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Tag: Fed Govt

  • Fed. Govt approves N700m for Farin Ruwa Dam

    The Federal Government has approved N700 million to complete and deliver the Farin Ruwa Hydro power project in Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

    The project is aimed  at boosting power generation in Nigeria.

    But while inspecting the project  during the week, Dr. Musa Ibrahim, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, said the government is desirous of completing and delivering the project soon.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria that the Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nasarawa State Government to enable it takeover and complete the dam project.

    He said: “As at 2003 to 2004, the project was 65 per cent completed as the state government had purchased all the needed equipment, but unfortunately there was fire outbreak on the project site which destroyed most equipment, while some also became obsolete.

    “Governor Tanko Al=makura had expressed the state government’s inability to complete the project, so the ministry made a presentation to President Muhammadu Buhari. He however approved the release ofN700 million in the 2018 budget for the takeoff of the project,” he said.

    Ibrahim said that the project conceptualised in 2001 with the intention of providing no fewer than 20megawatts of electricity to Nasarawa State, was stalled due to paucity of funds, saying that the state government had initially spent N6 billion for the purchase of equipment for the project that had become moribund, to be make the project be up and running.

    Ibrahim said the Federal Government might spend additional N10 billion for its full completion, stating that the effort was part of Federal Government’s commitment to complete all ongoing and abandoned water projects in the country.

    He said that the project, which was initially developed for hydropower generation, would however include water supply and irrigation component, adding that construction of 20km access road to the project had begun.

    He said that the ministry had engaged the service of a consultant and had submitted the draft report, saying a bid process had also been announced for contractors to develop the project, adding that a Public Private Partnership approach might be developed to ensure the full optimisation of the dam.

    Musa expressed optimism that when the project was completed, it would improve power generation in the country, create employment, increase water supply and boost food security.

    He said that when the project was conceived, the estimated hydropower potential of the dam was put at 20 megawatts, saying with improved technology, it may be increased to 24 megawatts.

    “We are currently doing a hydrological analysis of the dam to know the amount of water to expect, this will be in partnership with the ministry of power, works and housing and other relevant agencies.’’

  • Fed Govt to clear N15b outsourced personnel debts, says UCH CMD

    UNIVERSITY College Hospital (UCH) Chief Medical Director Prof. Temitope Alonge has said that the Federal Government is making plan to pay N15 billion salary arrears of outsourced personnel.

    According to him, the problem was not restricted to UCH alone.

    Alonge’s reaction followed the petition written by some UCH workers to the Health Minister Prof. Isaac Adewole on the outstanding salary arrears.

    The outsourced personnel are working in teaching hospitals and are being owned about N15 billion.

    The personnel, under the aegis of Concerned Citizens for Human Rights (CCHR), had raised the alarm that the UCH management owed the affected workers 30-month arrears of salaries.

    A three-page petition written to Adewole by the Convener of CCHR, Comrade Mojeed Olalere, decried the treatment being meted to “UCH outsourced personnel when Lagos State Teaching Hospital and Kwara State counterpart in Southwest didn’t owe their contractors in this category”.

    But, the UCH CMD said the Federal Government has promised to pay them and a letter to that effect was released.

    Prof. Alonge said: “In 2007, the Federal Government outsourced services to the affected individuals and it agreed to undertake their payment.

    “The coordinators of the affected people have been asked to leave their account details. As at last meeting in Abuja, we learnt the total money owed the concerned staffers in Ibadan and other teaching hospitals, including Lagos, is over N15 billion and the government was ready to pay one third of it.”

    Alonge, who expressed pain over the dilemma of the concerned personnel, attributed the delay in the payment to the Treasury Single Account (TSA)  policy of the Federal Government.

    “Before the advent of TSA, we didn’t encounter this kind of problem. Anyway, everybody that has been listed will get their pay. They were outsourced and government was supposed to pay them and it was ready to do so; that much I can assure them,” he said.

  • Fed Govt denies killing protesters on Christmas eve in Zamfara

    The Federal Government, through the Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali, yesterday denied reports that Army troops of Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Tsafe in Zamfara State killed some people protesting against killings in the state.

