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Tag: Fed Govt

  • Fed Govt to consider oil output cut

    OIL cartel push for output cut to attract higher prices in the global market gained more ground yesterday. It got the backing of the Federal Government.

    A statement by Garba Shehu, Media and Publicity Aide to the President, said President Muhammadu Buhari pledged Nigeria’s cooperation to the effort to reduce oil production to push up prices.

    The President spoke when he received the Minister of State for African Affairs/Special Envoy of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Ahmad Qattan.

    President Buhari said that as a responsible member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Nigeria was willing to go along with the Saudi initiative in limiting output.

    According to the statement, the President noted that output cuts had always been difficult for Nigeria considering the country’s peculiar circumstances of large population, huge expanse of land and state of under-development, adding, “I wish we can produce more.”

    He, however, said: “I have listened carefully to the message. I will speak with the Minister of State Petroleum. I will call for the latest production figures. I know that it is in our interest to listen. We will cooperate.”

    President Buhari explained that higher oil prices will make both nations stronger and their citizens more prosperous.

    He commended King Salman for his leadership in global oil matters, assuring that Nigeria will continue to accord respect to the Kingdom in that regard.

    The special envoy said he had brought special greetings from King Salman and the Crown Prince, and expressed their best wishes for Nigeria as the country goes into general elections.

    Qattan said that the important reason for which King Salman sent him was to make a request to President Buhari to ensure Nigeria’s compliance with quotas assigned in January by exiting previous exemption from output cuts.

    He said his country had reduced output by 1.4 million barrels per day to ensure that prices went up, stressing however, that Saudi Arabia alone cannot bring stability to the oil market and shore up prices.

    The Special Envoy called for greater adherence to production cut by Nigeria and hoped that he would take a positive message back home.

  • Fed Govt draws line for foreign countries on polls

    THROUGH its Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, the Federal Government yesterday drew a red line for foreign countries on internal affairs, especially as it concerns the general elections.

    He was raising  concern on the interference of some countries in Nigeria’s internal matters.

    Onyeama spoke at a joint briefing of Heads of Diplomatic Missions and International Organsiations accredited for the general elections alongside the INEC chairman and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

    The minister said there is no problem for friendly nations to engage the government but the manner of the engagement in some cases have gone beyond the limit.

    Onyeama said: “We welcome very much your engagement, we appreciate very much the support of all other countries in this process, we acknowledge how important your engagement and also in 2015 to help us to deliver probably one of the previous election.

    “We welcome international observers to the country and all other friends and media to be fully engaged, but what we are concerned about, has sometimes been just the way the engagement has been communicated.”

    He further noted that election to choose who to lead Nigeria is the exclusive right of the country and hence, the country would not tolerate a situation where it will be dictated to.

    He also urged them to be unbiased in their assessment of the electoral process.

    According to him:  ”And we have expected  and hope that you  will also be impartial  and just help and observe to see if the election  will be free  fair and credible and not to give any sense of indication  that they might  be preference.”

    He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a seamless conduct of the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly election on Saturday.

    The minister reminded the electoral umpire of its constitutional mandate to conduct credible elections, saying that nothing less will be acceptable.

    Demanding an assurance from the electoral body that  February 23 will not suffer the same fate as February 16,  Onyeama said: “Most importantly, Mr. President and all Nigerians absolutely demand that elections be held on Saturday and nothing less will be acceptable to government and to Nigerians.”

    He further added that what is expected from the commission is a total assurance that “this Saturday we will have the elections.”

    Read also: Motorists, OPS lament return of trucks to Lagos roads

    The minister, who also explained President Muhammadu Buhari’s anger over the postponement, said after providing all necessary support and assistance, there was no reason why INEC should fail the country.

    He said: “I think it is absolutely important that the message be communicated that the government is absolutely disappointed and just cannot understand why after three years, the commission was still unable to deliver this process on time.

    “I have never seen him so livid as he did with the postponement.

    “The President objective is to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. Hence, the decision to postpone the elections by INEC is something he could not pardon.”

    The minister added that after investing time and resources into the campaign by going round the entire country, canvassing for votes, you will of course be disappointed.”

  • SERAP threatens to sue Fed Govt over elections shift

    THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to pursue appropriate legal action against the Federal Government and the National Assembly leadership, following the postponement of Saturday’s election.

    SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, in a statement issued yesterday, said successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999 and the leadership of the National Assembly should be held responsible for the postponement of the 2019 general elections.

    The organisation promised to deploy the Freedom of Information Act to seek information on details of spending by INEC since 1999, as part of its initiatives to improve transparency and accountability of governmental operations and promote respect for citizens’ right to participate in the processes of government and governance.

    The organisation said postponement of Nigeria’s elections since 2007 has shown a systemic failure of leadership at the highest level of government.

    It regretted that the country’s electoral process is deliberately skewed in favour of politicians’ interests, who continue to profit from the corruption and impunity that have characterised the process since 1999, and against those of the citizens.

    SERAP said: “Calling for the resignation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, rather than addressing the root causes of persistent postponement of elections is a blatant attempt by politicians to scapegoat the electoral commission.”

    The statement read in part: “While the INEC leadership ought to proactively push for reform of the electoral system, successive governments and leadership of the National Assembly that have the legal responsibility, but have remained largely impervious to revolutionary change of the electoral system, should be held to account for this fundamental breach of public trust.

    “Foisting outdated electoral system on Nigerians, and spending huge public funds to sustain it, seems in uneasy tension with constitutional provisions and Nigeria’s international obligations including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance to which Nigeria is a state party.”

  • Fed Govt okays CIBN tribunal for erring bankers

    The Federal Government has approved the rules that will guide the operations of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) disciplinary tribunal. The tribunal is expected to sanction bankers that breached the industry’s operational guidelines.

    The approval, the CIBN said in a statement,  has further strengthened members/customers’ confidence in the industry.

    The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami consented to the rules on behalf of the Federal Government.

    The rules prescribe the proceedings to be observed by the tribunal in the hearing and determination of complaints as well as recommending appropriate sanctions to be meted out to erring members of the institute upon establishment of a prima facie case by the investigating panel.

    The tribunal which also looks into cases of ethical and professional misconducts by members of the institute, will be involved in the appointment of chairman and other members of the Disciplinary Tribunal; reference to the Disciplinary Tribunal; convening of the Tribunal; composition and proceedings of the Tribunal; parties to the proceedings before the Tribunal, service of processes, among others.

    It will also look into  directions and case management practice directions, failure to comply with rules, practice directions or tribunal directions, general powers of the tribunal, lead compliant, petition or matter; consent Orders, amendment of processes before the tribunal and withdrawal.

    Other provisions of the rules include striking out of a case brought before the tribunal, fixing of listing of hearing date and service of notice, etc by the secretary, legal representatives, holding proceedings in public or private hearings among other provisions.

    The rules stated that “any complaint, written allegation or petition that relates to professional or ethical misconduct or breach of any of the provisions of the Banker’s Code of Conduct in the Nigerian Banking Industry, shall be addressed to the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria”.

    The disciplinary tribunal adjudicates on cases of ethical and professional misconduct by members of the institute. The rules are expected to further improve and promote ethical practice and professionalism in the Nigeria banking industry.

  • Fed Govt to close land borders from 12noon

    •IG orders restriction on vehicular movement

    THE Federal Government has ordered all land borders to be shut with effect from 12.00noon today to 12.00noon tomorrow.

    Minister of Interior Lt.-Gen. Abdrahman Dambazau (retd), who gave the order, said there would be restriction of movements across the borders during the election days.

    Also yesterday, the Acting Inspector-General (IG), Muhammed Adamu, ordered the restriction of vehicular movement on the election day.

    A statement issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Comptroller-General Muhammad Babandede: “Further to the presidential election taking place on the February, 16, 2019, the Honourable Minister of Interior has directed the closure of all Nigerian land borders with effect from 12.00noon of Friday, February 15 to 12.00noon of Sunday, February 17, 2019.

    “This is to restrict movements across the borders during the election days. The public is to take note and ensure compliance.”

    Read also: President reassures foreigners, Nigerians of safety

    Vehicular movement, according to the police, would be restricted from 6am to 6pm.

    The police explained that the ban on movement would assist the security agencies to do their jobs properly and also prevent hoodlums from disrupting the electoral process.

