The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Fed Govt

  • Fed Govt ‘pays contractors N2.7 trillion’

    The Federal Government has paid N2.7 trillion owed various contractors since coming into office in 2015, Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing Suleiman Zarma has said.

    The minister spoke during a stop-over to inspect the reconstruction and asphalt overlay of the the 98.414 km Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Ajibandele-Shagamu Dual Carriageway, Phase IV. He said N47 billion went to road contractors.

    Zarma said: “These monies were paid, not for jobs awarded by the present government, but government did so believing that the contracts were awarded to benefit Nigerians,”saying that the administration was resolute in paying contractors for jobs executed.

    Zarma, however, warned that the Federal Government would not condone sub-standard work, adding that the Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Shagamu being handled by Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), was very strategic.

    Zarma said the road is part of the International Trans- African Highway connecting Lagos to the Port of Mombasa in Kenya through Enugu in Nigeria and Doula in Cameroon.

    He also inspected the rehabilitation, reconstruction and expansion work on the 83.40 kms Lagos-Ibadan Dual Carriageway Section 1.

    He commended the contractor, RCC, and urged the firm to redouble efforts to meet the July 3, 2018, completion deadline.

    Zarma also inspected the construction of the 1.59km Rigid Pavement Access Road to NNPC Depot in Mosimi along Ikorodu-Shagamu Road.

    He expressed displeasure that Borini Prono and Co Nig Ltd., the contractor, which had over 30 years experience in Nigeria and with outstanding jobs, could not deliver the road on schedule.

    The minister said issues delaying the completion of the job would be speedily reviewed to enable the contractor to fully mobilise to site and complete the project this year.

    He assured contractors handling various federal projects in the South-West geopolitical zone that the Federal Government would pay for contracts executed.

    He said the relationship between the contractors and the Federal Government had evolved over the years and as such, they were not expected to stall work due to funding delay.

    The access road is very important to petrol tanker drivers as it will ease the evacuation of products from the NNPC Depot.

    The News Agency of Nigeria said the contract was awarded in December 2014 with a completion date of January 2016, stating that contractors have identified delay in funding as one of the major challenges delaying the project execution.

  • Fed Govt invokes ‘no work, no pay’ rule, health workers allege

    •Union condemns action

    STRIKING health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) have accused the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole and his officials of resorting to acts of intimidation by withholding their salaries for April.

    The government had earlier threatened to invoke the “no work, no pay” policy, if the health workers go on strike.

    Investigation by The Nation revealed that the workers have not been paid their April salaries, even though the strike started mid-April.

    JOHESU National Chairman Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, who spoke with The Nation yesterday, also said they were yet to be served the court order asking them to call off the strike and return to work immediately.

    He added that even though he has asked the Ministry of Labour to ask the Industrial Court to serve them, they were yet to be served.

    Josiah said the ministry for deciding to apply the “no work, no pay policy” was taking the wrong approach since the law stipulates that any worker who worked for half of the month is entitled to his salary.

    He said: “Actually, that is one of the most unfortunate things that has happened. It is a devilish one. That goes to show you how the Ministry of Health that has been converted to Ministry of Doctors will stop at nothing to intimidate our people in an attempt to prevent them from fighting for their rights.

    “Everybody knows that if somebody worked half of a month, he is entitled to his salary. Even if they want to be the devil to implement the ‘no work, no pay policy” after giving them 66 days’ notice, we believe that we will get to that point after the strike.

    “We gave them notice and met all conditions and they decided to instigate the strike because they feel that they have a weapon to use and in a draconian way, they have decided to implement that.

    “Again, they are implementing it wrongly because if I have worked and you say ‘no work, no pay’, and you think that is correct, you will only have to take away that part that I did not work. But they have taken everything, and we will get to that point because since they know how to go to court, after the strike, we will also challenge them and demand damages because they are owing us.”

