The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Fed Govt

  • Fed Govt rejects airport rating

    Fed Govt rejects airport rating

    The Federal Government has rejected this year’s rating of Nigerian airports by travel website, Guide to Sleeping in Airports, where three airports in the country were rated among the worst in the world.

    But the former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Auwal Tukur, described the rating as a true reflection of what is on ground at the nation’s airports.

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Hajia Binta Bello said it is up to the players in the sector to agree or to disagree with the rating.

    She said: “When I saw the rating, the questions I asked are that: do we still have touts at the airports? Are our airports dirty? Are we corrupt? (Are the answers to these questions in the affirmative?). It is difficult for me to categorically say yes that we are corrupt; our airports are not clean; our airports are congested; and so on.

    “I am sure you can actually say if these airports are actually dirty, if these airports are full of touts, if these airports are chaotic, this morning I flew in from Abuja airport about five airlines were boarding at the same time. I did not see any chaos there; it was a smooth operation, passengers were going to their various aircraft of the various airline operators and the whole operation was very smooth.  So, I cannot accept that the airports are dirty.

    “I cannot accept that the airports are congested; if we have a temporary challenge, it is because of the construction that is going on at our airports, In Abuja for instance, we have work going on there and when all these are done, all will be in proper shape.”

    Tukur said he totally agrees with the rating because the airports are truly among the worst in the world.

    He said: “If you ask me a straight question, I will tell you that I agree; our airports are not nice places, coincidentally I travelled out of Abuja airport last Saturday and I was very uncomfortable and look at it, this report just came out on the same issue.

    “As a country we need to react to it because it is out there in the public, most people say Nigeria is a horrible place but when you come in, you see that things are actually not what they paint the country to be. Let’s be truthful here, we have horrible airports and the report was not lying and we need to make them better, we need to make them functional so that they can compete internationally.”

    Tukur said the way forward is for the government to be more proactive, less bureaucracy by privatising the airports and get it off from central control, regulate them and get private sector involved ,

    “Let us do things on time, don’t take a decision today and wait for 10 years before implementing it because by that time you are already it will be off the mark”, he said.

  • Fed Govt discontinues trial of Leadership’s journalists

    Fed Govt discontinues trial of Leadership’s journalists

    THE Federal Government discontinued yesterday the trial of two journalists with the Abuja-based Leadership newspapers.

    The Goodluck Jonathan administration had in 2013 filed a charge of 11 counts against the journalists – Tony Amokeodo, (Group News Editor) and Chibuzor Ukaibe (a Political Correspondent) –  on allegation that they were involved in forging a presidential directives’ bromide published in the newspaper on April 3, 2013.

    They were initially arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja, but following the objection raised by the accused persons against the court’s jurisdiction, the case was moved to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The two journalists were arraigned before the FCT High Court on June 27, 2013 on the  11-count of conspiracy and forgery.

    The decision by the Federal Government to discontinue the trial is contained in a letter by the Director of Public Prosecution, Muhammad Diri and addressed to the prosecution lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).

    The letter,  dated September 23, 2015, directed him to discontinue the case.

  • Fed Govt to MDAs: adopt corporate governance

    THE Federal Government has directed Ministries Department Agencies (MDAs) under its jurisdiction to adopt and comply with the best practices of corporate governance for national growth.

    The Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, gave this directive in Abuja yesterday, when the management of the Institute of Directors (IoD) of Nigeria visited him in his office.

    He said the government of President Muhammad Buhari was committed to upholding justice, fairness and honesty, which, according to him, were the basis of corporate governance.

    He added that government agencies would abide with these rules for socio-economic growth.

    Kifasi said he agreed with the ideals of the IoD, adding that he would ensure that the ideas were replicated in the civil service.

    He said: “I appreciate what IoD is doing as well as its ideals. Besides, I intend to be one of the members of the institute.  One of the past heads of service was a founding member of IoD and I will encourage other directors to become members”.

    The IoD’s President and Chairman, Mr. Yemi Akeju, said the visit was meant to formally inform the Head of Service of the launch of IoD Nigeria Register of Independent Directors with a view to helping such directors play important roles in the boards of organisations or agencies assigned to them.

    He said the independent directors were meant to protect minority shareholders, adding that the Nigeria Register of Independent Directors was made up of directors and senior executives from a cross-section of industries and professions.

    Akeju said through the register, companies, government agencies and key parastaltas would be able to recruit experienced directors to boards to promote growth.

