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Tag: Fayemi

  • Fayemi mourns APC chieftain Olofin

    Fayemi mourns APC chieftain Olofin

    The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has condoled with the family of the late Gbenga Olofin, the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Ekiti Central.

    Fayemi, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Yinka Oyebode, described Olofin’s death as “deeply shocking and saddening”.

    He described the late Olofin as a highly refined politician, loyal party man and a lover of peace, who loved and served his people passionately.

    Recalling his working relationship with the late senatorial candidate, Fayemi said Olofin was a politician of distinction, who had a clear vision and a huge sense of mission.

    “He was a man of conscience, character and courage, who played politics without bitterness,” Fayemi said.

    The minister added that Olofin’s death has robbed the party and indeed Ekiti State of a distinguished citizen, a patriot, whose only motivation in politics was service.

    “Ekiti State and the APC family would miss the contributions of this man of honour to the development of the state.

    “Olofin will be sorely missed. Our prayer is that God grants his family the fortitude to bear the loss,” he added.

  • Ekiti, Fayemi disagree over UBEC counterpart funds

    Ekiti, Fayemi disagree over UBEC counterpart funds

    The Ekiti State government has accused former Governor Kayode Fayemi of diverting N852.9 million State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) counterpart fund, which has denied the state access to N2.8 billion grant from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

    But Fayemi denied the allegation, saying “Governor Ayo Fayose’s financial recklessness and primitive approach to governance” should be blamed for UBEC’s sanction.

    A statement yesterday by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, quotes the SUBEB Chairman, Bode Ola, as saying that Ekiti has been blacklisted by UBEC from accessing matching grants for 2013, 2014 and 2015.

    Ola claimed that UBEC Deputy Executive Secretary, Yakubu Gambo, told the Senate Committee on Finance during budget defence that the N852.9million counterpart funds were spent for other purposes.

    Ola said: “N852, 936,713.92 was paid into the SUBEB Access Bank account on January 14, 2014 as counterpart fund for 2012 UBEC projects and on this premise, UBEC released its Matching Grant of N852, 936,793.12 on January 3, 2013.

    “On October 8, 2014, eight days to the end of Fayemi’s tenure, the same amount of N852, 936,713.92 was transferred from the account of

    SUBEB, leaving a sum of N9, 139,691.40 as credit balance in the account.

    “This was done without the knowledge and approval of UBEC and because of this misappropriation, UBEC blacklisted Ekiti State and this has made it impossible for us to access Matching Grant for 2013, 2014 and 2015.

    “UBEC, in a letter dated April 16, 2015, described the withdrawal as criminal act that violated Section 11(2) of UBE Act 2004 and conveyed its suspension of Ekiti State from accessing any further FGN-UBE Intervention Fund.

    Defending his integrity, Fayemi in a statement by his media aide, Olayinka Oyebode, said it was unfortunate that the Fayose administration would falsify discussions that took place on the floor of the National Assembly, all in the bid to justify its ineptitude.

    According to him, Gambo did not accuse the Fayemi administration of misappropriation of UBEC fund but gave details of development that led to UBEC’s decision to sanction the state.

    He explained that the administration had taken a bank loan to be able to make available its counterpart funding to access the UBEC fund.

    But the bank withdrew its money when Fayemi lost the 2014 governorship election for fear that the incoming government might not honour the terms of repayment.

    “The Fayose government is to blame for this. Its crude approach to governance careless utterances and verbal threats to financial institutions shortly after the June 21 , 2014 election made many banks to review their relationships with the state.

    “It will be recalled that Fayose had called bank chiefs to a meeting shortly after the election and warned them that he was not going to repay any loan entered with the then outgoing government.

    “This development, coupled with his antecedence as a highly misguided and mischievous ruler, had made many financial institutions, including the one in question, to review existing relationships.

    “While government is a continuum, the Fayose administration had carried on in the last one and half years as if it is an island and lord unto itself with no regard for institutions.

    “The issue of diversion does not occur, the bank simply withdrew its support because of the negative signal it got from the Fayose administration. So, Fayose should be blamed for everything.”