    A video published by an online news site on December 25 accused the Army of killing civilians and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), who it said were protesting the previous day’s killings in the state. Giving account of the incident, Dan-Ali insisted that no one was killed or injured during the protest.

    The minister urged the publisher of the video to retract it and apologise to the military.

    Dan-Ali’s account of the incident was contained in a statement yesterday by his media aide, Col. Tukur Gusau.

    According to the statement, the allegation against the Army was outright falsehood and it was ridiculous for any medium to have published a story based on hearsay.

    It described the video clip as the handiwork of a “renowned serial liar”.

    Dan-Ali said the police prevented the protesters from torching the Tsafe Divisional Police Station and dispersed them with teargas.

    He said: “On Monday, December 24, at 6:35 a.m, the troops deployed in Tsafe Nigerian Army FOB received a report of protest by some suspected Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), mostly from Asola village in Tsafe Local Government Area (LGA). They were allegedly protesting against the security situation in their areas and lack of care.

    “They were initially cautioned by the Emir of Tsafe, but they were adamant and continued with the protest. They were, however, joined by youths, mostly identified as CJTF in the area. The CJTF, armed with Dane guns, clubs and other dangerous objects, attempted to attack the Divisional Police Station at Tsafe but were stopped by the police on duty.

    “They later moved to the streets, blocking Tsafe-Gusau highway, burning tyres and setting Tsafe Local Government Area’s secretariat ablaze. In the course of the protest, some vehicles parked at the secretariat were also burnt. They destroyed administration offices, files, office equipment and other valuable items.

    “It was in that process the troops intervened. It is imperative to also state that there was an attempt to also burn down the home of the Chairman Tsafe Local Government Area by the protesters. Due to timely intervention of our troops, they could not achieve their aim. The troops also arrested one of the protesters, an identified CJTF with a Dane gun. The suspect and the exhibit have been handed over to the police for further interrogation.

    “Indeed, no life was lost and there were no recorded injuries. It is, therefore, preposterous for anyone to allege shooting at the protesters by the troops of the Army. Normalcy has since been restored in the affected areas. We enjoin the public to disregard and ignore such unfounded allegation as it is not true.

    “Once again, the Ministry of Defence wants to assure all Nigerians that the Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue to discharge its constitutional roles, irrespective of the attempts by some unpatriotic elements to distract it.”

  • Fed Govt releases billions to settle obligations

    The Federal Government has paid $5.4 billion to states for the settlement of the Paris Club refund, Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed said yesterday in Abuja.

    Speaking at her maiden press briefing, Mrs Ahmed said  the Federal Government has so far paid a cumulative sum of

    The Paris Club refund, she said, was released to states in phases based on conditions which include settlement of salary and staff related arrears; commitment by states to the commencement of the repayment of Budget Support Loans granted in 2016 and clearing of cash due to the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative.

    In the area of fiscal collaboration with state governments, the finance minister said “the Federal Government had provided budget support to states with the release of N1.9 trillion to enable the state governments meet their salary and pension obligations, especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues over the last two years.”

    Ahmed also said the government had liquidated some the inherited debts “despite the revenue shortfall experienced in the last three years.”

    Apart from the $5.4 billion paid to state governments as Paris Club refund, another $6.8 billion has been paid out to settle Joint Venture Cash Call obligations. Payments to contractors/Export Expansion Grants debt she said has attracted N1.9 trillion while about N488 billion has been paid out to state governments for road projects executed by the state government.

    She said to ensure that all pensioners  receive their entitlements, the ministry of finance, “has released N54 billion to settle outstanding pension arrears in 2014, 2015 and 2016 as well as paid pension claims up to March 2017 while over N571 million has been paid as gratuity to 175 Biafra fighters and affected retired police officers.”

    In the area of expenditure performance, she said “as at December 21, 2018, the ministry had released overhead funding for seven months, while N995 billion had been released for capital projects”, thus inching closer to the N1.1 trillion target for year end 2018.

    On revenue, the finance minister expressed optimism that the Ministry will do well to fund the rest of the budget “by driving up revenue generation to improve the fiscal space for spending.”