     

  • APC: Fed Govt‘ll not micromanage anti-corruption agencies

    APC: Fed Govt‘ll not micromanage anti-corruption agencies

    •Party condemns PDP

    President Muhammadu Buhari Administration will not micro-manage the nation’s anti-corruption agencies, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said yesterday.

    Mohammed, in a statement in Lagos, said it was wrong for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to accuse the APC-led Federal Government of unleashing the agencies against the opposition.

    The party dismissed the allegation by the PDP that the anti-corruption war of the Buhari Administration was selective, calling it a worn-out argument.

    “The ceaseless cry of selective anti-corruption battle is a bogey invented by the PDP to intimidate the anti-corruption agencies, and it will not work. It is the PDP’s strategy to stifle the fight against corruption.

    “How can the PDP claim to support the anti-graft battle when every time any of its members is called in for questioning, it runs to the media to shout that the battle is ‘selective’?

    “Is it possible that anyone who is invited for questioning will not belong to a party, an ethnic group or a certain faith?” the statement queried.

    The party said the anti-corruption agencies had a duty to investigate petitions sent to them, irrespective of who was involved.

    It noted that invitation for questioning was not the same as conviction.

    The statement added: “Those who have nothing to fear must be willing to clear their names by honouring any invitation, and only the guilty needs be afraid.

    “The PDP must stop being hysterical about such invitations which are not going to stop simply because the opposition has called a press conference to cry wolf where there is none.”

     

  • Fed Govt undecided over fuel subsidy removal, says Perm Sec

    Fed Govt undecided over fuel subsidy removal, says Perm Sec

    The Federal Government has not taken any decision on whether to remove or leave fuel subsidy as it is, rather, it is on the front burners of debate by officials of the government, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Ana Daniel-Nwaobia, has said.

    She said a lot of factors would be taken into consideration before such a decision could be taken.  “There are various considerations that will come into play before a decision would be reached. You have to take into consideration various issues before you remove subsidy. It’s a political issue, and you know we have a new government that is studying it, with time, we will know the position of government on that,” she said during the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting in Peru.

    She said it is important to know that Nigeria is not the only country experiencing the effects of the financial crunch, saying it is a global phenomenon. “We noted that in our discussions with other ministers of finance, that everybody is struggling, and everyone is coming up with solutions and strategies on how to weather the storm for now,” she explained, adding that there’s a consensus that one way of addressing this, “is by mobilising domestic resources.”

    Reforming the tax system which she said the Federal Government has started, is the right thing to do, stating that the engagement of McKinsey, (a firm of tax consultants), working with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), would contribute to shoring up tax revenues.

    She said: “In our engagement with the World Bank also, we sought assistance, so that they will work with us to see how we can improve on what is already on the ground.

    “We are also looking at other areas of revenue, because our main concern is about how we can shore up our sources of revenue. We are going to engage also with the World Bank on how to give capacity and support to our Customs, because Customs is one of the key revenue earners in the country, so that we will be able to build their capacity and see how they can add to our revenue base.”

    Mrs. Daniel-Nwaobia, said the issues of environment and the effect of climate change were also discussed by the Nigerian delegation at the meetings, because in her words: “we suffer the effect of climate change in terms of drought and flooding.”  She said the Middle Belt region has suffered from flooding in the course of the year.

    “Recently there was flood in the Middle Belt and the Northwestern part of the country in Kebbi and Sokoto states that washed away rice farms. The effects of climate change are very key and has a damning effect generally on the economy,” she warned.

    She said the issue was thoroughly discussed in one of the meetings, as well as to how  resources could be mobilised to tackle the issues surrounding climate change preparatory to the summit on climate change that is scheduled for Paris, France, later in the year. She said the Nigerian team had meeting with other funding agencies, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on how to fund some projects in the country.

     

     

     

     

    “We told them about some of the reforms we are undertaking, especially in the area of building infrastructure, because one of the gaps we have noticed is the gap in infrastructure deficit,” the permanent secretary said.

    Mrs. Daniel-Nwaobia said government is already thinking of how to set up an Infrastructure Fund, and looking for how to fund it.  “So we have discussed with the IFC and other agencies in the understanding that when we are able to identify some of these infrastructure projects, they will participate in the funding of some of these projects. It was thoroughly discussed in one of the meetings to the effect that “we can mobilise resources to tackle the problem,” she stated.

