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Tag: Federal government

FG confers ambassadorial title on two Permanent Secretaries

The Federal Government has conferred Ambassadorial title (In-SiTu) on Messrs Aminu Nabegu and Olukunle Bamgbose, Permanent Secretaries in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

A statement signed by Mohammed Nakorji, Assistant Director of Press in the Office of the SGF, said that the two Permanent Secretaries, who had risen through the ranks and have discharged their responsibilities very well, have been denied so far, the benefit of a tradition the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has always conferred on its Directors who have been appointed Permanent Secretaries.

The two Permanent Secretaries, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, have spent over three decades in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before their appointment as Permanent Secretaries.

Onyeama charged them to exhibit high sense of responsibilities associated with the title and congratulated them on their well-deserved title on In-Situ.

In another development, the two permanent Secretaries posted to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation have reported and sought for the cooperation of staff to move the departments forward.

Barrister Georgina Ekeoma Ehuria, MON and Gabriel Tanimu Aduda were posted as Permanent Secretaries in the Cabinet Office in charge of Political and Economy respectively.

August 28, 2017
FG not eager to sell refineries – Kachikwu

The Federal Government, Thursday, said that it’s not ready to sell or concession any of its four refineries in whole or in part, as the refineries are yet to return to optimal level, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu has said.

He said the refineries are currently operating below their capacity level, despite several years of turnaround maintenance check carried out on them, by the government.

Speaking at the 2017 edition of the National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC) Conference in Lagos, Kachikwu said the government looks for external funds to rehabiliate the exisitng refineires, adding that the government met and discussed with one of the investors to invest $1billion in the rehabilation of the refineries, without having any shares in it. The theme is: ” PICB: Prospects and Challenges to Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.”

Represented by the Deputy Director, Department of Petroleum Resources(DPR), Kachikwu said the intention of the Federal Government to carry out the turnaround maintenance check on Warri, Port Harcourt 1 &2 and Kaduna refineries years ago, was not sell them, but to prepare them for improved processing of crude oil into petroleum products.

He said: ” We sought externally for resources to finance the rehabiltation of the existing refineries, which was a very tall order, telling someone to invest $1billion in the refineries rehabilitation, with no equity, and wait for incremental volumes of refined products to recoup their investment.

According to him, the actual rehabilitation work would be carried out by the original refinery builders (ORBs), with financers funding the repair work, and a joint management team comprising ORBs, Financiers and NNPC, to steer the operation of the refineries over a period of 5-6 years to bleed incremental liquids for recouping investments.

Kachikwu said the government has not done the valuation of the refineries, talk less of thinking of selling them to the investors, adding that the government needs to be sure of the worth of the refineries, before placing a price on them.

On modular refineries, he said only two out of between agency 40 and 50 companies, which got the licences to operate the refineries have shown considerable interest in the project, adding that majority of them are yet realise the task involved in setting up refineries in the country.

He said DPR is yet to ascertain what holders existing licences has done since they were issued licences, adding that the high percentage of non-performance of the refineries made DOR to engage the owners or the licensees to ascertain their problems.

On collocation, he said the government has moved from its initial model of collocating the refineries with the existing refineries to the co-location of brand new greenfield refineries.

He said for Nigeria to become net exporter of petroleum products, the government needs to encourage companies to participate in the process of refining crude oil.

He added that when Dangote Petrochemical Refineries is completed in 2019 with its over 600,000 capacity, coupled with modular refineries in operation, Nigeria would be self-sufficiency in the area of crude processing

Also, the Chairman, Integrated Oil Limited, Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho (rtd), said funding is the major problem hindering the operation of modular refineries in the country.

He said operating a refinery costs N$2billion, adding that local banks are not interested in providing the loan to present and prospective investors in refineries.

August 17, 2017
FG urges court to return Kanu to prison

…Counters IPOB boss’ request for variation of bail condition

The Federal Government has urged a Federal High Court in Abuja to revoke the bail it granted leader of the pro-Biafra group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and return him to prison.

The government argued that Kanu has not only breached the conditions attached to the bail granted him on April 25 this year on health ground, he has allegedly conducted himself in manners that threaten public peace.

