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Tag: Femi Adesina

  • How Buhari is preventing corruption, by Presidential media team

    How Buhari is preventing corruption, by Presidential media team

    The Presidential Media Team, in a forthcoming book, offers deep insight into how the President Muhammadu Buhari ’s administration is blocking corruption loopholes in the nation’s public institutions.

    The book titled, “Making Steady, Sustainable Progress for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity: A Mid-Term Scorecard on the President Muhammadu Buhari administration”, is set for launch in Abuja on Nov. 16.
    In an excerpt of the 348-page publication, the team notes that beyond arrest and prosecution of suspects, the Buhari government is strengthening public institutions for accountability and transparency.
    The book explores measures being instituted by anti-graft agencies, especially the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission ( ICPC ), in this regard since the last two years.
    These include conduct of System Study and Review in ministries, departments and agencies, and Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) in various sectors of the nation’s economy.
    It says the education, health, water and aviation sectors as well as e-governance platforms, including the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), have benefited from the ICPC’s CRA exercise.

    The exercise, it adds, has led to the identification of weaknesses in the systems that create opportunities for corruption.

    Consequently, the commission has designed Integrity Plans directed at plugging the loopholes and enhancing the integrity profile of the systems for efficiency and effectiveness, it states.

    The book promises to clear the cynicism of many Nigerians, who think the Buhari government is more reactive than proactive in its fight against corruption.

    Nevertheless, the publication contains milestones recorded by the ICPC in the area of convictions, and recovery of looted funds and assets since the inception of the Buhari government on May 29, 2015.

    The book was edited by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity; Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on  Media and Publicity, and Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, (Office of the Vice President).

    The Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) contributed to the publication, whose foreword was written by the president.

    The book will be presented by APC National Leader Bola Tinubu and  reviewed by Prince Tony Momoh.

    NAN

  • FG generates 18,597 jobs through labour-intensive public works in two years

    FG generates 18,597 jobs through labour-intensive public works in two years

    The Federal Government ( FG ) says it has generated 18,597 jobs through labour-intensive public works.

    It has also trained 3,392 people in technical and vocational agricultural skills in the last two years.

    It said this in excerpts of a book entitled “Making steady, sustainable progress for Nigeria’s peace and prosperity: a midterm scorecard on the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’’.

    The book is to be presented to the public on Nov. 16 in Abuja.

    Authored by the Presidential Media Team, it is a documentation of the notable achievements of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration since its inauguration on May 29, 2015.

    According to the book, the Federal Government also trained 16,587 people in life planning and entrepreneurial skills and implemented 182 community/local government development projects.

    It said efforts were also made to reduce unacceptable level of poverty and socio-economic vulnerability in the nation.

    In this direction, the Federal Government formulated the Social Investment Programmes ( SIP ) for which N500 billion was appropriated in the 2016 Budget.

    The programme features Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, N-Power Job Creation Programme and Government Economic Empowerment Programme (GEEP), among others.

    “The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is aimed at providing a free nutritional meal for public primary pupils across Nigeria to improve school enrolment and completion as well as child nutrition and health.

    “So far, 2,000 youths have been empowered through the N-Power programme.

    “The National Cash Transfer has also given out loans to farmers, traders and business people to enable them to secure gainful employment.’’

    Buhari wrote the foreword of the 348-page book, which contains milestones of all the federal ministries and some select departments and agencies of government.

    The publication was edited by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity; Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity and Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, (Office of the Vice President).

    The Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) also contributed to the publication.

    The book will be reviewed by Prince Tony Momoh while APC National leader  Bola Tinubu is the Keynote Speaker/Presenter.

    NAN

  • Buhari vows to tackle insecurity, injustice raised by religious leaders

    Buhari vows to tackle insecurity, injustice raised by religious leaders

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday assured religious leaders, and all Nigerians, that his administration will address rising concerns of corruption, insecurity and injustices in various parts of the country.

    Buhari gave the assurance when he received a Christian delegation led by the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle and a Muslim delegation led by the Secretary General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, in separate meetings at the State House.

    According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President told the CAN delegation that he had already given instructions for the submission of all the names of heads of parastatals in order to address the allegations of lop-sidedness in appointments.

    “On the question of one-sided appointments, we will look at it. I have given instructions that a list of all heads of parastatals be submitted to me and I know they will not delay in doing that,’’ he said.

    President Buhari said his administration would ensure reform of the police and judiciary, describing both institutions as critical for the security and stability of the nation.

    He said: “There is no way we can be comfortable in our country unless we are lucky to have a good police force and judiciary.