    The JOHESU Chairman said even though their lawyers has filed an appeal and stay of execution against the court’s order asking them to return to work, they were yet to be officially served the court order, eight days after it was made.

    He dismissed claims that the order was served on them through substituted service.

    He said the court could not have made any order of substituted service of its order since JOHESU has not rejected service, but were rather asking to be served the order in accordance with the law.

    He said: “As I speak with you right now, I have not been served the court order. The other day, when they called us for a meeting, I sent them a message and also told the Minister of Labour that they have been banding around the existence of a court order, I have not seen any order of court served on us. I only travelled for one day to honour the invitation from DSS. Now, I have not seen any order. So, please, tell Industrial Court to serve us the court order.

    “I even sent a message when they brought us the invitation letter for a meeting that they should tell the Industrial Court to come and serve us the court order.”

     

     

     

     

  • Wike is enjoying immunity, says Fed Govt

    The federal government said yesterday it could not probe the assassination allegation made by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike because the governor enjoys immunity.

    Minister of Information Lai Mohammed  told reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja that for the fact that Wike is enjoying immunity, he would have been invited over his allegation that the Federal government was planning to assassinate him.

    Mohammed said: “As for the question about the allegation by the governor of Rivers that he has information that he will be assassinated by the federal government in a crowd.,”I think the beauty of being a governor is that you enjoy immunity from prosecution and arrest.  Because I remember a couple of years ago when I made a similar allegation, I was invited to the Force Headquarters.”

    But Wike in a statement accused the federal goernmenty of caring less about human lives especially when people are being killed daily across the country.

    Wike said because the Federal Government had relegated the sanctity of human lives, that is why they give conflicting reasons for the security challenges that have led to wanton killings in different parts of the country.

    “They don’t care about the issue  of the protection of lives and property. That is why people are killed in their numbers everyday.

    ”But I will not be slaughtered easily. They will not succeed in their plot”, Governor Wike said.

    The governor expressed shock   that  rather than  say that this weighty intelligence report will be duly investigated , the Minister of Information is struggling to trivialize the matter.

    He said there are laid down constitutional processes of handling weighty issues of this nature, pointing out that it is unfortunate that the Federal Government had refused to follow the  constitutional path.

  • Fed Govt invests $10b in infrastructure, says Osinbajo

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said the Federal Government had invested about $10 billion in infrastructure development in the last three years.

    He said the investment which focused on roads, power and a new national rail network, was unprecedented.

    Osinbajo spoke in Abuja at the opening session of the Direct Investors Summit Nigeria, organised by Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).

    He said: “We have in the last three years invested close to $10 billion an unprecedented sum in infrastructure since 2016.

    “Our focus is on roads, power and a new national rail network; all of which will help guarantee increased access to markets and reduced operating costs for businesses.’’

    According to him, the inspiring news is that the country has emerged from the recession and is determined more than ever to make up for lost time and missed opportunities.

    He said the focus on agriculture had attracted billions of dollars in investments in the last three years in rice mills, sugar plantations, fertiliser blending plants, among others.

    “Nigeria’s foreign reserves are now almost $50 billion, up from $30 billion when we assumed office.

    “Our Sovereign Wealth Fund has in the last two years seen its first new inflows since it was established in 2011.

    “We have grown our taxpayer base by five  million new taxpayers; from 14 million in 2016 to 19 million today, as part of efforts to diversify Nigeria’s revenue base,’’ Osinbajo said.

    He said the country’s opportunities were  premised on a number of strategic endowments, including its population which was Africa’s largest, and half of the entire West Africa.

    The vice-president said Nigeria has one of the most youthful populations in the world with 50  per cent under the age of 20 and 75  per cent under 35, an incredibly energetic and entrepreneurial people.

    “It is easy to see why any global company serious about its future just has to have a plan for Nigeria, as many opportunities still abound.

    “Last December, a cereal factory opened in Lagos to manufacture Kellogg’s, the result of a partnership between the American company and Tolaram, a Singaporean conglomerate.

