Headline

FG Approves Paternity Leave For Public Servants

Published

4 years ago

September 29, 2021

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the introduction of 14 days paternity leave for public servants in the new Public Service Rules(PSR).

Folashade Yemi-Esan, Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), briefed State House correspondents after FEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Yemi-Esan said that the annual leave would henceforth be calculated based on working days instead of calendar days.

She said that the Annual Performance Evaluation Review (APER) and Promotions had been replaced with a new Performance Management System.

“We presented a memo on the revised Public Service Rules (PSR); and we are all aware that the PSR is an old important tool in the public service; it is what governs the actions of public servants at work.

“The last time these rules were revised was in 2008; and so, we recognise that the revision was long overdue.

“And so, we put everything that we got to ensure that we did the vision; these rules ideally, are supposed to be revised every fives.

“But this has taken more than that for us to get the revised PSR 2021.’’

She said that in doing the revision, there were a lot of stakeholder engagements.

Yemi-Esan said that a circular was put out for inputs from different sectors and from various groups that wanted amendments to the PSR.

“We set up different committees to look at what we got; and finally, a technical committee that consisted of permanent secretaries serving and retired and directors were put together to look at the zero draft that we got.

“After they reviewed it, we took it to the National Council on Establishment.’’

She said that, at the National Council on Establishment, the essence of the PSR was approved.

The head of service said that there were some revisions that were supposed to be made before making the new PSR public.

“Those revisions have been done; and so, we brought it to FEC this morning for approval and we got approval for it.

“Some of the revisions that we made–the first thing was that the 2008 version had 16 chapters; meanwhile, the 2021 version now has 17 chapters in it.

“The chapter on APER and Promotions has been replaced by a new chapter on the New Performance Management System that has been introduced into the public service.

“There’s also a chapter that has also been reinvigorated–the chapter on training–this is an all important chapter because of the importance that training has in the public service.’’

She said the revised PSR also had a new chapter on virtual meetings.

According to her, some of the guidelines in the policy document earlier approved by FEC were put into the new PSR.

“And so, we have accepted virtual meetings as a tool to be used in service now and there are some guidelines there.

“We also got approval to include paternity leave; this is something that is new, and this is something that the unions in the service asked that we include and luckily, we have been able to include it.

“We’ve also been able to ensure that leave now is calculated based on working days not on calendar days–that also has been approved.

“We also have introduced the transition from paper service to a digital service.

“So, these are some of the new things that are in the new PSR that has just been approved by FEC,’’ she said.

Yemi-Esan said that the there would a transition period from APER to the new system as work had started with some pilot ministries.

(GUARDIAN)

Headline

Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

Headline

US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

Headline

US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”