The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Executive Council

  • I won’t mismanage Kogi’s funds – Bello

    Kogi State Gov.Yahaya Bello of Kogi has condemned those describing his administration as non-inclusive, saying their criticism stems from his insistence not to share the state’s little resources to few elites.

    Bello stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents after joining President Muhammadu Buhari to perform the weekly Jumat prayers at Presidential Villa Mosque, Abuja on Friday.

    According to him, contrary to such insinuations, the resources of the state are being utilised for the general good of the people of the state.

    He expressed satisfaction that President Buhari was recuperating very well since he came back from vacation, adding that Nigerians should not relent in their prayers for him.

    “We followed Mr President to perform Jumat prayers and we are happy that he is getting stronger and stronger by the day.

    “We can only thank Almighty Allah for this wonderful job that he (Buhari) has done for this country.

    “I only urge all Nigerians to continue to pray and give him all the necessary support. Nigeria is going to be better,’’ he said.

    The governor revealed that the cases of kidnapping and armed robbery, which used to characterize the state, had been brought under control.

    He said the state, under his stewardship, had changed drastically as a result of responsible leadership.

    ” Kogi is changing from the dark days to the present economic prosperity;  we are following our economic blueprint and things are changing, infrastructurally.

    “The civil service is being reformed, pension too is being reformed and investors are coming in because we have largely secured the state,” he added.

    On the nomination of Prof. Steven Ocheni as Minister to represent Kogi in the Federal Executive Council, Bello said the renowned professor would make Nigeria, people of Kogi and President Buhari, proud.

    He thanked the president for nominating Ocheni, whom he described as “a versatile and workaholic’’ professor.

    Similarly, Gov.Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state lauded President Buhari for bringing peace and stability to Nigeria, especially for fighting the insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country.

    Ganduje, who equally performed the Jumat prayers at the Presidential Villa together with the president, announced that with the restoration of peace, Kano state would be hosting an economic summit on April 24, to boost socio-economic activities in the state.

    According to him, Kano, being a commercial town, will use the summit to explore other economic opportunities.

     

  • Ministry to review environmental laws to reflect global best practice

    Ministry to review environmental laws to reflect global best practice

    The Federal Ministry of Environment says it will review the country’s environmental laws to reflect global best practice.

    Mr John Alonge, the Director, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Federal Ministry of Environment, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    Alonge said the review would help ensure sustainability of the environment

    “We are looking at a situation whereby we’ll have quality guidelines that will reflect the emerging global issues.

    “So we are also trying to see how we are going to revise old guidelines and also develop new ones and at the end of the day see that the existing ones are revised in line with emerging global trends.

    “And not only that, we are looking at the quality assurance of the process, that is, the process of EIA must meet international standards.

    “So we are looking at the situation whereby there will be periodic system of review of our process, see where we are meeting up and where we are not meeting up, so that we can bridge the gap.’’

    He said the act was presently in the Ministry of Justice after which it would be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council and later to the National Assembly.

    He said the department`s mandate was to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment by monitoring how the environmental assessment would be carried out across the country.

    The director said that the essence of reviewing the environmental laws and guidelines was to manage and control widespread environmental degradation in the country.

    Alonge said the environment act had been in existence for more than two decades and needed to be reviewed.

    He noted that the ministry had organised various stakeholder meetings on the issue with a view to ensuring effective implementation of the reviewed act.

    He also said the ministry collaborated with Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) and other relevant stakeholders to enable it to actualise the plan.

    “We discovered that there is deficiency in some environmental areas, such as climate change, environmental assessment among others.

    “There are plans, programmes and policy that are affecting the environment so if the act is reviewed, all the environmental problems will be addressed.’’

  • We must do more to educate our children – Buhari

    We must do more to educate our children – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari has called for more concerted efforts in ensuring that all Nigerian children get good education in order to be relevant in a world driven by new technology.

    Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, on his Facebook page, said Buhari stated this while speaking to some governors, members of the Federal Executive Council, service chiefs and senior government officials in Abuja.

    Adesina stated that Buhari was speaking after his return from London.

    Buhari said the world was fast changing, and more efforts must be made to equip the younger generation with relevant skills to compete in the global economy.

    ‘‘My single advice is that we must take education seriously, and we must do much more to educate our children,’’ he said.

    Buhari noted that the government would continue to discourage Nigerians from self-medication, urging those with discomforts to ensure they get proper diagnosis and doctor’s prescription for drugs.

    He lauded the quality of treatment he got during his medical vacation.

    The president said he had been conscious of the challenges faced in repositioning the economy of the country, noting that it would receive more attention.

