The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Fed Govt

  • Fed Govt denies dissolution of FEC

    Fed Govt denies dissolution of FEC

    Information Minister Senator Patricia Akwashiki has refuted news report that  the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will be dissolved today.

    A national newspaper (not The Nation) reported yesterday that today’s meeting will be the last under President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The newspaper attributed the story to the minister of information.

    The minister, in a statement, however, denied the report.

    The statement by the Press Secretary to the ministry, Mr. Joseph Mutah, denied ever telling the newspaper that the president was going to dissolve the council today.

    “The minister said at no time did she speak to journalists on the dissolution of the Federal Executive Council by President Jonathan.

    “Senator Akwashiki is surprised that the news report, which initially quoted an unnamed minister from the Southwest, ended up attributing the comments to her.

    “The Information Minister therefore urges the general public to disregard the tendentious report as false and malicious, which only exists in the warped imagination of its authors,” the statement said.

  • Fed Govt faults Senate’s claim of ambush on constitution amendment

    Fed Govt faults Senate’s claim of ambush on constitution amendment

    THE Federal Government has faulted the Senate over its claim that the suit challenging the procedure for amending the constitution was an ambush.

    It hailed the legislature for electing to defer to the court rather than proceeding to override the President’s veto as it had vowed.

    The Senate has, through Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), claimed on Wednesday that the suit taken to the Supreme Court by the Federal Government was an ambush, because the National Assembly was not put on notice.

    The Senate, however, resolved to respect the order by the Supreme Court that parties maintain  status quo pending the determination of the suit  initiated by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)  seeking to void the amendment to the Constitution on the ground that the was wrongly effected.

    Speaking on behalf of the AGF yesterday, his lawyer, Bayo Ojo (SAN), said records at the apex court showed proper service of all the requisite processes on the defendants.

    Ojo added that apart from the service conducted by the court bailiff, letters were also written to the principal officers of the two chambers, informing them of the pendency of the suit and why nothing should be done to over-reach the highest court in the land.

    “There was no ambush. All the processes were duly served on the National Assembly, but they chose not to come on the day of hearing. While we commend their decision to obey the highest court in the land, our distinguished lawmakers should please not misinform the public.

    “We appreciate their decision to follow the due process of law. It is gratifying that the entire nation had been saved a needless crisis. The rule of law and its due process is the only option. Any alternatives would have been catastrophic,” Ojo said.

  • Benue seeks Fed Govt’s help in agric, others

    Benue seeks Fed Govt’s help in agric, others

    Benue State Governor-elect Samuel Ortom yesterday sought the intervention of the Federal Government to boost investment in agriculture, curb insecurity and create jobs and wealth.

    The governor-elect spoke in Abuja, the nation’s capital, when a delegation of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) visited President-elect Muhammadu Buhari at the Defence House.

    Ortom said the state required federal might to sort out the challenges in those areas.

    The governor-elect called for the dredging of River Benue, drawing attention to the plight of ex-service men who he said had been neglected.

    The former Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment solicited Buhari’s support for the emergence of Senator Dr George Akume as the Senate President stressing that in developed democracies leaders who demonstrate capacity like Senator Akume are allowed to grow.

    Senate Minority Leader George Akume described Buhari as a man of integrity who had been tried and tested by Nigerians.

    The senator stressed that the President-elect had demonstrated the capacity to deliver.

  • ‘Why Fed Govt’s tax policy failed’

    ‘Why Fed Govt’s tax policy failed’

    Chairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), Oseni Elamah, has said the thinking of the Federal Government in moving focus from direct taxation was to reduce the rate of personal income tax, increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) and open up the tax net so that more people could be captured.

    Elamah said the government succeeded in reducing the rate of personal income tax but failed to capture more people into the tax net while the VAT remained the same.

    Speaking  with reporters  in his office in Benin,  Elamah noted that the government did not felt the pains of dwindling revenue because of funding from the oil sector.

    Elamah expressed hope that the incoming All Progressive Congress (APC) led-government would be more popular with whatever tax policies introduced if it is ‘able to demonstrate that based on existing laws,  government can collect genuine taxes and use it to develop the country for the general good of the society.

    He said: “Under the president-elect and given the kind of quality of leadership he has displayed in the past, an APC government will be able to show that the Federal Government can also work just like Lagos, Kano, Edo and other APC states have worked.