    “We need a good police force and judiciary to really maintain the legitimacy and the confidence of the populace in governance,” the President added.

    On the fight against corruption, the President assured both CAN and the JNI leaders that his administration would always be guided by the rule of law and constitutionality in prosecuting all those that had been accused of corruption.

    Buhari explained to the JNI delegation that corruption in the country had taken a cultural dimension, urging all religious leaders and Nigerians to join in the fight in order to reverse the trend.

    “When something becomes a culture, it is more difficult to stop, but collectively we will prevail,’’ he assured the leaders.

    In his remarks, Rev. Ayokunle commended the President’s achievements in the fight against corruption, empowerment of the military to flush out Boko Haram terrorists and the recovery of some of the kidnapped Chibok girls.

    The Secretary General of JNI appealed to the President to pay more attention to the yearnings of Nigerians, urging him to continually walk in the fear of God.

  • Buhari hails Nigeria’s progress in World Bank’s ranking

    Buhari hails Nigeria’s progress in World Bank’s ranking

    President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed most heartily the phenomenal improvement of Nigeria on the World Bank’s Doing Business latest rankings released on Tuesday.

    Besides moving up 24 places in the rankings, Nigeria is also reported by the World Bank to be among the Top Ten Reformers globally.

    The President, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, congratulated all Nigerians on this very significant step forward which symbolizes the real success achieved by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, (PEBEC), the National Assembly and State Governments in making it easy for people to register their businesses speedily, obtain licenses and approvals from government agencies without unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks.

    According to President Buhari, “it also reflects our efforts to make it easy for foreign business visitors to obtain visa on arrival, pass through our airports and do their businesses with ease and speed.”

    He particularly commended PEDEC chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, for a job well done, stressing that he looks forward to even greater achievements for the nation.

     

  • Adesina hails Nigerians for prayers, goodwill to Buhari

    Adesina hails Nigerians for prayers, goodwill to Buhari

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, on Thursday commended Nigerians for the outpouring of prayers and show of goodwill to President Muhammadu Buhari since he returned to the country.

    He made the remark while receiving a delegation of well-wishers to the President, led by Amb. Eze N. Ebere, at the State House, Abuja.

    Adesina, in a statement by the Deputy Director (Information), State House, Attah Esa, said President Buhari deeply appreciated the prayers during his ill health, and after his recovery, from both the Christian and Muslim communities.

    The Special Adviser also said the positive reviews on the President’s handling of conflicts in various parts of the country had been most encouraging for the administration, noting that the President remains focused in serving Nigerians, and ensuring an improvement in the lives of all.

    “The President really appreciates all the prayers, and will like to say a big thank you for your support for his leadership style and handling of the conflicts,’’ he said.

    Adesina assured the delegation of the President’s commitment and transparent leadership style, promising to deliver a letter brought by the group.

    In his remarks, the leader of the delegation, who is also the National Patron of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), said the association remains thankful to God for restoring the health of the President.

    “We are here to commend the President over his leadership style, especially the way he handled the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) issue, and others, by ensuring that peace is restored across Nigeria,’’ Ebere said.

    He pledged the association’s continued support for President Buhari’s administration.

    The Justice of the Peace, an association, gave Adesina a special recognition as a “Peace Conservator’’.

  • Maina: Reps orders probe, calls for arrest

    Maina: Reps orders probe, calls for arrest

    The House of Representative has called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to arrest former Chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina.

    The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara made this known on his official and verified twitter handle and also disclosed that the House of Reps will investigate the re-absolving and elevation of Maina from the rank of Assistant Director to Acting Director.

    Read also: Maina: Senate to probe reinstatement, promotion

    He said, “The House of Representatives today resolved to set up an adhoc committee to investigate resurfacing, reabsorbing and elevation Mr. Abdularasheed Maina from the rank of assistant director to acting director and to recommend strong sanctions against any person who are implicated in the scandal”.

    “we also call on the EFCC to immediately arrest Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina for subsequent prosecution in order to serve as deterrent to others who might have corrupt tendencies”.

    “It would be recalled that the wanted former pension reform boss was was reinstated and made director after being on the run for alleged N2b scam, among others”.

    Also: Fayose faults reinstatement of Maina

    But President Buhari yesterday in a statement by his spokesperson, Femi Adesina, ordered his immediate disengagement and probe of his recall.

    Maina who since last year had been evading arrest, is still on the wanted list of the International Police Organisation, (INTERPOL).

    INTERPOL had February last year issued a red alert on Maina, who was believed to have fled the country following his dismissal by the Civil Service Commission in 2015 for fraud.

