The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Fed Govt

  • How Fed Govt tackling security challenges, by defence minister

    •Buhari, security chiefs meet in Aso Villa

    MINISTER of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali said yesterday that the Armed Forces in collaboration with other security agencies have been doing a lot to address the country’s turbulent security situation.

    Dan-Ali gave the assurance in a statement circulated to State House correspondents, as President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met behind closed doors with security chiefs during National Security Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting dwelled on the various security challenges facing the country.

    The minister reminded the council that the Armed Forces and other security agencies have been doing a lot to tackle the nation’s security challenges.

    He said: “In order to forestall future security incidences in Zamfara, Sokoto and Birnin-Gwari axis, ‘Operation Sharan Daji’ has been extended to cover up to the fringes of Niger border.

    “The operation has recently been reinforced with more troops from the Nigerian Armed Forces, Police and Department of State Services and is supported by the Intelligence, Surveillance and Recognisance Wing of 207 Quick Response Group of the Nigerian Air Force.

    “The joint operation has successfully arrested some suspected armed bandits and recovered arms and ammunition. Similarly, in other to checkmate the criminal activities along Abuja-Kaduna highway, security agencies have been directed to increase patrols along the axis to address cases of attacks and kidnappings.

    “There was a review of ‘Operation Safe Haven’ leading to appointment of a new Commander in the Northcentral. The Honourable minister also reiterated the need for the deployment of the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in all areas liberated by the military in the Northeast in order to consolidate on the gains of military operations as well as to enable the military push forward in its clearance operations.”

    In the Southsouth, the minister informed the council that “Operation Delta Safe” has sustained its operations against illegal activities in the Niger Delta region with resultant reduction in illegal oil bunkering, militancy and pipeline vandalism.

     

     

  • Fed Govt spent N49b feeding 8.9m pupils in 24 states

    •School enrolment jumps by 30 per cent •Officials in Benue, Niger under probe

    THE Federal Government has disclosed that it has spent N49 billion on feeding of pupils in public primary schools in 24 states in the last two years.

    Special Adviser to the President on National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) Mrs. Mariam Uwais briefed reporters in Abuja.

    According to her, N220 billion has been released within the period for the implementation of the four major components of the programme.

    The programmes included N-Power, Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), National Cash Transfer Programme NCTP), Government Enterprises and Empowerment Programme(GEEP).

    Mrs. Uwais said the Federal Government budgeted and appropriated N500 billion for the 2016 fiscal year and the same amount in 2017. She added that only about N140 billion was released in 2017 and N80 billion was accessed by the NSIP in 2016.

    The NSIP, which was created in 2015, was officially launched in 2016 to deliver social economic support to disadvantaged Nigerians across the country.

    Mrs. Uwais explained that about 8.596 million pupils were presently being fed by the Federal Government in 46,247 public primary schools in 24 states of the federation.

    According to her, through the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, 90,670 Nigerians have been engaged and empowered as cooks and over 100,000 local farmers have also been linked to the programme to supply locally sourced farm produced.

    “We have created a value chain with significant economic benefits to the micro economic development of the states. The value chain offers additional benefits of job creation and increased livelihood outcomes for both cooks and small holder-farmers, hence improving livelihood and the local economies,” she added.

    Mrs. Uwais said government was having challenges with the implementation of the school feeding programme in Niger and Benue states.

    She said already, some officials in the programme in the two states have been handed over to the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and one of the officials have been recommended for the prosecution.

    “The National Social Investment Office is ably empowered to suspend the programme in any state, where the prescribed standard is reported to have fallen below expectation until a redesigned and realignment is achieved,” the presidential aide said.

    The objective of National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is to provide one nutritious, balanced meal each school day to 5.5million pupils in classes to One to Three in the public primary schools across the a country.

    Government said it has achieved 30 per cent improvement in school enrollment since the beginning of the programme.

     

     

     

  • ‘Fed Govt owes oil marketers over $2b subsidy’

    The Federal Government is owing oil marketers over $2 billion in subsidy claims,  Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) said yesterday.

    Its out-going Executive Secretary, Obafemi Olawore, lamented that the development has forced many marketers to shut operations with attendant loss of jobs by youths hitherto employed by the marketers.

    He urged the government to settle their claims before the Assets Management Company of  Nigeria (AMCON) takes over their remaining businesses.

    Olawore said total deregulation of the downstream sector remained the only lasting solution  to the myriad of issues besetting the sector. He said total deregulation of the sector would open up the industry to investors.