     

  • Fed Govt to host IDPs forum

    Fed Govt to host IDPs forum

    A two-day engagement forum with local and international stakeholders aimed at bringing relief to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast will hold next week in Maiduguri, Borno State.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, said the forum will ensure an efficient coordination and create synergy of purpose between Federal Government and non-governmental organisations in the humanitarian intervention efforts for the Northeast.

    The forum  with the theme: “Coordination, Communication and Cooperation” is being convened by the Presidency and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    The statement reads: “The engagement forum will hold next week Tuesday October 27, at the Multi-Purpose Hall in the Borno State Government House.

    “It is expected to establish a framework for coordination by bringing key stakeholders together to produce a blueprint for best practices and ensure  an articulated response to emergencies and humanitarian challenges like the present situation in the three most affected states of the Northeast: Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.

    “This interactive forum with relevant international and local NGOs,  development partners, aid and donor agencies will create an enabling platform to discuss the most efficient approaches to adopt towards complementing efforts of the Federal and state governments with specialised services in the affected areas and thereby ensure a sustained and coherent system for social services delivery in the region.

    “It will put in focus, the desirability for complementary, results-driven, goals-targeted collaboration of efforts among the Federal and state governments, non-governmental organisations’ and other stakeholders within the framework of the Federal Government’s plan in both the short and long-term.”

  • Fed Govt urged to focus on food safety, agric development

    The Federal Government has been urged to prioritise food safety to boost export revenue.

    The Chief Operating Officer,  Centre for Cocoa Development Initiative, Robo Adhuze, who gave the advice, said this had become necessary in the face of dwindling oil revenue and challenges in the export market.

    He urged the government to create conducive environment for enterprises in the agricultural and food sectors.

    According to him, the growth of agriculture at a reasonable rate is important to avoid distortions in the economy and it requires interventions to improve productivity in the land available.

    He said local firms need to enjoy favourable conditions to enable investment in improving output, ensuring quality products and creating value added products in the agricultural sectors, including livestock, cultivation, production of seeds and animal varieties, processing, preservation and technology after harvesting.

    He called on the government to promote public-private partnership (PPP) in the agricultural sector, improve farming and food value chains from production to harvesting as well as distribution of products besides research and expansion in regions producing material for agricultural processing and production.

    Adhuze stressed the need to set-up modern farms and enhances the regulation of quality of food and other farm products to tackle the difficulties.

    He called on the government to encourage private investment in farms and also try to secure cheaper financing options for more farmers.

    Adhuze urged the government to support banks to increase mid- and long-term infrastructure loans to rural areas as part of these developments.

    He said agriculture was the engine of growth for the economy, and that restructuring the sector to improve profitability and sustainability, and added value to products will help the population. The government’s objective, according to him, is to maintain high growth, create more jobs, increase income and improve the livelihood of farmers, and, at the same time, protect the environment.

  • Fed Govt to start publishing yearly National Accounts

    The Federal Government is working on a policy that will dovetail to publishing the nation’s yearly accounts as part of its efforts to fight corruption.

    The Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris who spoke in Abuja yesterday said: “To satisfy public awareness, we have made it a point of duty to publish monthly allocation of funds to the three tiers of government from the federation accounts and the OAGF  (Office of the Accountant General of the Federation) is working to make it a deliberate policy to make public, annual national accounts of the country.”

    He said doing this would be in line with the current administration’s philosophy of accountability and transparency.

    Idris spoke when he paid  courtesy visit on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), yesterday in Abuja.

    To curb corruption, revamp the accounting and reporting of governments’ financial transactions and deepen transparency in the management of public funds, the Federal Government will also adopt International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) accrual-based accounting standards by January next year.

    IPSAS are a set of accounting standards issued by its Board for use by public sector entities globally for the preparation of financial statements. These standards are based on the dictates of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

    By adopting and implementing  IPSAS, Nigeria will join the rest of the world in  the preparation and presentation of accounts for public enterprises.

    Ahmed said the first stage of IPSAS, which is the cash basis of accounting, was already being implemented with success and appealed to the SGF for support to make the IPSAS accrual-based accounting standards policy a success.

    Ahmed told the SGF that he has “vigorously pursued the implementation of the TSA as part of Federal Government’s policy to have a firm grip on the financial position and efficient allocation and utilisation of resources.”

    To determine the level of implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Idris said a technical support team had been commissioned to carry out diagnostic review of its implementation and performance.

    In his response, the SGF, Mr Babachir Lawal said the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFIMS) are central to the success of the current administration.

    He said:“We believe that these are the best ways to block leakages in the public sector and ensure that funds are adequately accounted for so that government can have enough to meet its obligations.

