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Tag: Akpandem James

  • 2019 Budget: FG liaises with NASS on presentation date

    The Federal Government is liaising with the National Assembly on a date for the presentation of the 2019 budget estimates to the Legislature.

    The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, disclosed this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr Akpandem James, on Thursday in Abuja.

    The minister said that it was the procedure when the budget is ready for the Executive to liaise with the Legislature for a date for presentation.

    He said a date would be given by the Legislature for the Budget to be laid before the joint session of the National Assembly.

    Udoma, however, refuted that he blamed the National Assembly over delay in presentation of 2019 Budget estimates as reported by some news media.

    He said it was obvious that some of the reporters misconstrued his response while responding to the question on when the Budget would be submitted to the Legislature after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    The minister said there was no time throughout the interaction with the media did he blamed the National Assembly for the delay in the presentation.

    He also said he did not give any impression that there was any issue between the two arms of government over the Budget.

    Read Also: 2019: INEC tasks staff on productivity, credible elections

    The FEC had on Oct. 24 approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) for the 2019-2021 to provide template for the 2019 budget.

    In the MTF/FSP, N8.73 trillion was estimated for the 2019 budget which is N400 billion lower than that of 2018.

    The price of crude oil per barrel was pegged at 60 dollars and exchange rate at 305 dollars.

    The MTEF/FSP was designed to translate strategic development objective of the economic recovery and growth plan into a realistic and implementable budget framework.

  • Nigeria economy will be better in 2018 – Udoma

    Nigeria economy will be better in 2018 – Udoma

    Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister of Budget and National Planning has assured Nigerians that the economy would be better in 2018.

    Udoma gave the assurance in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Mr Akpandem James in Abuja.

    Udoma spoke at an economic forum organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Kings Court Parish in Lagos on Sunday.

    The minister said the economy would significantly be better in 2018 going by the consistent positive trend of key indicators since the country emerged from recession in the second quarter of 2017.

    He said international and local rating agencies had shared same view that the Nigerian economy would grow rapidly in the year.

    Udoma said the growth would create opportunities for investment in areas such as agriculture and agro-processing, industry, mining, construction and services.

    Read also: Udoma says labour matters high on FG’s priority matters

    The minister, however, assured that the Federal Government would continue to sustain the implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

    “The government is determined to lead in that effort and appealed to the private sector to respond to the various initiatives which the government has been rolling out.

    “There is no doubt that more work needs to be done and we all must work together to achieve sustainable results.”

    Udoma said the ERGP was designed to tackle constraints to growth, leverage the power of the private sector, promote national cohesion and social inclusion, allow markets to function and uphold our core values.

    In addition, he said the ministry had set up implementation unit to drive results in the implementation of the ERGP and to monitor the implementation of critical initiatives.

    Udoma said the ministry would soon organise laboratories in the critical areas of Agriculture and Transportation, Power and Gas as well as Manufacturing and Processing.

    He said laboratories which would commence fully in the next few weeks would bring all the relevant stakeholders (public and private) into weeks of intensive working sessions.

    According to him, the aim is to brainstorm on practical steps to overcoming identified challenges in the sectors.

    Udoma, however, urged Nigerians to stop putting the country down through lack of confidence in the achievements of the government.

    “Nigerians should develop confidence in our ability to take on challenges and the capacity to achieve positive results.

    “This country has great potential, both material and human, but we need to harness these potential for the growth of the country and the benefit of our people,” he said.

    Also, the Senior Pastor of the Kings Court Parish of the RCCG, Pastor Ben Akabueze, said he was very expectant of 2018 as all economic indicators showed that the year would be better than 2017.

    Akabueze, who is also the Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation, said the Kings Court had been organising such economic fora annually.

    He said the Church had a duty to get the people to understand the marketplace and to approach the market with understanding and wisdom.

    NAN

  • Udoma says labour matters high on FG’s priority matters

    Udoma says labour matters high on FG’s priority matters

    Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, says labour matters command high priority in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The information is in a statement signed by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr Akpandem James, on Wednesday in Abuja.

    James stated that Udoma made the remark when he received a team from International Labour Organisation (ILO) led by Ms Cynthia Samuel-Olajuwon, the ILO Assistant Director and Regional Director for Africa.

    He added that the team’s visit was to brief Udoma on the implications of the just released World Social Protection Report to Nigeria, as well as intimate him about the centenary celebration of the organisation planned for 2019.

    He quoted the minister as saying “Federal Government attached high premium to labour issues, especially human capital development, as stated in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

    “Investing in people is one of the three broad objectives of the plan.

    “ERGP is an ambitious four-year plan developed to dramatically turn around the economic fortunes of the country.

    “It is aimed at increasing the productivity of the Nigerian economy by improving on human capacity, as well as encourage private sector investment.”

    Read also: 2017 Budget: recurrent expenditure releases hit N4.24trn – Udoma

    The minister explained that the objectives of the plan were to restore growth, invest in the people and build a globally competitive economy.

    Udoma said government was determined to pursue its human capital investment efforts through social inclusion, job creation and youth empowerment, as well as improved human capacity.

    The minister added that Nigeria would draw from the expertise of the ILO on labour matters, noting that the country had been active in the organisation’s programmes as exemplified by the level of representation in the global body.

    He thanked the organisation for choosing Nigeria as one of the 10 countries in the world where the Global Social Protection Report was launched.

    He assured the organisation of Federal Government ‘s support, saying “ you can count on our continuing support and strong collaboration.”

    Earlier, Samuel-Olajuwon had told the minister that Nigeria was chosen as one of the countries to launch the organisation’s global report because of its importance to ILO globally and Africa in particular.

