The Nation Newspaper

Tag: BUHARI

  • Reps approve Buhari’s request for 15 Special Advisers

    Reps approve Buhari’s request for 15 Special Advisers

    The House of Representatives on Thursday approved the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint 15 Special Advisers.

    The motion for the approval was moved by the Leader of the House, Hon. Mulikat Akande- Adeola.

    In the motion titled: ” Appointment, renumeration, etc. of Special Advisers to the President Pursuant to Section 151 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended,” the leader noted that Section 151 (1) of the 1999 Constitution enables the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to appoint any person as Special Adviser to assist him in the discharge of his function.

    She added: “That section 151 (2) of the Constitution empowers the National Assembly to, either by law or by resolution, prescribe the number of such Special Advisers, their renumeration and allowances. The President has requested the National Assembly to approve 15 Special Advisers to assist him in the performance of his functions.

    Akande- Adeola noted that the National Assembly had previously approved renumeration and allowances for the Special Advisers of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    She therefore urged that the House “approve 15 Special Advisers for the President who shall be paid renumeration and allowances enjoyed by previous holders of the office.”

    The motion was passed without any debate after the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, called for a voice vote.

  • Buhari vows to track and destroy ‘evil’ Boko Haram

    Buhari vows to track and destroy ‘evil’ Boko Haram

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday vowed to destroy Boko Haram, saying “five years of the presence of the evil sect is enough”.

    He promised to “renew my commitment to track Boko Haram into a corner, to destroy it,” while speaking to reporters on the sideline of his visit to Niger Republic.

    It was his first official trip outside the country since taking the reins of power last Friday.

    Buhari was accompanied by some government officials, including governors, among them Borno State’s Kashim Shetttima.

    His mission to Niamey, which will also take him to Chad today, is to discuss how to tackle Boko Haram in coalition with the neigbouring countries.

    He also told reporters after talks with Niger’s President Issoufou Mahamadou, that the Nigerian Army which had earned a good reputation across the world, remains a virile fighting force.

    “I am four days in office today and we have already started the process of ending the insurgency,” he said.

    The Nigerian army will now take a bigger role in the effort to crush Boko Haram, by taking over from soldiers from Niger in occupying towns liberated from Boko Haram.

    Niger and Chad played a leading role earlier this year in driving the insurgents from Malam Fatori, Damasak and other Borno towns.

    Yesterday, Buhari said: “On the issue of the Niger military positioned in cities of Nigeria … I think in the next four weeks we will be able to replace them with Nigerian forces so they can return to their country,” he said.

    A new multinational force of 8,700 troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin to combat the insurgency in the Lake Chad region will become operational in the coming weeks, Niger’s President Issoufou added.

    Buhari said the other nations would provide weapons and help restore infrastructure destroyed by the insurgents. He also thanked Niger for hosting as many as 150,000 refugees who fled insecurity in Nigeria to Niger.

    “Niger is ready to finish with Boko Haram and protect its borders, its people and their property,” Issoufou said.

    The meeting between the two presidents lasted over five hours during which the on-going operations against Boko Haram were reviewed for better results, according to Mallam Garba Shehu, a Presidential spokesman.

    President Buhari said because of the peculiarities of terrorism, the movement of terrorists across borders and the unconventional nature of the war against terror, Nigeria will continue to seek the support of neighbouring countries in its bid to overcome Boko Haram.

    Nigeria, he said, would also require the assistance of other nations and multi-lateral institutions to rebuild areas that have been adversely affected by the Boko Haram insurgency and rehabilitate displaced persons.

    Buhari said: “Permit me also to acknowledge the consistency with which the government and people of Niger Republic have stood beside Nigeria under all circumstances. I would like to convey the appreciation of Nigeria for the sacrifices by Niger in the on-going efforts to counter the menace of the Boko Haram insurgency.

    “Niger Republic has over the years, proven to be a reliable ally to Nigeria both at bilateral and multilateral levels. It is our hope and aspiration that this special relationship would be further consolidated during my administration.