    To increase revenue, she said the Federal Government would be implementing more public financial management reforms. One of such reforms she disclosed is holding heads of revenue generating agencies accountable for shortfalls in revenue targets. According to her “revenue performance target would be given to heads of agencies in new fiscal year, defaulting agencies will be  sanctioned.”

    To shore up revenue, the ministry, “will improve collaboration between our revenue collecting  agencies including the Nigerian Customs Services, Federal Inland Revenue Service and other trade partners to share information and intelligence that will help improve revenue and make collections more efficient. Under my tenure as the Finance Minister, I intend to continue championing such digitalisation transformation initiatives that have proven to be a good way forward for our revenue generation drive.”

    Read also: FG pays $5.4bn Paris Club Refund to states

    On the proposed new tax initiaves, she said: “The government would from next year begin the implementation of taxes on luxury items. We are exploring the way to increase taxes as well as reduce taxes in some sectors. For Small, Medium Enterprises (SMEs), what will happen is to reduce taxes. But there are some special taxes that we will be looking at imposing. For example, luxury taxes. If you have a private jet, we will be taxing you specially for that. If you have a yacht, we will be charging you for that and also in terms of excise duties there are also some new areas where excise duties will be introduced.”

    She noted that the executive has not “got all the approvals but one of the major areas might be that of carbonated drinks produced in the country.”

    Still on boosting revenue, she said the government has recorded an increase in the number of registered tax payers from 10 million in 2015 to about 19 million in 2018 in conjunction with the Joint Tax Board (JTB).

    An interesting phenomenon which played out this year was the compensation to whistleblowers. She  noted that the whistle blower policy of the Federal Government had “recorded the recovery of over N8.5 billion and $465 million among others from 1,051 investigations conducted from tip offs received.”

  • NASU urges Fed Govt to end crisis in varsities

    THE Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) has asked the Federal Government to take immediate steps to address the lingering crisis in the education sector, especially in the universities to enable normal academic activities resume in the new year.

    The union resolved that if by the end of December, the issue of disbursement of the Earned Allowances is not positively resolved, the union will have no other option than to in the new year begin actions to get the government do the needful on the subject matter.

    It also asked the government to include the issue of earned allowances, which is one of the lingering issues between government and university workers in the 2019 budget, while ensuring equitable distribution of N8 billion released for earned allowances of non-teaching staff of universities.

    In a communique at the end of an emergency meeting of its Universities and Inter-universities Centres Trade Group, NASU hailed the government for the release of additional N8 billion, representing a further part payment of the outstanding arrears of Earned Allowances to the non-teaching staff.

    It also called on the appropriate agencies of the Federal Government to expedite action on the disbursement of the released amount before the end of 2018.

    The communique was signed by Deputy President/Chairman of Council, Comrade Geoffrey Ugwu and Senior Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Festus Ajayi.

    It called on the relevant agencies of government to observe the principles of equity and fairness in the sharing of the N8 billion to universities and  centres that did not benefit from the  earlier released N23 billion.

    The union acknowledged the on-going strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in respect of the revitalisation of university education and other issues and reiterated its commitment in the struggle for the proper funding of education.

    It expressed shock that the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU)  ordered a three-day protest on the issues of the disbursement of the N8 billion Earned Allowances and the implementation of the staff school judgment without taking on board the two other unions in the Joint Action Committee like NAAT and NASU.

  • Fed Govt to establish regional geriatric centres

    President     Buhari has promised  to establish regional geriatric centres at the tertiary health institutions for clinical care in line with the declaration of plan of action on Healthy  Ageing by 2020.

    Represented by the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, President Buhari made this declaration in Abuja at the first National Summit  on  Healthy ageing  with the theme: ”Promoting the healthcare agenda of the present administration on vulnerable populations with focus on the aged.”

    He noted that there would be training of healthcare workforce through effective collaboration and technical support of international organisations.

    According to him, there would be research on chronic diseases of the aged and community-based health-social support.

    “We would ensure that resources and support are provided to enable us achieve the desired results.We are aware that some states give free healthcare services to under-fives and women; we hope to extend these services to people over the age of 60 years.We must make healthcare services available to our senior citizens as part of the government  appreciation and social responsibility and a way of recognising their immense contributions to national development,” he added.