    A statement in Abuja yesterday by the Force Spokesman ACP Frank Mba reads: “As part of efforts in furtherance of the overall interest of public order, public well-being and safety and national security as it relates to the general elections billed to take place on Saturday, February 16, 2019, the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Muhammed Adamu, has ordered the restriction of vehicular movement from 6am to 6pm on Saturday, 16th February, 2019.

    “The IGP notes that the restriction will assist the security agencies in effectively policing the electoral process, thereby preventing hoodlums and criminally-minded elements from hijacking and disrupting the electoral process.”

    The police boss, while stating that adequate security arrangements have been made, urged members of the public to troupe out en-masse on the day of the election to exercise their franchise without fear.

  • Union praises Fed Govt for tackling influx of ‘expatriates’

    The National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) has commended the Federal Government for addressing the influx of expatriates.

    Speaking with The Nation, the union’s President, Comrade Lateef  Oyelekan said prior to the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, the country was bedeviled with influx of foreigners, who disguised as expatriates to corner the scanty jobs  meant for Nigerians, thereby making more competent Nigerians them second class citizens.

    He said: “However, with the introduction of Executive Order ‘5’ by President Buhari, the despicable practice of expatriates quota abuse and influx of all manners of foreigners to take few jobs meant for Nigerians is steadily and consistently fading out.

    “President Buhari’s patriotic action was a reaction to our union and other industrial unions’well-articulated protests and memorandum forwarded to the Presidency through the Minister of Labour and Employment , D’r. Chris Nwabueze Ngige to draw the attention of the government to the dangerous implications of uncontrolled expatriates influx.

    “For this spectacular action, our union leadership and, indeed, all our members shall remain eternally grateful to President Buhari.”

    Oyelekan said the Federal Government has demonstrated its commitment to transforming and revolutionising infrastructure, electricity and rail transportation system.

    “Indeed, the government has excelled exceedingly in massive investment on infrastructure, electricity and rail transport development more than any government in history,” he said.

    He said the prioritisation of investment on these key sectors of the economy represents a giant step in the right direction considering the fact that the key sectors is the main catalyst to drive and stimulate economic transformation.

  • TUC to Fed Govt: don’t intimidate voters

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has urged the Federal Government to avoid intimidating Nigerians in the general elections.

    Its President-General, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, gave the advice in a communique at the end of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Lagos, which deliberated on the state of the nation and the challenges confronting the labour movement.

    The NEC called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be impartial, and have the interest of Nigerians at heart.

    It tasked on the police, the military and other security agents to be diligent.

    Read also: Bankers’ Committee assures funding for creative, IT industries

    The congress reiterated the rate of insecurity, urging the Federal Government to intensify efforts to wipe out killings, kidnapping and insurgency.

    NEC commended the government for the fight against corruption but urged it to respect the rule of law.

    Meanwhile, the NEC has commended the House of Representatives for approving N30,000 as minimum wage. It urged the Senate to do so without delay.

    In a related development, NEC frowns at the proposed increase of international passport and drivers licence by the Federal Government. It asked the Federal Government to maintain the status quo and formulate policies that will be more beneficial to the masses.

  • Fed Govt, Dangote flag off Ofeme community road reconstruction

    Succour may soon come to  Ofeme Community in Abia State as the Federal Government and Dangote Industries Limited have kicked off the reconstruction of the roads and bridges in the community.

    The reconstruction will be handled by AG-Dangote, a subsidiary of Dangote Industries.

    The project is covered under Executive Order #7 of 2019, titled: ‘’Road infrastructure development and refurbishment investment tax credit scheme’’.

    “Participating investors will use tax credits to reduce corporate taxes payable to government until they recoup the value of their investments in roads and bridges.”

    President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, extolled the Federal Government for the Executive Order #7, which allows private sector intervention in the provision of critical infrastructure.

    Dangote, represented by the Southsouth Regional Director of Dangote Cement, Mr. Okoro George, said a new dawn had come to Ofeme community as the deplorable state of their roads would soon be fixed.

    He explained that the 16-kilometre road would form a ring road around Ofeme and connect it at two points to the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, while the two bridges connecting the town to other communities, would be rebuilt.

    According to him, “the entire road network will be built on concrete pavement instead of earth pavement, which has a lifespan of about 40 years. It will contain drains on both sides while the surface will be made of concrete also instead of asphalt”.

