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Tag: BUHARI

Buhari boosts Ebola campaign with $1m

President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged $1 million (N230million) support to the ongoing efforts to rid the continent of the Ebola Virus Disease.

This is in addition to the earlier $3.5 million commitment made towards the sub-regional Ebola response initiative.

The donation, according to a statement issued by the Director, Press Relations, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Ayo Adesugba, was announced at the International Conference on Africa’s Fight against Ebola, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, Tuesday.

The President, who was represented by Mr. Linus Awute, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, said the latest donation was in the spirit of Africa helping Africans in the Ebola recovery and reconstruction drive.

Buhari also stressed that Nigeria is committed to up-scaling its efforts to rid the continent of Ebola scourge.

July 21, 2015
Privatization of gas, solid minerals, others will continue – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Washington DC, United States, assured that his administration will not go back on the ongoing privatization programme in the country.

Stressing that the government will embark on the exercise with improved moral architecture, the President said the privatization programme will be expanded to include other areas such as aviation, telecommunication, energy, gas, solid mineral, health and infrastructural development.

He spoke during a business forum organized by the U.S Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Council on Africa.

Buhari also challenged American Investors to take advantage of the liberal trade and investment climate to do profitable businesses in Nigeria.

He said: “It is my intention to create the necessary environment for future investment in Nigeria. We are the most populous nation with largest market in Africa with vast human and natural resources and blessed with abundant young and skilled workforce

“We are therefore a proud candidate to become the destination of choice for United States’ investments in Africa.

“I work assiduously to welcome new investors to ur country. I will like to remind you all that we are continuing in major privatization programme with sectors ranging from telecommunication, energy, gas, solid minerals, aviation, health and infrastructural development, but with improved moral architecture.

“We will also simplify visa procedures based on principle of reciprocity. May I therefore, seize this opportunity to formally invite the American business community to take advantage of our liberal trade and investment climate to do profitable business in Nigeria.”

He went on: “While I recognize the pivotal role of government in facilitating and promoting economic growth, the private sector must assume an increasing role as part of the engine of growth.

“We will welcome genuine investors who are willing to come to Nigeria for solid mineral exploitation.”

His administration, Buhari said, would fulfill its key campaign promises which included creation of employment opportunities for millions of Nigerian youths.

“Generating employment was one of my key campaign promises. I will do my best to keep this promise.

“There is no other way to expand economic opportunities and create employment opportunities for millions of our youths than boosting domestic manufacturing, undertaking infrastructural development and industrialization.

“Let me repeat, Nigeria will partner with genuine investors who are willing to join us to achieve our economic objective and at the same time realize handsome returns to recoup their investments

“There is more to Nigeria than oil. This is why I will continue to stress the need for increased United States investments in our non-oil sector.

“In this respect the present administration will be attentive to the needs of the business community and pursue policy that will strengthen the sectors that drive the growth,” the President added.

July 21, 2015
Obama renews U.S. support for anti-Boko Haram battle

•Buhari recalls U.S., EU backing for fair poll

President Barack Obama has renewed United States (U.S.) support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.

Obama spoke yesterday after hosting President Muhammadu Buhari at his Oval Office in Washington D.C., where he lauded his guest’s efforts at restoring “safety, security and peace” to Nigeria.

The U.S. President’s meeting with Buhari came less than eight weeks after Buhari assumed duty, underscoring the importance the U.S. attaches to good relations with Nigeria.

Obama had extended his invitation for a visit to Buhari almost immediately after he was declared the winner of the March 28 election.

Speaking after his meeting with Obama, President Buhari said Nigeria would be “ever grateful” to the U.S. for its support of free and credible elections in Nigeria, adding that the U.S.’s and the European Union’s (EU’s) pressure to ensure that the general elections on March 28 and April 11 were “fair and credible, led us to where we are now.”