    Read also: Maina: AGF Malami ordered recall

  • Adesina should learn to speak the truth

    It has come to our notice that Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina does not know the meaning of trust or he is pretending not to know.

    Adesina claimed in a tweet that the reason there was no outrage against the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government when it increased pump price of petrol from N97 to N145 is because Nigerians trust him as opposed to when former President Goodluck Jonathan increased it from N63 to N97.

    That assertion is shows Adesina has lost touch with reality.

    Back to the issue, the reasons there was no outrage against Buhari are aplenty and trust is not one of them. They include:

    1. The Buhari-led government frustrated citizens with scarcity of the product long before it eventually increased price.
    2. There was a rise of undemocratic abuse of dissent in the polity and Nigerians wisely accepted the availability of the product and avoided arrest.
    3. Just as they came to power, the Buhari’s government sustained the lies and blackmailed Nigerians who genuinely saw beyond their lies.
    4. Many patriotic Nigerians like Jonathan sued for peace and calm to give the Buhari’s government no excuse for failure.

    True to his nature, Femi Adesina willfully ignores these facts and also the fact that one major reason people protested during the Jonathan era was the propaganda machinery deployed by the APC to deceive the gullible.

    The opposition leaders lead the protest around the country. They did not stop there; they packaged the President as a reformed democratic forgetting that you cannot teach an old dog new trick.

    It is with deep regrets that Nigerians today look at this government and shudder. So before Adesina can talk about trust and be taken seriously, he must first learn to speak the truth.

    The fact still remains that Jonathan remains the most unappreciated leader of our time simply because people like Adesina are not called out on their false claims no matter how small.

    But not anymore, Nigerians will continue to resist this present government until the peoples’ voices are heard and obeyed.

  • It’s Femi Adesina’s turn to mollify his rage

    It’s Femi Adesina’s turn to mollify his rage

    A few weeks ago, a columnist had asked Information minister, Lai Mohammed, to tone down his diatribe against opposition elements and any other person who disagreed vehemently with President Muhammadu Buhari. The minister had become hysterical, the columnist suggested, and needed to moderate his rhetoric and explore ways to conciliate rather than alienate the electorate that enthusiastically put the president in office. It is not clear whether he listened. Now it is the turn of everyone to counsel presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, to be less vitriolic in his many responses to the president’s critics, no matter how disagreeable they are. He needs to be told to seek ways of befriending the public on behalf of his master, for master is how he seems to esteem the president.

    Not a few analysts were particularly incensed at the bellicose and undignified tone of Mr Adesina’s rejoinder to criticisms of the president’s interactions with the World Bank president, Jim Kim. Mr Kim had told the media in Washington D.C. on October 12 that President Buhari had asked the bank to focus its development efforts on Nigeria’s northern region. According to him, “In my very first meeting with President Buhari he said specifically that he would like us to shift our focus to the northern regions of Nigeria and we’ve done that.” For a country seemingly poised on the edge of ethnic conflagration, this was like a red rag to a bull. Critics naturally descended on the president and concluded that they were justified to have labelled him an irredentist.

    Some analysts and newspapers then zeroed in on President Buhari’s antecedents and, citing his past managerial and political behaviour, believed they detected his biases in presidential appointments and in the location of projects when he was chairman of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). Unable to stomach the hearty and unrestrained criticisms of the president, Mr Adesina exploded, unfortunately as he was wont. It was not his first time. Hear him at length: “Those who specialise in a deliberate twisting of information have wailed and raged endlessly on the news item credited to the World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim, who disclosed in Washington DC, United States of America, that President Muhammadu Buhari had requested a concentration of the bank’s intervention efforts in the northern part of Nigeria, particularly in the Northeast.

    “The ignorant and mischievous people, who twist everything for their vile purposes, are making it seem that it was a calculated attempt to give the North an unfair advantage over other parts of Nigeria. The truth is that President Buhari, right from his first week in office in June 2015, had reached out to the G-7 in Germany that Nigeria needed help to rebuild the Northeast, which had been terribly devastated by insurgency. He said the country would prefer help in terms of rebuilding of infrastructure, rather than cash donation, which may end up being misappropriated. In concert with governors of the region, a comprehensive list of needed repairs was sent to the G-7 leaders.

    “Also, during a trip to Washington in 2015, and many other engagements that followed, President Buhari sought the help of the World Bank in rebuilding the beleaguered Northeast, which was then being wrested from the stranglehold of a pernicious insurgency. It was something always done in the open, and which reflected the President’s concern for the region.