  • Fayemi’s wife launches blog today

    Abovewhispers.com, a blog for those who want to have a mature engagement online debuts today.

    The new blog  is aimed at middle-aged women. It  will provide an opportunity for people to engage in discussions about a range of issues, such as politics, social justice, development, financial security, women’s rights, health, entrepreneurship, popular culture, faith, parenting, relationships, and other relevant areas.

    Above Whispers is the initiative of Mrs. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, wife of former Ekiti State Governor and Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Mrs Fayemi said: “This is a unique platform to engage with people in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Women have stories to tell, of their struggles and  triumphs. These reflections will serve to inspire others. I also want this space to showcase some ways in which we build communities in Africa, particularly through our personal and collective philanthropy, stories that usually do not get told in the international media. I also see the blog as a place for learning and mentoring across generations”.

    The new blog will feature several prominent women as guest bloggers from within and outside Nigeria like Joke Silva, Betty Irabor, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Joe Okei-Odumakin, Kate Henshaw, Bimbo Fashola, Florence Ajimobi, Laila St Matthew Daniel, Janet Adetu and others.

  • Fayemi’s new solid mineral policy

    The recent announcement by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, while hosting the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Lagos State, Mr Wale Oluwo, that states can explore and exploit their minerals, may be in good faith, but he needs to do more, to give a fillip to the worthy aspiration. Indeed, this column had strongly canvassed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration must find a way to give the 36 anaemic states new economic opportunities in the face of the stranglehold of the provisions of the exclusive legislative list, in the 1999 Constitution, which regrettably concentrated all the major national economic opportunities in the Federal Government.

    The Minister has taken a bold initiative, albeit an administrative act, to help redirect the states back to productivity. Considering the limitations that his administrative fiat faces in confronting the constitutional and other legislative provisions, the Minister may have to draw up a national policy on how states can explorethe mineral deposits in their backyards, which would side step the constitutional and other legal impediments. The desirable template would be to effect a constitutional amendment, to return ownership of the mineral deposits, to the states; but that would be in the long run. For now, the safest means would be to ask states, interested in exploring minerals deposits in their states, as he inferred, to incorporate companies, which would approach the federal government for a mining licence, just like any other business enterprise.

    In such instance, the companies would have similar rights and privileges like any other company, under the companies act. But, that approach may not provide enough incentive to galvanise the states, most of which have suffered decades of lethargy, to return to productivity. Perhaps the Minister under a national mining policy, devoid of partisanship, can incentivise states to come forward with technical partners, to explore minerals in their respective states, and pay concessionary tax to the Federal Government. Part of the incentive may include, helping the states to raise funds for their share of their equity, as loans, and/or providing financial guarantees, for a loan, to enable their participation. Indeed, I had canvassed here, some time ago, that the federal government should give the so called bailout funds, only to states willing to become more productive.

    Such a national mining policy, should provide legal guarantees to safe guard the investment by the states, from a belligerent Federal Government, which may decide to wield the stick, where a state makes a huge success of this new policy. While such a policy cannot amend the law, a contractual obligation would enable a maltreated state to seek redress and obtain damages, against such an unlawful federal intervention. Indeed, a transparent national policy would make abundantly clear, the procedure and process for participation, by any willing state. Furthermore, such a policy could allow any state, granted a licence over the mineral exploration,in the state, to sub-let part of their mining licence, to several companies, as long as they have an equity in the business.

    The honourable minister will have to contend with the political backlashes and fallouts in his noble attempt to help our economically beleaguered nation return to productivity. The Minister must also navigate the legal limitations on delegation of power, and contention between centralists and federalists in the present government.

     

  • Fayemi warns Lagos against indiscriminate dredging

    Fayemi warns Lagos against indiscriminate dredging

    Minister of Solid Minerals Kayode Fayemi has warned the Lagos State government against the indiscriminate dredging of sand, which he says has negative effects on the environment.

    Fayemi spoke of the Federal Government’s (FG) willingness to partner with the state. He said the most appropriate modalities that will be mutually beneficial to both governments would be worked out.