    “My administration will bring new impetus and a renewed commitment to the efforts to wipe out the menace of the Boko Haram insurgents. As a first step, we have directed the relocation of the command post of the counter-insurgency operations to Maiduguri until such a time that the insurgency is completely defeated.

    “Another issue of concern to us which is closely associated with the insurgency in the region is the influx of refugees and other displaced persons. We are aware that currently, there are over one hundred and fifty thousand displaced persons comprising refugees and returnees taking refuge in various parts of Niger.

    “Our administration will work closely with governments of the affected States to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the displaced persons and their host communities.

    “The ultimate objective however, remains to end the insurgency and facilitate their return to their homes.”

    Niger’s president added: “Your decision to move the military command of Nigeria to the North East has further strengthened our conviction that the war against terrorism will soon come to an end,”

    He also assured Buhari that Niger will continue to support Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram.

    The President will also travel to Germany for the meeting of G-7 World leaders slated for Sunday and Monday.

    Members of the G-7, comprising the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy, Japan and Germany invited President Buhari.

    The G-7 summit meeting will hold in German town Schloss Elmau, south of Munich.

    The theme for the summit is ‘Think Ahead. Act Together”. Key topics to be discussed include the global economy, foreign, security and development policy, as well as empowering self-employed women and women in vocational training, energy security, and the upcoming UN conferences on international climate protection and the post-2015 agenda. These issues are all of global medium- to long-term importance.

  • AI report contains disturbing allegations, says Buhari

    AI report contains disturbing allegations, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday acknowledged receipt of the Amnesty International report on Nigeria titled “Nigeria: Stories of horror in their own words.”

    Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity), Mallam Garba Shehu said in a statement in Niamey, Niger Republic that President Buhari had received the report which he says “contains many disturbing allegations”.

    According to Shehu, President Buhari assured that his administration will study the document and act appropriately.

    He quoted Buhari as saying: “I assure you that your report will be looked into. This administration will leave no stone unturned to promote the rule of law, and deal with all cases of human rights abuses.

    “Respect for human rights and adherence to the rule of law are the life and soul of the democratic system. We will not tolerate or condone impunity and reckless disregard for human rights.”

  • Senate approves 15 advisers for Buhari

    Senate approves 15 advisers for Buhari

    The Senate yesterday approved the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint 15 Special Advisers.

    Buhari had in line with Section 251(1) of the Constitution requested the approval of the Senate to engage 15 Special Advisers as prescribed in Section 151 (2 – 3) of the Constitution.

    Also, the Senate yesterday called for the review of the nation’s Foreign Policies to ensure greater respect for Nigeria in Africa.

    This resolution followed a motion on the “50 years of the Economic Community of West  Africa States (ECOWAS), sponsored by the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

    The motion to congratulate ECOWAS at 40 and to review Nigeria’s contribution to the sub-regional body was co-sponsored by members of the Nigerian National Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament from the Senate.

    Ekweremadu lamented that Nigeria used to have a permanent position as the commissioner of finance and administration but has lost the position to Sierra Leone for no genuine reasons and “I believe that this thing needs to be restored.”

    He added: “As it is today, Nigeria cannot even produce the President of the Commission. Nigeria admitted to a protocol that as long as we host ECOWAS institutions are here.

    “We cannot produce the headship of this institution which is not correct because United States still produce the headship of IMF and World Bank and influence those that take over those positions whenever they become vacant.

    “Nigeria over the years has not shown keen interest in the management of the funds of ECOWAS although she is the biggest contributor.”

    Senate President David Mark in his contribution said it was unacceptable for other countries not to give Nigeria her right of place in the ECOWAS Commission.

    He added that it was time for the nation to review her foreign policy in relation to ECOWAS now that some of the members have chosen to take the country for granted.

    Mark said: “Clearly there is a problem with our foreign policy and I think we do need to review it. Not reviewing it in terms of Africa being the piece of our foreign policy but  at least in the implementation stage.

