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Tag: BUHARI

  • 2018 Budget: Buhari directs immediate activation of economy

    President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that urgent step be taken by all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to activate the nation’s economy following the signing of the 2018 budget into law.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen Ita Enang, made the disclosure on Thursday in an interview with the our reporter in Abuja.

    Buhari had, on June 20, assented to the N9.12 trillion budget with a reservation on the introduction of 6, 403 projects by the lawmakers amounting to N578 billion.

    The presidential aide said work had already commenced on the implementation of the budget in order to boost the economy and create jobs.

    ‘’Mr President has directed that very immediate and urgent steps be taken so that the economy be activated, employment be created so that the market will be active and people can go around to buy what they need to buy.

    ‘’Therefore, those are the words of Mr President. We are not dwelling on any other matter rather than implementation,” he said.

    On the controversy over the budget increase by the National Assembly, Enang said the Federal Government is only preoccupied with how to implement the budget.

    ‘’What you called the dispute on the budget, I want to say that Mr President made observations from the budget, he did not raise objection.

    ‘’Mr President assented to the budget. The time we are now, we are working on the implementation of the budget. We are working on steps to raise fund for the budget.

    ‘’You know that the greater part of the budget is going to be funded by loan, because it is a deficit budget. And so we are working on modalities to make appropriate request before the legislature,” he said.

    Read Also: Buhari signs medical residency training bill into law

    The Director-General of the Debt Management Office, Mrs Patience Oniha, was reported to have said that government plans to raise 2.8 billion dollars of debt offshore as part of the 2018 budget financing plan.

    “Some of the ministries have already advertised and commenced the procurement process pending which of the projects will finally come out of the budget and how much they will come out even the budget was finally approved,” he added.

    He explained that by this, they would conclude the procurement process so that their work can go on.
    ‘

    ’Those that are within the project competence of the Federal Executive Council, the respective ministers will take the memos to the council. That is where we are working now.”

    On what the Presidency is doing to resolve the rift between the executive and the legislature amidst the 12-point condition handed down to the President by the legislatures.

    Enang said there was no disagreement between the two organs.

    According to him, what is happening is just the normal democratic engagement between the executive and the legislature.

    Enang also hinted that the president also directed work to begin on supplementary budget for legislative action.

    “Again, Mr President is also directing that matters be collated so that proposal for either supplementary budget or budget amendment or virement be laid before the legislature for action,” he said.

  • PDP shedding crocodile tears over Plateau killings – Presidency

    The Presidency on Thursday said that the sad and unfortunate killings in Plateau State over the weekend is been used to play irresponsible politics, particularly by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The PDP has declared seven days of mourning.over the killings.

    A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said “These are dolorous times that call for deep introspection on how cheap human lives have become, and the proffering of actionable ideas on how to get out of the bind. But the PDP would rather dance on the graves of the dead, playing cheap, infantile politics.

    “The comatose and prostrate party is declaring seven days of mourning, during which flags in its offices would be flown at half mast nationwide. But unknown to the party, those flags had been forcefully lowered since its 2015 loss at the polls, and may remain so for a long time to come, because Nigerians are politically discerning, and cannot be hoodwinked by cheap antics.

    “A quick checklist of some savage and brutal killings in Nigeria during PDP rule, between 1999 and 2015, for which no national mourning was declared:

    “November 20, 1999. Odi, in Bayelsa State, was invaded on orders of a PDP President. About 2,500 people killed. No national mourning.

    “Between February and May, 2000, about 5,000 people were killed during riots over Sharia law in different parts of the North. No national mourning.

    “In 2001, hundreds of people, including the old, infirm, women and children were killed in Zaki Biam. No crocodile tears.

    “Between September 7-12, 2001, Jos, Plateau State, erupted in internecine killings. Between 500 and 1,000 people were killed. Flags were not flown at half mast.

    “In February, 2004, at least 975 people were killed in Yelwa-Shendam, Plateau State. No mourning by the then ruling PDP.

    “Between November 28 and 29, 2008, Jos was in flames again, with 381 deaths. No mourning.

    “In 2010, 992 people killed in Jos. Mum was the word.

    Read Also: Plateau Killings: Residents on guard against attack

    “In 2014 alone, according to Global Terrorism Index, at least 1,229 people were killed in the Middle Belt. No mourning.” he said

    Boko Haram killings in PDP years, he said, were over 10,000 while PDP flags were still fluttering proudly in the sky.