    The minister advised the state on adopting coal as a source of energy, which according to him, is the cheapest source of energy which major players are adapting to.

    He spoke yesterday in Abuja when he received the Lagos State Commissioner for Power, Oil and Gas and Solid Minerals, Olawale Oluwo.

    Fayemi said: “There is no way we are going to succeed in solid minerals development if there is no partnership between the Federal Government and states, mineral exploitation is exclusive for the Federal Government but the reality is land ownership is also exclusive to the state to that extent we need to work out the most appropriate manner in which mutual benefit will be guaranteed to those involved.

    “One thing that I want to mention that should be of interest to you as it is to us is the indiscriminate mining and dredging that takes place in your state and the effect of it particularly on development and the mineral resource.

    “People just dredge in Lagos and its environs without any attention being paid to what the mining and mineral act says. Lagos may pay attention to what taxes they want from those who are dredging but I am not sure you are paying enough attention to what the mining and mineral act says as far as dredging is concerned. “We will want to work with you and our own inland water ways and government institutions to address the issue, we need to work together to see how best to address it because it affects the environment.

    “What I am curious about in the aspect of power is your sources of power generation but we are interested in coal to power generation because it is one of our own energy minerals and given the fact that it is one of the cheapest source of power right now and I know that many of the major players are converting to coal.”

    Oluwo told the Minister that Lagos is determined to ensure 24-hour power supply in the state and is working with other relevant agencies, including exploring waste to energy initiatives.

     

  • Fayemi: Fayose running trial-and-error govt

    Fayemi: Fayose running trial-and-error govt

    •Minister exonerates Buhari from military probe
    •’Local govt election can’t stand’

    President Muhammadu Buhari has no hand in the military enquiry into the alleged use of soldiers to manipulate the June 21, 2014, governorship election in Ekiti State, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Kayode Fayemi has said.

    The ex-governor said the decision to probe soldiers’ conduct was taken by the Military High Command and not by Buhari, as alleged by Governor Ayo Fayose in Lagos.

    The minister, who spoke on ADABA 88.9 FM, Akure, on Saturday, described Fayose’s allegation that Buhari was planning to unseat him with the military probe as the “eruption of an infantile mind”.

    Assessing developments in his home state, Fayemi said Fayose runs a “trial-and-error government” and a “government of lottery”, noting that his successor never prepared for governance, hence the alleged “reduction of governance to comedy” in Ekiti.

    The minister also said the last local government election would not stand legal scrutiny, as his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has gone to the Court of Appeal to seek the nullification of the poll.

    He appealed to the people to be patient, assuring them that things would soon be better.

    Fayemi said Ekiti people had  seen the “insensitivity” of the Fayose administration in the imposition of taxes and the governor leading a task force to harass traders and seize their goods.

    Reacting to Fayose’s claim that the military Board of Enquiry probe was targeted at him (Fayose), the former governor said the erring soldiers were not being probed on their involvement in Ekiti election alone but in other states, such as Osun, Rivers and Abia.

    Fayemi said: “The (Fayose’s) allegation is rubbish and so typical of the governor to reduce everything to his own imagination. To the best of my knowledge, President Buhari is no longer a military ruler.

    “But if the military, in its wisdom, decides to investigate the role of soldiers in elections in Osun, Ekiti, Rivers and Abia, what has that got to do with President Buhari or the Federal Executive Council?

    “He (Fayose) is only trying to draw attention to himself, he wants a response and nobody has responded to him either at party level or governmental level.

    “This is the eruption of an infantile mind. We don’t want to dignify him with any response on what he has been saying about President Buhari.”

    The minister said Fayose’s accusation that he (Fayemi) left a “huge debt” behind has been refuted by the pronouncement from the Debt Management Office (DMO) that Ekiti’s debt stands at N18 billion; contrary to the N85 billion and N125 billion being peddled by the incumbent governor.

    He said since he left office over a year ago, he had never been invited by any anti-corruption agency to answer for any mismanagement of public funds, which is a proof that he ran a transparent government during his tenure.