    “I think we have not put in enough energy and determination to implement the foreign policy, the way we have articulated it on pages of papers.

    “It is a shame that if we conceded truly that because we have the headship, we cannot then get any other commissioner.

    “That will be a big shame because if we conceded that then we must do a proper thinking on it because it is unacceptable.

    “The fact that the headquarters is here is an additional burden on us if anything else and we should be duly compensated for that.

    “It should not be used against us because  we pay a lot of bills, electricity bill, water bill, painting the wall and other things, so we are contributing so much.

    “As a big brother they should give us the due respect. We have been careful not to oppress the other countries in the subregion but we shouldn’t be taken for granted and they ride high on us and do what they want.”

  • APC elders to Buhari, governors: cut your allowances

    APC elders to Buhari, governors: cut your allowances

    THE Elders Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the 36 state governors to reduce their security votes and other allowances.

    It advocated a lean cabinet and minimal appointment of officials for the new government to have a clean break from the past that encouraged waste.

    The body also advised the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to reduce the allowances and salaries of political office holders.

    Its Publicity Secretary, Dr. Bayo Orire, said the body applauded the decision of Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai and Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar to reduce their salaries by 50 per cent.

    But the party elders urged them and other state chief executives to reduce their security votes and other allowances.

    Orire added that Ekiti APC Elders Forum is concerned with the failure of many states to pay salaries of civil servants, urging them to devise means to clear arrears owed workers.

    He described the security votes and other allowances of political office holders as “obnoxious, scandalous and unsustainable” in the face of present economic realities.

    He contended that the overheads used to service the executive and legislative arms at the federal level are too high, hence the need to review them downwards to allow Buhari to deliver on his electoral promises.

  • Letter to Buhari

    Dear President Muhammadu Buhari, congratulations on your election and inauguration last Friday.  The entire process has renewed the hope of Nigerians that our country can really work.  You see, we have been pessimistic for a long time.  You cannot blame us.  It is because we have been disappointed again and again by past leaders.

    But right now, we are more optimistic that things can actually change – that we can see the Nigeria of our dreams come to pass in the present dispensation – in our lifetime.

    Sir, we know the task ahead is herculean.  However, we are counting on you to lead the change – give the direction we should go.  If this means we need to climb mountains, swim through swift rivers, and endure storms, it would be bearable with you leading from the front.

    All areas of national life are important, we know.  But we want you to take special interest in the education sector.  This is because we need education to develop as a nation.  And it is not just about spending years in school with little to show for it; it is about quality education available to the average Nigerian – not a privileged few who can afford it.

    This highlights the need for our public schools to be revamped.  The private sector must be commended for rising to the occasion in the delivery of high quality education (though not always) when successive governments neglected public schools.  However, the neglect of public education should not continue.  More recently, at least since the return of democracy to Nigeria, there have been efforts to revitalize public education.  But it has not had a blanket effect across the country.

    The need is great.  But that should not discourage you.  It can be addressed if funds are judiciously utilized.  While more funds should be devoted to education, it is also important that whatever is appropriated should be well monitored to ensure it delivers.  If this happen, we will have better school infrastructure, classroom and teacher furniture and laboratory and ICT equipment in our public schools.  We cannot celebrate success if only a few of our young population in school achieve the required learning outcomes.  It is when the average pupil/student – irrespective of socio-economic, religious or ethnic backgrounds – excels that we can indeed claim success.

    Sir, another aspect in need of serious attention is teacher training. Something urgently needs to be done to boost the quality of our teachers and motivate them to remain in the profession. We need a template that can identify cerebral and passionate teachers and professionals who are not morally deficient to man our schools. The template should motivate students to study education in school.  They should not feel inferior about their choice to teach.  It should also include how to retain them.  They must be respected.  To be respected, teachers must be well paid, get opportunities for further training, and recognised for their efforts and expertise when it comes to appointments.