It cited Kanu’s alleged threat that elections would not hold in South East states until the Fed Govt conduct referendum on whether or not Biafra should secede and instances where the IPOB leader addressed crowd exceeding 10 and threatened civil disobedience, as against the court’s directive that he must not be seen in a crowd of over 10 people.

The government, in a counter-motion, dated August 1, 2017 filed by Magaji Labaran of the Federal Ministry of Justice, urged the court to dismiss an application by Kanu, seeking a review of the bail conditions.

It noted that not only had Kanu met the bail conditions and was enjoying the bail, it was an affront to the court’s authority for the IPOB leader to approach the court for the review of the bail conditions, having allegedly breached the conditions.

“The offence for which he (Kanu) is standing trial is not ordinarily bailable; the court, not withstanding, granted bail to the 1^st defendant/applicant (Kanu) on health grounds on 25^th April 2017.

“Among other conditions for the bail of the 1^st defendant is that he should not be seen in a crowd exceeding 10 people; that he should not grant any interviews, hold or attend any rallies; that he should file, in court, medical updates of his health status every month. The bail conditions were perfected by the 1^stdefendant/applicant, which he is currently enjoying.

“Rather than observing all the conditions listed above, the 1^st defendant, in fragrant disobedience to the court order, flouted all conditions given by the court.

“The 1^st defendant equally incited his members to disrupt, disallow and boycott elections in South East states, starting with Anambra State gubernatorial election scheduled for November 18 if the Federal Government failed to hold referendum for the realisation of the state of Biafra.

“The 1^st defendant has already declared the bail conditions given by the court unconstitutional before approaching this court with the application for variation. Rather than showing remorse for his actions, the 1^st defendant approached this court with an application for a review of the same conditions for the bail which he grossly flouted.

“Considering the above, that the 1^st applicant has violated the conditions on which the terms of his bail were premised, we urged this court to commit the defendant to prison by invoking the provision of Section 173(2)(B) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

“We categorically state that justice would have been denied the state by this court, if the state is not protected from the offences being perpetrated by the 1^stdefendant/applicant, who is currently on bail,” the Fed Govt said.

Kanu and four other suspected IPOB members – Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawuisi and Bright Chimezie – are being tried before the Federal High Court, Abuja on offences relating to conspiracy and treasonable felony.

August 17, 2017
FG engages international audit firms to recover TSA funds from banks

The federal government has unleashed international audit firms to reconcile and retrieve public sector funds being withheld by banks.

Mr. Hamza Adeyemi, Director Funds office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) made the disclosure Thursday in Abuja.

Adeyemi lamented that “banks have thrown professionalism to the winds; some banks are still holding on to funds of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) not transferred to the Treasury Single Account (TSA).”

This he said is Inspite of the fact that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had sanctioned some banks by directly debiting the accounts of banks.

Adeyemi stated that the federal government in 2004, lost over N70 billion funds while in the possession of commercial banks.

To recover and reconcile all public sector accounts, Adeyemi said “accounting /auditing firms are auditing banks to recover funds still with banks. Some of the audit firms involved are Ernst and Young, PWC etc, the audit will be very comprehensive.”

He accused banks of not adhering to presidential directive to return all public funds in their possession to the TSA domiciled in CBN.

As recently as some few weeks ago, Adeyemi said more money was recovered from some banks still holding to government monies.

Government he assured “is monitoring to ensure that these monies are paid into the federation’s coffers. Comprehensive reconciliation is ongoing. A lot has been done but more still needs to be done.”

When asked to comment of the some idle funds captured under the TSA, Adeyemi disclosed that there is “over N300 billion idle funds in (TSA) a special CBN available window to be invested in Treasury Bills (TB) which attracts interest. The interest accrued goes back to the TSA of government” he said.

Speaking to the success of the TSA, Adeyemi noted that “this is the first time in the history of this country that N1.2 trillion will be disbursed for capital projects in the 2016 fiscal year. This is because of TSA, in the past some of the monies were fixed in the banks or just idling away in the banks not being used for what they are meant for.”

With the introduction of TSA, Adeyemi added that the exact amount in the consolidated cash position of the federal government can now be accessed by the AGF at the touch of botton thus availing the government of how much it has at its disposal for spending.

Earlier, Mr. Mohammed Usman, Director Inspectorate Department of the OAGF fingered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for withholding unspent cash at the end of the financial year.

