The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Executive Council (FEC)

  • No subsidy removal until right solution is found, says Finance minister

    The Federal Government has said that until it is able to find the right formula to cushion the effect of subsidy removal, it would not contemplate removing subsidy.

    Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed said the government would have to find a formula that works for Nigeria before removing fuel subsidy.

    Read Also: NAEE to FG: remove petrol subsidy

    But for now, Ahmed said the government was yet to find the right formula which would provide succor to the people when subsidy is removed.

    This she said has made the idea of subsidy removal a no go area.

    Ahmed who spoke Wednesday at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting posited that it is left for the Executive and the National Assembly to come together and thinker on the right buffer that will be suitable for the country.

    She also noted that the current subsidy regime which is under the monopoly of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is far cheaper when compared to the previous regime.

  • FEC okays 64 million euros facility for water supply in Kano

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday approved 64 million Euros facility for water supply in Kano State.

    The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Read Also: Buhari presides over FEC

    According to her, the facility from the French Development Agency will provide portable water for 1.5 million people in the state.

     

    Details Later

     

  • I’ll take tough decisions in next four years – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari hinted yesterday of his resolve to take tough decisions in the four years he will remain in the saddle as the nation’s number one citizen.

    He gave the warning while receiving members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) who came to congratulate him for winning the presidential election held on February 23. Buhari, who flew the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, secured another four-year term after scoring 15,191,847 votes against the 11,262,978 scored by the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji  Atiku Abubakar. Buhari said that he will intensify efforts in the three areas of security, economy and war against corruption.

    He also disclosed that he campaigned in all the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory to prove to his critics that he was fit. He said: “First, I am pleased that members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) are collectively meeting here today where we play our weekly role to congratulate me. If I have lost the election, I don’t know how many of them will be here. “Secondly, during the campaigns, I tried to visit the 36 states and Abuja, firstly, to prove to the other side that I am fit. I tried to cover two states per day. And secondly, in order not to make anybody feel that any state had been left out. “So, I thank God that He gave me the strength and health to see through my plan, and I think it is appreciated. “My last lap of four years, I think it is going to be tough because people are being forgetful.

    “That was why wherever I went, I reminded them of the campaign promise of our party, particularly security, as I kept on saying that you have to secure the country well and institutions. “If you don’t secure the country, you can’t achieve anything, no matter how many programmes you put in place. “Secondly, on the economy, unemployment is a problem of this country as a whole. “More than 60 per cent of the youths, they need to be kept busy. “I realised that God heard our prayers. It had been two good rainy seasons and we had the foresight to get the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Central Bank to try and give soft loans to farmers so that everybody that is educated and looking for white collar jobs and cannot get it, can go back to the land. “We are lucky the rainy season had been good.

    “I think we are also lucky that through the governors in some states like Lagos, Ogun, Kebbi, Jigawa, Ebonyi, in particular, we don’t import rice, but we have savings from rice in terms of foreign exchange which we put in the budget and use for infrastructure. “That is a very good thing because the oil sector is becoming very difficult to predict. It is becoming unpredictable and depending on it makes us materially insecure. “But, thank goodness, agriculture has come to save it and people are appreciating it.” At the brief ceremony that started around 12 noon, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, spoke on behalf of the public service and congratulated the President and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for winning the election. According to him, the President’s victory was well deserved, as it was a referendum of honesty and sincerity.

    He said that the public service totally align itself to the millions of Nigerians who voted for the President. He said: “I am delighted to speak on behalf of members of the Federal Executive Council and the leadership of the Public Service of Nigeria on the courtesy visit, to congratulate Your Excellency on the historic reelection as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “Your victory with a huge majority of votes cast is indeed a well-deserved success because it was a referendum on honesty, integrity, uprightness and sincerity. “Your Excellency, the change you promised four years ago to put the Nigerian economy on a sustainable development path, restore security of lives and property and fight corruption has laid the firm foundation for growth. “Your commitment, dedication and purposeful leadership has indeed become the springboard that has taken us to the Next Level.

    “Members of the Federal Executive Council are particularly delighted because Nigerians have validated and rewarded the long, rigorous hours we spent in this Council Chamber to deliberate on matters of national importance. “You led us with assured calmness, understanding and ensured that we gave account of our stewardship openly.” He said that the leadership of the Public Service is also happy because the re-election will deepen the on-going reforms aimed at strengthening its capacity for the delivery of good governance. Apart from the ministers, others in the council chamber included the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Chief of Staff Abba Kyari and Head of Service Winifred Oyo-Ita. Congratulatory cards were presented to the President by Mustapha and Oyo-Ita.