    “The government is also concerned about the people in charge of all this, because a system is only as good as its operators. That is why we are watching the accountants in all the MDAs closely.’’

  • Fed Govt releases N56b to develop Northeast

    Fed Govt releases N56b to develop Northeast

    THE Federal Government has released N56 billion to rehabilitate victims and places ravaged by insurgency in the Northeast.

    Muhammed Sani-Sidi, the director-general of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), announced this at the second “Safe School Initiative Leaders’’ meeting in Tehran, Iran.

    He spoke in a statement issued by the Public Information Officer of NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye.

    The statement quoted Sani-Sidi as saying that the government had released N53 billion for the Victims Support Fund (VSF) and N3 billion for the Presidential Initiative in the Northeast (PINE).

    The Federal Government, according him, is committed to safeguarding the nation’s students, teachers and schools’ infrastructure.

    “The Federal Government has demonstrated this with the release of N3 billion for the Presidential Initiative in the Northeast (PINE) and N53 billion for the Victims Support Fund (VSF).

    “The funds are meant to address the various emerging issues to mitigate the effects of the fading Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria,’’ the director-general said.

    In his presentation at the meeting titled an “Overview of Safe School Initiative (SSI)’’, Sani-Sidi explained that the Safe School Initiative in Nigeria had received $50 million as support from the Federal Government, foreign governments and international donor agencies.

    He highlighted the major causes of threats to safe schooling and school infrastructure as flood, rain/wind storm and community crises.

    “The catastrophic Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast has become the single most significant threat to schooling and school infrastructure.

    “NEMA put the figure of displacement of people within Nigeria at two million, while about 57,743 displaced people were temporarily sheltered in Niger Republic, Cameroun and Chad,’’ he said.

    Sani-Sidi also revealed that 254 schools were destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgency and that government was making efforts to assist 2,069 students affected by the destruction.

    He added that the students had been transferred from the high risk areas to 43 Federal Unity Schools (FUCs) in the Northcentral, Northwest and part of Northeast.

    The director-general acknowledged the contribution of the German Government, especially on the student transfer component of Safe School Initiative.

    He also acknowledged that “United Nations Children and Education Funds (UNICEF), in collaboration with Federal and state ministries of Education, are supporting education in IDPs camps through various interventions.

    “Such intervention include `School-in-a-bag’, `40 schools in a box’, and distribution of 35,800 school bags with learning materials.

    “The United States of America’ International Development contributions include enrollment of 54,000 IDPs in Non-Formal Learning Centres and training of 394 teachers to manage the centres,” Sani-Sidi stated.

    He pledged the commitment of the Federal Government toward continued implementation of the “Safe School Initiative”.

     

  • Fed Govt suspends quota issuance to rice millers

    Fed Govt suspends quota issuance to rice millers

    The Federal Government has suspended the issuance of quota to millers for rice importation.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sonny Echono, said there would be no issuance of quota to any intending importer for now pending the review of the policy which gave preferential treatment to some importers.

    Echono, in an interview with reporters in Abuja at the weekend said the suspension became necessary because of abuse of the policy by rice millers, adding that only those who were paying 70 per cent import duty would be allowed to bring in rice for now.

    He said there is no subsisting allocation for this year as the allocation for last year had expired.

    The permanent secretary said the volume of rice that would be allowed into the country would be limited to the current supply gap.

    He said the country had a supply gap of about 1.5 million tonnes between national rice demand and supply, blaming the situation on insufficient local milling capacity.

    Echono however said the Ministry was addressing this challenge.

    He also said the Ministry would seek clarifications on measures put in place by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to ensure that importers pay appropriate duty for rice imported through land borders.

    Mr. Echono said the clarification became necessary following the lifting of the ban on importation of the commodity through land border by the  NCS last week.

    “I will be meeting with the Comptroller-General of Customs in the interest of the principle of consistency in policy. As long as the machinery for the importers to pay the appropriate duty is in place on the land borders, it should not be a problem.

    “Rice importation through land border was earlier banned because the machinery for proper duty collection at the borders was not in place.

    “But if they put in place the right policy to ensure that the routes are clearly defined and duties are paid before they bring rice in, then, we need to get the assurance on how the mechanism works. That is why I need to meet him,” he said.

    The permanent secretary said lifting of the ban was not a problem, adding that the ban was earlier placed because of lack of machinery for proper collection of duty at the borders which had no defined routes to check smuggling.