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Tag: Federal government

  • FG strengthens commitment to climate change fight

    FG strengthens commitment to climate change fight

    …launches Health Vulnerability Report

    Boluwatife Olorunfemi

    The Federal Government has launched a critical initiative to address the health impacts of climate change in Nigeria through the release of the 2024 Climate Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment Report. This report, presented at the conclusion of the first Nigeria Health Sector-Wide Joint Annual Review (JAR) in Abuja, represents a significant step toward mitigating the climate-related health risks facing Nigerians, according to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate.

    The Joint Annual Health Review gathered key stakeholders to promote a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), aimed at rigorously evaluating Nigeria’s healthcare system, identifying systemic challenges, and implementing solutions to alleviate the physical and financial burdens on Nigerians.

     Highlighting the urgency of the new report, Prof. Pate emphasized that the escalating effects of climate change will increasingly endanger public health across Nigeria. Projections indicate that Nigeria’s disease burden could surge by 21 percent, driven by factors like higher temperatures, more intense rainfall, and rising sea levels through 2050.

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    Labeling climate change a “wicked problem” for its complex and interrelated challenges, Pate explained that the issue touches on various public health dimensions. “When you consider Nigeria’s population dynamics, combined with data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), it’s clear that regions highly vulnerable to climate impacts are at increased risk of disease,” he said. He outlined that climate change could exacerbate respiratory infections due to worsening air quality, while rising water tables are linked to floods, cholera outbreaks, and water contamination.

    Further, climate change poses a severe threat to food security, with declining productivity and flood-damaged farmlands leading to increased malnutrition. Pate emphasized the need for a proactive approach: “This is a complex issue, but we can’t afford to wait and hope it will go away. This report is part of a concrete plan to adapt to the realities we face as a nation.”

  • Fed Govt seeks transition to cleaner energies in aviation industry

    Fed Govt seeks transition to cleaner energies in aviation industry

    The Federal Government has emphasized the importance of  Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), and other cleaner fuels in the aviation industry.

    The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo said technical analysis shows that SAF has the potential to reduce emissions from International Aviation.

    The Minister at the second Consultative meeting on the development and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and other cleaner energies in the aviation sector, said Nigeria has the potential to develop SAF in large quantities and on a sustainable basis.

    He also hinted that President Bola Tinubu had placed aviation at the centre of his National Economic Development, adding that the president is committed to the global agenda of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to cleaner energy sources.

    He said SAF, LCAF, and cleaner energy alternatives have the potential to reduce emissions, stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and build a resilient energy sector.

    The minister who was represented by the Acting Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Chris Najomo said partnership with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and other stakeholders would make the deployment of cleaner energies seamless.

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    He said: “We are forging a strategic partnership that will not only benefit the aviation sector in Nigeria but also contribute to the global efforts toward reducing the carbon footprint of air travel.

    “The role of international partnerships in this journey cannot be overstated, and we are proud to be working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to advance cleaner energy technologies in aviation.

    Keyamo said the deployment of SAF is in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) resolution on the global framework of aviation cleaner energies.

    He said: “It is in line with Strategic Objective number 5 of ICAO to minimize the adverse environmental effects of civil aviation activities. This step is necessary for our airlines to be able to have competitive operating advantage not just in our sub-region, but in the continent.

  • Fed Govt boosts information system for energy data, others

    Fed Govt boosts information system for energy data, others

    The Federal Government has launched a computerised National Energy Information System, to serve as a repository of bankable energy data in the country.

    It was learnt the data will serve as input into development, operational and maintenance of the National Energy Information System, to be assessed by researchers, development partners, individuals and organisations to plan, make decisions and take actions in management of energy supply, use and costs.

    Speaking at the launch in Abuja yesterday,  Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, said Nigeria requires accurate,  reliable and timely energy data to drive and track the energy transition process.

    Nnaji said the computerised National Energy Information System would achieve dematerialise data collection, reduce data entry errors, improve speed of data dissemination, and improve data quality.

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    Director General of Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi,  noted that the data will serve as input into the development, operational and maintenance of the National Energy Information System.

    Abdullahi said the data collated will be assessed by researchers, development partners, individuals and organisations to plan, make informed decisions and take effective actions in the management of energy supply, use and costs.

    Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Mr Sédiko Douka, said the computerised system that has been developed has a detailed energy database and relevant indicators calculated according to international standards.