According to Usman, “INEC says it is empowered to retain funds, but we (OAGF) have written to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for clarification on that because it is part of public accounts procedure to return left over cash to the chest.”

Usman said “the issue is now a subject with the public accounts committee of the National Assembly since 2015.”

He also disclosed that all MDAs at one time or the other have fallen short of keeping proper assets register. According to Usman, “all MDAs are not abreast with the asset register. It has become more imperative now giving the new accounting techniques adopted by the federal government to keep accurate assets register.”

August 17, 2017
ASUU strike: Varsities won’t be exempted from TSA, FG insists

…. Agrees to release N23bn Earned Allowances to ASUU

The Federal Government Thursday said that the request of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that federal universities be exempted from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) will not be granted.

The government however agreed to release the balance of N23billion Earned Allowances to the striking lecturers.

Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, stated this in Abuja at a meeting with the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND.

Adamu said that the Ministry of Finance has promised to undertake a forensic audit of the N30billion allowance earlier released to the lecturers, bringing the total to N53billion.

The Minister said: “They (lecturers) asked for N23billion to be paid. But we said the condition for that N23billion to be released was for them to account for the N30billion they had taken, which is a total of N53billion. And they were not able to account for it.

“The Minister of Finance undertook to do the audit from the ministry. We agreed that the result will be known in six months. During that six months, government undertook to be paying them N1.5billion each month during the time they are waiting for this.”

The Minister added that the Ministry of Finance has already approved the release of the funds but not yet cash backed.

“Probably, by Monday, they will be able to receive the cheque. And we will do forensic audit on the entire N53billion,” Adamu said

ASUU, an umbrella body of all university lecturers in the country, declared an indefinite strike action over Federal Government’s failure to fulfill the 2009/2013 Agreement made with the Union.

Issues in involved in the agreement included: funding for the revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, registration of Nigerian universities pension management company, university staff school, fictionalisation and non-payment of salaries among others.

Adamu who expressed optimism that the industrial action would be called off within the next one week, insisted that the request for TSA exemption would not be granted.

He said: “There are other issues which we didn’t agree. And that was their request to be taken out of TSA. I told them that it is not possible because this is a new policy and government is not going to change it for anyone”.

On the registration of Nigerian universities pension Management Company, the minister said it would be resolved with the Pension Commission in the next one week.

On the non-payment of salaries, Adamu attributed it to the decision of federal universities to illegally recruit staff, without recourse to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The situation, he said, has partially affected government’s effort to eliminate thousands of ghost workers through thorough personnel verification exercise and salary payment process.

He said, “For instance, a university can just decide to go and recruit 50 people. And IPPIS is not aware. So, what they are going to get is they are going to get the money they got last month. And it will not be sufficient for them. They normally spread it among the entire staff. Let’s say they pay 70 percent to 80 percent but that is their fault. So, institutions, we said, must now stop doing that. And they accepted.”

Chairman of the committee, Jibrin Barau, expressed confidence that the minister would resolve the issues with the striking lecturers as soon as possible.

Barau pleaded with the lecturers to call off the strike while negotiation continues.

The Union was not represented at the meeting.

August 17, 2017
Use varsity research, govt urged

A professor of History, Siyan Oyeweso, has challenged the Federal Government to utilise research from universities.

He said the Federal Government had done well by heeding the advice of the Academic Staff Union of Universities to set up the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which public universities, including tertiary institutions nationwide, are able to tap into for infrastructural upgrade, particularly research, most of which often end up on the shelves.

Oyeweso spoke at the Nigerian Academy of Letters’ 19th Convocation and investiture of new fellows held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

Oyeweso, alongside four others-Professors Unionmwan Edebiri, Mabel Osakwe, Abubakar Adamu Rasheed ans Josephth Inikori, were inducted fellows of the academy.

He said: “We should thank ASUU, which made a case for TETFund, which was formerly Education Tax Fund. TETFund has impacted greatly on infrastructural development of universities in terms of laboratories, ICT buildings, lecture halls, libraries and all that.

“When people say researches in Nigeria are not of high quality, I tend to disagree. The quality of research will first and foremost be determined by scientific and rigorous criteria, before conclusions are made.

“Our colleagues in universities keep churning out research upon research, but how often do the government utilise them? Each time there is a research, governments are often informed but that is where it ends. So, it’s not about the quality of research, but the impact of the research on policy formulation and execution. And this is where I must make passionate appeal to the media to also help disseminate this information.”