    He added that AG-Dangote has established itself as a reputable construction firm having delivered the 26-kilometre Ibese-Itori concrete road in Ogun State, the two kilometre Apapa-Wharf dual carriage concrete road, the ongoing 43-kilometre Obajana-Kabba concrete road and the 35-kilometre Apapa-Oworonshoki Expressway.

    Dangote Group, he said, pioneered the use of concrete for road construction in Nigeria, adding: “Countries that have achieved self-sufficiency in cement production have found it expedient to adopt the construction of concrete roads because they are cheaper, more durable and environment friendly. I believe Nigeria should not be an exception. We must move with the times.”

    He said Dangote Group was ready to partner the government in providing critical infrastructure to lift the people’s living standard.

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Fashola described the Ofeme Community road network reconstruction as a gigantic project that would open the community and surrounding towns to development.

    The Minister, represented by Federal Controller of Works, Abia State, Mr. Nwankwo Chukwudike, an engineer, said the project on completion, would open up access roads to manufacturing clusters, reduce transportation cost and raise the people’s living standard.

    It would make cheaper and easier movement of produce.

    Ofeme Progressive Union President General Mr Ndubuisi Kanu expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and Dangote Group for selecting his community as a beneficiary of Executive Order #7, adding that Alhaji Dangote had shown so much love to Ofeme people.

    Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okey Enelamah said the administration, desirous of providing critical infrastructure, enacted Executive Order #7, which involves partnering the private sector. He said the road reconstruction project is one of the many development oriented projects coming to the community.

    Chairman of Dangote Cement, Aliko Dangote had earlier made strident calls for adoption of concrete roads in the country. He urged the federal government to embrace the option of using concrete for roads in the country. Aside from being very cheap, he said concrete roads are more durable and that its maintenance cost is near zero.

    According to him:, “We are pushing for Nigeria to do a concrete road. It is cheaper to do a concrete road that will last over 40 years than to do a bitumen road. It will also help in eliminating corruption. The project is for the benefits of the community. It is obvious that the option for concrete roads will be the solution to solve the road infrastructural decay in the country. This is because concrete road is less expensive than asphalt road by almost 23 per cent and also we can build concrete road in less time.

    “Even in terms of maintenance, we don’t need so much resources to maintain it like the asphalt roads. In countries like Brazil, Portugal, India, where they use concrete roads majorly, they don’t have the type of road challenges we have in Nigeria because concrete roads can last for a minimum of 40 years as against asphalt roads that can last for between seven and eight years. So, the good option for the Nigerian government will have to be for them to embrace the use of concrete roads,” he added.

  • Fed Govt generates N2tr from royalty indebtedness recovery

    THE Federal Government has generated about N2  trillion from royalty indebtedness recovery scheme, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has said.

    Kachikwu stated this in Lagos during a ministerial briefing to unveil the achievements of the Department of Petroleum Resources.  He said the royalty indebtedness recovery is one of the interventions made to boost revenue for the government. The early oil lease renewal initiative, among others, are some of the revenue generating steps taken in 2015, when the economy went into recession.

    “The whole idea was to generate funds and avoid loans if possible. The presidency ordered that we must recover all the royalties that were outstanding. The process of determining royalties in the past was largely driven by the initiatives of the oil companies and we calculate the royalty based on their own figures. They determine what is produced, but now, we use the systems we have now to see what their actual productions are. Under the current rule (royalty indebtedness recovery scheme), oil firms don’t get their renewals unless the outstanding royalties are paid,” he said.

    Royalties refer to funds received from the production of oil or gas, which is outside the cost of production and taxes. Oil and gas royalties are also the cash value paid by a lessee (oil firm) to a lessor (government) in case of Nigeria or to one who has acquired possession of royalty rights, based on a percentage of gross production from the property, free and clear of all costs.

    Kachikwu said: “For those that have shown the seriousness and mapped out how they intend to settle their indebtedness, we will review, but we won’t give out the final certificate until they have settled and this has generated about N2 trillion so far as a result of this decision.