    These indicators, he said, would be more accessible when data providers will have more means to communicate them.

    “This is the reason why we have also made available to the provider a dashboard where it will be able to visualise and analyse all the data and the importance for the national authorities”, he said.

  • Tough tackle

    Tough tackle

    •Government goes for broke over out-of-school children, but it needs tact

    The Federal Government entered into what seemed like full crisis mode over the out-of-school children phenomenon, this week, by beginning to pick such children from the streets. Women Affairs Minister Uju Kennedy-Ohaneye said the initiative, which took effect from October 15, was to frontally tackle the challenge and promote child education across the country.

    Speaking late last week at the unveiling of the ‘Girl-Child Education Ambassador’ event organised by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja, the minister said government was set to start picking out-of-school children from the streets beginning October 15. “Bringing these children off the streets will enable the government to reach their parents, particularly their mothers,” she explained. “The Federal Government plans to empower the mothers of out-of-school children so that they can better care for their children,” the minister added as she urged relevant stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to come together to empower underprivileged women across the country.

    Vice-President Kashim Shettima sketched the crisis in sharp outlines in his address to the international conference on girl-child education last week Thursday. Represented by Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, Alhaji Shettima said statistics of out-of-school children in Nigeria were a stark reminder of the “urgency of this mission,” noting that the risk posed by each out-of-school child should alert all stakeholders to the need for concerted, multi-sectoral approach.

    According to the vice-president, the latest multiple indicator cluster survey showed that 25.6 percent of children of primary school age are out of school. “And this rate rises to 29.6 percent for secondary school age children,” he said, admonishing: “Each child abandoned to the streets is a liability that the nation will one day pay for. We must therefore remember that the child who remains out of school today will be a threat to their peers in the classroom tomorrow. We cannot afford to turn away from this reality, and the need for creative and innovative solutions is now more urgent than ever. The issue of girl-child education is for every nation, but in our part of the world, her vulnerability is especially pronounced.”

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    Alhaji Shettima acknowledged data confirming the challenge as more acute and needing to be urgently addressed in northern Nigeria. He said states in the Northwest and Northeast with highest out-of-school children population included Kebbi, Zamfara, and Bauchi. “For example, more than 60 percent of primary school age children are not in school, with Kebbi at a staggering 64.8 percent,” he stated. “The secondary school numbers are similarly alarming with Bauchi at 66.75 percent, Kebbi at 63.8 percent and Jigawa, like my own state at 62.6 percent,” he added. The way out, according to him, is to not “allow ourselves to be held hostage by these frightening numbers. Now is the time to treat them as an emergency.  And the only way forward is to take specific action plans that address the unique needs and barriers in each region.

    He added that education financing has been a critical plank of government strategy over recent years: “We have seen a significant increase in education expenditure. For example, in 2022 states spent one trillion naira on education, representing 12 percent of total expenditures. By 2024, states committed N2.4 trillion to education, while the Federal Government allocated N2.2 trillion. This brings the combined total allocation to N4.6 trillion. Although states have 14 percent of their budgets dedicated to education, we must aim higher. Our campaign to see 15 to 20 percent of the state budget allocated to education is not just a target, but a necessity as it is the surest way to guarantee the future of our children and our nation.”

    The Vice-President was bang on the nail in saying the challenge calls for action plans that address unique needs and barriers in each region. And that is why we advise caution and societal contextualisation of the policy to pick out-of-school children from the streets as the women affairs minister made known. High drama will not deliver the results desired in addressing the social menace of out-of-school children across the country.

    Rather, the proposed initiative should carry along governors who are in the best position to domesticate the redress that the central government’s initiative announced by Kennedy-Ohaneye aims at.

  • Fed Govt assures of continuous improvement of justice delivery system

    Fed Govt assures of continuous improvement of justice delivery system

    The federal government has assured that it will continue to do all that is required to enhance the nation’s justice delivery system.

    It promised to ensure a system that delivers justice, not only to prescribe punishment, but also to promote healing, reparation, and reintegration of offenders back into society.

    The Director of Administration of Criminal Justice and Reform Department at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Leticia Ayoola-Daniels gave this assurance while speaking in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Mrs. Ayoola-Daniels spoke during the opening session of a two-day capacity-building workshop for facilitators on the implementation of restorative justice in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    She emphasised the need for all justice stakeholders to fully integrate restorative justice into the existing justice delivery system.