    “If the Fayose administration has been entertaining the public and deluding itself with bogus figures, it is left to it. I served Ekiti to the best of my ability and my record speaks for me. For those who claim that I didn’t do anything, I have put Ekiti behind me,” he said.

    On the outrage over taxes imposed by the Fayose administration, Fayemi said there was nothing bad about taxation but the interest of the people must be put into consideration and there should be an interface with them before such an action is taken.

    Fayemi said the governor re-introduced the Social Security Scheme of giving N5,000 to 10,000 people in the Appropriation Bill and wondeed why his was scrapped.

    Speaking on the situation of the APC in Ekiti, Fayemi said he was interested in pursuing unity and ensuring that the party waxes stronger everyday. He stressed that there were no factions but interest groups working to restore the party back to power.

    Fayemi explained that the unity within the party was brought to the fore by the agreement of leaders and members not to participate in the last council election and to challenge the composition of the state electoral agency in court.

    The former governor described the election of the council administrators as “an illegality, which will not be allowed to stand”.

    He noted that Nigerians would soon reap the change promised by the APC-led Federal Government.

     

  • 2016 budget targeted at improving lives, says Fayemi

    2016 budget targeted at improving lives, says Fayemi

    •Minister laments neglect of solid minerals
    •’Only N352m released to ministry in 2015’

    Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr. Kayode Fayemi has explained that the 2016 budget presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari is aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians and to breathe life into the economy.

    He said the budget would be implemented to the letter and pursued with passion to better the people’s standard of living and execute the change agenda promised by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.

    Fayemi spoke yesterday at his hometown, Isan Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area  during his yearly Christmas/end of the year get-together for the party’s members.

    A thanksgiving service was held at St. Martin’s Catholic Church and attended by many officials who served under him as Ekiti State governor, leaders and members of APC, traditional rulers, religious and community leaders.

    Defending the 2016 Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly, Fayemi said the N6.08 trillion budget proposal was not bogus as claimed by some opposition figures.

    Rather, he said it was carefully prepared to strengthen the economy, address the collapse of infrastructure and create jobs for Nigerians.

    He explained that the budget was also aimed at weaning Nigeria from over dependence and focusing on non-oil sectors as solid minerals, agriculture and tourism to drive the economy.

    The former Ekiti governor identified solid minerals sector as a catalyst to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria, noting that the long-term neglect of the rich mineral deposits hurt the economy, hence the need to harness them to generate more foreign exchange into the nation’s coffers.

    Fayemi said: “The budget presented by President Buhari has a focus and the focus is to improve the well-being of Nigerians and improve on the infrastructural facilities across the nation.

    “So, what we need now is to prove our mettle by being innovative and creative. We need to work hard to actualise the focus of this budget and this will only be measured by the level of impacts we are able to make on the masses”.

    On the country’s enormous mineral potentials Fayemi said Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in cement production was enough to attest to the fact that the country was richly blessed.

    “Nigeria is well-endowed. Our self-sufficiency in limestone for production of cement, marble, ceramic and many others in terms of local consumption and export rate, one would know that Nigeria is endowed.

    “In my local community in Isan Ekiti here, we have clay and kaolin and that was why we are regarded as the pottery capital of Ekiti. But what have we achieved or done with this potential? And this endowment can be replicated a thousand folds across Nigeria.

    “In Ijero-Ekiti, there is feldspar, tantalite stone, kaolin and many others. Even just look at the stones across the country, if it is just to cut and polish and use as tiles, one cannot imagine the huge economic gains and the employment it will generate, let alone the export earnings that are involved.

    “We have been getting cheap money from oil and now the cheap money is gone. Now, we have to look inward and that was exactly what the budget is targeted to achieve.”

    Fayemi confirmed that only N352 million was released from the N1 billion allocated to the ministry in the 2015 budget.

    He said over the past five years, the capital allocation to the ministry and its agencies  had been less than N10 billion, which, he added, continually held back the development of the mining sector.

    Fayemi emphasised that Buhari was determined to diversify the economy and that the task of the ministry would be to remove any obstacle to the growth, including working with the National Assembly to receive the right budgetary provisions and ensuring expansion in bulk handling terminals.

