By Gbenga Abulude
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Monday, terminated the appointment of two Commissioners in a major cabinet shakeup in the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Mr Muyiwa Olumilua, was transferred to the Ministry of Investment, the commissioners for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade; and that of Environment, Mr Gbenga Agbeyo; were not reappointed.
Five commissioners were reappointed as Special Advisers while one other was inaugurated as a member of the state Local Government Commission.
The new commissioners are Mr Akin Omole (Information); Dr Oyebanji Filani (Health); Mr Akin Oyebode (Finance); Prince Olabode Adetoyi (Agriculture); Mr Oladiran Adesua (Housing); Dr Olabimpe Aderiye (Education); Alhaja Mariam Ogunlade (Women Affairs); and Princess Iyabode Fakunle-Okhiemen (Environment).
The new Special Advisers are Mrs Moji Fafure (Gender Empowerment); Prof. Francisca Aladejana (Basic, Secondary and Vocational/Technical Education); Mr Foluso Daramola (Governor’s Office); Chief Olusoga Davies (Political Matters); Chief Folorunso Olabode (Community and Rural Development); Tope Ogunleye (Special Projects); and Mr Ayoola Owolabi (Investment).
Also inaugurated were Prof Femi Akinwunmi as Chairman of the State University Basic Education Board and Mr Febisola Adewale, as member Local Government Service Commission.
Fayemi, who instructed the appointees to avoid any form of distraction in the discharge of their duties, said the exercise was in furtherance of his drive to reposition the administration for effective service delivery.
The governor said, “We have recently carried out a midterm assessment of this administration and made a few changes in line with our performance and emerging reality towards refining our government agenda and strengthen our team.
“This account for the appointment of new people into various positions of authority in the state. It also accounts for the re-designation of some ministries and the creation of new bureaus.
“To those coming on board, I encourage you to imbibe our ethos which sees public office as a privilege and an opportunity for service and not an occasion for self-aggrandizement or pecuniary gain, I trust you will ensure that your conduct and performance justify the confidence we have placed in you and you will be good ambassadors of the administration in your various constituencies”.
The new Commissioner for Education, Aderiye, who responded on behalf of the appointees, showed appreciation to Fayemi for finding them worthy of the opportunity and promised not to betray the confidence reposed in them.
[6:35 AM, 9/1/2020] Dotun: UBA Foundation Unveils 2020 Essay Competition, Jacks Up Prizes
By Gbenga Abulude
UBA Foundation, a corporate social responsibility arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has unveiled the 2020 edition of its annual National Essay Competition in Nigeria with a call for entries.
The National Essay Competition (NEC) in its 10th year, is part of the foundation’s initiative aimed at promoting reading culture and encouraging healthy and intellectual competition amongst secondary school students.
This year’s edition has been modified to ensure ease of access and increased participation of senior secondary school students from the comfort of their homes through the introduction of a digital submission portal.
Taking into consideration the impact, COVID-19 has had on lives and incomes, UBA Foundation has also increased the prize money for the 2020 edition by 33 per cent as the first prize winner will get an educational grant of N2.5 million, increased from N2 million in 2019.
The second and third prize winners will now receive N2 million and N1.5 million educational grants respectively, from N1.5 million and N1 million, which were awarded in the previous year’s competition.
Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Mrs Bola Atta, stated that with the newly introduced digital submission portal, more students in secondary schools across the country would have the opportunity to scan and send in their entries and compete to win educational grants for study at any university of their choice on the African continent.
Atta explained that the choice of topic for this year’s edition is one that helps promote creative and analytical thinking in students while helping them become problem solvers. The essay topic is: ‘Do you think that the lockdown during the pandemic was an essential measure in spite of the hardship it has brought economically? What would you have done differently and why?”
Students can apply for the competition at: www.ubagroup.com/national-essay-competition.