    Speaking at the sent forth dinner held on his behalf by MOMAN, Olawore said the difficulties in recovering their money from the government was why many oil marketers have left the country, citing Forte Oil’s recent notice to divest from some of its investments, following Mobil, Chevron, and Texaco’s sale of their holdings.

    “Subsidy is not free money as some erroneously believed as those who came in to profit have left, leaving the space for real players who believe in what they are doing and despite reconciliation and various meetings called to know when the debt will be paid, nothing is forthcoming from the governments side,” he said.

    He said against the backdrop of reservation on deregulation in the country by a segment of the citizens, deregulation was indeed in practice in Nigeria between January to July 1999, as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) did not import any litre of petrol and the it was discovered to be successful with the citizens’ need met by the oil marketers.

    Olawore, with over 20 years experience at MOMAN, said the goal of the association is to have a free market oil industry with all the qualities inherent that will allow free entry and exit without government interference but provision of only regulatory framework.

    “Deregulation of the oil industry with strong regulators will allow for participation of real investors in the sector. Right from the time of Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), we have been clamouring for deregulation and it is sad that Ghana that came here to study how the Petroleum Product Pricing Agency (PPPRA) works has gone back to their country, set up their own agency for product pricing and have deregulated.

    “MOMAN’s goal will be achieved when we have a free market as no one will be owed. Every thing will work optimally with forex issue not arising as this has left so many oil marketers almost bankrupt though the situation is okay now,” Olawore said.

    Olawore said MOMAN believes in dialogue which was the reason for the success seen in the Apapa gridlock clearance done in conjunction with stakeholders such as National Association of Road Trucks Owners (NARTO), Petroleum Tankers Drivers Union (PTDU),Navy, FRSC and NUPENG.

     

  • Fed Govt okays TCN to oversee N72b investment in DisCos

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has received approval from the Federal Government to manage the N72 billion proposed investment in electricity distribution companies (DisCos).

    The Managing Director of TCN, Usman Mohammed, told reporters in Abuja the the planned investment is aimed at upgrading the distribution networks of the DisCos to provide stable electricity to consumers.

    He however said the DisCos have low capacity which has contributed to the weak distribution of electricity.

    He said: “DisCos have low capacity. Investments have not been done in the DisCos and you know it. We have commissioned so many substations; go and find out how many of these have been done by the DisCos.

    “That is why we are begging the government and anybody that is willing to listen to us that investments need to go to the DisCos. We are actually working with the government to see that the last mile which is now the weakest link in the power value chain which is distribution, that investments are directed to that sector.

    “In the past, the government had not shown interest in putting money in distribution, but recently the minister of power has approached the government and got it to approve N72 billion which will be invested in the DisCos.

    “This is one milestone that will help us to also stabilise the grid. It is in our interest that distribution is rehabilitated and I can tell you we lost two transformers in Abuja because of poor distribution. If distribution is not fixed, it will affect us at the TCN. Government is investing in the DisCos and it is TCN that is managing the investment. We are managing it on behalf of the minister of power.”

    Investors in the 11 DisCos said they were yet to make any profit from their $1.4 billion (N427 billion) investment, five years after they acquired distribution assets during the privatisation of the sector.

  • Derivation: ‘Fed Govt not fair to Akwa Ibom’

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government of deliberately withholding derivation funds due to his state for political reasons.

    Emmanuel said within two months, “they have dropped the allocation of my state by N6.8 billion all in the name of politics; that is what is going on.”

    He described the Federal  Government’s action as ‘political witch-hunt’ against the state, and urged Nigerians to be careful who they elect as President in 2019.

    The governor spoke yesterday at the Government House, Uyo, when a presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Kabiru Aminu Turaki, led his campaign team on a visit.

    On the preparation for next year’s elections, Emmanuel said PDP governors would not interfere with party primaries in their states.

    “Governors elected on the PDP platform are determined not to influence the party primary election but to ensure that the exercise is free and fair,” Emmanuel said.

    He hailed the quality of PDP presidential aspirants seeking the ticket, and suggested that aspirants should present their manifesto to Nigerians on live television.

    “All power belongs to God. If you must get there, no power can stop you. Whoever God destined to be the president of our country will be and God will use us to bring that person to power,” he said.

    Emmanuel noted that  everything will be done to ensure success of the party at the poll.

    The governor described the purported notice of impeachment to Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom by eight APC legislators as regrettable and undemocratic.

    Turaki  described Emmanuel as the most performing governor in the country, whose achievements should be replicated in other states.

