The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Executive Council meeting

  • Minister of State for Environment resigns 

    The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibrin has resigned from the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    He resigned at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.

    Read Also:FG housing programme: Minister lauds pace of work in Benin

    Jibrin was selected as the new Emir of Nasarawa, in Nasarawa Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.

    The President, in a statement at the weekend had saluted the people of Nasarawa Emirate and the State Government on the hitch-free exercise which led to the emergence of Alhaji Jibrin as the 13th Emir.

    Describing the new First Class traditional ruler as a “wise choice and worthy successor,” President Buhari averred  that Alhaji Jibrin’s impeccable credentials as a distinguished public servant and land expert will be deployed to impact positively on development of his emirate.

    Buhari, in the statement had said “His people will benefit immensely from his wealth of experience in the Ministry of Environment,”

    The former Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed had resigned in 2017 to take up United Nations job.

  • FEC sets up panel to investigate tremor in Abuja 

    The Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday set up a ministerial committee to investigate the tremor witnessed in some parts of Abuja last week.

    The Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.

    Read Also:Residents panic as fresh tremor rocks Abuja

    According to him, the committee has four ministries including Science and Technology, Power, Works and Housing, Mines and Steel, and FCT.

    Stressing that there is no cause for alarm in the FCT, he said the Council is awaiting comprehensive report from the committee on the issue.

    He said that the order stopping blasting and other related works in the city stands until a decision is taken after the committee’s report.

    Details Later…

  • FG uncovers fraud in JAMB, NIMASA, others

    FG uncovers fraud in JAMB, NIMASA, others

    …Moves against agencies not remitting full revenue

     

    The Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday directed the Ministry of Finance to immediately recover moneys not remitted to government coffers by some agencies.

    The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun briefed State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting.

    She said that some of the government agencies of have been uncovered to be diverting their revenues.

    JAMB, which she said has been remitting N3 million annually, has remitted N5 billion for this year alone and has disclosed that it still has N3 billion more to remit to government purse this year.

    According to her, NIMASA is among other agencies, which are high offenders.

  • ASUU strike didn’t follow due process – Minister

    ASUU strike didn’t follow due process – Minister

    The Federal Government on Wednesday insisted that the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) did not follow due process.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, admitted that the Federal Government has failed to meet up some ASUU’s demand.

    He said “Very sad that I am here and ASUU is on strike, late last year we had a meeting because ASUU gave one week notice of strike and we were able to work out some agreement, I must confess government has not fulfilled its part of the bargain, even though we are unhappy that ASUU went on this strike without following due process and giving us good notice, we realised that we promised something and we didn’t fulfill it.

    “I hope I will be meeting them later today or tomorrow and am sure we will be able to reach some agreement so that the strike will be called off as soon as possible.

    “Am sure you are aware of the issues we agreed on, there is the issue of re-negotiation which is the only one they agreed government has done what it promised because we set up the re-negotiation team and negotiation is already ongoing.

    “There is the issue of Earned Allowances and I think because of some miscommunication what we promised could not be done, but am assuring ASUU and the whole nation that this is going to be done.

    “There is the issue of registration for Nigerian Universities Pension Commission. I think that one there are few issues that need to be sorted out with the Nigerian Pension Commission, I believe there will be no problem with that.

    “The issue of their staff school which I think the court has given them verdict to go ahead with it, they have requested that they should be allowed to stay off TSA and I think government will not do this but there are some peculiar funds in the university like endowment which are monies kept and all the interest they generate, prices and so on are given.

    “Government will exempt that one only, but universities it is part of the peculiarities, they just must log on. I hope later on when I meet them today there will be total agreement.” he said

    He said that ASUU needs to give account of the releases made by the government for the Earned Allowances before more payment can be made.

    According to him, the government has the money to pay.

    Asked to reconcile the statement  he made during the last dispensation about ASUU strike, when he said ‘So, instead of hectoring ASUU to call off its strike, the nation should be praying for more of its kind in other sectors of the economy,’ the minister said that was still his position.

    He said if ASUU had not forced former President Goodluck Jonathan, he would not have created the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), without which he said, the university system would have collapsed.

    The minister emphasized: “That is still my view. I believe ASUU is composed of patriotic people, very responsible.

    “If I can look at what their struggle is, they force the then government to create TETFund and today, without TETFund, the university system would have collapsed.

