By Vivian Emoni

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Dr Mohammed Shehu, has urged staff of the Commission to embrace automation and digital tools in their operations.
Shehu made this known at a two-day workshop on Performance Management System (PMS) held in Abuja.
Represented by Alhaji Shuaibu Agaka, the Commissioner representing Kwara State on the Commission, Shehu said the use of digital tools would minimise human error and enable more accurate data collection, processing, and analysis.
He explained that the workshop aimed to improve staff performance and enhance overall productivity.
“This training we are having today on the Performance Management System is intended to replace the Annual Performance Evaluation Report previously used by the Commission,” he said.
According to him, the Federal Government’s digital transformation drive encourages workers to adopt technology to streamline processes, reduce reliance on manual tasks, and enhance productivity.
“Automation and digital tools reduce human error and enable more accurate data collection, processing, and analysis. This is what we want our staff to embrace so that the analogue system becomes a thing of the past,” Shehu said.
He further revealed that the Commission had recently conducted a promotion examination using a digital platform, describing it as a step towards encouraging staff to fully adopt technology.
“Digital transformation will lead to more efficient, effective, and citizen-centric services,” he added.
Shehu also urged the staff to mentally prepare for the evolving work environment.
“If you do not shake into the system, the system will likely shake you out,” he warned.
“You must change your mindset, mental orientation, and attitude to fully embrace the changes ahead.”
He called on participants to make the most of the training and commit themselves to continuous improvement as the Commission transitions to the new system.
Also speaking, the Commission’s Secretary, Mr Joseph Nwanze, described RMAFC as a strategic institution that must remain forward-looking. He said the training was designed to equip staff for digital transformation.
“This training is also intended to encourage staff to develop new skills, enhancing their employability,” Nwanze said.
“Learn as much as you can and be ready to unlearn practices that no longer align with our new orientation.”
He also advised participants to maintain professionalism, adding that proper dress codes and punctuality fostered respect, discipline, and productivity in the workplace.
On his part, Mr Emmanuel Ohiro, a PMS consultant from Relief Line Nigeria, commended the initiative and urged participants to take the training seriously, stressing that it would significantly improve service delivery.
One of the participants, Mrs Elizabeth Keghku, thanked the Commission for the opportunity, noting that the training would help staff better understand RMAFC’s goals, objectives, and expectations.
(NAN)
Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa

Rescue

By Aderogba George

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has announced the rescue of eight children suspected to have been stolen and kept at a private orphanage in Asaba, Delta State.

This is contained in a statement on Tuesday by NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Mr Vincent Adekoye.

The operation was conducted with support from the Department of State Services (DSS), Anambra State Command.

Also involved were the Nigerian Police Force, Delta State Command, the Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs, and civil society organisations based in Kano. The orphanage is reportedly run by a senior official.

The operator is said to be a member of the executive committee of the Association of Orphanage Operators in Nigeria. Investigations revealed the children were trafficked from Kano and other northern states.

The children were allegedly stolen by an inter-state child trafficking syndicate and transported to the South–South and South–Eastern regions of Nigeria.

Adekoye recalled similar concerns raised by parents back in 2017.

He explained the syndicate operated in two groups: one builds trust within communities and abducts children, while the other targets unaccompanied minors at parks, motor terminals, or while running errands.

Adekoye noted trafficking escalated in 2022, with more than 25 children reportedly abducted from the region, sparking public outrage and prompting civil society groups to demand urgent action from relevant authorities.

A group called Protection Against The Abduction and Missing of Our Children (PATAMOOC) submitted a petition to NAPTIP on Dec. 15, 2022, urging the rescue of missing Kano children.

NAPTIP then launched a discreet investigation to trace the children’s whereabouts.

Intelligence-driven operations followed in Anambra and Delta States, though the Awka operation failed as the syndicate moved the children overnight.

However, the Asaba operation uncovered more than 70 children at the privately-run orphanage, including 15 newborn babies. Out of these, eight were identified as those allegedly stolen from Kano State.

Reacting to the rescue, NAPTIP Director-General Hajia Binta Adamu-Bello condemned orphanages that served as safe havens for trafficked children, emphasising the alarming number of minors found in a single facility.

“This operation was intelligence-driven and executed with precision, in collaboration with our security partners and civil society actors,” she said, confirming the children were identified and reunited with their families.

“NAPTIP is seriously concerned about the activities of these so-called orphanages and care homes. Seventy children in one facility, and that number keeps growing daily,” Adamu-Bello added with concern.

She further revealed that the orphanage owner had been evading investigation and spreading falsehoods about NAPTIP on social media, instead of cooperating with authorities or presenting himself for questioning.

“We have told him to report to our Kano Zonal Command and cooperate with the investigation.

“The children have been handed over to the appropriate authorities in Kano State,” she stated.

She called on State Ministries of Women Affairs to intensify oversight of orphanages and care homes, many of which were rapidly increasing.

NAPTIP will continue enforcing its oversight regulations accordingly. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru