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Tag: Engineer Babachir David Lawal

  • SGF assures FCT indigenes of political appointments

    SGF assures FCT indigenes of political appointments

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal, on Monday apologized to indigenes of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for their exclusion in Federal Government appointments made by the present administration, so far.

    He assured them that the omission is not deliberate and that the situation will be corrected during future appointments.

    He spoke while receiving His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Adamu Baba Yunusa (MFR), the Ona of Abaji and Chairman, FCT Council of Chiefs.

    In a statement by the Director (Press), Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Bolaji Adebiyi, he said that he will bring the omission to the attention of President Mohammadu Buhari.

    In his remarks, the Royal Highness specifically, complained about the exclusion of FCT indigenes in the reconstitution of the Governing Councils of Federal Universities, the composition of the Federal Executive Council and more recently, the nomination of non-career ambassadorial nominees.

    He called for the anomaly to be corrected since it contravenes certain provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Federal Character Commission that specifies that the FCT should be treated as if it were one of the states of Nigeria.

    The Ona also appealed to the SGF to use his good offices to carry the FCT along when political appointments are made.

  • FG to build ranches, grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen

    FG to build ranches, grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal, on Thursday said that the government was going ahead with decision to establish ranches and grazing reserves across the country as a solution to the incessant clashes between Fulani Cattle Rearers and Local Farmers.

    He made the remark while receiving a delegation of Tabital Pulako Njode Jam Foundation, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Abdul Bali, in Abuja.

    Lawal, in a statement by the Director (Press) in the office of the SGF, Bolaji Adebiyi, also noted that nomads from outside Nigeria have migrated into the country and have been the ones perpetuating most of the crimes on the farmlands.

    He assured that government will do the needful to enlighten Fulani Herdsmen on how to make cattle rearing more profitable by utilizing the ranches and reap other social and political benefits that such settlements will offer.

    The Foundation, he said, was set up to look into the problem of clashes between Fulani Cattle Rearers and Farmers.

    “The foundation, in its submissions, is also convinced that the nomads from other lands are responsible for the senseless killings on the farms and urged the government to strengthen control at our land borders. The foundation is ready to partner with government to bring the situation under control.” The statement said.

    In another development, the SGF assured the people of North-Eastern Nigeria that government agencies, responsible for the rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the region is not discriminating in the provision of relief materials to the various states.

    According to him, relief items were distributed with a deep sense of equity and fairness, as he emphasized that the severity of the hardships of the IDPs in the affected communities and states were the major consideration in the distribution exercise.

    The SGF made the clarification in his office when he received a delegation from another group, the Lardin Gabas Elders Forum led by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Captain Paul Tahir.

    He explained that rehabilitation efforts in the North-East, apart from the provision of foods items, tents and building materials, included the reconstruction of schools, hospitals, police stations and barracks.

    To streamline rehabilitation activities in the region, and accelerate the return of normal life to the North-Eastern States, he said that a Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative (PCNI) will soon be inaugurated by Mr. President.

    The Lardin Gabas Elders Forum was established as a reaction to the devastation that Boko Haram insurgency visited on the North-East Region.

    The Forum, according to the delegation, is ready to work with the federal government to ensure that succour is brought to victims of the insurgency.

    The forum also advocated the return of Christian Religious Studies to school curriculum to teach youths about good moral upbringing, early.

  • FG set to partner labour unions

    FG set to partner labour unions

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal, on Tuesday assured the leadership of Labour Unions that the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari is prepared to partner with the unions to achieve peace and security across the West African Sub-region and prosperity for all the citizens.

    He stated this in his office while receiving the President of the Organization of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA), Comrade Mademba Sock and his delegation.

    The SGF, in a statement by the Director (Press), Office of the SGF, Bolaji Adebiyi, commended the decision of OTUWA to relocate its headquarters to Abuja in Nigeria and observed that the proximity of the Union to the Economic Commission of West African States (ECOWAS) will enhance the anticipated and much desired cooperation with the regional body, which will impact positively on the activities of OTUWA.

    He also assured the delegation of the assistance of the Federal Government in settling down in Abuja, and urged the Executive Secretary, who is a Nigerian, to direct any request of the union through appropriate government channels.

    The President of the Union, in his remarks, said the Union, after many years of inactivity is now eager to contribute to the development and integration of the West African Sub-region so as to justify the dream and vision of the founding fathers of ECOWAS.

    He emphasized that the Union will partner with governments in West Africa to lead workers to transform the entire Sub-region and accelerate the socio-cultural, economic and political integration of the people of the Sub-region.

    To achieve this, Comrade Sock informed the SGF that the Union will hold from May 11 – 13, 2016, a Strategic Planning Workshop in Abuja to draw up a 5-Year Plan of Activities for OTUWA.

    The Workshop, according to him, is supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and participants are drawn from Labour Organizations in the Sub-region, across Africa and major global unions.

    The President of OTUWA seized the opportunity of the visit to solicit for the support of the Federal Government for its activities including the allocation of land for its permanent site/training institute.

     

  • FG receives 2015 Christian Pilgrims report

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal on Wednesday commended the Nigerian Christian Pilgrimage Commission (NCPC) for the innovations introduced by the body to fund its activities and inspire Nigerians who perform the Christian holy pilgrimage in 2015.

    He made the remarks while receiving the 2015 Report of the Commission in his office in Abuja.

    The SGF, in a statement by the Director (Press) in the office of the SGF, Bolaji Adebiyi, assured the body that government will do all within its powers to address the key challenges of the Commission and ensure that the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) signed with Israel becomes operational and that debts owed the Commission are recovered.

    He also noted with admiration the small size of the staff nominal roll of the Commission and declared that it will ensure that the recurrent expenditure of the Commission remains reasonable and that more funds are available for capital projects.

    Advising the Commission to ensure that it does not run foul of government policy on the Treasuring Single Account (TSA) despite its commercialization program, he urged the Commission to at all times, remain non-partisan in the discharge of its responsibilities.

    The Chairman of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrimage Commission, Reverend Nicolas Okoh, earlier, told the SGF that four pilgrimages were conducted in 2015, including the Easter, Youth, Family and Main Pilgrimages.

    According to him, during the pilgrimages, there was neither abscondment nor mishaps.

    The Executive Secretary, Mr. Kennedy Opara, in his comments confirmed that for the Main Pilgrimage, pilgrims, apart from visiting Israel, were also taken to Greece and Rome.

    He said youths who performed the pilgrimage were exposed to Skill Acquisition Programme in Agriculture to serve as additional incentive to perform the holy pilgrimage, as well as prepare them for employment.