    He added “Those who take pleasure in twisting statements from the Presidency may claim we are saying that many more people were killed under PDP than under President Muhammadu Buhari. It would be unconscionable to do so.

    “The intendment of this statement is to show that wanton killings had been with us for awhile; this government is working towards enduring solutions; and should be given the opportunity to do so.

    “Even a single soul is precious, and no man should take a life, which he cannot create. But when tragic situations as had happened in Plateau State occur, such should never be used to play crude politics. Those who wont to do so should have change of hearts, or lose their very humanity.” he said.

  • Universal health care is right of all Nigerians – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari insisted on Thursday that all Nigerians should have access to universal health care.

    He spoke at the launch of the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) 2018 held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    With 3.2 million Nigerians leaving with HIV/AIDS, he said the disease has significantly impacted the overall development of the country.

    Despite huge resources being expended on the fight against the disease in the country since 2001, the President said there are still gaps in the access, coverage and treatment of the disease across the country.

    “The availability of accurate HIV/AIDS data of the country is crucial for planning health interventions to arrest the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

    “It has also led to inefficient utilization and potential wastage of HIV/AIDS commodities due to inaccurate consumption,” he said.

    He also pointed out that lack of data has also affected the ability of the country to compete for HIV/AIDS grants and curative measures to eradicate the disease.

    The NAIIS, he said, is in line with his administration’s determination to ensure long term sustainable solutions to Nigeria’s health and other developmental challenges.

     

     

  • Buhari to shake up security

    President meets Saraki, Dogara

    Jos protest turns violent

    Troops parade three Plateau State massacre suspects

    President Muhammadu Buhari is to rejig the country’s security system, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara said yesterday.

    “The President has taken enough steps and told us what he is doing, especially the reorganisation that he plans to put in place to ensure that this doesn’t  happen again,” the speaker said  after a meeting with the President at the Aso Villa. With him was Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    Dogara said President Buhari had already taken enough steps to arrest the deteriorating security situation in parts of the country, adding that he was open to adopting the National Assembly’s measures aimed at addressing the worrisome security situation.

    He said: “Today, I and President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, met with President Muhammadu Buhari over the Plateau violence.

    “We requested for the meeting in order to hear from the President the steps and measures he is taking to end the orgy of killings and violence not only on the Plateau but in other parts of the country.

    “The President briefed us on what he saw firsthand when he visited Plateau State on Tuesday and the measures he is putting in place to forestall recurrence.

    “We also used the opportunity to advise the President on other measures and actions that will help bring lasting peace in our country in accordance with the resolutions passed at the joint emergency closed-door session of the National Assembly held some weeks ago.

    “These are very sober moments for all us. In a situation where people, in hundreds continue to be killed, we can no longer tolerate this kind of situation as a government.

    “We call on all relevant government agencies to quickly provide emergency relief services to people in the affected areas.

    “The House of Representatives and indeed the National Assembly will continue to work towards providing all necessary legislative backing to the security agencies, more especially funding needed to reform and equip our armed forces to tackle the prevailing security challenges confronting us as a nation.

    “I am also restating my earlier call for a total reform and overhaul of our internal security architecture which has failed to address the spate of insecurity in the land.”

    Saraki told reporters that they met on how to forestall a repeat of mass killings.

    “We met with the President to commiserate with him and get a briefing from him. Part of the briefing, he explained how steps are being taken to forestall reoccurrence and restore sanity because this is a great concern to him and to us also.

    “To see what can be done with NEMA and security agencies, we will all work towards it. Nobody is happy with it and we will all come together to ensure that we restore sanity.

    “Our general appeal at the end of the day is that we all live together in peace and harmony and we will continue to do our best to see that this kind of thing does not happen again.”

    Dogara added: “These are very sober moments for all of us in a situation where people in hundreds have continued to be killed… we can no longer tolerate this kind of situation as a government.

    “Whatever it is we must not  lose the fight against violence because we can’t lose that fight and still keep our civilisation.

    “If you go to the Northeast, you can see the level of devastation caused by Boko Haram. Everything resembling progress from schools to hospitals to government institutions, everything has been pulled down. And we don’t want a replication of this all over the country.

    “The President has taken enough steps; these are security issues, they are not matters that you can discuss but he has told us what he is doing, the reorganisation that he plans to put in place to ensure that this doesn’t happen.

