services is critical to aviation safety, agricultural productivity, disaster preparedness and national economic development.

 

Professor Anosike further highlighted the integration of the Balanced Scorecard Performance Management System into NiMet’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan as a significant step towards strengthening institutional accountability. He explained that the framework connects strategic objectives with measurable performance indicators, ensuring that organisational success is assessed not merely by activities undertaken but by results achieved and value delivered.

 

He urged institutions to invest in people, technology and stakeholder partnerships while embedding quality management into their organisational culture. According to him, sustainable institutional excellence requires leadership commitment, continuous evaluation and a deliberate shift from procedural compliance to measurable public impact.

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Joint Aviation Unions Appoint Keyamo Grand Patron of Renewed Hope Support Group, Present ITF Position Paper Ahead of ICAO Conference 

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The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, today received a high-powered delegation of aviation labour unions under the Joint Aviation Trade Union Forum (JATUF), led by its Chairman, Comrade Ben Nnabue, in Abuja.

 

The delegation comprised top executives of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and other aviation unions, including the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP). The unions are affiliates of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

 

Other members of the delegation included Comrade John Ogbe, Vice Chairman; Comrade Alale Adedayo, Vice Chairman; Group Captain Bunmi Gandeh, Vice Chairman; and Comrade Hector Nnadi, Secretary of the Forum.

 

The visit was primarily to formally present the position paper of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) to the Minister, seeking Nigeria’s support for a motion advocating the integration of social sustainability, decent work and meaningful workers’ engagement into the global civil aviation framework at the forthcoming Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference (ATConf7) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), scheduled to hold in Montreal, Canada, from November 16 to 20, 2026.

According to Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser to the Hon. Minister on Media and Communications, the proposed motion, which has received Nigeria’s nod, underscores the need for the international aviation community to recognise that the sustainability and long-term success of civil aviation go beyond infrastructure development, technological advancement and economic growth to include the welfare, rights and professional development of the workforce that sustains the industry.

 

The unions stressed that the future of international civil aviation must be built on a framework that balances economic competitiveness with social responsibility, recognising aviation workers as indispensable stakeholders in the growth, safety and efficiency of the industry.

 

The Minister’s reception of the position paper further demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to constructive engagement with organised labour and the promotion of policies that strengthen the aviation sector while protecting the interests of its workforce.

 

In a related development, the delegation also formally presented the Minister with an invitation to serve as Grand Patron of the Renewed Hope Aviation Support Group (RHASG), under the umbrella of the Strategic Collaboration for the Re-Election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

 

The nomination, made on behalf of the Board of Trustees, National Executive Council and entire membership of the organisation, recognises the Minister’s leadership, professional competence and capacity for strategic coordination.

 

The group congratulated Keyamo on his recent appointment as Director of the Directorate of Air Transport Mobilisation for the All Progressives Congress (APC) re-election campaign, describing the appointment as a testament to the confidence reposed in his leadership abilities, organisational experience and commitment to effective mobilisation.

 

According to the group, the Minister’s wealth of experience in managing complex responsibilities, coupled with his strategic understanding of the aviation industry, makes him well-positioned to provide political leadership, guidance and direction to the organisation.

 

The appointment as Grand Patron is intended to strengthen the group’s strategic direction and consolidate support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and his anticipated re-election bid.

 

The development marks another demonstration of the growing intersection between organised aviation labour, industry stakeholders and broader national development objectives, with the Minister continuing to engage stakeholders on issues that affect the growth, sustainability and future of Nigeria’s aviation industry.

 

 

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Gwarzo appoints Shehu Wada Sagagi as campaign DG

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The Kano State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, has appointed a former Kano State Chief of Staff, Gwani Alhaji Shehu Wada Sagagi, as Director-General of his 2027 governorship campaign.

The appointment was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu, spokesperson to the NDC governorship candidate.

According to the statement, Gwarzo also named Alhaji Adamu Ali Ibrahim Kibiya as Secretary of the Campaign Directorate and Engr. Sunusi Usman Dambatta as Deputy Director-General.

Sagagi, a former Commissioner for Investment, Commerce and Industry and ex-chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kano State, is expected to lead the campaign’s activities ahead of the 2027 election.

The appointments take immediate effect, while the full membership of the campaign council will be announced later.

 

 

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