The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FG

  • FG, security agencies should tighten security

    SIR: The Community Defence Law Foundation, CDLF, a grass-root based civil society organization calls on the security agencies to immediately begin to tighten security around the country.

    The recent recorded increase in violence in Borno, Plateau and Nassarawa states resulting in the loss of many lives including that of about 30 policemen calls for worry and the need for the security agencies to indeed be on top of the situation. The President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan had had to abort his foreign trip to attend to this security lapse, realizing the carnage. Again, there are worries on threats and counter-threats by some political leaders of the north and militant leaders of the Niger Delta on making Nigeria ungovernable if things fail to go their way politically come 2015.

    We may not also close our eyes at the arrest of a woman on Thursday, illegally possessing police uniforms at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja-Lagos. The woman was about to board an Aero airline flight to Kano, when the security details at the airport accosted her and, she failed to provide convincing answers. All these and many others portend danger to Nigeria’s corporate existence.

    CDLF, calls on our security men to intensify security patrol at our borders; arrest and prosecute all those who have truly erred in law; begin aggressive mop up of fire arms in illegal and idle hands. We also will recommend that the Ministry of Information, National Orientation Agency, National Christian and Muslim bodies embark on enlightenment campaign to educate the people to embrace peace, respect and tolerate each other’s religion and culture. The Police must remind the politicians not to, through their unguided statements, overheat the polity thereby, sending wrong message to their supporters.

    • Uzodinma Nwaogbe

    Abuja

  • FG, stakeholders in fresh row over new aviation policy

    FG, stakeholders in fresh row over new aviation policy

    Stakeholders in the aviation sector have blamed the Federal Government for launching the new National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) without considering input from the private sectors.

    The stakeholders accused the government of creating a policy that cannot be backed by the law and such which sanctions cannot be given to offenders.

    The respondents spoke during an interactive meeting with Owners of Foreign and Nigeria Registered Business Aircraft organised by the Federal Ministry of Aviation in Abuja.

    The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Secretary-General, Captain Mohammed Joji, described the policy as such that is subservient to that designed by the military in 1988.

    Joji said the global trend had been, reducing functions of aviation ministries to its agencies but the new policy had enlarged responsibilities of the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

    According to him, creating the General Aviation under the mandate of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA was wrong adding that importation of aircraft into the country should be among duties of the NCAA.

    President, Topbrass Aviation, Mr. Roland Iyayi, said the design of the new policy was void of inclusive approach, adding that stakeholders were not carried along. Identifying the need to review the policy, he said many things were wrong such as process of getting license to import aircraft which the Federal Government should have considered. He added that he spent 13 months before he could get the license to import aircraft into the country with further intervention of highly placed individuals.

    Both foreign and Nigeria registered business aircraft operators made their grievances known during the meeting with the Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah and head of agencies under the ministry.

    Chairman, Private Flyers Nigeria, Capt. Bala Na’allah said the policy should not be used to overcome the existing Civil Aviation Act, adding that “section 33 of the act does not require a owner of private jet to look for a permit from anywhere as stated in the policy.”

    Na’allah emphasised the need to prioritise the law against the newly designed policy for the survival of the aviation sector.

    The Deputy Controller General, Nigerian Customs Service in charge of Tarrif and Trade Matters, Julius Nwagwu decried infringement of duty by the National Civil Aviation Authority.

    According to him, there are private airlines that fly into the country without proper documentation and those who were meant to drop passengers and fly back are still found within the airport premises for long period.

    The Minister who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Aviation Reform, Ms Ene Ita said the manner in which GA was operated before the NCAP 2013 policy was unacceptable.

    She added that the mode of operation does not comply with international standard.

    However, Oduah advised the participants to draft their inputs for further consideration into the newly revised policy.

  • Soyinka, Sowore task FG on Boko Haram insurgency

    LITERARY Icon, Prof Wole Soyinka, has called on the Nigerian government to go back to the very beginning of the indoctrination of Boko-Haram sect members in schools if they intend to solve the threat and killings by the group.

    He made the call while speaking on AJStream, a programme on AIJazeera cable network on Wednesday, monitored in Benin.

    The Nobel Laureate said Boko Haram is a local movement, adding that it is part of an international problem that needs to be checked. “Boko Haram claim they are fighting for their religion. We have knowledge and pronouncement of other muslims that they are not true Muslims. That what they are doing is not approved by any teaching in Islamic religion.”

    Meanwhile, founder of Sahara Reporter, Omoyele Sowore, has attributed the problem of insecurity, killings and destruction of lives and property to bad governance by Nigerian leaders.

    He made the disclosure while answering questions at AJStream, a programme on Aljazeera cable network on the operations of Boko Haram in the northern part of the country.

  • Soyinka tasks FG on Boko Haram

    Soyinka tasks FG on Boko Haram

    Literary Icon, Prof Wole, Soyinka has called on the Federal Government to go back to the very beginning of the Indoctrination of Boko-Haram sect members in schools if they intend to solve the sect’s insurgency.