    “Although the Kellogg Company is over 100 years old, that factory was its first investment in Nigeria.

    “Barely half a year later they are already talking about expansion plans, as the new factory has already hit maximum capacity.

    “There are also many successful partnerships between the public and private sectors.

    “The best example is Nigeria LNG, a Nigerian run company that liquifies Nigeria’s natural gas for export all over the world and helped Nigeria earn her place as the fourth largest LNG exporter in the world.

    “The company is majority private-sector owned by three multinational oil companies, while Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation holds a minority stake,’’ Osinbajo said.

    He said the biggest priorities and commitments, as a government, had been the creation of an enabling business environment.

    He described the environment as one in which property rights and the rule of law were respected and markets took the lead, while government efficiently fulfilled its role as protector and enabler.

    ing and potential investors to have equal access to the information.

    He said the commission also launched an online, multilingual, investors guide with the kind of basic information about starting a business, labour laws, taxes and land that investors needed to better understand Nigeria.

     

     

  • NBA to Fed Govt: stop killings

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has urged the Federal Government to stop violent crimes and killings across the country.

    It made the call in Kano during its quarterly National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

    NBA President Abubakar Mahmoud ( SAN) said the incessant killings had become worrisome.

    Mahmoud condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to act on National Judicial Council (NJC) recommendations for appointment to the Bench.

    His words: “It is a matter of great concern that various forms of communal conflicts, banditry and activities of insurgent groups have continued to lead to violence and loss of lives in many parts of the country.

    “On  May 1, 2018, over 60 people were reportedly killed in a bomb attack on innocent worshippers in Mubi Adamawa State.

    “On May 7 again, the news broke out of 45 persons killed in Gwaska Village of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. In Zamfara State, bandits operate largely unhindered in vast swathes of the countryside.

    “The stories coming out of Zamfara paint a picture of complete absence or near absence of  state institutions in parts of the state.

    “The killings in Benue, Taraba arising from herders/farmers conflict have largely continued in spite of the efforts of the security agencies.

    “The NBA condemns these killings and call on Federal and state governments to do all within their powers to bring this carnage to an end.”

    Mahmoud said the association was deeply concerned that the country seemed to be drifting into some state of near anarchy in many parts.  According to him, Nigeria is being counted as one of the world’s fragile states.

    “We must halt and reverse this drift. The NBA calls on the Federal Government to rise to the occasion to tackle the rising wave of crime and killings in Nigeria.

    “We also call upon the government to be more proactive in the prevention of these criminal killings rather than taking some reactive measures after the occurrence of the criminal Act of murder.

    “I have in the past drawn attention to poor quality of governance even at the Federal level. I have called attention to seeming dissonance among various institutions. Many critical institutions seem to be working at cross-purposes. This trend has in our view not improved significantly.

    “We still do not observe the much-desired synergy within the administration. Many decisions are unnecessarily delayed to the detriment of national interest.

    “Many critical departments and agencies of government remain without their statutory heads or boards either because government is slow or unable to act or because of disagreement between the executive and legislative branches of government.

    “The Securities and Exchange Commission, for instance, has been without a board for most of the life of this administration and now without a substantive head for several months since the interdiction of the former director-general.

    ‘’This state of affairs is eroding confidence in the Nigeria’s capital market with huge negative consequence on the national economy. The situation is unacceptable.”

    Mahmoud also spoke on the judiciary.

    “Indeed, the judicial branch of government has not been spared from this dissonance. More than six months after the recommendations by the National Judicial Council for appointment of 13 Justices of the Court of Appeal in November 2017, the president is yet to act on these recommendations.

    ‘’Similarly, several recommendations for appointments to the Bench of the Federal High Court and other federal courts are still pending many months after these recommendations to the president.

    “Acting on the recommendations of the NJC is not a matter of presidential discretion, to be exercised whenever the President deems fit. It is a constitutional duty.