    Buhari said he was pleased with the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who provided good leadership during his stay in London for medical attention.

    The president said he had planned to take a vacation in January, 2017, after asking the Vice President to take a holiday in December, 2016.

    Buhari pointed out that the team spirit with the vice president would be further strengthened in tackling the myriad challenges in the economy.

     

  • Osinbajo meets task force on cost of food

    Osinbajo meets task force on cost of food

    Vice  President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday met behind closed doors with members of the Presidential Task Force on the rising cost of food items in Nigeria.

    The meeting, which took place at Aguda House, his official residence, was attended by all members of the task force.

    The Federal Executive Council had, on Wednesday, approved the setting up of the task force as part of efforts to enhance affordable food prices across the country.

    The Task Force is mandated to consider measures that would ensure a steady flow of produce to the market and reverse recent price increases.

    It is also the responsibility of exploring options to promote availability and affordability of food items to Nigerians.

    The task force is expected to submit interim reports on February 8.

    Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Audu Ogbeh; Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun and Industry, Trade and Development Minister  Okey Enelamah, are members of the task force.

    Other members of the team are Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi; Water Resources Minister Suleiman Adamu, and Labour & Employment Minister  Chris Ngige.

    Nigeria’s consumer prices rose by 1.1 percent in December 2016 above November’s 0.8 per cent increase.

    The inflation figure for the period was 18.6 percent and was the highest since October 2005.

    The National Bureau of Statistics, which issued the data, said the inflation was fueled by higher prices in housing, water, electricity, and gas and other fuels.

  • FEC approves revised National Tax Policy to check low taxation

    FEC approves revised National Tax Policy to check low taxation

    The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday in Abuja approved a revised National Tax Policy to address low taxation in the country.

    The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun made this known at a joint press briefing with the Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Aviation Hadi Sirika after the Federal Executive Council meeting.

    The meeting was chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

    Nigeria’s tax contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is said to be the lowest in the world with about six per cent.

    Its Value added Tax is also said to be the lowest in the world at five per cent.

    The minister, however, said under the new tax policy, consumers of luxury goods would pay a higher Value Added Tax (VAT).

    According to her, the new VAT per centage for the luxury items is still subject to approval of the National Assembly.

    She expressed the hope that the new revised tax policy, which was recommended by the ministry’s National Policy Tax Review Committee in August 2016, would entrench an efficient tax system.

    This according to her, will also address the low level of tax contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    “What the committee has shown is that we should look at actually increasing VAT on some luxury items.

    “ VAT of five percent, we have lowest VAT and whilst we don’t think VAT should be increased on basic items, if you are going to drink champagne you drink Champagne in the UK and VAT is 20 per cent why should it be five per cent in Nigeria.

    “So, they have made recommendations that we should pull out some luxury items and increase VAT on those items immediately.

    “And I think that is a very valid and sensible suggestion which we are going to talk to the National Assembly to see how we can implement it.

    “But as far as basic goods are concerned, I believe it is only fair that when you consume luxury goods you should pay a little bit more.

    “The National Assembly will decide the percentage,’’ she said.

    She said the approved tax policy would be jointly implemented by the federal, state and local governments, adding that other agencies of government like the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the media, Civil Society Organisations and others would be involved in the implementation.

    According to the minister, the main thrust of the tax policy is to establish fundamental principles to guide and orderly develop the Nigerian tax system toward meeting its objectives.

    It also recognises the primacy of the taxpayers and clearly states their rights and duties.

    It equally reinforces the role of the ministry of finance in the formulation, coordination and implementation of tax policy on an ongoing basis.

    The policy is expected to guide the operation and review of the tax system and provide the basis for future tax legislation and administration.

     

  • Kachikwu charges hydrocarbon council on speed, efficiency

    Kachikwu charges hydrocarbon council on speed, efficiency

    The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has advised the newly-inaugurated council on hydrocarbons to speedily formulate policies that will address challenges in the oil and gas sector.

    Kachikwu gave the advice in Abuja on Tuesday at the resuscitation of the council.

    The Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Oct. 5, gave the nod for the resuscitation of the council which had been in existence for some time.

    According to him, the council acts as an ombudsman that meets once yearly to review policies in the sector, bringing together ‎people from business, oil sector, oil communities and relevant ministries.

    Kachikwu said: “As you put together this hydrocarbon council, I urge all of you to take cognizance of so much that is going on in the Ministry of Petroleum.’’

    “It is one of the most challenging, exciting times we have in creating, develop the right policies, right principles to address frustrations that are in the system.’’