    “Those ululating over the disclosure by the President of the World Bank should be a bit reflective, and consider the ravages that the Northeast has suffered since 2009 when the Boko Haram insurgency started. Schools, hospitals, homes, entire villages, towns, cities, bridges, and other public utilities have been blown up, laid waste, and lives terminated in excess of 20,000, while widows and orphans littered the landscape. The humanitarian crisis was of monumental proportions. President Buhari simply did what a caring leader should do. He took the battle to the insurgents, broke their backs, and then sought for help to rebuild so that the people could have their lives back. Should that then elicit the negative commentary that has trailed the disclosure from the World Bank? Not at all, except from insidious minds…”

    In the opinion and words of Mr Adesina, the critics were either ignorant or mischievous, or even ululating and possessing insidious minds. The presidential spokesman was himself a columnist, and will most probably return to crafting rejoinders on national issues after his ‘master’ must have left office. As a columnist, Mr Adesina could take the liberty to describe those who traduce or oppose him in unflattering language. It would not be right; but he could conceivably do that. But as a spokesman of the president, he does not seem to be at liberty to say everything that crosses his mind, let alone with such grossness and acerbity. A certain amount of decorum is expected from Nigeria’s highest office.

    In any case, there is nothing in all the criticisms that could not have attracted a healthy, dispassionate and elevated response. It is the opinion of the critics that the president, even if he meant well — and that is open to debate — exhibited poor judgement in advising the World Bank president to focus on Northern Nigeria. He knows his country and the ethnic politics which he himself has stoked relentlessly, and which has bifurcated the land and provoked unending resentment. Given the state of the country and the mutual suspicion that has upended relationships, it was inappropriate for the president to advocate for regional skewness in external development interventions. He misjudged the issue.

    Had Mr Adesina stopped at simply explaining what motivated the president’s advice to Mr Kim, and indicated that there was neither ethnic nor political undertones to the president’s perception, he would have done his job as a spokesman, even if the public remained unconvinced. In less than 30 months since assuming office as a presidential spokesman, Mr Adesina has remorselessly coined abusive words to excoriate critics. There seems to be no end to the insults. Apart from demeaning the office of the president with his scurrilities, he does his own reputation great harm by giving the impression that an otherwise fine editor and columnist could so effortlessly and needlessly transform into an intolerant yes-man no longer capable of telling wrong from right.

  • Buhari not opposed to restructuring, but disintegration, says Adesina 

    Buhari not opposed to restructuring, but disintegration, says Adesina 

    The Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, on Friday maintained that President Muhammadu Buhari is not opposed to restructuring.

    He made the clarification in Abuja while speaking at the 8th Annual Lecture Series of the Change We Need Nigeria Initiative.

    It was theme ‘Disintegration or Restructuring: Which Way Nigeria?’

    He said “The topic of today Disintegration or Restructuring: Which way Nigeria, is topical, german, is current. But then I have my own opinion about the topic.

    “When we talk of restructuring we don’t necessarily need  to accompany it with disintegration. Because we can talk restructuring without falling apart.

    “In the history of Nigeria there was a time when the various people and communities lived in this space that is today called Nigeria. And then the colonial masters came, formed what is called the northern protectorate, southern protectorate, that was restructuring of what has subsisted.

    “And then in 1914 precisely, the northern and southern protectorate, were amalgamated into one country, that was another restructuring. Did it come with any saber-rattling or did it send the country into tailspin, no.

    “And then we we got to a point that we had regionalism in the country, the regions were formed and we begin to grow, that was another restructuring, it happened almost altrusively and each region begin to work on its own pace.

    “Eventually Independence came. Independence came we had parliamentary system at the beginning and we continue to grow.

    “Today, we have a presidential system of government that is another form of restructuring from parliamentary to presidential.

    And then there was a time we had a unitary system when the then Gen. Ironsi tried to formalize through the unification decree.

    “We have a unitary system which to a large extent still subsist in the country, its a form of restructuring. Don’t forget there was a point in this country we had diayache   – president Babangida was at the center and the civilian governors were in the state, another form of restructuring. Did we disintegrate? No, we didn’t.

    “Nigeria has always restructured. There was a time we had 12 states, and then at a point it became 19 and then to 36 states, that is restructuring.

    “Then why must restructuring then be accompanied with saber-rattling? It is restructuring or disintegration that is what I disagree with.

    “Restructuring will come, this country will be renegotiated, restructured but then we will not disintegrate.

    “I begin to get suspicious times that is this call for restructuring another form of opposition? When you found people who have been in power for 16 years now being champions of restructuring, so I begin to suspect that restructuring is becoming another form of opposition in Nigeria.