    He made the call while speaking on AJStream, a programme on AIJazeera cable network on Wednesday and monitored in Benin.

    Prof. Soyinka said that Boko Haram is a local movement, adding that it is part of an international problem that needs to be checked.

    “Boko Haram members claim they are fighting for their religion. We have knowledge and pronouncement of other Muslims that they are not true Muslims. That what they are doing is not approved by any teaching in Islamic religion, “the Nobel Laureate said,

    He said a military response is not the only way out but one of the many approaches which are essential to finding a solution to the problem. “If we must solve the problem, we should go back to the basics where the malformation took place.

    “Nigeria is in a war situation and every Nigerian citizen should consider this. Boko Haram phenomenon should not be limited to the Northern region alone but something that affect the entire nation. This people have declared categorically that they will not be satisfied until Nigeria and Nigerians are Islamized,” he concluded.

     

  • FG installs 906 CCTV cameras in Lagos

    FG installs 906 CCTV cameras in Lagos

    The Federal Government has installed no fewer than 906 Close Circuit TV cameras in strategic parts of Lagos State to enhance security surveillance, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Adebiyi Mabadeje, said on Wednesday.

    Mabadeje announced this at a news conference in Ikeja organised to mark Governor Babatunde Fashola’s sixth year in office.

    He said the cameras were deployed from the 1,000 earmarked for the state, saying the devices were already assisting security agencies to track the activities of criminals.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the deployment of CCTV cameras nationwide to enhance surveillance, is a core component of the FG`s National Public Security Communication System Programme.

    “Yes the project is on and it is real. 906 of the 1,000 cameras earmarked for the state have already been delivered and they have already being installed at secret locations across the metropolis.

    “Though they have not been officially commissioned, they are already being put into use by the security agencies to track the activities of criminals,’’ he said.

    The commissioner noted that the installed cameras were sophisticated devices as they had the capacity to generate video, voice and data simultaneously, to ensure effective surveillance.

    He denied the report that the installation of the equipment had initially caused a rift between the state and the Federal Government.

    According to him, the parties actually had an understanding on the deployment of the devices.

     

  • FG approves domestication of maritime convention

    The Federal Government has approved the domestication of the 2006 Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

    The convention is expected to come into force by August 1, 2013.

    Already, 39 states representing 68 per cent of global shipping in Geneva, Switzerland have ratified the convention more than half a decade ago.

    The approval was part of the decisions reached at Wednesday’s weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

    Sambo presided over the meeting in the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan who is away in South Africa on official visit.

    The MLC is an ancillary of the International Labour Organization (ILO) convention established as the fourth pillar of the international maritime law.

    It incorporates various extant International Maritime Labour Conventions and Recommendations, as well as the fundamental principles to be found in other international Labour Conventions.

    The code of the convention contains five titles: minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship, conditions of employment, accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering, health protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection as well as compliance and enforcement.

     

     

  • Tackle insecurity, Ademowo charges FG

    The precarious security situation is unacceptable and must be addressed as a matter of urgency, the Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, The Most Rev Dr Adebola Ademowo, has stated.

    He spoke last week ahead of the synod of the church, which kicks off today.

    The theme of the synod expected to attract Governor Raji Fashola and other dignitaries is Counting Your Blessing.

    Ademowo said the nation is on a downward slope occasioned by the serious security challenges, especially in the north.

    According to him: “A situation where policemen are killed like chicken is disturbing and calls for urgent solutions.”

    The Dean Emeritus of the Anglican Communion challenged government to prove it is capable of arresting the situation before it further degenerates.

    He said the synod, which will feature Bible Study, presentations and meetings, is to deliberate on the way forward for the church.

    Recounting the many strides of the church in the last one year, he said the Diocese has presented a 14-seater Hyundai bus for the female section of Ikoyi prison.

    Inmates writing exams, he added, are also supported with payment of fees while some are on sponsorship for degree programmes at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

    He called for immediate decongestion of prisons across the nation to ameliorate the plights of inmates.

  • PENGASSAN urges FG to stipulate disbursement mode in PIB

    PENGASSAN has called on Federal Government to ensure that the structure and mode of disbursement of the Petroleum Host Community Fund (PHCF) were stipulated in the Petroleum Industrial Bill (PIB)

    Mr Chika Onuegbu, National Industrial Relations officer of PENGASSAN, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the call was being jointly made with NUPENG.

    Onuegbu said that the mode and structure of the fund disbursement to host communities were not detailed in the PIB as well as the functions and objectives.

    `There must be clear provisions on the administration of the fund including such provisions, allowing the communities to decide for and by themselves the value-adding projects required by the respective communities.

    “We believe that the PHCF should include not just oil producing communities, but all communities hosting oil and gas resources and assets including downstream infrastructure.