    The minister, who spoke in a statement in Abuja, added that the approved Medium Term Expenditure Frame work (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) emphasised the place of the ministry in the country’s economic growth strategy.

    His words: “The global mining market is in turmoil as key sources of demand that supported prices over the past two decades have declined. As you may be aware, there is continuous global decline in prices of mining products, which has put mines and mining houses under tremendous pressure.

    “Funding has been a challenge partially because the sector had not been a focus area for both government and financial institutions. Over the past five years for example, the total capital allocation to the ministry and its agencies in the budget had been less than N10 billion and of the N1 billion allocated for 2015, only N352 million was released.”

  • Buhari has no hand in military probe of Ekitigate – Fayemi

    Buhari has no hand in military probe of Ekitigate – Fayemi

    The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has absolved President Muhammadu Buhari of involvement in the military inquiry into the alleged use of soldiers to manipulate the June 21, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State.

    Fayemi, said the decision to probe soldiers’ conduct during the election was taken by the military high command and not by Buhari as alleged by Governor Ayo Fayose during a recent press briefing in Lagos.

    Appearing on a special interview programme on ADABA 88.9 FM, Akure, monitored by our reporter on Saturday evening, Fayemi described Fayose’s allegation that Buhari was planning to unseat him with the military probe as an “eruption of an infantile mind.”

    The former Ekiti governor regretted that Fayose runs a “trial-and-error government” and a “government of lottery” noting that his successor never prepared for the serious business of governance hence the alleged “reduction of governance to comedy.”

    Fayemi also expressed confidence that the result of the last local government election in the state won’t stand the test of legal scrutiny as his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has gone to the Court of Appeal to seek the nullification of the council poll.

    He appealed to the people of the state to exercise patience under the alleged misrule and anti-people policies being forced down their throat by the Fayose regime, assuring that things will be better for them in the nearest future.

    He said all segments of Ekiti population have now seen the alleged insensitivity of the current government in the imposition of higher taxes and the governor personally leading task force to harass market women and seize their goods.

    Reacting to Fayose’s claim that the military probe of the alleged misuse of soldiers for electoral fraud was targeted at him (Fayose), Fayemi said the erring soldiers were not be probed on their involvement in Ekiti election alone but in other states like Osun, Rivers and Abia.

    He said: “The Fayose’s allegation is rubbish and so typical of him to reduce everything to his own imagination. To the best of my knowledge, President Buhari is no longer a military ruler.

    “But if the military in its wisdom decides to investigate the role of soldiers in elections in Osun, Ekiti, Rivers and Abia, what has that got to do with President Buhari or the Federal Executive Council?

    “He (Fayose) is only trying to draw attention to himself. He wants a response and nobody has responded to him either at party level or governmental level.

    “This is an eruption of an infantile mind, we don’t want to dignify him with any response on what he has been saying about President Buhari.”

  • Fayemi urges prayers for Nigeria at Christmas

    Fayemi urges prayers for Nigeria at Christmas

    THE Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr.  Kayode Fayemi, has congratulated Christians for witnessing Christmas. He urged them to work and pray for peace, as well as live peacefully with one another and others.

    Fayemi advised Nigerians to pray to God to bless the efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in ensuring development for the country.

    He said: “Christmas is a season to give and expect little in return; a time to preach peace and love; a time to forgive, live in harmony and seek the face of the King of Kings.”

    The minister, in his Christmas goodwill message signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode, said God used the birth of Jesus Christ to demonstrate His love for mankind.

    Fayemi said being alive to witness another Christmas should be seen as a privilege, considering the situation across the world. This, he said, called for celebration.

    The minister, however, advised Christians to celebrate in moderation and to devote time to appreciate God for His mercies and to reflect on the country, with a view to seeking God’s intervention.

    Noting that Jesus Christ lived up to his name as the “Prince of Peace”, he enjoined Nigerians, irrespective of religion, to toe the line of peace.

    Fayemi enjoined Christians to emulate Jesus Christ in word and deed, saying: “God has used Christmas to teach us the lessons of humility and that He has the power to do all things.”