    Your Excellency, perhaps you should also consider the agitation of private universities to benefit from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The argument against their inclusion is that as private entities they charge high fees above what the average Nigerians can afford, so make profit. But they counter argue that since TETFund is funded by the private sector (two percent of the accessible profit of private companies), they deserve to benefit from the grant – especially as many of the students attending private universities are wards of the taxpayers that contribute to the fund. Moreover, as education is a social service, they insist they are supporting the government to offer education to Nigerians.

    We would want to reason for their inclusion from another angle. Even public school administrators argue that education is capital intensive so private schools must charge ‘high’ fees at the tertiary level. The Vice Chancellor of the Joseph Ayo Babalola University once told us that it cost about N800,000 to educate an undergraduate per session. Yet, many private universities do not charge that much. This notwithstanding, not many Nigerians can afford the average of N400,000 that they charge. As a result, many private universities are unable to enroll enough students up to their carrying capacity. Yet, yearly, about one million qualified candidates cannot get into the university because of limited spaces in public schools. What the government can do, Sir, is to allow TETFund to offer scholarships to indigent students to enroll in private universities to expand access to university education.

    TETFund has a template that has worked with public tertiary institutions that ensures that funds are not misappropriated. We trust that the agency can evolve a foolproof process to ensure that students who claim these scholarships into private universities really need them.

    Sir, as the writer of this column, I have taken the liberty to use the pronoun, we, hoping that I am speaking the minds of many Nigerians.

    We wish you the best in your efforts to revive our dear country.

  • Don urges Buhari to prioritise education

    Chairman, Director of Part-Time Programmes, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Prof Gbade Oyediran has called on the Muhammadu Buhari administration and various state governments in the country to prioritise education.

    Oyediran told The Nation in an interview that doing so could promote peace, a major challenge the governments are battling with in the country today.

    The Osogbo-born Professor of Soil Science, who decried the neglect suffered by the education sector in the hands of successive governments, said unless it is addressed the promise to restore peace in the country might be nothing more than a ruse.

    “Any nation that places no premium on the education of its youth cannot go far. Education enlightens the mind and gives direction. It is no more news that poor funding of education is what is responsible for most of the strike actions in our higher institutions.

    “Sequel to this, a vast majority of our youth is left idle and readily available for use in unwholesome activities that plug the society into chaos and violence,” he said.

    Oyediran, who has also served as Dean of Student Affairs, also called on parents to complement the efforts of the government by monitoring their wards while in school, and even pay occasional surprise visits to them in the hostel.  He said it was necessary because many students behave strangely and dangerously once away from home.

    He disagreed with the popular notion that the standard of education in the country is falling, saying rather than falling, the standard remains intact. According to him, it is the products that have problem due to mass production, adding that with proper funding there would be provision of infrastructure such that the international standard of one lecturer to 30 students could be adopted in the country.

  • PENGASSAN urges Buhari to support oil workers training

    PENGASSAN urges Buhari to support oil workers training

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to support the workers in the oil and gas industry for training, research and development in all aspects of petroleum operations and technology to enhance the acquisition of skills and foster competitiveness.

    The oil workers’ union has also called for effective utilisation of the seismic data and other discoveries made under the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) research partnerships as well as the exploration of values created by the PTDF trained scholars to augment the industry’s skills/expertise gap.

    PENGASSAN’s President, Comrade Francis Johnson made the call in Lagos while briefing reporters.

    He said: “We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to aggressively support the workers in the oil and gas industry to deepen training, research and development in all aspects of petroleum operations and technology to enhance the acquisition of skillset/expertise and foster competitiveness because the key driver of any industrial and economic growth is Research and Development.

    “The need to continuously train oil workers and improve on research and development is one of the most important factors that will cause the effective drive which will make the oil sector accomplish optimal performance”.

    According him, the PTDF has also done extensive research which led to the development and patenting of Zeolite, a catalyst for the improved refining of heavy crudes, which is produced from local clay.

