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Tag: Fed Govt

  • Fed Govt to refund states for rehabilitated federal roads

    Fed Govt to refund states for rehabilitated federal roads

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has explained that his ministry will scrutinise federal road projects rehabilitated by states to ensure they meet up with standard before they can be considered for reimbursement.

    Fashola, who spoke in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, after inspection of the Abuja-Lokoja highway, said he was on his way to Geregu for a first hand assessment of a power plant.

    He added that he would inspect federal roads that were rehabilitated by Kogi State, for which claims were being made.

    His words: “We will also be looking at the roads that were done by the Governor Idris Wada administration for which they are making claims. So, we should be able to assess them whether they have been done to specifications that will qualify them for reimbursement.”

    On his assessment of the Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja highway, the minister said work was in progress.

    “We started with the Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja highway. Some progress has been made; work needs to be completed and same story for all sections, which is lack of funding and that is understandable because the 2015 budget made very little provisions for roads.

    “So, the 2016 budget, hopefully if passed, will be able to address some of these problems and get some of the contractors and workers back to site.”

     

  • Fed Govt hails U.S. for backing anti-graft war

    ‘Kerry’s comment encouraging’

    The Federal Government has hailed the United States’ (U.S.) for backing  President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption battle, describing it as an incentive to increase the pace.

    Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who said this yesterday, added that the support would encourage the push to achieve sustainable growth and development.

    He spoke in Lagos while reviewing the comments made by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

    The minister said the comment was timely, coming when some Nigerians dubbed the anti-corruption campaign of the Federal Government selective.

    His words: “The Federal Government is delighted that the anti-corruption war led by President Muhammadu Buhari has been acknowledged and applauded on a global stage.

    “It is particularly gratifying that Mr. Kerry made the link between corruption and terrorism. We agree that corruption is indeed a radicaliser because it destroys faith in legitimate authority. Let me remind you, gentlemen, that radicalisation is a key causative factor of terrorism.”

    Mohammed, who spoke during a media parley in Lagos, announced that he would kick-start a series of town hall meetings across the country to take the sensitisation campaign, which he launched in Abuja last Monday, to Nigerians.

    He added that he would include the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the relevant units of the Ministry of Information and Culture to reach every part of the country.

    Mohammed said the government was aware that “when you fight corruption, corruption fights back”.

    “We know that those who stole from us are powerful. They have newspapers, radio and television stations and an army of supporters to continuously deride the government’s war against corruption. But we are undaunted and will not relent until corruption is also decimated,’’ he said.

    Mohammed said corruption was responsible for the endemic poverty in the country today, noting that whereas Nigeria’s national budget increased from over N900 billion in 1999 to over N6 trillion in 2016, poverty also increased almost by the same proportion

    The minister added: “The reason is not far-fetched: Appropriated funds have mostly ended up in the pockets of a few looters.

    “When the money meant to build roads are looted, the end result is that the roads are not built and the people suffer and even die in avoidable road accidents. When the money meant to provide electricity is looted, we are perpetually sentenced to darkness. When the money meant for health care is pocketed by a few, we are unable to reduce maternal and infant mortality. These are the costs of corruption.’’

    He also made a comparative analysis of the number of beneficiaries from the arms deal scandal and the amount they collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2015 on one hand, and the list of projects and amount across the nation in the zonal Intervention project of 2015 Appropriation Act.

    “Whereas N51.829 billion was appropriated for 1,278 projects in the Zonal Intervention Projects for 2015, 21 individuals and companies benefited from the Dasukigate to the tune of N54.659 billion as we know so far. The implication is that the amount received by 21 individuals and companies is more than the 2015 Zonal Intervention Project budget by N2.829 billion!

    “Furthermore, the value of what beneficiaries of Dasukigate contributed to development is zero, compared to how the lives of Nigerians would have been transformed, poverty reduced and livelihoods improved by the Zonal Intervention Projects which – as we have shown – would have cost N2.829 billion less than Dasukigate,” the minister said.

    He said contrary to what was being said in certain circles that the government was dwelling too much on the war against corruption to the detriment of other areas of governance, enough time could not be devoted to the fight.

  • Fed Govt urged to review GES to boost farmers’ productivity

    Dry season farmers in Sokoto  State on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to review the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme to boost farmers’ productivity.