  • Buhari, EFCC worry over influx of foreign currency

    •Anti-graft body: fake dollar notes in circulation

    THERE are fake dollar notes in circulation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) warned yesterday.

    The anti-graft agency raised the alarm a day after President Muhammadu Buhari expressed concern over the influx of the foreign currencies, especially in the build-up to the elections.

    Buhari had at the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) in Abuja on Wednesday alleged that some politicians have flooded the country with foreign currency to influence the elections.

    The rescheduled polls begin tomorrow with the presidential/National Assembly elections. The Governorship/State Assembly and the Federal Capital City (FCT) elections are billed for March 9.

    EFCC spokesman Tony Orilade warned Nigerians to be wary of fake dollars, in a statement yesterday.

    Orilade said the agency issued the warning following the intelligence gathered in the build-up to the elections.

    According to him, the anti-graft agency has urged Bureaux de Change operators to be cautious.

    The statement reads: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised the alarm over the circulation of fake dollar notes ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

    “In a statement personally signed by the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu, the agency stated that the warning follows intelligence gathered in the build-up to the elections.

    “The intelligence indicates that the Dollar notes have features of genuineness, but forensic analysis by the Commission reveals otherwise.

    “We, therefore, warn the BDC operators to be cautious in their transactions from now till the end of the elections.”

    Also in a statement, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the President accused some politicians of flouting money laundering regulations in their desperate bid to capture political power.

    He added that the President, however, praised the EFCC for successfully tracking the money in “millions of United States (U.S.) dollars”.

    “The EFCC success followed the presidential directive to investigative agencies to probe a number of high profile cases,” the President was quoted as saying.

    Reassuring the nation of his administration’s determination to wage a relentless war against money laundering and terrorism financing, the President urged Nigerians, especially politicians, to place the interest of the country above theirs.

  • ‘Maintenance will increase demand for building materials’

    Demand for the supply of building materials such as wood, pipes, paint, tiles, electrical fittings, windows and tools is set to rise following the recent approval of National Maintenance Framework for public buildings by Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who spoke on the importance of the approval , said the scheme was aimed at ensuring that public buildings are protected and maintained to save resources for new projects.

    On what the approval means, the Minister said it is a breakthrough in the nation’s quest for maintenance culture. He said after decades of agonising about lack of maintenance, the Buhari administration had chosen to act because the records did not indicate that any such policy decision had previously been taken at the Federal level.

    He said:”The decision was provoked by a memorandum from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing that challenged the conventional thinking that Nigeria does not have a maintenance culture. The memorandum argued and FEC agreed that maintenance of infrastructure; whether public or private, is not a cultural issue, but an economic one.

    “In one of our sample buildings, leading up to the memorandum to FEC, we found out that out of 63 air-conditioning units, 11 required replacement or repair. We also identified windows, doors, tiles, roofing materials, plastering work that required replacement or repair.

    “The maintenance programme is then developed from these assessments as to what jobs need to be done to restore the building to fitness, what needs to be replaced and what needs to be repaired. This is the basis for the award of the maintenance contract following the existing procurement law.”

    He explained that the award of contract would not only drive employment for artisans, but would also drive demand of manufacturing and supply of parts like wood, pipes, paint, tiles, electrical fittings, windows and tools, in addition to those of cleaning items like detergent, polish and varnish.

    “This is the economy that we see ahead as we set out to implement this approval starting from buildings, and as I said, and extending to roads, rail, bridges etc. as we progress,” he said.

  • Marketers, DMO meet over N800b debt, ultimatum

    …as IPMAN kicks against shutdown move

     

    The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and the Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIs), Thursday met with the Debt Management Office (DMO) over the N800billion outstanding fuel subsidy debt and the seven day ultimatum to shutdown depots.

    The Nation learnt from a reliable source that the meeting was to avert the threat of the marketers to plunged the country an energy crisis.

    Meanwhile, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Thursday kicked against any attempt by some groups of oil importers to disrupt the relative peace in the downstream oil sector of the country over the subsidy debts.

    In a statement by the IPMAN National Secretary, Alhaji Danladi Pasali said the seven-day ultimatum issued by the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and the Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIs), is nothing but intimidation and an attempt to frustrate the effort by government to ensure Nigerians have a hitch-free yuletide celebration.

    The IPMAN scribe said it’s unfortunate that some groups are more concerns of their personal interest above national interest. According to him, it is good for the marketers to ask for their rights but taking such decision to shut down the petroleum sector at this period of festivity is an act of sabotage.