    He said there was so much to do in the industry.

    According to him, these include growth of the upstream through policies on oil and gas, passage of the long-sought-after petroleum industry bill and issues of Niger Delta security among others.

    “We’re setting for ourselves very comprehensive goals that we want everybody to participate in. We are taking the bull by the horn for every little problem that we have.

    “Those solutions shouldn’t stop at the ministry.

    “It should first begin with you, your various undertakings in the sector whether it’s as scholars, ministry representatives, investors, policy formulators, traditional rulers who provide framework.

    “Whatever capacity, everybody needs to have an input. We will study it. There is nowhere in Nigeria today where there is an urgency of yesterday as the petroleum sector.

    “Like I say, oil got us to where we are today. It is going to take oil to take us out of it.’’

    Speaking to newsmen after the event Kachikwu said the nation was not where it should be as per crude oil production and the bombing of the Forcados pipeline recently further hampered output.

    Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Jamila Shua’ra, said the essence of the meeting was to “engender a bottom-up approach to policy making’’.

    “We had 30 memos presented from the council at its inaugural stage. I think that is a good way to start. Next year, we hope to have a more robust session.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that stakeholders were drawn from oil producing states.

    Hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting of hydrogen and carbon is a primary energy source.

    The majority of hydrocarbons found on Earth occur in crude oil, which Nigeria has large deposits of it.

     

  • Buhari shocked by states’ inability to pay salaries

    Buhari shocked by states’ inability to pay salaries

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said that it was a matter of great concern to him that nearly two-thirds of states of the federation are still having difficulties with salary payments despite the bail-out funds provided to them by the Federal Government.

    He made the remark while speaking at a closed door meeting with members of the Nigeria Governor Forum at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said that he was very disturbed by the hardship which state government workers across the country and their families were facing due to the non-payment of salaries.

    To ameliorate the hardship being faced by affected workers, the President said that the Federal Government will strive to make more funds available to the states by expediting action on refunds due to them for the maintenance of federal roads and other expenses incurred on behalf of the Federal Government.

    He also said that he will establish an inter-ministerial committee to study a Fiscal Restructuring Plan for the Federation which was presented to him by the governors.

    The President said that the committee will review the plan to improve the finances of state governments and make recommendations on how proposals in the plan should be dealt with by the Presidency, the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly through legislation.

    President Buhari urged the governors, however, to understand that while he was ready to do all within his powers to help the states overcome their current financial challenges, the Federal Government also has funding problems of its own to contend with.

    “You all know the problems we have found ourselves in. You have to bear with us,” he told them.

    The Chairman of the Governors Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State and the Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, who chaired the committee that worked on the Fiscal Restructuring Plan, asked the Federal Government to do more to help the states financially.

    The governors told the President that while they had resolved to take other measures to boost their internally-generated revenue, the implementation of the Fiscal Restructuring Plan will help them to deal with their funding problems on short, medium and long-term bases.

    They said that if the plan was adopted and implemented by the Federal Government, states of the federation will become more financially empowered to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Yari called for amendment of the sharing formula in order to increase federal revenue to state governments.

    According to him, it was impossible for state governments to save for raining day with the current 26% allocation to states and 52% to the Federal Government.

    On the allegation that the Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun blamed state governments for their current financial crisis due to their inability to save, Yari said: “The states are only taking 26 per cent whereas the federal government is taking 52 per cent and you are asking us to save?

    “Anyway, I doubt if the Minister made that statement or it is coming from the media. The truth remains that the states are taking 26 per cent and the federal government 52 per cent, what are they doing with the money?

    “We are not sovereign so how can we save? We are dealing with our different states economy which we are trying our best to fix. Most times, we are busy shouting that what is suppose to be given to us has not been given. For the past three years, we have been asking them to show us
    if the excess crude has been used judiciously or not.

    “So, the question of saving or not does not arise,” he added.

    Noting that the meeting is about the economy, he said that the governors passed state-by-state demands to the federal government.

    He said: “You will agree with me that states are the landlords, we own the land
    and the people, so therefore the economy of this country lies in the state. Everything comes from the state, the oil, agricultural produce, mining and people are in the states while the federal government is in Abuja.

    “So therefore if any state has any issues and is known to Mr President, I doubt very much if he will be able to sleep with his two eyes closed.

    “We are closer to the people and have many challenges in the states. Today we have received support from the Federal Government in terms of bailout, restructured our debts, given us 15% of the Excess Crude Account for development.

    “All these are temporal measures. Each state has a programme right from short to mid and long term which we presented to Mr. President and he graciously accepted and he plans to put a committee in place that would look at the matter starting with short term.