    The presidential aspirant said: “When you want a government that will permeate all the strata of human society, when you want the people to feel the positive impact of democracy dividends, you do not just get anybody into elective position, you look at their pedigree, background, accomplishments and what they stand for and that will determine what they bring to the table.”

  • Fed Govt partners AfDB on job creation

    The Federal Government has partnered Africa Development Bank (AfDB) to reduce unemployment in the country.

    The government said it plans to engage stakeholders and the AfDB in a roundtable discussion on youth employment and skills development.

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, disclosed this at the inauguration of the multi-sectoral task team on public-private roundtable on youth employment and skills development yesterday in Abuja.

    Represented by the Minister of State, Prof. Stephen Ocheni, he said the roundtable would have a rich private sector participation due to the widely acknowledged higher potentials for job creation by the sector.

    He said: “The Federal Government, in its continued efforts to respond to the unacceptable situation and reverse trend, has therefore, entered into partnership with the AfDB Group to engage a broad-spectrum of stakeholders in a Roundtable discussion on Youth Employment and Skills Development in Nigeria.

    “The work of the team would key into the aspiration of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of the present administration and also boost the rate of attainment of the relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country.”

    The minister said Nigeria was yet to harness its population potential through productive engagement.

    The Senior Director for the AfDB, Ebrima Faal, said only 77.55 million of Nigeria’s 85.08 million labour force are engaged in some sort of economic activity.

    Represented by, Abdullahi Imoru, he said: “Of the 85.08 million of Nigeria’s labour force, 77.55 million are engaged in some sort of economic activity. This leaves out 7.53 million people doing absolutely nothing.

    “Nigeria has to realise the potential of its youths, create jobs for them or support them to create jobs for themselves; hence the critical importance of entrepreneurship. Hence the key role of the private sector.

    “In 2016, The AfDB adopted a Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy, with the goal to create 25 million jobs and equip 15 million youth in Africa with employable skills in ten years.  From 2016 to date, the bank has invested over $400 million in both public and private operations that will promote jobs for the youth in the country.”

    Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote said: “Although the Federal Ministry of Labour has the mandate to create the enabling environment and coordinate activities on job creation and skills development in the country, we recognise the fact that employment matters are cross cutting in all the sector of the economy.”

  • Fed Govt to redress trade agreements

    The Federal Government has taken steps to reverse trade and negotiation failures, as well as coordinate deficits in trade

    Speaking in Abuja, the Director-General, Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN), Amb Chiedu Osakwe said some of these deficits date back to the First Republic.

    Amb Osakwe stated that based on the fact that Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa and 26th in the world, there was the need for coherence and coordination on trade negotiations and agreements.  According to him the organisation also coordinates, manages and leads all trade negotiations between Nigeria and other countries.

    He spoke during a visit to Buhari Media Organisation (BMO). He said it was in recognition of trade as engine of growth that the Buhari administration, on May 10, last year, approved the setting up of the NOTN.

    “The organisation is also mandated to, among other things, create a data base for Nigeria’s trade agreements and streamline the process of trade agreements between Nigeria and other countries. It is also mandated to establish a data base to register Nigerians’ ill-treatment abroad; develop a trade dispute settlement department to resolve issues and improve trade financing for medium and small scale enterprises.”

    Responding, Chairman of BMO, Niyi Akinsiju, commended NOTN for its vision and commitment to its mandates of rectifying negative trade practices between Nigeria and other countries; noting also that negative trade practices had contributed largely to economic stagnation in developing countries.

     

  • Fed Govt feeding 8.5m school kids

    THE Federal Government is feeding 8.5 million children each school day under its school feeding programme across the country, Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments Hajiya Maryam Uwais has said.

    She spoke in Kano at a high-level interactive Social Policy Workshop on strengthening capacity to ensure sustainability for child targeted programmes in Northern Nigeria.

    She said the gesture was aimed at not only reducing the pressure on families to provide food on the table for their children, but also improve learning outcomes and improves the health of the children.

    “Enrolment of Children in primary schools has drastically improved. Many of our poorest citizens do not prioritise education, often due to lack of appreciation of how education can enhance the fortunes of a child,” she said.

    UNICEF Nigeria in collaboration with the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, organised the Workshop for 19 Northern states commissioners of Planning and Women Affairs.

    The workshop was organised under the UNICEF New Country Programme (2018-2022), designed to expand the scope of interventions in social policy activities in the North.

    She noted that the engagement of over 136,000 teaching assistants under the Federal Government’s N-power programme across the country had improved the quality of education being received by the children.