    “While the President is not bound to accept the recommendations, failure to act is a breach of the Constitution. I therefore call on the President to act without further delay!

    “This failure to act is causing unnecessary delays and avoidable negative consequences on the administration of justice across the country. I, therefore, wish to give notice of the intention of the NBA to take legal action should this constitutional dereliction continue.”

    Ahead of next year’s general election, Mahmoud urged all relevant agencies to maintain strict professionalism and discharge their mandate within the bounds of the Constitution.

    “The election management body – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and various security agencies must all discharge their respective duties in a professional manner and remain loyal to the Constitution.’’

  • Fed Govt unveils N64m website

    THE Federal Government said yesterday its N64 million upgraded website, www.osgf.gov.ng, is now live.

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha did the launching in his conference room in Abuja.

    According to the SGF,  members of the public, who wish to use the e-participation channel will get responses to their enquires within 72 hours.

    With the launch, he said the old website, which he noted was based on an old technology that had limited features, would now be rested.

    Boss  said the website is about bringing governance to the people and getting them involved in the process.

    The upgraded website, he said, has a number of components that will add value to information dissemination to public.

    The SGF explained that the major component of the website is the revamped e-participation platform that allows the public to give feedback on policies as well as submit ideas.

    Through this platform, Mustapha said members of the public would be free to request for information from government, submit ideas and lodge complaints.

    He added that such requests, ideas or complaints, would elicit timely response from government.

    Mustapha said if the nation is to attract investment, information, which is important, should be available with ease at a touch of a button.

    According to him, the amount expended involves training of 50 officers that will facilitate timely updates and ensure very robust content management system, procurement of laptops as well as consultancy services.

    The Federal Government had allocated N65m for the project in the 2017 Budget.

  • Fed Govt plans100, 000 mass housing units’ scheme

    The Federal Government  said its plans to deliver 100, 000 affordable homes yearly as social housing scheme in the country is close to fruition.

    Minister of State for Power Works and Housing II, Surv Hassan Zarma, stated this during an inspection of Lafia, National Housing Programme (NHP).

    He said low income earners, such as artisans and commercial vehicle operators, among others, would have access to the affordable houses at the price of N2 million and N5 million for one-bedroom and three-bedroom flats respectively.

    He said the housing project initiated by the Office of the Vice President, will be supported by the Federal Ministry of Finance but entirely different from the current NHP being executed in the 34 states across the federation.

    According to the minister, who is the Chairman, Presidential Initiative on Family Home Fund, government is committed to end housing deficits in the country.

    He said: “The 100, 000 houses is family home fund that is purely social housing programme. The cost will not be as high as this, it will be much more lower.

  • FG unveils N64m website

    The Federal Government on Monday disclosed that it’s upgraded website www.osgf.gov.ng, costing N64 million is now live.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, did the launching in his conference room in Abuja.

    According to him, members of the public who wish to use the e-participation channel will get responses to their enquiries within 72 hours.

    With the launch, he said that the old website, which he noted was based on an old technology that had limited features, lacked security features and was not compliant to the Executive Order 001, among other restrictions, will now be rested.

    Read Also:Fund launches upgraded website

    He said that the website is about bringing governance to the people and getting them involved in the process.

    The upgraded website, he said, has a number of components that will add value to information disseminated to public.

    The SGF explained that the major component of the website is the revamped e-participation platform that allows members of the public to give feedback on policies as well as submit ideas.

    Through this platform, Mustapha said members of the public would be free to request for information from government, submit ideas, and lodge complaints.

    He said that such requests, ideas or complaints, would elicit timely response from government.

    Mustapha said if the nation  is to attract investment, information which is important should be available with ease at a touch of a button.

    According to him, the amount expended involves training of 50 officers that will facilitate timely updates and ensure very robust content management system, procurement of laptops as well as consultancy services.

    The Federal Government had allocated N65m for the project in the 2017 Budget.

    “There was a contract in 2017. The figure in public domain. It is about N64m including procurement of laptops, training, consultancy services.