    “Nigeria l will eventually be restructured. This Government is not opposed to restructuring but the government is opposed to anything that will splinter the country.

    “We will get to where we are going on restructuring and Nigeria remain one united indivisible entity. That is my thought. And from the first paper I have heard I know this issue will be dissected properly today and at the end we will come up with something that is pragmatic, something that is not emotive, something that is not knee jack, something that can take this issue and clamour for restructuring forward.” he stated

    The Spokesperson of Afenifere Group, Yinka Odumakin, stressed that Nigeria has it is today is in terminal crises.

    He said “Nigeria is currently careering dangerously to the edge of the precipice because we have erected our super structure on a wrong sub-structure. This is at the core of the call for the restructuring of the country so that we can return to the spirit of federalism in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions that our founding fathers negotiated.”

    According to him, the expression ‘Nigeria’s unity non-negotiate’ which is always used to reply calls for restructuring, have missed the whole concept of nationhood.

    “There is nothing that is settled in the life of any nation. A nation is like any living thing that grows and therefore a daily dialogue.

    “It is therefore my considered view that the whole idea of non-negotiability of Nigerian unity only developed on the strength of keeping the rents from oil from Niger Delta and proceeds from Lagos and VAT. It has nothing to do with the love of the union beyond reaping without sowing.

    Stressing on the need to restructure in order to avoid disintegration, he said that Nigeria will blossom and prosper when the rights of the nationalities within it are recognized.

    The government, he said, should desire to build a centre that coordinates rather than being overlords.

    He said “Our exclusive list must become leaner. We need a central government and federating units that are coordinates and not a colonizing centre and vassal states.

    “The resources that are under the soul of each section of the country must belong to it and agreed percentage should go to the government of the federation. We must move away from a rental and indolent economy to a productive economy where every section of the country becomes a productive centre.

    “We have the capacity to generate a N50 trillion economy annually as against the current N6 trillion we are killing ourselves over.

    “We would have no choice than turning our huge population to human capital as against beggars and destitute who are just numbers.

    “This is the spirit of the over 600 resolutions reached at the 2014 National Conference which had the best of Nigerians.

    “But if we remain obstinate and refuse to address the structures of Nigeria, we risk the fate that befell the USSR, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia, they have all disappeared from the World map. Let that not be the fate of Nigeria.” he said

    The Lead Discussant at the event and General Overseer of the Charismatic Renewal Ministry (CRM), Dr. Cosmas Ilechukwu, blamed the incursion of the military into Nigeria’s politics.

    He said “The aftermath of the military incursion into political leadership is value somersault, cultural disorientation, economic bastardization, and political rascality.

    “Nigerian military laid the foundation of most of what has become our governance culture today. They introduced executive impunity that shows no regard for the pronouncement of legitimate courts of law or to the court of public opinion.” he added

    Stressing that Nigeria has been held captive under an obnoxious unitary system of government for 51 years,  he called for immediate convocation of a Constituent Assembly as a way forward.

    Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, who was represented by Hon. Godwin Adindu, disagreed with the position that the opposition parties are behind calls for restructuring.

    “Nigeria needs it and that is the position of my governor,” he said.

    Besides supporting creation of state police, he urged the Federal Government to convene a meaningful and open dialogue.

    On her part, Hon. Nkoyo Toyo, said that the calls for restructuring are not peculiar to Nigeria.

    According to her, the country as it is now is only working for few people.

    Noting restructuring is a complex process, she said that it would be too much for National Assembly to handle.

    She said that a body should be established to handle it.

  • Buhari felicitates with Owa-Obokun of Ijesa land at 80

    Buhari felicitates with Owa-Obokun of Ijesa land at 80

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja felicitated with the Owa-Obokun of Ijesa-land, Oba Gabriel Aromolaran 11, on his 80th birthday.

    Buhari, in a congratulatory message issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina also saluted the majestic Ijesa Kingdom, renowned for its historic military and entrepreneurial prowess.

    He extolled the maturity and wisdom of the royal father in administering his domain, consistently ensuring peace and development.

    The president also lauded the Owa-Obokun for promoting a strong appetite for education and commerce among his people.

    Buhari said the octogenarian had over the years successfully sustained the heritage of patience, tolerance and good neighbourliness  bequeathed to him by his ancestors.

    He also commended the traditional ruler for taking his people to new heights of integration into the global trade community.

    Buhari joined the other family members and close associates of the royal father, “who joins the club of octogenarians with 35 years on his fathers’ throne in celebrating with the royal father.’’

    He prayed God Almighty to would grant the Owa-Obokun good health and long life to continue serving his people and the country.

    NAN