    The report was launched in Abuja on December 12, 2017.

    She said apart from the fact that Nigeria had strong representation at ILO, noting that it was the first country in Africa where the world body’s office was established.

    The official said the organisation’s collaboration with Nigeria was anchored on Medium Term Framework which emphasised issues of employment, social protection and labour market governance issues, among others.

    NAN

  • FG wants industrial status of Kano back

    Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister of Budget and National Planning, has advised the Kano State Government to restore the industrial status of the state as major commercial hub.

    Udoma gave the advice in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Akpandem James, in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Udoma said this at the Second Kano Economic and Investment Summit in Kano City.

    He said that Nigerians would like to see the state returned to its former status as a major industrial and commercial hub in the country.

    The minister noted that under Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, the State has continued to pursue economic policies and programmes aimed at improving the lives of the people, with particular emphasis on education and infrastructure development.

    “The Federal Government desires to see a quick restoration of the boom days that characterised Sharada, Bompai and other industrial estates in Kano.

    “There is no doubt that Kano’s leather craftsmen are some of the best in the world.

    “We must provide the enabling environment for the leather industry to grow and become a mark of quality recognised worldwide”, he said.

    The minister said that funds had been provided in the 2017 Federal Budget to provide infrastructure for the revival of the Free Trade Zone in Kano to stimulate industrial activity.

    He said that fund had equally been provided for the revival of the Export Expansion Grant by way of tax relief, as a further incentive to exporters.

    On the theme of the Summit, “Transforming the Economy of Kano: Turning Challenges into Opportunities”, he said it aligned with Federal Government’s effort in addressing difficulties and challenges of economy.

    “On our part, as the Federal Government, we have been working very closely with the state governments, particularly through the monthly meetings of the National Economic Council (NEC).

    “We have been working with NEC to ensure complete alignment in our economic programmes.

    “And of course, as you all know the ERGP was developed with the extensive consultations of the States.

    “This is one Federal Government that believes that we must work very closely with the states”, he said.

    Meanwhile, Former Minister of National Planning and Chairman of the Summit Planning Committee, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, decried the reluctance of Northern governors to constitute the region into a viable economic zone in spite of available resources.

    He said it was not too late to do so as other regions of the country were consolidating on the efforts they started some years ago.

    Usman was, however, optimistic that the Kano summit would ginger up activities in the state and region with the right political will.

  • National Conference loses another delegate

    National Conference loses another delegate

    DELEGATES at the National Conference have lost another member.

    Professor Muhammad Nur Alkali, who was one of the six delegates on the platform of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA), died in Maiduguri, Borno last Friday at 68.

    His demise brings to four the number of delegates that passed on in the course of the almost five- month Conference expected to be concluded on August 11.

    The Conference that was initially planned for three months has been on break since July 14 having concluded considerations and adoption of its 20 Committee reports.

    The Conference was inaugurated on 17th March 2014 by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    A statement by the Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications, Akpandem James, said the Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi was devastated by the sad news.

    It reads: ‘The Secretariat of the National Conference on Saturday morning received with great grief the sad news of the demise of Professor Muhammad Nur Alkali, who was one of the six delegates representing the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA) at the 2014 National Conference in Abuja.

    “Professor Alkali died in his residence in Maiduguri on the night of Friday, August 1, 2014. He was 68 years old.

    A Professor of History and two-term Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri (1985 – 1992), the late Alkali was Director General of the Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee under the administration of General Sani Abacha.

    “More recently, he was a member of the Committee on Insecurity in the North East (The Boko Haram Committee)

    “Justice Kutigi prays the Almighty receives his spirit and grants his soul sweet repose.”

  • Another confab member dies

    Another confab member dies

    The National Conference sitting in Abuja lost another member yesterday.

    Dr Mohammed Abubakar Jumare, from Kaduna State, was said to have died on the early hours of yesterday and was buried later in the day in Zaria.

    Dr Jumare was nominated to the conference as an Elder Statesman.

    A statement by the Assistant Secretary, Media and Communication, Akpandem James said that late Jumare was born on August 20, 1943 in Kwarbai, Zaria City.

    He attended Town School Number 1 in 1949-1952; Middle School, Soba Senior Primary School, Katsina Teachers College and Ahmadu Bello University where he bagged the Doctor of Philosophy in 1989.

    He started out as a primary school teacher in 1960 at the Zaria Local Authority and later transferred to the Treasury as Clerk in 1962.

    He rose to the position of Emirate Supervisor of Accounts and then Head of the Local Authority between 1973 and 1975.

    After the local Government Reforms, he became the first Principal Assistant Secretary and Head of Administration.

    He worked with the Ahmadu Bello University between 1986 and 1992 as Senior Lecturer and Senior Administrative Consultant.

    He was the General Manager Personnel and Administration at Peugeot Automobile Limited, Kaduna, between 1993 and 1999; and Chairman, Kaduna State Water Board between 2003 and 2004.

    Dr Jumare had also served as a National Commissioner in charge of Information and Publicity Committee at the National Electoral Commission. He was also the Chairman of the 15-member National Advisory Committee on Delimitation of Constituencies constituted by INEC in 2008. His tenure at INEC lapsed in 2009.

     

     

    He was reappointed Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission in Kaduna State in 2011, a position he was until his demise on Monday, May 5, 2014.

     

    His burial was attended by the Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Ramalan Yero and the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji (Dr) Shehu Idris.

     

    The National Conference was represented by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Assistant Secretary in charge of Finance and Administration.

     

    Another delegate to the conference, Alhaji Mohammed Hamma Misau, from Bauchi State also died last at the National Hospital Abuja.