The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal government

  • FG spends N49 billion on school feeding programme

    …Investigates officials in Benue, Niger states

     

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

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

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

    Read Also:7.6m children are fed daily under FG’s school feeding programme – Osinbajo

    The programmes included N-Power, NHGSFP, NCTP and GEEP.

    While the Federal Government budgeted and appropriated N500 billion for the 2016 fiscal year and the same amount in 2017, she said that, only about N140 billion was released in 2017 while 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.

    Uwais also explained that about 8.596 million pupils were currently 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 while 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 that 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) while 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 says that it has achieved 30 percent improvement in school enrollment in the country since the commencement of the programme.

  • Retired policemen accuse PENCOM of mishandling of pension

    Retired policemen have accused the Pension Commission of Nigeria (PENCOM) of alleged  mishandling of their pension.

    The retired police officers who retired from service between May last year and this year have called on the federal  government  to intervene on the matter.

    The retired police officers said that while none of them including  those who had retired since last year were yet to be paid any money from their contributory pension scheme,  the PENCOM had decided to reduced by half the lump sum it ought to pay them.

    The retirees who disclosed that while still waiting to be paid, many of them had  died of starvation, fallen sick or incured a lot of debt said the about N1.5m which the PENCOM wanted to pay them as lump sum would  be too meagre to meet their needs.

    The retirees told reporters at the weekend in Ilorin,  Kwara  state,  wondered why the pension commission would decide to pay, as lump sum, 25- 30 per cent of their pension when it was, as they claimed, paying  53 per cent to their predecessors.

    ASP Samuel Anzo (rd) who spoke on behalf of the people said the PENCOM did not consult them or give them any consent form for them to fill as agreeing to the reduction before it carried out the arrangement.

    The spokesman described the new arrangement as bad as he alleged that PENCOM deliberately did it to achieve a selfish purpose at the expense of the retirees.

    He said.: “The order which has been sent to all the 21 pension administrators in Nigeria is too bad. It is wickedness because who knows who among the retirees could live long enough to maximally benign the piecemeal payment of the remaining pension. PENCOM want to use, for their investment, the money the pensioners suffered to save compulsorily during their service year and which they hoped to enjoy immediately  after they retire.”

    Anzo  who said they would not collect the money except it is at least 50 per cent of their pension  entitlement called on the federal  government Labour union and other relevant organisation to prevail on the PENCOM  to rescind its decision.

    “We use this medium to  draw the attention of President  Muhammad Buhari,  the Senate and the House of Representatives, Nigeria Labour Congress and all relevant Human Right offices and activist to urgently come to our aid on this issue as PENCOM has finally ordered to pay us peanuts money that could not pay our outstanding debts and pain we have suffered  for.

    “We,  the retirees under the contributory pension commission  of Nigeria and all the 21 Pension Fund Administration (PFA)  hereby want the Federal Government  and all other powerful authorities mentioned above to prevail on the PENCOM not to implement such unjust recent order as it will cause more serious injuries to our lives,” he said.

  • Firm wants FG to create enabling environment for e-waste management

    …says Government should hands off waste management

    A waste management company in Nigeria, “The Initiates Plc” (TIP) has called on the Federal Government (FG), to create conducive environment that would raid the environment of refuse for healthy living.

    The company also canvasses the need for the government to relinquish the business of waste management to the private sector for effective and positive result.

    The chairman Board of Directors of the Company, Joe Annosikeh made the call at this year’s annual general meeting of the company in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Saturday.

    Annosikeh said the need for effective laws for e-waste management by way of granting of tax incentives and waivers on customs duties for importation of sophisticated equipment for the job cannot be over-emphasized for the business to thrive in the country.

    He expressed regrets over the poor development of effective waste management, especially e-waste management to in  the country attributing it to lack of enabling laws and incentives to encourage private sector participation.

    Read Also: Why waste management appears slow, by city cleaners

    He said, “The issue of waste management should not be government affair because it can not manage it properly, government should leave it for the private sector to manage but create the enabling environment and that’s only when you will see results but unfortunately, the federal government has not done so.”

    TIP is the only waste management company listed on the Alternative Securities Market Board of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), and manages both domestic and industrial wastes across the Niger Delta region.

    Speaking on their motivations in the line of business said,   “We looked at the environment, we realised that if nothing is done, we can no longer have a good health, lives of the people will be more endangered, if you look at the environment, you see contamination, filths, dirt all over the place. You see used computers dumped everywhere; these are hazardous to human lives, so we felt time has come for us to continue to provide good and clean environment for our people.” he said.

  • Fortification: Gates Foundation, Dangote, FG engage food processors on Nutrition

    The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Federal government have joined forces to fight acute malnutrition in Nigeria by engaging with the behemoths in food processing sector as well as regulatory agencies on prioritizing food fortification right from the processing stage.

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, the Director, Nutrition and Global Development, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Shawn Baker, President Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, BUA Group President, Abdul-Samad Rabiu among other leading processors at a forum in Lagos signed a communique to boost enforcement of key regulations and incentivizing adherence; integrate food fortification as key performance indicator, incorporate framework evaluation as well as foster the enabling environment that provides technical solution for sustainable production.

    The Government representative, Abubakar, speaking on the agreement said the essential benefits of food fortification were enormous and crucial to resolving the health challenges especially in the nation’s minority population. She pledged that the government would work towards making the operating environment for processors less tedious.

    “This meeting was to ensure that everybody is on board. We had a meeting with the CEOs to ensure that they will commit to ensuring that they fortify their products and government will also commit to making sure that whatever challenge they have in the industry which is basically the cost of nutrients and that government is able to do something to reduce their cost of production,” she said.

    According to the Director, Nutrition and Global Development Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Shawn Baker, the Foundation will increase its focus on providing technical support to industries with the backing of Technoserve, an international development agency contracted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to implement a project on Strengthening African Processors of Fortified Foods (SAPFF). Support will also be given to government agencies in the bid to stifle regulations on unwholesome practices in the country.

    He said: “We have actually been working on a large scale of food fortification over 15 years because after when you think about malnutrition, you think about a child on the street but a more huge problem are deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals or immune functions which can lead to death, they can lead to birth defects. But food fortification is almost a miraculous way you can help resolve that by adding to commonly consumed food in the case of Nigeria, Salt, flour cooking oil and sugar. The industries represented at the dialogue represents over 70 per cent of the market of all of those foods consumed by Nigerian households every day by effectively putting in those nutrients to ensuring that mums and kids are getting many of the essential nutrients.”

    The Managing Director, PZ Wilmar West Africa, Mr Santoshi Pillai voicing the stance of the processors assured that processing procedures will be made to align with global best practices in order to win the fight against malnutrition.

    According to him, it is imperative industries and private sector partners to address key themes of understanding malnutrition and how it can be resolved in terms of food fortification. “Education of Nigerian consumers, lack of compliance, the role of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in ensuring that there is compliance will be our focus. In terms of cost, there is an assumption that food fortification is very costly. So we discussed that we should bring the cost of these items down and then we discussed that we should look at the government reducing tariffs.”

    The Country Director Technoserve, Larry Umunna explained that the firm will provide customized technical assistance to food processors in the wheat flour, vegetable oil and sugar sectors.

  • FG shifts maintenance of Third Mainland Bridge to August 24th

    The Federal Government Tuesday said the three-day closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for Investigative Maintenance Test earlier slated to begin on July 27, 2018, has been shifted to August 24.

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola disclosed that the new date was fixed after intense consultation with the Lagos State government among other relevant stakeholders to reduce likely discomforts and offer relief to Lagos residents and those plying the road from neighbouring states.

    Read Also:FG seeks support of Lagos residents to close Third Mainland Bridge

    According to the minister, the shutdown, earlier scheduled to last from July 27 to July 30 will now last from August 24 to August 26, 2018.

    In statement issued by his Special Adviser on Communications, Akeem Bello, in Abuja palliative measures have been put in place to de-congest the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

    The Minister directed the immediate deployment of trucks to the trailer park being constructed by the ministry to accommodate 300 trucks.

    The statement reads: “The three day closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for Investigative Maintenance Test earlier slated to begin on July 27, 2018, has been shifted to August 24 the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has announced. The Shutdown, earlier scheduled to last from July 27 to July 30 will now last from August 24 to August 26, 2018.

    “On the efforts to decongest the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Fashola said, in the short term, he has directed the immediate deployment of trucks to the trailer park being constructed by the Ministry with the capacity to accommodate about 300 trucks while construction works for the shoreline protection continues.

    “Also, the on-going palliative work on the sections of the Apapa-Oshodi Road , the on-going construction of the road leading to the Apapa Port from Ijora will soon be completed  while the main exit route through Tincan – Oshodi – Oworonshoki is under procurement for award. When completed, the project will enable free flow of traffic in the axis.”

    The statement read further that, “following the visit of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to Lagos in connection with the Apapa Port Gridlock, a short term measure, a call up system in the control of truck movement will be introduced.

    “It will be initially manual while the long term digital and ICT based system would be developed and deployed. The Association of Truck Owners has agreed to manage the manual system with their members who are truck operators.”

  • FG releases result of admission into unity schools

    The Federal Government has released the results for the 101 unity schools in the country.

    Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, approved the release of admission into Junior Secondary School 1 of the 101 Federal Government Colleges.

    Adamu, in a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Sonny Echono, said the release of results followed the 2018 selection exercise for placement of qualified candidates into Junior Secondary School One (JSS1) which took place in Owerri, Imo State.