    The President, therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Health to continue with the implementation of healthcare for the programme for the aged in addition to providing leadership in their work with states and development partners.

    Earlier , Adewole, who was represented by the Director, Hospital Services, FOMH, Dr. Joseph Amedu, pointed out that the national policy on healthy ageing was the first in sub-Saharan Africa and it would serve as a policy model for the provision of healthcare to the aged in Africa.

    Adewole pledged that the policy would be integrated into the Universal Health Coverage strategy,  to achieve and sustain healthy ageing among rural and urban geriatric population in Nigeria.

    In his welcome address, the Chairman, Nigeria Health Institutions, Dr Sam Jaja, said the aim of the summit was to discuss the truth and beauty of healthy ageing, with emphasis on geriatric medicine.

    He said: “Nigeria ranked 86th among 96 countries in the global age index 2015, which ranked countries by how well their older populations were faring. The index covers 91 per cent of the world’s population of those aged 60 and above.”

  • How foreign oil firm Trafigura defrauded Fed Govt of $1.6b tax, by witness

    AN Ikeja Special Offences Court heard yesterday how two foreign oil companies, Travigura Beheer BV and Travigura PTE Limited, allegedly defrauded the country of about $1.6 billion in tax payments.

    A witness, Emefo Etudo, stated this while under cross-examination by lead counsel to third defendant, Prof. Taiwo Oshinpitan.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the oil companies for alleged theft of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) worth $8.4 million belonging to Nadabo Energy Limited.

    Other defendants charged alongside the oil firms are Yusuf Yahaya Kwande, Mettle Energy and Gas, Rendbrandt, Osahon Asemota and Jil Engineering and Oil Services Limited.

    They are facing three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and receiving stolen property before a Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.

    Etudo said Trafigura claimed not have office in Nigeria and was designed to evade tax due to the Federal Government.

    He said when the National Assembly invited the company, he sat with the defendants when they lied that Trafigura  did not have any office in Nigeria to cover up their alleged tax fraud.

    The witness added that Trafigura has operation office in Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos,  “known to everybody”.

    He said Kwande admittedly said in his ‘deposition that he and some  people were responsible for the operation’ of the company.

    “I know so many things about these people. Trafigura will never register in Nigeria. They lied to Nigeria because they don’t want to pay $1.6 billion in tax due to Nigeria government.

    “I was there when Trafigura was invited to the National Assembly. They said they don’t have operating office in Nigeria.

    “The third defendant lied to Nigeria. Their office is at Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island. If Nigeria has problems, they are one of them,” Etudo insisted.

    Etudo, under further cross-examination by Prof.  Oshinpitan, affirmed that all the proforma invoice of Trafigura in Nigeria has inscription Y. Y. K,  which according to the witness is the initial name of the third defendant.

    He said the Kwande never deny this fact when confronted by the Police and the EFCC.

    The witness said it was Kwande, who issued the controversial proforma invoice of MT Ozay6 in favour of Jil Engineering.

    “Every proforma invoice has his initials of Y. Y. K. Another name of him is Babs. He wrote and admitted the proforma invoice dated November 21, 2008. He admitted this before the police and the EFCC.

    “He has admitted the missing cargo and listed the invoice number. He admitted that they brought Jil to purchase the cargo at agreed price. He issued the proforma invoice. Ozay 6 was bought by Jil. The captain prepared the bill of lading that took away the vessel from Apapa,” the witness said.

    Earlier under cross-examination from counsel to first and second defendants, Bode Olanipekun (SAN), Etudo maintained that contract number three marked 17904 was not entered among Rendbrandt, Mettle Energy and Trafigura, but affirmed the contract between Rendbrandt and Trafigura on behalf of Nadabo Energy Limited as genuine.

    He stated that the defendants instructed him to go after Jil Engineering and Oil Services Limited to cover their tracks in the alleged fraud.

    “The contract number 179041 is not among Rendbrandt, Mettle Energy  and Trafigura, but it is a contract between Rendbrandt and Trafigura on behalf of Nadabo Energy Limited, which they did and took away the cargo. I discovered this in the course of the investigation,” Etudo said.