    Mrs. Ayoola-Daniels noted that restorative justice fosters accountability and creates a more just, peaceful, and inclusive society by placing the needs of victims, offenders, and the community at the center of the process.

    She said the consistent support, technical expertise, and commitment of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have been invaluable in advancing the concept of restorative justice in Nigeria.

    Mrs. Ayoola-Daniels said the workshop was an opportunity to transform the justice delivery system by ensuring that restorative justice is effectively implemented in the FCT, thereby serving the best interests of all stakeholders.

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    The National Project Officer at the UNODC), Melissa Omene expressed concern about the increasing number of inmates in prisons across the country.

    Omene appealed for concerted efforts of stakeholders to reform the criminal justice system in Nigeria to ensure its effectiveness.

    She said the restorative justice programme being promoted by the Federal Ministry of Justice seeks to achieve a sense of satisfaction for the victim and the community, repair the harm caused by the offence, reintegrate the offender, and holds the offender accountable in a productive way

    Omene assured that the UNODC will continue its collaboration with the Ministry of Justice in improving the restorative justice system in the country.

    A traditional ruler in the FCT, the Etsu of Kwali, HRH Luka Ayedoo made a case for the inclusion of traditional rulers in the restorative justice system in the country.

    Ayedoo said traditional rulers have many traditional dispute resolution principles, which are currently not accommodated in the regular justice delivery process, but which have helped in resolving disputes in various communities.

    He advocated the inclusion of traditional rulers in activities to promote restorative justice in the country.

  • FG donates 15 CNG buses, unveils conversion centres in Ekiti

    FG donates 15 CNG buses, unveils conversion centres in Ekiti

    The federal government has handed over 15 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to the Ekiti state government to reduce the cost of transportation in the state.

    The CNG buses were distributed through the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative and seven conversation centres were unveiled for motorists in the state to convert their petrol-powered vehicles to CNG.

    Handing over the 15 buses to the state government, the Chief Executive Officer of the P-CNGI, Michael Oluwagbemi, said the CNG initiative is cheaper, more convenient, and safer compared to petrol.

    He said that the buses donated would be deployed for both inter and intra-state transportation towards achieving about 40 percent reduction in transportation costs and consequently reduced hike in food items.

    He noted that President Bola Tinubu-led administration is determined to energize the economy through the initiative which he said would create jobs and enhance sustainable development.

    He added that the administration is targeting one million vehicle conversions to CNG by 2027, saying that no fewer than 125 conversion centres have been opened across the country.

    He listed the new centres in Ekiti state to include, Femoyo centres, Beijing Universal Limited, ABJ oil and gas, Bovas Company, and NADDC training centre in the state capital.

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    Speaking, the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji commended the federal government for the initiative, adding that the state would support the programme towards ensuring that more vehicle owners embrace the CNG conversion.

    The governor who was represented by the commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof Mobolaji Aluko said that the CNG conversion initiative would help in generating job opportunities and boost economic development in line with his administration’s shared prosperity agenda for the state.

  • As Federal Government moves to tackle the food crisis

    As Federal Government moves to tackle the food crisis

    Sir: At the inauguration of the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU), Vice President Kashim Shettima said, “The nation is facing a rare food security crisis, and the sooner we come to terms with the reality, the better.” Thus, the Bola Tinubu government has finally acknowledged that Nigerians are facing hunger and food crises.

    In response, the government has initiated several measures to address hunger and hardship. These actions include the planned distribution of 20 trucks of rice to each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as well as the establishment of the PFSCU. Additionally, the National Council on Nutrition (NCN) has made significant decisions, such as approving new measures to combat malnutrition and food insecurity, and creating a national nutrition dashboard. This dashboard, to be hosted by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and made available on the NCN website, aims to improve oversight and coordination of nutrition-related initiatives nationwide. The government states that these efforts are designed to engage states, development partners, and other key stakeholders in addressing the soaring prices of commodities and the overall food insecurity in the country.

    Are these measures sufficient to tackle the food crisis? The common man will only appreciate and commend these efforts if they quickly bring food to the table and help reduce the rising prices of commodities.