    “My advice to our people not just Plateau State, Benue, Zamfara, Taraba virtually some communities faced with this situation especially in the North, I think the issue of securing our communities, living in peace must be taken as a project. It’s something each and everyone of us must invest in – whether as traditional rulers, as community leaders, councillors, chairmen, all strata of society must invest in peace building. That is the only way we can live in a secure community and ensure that we progress as a country.” Dogara said.

     

  • Buhari intervenes in FAAC, NNPC feud

    President Muhammadu Buhari has offered to intervene in the disagreement between the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).  This disagreement had frequently disrupted the monthly Federation Allocation disbursements.

    It was gathered from sources present at the meeting that the present logjam in the monthly disbursements was as a result of NNPC’s inability to fund the account.This has been reoccurring for months now such that the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, at some point had to step in to plead with the state governments to extend the olive branch to NNPC.

    For several months running, the body of state commissioners of finance have angrily walked out of successive FAAC meeting because of NNPC’s inability to reconcile accounts and and fund the FAAC Account.

    A source at the FAAC meeting yesterday said: “The whole thing revolves around NNPC’s irreconcilable account but, President Buhari has intervened. I have no idea when the next FAAC meeting will hold but this depends on the outcome of intervention by Mr. President.”

    The monthly FAAC meeting for sharing accruals to the Federation Account to the three tiers of government usually holds between 18 and 20 of every month. However, officials of Federal Ministry of Finance were not forthcoming with any explanation as to when the next FAAC meeting will hold.

    Reporters had gathered at the  Finance Ministry’s auditorium, venue of the FAAC meeting as early as 4pm yesterday after being invited to cover the meeting.

     

  • UPDATED: We’ll try our best to stop killings – Saraki

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said on Wednesday the National Assembly would play its roles in the efforts to end killings in the country.

    Saraki gave the assurance in a chat with State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, also attended the meeting convened by the President following last weekend’s attacks in Plateau State where about 90 people were killed by suspected herdsmen.

    He said: “We met with the President to first of all commiserated with him and get a briefing from him. During the briefing, he explained how steps are being taken to forestall reoccurrence and restore sanity because this is a great concern to him and to us also.

    “To see what can be done with NEMA and security agencies, we will all work towards it. Nobody is happy with the situation and we will all come together to ensure that we restore sanity.

    “We commiserate with all families, it is our own intention to also go and pay our own condolence visit to the people of Plateau State.

    “Our general appeal at the end of the day is that we all live together in peace and harmony and we will continue to do our best to see that this kind of thing does not happen again.”

    Dogara expressed condolence to Mr. President, the government and people of Plateau State over the killings in the state.

    The Speaker said the President has briefed them on what he saw during his visit to Plateau on Tuesday and measures he is putting in place to prevent reoccurrence.

    He said: “These are very sober moments for all of us in a situation where people in hundreds are continued to be killed and we can no longer tolerate this kind of situation as a government.

    “Whatever it is we must not lose the fight against violence because we can’t lose that fight and still keep our civilization.

    “If you go to the North East you can see the level of devastation caused by Boko Haram. Everything resembling progress from schools to hospitals to government institutions had been pulled down. And we don’t want a replication of this all over the country.

     

  • Plateau killings: Buhari meets Saraki, Dogara in Aso Rock

    *We’ll try our best to stop killings,  Says Saraki 

    *Nigeria can’t afford to lose fight against violence  –  Dogara 

    The Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Wednesday assured that the National Assembly will play its roles to urgently end the spate of killings in the country.
    He gave the assurance when himself and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Saraki said “We met with the president to first of all commiserated with him and get a briefing from him. Part of the briefing he explained how steps are being taken to forestall reoccurrence and restore sanity because this is a great concern to him and to us also.
    “To see what can be done with NEMA and security agencies, we will all work towards it, nobody is happy with it and we will all come together to ensure that we restore sanity.
    “We commiserate with all families, it is our own intention to also go and pay our own condolence visit to the people of Plateau.
    “Our general appeal at the end of the day is that we all live together in peace and harmony and we will continue to do our best to see that this kind of thing does not happen again.” he said
    Dogara expressed condolence to Mr. President, the government and people of Plateau state over the killings in the state.
    According to him, the President has briefed them on what he saw first hand when he visited Plateau Tuesday and measures he is putting in place to prevent reoccurence.
    He said “These are very sober moments for all of us in a situation where people in hundreds are continued to be killed and we can no longer tolerate this kind of situation as a government.
    “Whatever it is we must not  loose the fight against violence because we can’t loose that fight and still keep our civilization.
    “If you go to the north east you can see the level of devastation caused by Boko Haram everything resembling progress from schools to hospitals to government institutions, everything has been pulled down. And we don’t want a replication of this all over the country.
    “The President has taken enough steps, these are security issues, they are not matters that you can discuss but he has told us what he is doing, the reorganization that he plans to put in place to ensure that this don’t happen.
    “My advise to our people not just Plateau State, Benue, Zamfara, Taraba virtually some communities faced with this situation especially in the north, I think the issue of securing our communities, living in peace must be taken as a project, is something each and everyone of us must invest in whether as traditional rulers, as community leaders, councilors, chairmen, all strata of society must invest in peace building.
    That is is the only way we can live in a secure community and ensure that we progress as a country.” he said