Obama, who met with Buhari at the White House just days ahead of his trip to Kenya and Ethiopia, said Nigeria “is, obviously, one of the most important countries in the world.”

Speaking to reporters at the outset of the meeting, Obama said the U.S. hoped to partner with Nigeria “so that Nigeria ends up being not only an anchor of prosperity and stability in the western part of the continent, but can also be an outstanding role model for developing countries around the world.”

He said he would discuss with Buhari how the two nations can cooperate on counter-terrorism and how the U.S. “can be helpful in addressing some of the corruption issues that have held Nigeria back.”

Obama said Buhari, as President, has “a very clear agenda” to both contain the spread of militants and keep the Nigerian economy growing.

His words: “President Buhari comes into office with a reputation of integrity and a very clear agenda and that is to make sure that he is bringing safety, security and peace to this country.

“He (Buhari) is very concerned about the spread of Boko Haram and the violence that has taken place there and the atrocities that have taken place there and he has a very clear agenda of defeating Boko Haram and extremists of all sorts inside his country.

“And he has a very clear agenda with respect to rooting out the corruption that has too often held back the economic growth and prosperity of his country. On both these issues, we’re looking forward to hearing more about his plans and how the United States can partner with Nigeria.”

In what looked as an answer to some critics who felt the American President should have extended his tour of Kenya and Ethiopia scheduled for later this week, a U.S. official said President Buhari’ s U.S. trip was a better option.

The official, Grant Harris, a Senior Director for Africa for the National Security Council (NSC), said inviting President Buhari to the U.S. was a better option than a presidential trip to Nigeria, because it will allow the Nigerian president’s fledgling administration to meet with several top American officials.

Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser (NSA) Susan Rice were at Obama’s meeting with Buhari yesterday.

Besides, during his four-day visit, Buhari is scheduled to meet with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey, Attorney-General Loretta Lynch, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman among others.

“This feels to us like Nigeria is at an important moment in which there can be real reforms across the board,” Harris, had told reporters last week.

He added: “We’re looking forward to what we can do with a president who has staked out an agenda that we think is the right agenda at the right time.”

July 21, 2015
Why I won’t appoint ministers till September, by Buhari

Nigerians are to wait till September to know their ministers.

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday confirmed that ministers will not be appointed until September. He said the delay in naming members of the yet-to-be constituted Federal Executive Council (FEC) is to allow for critical reforms which will guide the conduct of the ministers when appointed.

President Buhari dropped the hint in an article published by the Washington Post. He said it will neither be prudent, nor serve the interest of sound government to have hastily made ministerial appointments immediately after coming into office without the necessary reforms.

Buhari, who criticised recent calls in some quarters about the slow pace of his administration said the task cannot be rushed, insisting that Nigeria must put new rules of conduct and good governance in place before making key appointments.

Buhari said: “When cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will be some months after I took the oath of office. It is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full cabinet in place for several months after first taking office; the United States (U.S.) did not cease to function in the interim.

“In Nigeria’s case, it would neither be prudent nor serve the interests of sound government to have made these appointments immediately on my elevation to the presidency; instead, Nigeria must first put new rules of conduct and good governance in place.”

The President who met with the U.S. President Barack Obama yesterday, stressed the importance of carrying out the critical reforms correctly before appointing ministers. He said it was also crucial to install correct leadership in the military and security services before fully taking the battle to Boko Haram.

He said: “There are too few examples in the history of Nigeria since independence where it can be said that good management and governance were instituted at a national level. This lack of a governance framework has allowed many of those in charge, devoid of any real checks and balances, to plunder.”

In the article which was published ahead of Buhari’s meeting with the U.S. President yesterday, Buhari said he would be seeking President Obama’s help in locating and returning about $150 billion looted funds.

“The fact that I now seek Obama’s assistance in locating and returning $150 billion in funds stolen in the past decade and held in foreign bank accounts on behalf of former corrupt officials is testament to how badly Nigeria has been run. This way of conducting our affairs cannot continue.”