Oyeweso describes the investiture of the quintet as a ‘call to duty’

“It’s a beautiful experience! It’s a call to duty and renewal of faith in academic discipline and integrity, and the need for those of us in the humanities to show greater relevance to our society,” he said.

He continued: “Not every professor can become a fellow or member. To become a member, you must have been a professor for five years minimum, and held key academic positions. But to be a fellow, you must have been a professor of at least 10 years. Even if you are 20 or 30 years as a professor, what matters is your magnitude of teaching, research quality and currency of publications. You must be able to publish up to date and your publications must impact on the society.

“Today, others and I rededicate ourselves to the value and essence of the Nigerian Academy of Letters to sustain academic discipline, integrity and to follow in the footsteps of my grandfathers and masters in humanities discipline.‘

August 17, 2017
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.

August 16, 2017
FG should expedite action on payment of promotion arrears, others – AUPCTRE

The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Technical and Recreational Employees (AUPCTRE) has appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on the payment of promotion arrears to the federal public servants.

Mr Benjamin Anthony, the AUPCTRE Chairman, Federal Capital Territory Chapter, made the appeal in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.

Anthony said, “The payment will go a long in alleviating the pains of the workers in view of the current economic crunch.’’

He commended the Federal Government for the approval of N44 billion for the payment of backlog of promotion arrears, salary shortfalls and other claims owed the federal public servants since year 2012.

According to him, the present administration deserved a special commendation for the giant stride that will encourage workers to put in their best for the country’s development.

Anthony said that this was in spite of the current economic challenges facing the country.

He also urged AUPCTRE leaders in the to ensure strict compliance and implementation of proper placement of salary steps of workers.

The AUPCTRE chairman said that a circular from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation dated July 14, 2014 marked “HCSF/CSO/HRM/POL.1402/1/25’’ had directed the implementation.

He said that the circular was, however, not being implemented by many MDAs as directed by the government.

Anthony said the union observed with dismay that many organisations claimed ignorance of the circular and in the process wrongly placed their workers on salary steps during promotion.

August 16, 2017
Insurgency: FG committed to victory — Defence Minister

The Federal Government remained committed to winning the war against insurgency, the Minister of Defence, Malam Muneer Dan-Ali, has assured.

‎The Minister gave the assurance on Monday in Kano while briefing newsmen.

He said the military was determined to overcome security challenges confronting the nation, especially in the North-East where the Boko Haram terrorist group had renewed suicide bombings.‎

‎He said that in its efforts to end the spate of bombings in the town, the military had undertaken a search of residential houses in Maiduguri Township to fish out the hideouts of the insurgents. ‎

He said that the security agencies were collaborating with each other to tackle the security challenges facing the nation.

‎The minister said he was in Kano to commission the Kano/Jigawa zonal office of the military health services.

According to him, the commissioning of the office will go a long way to address the health needs of serving military men ‎and retirees.

August 14, 2017
ASUU strike: Unical students call for dialogue

The indefinite strike announced by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has taken most students of the University of Calabar unaware, with most of them seeing on campus loitering helplessly.

Some of the students described the strike action by their lecturers as “sad” and “disappointing.”

The students said in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that they hope the union and the Federal Government would settle their differences soon.

Miss Henrietta Udom, a 200 level student told NAN that she was sad about the situation.

“We are already preparing for our second semester examination before this sudden stop in academic activities, and now nobody knows when the strike will be called off, it’s unfortunate,” she said.

Another student, Michael Bassey, a final year student, feared that the strike might prolong his graduation.

“ASUU should always take students’ plights into consideration and consult widely before embarking on strike.

“Government on the one hand, should know that frequent strike does not augur well for the country’s education sector.

“May be because many of them have their children overseas, they do not consider some of us here in Nigeria,” he lamented.

Mr Johnson Ibe, a 300 level student also appealed to both ASUU and the federal government to reach a final resolution on the issues in contention to save the university system from collapse.

He noted that students and parents were the greatest losers in such strike.

“Tomorrow people will say that Nigerian graduates are half baked and they forget that, we cannot get the best quality by allowing lecturers to go on strike every now and then,” Ibe said.

August 14, 2017