    He said already the Debt Management Office (DMO) has been addressing their concerns when they issued promissory notes to settle the oil marketers’ debts based on approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    He said the DMO in a statement recently said FEC approved the establishment of the Promissory Note Programme and Bond Issuance to settle inherited local debts and contractual obligations due to various categories of creditors, including Oil Marketers in July 2017.

    Pasali appeal to the marketers to change their tactics by seeking for other alternatives means to push for their demands, rather than blackmail and sabotage.

    He said IPMAN members are aware of the government’s efforts to settle the remaining debts of the subsidy and are determine to assist the government to ensure hitch-free holidays.

    Pasali said IPMAN, as the oldest association of petroleum marketers and regarded as closest to the end users of petroleum products will continue provide services to the public throughout the holidays.

    He urged Nigerians not to be panic by the threat of the MOMAN and their allies, saying that at the moment NNPC controls majority of the fuel available in the country and is nearly the sole importer of the products.

  • 2019 budget: Special FEC session to hold Friday 

    Another Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting was on Wednesday fixed for Friday to deliberate on the 2019 Budget proposal.

    This was disclosed by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina at the end of FEC meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Read Also:NASS joint committee meets again over INEC 2019 budget

    He was with the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung.

    According to him, the meeting was necessary to quickly look at the proposal before forwarding it to the National Assembly for consideration.

     

    Details Later…

     

  • FG slashes JAMB, NECO, SSCE exams fees 

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday reduced the examination registration fees for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Senior Secondary and Basic Education Certificate.

    This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu at the end of the FEC meeting.

    Read Also:I was shocked JAMB could generate N9bn – Oloyede

    He said that the JAMB fee for the UTME will reduce from N5, 000 to N3, 500, the Senior Secondary School fee charge by NECO will reduce from N11, 350 to N9, 850 and the Basic Education certificate by NECO will reduce from N5, 500 to N4, 000.

    According to him the new charges would become effective from January, 2019.

    Noting that most of the past high examination fees were unnecessary, he said that they were siphoned into private pockets.

    He also pointed out that the agency is not a revenue generating agency and its focus should not be to generate money.

    “In response to the yearnings by parents, the President directed the Ministry to look into it.” He said

    The Minister also said that the reduced fees have nothing to do with the forthcoming general elections.

  • FEC approves N14.7 billion new ECOWAS travel certificates

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N14.7 billion, to be funded by the contractor, for new Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)  travel certificates.
    The new certificate will now carry security features like the picture and fingerprints of the holder.
    The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting.
    According to him, the current certificate has no security features and could be easily forged by anybody.
    Noting that the new project is for the security of the Nigerian borders, he said that the agreement for the contract would be signed at a later date.
    “To make it easier for Nigeria, the project will incorporate her National Identity Number (NIN). It is hoped that the new cards will help safeguard Nigeria’s borders,” he said.

    Read Also: FEC approves N12.6b for Immigration Service new data centre, others

    Stressing that the contract is for ten years, he said that 13 million cards would have been produced within the period.
    The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Suleiman Hassan said that N3.48 billion was approved for furnishing of three Federal Secretariat complex in Anambra, Zamfara and Bayelsa states.
    “It is the duty of the Federal Ministry Power, Works and Housing to provide decent accommodation for federal agencies and other offices in various states of the federation to make their workings easier and more comfortable for better results.
    “So these three complexes have been completed and ready for commission before the end of the year.” he said
    He also said that the council approved the rehabilitation of some broken down bridges in the north east region that were destroyed by insurgents at the cost of N813,458,132.
    “The first is on the road between Maiduguri, Dikwa and Gamboru. The second is at the famous Limankara, there is a bridge there that links Maiduguri to Dama, Goza, Hong and Yola.”
    He also said that the bridge in Gombe State will cost of N304 million, adding that the total cost for rehabilitation of the bridges is N813,458,132.
    The contractor, he said is the Army Corps of Engineers that have a limited liability company, Sappers Engineering Limited.
    On why the project was given to Sappers Engineering, he said, that no civil contractor will want to go there because of the insecurity situation in the area.

  • FEC okays N9.6 billion ecological projects

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday approved N9. 6 billion for eleven ecological intervention projects in the country.
    The Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Read Also: FEC okays national leather policy

    The eleven projects, he said, are located in Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Cross River, Adamawa, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Niger and the FCT.
    He also said that FEC approved N267 million for three environmental friendly incinerator for NAFDAC.