    “We need a political leadership that is clear, that is firm and I think that is what Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) has brought to bear. “When he was Head of State, he was firm and needed to bring some level of discipline in all aspect of our life. “We need some of those decision to be taken as far as they are based on laws passed by the National Assembly.

    “Successful implementation of any law starts from ability to be able to enlighten, educate the people.”

     

  • Fed Govt names new Chancellor

    The Federal Government has appointed the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumin Kabir Usman, as the new Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).

    He takes over from the Dein of Agbor, Benjamin Ikenchuku Keagborekuzi I, who had held the position since March 20, 2006.

    Alhaji Usman, who was born in 1951, is the fifth Chancellor of the university since its inception about 40 years ago.

    The four previous Chancellors were: the Emir of Bedde, HRH Umar Sulaiman, (1978-1981); the AkuUka of Wukari, HRH K.S.A. MasaIbi II, (1981-2000); the Amayanabo of Nembe, Justice Ambrose Allagoa, (2000-2006) and the Dein of Agbor Kingdom.

    Alhaji Usman was previously the Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife. He was turbaned the 50th Emir of Katsina on July 5, 2008, succeeding his father, the late Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Usman, the 49th Emir of Katsina, who died on March  8, 2008.

  • Fed Govt revenues fall by 38% to N560.84b

    Fed Govt revenues fall by 38% to N560.84b

    Federal Government revenue dropped by 38.1 per cent to N560.84 billion in February, a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) economic report for the month released yesterday said.

    The figure, the apex bank said, also showed a decline of 21.1 per cent below the receipts in the corresponding period of last year.

    It said at N359.73 billion, oil receipts (gross), which constituted 64.1 per cent of the total revenue, were lower than the receipts in the preceding month and the corresponding period of 2014, by 39.8 and 26 per cent.

    The fall in oil receipts relative to the level in the preceding month, it said, was attributed to the decline in revenue from crude oil and gas exports, occasioned by the drop in the price of crude oil in the international market.

    “Non-oil receipts (gross), at N201.12 billion or 35.9 per cent of the total, was 35.0 and 10.4 per cent lower than the receipts in the preceding month and the corresponding month of 2014, respectively.  The development reflected, largely, the fall in receipts from National Information Technology Development Fund (NITDEF) and independent revenue of the Federal Government. Federal Government estimated retained revenue in February 2015 was N224.89 billion, while total estimated expenditure was N363.68 billion. Thus, the fiscal operations of the Federal Government resulted in an estimated deficit of N138.79 billion,” it said.

    It said the dominant agricultural activities in February, this year included: harvesting of tree crops, irrigation-fed vegetable and cereal production as well as clearing of land for the 2015 cropping season.

    Crude oil production, including condensates and natural gas liquids last February, was estimated at 1.90 million barrels per day (mbd) or 53.2 million barrels for the month.

  • Why Fed Govt can’t establish land registry, by Okunnu

    Why Fed Govt can’t establish land registry, by Okunnu

    When it comes to land matters, legal icon and former Federal Commissioner for Works Alhaji Femi Okunnu (SAN) is no push over. He is versed in land law. He challenged the decree  empowering the Federal Government to confiscate land within 100 metres of the sea shore in court and won. In this interview with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN, Okunnu talks about contemporary issues on state land administration.

    Why did you take Federal Government to court over Lands Title Vesting?

     

    Former Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida promulgated a decree on Lands Title Vesting which empowered the Federal Government to appropriate or confiscate lands within 100 metres of the shore of the Atlantic Ocean belonging to whoever, whether states, firms or individuals. For example, any land from Benin Republic border to Cameroun border, within 100 metres of the sea shore, was simply expropriated without compensation. The decree vested the title on the Federal Government. It affected all the coastal states: Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River.The one that affected Lagos in particular was the land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean for the lagoon. In effect, the whole of Victoria Island, Lekki, Lagoon shore of Lagos Island or any land reclaimed up to Ikorodu, Iddo, Apapa on to Badagry were affected. So what was left of Lagos?