    The scheme, introduced by former President Goodluck Jonathan, relied on the use of mobile phone lines for the distribution of fertiliser, improved seeds and other farm inputs to farmers in the country.

    Under the scheme, agro-dealers were engaged for the distribution of the inputs across the country, while about 10 million GSM lines were registered for the scheme.

    A cross section of the farmers in the state said the scheme was the best ever used in the sale of the inputs at subsidised rate to farmers.

    A farmer at Takakume, Goronyo Local Government Area, Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu, said farmers received text messages directing them to collect the inputs at the nearest distribution point.

    “Registered farmers under the scheme are being allocated three bags of NPK and Urea fertilizer each, improved rice and maize seeds and chemicals at the cost of N9,000,’’ he said.

    Adamu said he was engaged in dry season farming for two decades, adding that a review of the scheme would go a long way to improve crop yield. He stressed the need to encourage more Nigerians to engage in farming activities.

    Another farmer at Falaliya village, Goronyo, Alhaji Hussaini Salisu, called on the government to provide more agricultural support services to farmers. “We are also appealing to the Federal Government to come to our aid by addressing the problem of perennial flooding at the falaliya old irrigation scheme,’’ he added.

    Salisu lamented that the area was renowned for the production of rice, cassava, sweet potatoes, water melon, garlic, sweet and hot pepper, among others.

    Malam Aliyu Chika of Yar-Rimawa fadama, Sokoto, however, called for the construction of more access roads in the fadama users’ areas of the state.

  • Fed Govt vows to stop further spread of disease

    Fed Govt vows to stop further spread of disease

    Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole has assured Nigerians that Lassa fever will be eradicated this year.

    He spoke to State House correspondents after witnessing the signing ceremony of the updated Abuja commitment on polio eradication at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The Federal Government, the minister said, would set up 10,000 Primary Health care Centres (PHCs) in the 109 senatorial districts to tackle the disease.

    He said the first 5,000 centres would be established this year, starting with Fika in Borno State, where the disease was first discovered.

    Adewole said: “We inaugurated a Lassa fever eradication committee, chaired by one of the foremost virologists in this country and we are committed to signing the obituary of the Lassa fever this year.

    “What we want to do is put across some innovative funding mechanisms, ability to manage and put to use 10,000 primary health care centres over the next two years. In the 100 days, we will launch 110 of these centres. We will start with Fika, where we had this outbreak.

    “We will do one per senatorial district of 109 to make 110 in 100 days. This year, we will do 5,000.”

    The minister said the country did not record a resurgence of Lassa fever.

    But he said the disease was endemic in Nigeria, stressing that this will be the first time the government is being transparent about the disease.

    Adewole denied that there were hidden cases in the past, but decried what he called a culture of silence in handling the case.

    “Not that they were hidden, but they were never brought to public knowledge. There is also what we can consider to be the culture of silence in some states. For example, we recognised Ebonyi State as one of the endemic states.

    “And since the outbreak, Ebonyi has not recorded a single case or report a single case. We despatched our surveillance team to Ebonyi and we discovered five cases,” he said.

    The minister debunked insinuations that the disease was being given less attention compared to the Ebola virus.

    “We cannot win the battle against Lassa fever the same way we won the one against Ebola. Ebola happened to be a single importation to Nigeria.

    “Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria. In 2012, we had an upsurge in 26 states. So, it is there. But I can assure you that with what we put in place this year, we will sign it off,” he said.

    On polio, the minister expressed happiness that no new case had been recorded in the last one year.

    But the minister, in a statement by his Director of Press, Mrs. Boade Akinola, said a committee on PHCs would be chaired by Prof. Michael Asuzu, a professor of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Ibadan. It has 11 members.

  • AfDB, Fed Govt in $300m loan deal

    The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Federal Government of Nigeria are planning for long-term solutions to youth employment in the agricultural sector. They will spend about US $300 million on the Enable Youth Empowerment Agribusiness Programme.

    The project is to be implemented in partnership (AfDB with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) within 18 months. “AfDB’s Director of Agriculture and Agroindustry, Chiji Ojukwu disclosed this information, recently in a top level meeting with Nigeria’s agricultural authorities, in Abuja”, The Nation reported.