He also blamed the inability of the previous government to defeat Boko haram on what he called the failure of governance.

He insisted that rules and good governance must be instilled in government, “installing officials who are experience and capable of managing state agencies and ministries; and third, seek to recover funds stolen under previous regimes so that this money can be invested in Nigeria for the benefit of all of our citizens.”

The President also revealed that Nigeria would seek the help of the U.S. in the fight against terrorism and corruption through the provision of the much-needed military training and intelligence. He spoke of plans to seek the increased investments from the US in the areas of energy and electricity.

While addressing issues around reforms and change, the President acknowledged that reforming Nigeria after many years of abuse cannot be achieved overnight, and therefore called for patience and support.

“I was elected on a platform of change. I know this is what the people of Nigeria desire more than anything else. I realise the world waits to see evidence that my administration will be different from all those that came before.

“Yet reforming my country after so many years of abuse cannot be achieved overnight. In our campaigns against both Boko Haram and corruption, we should remain steadfast and remember, as it is said ‘have patience. All things become difficult before they become easy.’

July 21, 2015
Biden to Buhari: military option alone can’t win terror war

United States (U.S.) Vice President Joe Biden yesterday urged the Federal Government to introduce socio-economic support programmes to its strategy against Boko Haram.

Biden offered the advice at a breakfast meeting to which he hosted President Muhammadu Buhari at his official resident .

Drawing experience from counter-terrorism battles, the U.S. Vice President said military option alone cannot guarantee victory.

The breakfast meeting afforded Biden opportunity to compare notes with Buhari on the terror war.

America had been beleaguered by terrorists, who launched massive attacks that killed thousands in the bombing of the twin tower World Trade Centre (WTC) on September 11, 2001, while Nigeria is battling the Boko Haram sect in the Northeast.

At the meeting, which held at the Naval Observatory, Biden shared with his guest what the U.S had learnt from the terror war and counselled that victory cannot come from military option alone.

“Military option must be combined with strong socio-economic support programmes” Biden said, promising that the U.S. will work with Nigeria in that direction.

He assured BUhari of the goodwill of the U.S. in rebuilding the Nigerian economy, but observed that corruption and weak institutions must be tackled, if Nigeria was to benefit from reforms.

He suggested that seasoned technocrats should manage key sectors of the Nigerian economy to attract investors.

Biden congratulated President Buhari on his victory at the March 28 election, adding that it was obvious that the President enjoys the confidence of the Nigerian people.

Responding, President Buhari thanked the U.S for standing by Nigeria in the run-up to the general elections early this year, noting that the visit of the Secretary of State John Kerry, was critical as it sent home the message that America would not brook the subversion of the people’s will.

On oil theft, the Nigerian President estimated losses at between $10 and $20 billion dollars, stressing that such income could have been deployed with salutary impact on various spheres of national life like education and healthcare.

July 21, 2015
‘ Buhari didn’t breach constitution on bailout’

Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikere Ekiti Branch Chairman Bunmi Olugbade has defended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving a financial bailout for states.

Olugbade, in a telephone chat with reporters in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, said Buhari did not breach the constitution as being alleged in some quarters in giving a financial lifeline to states, which were struggling to pay workers.

The NBA chief argued that the constitution empowered the president to act in emergency to meet the needs of Nigerians.

A member of the House of Representatives has gone to court to challenge Buhari’s financial bailout for states on the grounds that the action was unconstitutional.

Olugbade, a former member of Ekiti State House of Assembly, said Buhari was covered by Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which vested him with Executive powers to act in the interest of the nation.

But he acknowledged that Section 6 (6) of the 1999 Constitution allowed any Nigerian aggrieved with any government policy to to challenge such policy in court.

The lawyer said: “Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution stipulates that the Executive powers of the federation shall be vested in the President. And Buhari enjoys this privilege because Nigeria is a federating state and operates a presidential system.

