
News
Gov. Mbah approves 2023 promotion and conversion exercises for civil servants
…as ESCSC Chairman applauds governor over fulfillments of promises, workers’ welfare
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has approved the 2023 promotion and conversion exercises for qualified civil servants in the state even as the Chairman of the Enugu State Civil Service Commission (ESCSC), Mr. Robinson Odo, applauded the governor for keeping to his promises to prioritize workers’ welfare and improve their standard of living.
The Chairman, who disclosed the new development during an internal briefing of members of the commission at its Enugu office, said the governor did not waste time to approve the request to conduct this year’s promotion and conversion exercises for civil servants who would be due for promotion at the end of the year, adding that more civil servants would be upgraded from lower cadres to higher cadres in the conversion process which would upwardly reflect in their incomes.
He said the news of the exercises would delight civil servants, spur them to put more efforts and discharge their duties with commitment, dedication and zeal to serve the state selflessly.
“This news is coming at the right time when this administration is talking about disruptive innovation, e-governance, digitalization, efficiency, optimal performance in order to achieve its $30 billion-dollar economy, achieve zero poverty headcount and increase the economic base of the people. Civil servants will not have any excuse not to discharge their duties efficiently and creditably with the governor keeping to his promises,” the chairman noted.

Similarly, the commission had, through a circular, informed the various heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the need to convey the same to staff working under them and to ensure only qualified staff partake in the exercises.
“We have already issued circulars inviting promotion briefs from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, giving them November 30th as deadline for the submission of briefs,” the retired ranking permanent secretary said.
Commending the governor for the improved welfares of civil servants in the state, Mr. Odo said the government had already pointed to a positive direction in eradicating poverty through series of civil servants-friendly policies it was rolling out to strengthen the institution and empower staff across MDAs.
He further stressed that the governor had cleared the backlogs of pensions it inherited, kept its promise of paying retired state and local government workers, and had set the wheel of defraying gratuities in motion.
“We have no doubts in our minds that this year’s exercises would be successful as everything is set. As I noted earlier, we had written to the MDAs in this regard. We are using this opportunity to invite qualified civil servants to avail themselves of this opportunity that presents itself at this auspicious time for the promotion and conversion exercises.
“This is, in fact, like a Christmas gift to civil servants because most of them were saying the government was just new and that the governor might be distracted by the unprecedented task of rebuilding a new Enugu State. However, the governor has assured that he would not be distracted by anything that would not contribute to human growth and development. He has, indeed, identified the human capital development as one of the greatest assets that would drive the economy and enhance strong institutions.
“On our part, we will keep instilling discipline in the service with commitment to exact creativity, meritocracy of ideas and bank of intellectual reservoir that would help this administration to succeed,” the chairman added.
According to him, despite the huge works that were presently ongoing in areas of critical infrastructure, education, water, healthcare system, environmental sanitation, the governor was still carrying out massive training of workers, paying them regularly and even as their working conditions were getting improved to insulate them from the harsh economic conditions in the country.
Business
Enugu Air Launches New Website
…moves online services to www.enuguairlines.ng
Enugu Air has announced the launch of its new official website, enuguairlines.ng, as part of efforts to provide passengers and customers with a better, safer and more convenient digital experience.
The airline said the migration to the new website is designed to improve how passengers connect with Enugu Air and access its services online, including flight bookings, schedules and the latest updates.
Announcing the development, the airline said: “We’ve moved! We’re innovating! We’ve migrated to a better, safer and convenient website to connect you to the world.”
Passengers can now access Enugu Air’s online services through its new web address, enuguairlines.ng, which the airline described as its new digital home.
The airline urged passengers and prospective travellers to save the new web address and use it for flight bookings, checking schedules and obtaining the latest information about its operations.

“Same Enugu Air. New web address,” the airline stated, emphasising that the change represents an improvement in its digital platform while retaining the Enugu Air brand and services.
The airline further encouraged customers to visit, www.enuguairlines.ng for all flight-related information and online services.
It further stated that the old website, enuguairlines•com has been discarded and no longer in use.
News
Kidnapped female Police officer found dead in Ebonyi
A kidnapped female police officer has been found dead in Ebonyi State after a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate was arrested and led police operatives to the scene where her remains were recovered.
The Nigeria Police Force disclosed this in its state-by-state operational update issued by Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Ani Iniedu on Monday, detailing several arrests, rescues and recoveries recorded across the country between September 19 and 20, 2026.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested following a sustained intelligence-led and technology-based investigation into the kidnapping of the female officer.
The suspect reportedly led combined police teams to the crime scene, where the remains of the officer were recovered.
The police said the case is being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.