    “In view of the position of President Buhari on the need to resume exploration activities in the Chad Basin, we are aware that the PTDF has done extensive research on the chad basin from 2003 to date through one of its upgrade facilities at the University of Maiduguri on the “effect of volcanic and intrusive generation and accumulation of hydrocarbons in Nigeria’s flange of the Chad Basin,” he said.

  • Open letter to Buhari

    Dear President,

    My name is Habeeb Whyte and I have a responsibility, as a youth, to suggest a path deserved to be toed in taking decision that will affect the youth and the fate of our father land, especially at this moment when we have just ushered in a new era. You would agree with me that the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC), your party, in the last general elections can be said, without mincing words, to be the handiwork of the youth.

    As key players in the youth movement, some of us had been locked in battles with your predecessor before the formation of APC as a party to rescue us from the brink. I said this to buttress my claim that we knew what we bargained for and have our expectations from your administration.

    It should be said, the primary motivation for the involvement of the youth in the electioneering was not for pecuniary gains. Those who wanted money did not stay long before abandoning the struggle and joined parties where dollars rained. Therefore, it becomes necessary for me to lend my voice to the high expectations from the youth.

    It is true that expectations are very high, but I do not share in ‘miraculous change’ expectation. I believe in gradual change by I want you to know that there are some pressing issues affecting young people that must be addressed with sense of urgency.

    One of them is abuse of the youth energy. The reign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last 16 years saw the promotion of youth inducement and engagement for criminal venture. For jobless young people, the best way to make cool cash is to destroy lives of others. Politicians exploit waywardness of some misguided youths to commit ungodly acts.

    The nation is seen as a home to all forms of crimes and terror. Because nobody would like to bequeath a nation of monsters to the next generation, efforts should be made to pursue value orientation and psychological rehabilitation to enable these abused youths re-integrated back to the society.

    Another challenge is that, years of maladministration have made some youths to be hopeless in securing good jobs that would make them responsible citizens. Most have been compelled to seek way out through organised crimes. Youths have decided to depart from this because we cannot grow under these circumstances in a globalised world and be expected to compete with our peers from other nations. We do not want to inherit a nation that cannot stimulate pride in her citizens.

    There was already confusion about what needed to be done to right the wrongs in the system. Most people are already trapped in the ‘employment creation’ syndrome so much so that they are hopelessly expecting nothing other than job from the government. Ours is not a nation without jobs; but one with as many people without jobs and jobs without people. The youth have decided to work with the government to correct this narrative, because we did not want to inherit a nation consuming itself from within.

    Before the general elections, the nation was said to be sitting on flame as a result of possible religious or ethnic war. There was distrust and disunity among ethnic groups and between Muslims and Christians and this was fanned to the point of conflagration, with youths at the centre. Youths were used as evangelists or pseudo-ideologues of ethno-religious militias, preaching hatred and spewing venoms.

    This is the extent to which our society has sunk. We need to change the orientation of our youths and make them to cherish the values of hard work.

    You would bear witness sir, that the results of the presidential elections showed that the youth were all out to bring about the change. The social media campaigns were made possible by the youth. This shows that the youth wanted an end to challenges facing our nation.

    We expect you to cut down the cost of governance greatly. So, reforms in government structure and political appointments are expected.

    We expect that there would be recovery of loot from past leaders and investing the funds in education as proposed by you sir. We expect a gradual rebuilding of infrastructures and amenities in all sectors, including health, education, transportation, energy, sports, etc.

    Youth empowerment is key to development. We expect you to formulate and implement policies that will bring out positive potentials in the youth. While the long term objective should be paramount, there is the need for immediate sop to bring smiles on the faces of youths within the first year in office.

    I would suggest you introduce a student-friendly programme to reduce hardship on campuses by providing affordable services for students only.