“Under Section 13 of the 1999 Constitution, the government of the federation has statutory objectives to carry out state policies. Sections 16 and 17 even stated that the state shall protect the rights of the citizens.

“Section 16 ( 2 ) went further to say that the state shall direct its policy towards ensuring that its material resources are harnessed, managed and distributed for the good of the citizens.

“It is the social responsibility of government to ensure the provision of public assistance in deserving cases or other conditions of need.

“The combined effects of all these provisions lent credence to the fact that President Buhari has not breached the constitution. What he did was in the best interest of Nigeria and within the law.”

July 21, 2015
SOS to Buhari over planned demolition

Some indigenous residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) seeking to save their shops from demolition have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and keep the bulldozers away.

The residents, who were mainly youths, said there were “renewed moves” by the Federal Capital Development Authourity (FCDA) to pull down their shops in the Apo resettlement area.

They explained that the planned demolition will cut off their sources of livelihood and cripple the local economy, ultimately leading to multi-faceted crisis.

Comrade Daniel Vudabo, leader of the youths who gathered at the resettlement with intention of staging a peace protest, said that the shops in the area remained the indigenes only sources of income, since their farmlands have been taken away from them.

“We had no other choice, but to collect loans from community banks to build this shops, so that we can rent them out and use the money to cater for our families and send our children to schools. We do have any other source of income and now that the FCDA is coming to demolish our shops, we are confused.

“We were living comfortably at Garki village. We did not beg them to relocate us to this place, because in Garki we have our shops and farms, now that the government brought of us without any alternative sources of income, what do they want us to do?” he said.

Vudabo appealed to President Buhari to call the FCDA officials to order, so that the officials would not as a result of their selfish ambition, spoil the good works his government has started. We know President Buhari is a listening leader and he will hear our cry,” he said.

The President of Greater Gbagyi Development Initiatives (GG-DIN), Prince Gimba Gbaiza, described the actions of the FCDA officials as improper and wicked.

“If anything thing has to be done, they have to follow the right procedure of the ressetlement. If anybody wants to demolish our shops they have to write to us properly and not to act based on their selfish interest.

“We have the right to resist any demolition attempt, but we choose to give them the opportunity to explain to us why they want carry out the demolition and yet no concrete reason was given by the FCDA.

“We are victims of injustices done by the previous administration of the FCT and we have cried out to the government endlessly and nobody cares to listen to us. We will not stop in Mobolising ourselves if eventually the FCDA comes.

“Imagine, they took people’s houses, they could not give them better houses, they took one hectares of land belonging to one man and they gave him 50 by 50. Their farm lands where taking away without alternatives farm lands and when the people sort for an alternative way of income and you come with the bulldoze to demolish their shops, that is injustice,” he said.

July 21, 2015
Buhari sued for not appointing ministers

A lawyer and member of the 1995 Constitutional Conference Chief Anselem Eyo has sued President Muhammadu Buhari for not appointing ministers.

He is praying the court to hold that Buhari ought to appoint ministers on assumption on office as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution.

The plaintiff argued that it is illegal for Buhari to disburse funds from the Federation Account without the Federal Executive Council’s approval.

The President’s failure to appoint ministers till now, the lawyer said, is in direct violation of the Constitution.

Activist-lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa had also filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking to compel Buhari to appoint ministers.

Eyo is seeking an order of mandamus compelling the president “to carry out the responsibility imposed on him by Section 147 of the Constitution.”

He said the non-appointment of ministers since May 29 “has indeed impeded government functions in all the ministries particularly the Ministry of Justice where there is presently no Attorney-General of the Federation to discharge critical functions that cannot be howsoever delegated.”

In the suit filed at the Uyo division of the Federal High Court, the plaintiff said the absence of an AGF ”has created a conspicuous vacuum in the justice sector.”