    Read Also:http://staging.thenationonlineng.net/fg-releases-unity-schools-admission-list/

    The statement said the selection exercise employed the national merit criteria of 60 percent with a cut-off score of 146 and above, and equality of state of 30 percent of the colleges’ carrying capacity.

    The statement reads: “Due to the effect of insecurity in the North East and North West zones of the country which affected the filling of the colleges capacity, the Minister has also approved for supplementary examination to be held tentatively on 11th August, 2018, for such colleges to enable them fill their vacancies.

    “Candidates are therefore requested to check their result at the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja all Federal Government Colleges and also online at http://www.education.gov.ng releases or INTERVIEW TEST.”

     

  • JAMB remits N7.8bn as examination surplus

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) says it has remitted another N7.8 billion to the Federal Government.

    The board’s Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

    According to him, the board has planned to remit the amount as surplus to the Federal Government as was done in 2017.

    Benjamin said that the amount was the surplus generated from the conduct of the board’s 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    “However, government in its magnanimity, graciously directed that we remit about N5.6 billion and use the balance for restructuring of the board’s headquarters to meet up with its international status.

    “We, therefore, want to appreciate the governing board of JAMB led by Dr Emmanuel Ndukwe for the tremendous support in ensuring that the current administration’s vision of transparency and accountability as fully embraced by JAMB is sustained.

    “The Ndukwe-led board had, within its short period of inauguration, contributed immensely in some ground breaking innovations.

    “One of such innovations is the quick remittance of the 2018 surplus. Whatever candidates pay for JAMB’s examination is a trust and must be accounted for.

    “The board, though not a revenue generating agency, will continue to be judicious with resources at its disposal,” he said.

    Benjamin said that cumulatively and technically, the board had remitted a total of N15.6 billion in less than two years.

    “The board is thinking of how to ensure that candidates benefitted from the surplus.

    “We are currently looking at a number of ways to enhance the conduct of the examination where candidates will benefit by way of conducive environment in writing the examination.

    “We are also looking at putting more mechanism in place that will ensure absolute equity and fairness in the selection of candidates through enhanced technology as currently being done by the Central Admission Process Selection (CAPS),” he said.

    Benjamin said that the board was set to acquire cutting edge technology to give candidates the best registration procedure, examination and a more improved selection process.

    He said the development was similar to the one that was currently being developed by the CAPS initiative.

    Benjamin lauded the efforts of members of staff of the board, as well as other key stakeholders, for their doggedness, commitment and support in ensuring that integrity of the board and its examination was sustained.

  • Oyo-Ita, Ghanaian Minister provides solution to fix housing deficit

    Says 55, 000 civil servants subscribed for FISH housing scheme

     

    Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, and Ghanaian Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Hon. Freda Prempeh have called for increased Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to fix housing deficit in the country.

    The dignitaries including the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola made the call during 12th edition of the Abuja International Housing Show, held at the weekend in Abuja.

    It was themed: Driving Growth and Sustainability in Nigeria’s Housing and Mortgage Markets-Improving Structures and Policies for impact.

    The HOS, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Welfare Office, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack disclosed that about 55, 000 civil servants have subscribed for the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) programme.

    Oyo-Ita restated Federal Government commitment to addressing the housing deficit stressing that there are other ongoing programmes to ensure affordable housing delivery.

    “This is an indication of the desire of key stakeholders in this sector not only to fill the gaps in the housing sector in terms of quantum but also to ensure qualitative delivery. The FISH programme is being delivered in partnership with private sector organisations, either as estate developers or financiers.”

    Theme of the expo, she stated was timely as it highlighted challenges of affordable housing in the country and West Africa sub region.

    Earlier, the Ghanaian deputy minister identified high cost of building inputs, access to land title, poor land system and infrastructure cost as challenges bedeviling the sector.

    Read Also: Minimum wage increase on table, says Oyo-Ita

    Aside, Hon. Prempeh attributed corruption and selfish interest as another setback of the built industry.

    However, she called for the adoption of modern technologies and need to partner with the private sector.

    According to her, houses should be built in districts to reduce cost and achieve affordability, adding that more than 60, 000 acres of land have been earmarked for low income earners in Ghana.

    “Partnering with the private sector the more will help provide affordable housing for Nigerians,” she said.

    The Minister of power, works and housing, Fashola, while declaring open the conference restated federal government’s commitment to providing sustainable affordable housing to the people.

    Fashola said there are ongoing policies aimed at providing access to mortgage finance at single digit interest rate.

    The minister, represented by his colleague from State, Hassan Zarma noted that the current administration has initiated a new policy towards better housing delivery nationwide.

    “As our demography is increasing, there is need to multiply the structure to reduce cost of housing with efficient consideration methods.