    “I’m not supporting ASUU, am supporting what is good. If it is something bad, I will condemn it.” he added

    The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed disclosed that FEC approved the memo from the Ministry of Transportation for rehabilitation contract for Itakpe-Ajaokuta rail line.

    He said that the contract was awarded to CCECC at the tune of $122.62 million and to be completed in 15 months.

     

  • No need to panic over quit notice, FG reassures Nigerians

    No need to panic over quit notice, FG reassures Nigerians

    The Federal Government again assured Nigerians not to panic over the quit notice issued to some Nigerians living outside their state of origin.

    Some Arewa youths had recently given Igbos residing in the North ultimatum to leave the region on or before October 1st.

    The youths claimed that they were reacting to the sit at home order on the 30th May by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said that all Nigerians are free to live anywhere in the country.

    According to him, the Federal Government is on top of the situation.

    He said that the series of consultation meetings the Acting President is holding is to calm down the situation and to reassure all Nigerians of their safety anywhere in the country.

    He said: “We want to make comments on what is agitating the minds of Nigerians, that is the call for people from certain parts of the country to relocate to their region, generally very disquieting voices.

    “We just want to assure Nigerians that the federal government is on top of the matter and that yesterday the Acting President addressed leaders from the northern part of the country. At 4 p.m today (Wednesday) he is going to address leaders from the South Eastern part of the country. On Friday he is going to address south eastern traditional rulers and leaders of thoughts. On the 22nd of June there is going to be a meeting of all the groups that is, traditional rulers, religious leaders and leaders of thoughts from both the South East and North part of Nigeria.

    “The idea is not just to assure Nigerians that we are doing something about it but also to give comfort to all Nigerians that this matter is completely under control.

    “To assure Nigerians that any Nigerian anywhere is save, the security authorities are completely on top of the matter and that they will deal decisively with any group of people whose conduct that is believed is going to create instability in the country.

    “So there is no need for anybody to panic, there is no need for anybody to move from any part of the country. The security agencies are on top of the matter and there is no reason for anybody to panic,” he added.

    On why the two newly confirmed Ministerial nominees by the Senate are yet to be sworn-in, he said “I’m not sure whether we’ve had the communication from National Assembly. But what I will do is that I will probably ask from the Acting President or the liaison officer then I will come and give you feedback.”

     

  • Buhari in good hands, says FG

    Buhari in good hands, says FG

    The Federal Government on Wednesday assured that President Muhammadu Buhari is in very competent hands in London where he is undergoing treatment.

    The President had travelled to the United Kingdom on the 7th of May to follow-up medical consultation with his doctors.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, gave the assurance.

    He was fielding question on the status of the President’s health.

    According to him, there was no cause for alarm over the President’s health.

    “The president is in very competent hands and there is no cause for alarm,” he said.

  • Osinbajo inaugurates task force to reduce food prices

    Osinbajo inaugurates task force to reduce food prices

    Moved by the need to enhance affordability of food prices across country, the Buhari administration has constituted a Presidential Task Force to urgently consider measures that would ensure a steady flow of produce to the market and reverse recent price increases.

    Giving the directive Wednesday at the Federal Executive Council meeting, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, expressed concern at some of the inflationary rates of food prices, noting that the Task Force will explore options to promote availability and affordability of food items to Nigerians.

    According to him, the Task Force, which has seven days from Wednesday to report back to the Council, will consider how to remove some of the cost-raising factors that come into play between the farms and the markets and therefore “bring relief to our people.”

    While there have been reports of bumper harvests in parts of the country, the prices of food stuff still end up rather high, while some of the produce even end up wasted due to a number of reasons preventing effective transportation delivery to the markets.

    One of the focus areas of the Task Force, the Ag. President noted, would be to review the transportation and preservation processes, and see how government can intervene in those aspects to bring down food prices.

    The Task Force, which would be meeting with the Ag. President in the discharge of its urgent assignment, will therefore draw out a practical plan and present same to the Council next week.

    Members of the Task Force include the following:

    Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh

    Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun

    Minister of Industry, Trade & Development, Dr. Okey Enelamah

    Minister of Transportation, Honorable Rotimi Amaechi

    Minister for Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu

    Minister of Labour & Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige

    The Offices of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, would also be on the Task Force.

     

  • Photo: Federal Executive Council meeting

    Photo: Federal Executive Council meeting

  • Photo: Federal executive council meeting

    Photo: Federal executive council meeting

  • Photo: Federal executive council meeting

    Photo: Federal executive council meeting