    “For the short term we are looking at a situation whereby our refunds that are hanging since 2005 right from Obasanjo’s exit of the Paris club, some of the monies that were not paid so that the states that are having difficulties can get money from there.

    “Loan restructuring, bailout and ECA, we are asking for 18 months moratorium before we can start paying, so that we would able to strategize.

    “To develop IGR is not overnight, it is a long term programme that one has to plan for. And also our workforce have increased and there is nothing we can do about it because people are getting their daily bread from there and we cannot say we are going to cut salaries and wages.

    “We have to find a solution otherwise we would keep going back and forth because you will not achieve anything as oil been sold for $100 per barrel is now selling for $28 and $31.

    “So therefore we have devised a plan for short term, medium term and long term. These are part of short term.

    “As part of the medium term programme, we are looking at the revenue mobilization formula in ensuring that resources which were due for the past 10 years to states will be made available to them after the National Assembly’s approval.

    “While the agriculture and mining will be a long term programme.

    “The committee that will be set up will have the Vice President, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola will be in that committee because he headed similar committee on revenue formula at the Nigeria Governors Forum in 2012/2013.

    “At the same time, some states have committed their resources to some federal government projects like roads and airports, there is a committee that was set up to look into that, we are urging the committee to hasten and complete up their work and present their report to Mr. President so that states can get relief,” he said.

    Stressing that the Nigeria Labour Congress’ (NLC) demand for increased minimum wage is justifiable, he urged the workers to exercise patience because of the present economic problem.

    He said: “Well, they are right because we agree that what they are being paid is too
    small. But they must understand the situation the country is because where we are deriving our resources from is now lower by 60 percent.

    “So how do we do the magic? But we are going to do our best,” he stated.

  • Over speeding caused Ocholi’s death – FRSC

    Over speeding caused Ocholi’s death – FRSC

    The death of the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barr. James Ocholi has been majorly attributed to over speeding.

    Ocholi died alongside his wife and son on Sunday in an auto crash on Kaduna-Abuja road.

    The verdict was given by the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi while presenting the accident’s Road Traffic Crash Investigation Interim Report to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He also said that the investigation revealed that the impact of the accident was more on Ocholi and his family members who were seated at the rear seats because they were not using seat belts.

    According to him, the driver of the vehicle was unlicensed

    Six ministers from the geopolitical zones on Wednesday paid tribute to the late Ocholi.

    All cabinet members will also visit Ocholi’s family immediately after FEC meeting.

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal gave the tentative burial arrangement for 16th to 18th of March, 2015.

  • Nigeria now has a focused government – Tinubu

    Nigeria now has a focused government – Tinubu

    National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and former governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said with the inauguration of the federal executive council by President Muhammadu Buhari the country now has a good and focused government.

    Tinubu stated this Thursday while making remarks at the commissioning of the Mile 12-Ikorodu BRT extension at Ikorodu.

    He said, “With the team put together by Buhari, he is set to move Nigeria forward, the government is focused, he is the driver of the bus and we are the followers.”

    He disclosed that Buhari’s method of planning and redesigning before launching out was the same method he adopted when he started his reign in 1999 and just as they are calling Buhari ‘baba go slow’ that was how he was called go-slow.

    “I was complaining then about paucity of funds just as it is now, it was people like the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and others who were part of the cabinet then that were part of the dream to reclaim and develop Lagos state and set the tone for infrastructural renewal and today we are seeing evidence of it.

    He urged Nigerians to support the government, “every one of us is involved in this project one way or the other.

    Tinubu said, “We want to continue with the development of our country and make Lagos a model. We want peace, progress, stability, continuity in Lagos state.”

    He also advised everyone to be security conscious and report the presence of strange people in their community because as Boko Haram is being dismantled in the North East they are escaping to other parts of the country, “so we must be our brother’s keeper.”
     

  • What Nigerians want from Federal Executive Council

    Due to the current economic, security and infrastructural challenges in the country, Nigerians have began to express their expectations from the incoming Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    In a tweet chat between 2:00pm and 3:00pm on Monday, Twitter users used the hashtag #MondayTango to emphasize the need for the FEC to initiate government policies and programmes as well as ensure that they are properly implemented.

    Expectations have ranged from transparency, to self operated social media accounts, to the promised change.

    (see interactions below)


    https://twitter.com/thesoccerlyst/status/661173767176069120


    https://twitter.com/thesoccerlyst/status/661181128716509185

    As Nigeria anticipates the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet, what are your expectations from the Federal Executive Council?