    For the federal government to achieve any significant progress in addressing the food crisis, its efforts must directly benefit the common man; otherwise, they will be in vain. Therefore, a well-planned program that reaches the grassroots level is essential, taking into account the unique characteristics of each state.

    The federal government should design a tripartite approach where the federal, state, and local governments work together to achieve one goal: sufficient food production. This effort should include both short-term and long-term solutions. The short-term solutions are what the government is currently doing: distributing food items and stipends. However, the long-term solutions are more impactful. They involve providing real farmers with farm implements, clearing virgin farmlands, and restoring security in areas where farmers have been prevented from farming.

    Benchmarking should also be part of this approach, learning from what other countries that have faced serious food crises have successfully implemented.

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    For example, in the 1960s, when India faced severe food shortages, the country launched the Green Revolution, which introduced high-yield variety seeds, improved irrigation practices, and the use of fertilizers and pesticides. This program transformed India’s agriculture, and by the 1970s, India had achieved self-sufficiency in food grains. Similarly, in the late 20th century, China faced food insecurity issues and launched agricultural reforms. The Chinese government implemented the Household Responsibility System, which allowed farmers to own land and sell surplus produce in the market, leading to significant increases in food production. Another example is Brazil’s Zero Hunger Program. In the early 2000s, Brazil faced widespread hunger and malnutrition. The government launched the Zero Hunger Programme (Fome Zero) in 2003, which included initiatives like direct financial support for families, food distribution programs, and incentives for small-scale agriculture. This program significantly reduced hunger and improved food security in the country. In Africa, Ethiopia is a notable example. Despite recurrent food crises due to droughts and other factors, recent years have seen the government focusing on agricultural development and infrastructure improvement. Programs like the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) have helped build resilience among vulnerable communities, leading to improved food security.

    Nigeria has no business facing a food crisis given its abundant fertile land and human resources. What is needed is the political will to develop the agricultural sector through a combination of technological advancements, policy reforms, and targeted programs that reach the real farmers. Nigeria’s recent agricultural programs—the Anchor Borrowers Programme, Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI), Youth Farm Lab, Paddy Aggregation Scheme, Agricultural Trust Fund, Presidential Economic Diversification Initiative (PEDI), Food Security Council, etc.—are good; they just need to be remodelled and honestly implemented

    •Zayyad I. Muhammad, Abuja.

  • FG partners stakeholders on financing mechanisms sustainable environment

    FG partners stakeholders on financing mechanisms sustainable environment

    The Federal Government in partnership with stakeholders have  stressed on the need for  financial inflow in the environmental sector, as they suggest  that the financing should be sustained by allowing allocations and  resources for project initiatives aimed at protecting and preserving the environment.

    Speaking at the 17th meeting of the National Council on Environment held in Abuja, the Minister, Ministry of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal said Environment Financing is capital intensive, which calls for more financial inflow.

    He said: “There is a need to implore innovative financing mechanisms such as Green Bonds, Carbon Pricing, and Public-Private Partnerships. This will help in generating the resources needed for effective environmental protection and conservation efforts. I therefore urge members of this Council to intensify exploration and implementation of financing mechanisms at their disposal.

    “Mobilising more financial inflow for environmental sustainability is essential because it allows for the allocation of resources towards projects and initiatives aimed at protecting and preserving the environment. As we are all aware, presently, our nation stands at a critical juncture, where the urgency to act boldly on environmental issues is undeniable.

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    “Climate change threatens ecosystems, livelihoods, and biodiversity, swift and decisive actions are needed to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. We must redouble our efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, embrace renewable energy solutions, and foster sustainable practices across all sectors. As guardians of biodiversity, we must safeguard our precious ecosystems from degradation and exploitation.

    “To ensure investment on environmental protection is not wasted, environmental justice must be enforced and the benefits of conservation and sustainable development must be protected and equitably distributed among all segments of society.”

    In his welcome address, the Minister of State for Environment Iziaq Adekunle Salako said the need to galvanize more financial windows for environmental sustainability efforts is not just an aspiration but a commitment that will define his era.

    “In our drive to build a sustainable future for our generation and the ones yet unborn, mobilising funding for climate and environmental actions is a core imperative. In doing this, we need to emphasise our areas of comparative advantages and present such to the global community as our contribution to addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate  change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

    “I urge us to continue fostering more robust collaborations with our development partners and philanthropists to enable us leverage on shared resources, expertise and funds to fortify our collective response to environmental challenges.”