    Justice Mojisola Dada has adjourned the matter to January 7 and 11 for the continuation of the trial.

  • Fed Govt retains $60 benchmark as oil dips to $58

    SHOULD oil prices continue to dip, funding next year’s N8.73 trillion budget may be tough for the Federal Government.

    Brent declined 2.01 per cent to $58.41 a barrel yesterday on the back of global equity sell-offs and continued concerns that the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)/non-OPEC cuts may not be enough to rebalance an oversupplied market

    But a source within the Presidency said there was nothing to worry over the slide, saying it was marginal.

    “We will still retain the benchmark at $60 per barrel because industry experts have said the oil price fluctuations are temporary. There is no cause for alarm at all,” the source told The Nation last night, pleading for anonymity.

    The plunge was amid fears of slowing global economic growth.

    Oil price was down 51 cents (or nearly one per cent), at $59.77 per barrel after it earlier rose as high as $61.21 on Monday.

    WTI Crude was down below the $50 handle, having dropped 2.27 per cent to $49.00.

    The N8.73 trillion Budget 2019 proposal, billed for presentation today by President Muhammadu Buhari to the joint session of the National Assembly, was prepared on an oil price benchmark of $60 per barrel.

    The government is proposing  $56.5 per barrel for 2020 and $56.5 for 2021. Oil production is estimated at 2.3 million barrels per day (mbpd), 2.44 mbpd and 2.62mbpd for 2019, 2020 and 2021.

    The exchange rate is projected at N305 to $1 for the three years, while inflation remained almost constant at 9.98 for 2019, 9.43 for 2020 and 9.58 for 2021 as against 11.78 for 2018.

    The oil benchmark for this year’s budget was initially put at $45 but later raised to $51 per barrel by the National Assembly.

    Crude oil production was bench-marked at 2.3 million pbpd and exchange rate of N305 to one dollar.

    The oil Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the same period was projected at N11,163.5 billion, N10,769.3 billion and N10,183.4 billion and the non-oil GDP for the next three years (2019, 2020 and 2021) was projected at N128,489.3 billion, N143,921.2 billion and N161,017 billion.

    The total GDP for the period under review was put at N139, 652.7 billion, N154, 690.6 billion and N171,200.5 billion with the GDP growth rate at 3.0 for 2019, 3.6 (2020) and 3.9 (2012).

    Energy sector analysts say the continued slide in oil prices portends grave dangers to the implementation of next year’s budget.

    “Though about N400 billion lower than that of the outgoing year, the slide will surely take a toll on the budget because the nation relies heavily on oil earnings for its foreign exchange,” an analyst said.

     

  • ‘Fed Govt should resolve Ige’s murder’

    Right activists and associates of the late Attorney-General  of the Federation and Minister of Justice Chief Bola Ige have called on the Federal Government to unravel the cause of his death and bring those behind his killing to justice.

    They made the call at the 15th Bola Ige Memorial Symposium held in Lagos yesterday.  A journalist and close associate of the late chief, Mr Dare Babarinsa called on Nigerians to stand up and seek justice for Ige. According to him “the dead can’t  rest in peace until justice is done. We should work hard and get justice for Ige”.

    Dare believed suspects were arrested in connection with Ige’s murder because of what happened two weeks before his death.  According to him, Ige’s  cap was removed at Ooni of Ife’s palace. It took the intervention of the late monarch, Oba Okunade Sijuwade to retrieve the cap. He came to Ife with only his driver and security detail; he believed his life was safe in Ife”.

    He recalled that two weeks after Ige was murdered in his bedroom. Why should such a thing happen in Ibadan, he queried. He lamented that 15 years after Ige’s gruesome murder, his assailants have not been found.

    Civil right activist, Mr Wale Afolabi said following the death of Ige, the question being asked is whether Nigeria is worth dying for. However, he said the former Attorney General  did not die in vain. He was a good leader and was able to build good successor.

    Comrade Edward from Ebonyi State said it was very sad that Ige’s killers have not been found . He described Ige as  a political bull dozer and a detribalised Nigerian.

    Roselyn Onyema described Ige as a father, and a leader. She appealed to politicians to emulate his virtues.