  • Plateau Killings: Order arrest of mastermind, ADP, UPP tells Buhari

    The Action Democratic Party (ADP) and the United Peoples Party (UPP) on Tuesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to put action to his promise by ensuring that masterminds of Sunday brutal killings in Jos were brought to justice with immediate effect.

    In separate press statements signed by the National Chairmen of the two parties, Engr. Yabagi Sani and Chief Chekwas Okorie respectively, they said that the failure of the President to order the immediate arrest of those responsible will make him to lose face and perceived to have compromised.

    Engr. Sani explained that the current perception held by the people is that the government of President Buhari is shielding killer herdsmen and this must be proved otherwise.

    ‘If the government fails to respond appropriately on this Jos killing , the nation may be driven into a situation where every citizen will fend security for themselves and this could spell doom” he said.

    According to him, it is a good thing that Vice President Osibajo visited to commiserate and have first hand knowlege but it would have been more appropriate for the President to personally visit as he did to Bauchi recently.

    Sani admonished all Nigerians to condemn the act as barbaric and genocidal doing everything possible to help this government that appear clueless and helpless.

    At ADP we commiserate with the People of Jos and admonish the government of Plateau State to be proactive with security in the State and not play politics with the lives of the people.

    On his part, Chief Okorie said “We are saddened beyond description by the recent massive destruction of lives and property of the people of Plateau State by bands of Fulani insurgents in a well-coordinated mayhem.

    This is one attack too many. This particular attack has attained the proportion of a genocide
    which has put Nigeria on the world map for reasons we should all be ashamed of.

    “We fervently urge President Muhammadu Buhari to pay urgent attention to the security architecture of Nigeria.

    We urge the Nigeria Police, especially the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to deploy the same technology that he has used to crack recent armed robbery and kidnapping criminal activities where the perpetrators escaped and within a short time most of them were rounded up with the use of modern technology of which the general public has applauded the Police.

    Read Also: Plateau killings: Buhari calls for peace

    “We believe that these terrorists communicate among themselves and with their sponsors within and outside Nigeria. It is therefore unacceptable that the Police Force that has been equipped with modern technology has not been able to make any significant breakthrough or made arrest of these blood hounds who have made life so short and brutish in many parts of Nigeria.

    “If no urgent steps are taken to check the activities of the insurgents, the political campaigns leading to the much expected 2019 general elections may be seriously jeopardized as no meaningful campaign can take place in volatile and dangerous environment, including the fact that very low and poor voter turnout will be expected in the areas that are unsafe.

    “Such eventuality will not only constitute a major setback to the consolidation and growth of our democratic process, it will also be a major minus to the improved number of registered voters so far recorded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who are looking forward to participating in the 2019 general elections in an unfettered and safe environment.”

  • Killings: Buhari to put more pressure on security chiefs

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday promised to put more pressure on security chiefs to stop the spate of killings in the land.

    Speaking at an interactive session with stakeholders in Jos, the Plateau State capital, in the aftermath of the killings in some communities, the President urged traditional and community leaders to complement the government’s efforts by persuading their constituencies to tolerate one another for peace and unity.

    In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said: ‘‘I will continue to pressurise members of the law enforcement agencies directly under me by the Constitution as the Commander-in-Chief. About eight days ago, we had five hours security meeting of the Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police.

    ‘‘What happened here in Jos is very bad. The question of leadership, from your household to whatever you are, is justice. The bottom line is justice.

    ‘‘That is why wherever I go, I will always appeal to the leadership of the communities, the law enforcement agencies to always have control of their constituencies.’’