In a separate operation in Adamawa State, police operatives rescued two kidnapped victims from a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Shako Forest, Toungo Local Government Area.
The operation, carried out on September 20 following actionable intelligence, also led to the recovery of two magazines containing 10 rounds of 7.62×39mm live ammunition.
A National Identification Number (NIN) card, mobile phone, passport and chain were also recovered from the suspected hideout.
In the Federal Capital Territory, police arrested 334 suspects during coordinated raids on criminal hotspots, black spots and uncompleted buildings across several locations.
The operation, conducted on September 19, also resulted in the recovery of various quantities of substances suspected to be illicit drugs.
Meanwhile, police in Anambra State arrested a suspected child trafficker who was allegedly intercepted while travelling with a six-month-old baby boy.
The baby was recovered and handed over to the appropriate authorities for necessary action, according to the police.
In Kaduna State, four suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate were arrested following intelligence-led operations.
Police said the suspects confessed to their alleged involvement in kidnapping and provided information about fleeing accomplices. A locally made Dane gun was recovered.
Another suspected kidnapping syndicate member was arrested at Soba Market in the state. Police said the suspect also confessed and gave information implicating five fleeing accomplices.
In Ogun State, police arrested a suspect linked to a fatal shooting incident in Isara, Remo North Local Government Area.
One single-barrel gun, one live cartridge and one expended shell were recovered during the operation.
In Imo State, a suspect was arrested during a raid on a suspected criminal gathering at Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area, with police recovering a locally made cut-to-size single-barrel gun.
Police in Ekiti State also arrested two suspects linked to multiple shop-breaking and stealing incidents in Ado-Ekiti and recovered suspected stolen iron rods.
In another operation in Ado-Ekiti, police recovered an abandoned white sack containing a pump-action gun loaded with two live cartridges and a locally made single-barrel gun from a farmland.
In Benue State, police tactical teams, supported by personnel of the Police Mobile Force and military, intervened in a renewed communal conflict at Akpa-Mbakor Community in Tarka Local Government Area.
The security teams dispersed the rampaging youths and restored normalcy in the area, according to the police.
In Oyo State, police arrested a truck driver allegedly involved in a fatal road traffic incident along the Ijebu-Ode/Idi Ayunre Road.
The truck was impounded for further inspection and investigation.
The police said all the cases remain under investigation by the respective State Criminal Investigation Departments.
News
UK excludes Nigerian, Ghanaian-trained teachers from teaching qualification list
Teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana are no longer eligible to apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England under the United Kingdom’s overseas-trained teacher application route.
The change took effect on September 9 and means teachers trained in the two West African countries can no longer use the route to obtain QTS, a status recognised by many schools in England.
The UK Department for Education said countries included in the scheme must meet specific requirements to ensure that applicants’ qualifications, professional standing and teaching experience can be properly verified. One of the requirements is that a country must have a national regulator capable of confirming a teacher’s professional status and providing authenticated references.
According to the department, Nigeria and Ghana did not meet the reference-verification requirement.
“Our data shows that more than 70% of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria include work history references that use public email addresses, such as Gmail or Hotmail, rather than a school’s official email domain. This means assessors spend additional time and resources trying to verify information provided in applications,” the department said.

The UK department said about 90 percent of applications are assessed within 12 months.
India was also removed from the eligible list because it does not have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers’ professional standing.
South Africa is now the only African country remaining on the list of countries whose teachers can use the QTS application route.
The department said the verification process was necessary to ensure that information provided by applicants was genuine and that teachers awarded QTS possessed the required skills and experience to teach in England.
To apply for QTS, overseas-trained teachers must have a valid passport, an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree and professional recognition as a teacher in the country where they trained.
Applicants must also have completed any mandatory induction requirements needed for full teacher registration in their country of qualification.
They are required to demonstrate that they are qualified to teach children aged between five and 16 and have at least nine months of teaching experience gained after qualifying as a teacher.
Applicants must also provide employment references that verify their work history and use an email address linked to the school’s official domain.
Depending on the country where a teacher trained, additional requirements may include qualifications to teach pupils aged between 11 and 16 and a specialism in subjects such as mathematics, science, biology, chemistry, physics, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.
However, because teachers in England are employed by individual schools rather than the Department for Education, schools may consider alternative routes into teaching.
The department said teachers who are no longer eligible to use the QTS application service can explore other routes into teaching in England.
-
Politics23 hours agoWHEN PRIVACY BECOMES CONTENT: The Dangerous Normalisation of Leaked Private Conversations
-
Editorial3 days agoWhy Nigerian Graduates and Youths Are Jobless — and Increasingly Vulnerable to Crime and Other Vices
-
News1 day agoBREAKING: Gov Mbah appoints 101 new aides
-
News2 days agoFormer Kogi Gov, Ibrahim Idris, dies in UK at 77
-
News16 hours agoUK excludes Nigerian, Ghanaian-trained teachers from teaching qualification list
-
News2 days agoNDLEA intercepts N3.4bn drugs, arrests fake police officer
-
Opinion22 hours agoWho is in Charge of Nigeria?
-
News3 days agoWoman allegedly kills husband over plans to marry second wife