    The scope and impact of this initiative would create 250,000 jobs; the beneficiaries would be trained at various incubation centres on all aspects of value chains, with each beneficiary of the project supported with about US $75,000.

    Ojukwu said the three-year project would enable training and funding of young graduates, who are interested in farming across the country. “A total of US $300 million would be accessed to cover the three year project which would bring young graduates together and train them for 18 months as entrepreneur farmers.”

    In a statement by the ministry’s Director of Information, Tony Ohaeri, the Agriculture Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh disclosed that the project would commence from the three Federal Universities of Agriculture in the country.

    “The initiative would create 250,000 jobs; the beneficiaries would be trained at various incubation centres on all aspects of value chains, with each beneficiary of the project supported with about US $75,000. The project would cover the 36 states including the FCT, while the Agricultural transformation Agenda (ATA) would be expanded through the processing zones.”

    The Minister, in his remark, emphasized the need for the three universities of agriculture in Umudike, Makurdi and Abeokuta respectively to revert back to the provisions of the Act that established them.

    Ogbeh advised the country to re-invent her own economic strategy to revive its economy. He stated that the strength of a nation lies in the population of the youth and expressed concern on the rate of youth unemployment in the country saying, “We need to take care of them before they take care of us.”

    He promised to collaborate with representatives of AfDB and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), who came to present him the concept note on the youth agriculture scheme.

    However, the Minister tasked IITA to intensify efforts towards researching into the conversion of cassava leaves into animal feeds, while some components of the Labour Intensive Family Enterprise (LIFE) of the ministry could be built into the youth empowerment initiative.

    IITA Director-General, Nterayana Saginga, called for a change in the mindset of the young graduates, saying that the IITA’s experiment in the past on young unemployed graduates revealed that they could make good turn over on their investments. He pledged the readiness of IITA to provide necessary support to the ministry.

  • Fed Govt to raise action team on Lassa fever

    Fed Govt to raise action team on Lassa fever

    •Doctors demand rapid response  

    •Lagos Speaker advises residents 

    Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole has called for an emergency National Council on Health meeting today, as  part of efforts at containing the outbreak of Lassa fever.

    The meeting will focus on how best to deal with the disease, which seems to be spreading fast.

    Health commissioners and chief medical directors (CMDs)/medical directors (MDs) of tertiary health facilities are expected to attend the meeting at the Rotunda Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    About 50 persons have died of the killer-disease in the country since its outbreak in August 2015. As at the weekend, more than half of the country had experienced an outbreak of the disease.

    The meeting, according to a statement by the ministry’s Director of Media/Public Relations, Mrs. Boade Akintola, will also witness the inauguration of the National Lassa Fever Action Committee.

    The minister blamed the failure of early notification for the high mortality rate recorded by the country.

    Prof. Adewole noted that it was failure of the notification system that made it impossible for the ministry to respond promptly to the situation in Niger State, reiterating that the Federal Government’s mission and mandate in the health sector was to keep Nigerians safe.

    Also yesterday, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) called on government to improve response mechanism to ensure rapid response to disease outbreaks.

    NARD’s President Dr. Muhammad Askira made the call at a news conference yesterday in Abuja.

    Askira said the disease had claimed 43 lives in 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    He decried the emergency response arrangement set up by the government to tackle outbreaks of disease.

    Askira said such outbreaks did not require ad hoc arrangements or committees, “rather, there should be a strategy to cushion the effect in any emergency or epidemic situation”.

    According to him, astrategy would reduce the death toll arising from such cases.

    He explained that there should be well structured strategies from the governments to ensure that prompt attention was given to such situations.

    “There should be on ground  well-structured strategic system from governments, from the primary health care level to tertiary health care, whereby the team is on alert for prompt and effective response to this type of epidemic.

    “We should not wait until there is an outbreak before we start rushing to address the epidemic.

    “This involves a lot of logistics, which comes from the society, health care providers and the government itself.

    “It can be in the form of financing, appropriate equipment and facilities, well and adequately trained manpower to handle suspected and confirmed cases, and so on.

    “So whenever these are not adequate or properly applied, we have pockets and periods of epidemic of this nature,’’ he said.

    On the death toll being higher than the case of Ebola, Askira said the rodent transmitting the virus was endemic, while Ebola was imported to the country.

    Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa yesterday appealed to Lagosians to keep their houses and surroundings clean and ensure they eat well-prepared food.

    Obasa’s admonition came on the heels of the confirmation of a reported case of Lassa fever infection in the state.

    The Speaker, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Musbau Rasak, urged Lagosians to remain calm since the state government has put its health workers on the alert.

    He added that the state also possessed the medical institutions and equipment to tackle the disease.

    Obasa urged doctors, nurses and other medical personnel to brace themselves for the challenge posed by the disease, noting that their swiftness in arresting the scourge would allay fears among the people.

    Also yesterday, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN) yesterday vowed to prevent spread of Lassa fever by ridding Lagos of rodents.

    Its Lagos chapter President, Samuel Akingbehin, said the exercise would begin tomorrow.

    The group said proactive and preventive actions were needed to be taken.

    “It is scientifically proven that these rodents harbour the Lassa fever virus and spread it by their body fluids on foodstuffs and food items, surfaces, beddings, clothing, furniture etc,” it said.

    The group said it would embark on daily environmental exercise on a “one local government per day basis with attention on markets, schools, and hospitals with a view to reducing rat infestation, thereby reducing the chances of Lassa fever spread in Lagos”.

    In an effort to contain any outbreak of Lassa fever in Abia State, the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, has said it would start the construction of additional isolation centre to take care of patients.

    During a sensitisation campaign organised by its Department of Community Medicine, Chief Medical Director Dr. Abali Chuku said the additional isolation centre was part of the hospital’s plans to handle such cases.

  • Fed Govt to issue safety certificates to workplaces

    Fed Govt to issue safety certificates to workplaces

    The Federal Government will soon begin to issue certificate of safety to factories and workplaces, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr  Chris Ngige, has said.

    The minister stated this on Monday while paying on-the-spot visit to the Inter Corp Limited gas plant owned by Chicason Group in Nnewi, Anambra State.

    The minister said petrol stations and gas plants would also require a certificate of safety from the Department of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment alongside the licence by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

    “The DPR issuing licences for the building of petrol stations and gas plants is not enough. The department should also be issuing a safety certificate from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

    “From now on, no DPR licence will be valid unless there is a certification from the ministry’s OSH department. The ministry is also planning monthly inspection of factories to ensure compliance. We can do that because we have offices in all the 36 states of the federation including Abuja,” he said.

    The minister said the OSH department needed to be strengthened for it to ensure occupational safety in the workplace, assuring that the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and OSH would embark on aggressive factory inspection from the second quarter of the year.

    “From the second quarter of 2016, the ministry would embark on aggressive factory regulation activities aimed at ensuring that factories are up to date on their responsibilities in terms of safety of workers. Both the NSITF and occupational safety and health department will enforce the laws guiding safety in the workplace,” he said.

    The Managing Director of NSITF, Abubakar Munir, said every company that has workers on its payroll is expected to register such workers on the ECS.

    “All firms and companies operating in Nigeria are expected to register its workers on the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS). Those who are registering now will have to pay in arrears starting from July 2011 when the scheme started except new companies that started operation after that date,” he added.

    In a related event, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi has called on Resident Doctors to support the Federal Government’s efforts at ensuring industrial peace and harmony in the health sector.

    The minister spoke when he received an award of ‘Ambassador of Conscience and Notary Personality’ from the Association of Resident Doctors, FCT chapter, in his office.

    Ocholi reiterated the commitment of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to the promotion of decent employment and enhancement of welfare of the Nigerian workers.

    Earlier, the President, Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria, FCT chapter, Dr. Isaac Olubanjo Akere, urged him to use his legal background to discharge his responsibility as minister.

  • NECA praises Fed Govt on fuel price modulation

    NECA praises Fed Govt on fuel price modulation

    Employers under the aegis of Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has praised the Federal Government for the new fuel price modulation.

    Speaking with The Nation, the Director-General of NECA, Mr Olusegun Oshinowo, said hopefully, the issue of fuel subsidy and its financing would not surface again in the government’s budget. He said it is pertinent for government to focus on the policy framework as well as incentives that will ensure that Nigeria is self-sufficient in the refining capacity to meet her energy needs.

    Oshinowo, however, noted that the organised private sector is expecting a decisive, unambiguous and explicit policy statement that fuel subsidy regime has ended. He said government should also ensure the privatisation of the four refineries and jointly agree on a timeline and modalities with investors on the utilisation of the licences already issued for the setting-up of private refineries.