    Condemning the bloodletting, which left scores dead, Buhari, who was accompanied to the meeting by Governor Simon Lalong and his counterparts from Kebbi and Niger, condoled with the victims’ families, the government and people of the state, and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

    The President also used the interactive session attended by traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, representatives of youth, women and trade union groups, security chiefs and some top government officials to appeal to Nigerians to avoid inflammatory utterances that endanger peace or promote conflicts.

    He said: “Whatever is being given to the media, we have to be very responsible about it.

    ‘‘Take, for instance, the situation in Benue. The Benue subsistence farmer knows that the Nigerian cattle herder that he knows doesn’t carry nothing more than a stick, occasionally, sometimes something to cut grass to feed his cattle.

    ‘‘But the present herder, I am told, carries AK47 and people are even blaming me for not talking to them because maybe (they say) I look like one of them.

    ‘‘There is some injustice in these aspersions,’’ Buhari said.

    “It is noteworthy that many Nigerians still acknowledge that despite the security challenges, this administration has made notable successes in the security sector,” the President said.

    Lalong blamed parties in the conflict for reneging on their agreement to maintain the peace, leading to the recent upsurge in violence, after nearly three years of calm.

    ‘‘We are concerned as a state that the sophisticated weapons used in these attacks, from the evidence on the ground and the narrations of victims, are not those conventional to our environment for self defence but reflective of a terrorist invasion.

    ‘‘It, therefore, demands a justified response like that which was undertaken to address the Boko Haram insurgency,’’ he said.

    The governor also requested that given the number of villages ravaged in the violence, the Federal Government should establish an Emergency Special Intervention Fund to help reconstruct the destroyed communities.

    President Buhari also listened to the presentations and recommendations made by Alhaji Nura Abdullahi, State Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Mrs Florence Jambol, a representative of the Berom community, on engendering peace in the communities.

  • Buhari to Security Chiefs: Nigerians lives, property must be protected

    President Muhammadu Buhari has directed security chiefs in the country to remain vigilant and ensure the protection of lives and property in the country.

    The president gave the directive in Jos, Plateau, on Tuesday at an interactive session with stakeholders in the aftermath of the recent killings in some communities in the state.

    Buhari urged traditional and community leaders to complement government efforts by persuading their constituencies to tolerate one another for peace and unity in the country.

    “I will continue to pressurise members of the law enforcement agencies directly under me by the Constitution as the Commander-in Chief. About eight days ago, we had five hours security meeting of the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police.

    “What happened here in Jos is very bad. The question of leadership, from your household to whatever you are, is justice. The bottom line is justice.

    “That is why wherever I go, I will always appeal to the leadership of the communities, the law enforcement agencies to always have control of their constituencies,’’ he said.

    While condemning the latest clashes in Plateau, which left scores dead, Buhari, who was accompanied to the meeting by Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau and his counterparts from Kebbi and Niger States, condoled with the affected families, the Government and people of the state.

    The president, who also wished those injured a speedy recovery, used the interactive session to appeal to Nigerians to avoid inflammatory utterances that endanger peace or promote conflicts.

    He said: “Whatever is being given to the media, we have to be very responsible about it.

    “Take for instance the situation in Benue. The Benue subsistence farmer knows that the Nigerian cattle herder that he knows doesn’t carry nothing more than a stick, occasionally sometimes something to cut grass to feed his cattle.

    “But the present herder, I am told, carries AK47 and people are even blaming me for not talking to them because maybe (they say) I look like one of them.

    “There is some injustice in these aspersions.’’

    According to him, many Nigerians still acknowledge that despite the security challenges, the All Progressives Congress-led administration has made notable successes in the security sector.

    Lalong had earlier blamed parties in the conflict in the state for reneging on their agreement to maintain peace, leading to the recent upsurge in violence, after nearly three years of calm and normalcy.

    “We are concerned as a State that the sophisticated weapons used in these attacks, from the evidences on the ground and the narrations of victims, are not those conventional to our environment for self-defence but reflective of a terrorist invasion.

    “It, therefore, demands a justified response like that which was undertaken to address the Boko Haram insurgency,’’ he said.

    The governor also requested that given the number of villages completely ravaged in the violence, the Federal Government should establish an Emergency Special Intervention Fund to help reconstruct the destroyed communities.

    Buhari also carefully listened to the presentations and recommendations made by Alhaji Nura Abdullahi, State Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), and Mrs Florence Jambol, a representative of the Berom community in Plateau, on engendering peace in the communities.

    The interactive session was attended by traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, representatives of youths, women and trade union groups, security chiefs and some top government officials. (NAN)