    Uwais said the school feeding programme was initiated by the Federal Government to address school enrolment problem and boost their nutrition.

    “Our potential as a nation cannot be fully realised when over 40 per cent of our population are deprived of their capacity to achieve their full potential.

    “Where we do not deliberately plan to educate and empower the our girl-child, we lose the economic potential of the value she could have contributed to herself, the household and the community, not to talk of the impact of her knowledge on her children and generations.”

    She, therefore, urged the participants to find out why the northern part of the country was lagging behind on many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially on health and survival of Children.

    Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II called on state governments to do everything possible to ensure effective implementation of policies that would check child and maternal mortality.

    He said the Emirate Council would keep supporting all government’ policies and programmes aimed at promoting girl-child education in the state and the country.

  • Fed Govt recalls 2.4m bottles of cough syrup containing codeine

    THE Federal Ministry of Health has recalled 2.4 million bottles of cough syrup containing codeine after a recent audit of the substance carried out by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

    According to a statement yesterday by the ministry’s Director Media and Public Relations, Mrs. Boade Akinola, in Abuja, the recall demonstrated the Federal Government’s resolve to stem the abuse of codeine and other substances.

    Akinola said the minister had recently received the final report of the 22-man stakeholders committee set up by the ministry to address the worrisome menace of codeine abuse.

    She quoted the Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole as saying that the audit and subsequent recall of the substance was part of recommendations of the committee to address codeine abuse.

    The minister said the committee members were drafted from a broad spectrum of the health sector in collaboration with relevant agencies as part of pharmacovigilance and renewed effort to monitor drug distribution channels and sanitise the system.

    The minister recalled that the committee was an offshoot of the statement issued by the ministry on the temporary ban of Codeine production and distribution.

    He said the committee has Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, as the chairman. Other members include Muhammad Abdullahi, Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Elijah Mohamed, the Registrar of Pharmacists Council of Nigeria; Mr. Moshood Lawal, Director, Food and Drugs Services, Federal Ministry of Health; Ahmed Yakasai, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) among others.

    On May 1, the Federal Government banned the production and importation of codeine as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough syrup preparations to check substance abuse among Nigerians.

    The minister directed NAFDAC to ban the issuance of permits for the importation of codeine as active pharmaceutical ingredient for cough preparations.

    He directed the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) and NAFDAC to supervise the recall for labelling and audit trailing of all codeine containing cough syrups nationwide.

    The federal government had also banned the sale of cough syrup containing codeine without prescription.

  • Fed Govt mulls integrity bonds for contractors

    The Federal Government is planning to introduce fiduciary or integrity bond at the point of contract between any of its ministry, agency and department (MDA) and a contractor.

    Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo who spoke at the breakfast roundtable on rethinking business conduct and practices in Abuja yesterday, said  when it beomes operational, the bond will be listed as a pre-requisite before a formal contract award is issued.

    He warned that “non-compliance will attract a penalty to be agreed by stakeholders, not one imposed by government, and the penalty may be a percentage of the total contract value.”

    Fiduciary or integrity bond seeks to establish the prevention of corrupt malpractices by contractors that expose and cause losses to the government.

    Prof Osinbajo said combining the fight against corruption, and building a strong economy is not an easy task. “Dealing with this will not only need patience, time and strong will; it also requires strong innovations and processes to compel people to do the right thing which is why the government has initiated the integrity bond concept,” he said.

    The fiduciary bond concept “will not only be a good anti-corruption prevention mechanism, it will also align with the idea behind the Executive Order 001 to create a transparent business environment between government agencies and the private sector.”

    To be known as the Fiduciary (Integrity) Bond, it will be a time-elapsing financial instrument issued by a bank or insurance company on behalf of a private enterprise in favor of the Federal Government.

    He said if adopted by stakeholders, the concept will further help sanitise the nation’s business environment to improve transparency in government procurement process and can become a worthy tool in the fight against corruption and at the same time create a trusted business environment.

    The integrity bond will contain specific conditions for which the bond can be called, it will serve as a guarantee against bribery, inducement and/or fraud or any related malpractice which is uncovered during and/or after providing goods or services to any public or private enterprise or body during the validity period of the bond and it will be a percentage amount of the total contract sum charged by the entity providing the goods and/ or services

    The bond is a contractual liability between the Federal Government and the private provider of the goods or service. It reduces the likelihood of unknown businesses from obtaining large contracts, thereby increasing transparency of contracting processes; eliminates the occurrence of prolonged court cases, except in cases where the called bond is disputed and can be extended to contractual engagements between private parties on a voluntary basis.