    Oshinowo stated that there should be redefinition of the role of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) as an ombudsman. This, he said, would ensure compliance with products standards and fair competition that would guarantee reasonability of products pricing.

    He urged the government not to delay any in pursuing the points listed by NECA.

  • Fed Govt must respect court orders, says group

    Fed Govt must respect court orders, says group

    A coalition of civil society organisations yesterday called on the Federal Government to respect the constitution by obeying court orders.

    The coalition sent a letter to Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday signed by Innocent Agbo of Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy Centre, Dandy Eze of Paths of Peace Initiative, Emmanuel John of Concerned Nigerians, Committee for Defence of Human Rights and Centre for Democratic Rights Derivatives.

    It alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari’s interference was preventing some persons facing prosecution from enjoying their bail.

    “The continued detention of these people by agents of government is a call to anarchy and a violation of their rights as enshrined in Chapter 4, Section 36(4), (5) and (9) of the constitution.”

    “Failure by the President to comply with these court orders within two weeks of reciept of this letter, we demand you commence impeachment proceedings against the President. Also, failure of the National Assembly to do its constitutional duty will leave us with no option but to also demand you vacate your offices.”

  • What is Fed Govt doing?

    What is Fed Govt doing?

    Less than two years after it battled the deadly Ebola scourge, Nigeria has another killer-virus to contend with. It is Lassa fever. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA and WALE ADEPOJU trace the genesis of the virus and ask why Nigeria has not been able to tame it.

    HEALTH mINISTER, Prof Adewole said the Federal Government has been battling to contain the Lassa fever virus.

    He said: “The Health Ministry has immediately released adequate quantities of ribavirin, the specific antiviral drug for Lassa fever to all the affected states for prompt and adequate treatment of cases; deployed rapid response teams from the ministry to all the affected states to assist in investigating and verifying the cases as well as tracing of contacts.

    “Clinicians and relevant healthcare workers had been sensitized and mobilised in areas of patient management and care in the affected states. Affected states have been advised to intensify awareness creation on the signs and symptoms including preventive measure such as general hygiene.

    “Furthermore, it is important to note that Nigeria has the capability to diagnose Lassa fever. All the cases reported so far were confirmed by our laboratories. However, due to the non-specific nature of Lassa fever symptoms and varied presentations, clinical diagnosis is often difficult and delayed, especially in the early course of the disease outbreak.”

    The minister went on: “In addition, health educational materials were distributed to all states, particularly the affected areas for effective health promotion to enhance good ‘community hygiene’, including food hygiene and food protection practices.   I urge all to ensure that they avoid contact with rodents/rats as well as food/objects contaminated with rats’ secretions/excretions.”

    He said Nigerians should avoid drying food in the open and on the roadsides and to cover all food to prevent rodents’ contamination, counseling that “all suspected cases are to be reported immediately to enable early treatment. Family members and healthcare workers are advised to always be careful and avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons with symptoms similar to those listed for Lassa fever and any such patients should be taken to nearest health facility.

    “All health facilities in the country are hereby directed to emphasize routine infection prevention and control measures, and ensure that all patients are treated free. Additionally, all healthcare workers should have a high index of suspicion of Lassa fever in patients presenting with febrile illnesses particularly in endemic states, and all suspected cases should be reported to NCDC/FMOH and the state epidemiologists. On the basis of the effective control measures now instituted by the FMOH, no travel restrictions will be imposed from and to areas currently affected.”

     “In the same vein, healthcare workers seeing a patient suspected to have Lassa fever should immediately contact the state epidemiologist in the state ministry of health or call the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Federal Ministry of Health, using the following numbers: 08093810105, 08163215251, 08031571667 and 08135050005.

    “To support states and minimise impact and reduce mortality, the FMOH (Federal Ministry of Health) has procured and distributed additional ribavirin for immediate treatment purposes and creation of strategic stock for future possible cases,” he stated.

    According to him, WHO has been notified of the confirmed cases and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has been coordinating the country’s response activities daily feedback.

    “The Nigerian Government will continue to enhance its surveillance and social health education, information and communication activities to prevent the disease from spreading further in Nigeria,” he said.