  • Fed Govt pushes for efficient transport system

    Fed Govt pushes for efficient transport system

    The Federal Government has reiterated the importance of an efficient transport system to the Nigerian economy.

    The government said an efficient transportation system would be beneficial to agriculture and food security; marine and blue economy; tourism; industrialisation; manufacturing and trade; national integration among others.

    Minister of Transportation, Said Alkali, said this at a two day ministerial retreat on the signed performance bind for workers of the ministry in Abuja.

    The minister said: “Therefore, our success will be prosperity for everybody on the value chain as we grow and diversify the economy.

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    “In view of the current state of government funding, we must open our minds to how best we can market our projects and programmes to attract private sector investment and financing. Public Private Partnership (PPP) as a financing model should leave pages of our presentations to tangible locations on our streets and highways.

    “I am optimistic that with the Land Transport Policy that is on its way, if we get our objective and strategies right, there will be an influx of international private investors to patronize our sector soon as I am convinced, we have what it takes to deliver on our Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).”

    He said the outcome of the meeting would produce a robust and comprehensive implementation strategy that covers beyond the priority projects and programmes in the signed bonds with President Bola Tinubu.

    The minister urged the Permanent Secretary to ensure that the Directors and Head of Agencies, of the ministry pass the outcome of the retreat to other officers who were not privileged to attend it.

  • Court orders release of detailed payments on electricity contracts since 1999

    Justice Chuka Obiozor of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered the Federal Government to release details of payments to all defaulting and allegedly corrupt electricity contractors and companies under the governments of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The judge gave the order while delivering judgment last Friday in a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the Federal Government and the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

    Justice Obiozor also called for the “full disclosure and publication of the names of companies and the whereabouts of the contractors paid by successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999 to carry out electricity projects across the country but disappeared with the money without executing any project”.

    The details the court ordered to be disclosed and published on a dedicated website and widely include information on “specific names and details about contractors and companies paid by each government, the total amounts paid by each government and the objects for the payments, the level of implementation of electricity projects, as well as details and specific locations of projects executed across the country by each government since 1999”.

    The court also held that “the failure by the government of President Muhammadu to provide SERAP with the details of payments made to contractors by each government since 1999 is a breach of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011”.

    It ordered the Buhari administration to urgently disclose if there is an ongoing investigation or prosecution of contractors and companies paid by successive governments since 1999 to hanlde electricity projects but failed to execute the projects for which public funds were collected.

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    Justice Obiozor granted SERAP the following reliefs:

    “A declaration that the failure and/or refusal of the respondent (Federal Government/Ministry of Power) to provide SERAP with documents and information containing the specific names and details of contractors and companies that have been engaged in the Power sector by successive governments since 1999, details of specific projects and the amounts that have been paid to the contractors and companies, details on the level of implementation of electricity projects and their specific locations across the country, and failure to widely publish it on a dedicated website, any of such information, amounts to a breach of the obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

    The court held that the failure and/or refusal of the respondents to provide SERAP with specific documents and information containing the specific names and details of contractors and companies that allegedly collected money for electricity projects from successive governments since 1999 but failed to execute any of such projects, and failure to widely publish it on a dedicated website, any of such information, amounts to a breach of the Respondent’s responsibility/obligation under the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

    In a statement yesterday, SERAP’s Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare said: “We welcome the ground-breaking judgment by Justice Obiozor as a victory for transparency and accountability of public officials, electricity contractors and companies and their shareholders.

    “It is an extremely important step towards tackling the impunity in Electricity sector, which has for many years forced ordinary Nigerians to stay in darkness but still made to pay crazy electricity bills.

    “This judgment is good news for ordinary Nigerians who have continued to pay the price for corruption in the Electricity sector, as they would finally get an explanation on why the country has remained in darkness, despite huge investment in the Power sector by the governments of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, President Goodluck Jonathan, and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “The enforcement of the judgment could potentially reveal individuals, contractors and companies allegedly responsible for squandering over N11 trillion meant to provide regular electricity supply under successive governments, lead to the prosecution of suspected perpetrators, and recovery of stolen public funds.”

    “SERAP calls upon the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to demonstrate his oft-repeated commitment to the rule of law by immediately obeying and respecting the judgment of the Court.”