    “It is our goal as a government to industrialise the building and housing delivery process in Nigeria and ensure that the building components are manufactured in the country.”

    Fashola was eventually awarded by organisers of the show.

  • Breaking: FG unveils name, livery for National Carrier 

    The Federal Government has unveiled the name and livery for the national carrier that would be launched at the end of this year.

    The name; ‘Nigeria Air’ was unveiled by the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika at the Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom on Wednesday.

    The event had in attendance, stakeholders, aircraft manufacturers, prospective investors and Nigerian government delegation including the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Transportation, Sabiu Zakari.

    Others who were in attendance include; Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation Senator Adamu Aliero, and Chairperson, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

    Read Also:National Carrier: Sirika meets aircraft manufacturers investors in UK

    According to a statement by the Deputy Director, Media and Public Affairs of the ministry, James Odaudu, the government came up with the name after it engaged over 400,000 people on social media.

    Speaking after the unveiling, Sirika, said: “I am very pleased to tell you that we are finally on track to launching a new national flag carrier for our country: Nigeria Air.

    “We are all fully committed to fulfilling the campaign promise made by our President, Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.  We are aiming to launch Nigeria Air by the end of this year.

    “I want to personally thank our Transaction Advisers, led by AMG, and the special Task Force, who have worked diligently to achieve the results so far and overcome the challenges involved.

    “We obtained the Certificate of Compliance from the Nigerian Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) two weeks ago and can now go into the investor search. I am confident that we will have a well-run national flag carrier, a global player, compliant to international safety standards, one which has the customer at its heart.

    “We hope to establish an airline that communicates the essence of our beautiful country, an airline we can all be proud of”, he said.

    On how it came up with thr name and livery for the carrier, the minister said: “Following extensive market research, the branding of our new airline, Nigeria Air, demonstrates a true flag carrier of our nation, soaring through the skies in the shape of our nation’s eagle.”

    “The branding and naming of the new national carrier comes on the back of a social media campaign undertaken under the auspices of The Ministry of Transportation (Aviation) which invited Nigerian youth and students for their input and creativity to come up with a name for the new Nigerian flag carrier.

    “The Facebook page and websitenameyourairlinenigeria engaged over 400,000 people up until the deadline for submissions, which was on 25th June 2018.

    “In addition, detailed and extensive market research was commissioned by the Ministry of Transportation (Aviation), which involved focus groups across Nigeria and over 100 interviews with aviation stakeholders and professionals, politicians, Nigerian business owners, students and a broad spectrum of people across Nigeria.”

    He said the research concluded that Nigeria is a proud nation with diverse populace, a strong cultural heritage and a people that are hungry for a unifying national flag carrier.

    Sirika also said that the Nigerian Government will support the launch of the new flag carrier with viability gap funding, in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to deliver a national flag carrier, guided by the international ICAO standards that will stand the IOSA audit from the start, and lead to a fast IATA membership for international operation.

    He assured Nigerians and the international community that government had learnt a lot of lessons from the experience of the defunct Nigeria Airways, and now determined not to repeat the mistakes that led to its demise.

    This, he said, informed the decision to take the Public Private Partnership (PPP) approach.

    The Minister also explained that the unveiling of the airline at the Farnborough International Airshow was cognisant of the fact that being the largest congregation of global aviation industry players, the event affords the best opportunity to market the airline to prospective investors and register it in the minds of all stakeholders ahead of its formal launch billed to take place in Abuja before the end of the year.

    He also the Ministry was also currently running an aviation road map that includes airport concessions, Aerotropolis, an aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Center, agro allied terminals, the National Carrier and an aircraft leasing company.

  • Enough of senseless killings, group tells Federal Government

    Rising from its monthly central working committee meeting on Wednesday 11th June, 2018, the Christian Conscience,

    A non-denominational group, the Christian Conscience, has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to stop what it called unnecessary killings of innocent citizens across the country.

    It cited the lingering attacks between farmers and herdsmen in Benue, Plateau and other communities in the North as well as other security challenges facing the country, such as kidnapping and political violence.

    Describing the killings as avoidable and unnecessary, Christian Conscience noted that if necessary steps had been taken, the right intelligence gathering process utilised and proactive approaches by necessary security agencies done, the challenges could have been nipped in the bud.

    In a joint statement after its meeting, the group’s National Chairman, Elder Enock Ajiboso, the National Secretary, Dr Kolawole Verrals and the Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tunji Oguntuase, reiterated that a nation can only enjoy peaceful co-existence among the citizenry in an environment of peace before the people could enjoy dividends of democracy.

    It said: “When farmers are disturbed from producing agricultural produce due to insecurity and the government at all levels are not protecting them, the ultimate result will be shortage of locally produced foodstuffs while unnecessary importation of food items, such as rice and other stable food items that can easily be grown and produced locally, are imported, thus depleting our external reserves.”