    “We also launched the benchmarking system to track expenses and see how we can continue in our process to pull down the cost of producing oil in this country which is a major challenge for us. Given the oscillating price of oil globally, unless we are able to do this, we produce all the oil and make no money out of it. So, this is very helpful to us and we will be able to challenge the oil companies to match the very best practice internally and collectively match the best practices externally in terms of oil pricing.  We have explained to you what we have done in terms of early renewals of oil leases and what we generated both in terms of forcing people to be concurrent on payment of outstanding royalties and what we generated in terms of current licences and early renewal basis.”

    “The few interventions that we have had include National Production Monitoring System (NPMS), which focus includes using online to gather data. We have been able to track online/real time data of what our productions are and so we are now in the position to say what the country’s production is. We have also had the Crude Oil and LNG Tracking (COLT), which is basically tracking of crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).”

     

     

  • Leah Sharibu not dead, says FG

    Abducted Dapchi schoolgirl Leah Sharibu is not dead.

    Information, Culture and Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed described as ‘absolute fake news’ reports that the girl was dead.

    “It’s absolutely fake news. There is nothing like that,” the minister yesterday told reporters at a news conference in Ilorin, Kwara State.

    He described the rumour of Leah’s death, which surfaced just a few days to the presidential election, as another ploy by the opposition to bring down the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and to exploit primordial sentiments ahead of the polls.

    The minister spoke on a day the Leah Sharibu family renewed its appeal to the Federal Government and the international community not to give up on the abducted schoolgirl.

    Mohammed said: “I think it’s part of the opposition’s strategies to throw everything at the administration and at the President. I think every day they are realising the hopelessness of their position.

    “Every day they are amazed by the support Mr. President is receiving from every part of the country and they have decided that they are going to spread falsehood, inflame passion and make this election a Muslim-Christian affair or North-South affair, but people are not listening to them.”

    On today’s presidential campaign rally in Ilorin, Mohammed said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has put everything in place to make the President’s visit a huge success.

    “The party has been meeting in the last couple of days to ensure that the President’s visit is very successful. We have watched the rallies in many parts of the country and we want to assure Mr. President that our rally in terms of numbers, quality of people, entertainment and colour will rank among the best,” the Minister said.

    He said the crowd that will come out to receive the President will be organic as the party will not engage in crowd renting.

    The minister appealed to security agencies to create a level playing field for all the contestants in the election to allow the people to freely exercise their franchise, saying that those involved in legitimate activities have nothing to fear.

    He also described the protest in some circles over the redeployment of police commissioners across the country as the handiwork of the opposition, which according to him, has been working to discredit the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    At a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the mother of the 15 year-old girl, Rebecca, pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari, the United States (U.S.) and United Kingdom (UK) to do everything in their powers to rescue her.

    She urged the President and the government ministerial delegation to keep the promise they made when they visited her family in October last year.

    Speaking through an interpreter, she said: “I have become before you and the federal government to plead that you don’t forget Leah. The president spoke with me on phone and encouraged me not to worry, and with the assurance that my daughter will be released.  Three minister’s also visited me and gave me assurance but till today, I haven’t heard anything, hence my coming before you to plead.

    “The government should keep its promises made by the President and the ministers who visited us in Dapchi in October.

    “There is a Hausa proverb which says, ‘Whenever you make a promise, the best thing to do is to keep that promise. Leah was 14 when she was abducted, she has clocked 15 in Boko Haram custody.”

    The founder of Para-Mallam Foundation, Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam, described Sharibu as a heroine of faith, stressing that she represented what Nigerians should be.

    Praying for her release, the cleric wondered why the abduction of Sharibu, the Chibok girls and other hostages was not a campaign issue, noting that it was concerning that none of the presidential candidates talked about their plan to rescue Nigerians in Boko Haram custody.

    He said: “We will love to hear from all the presidential candidates what exactly they are planning to do to bring Leah to freedom if for any reason she is not released before the 19th of February. We want to hear her name and story becoming a campaign issue.

    “The silence from all the presidential candidates about Leah and others in captivity is not encouraging, so we are using this appeal and thus campaign season to hear what the presidential candidates have to say about Leah’s freedom. It’s important for all Nigerians and the global community.”

    An American teenager, Becca Lubbert, who flew into the country to identify with Sharibu’s plight, described the Dapchi schoolgirl as an incredible example of standing for one’s faith.

    She asked the government to protect schools and rescue those in Boko Haram captivity.