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an area where the youth have found interests and committed great passion. Wise countries like Singapore have digital entrepreneurship strategies to keep youths busy, thereby turning their passion to a significant source of revenue. Nigeria accounts for over 10 million global internet presence. This implies we can make over N100 billion revenue yearly if half of the youth make just N50,000 each monthly. We only need creative approaches to explore our passion.

    I will say emphatically that the huge fund claimed to be committed to technological advancement and similar empowerment schemes are more than what is required to turn things around and make this to happen within months.

    Sir, if your government invests in digital entrepreneurship, it would empower millions of youths within the first six month. And it would turn in huge revenue. ICT industry alone, given the population of youth, will create millions of jobs within and drive in huge foreign exchange. I leave you with a mind full of hope and I believe you will not disappoint us.

     

    •Habeeb, is a Corps member, NYSC ABUJA

  • Students set agenda for Buhari

    Like many Nigerians, students are looking forward to President Muhammadu Buhari solving the nation’s problems urgently. To them, the best way he can succeed is by prioritising his programmes. IBRAHIM JATTO (Zoology) and HALIMAH AKANBI (300-Level Law, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto) report.

    I am for everybody and I am for nobody.” This is a quote from the inaugural speech of President Muhammadu Buhari last Friday after he took the oath of office.

    Going by the tone of his delivery,  it appears the change which the people are yearning for may have begun.

    Buhari, a former military Head of State, was sworn in as the fifth democratically-elected president. He defeated the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 28 election.

    Buhari’s second coming as leader is at a time of enormous challenges for the nation. The country has been battling Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast, high-level corruption, crumbling economy and infrastructure decay. At the twilight of the last administration, the problem was compounded by feul scarcity and drop in power supply.

    Although the Buhari administration has taken off, the challenges are yet to disappear. Given the widespread support enjoyed by Buhari, much is expected from him.

    How can the government endear itself to the people through its message of change? Students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, advised President Buhari to prioritise his programmes in the first 100 days.

    Ezekiel Efeobhokhan, a 400-Level Pharmacy student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), does not expect much from the president in the first 100 days. “President Buhari cannot solve all the nation’s challenges,” he said, adding: “He can only solve some of the problems at a time.”

    Ezekiel said he believed there would be change in the way the nation is run, going by the president’s courage and integrity.

    He added: “Within the first 100 days, I want President Buhari to restore rule of law in the polity and fish out rogues, who are milking the nation dry by stealing our crude oil. This may be somewhat a difficult task that may take longer time, but he should set the record.”

    Toyin Ali, a 300-Level Law student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), wants President Buhari to focus on youth and socio-economic development. He said: “He should also extend his scope of governance on to the other sectors of the economy to create employment opportunities. It is no news that the youth are suffering because of unemployment. He must keep to his promise of providing jobs for the willing youths. This should his topmost priority.”

    To Abdulrazaq Ahmed, a 300-Level Law student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), security should be the priority of the new government. Buhari, he said, should consider strengthening security agencies in counter-terrorism measures to contain insurgency in the Northeast. “If security challenge is solved in the first 100 days, this will set the pace for recovery in power and economy,” he said.

    Jamylah Yusuf, a 200-Level Law student of UDUS, said President Buhari must prioritise the rescue of the 219 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno State, last year. She said: “Expectations are high, but I want the president to rescue the Chibok girls and deal with shortfall in power supply. After this, he can now move to other sectors to effect changes.”

    Jennifer Umeh, a Mass Communication student of the Federal Polytechnic in Offa (OFFA POLY), Kwara State, said: “I expect the president to rejig the fight against corruption and reduce it to the barest minimum. This, I believe, will restore our pride and the values that past governments have dented.”

    Aminat Afolabi, a final year Chemistry student of UNILORIN, said the government should be concerned with the salaries of workers and gratuity of pensioners because “they are really going through hard times”.

    Kingsley Amatanweze, an Engineering graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), said: “I expect President Buhari to produce a workable roadmap for combating corruption, reduce the huge salaries of politicians and make the country work again.”