    I took the Federal Government to court as a Nigerian citizen, with the backing of the then governor of Lagos State, the late Sir Michael Otedola. The case dragged on till 2000 when I got judgment. In spite of the judgment, former President  Olusegun Obasanjo re-enacted the decree in 2004, not by going to the National Assembly for a new Act. He acted under a section of the Constitution which still empowers the President or a Governor to amend an existing law. But the law (Lands Title vesting) ceased to exist in 2004 because the Federal High Court has declared it illegal and unconstitutional. Obasanjo was badly advised by his Attorney-General at the time because that Act was still in the laws of the Federation. That was the subject matter of the first and second editions of my book titled: “Contemporary State Land Matters in Nigeria: The case of Lagos State.’’

    The decision in that case effectively nullified the obnoxious Lands (Title Vesting) Decree No 52 of 1993. Anyone who claims to have any kind of title to land on the foreshore or islands must regularise his title with the Lagos State Government.

    The entire landmass of Lagos State as prescribed by all the laws establishing the state of Lagos, excluding those lands granted to the Federal Government for Federal purposes, belongs to the government and people of Lagos State.

     

    What is the focus of your new book?

     

    The book is on a different format. It discusses the Federal State Land and the State Land of the state. For example, in Lagos State, the problem is bigger here because of large volume of federal land in Lagos.

    The new edition also discusses fully other areas of dispute between the Federal Government and the State governments. For instance, the Federal Government has established land registry in Lagos supposedly to register Federal lands in Lagos and probably it is being done in other states. It has no legal basis. It has no backing in law. Land is a state matter. When we talk of land administration, we are talking of physical planning which is a state function. Federal Government should have no land registry in any region or state. Since the Federal Government was established in 1954, federal state lands in any region or state are used to be registered in land registry in the state capital.

    All I have said about land registration do not apply to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja. Federal Government owns the land in Abuja as it used to own the land in Lagos before the creation of Lagos State. But since the creation of Lagos State in May 1967, Titles to State Lands in Lagos was transferred to Lagos State Government. That is why the Title of a place like Ikoyi which used to be vested in the Federal Government was transferred to Lagos State Government.

    Another issue discussed in the new edition is about issue of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) in respect of Federal State Lands in Lagos. Only state government has the power in law to issue C of O to any land owner including the Federal Government in respect of lands located in that state. But in recent years, Federal Government has been issuing C of Os in respect of land transaction concerning Federal State Lands in Lagos. There is no legal or constitutional backing for that.

    The third issue raised in the new edition is what are Federal Lands in Lagos? For example, the issue of ownership of Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS): Who owns TBS, Federal or state government? Who owns a good number of lands being claimed by the Federal Government in Lagos.

    Another issue addressed in the book is about land along navigable waterways like Lagos lagoon. For example, the Federal Government with armed police/soldiers stopped construction work on the land on Lagos lagoon behind Falomo Police Barracks. The project belongs to Lagos State Government. But the Federal Government  officials with armed soldiers stopped the project. The question is who owns the land along navigable waterways like Lagos lagoon. That problem was highlighted recently by some incident along the Lagos lagoon in Southwest Ikoyi wherein officials of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) with armed police demanded fees from land owners along the lagoon for being within the right of way of the lagoon. These are issues raised in this new book including how much of Navigable Inland Waterways Act is legal or illegal? It also touches on political and constitutional history of Lagos from 1861. It also talks about land tenure in different states of the federation and many more issues.

    What motivated you in writing the book?

     

    One, as a Nigerian, I am trying to show in various states of the country what is state land belonging to the state government of a particular state and what is federal state land within each state of a particular state.  I have presented the distinction of going back to 1954 when the colonial government set up the federal system of government in Nigeria. The controversy assumed new proportion in Lagos State after the Gowon government defined what was federal state’s land and what was Lagos state land after discussions between the representatives of the two governments and the approval by the Supreme Military Council headed by Gen. Yakubu Gowon.

    Another motivation is that it pleased Allah that I was a Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing during Gowon’s era from 1967 to 1974 and in-charge of Federal lands throughout the country. I thought I should pass my knowledge acquired as the Minister in-charge of federal lands at the time and the knowledge acquired since I left government in 1974 to the Nigerian public all in the interest of good governance, harmony and peace among the states and the people of the country.

     

    To what extent will it benefit  the public

     

    The issues raised should interest general readers. A number of people bought lands from the Federal Government in Ikoyi and other parts of Lagos city. They have problems with Lagos State about titles. The claim to land with the right of way of inland waterways will have profound effect on all landed properties along the right of way of all navigable inland waterways in Nigeria including Rivers, Niger, Benue, Sokoto, Kaduna, Gongola, Taraba, Cross River, Forcados, Benin, Ethiope, Warri, Imo, Lagos Lagoon, Anambra and Ogun Rivers, Lake Chad and several others as defined in the Act.