According to him, the constitutional duties that are exercisable only by the AGF, including law enforcement and criminal justice administration, have been neglected.

The consequence, he said, is that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which seeks to speed-up trials is not being enforced, with innocent citizens languishing in custody across the country.

He added that the president has “arbitrarily been disbursing funds from the Federation Account without the approval of the Federal Executive Council as stipulated by law.”

ýBesides, he said President Buhari has been disbursing the usual monthly allocation to the federating units and “embarked upon other engagements involving the expenditure of resources including international travelling such as the G7 Conference in Germany and his visits to other African countries whereby crucial decisions have been taken and money expended arbitrarily without the concurrence of the Federal Executive Council.”

He alleged that the president’s (in)action breaches Sections 147(1), (2), (3); 148 and 150 of the 1999 Constitution.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu has granted the applicant leave to enable him apply for an order of mandamus compelling the respondent to execute the responsibility imposed on him by the Constitution.

Eyo was also granted leave to serve the president with all the processes in the suit.

The judge adjourned to October 12.

July 21, 2015
Governor hails Buhari over air chief

Governor of Bauchi State, Mhammed A. Abubakar

Chairman of Arewa Lawyers Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Mhammed A. Abubakar has praised President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of Air Vice Marshal Sadiq Abubakar as the Chief of Air Defence.

Gov. Abubakar said: “ The appointment reflects the sense of professionalism and leadership we found in him, and also demonstrates commitment to end the lingering insecurity crises in the North Eastern part of the Country.

A statement signed by the Director, Press Bauchi Government House, Ibrahim Sanni reads in part: “The Governor also congratulated the new Chief of Defence Staff AVM Sadiq Abubakar over the appointment and assured him of the people of the state will continue to follow him up in prayers for success in his new national assignment. “ He expressed confidence that the new Air Defence Chief would exhibit his wealth of experience and sense of discipline in his new assignment

July 21, 2015
Pilots, engineers plan proposal for Buhari

The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers ( NAAPE) plans to submit a proposal to President Muhammadu Buhari on how to fix sore points in the aviation sector, its General Secretary, Ocheme Aba, has said.

He said the proposal to the government would reflect the views of stakeholders on key civil aviation regulations, flight safety and security as well as protectionism and liberalisation of bilateral air services agreement .

Aba said the association decided to forward the position paper to the government to douse ongoing discordance of tunes coming from various aviation stakeholders .

He said :” Our resolve to send the position paper is coming

at a time when the new Federal administration is in the process of setting new agenda of reforms in all sectors of the economy.

”NAAPE considers this present state of animosity among various elements of the aviation family to be a dangerous trend which needs to be urgently arrested, less aviation misses this golden opportunity to take its rightful place as a driver of economic prosperity in Nigeria.

“It is, therefore, in a bid to provide a platform for the aviation family to muster together at this critical junction of our national life that NAAPE is organising an Aviation Stakeholders Forum which outcome will be a unified and unifying aviation agenda for the Buhari government.”

He further said :” It is pertinent to note that several other key stakeholders will equally present individual and group views for dissection at the forum.

“The synthesised views which will be presented to government will, therefore, be fully representative, encompassing, and will no doubt act as active ingredients for the rapid and sustainable growth of the aviation industry in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, NAAPE will today hold a stakeholders forum to discus myriad of challenges confronting the sector.

A former rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Captain Adebayo Araba will chair the forum .

A former of airworthiness standards engineer at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Patrick Ekunwe, will lead discussion with his paper titled : “ Bottlenecks , shortcomings and competences in Nigerian civil aviation regulations .

A retired air traffic controller , Sam Akerele, will discuss a paper titled:”Issues in Nigerian flight safety environment – An overview.”

While, Capt. Adeyemi Dare , a former staff of NCAA will examine the title: “ Liberalism Vsp Protectionism – Whither Nigerian national interest: An aviation sector perspective.”

July 21, 2015