    “The contract was awarded by the Bureau of Public Procurement in accordance with the Procurement Act,” Mustapha said when he was asked the cost of the upgrade.” he said

    The SGF explained that the desire of his office to operate a functional website that will deliver information and policy thrust of the present administration formed the decision to upgrade the old website.

    He said arrangements were being concluded to train officials from Ministries, Departments and Agencies who will be handling the different segments of the website.

    Mustapha said those who criticise government do not necessarily hate the government.

    “When people criticise government , it is not that they hate government. They want government to do better and for them to see improvement,” he said.

    The Permanent Secretary, General Services, Office of the SGF, Mr. Olusegun Adekunle, said the decision to upgrade the website was taken so that it can serve better.

    He said the upgrade would add value to dissemination of information of government activities.

    He added that each of the six offices in the SGF’s office will have content managers before they can upload content.

    He said there was plan to train initial 50 officers for the six offices.

     

  • Wike, Fed Govt in war of words

    •’Governor judging others by his standards’

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike alleged yesterday that the  Federal Government was plotting his assasination.

    The governor spoke at the third anniversary thanksgiving of his administration at the Living Faith Church in D-Line, Port Harcourt.

    He said: “Intelligence report available to us as at this morning indicate that they are plotting to assassinate me in a crowd and claim it was accidental discharge.”

    The governor said the plot of the APC Federal Government and its associates will not intimidate him as he remains committed to the defence of democracy and Rivers State.

    He said the plot would fail, because God would continue to defend him.

    “The level of conspiracy against Rivers State is unfortunate.  Instead of focusing on governance, they focus  on how to assassinate me or frame me up.”

    Wike claimed the APC Federal Government, through the inspector general of Police, plotted to plant millions of dollars and AK 47 at his Abuja residence, when the Police sought search warrant from an Abuja court.

    But Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina said: “It is not in the Buhari administration’s character.

    “Wike is judging others by his own standards. Rivers State has witnessed in recent times gruesome murders which the state has not been able to explain.”

  • Fed Govt to install 150, 100KVA transformers in Ariaria market

    Minister of Works, Housing and Power Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said the Ariaria Market rural electrification power project will include 150 and 100KVA transformers.

    The minister said the project, which will provide electricity to 37,000 shops in the first phase and 50,000 shops in the second phase, will directly impact the lives of about 100,000 people in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State.

    Fashola spoke yesterday in Aba while inspecting projects in the Southeast.

    The minister said Ariaria Market was spending over N7 million daily on generators, adding that investors said they could do same for less.

    He said: “The first point I want to emphasise is that as it has been said in some places that it is difficult to provide service because the concentration creates a problem or because the Federal Government has control, but Ariaria is an example of what true public service commitment can deliver. President Muhammadu Buhari recognises the need to recognise made-in-Nigeria projects.

    “You will see the installation of a distribution line that was not there before, the installation of transformation that was not there before because those two officers who exercise authority at state and national levels can work together. Investors have taken a position. So, there is not a kobo of government money in this undertaking to provide electricity in the first phase for 37,000 shops and in the second phase for 50,000 shops.

    “You will see the design is to install 150, 100KVA transformers. It will provide an example for the distribution companies (DISCOS) about the kind of installations that meet the national standard.

    “You can see from some traders who said they now enjoy more electricity than before: small installations, like these, can impact many more people. If you look at 37,000 shops, where each shop has about three to four people and multiply the impact, we are talking about over 100,000 people who are impacted because there is partnership between the state and the Federal Government. There is a policy that seeks to decentralise access to power and allow investors to come in.

    “The final leg now is for the regulator to issue the licence for these investors so that their bankers will feel confident that their investment is in the right place. This market is spending over N7 million daily, paying for generators and the investors are saying we can do the same thing for less.

    “This is where we think the power of small businesses, the capacity of made-in-Nigeria can be unleashed.”