  • Fed Govt hails ITF jobs plan

    The Federal Government has applauded the efforts of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in producing a template for job creation.

    Minister of Trade and Investment Dr. Olusegun Aganga gave the commendation on a  visit to ITF headquarters Jos.

    The minister said: “The National Skill Gap Survey Plan of ITF is a positive initiative that is capable of solving the unemployment crisis facing the country.

    Continuing, Dr. Aganga said, “For the first time in the country, ITF through the ministry, is coming up with a National Skills Gap Survey in the country in other to meet up with the Skills gap in each sector of the economy of the country.

    “The survey is aim at identifying those various vacant gaps that required competent skill personnels needed which an institution like ITF is in the best position of training them to work”

    He maintained that, various academic institutions like the Universities and the Polytechnic will have to include the Survey plan in to their school Curriculum which means that Jobs will be created in future.

    He lament that, “there are so many graduates out there, and so many vacancies out there but lack of skills has been the problem”

    The minister disclosed that Dangote Group of Companies is building an Integrated Petro-chemical Plant in Lagos which, after completion, will end the country’s importation of petroleum products.

    Also, he added, the country will become an exporter of the products.

    Aganga said that the country needs about 5,000 petro-chemical engineers in the country to work in that industry.

     

  • Fed Govt distributes materials to 112,000 in Northeast

    The Federal Government has begun the distribution of materials, including food and non-food items, to 112,000 displaced persons and 16,000 households to victims of Boko Haram in the Northeast.

    The government, under the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE), will deliver the relief and humanitarian materials to victims of Boko Haram insurgency.

    PINE Chairman, who also chairs the Special Committee on Resettlement and Rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Prof. Soji Adelaja said the ongoing effort by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Red Cross and other partners was meant to reduce the suffering of the displaced persons in the region.

    Adelaja, who was represented by Dr. Tukur Ingawa, spoke during an assessment tour of the distribution of the materials in Borno State, according to a statement by PINE’s spokesman Odutayo Oluseyi.

    The statement said: “The Federal Government has developed a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the Northeast.

    “The materials being distributed are of two categories: food and non-food items, such as rice, spaghetti, salt, vegetable oil, maize, buckets, blankets, detergents, nylon mats, raincoats, sanitary pads, multi-vitamins.

    “The items are estimated to reach 16,000 households and about 112,000 individuals in IDP host communities and home communities in the Northeast.

    “Prof. Adelaja said NEMA and the Red Cross, in collaboration with PINE, have put in place a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure that the materials reach the right people.

    “He urged private organisations, the international community and others well-meaning individuals to support the Federal Government in strengthening the Northeast.”

     

     

  • Fed Govt, FARA partner on funding

    The Federal Government ha signed an agreement with the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) to assist the forum in some areass.

    The Director for Monitoring, Evaluation and Research, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Aminu Nabegu, said the deal was aimed at Nigeria’s commitment to take ownership of its supra-national institutions which depends on external sources for their funding.

    He said agriculture is the mainstay of Africa’s economy and food security and as such the performance of the continent’s economic growth  towards eliminating hunger.

    He called on other African countries to emulate the example set by Nigeria in taking pro-active steps to secure African ownership and long term sustainability of the continent’s strategic institutions in the domain of agricultural research and innovation.

    He said deal would strengthened the investments of FARA.

    Earlier, the Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr AkinwunmiAdesina, pledged support for FARA and institutions with similar mandate during the FARA’s 15th anniversary in Johannesburg, South Africa last November.

    Executive Director of FARA, Dr YemiAkinbamijo, described Nigeria’s gesture as unprecedented.

    The FARA-DTAC agreement stipulates Nigeria’s secondment of three experts to the FARA Secretariat.

    The expertise is in communication, data analysis and management and information and communication Technology (ICT).

    The secondment will be for two years and it is renewable. The seconded staff are expected to report for duty this month.

    Nigeria has bilateral agreements to provide technical assistance to 109 countries with support provided as far afield as the Caribbean islands and all across the Africa-Caribbean and Pacific states.