    “This is because the entire value chain of the oil and gas industry has peculiar health, safety, environmental and community related problems.

    “A mechanism can then be developed to determine each asset’s criticality with the producing communities obviously being the most critical,“ he said.

    Onuegbu said with that no part of the country hosting any oil and gas resources, assets or facilities, would feel short-changed as it would derive socio-economic benefits from being a host.

    He said that the PIB was ambiguous on whether contributions by companies along oil and gas value chain to the PHCF would constitute immediate credit to total fiscal rent obligations.

    Onuegbu said that the PIB should be clear on such issues, adding that the fund’s provision in the PIB was polarised along political, regional and ethnic interests.

    NAN reports that PHCF laws propose that oil producing companies pay 10 per cent of their profits to the PHCF to provide socio-economic infrastructure in the host communities,

    The communities are not to draw from the fund if there is sabotage of petroleum facilities in their domain

  • FG to provide subsidy for rice farmers in Kebbi – Minister

    FG to provide subsidy for rice farmers in Kebbi – Minister

    The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has said that the Federal Government will provide subsidy for rice farmers in Kebbi to improve commercial production of the crop.

    Adesina made the statement in Suru Local Government Area on Tuesday when he launched the new Kebbi Guarantee Minimum Cost of Rice scheme.

    The minister was on a one-day inspection visit to rice farms in Argungu, Suru and Jega local government areas.

    The minister said the ministry would transport free rice from the farm clusters to warehouses and processing centres, adding that the official cost of rice was N6,500 per bag under the scheme.

    He reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to ban the importation of rice by 2015.

    Adesina said President Goodluck Jonathan was committed to transforming agriculture and ensure self-reliance in food production.

    He said the Federal Government spent N1 billion on the importation of rice but stressed: “we cannot keep foreign farmers employed while our farmers and potential in rice production are ignored.”

    He commended the efforts made by the state toward achieving the Agricultural Transformation Agenda aimed at producing 20 million tonnes of rice for domestic consumption in 2015.

    “The Federal Government would support fully the efforts by the state on rice production,” he promised.

    Adesina said the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) in the state included the construction of silos which had capacity to hold 100,000 tonnes of produce as well as two one-stop shops in Dakingari and Argungu.

    He said 70,000 out of the targeted 80,000 farmers had been registered in the state.

    He said the release of 92,000 bags of fertiliser to farmers, 480 tonnes of seedlings and distribution of 1,500 bundles of planting materials would be upgraded.

    He said 700 tonnes of rice seedlings provided in the past as part of the GES would also be upgraded.

    Gov Saidu Dakingari said the state government would sustain its priority on the commercial production of rice, especially during the dry season, to avoid the destruction of the crop during the rainy season.

    The governor said the rice production initiative was part of efforts by the government to ensure security through job creation and also increase the income of farmers.

  • FG to inaugurate 10 power plants by Dec – Maku

    FG to inaugurate 10 power plants by Dec – Maku

    The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, says the Federal Government is expected to inaugurate 10 power generating plants by December 2013.

    Maku stated this on Monday when he inspected N78 million Maigora electrification expansion projects being executed by the Katsina state government in Faskari Local Government Area (LGA).

    The Minister, who is on `Good Governance Tour’ in Katsina state, said other separate power generation projects were awarded in Niger and Adamawa states with combined capacity to supply huge megawatts for nation’s consumption.

    Maku expressed satisfaction with Katsina State Government’s preparation to maximally harness the Federal Government power generation projects.

    According to him, such efforts will surely boost economic activities of the rural areas.

    `When the plants became operational, Katsina will be among the high benefiting states from the development on the ground.

    “The effort would facilitate active performance of local entrepreneurs, cottage industries and other small scale businesses that would rejuvenate economic growths in the communities.”

    Maku also inspected the ongoing N167 million Yankara water supply project in Faskari LGA awarded by the state government.

    The minister expressed optimism that the initiatives would improve the wellbeing of the people.

    He also inspected the 35 km Yankara-Maigora road, 40 km Shema-Kankara road as well as the 45 km Kakume-Guga-Bakori road, among others in Katsina south senatorial zone.

    Speaking during the inspection tour, Katsina State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba, reiterated the state government’s determination to provide people oriented projects, aimed at enhancing the standard of living of the people.

    He said the projects executed have touched all aspects of their standard of living, such as education, health, agriculture, infrastructure and economic growth.

    Abdullahi said that all projects were in line with the Federal Government development policies as well as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) initiative.

    Also speaking, the Transition Committee Chairman of Faskari LGA, Alhaji Isiyaku Faskari-Ahmad, said that adequate arrangements were made to ensure that people benefited with the electrification project.

    He said that rice processing mills and other agro-allied industries as well as domestic businesses would be encouraged at the grass root.

    NAN reports that the Minister was received by Katsina State Deputy Governor at the Zamfara state boarder.