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Tag: FG

  • FG assures on rehabilitation of flood victims, infrastructure

    FG assures on rehabilitation of flood victims, infrastructure

    The Federal Government has assured flood victims across the country of its determination to reconstruct infrastructure damaged by the flood rehabilitation.

    The Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Chairman, sub- Committee of the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation, Mr. Tunde Lemo, gave this assurance in Patigi, Kwara, on Wednesday.

    He said the visit by members of the committee was aimed at carrying out an on-the-spot assessment of flood-affected areas in the state.

    Lemo, who was represented by a member of the committee, Mr. John Owoicho, said the committee was preparing a comprehensive report on the causes of the flood to be submitted to the Federal Government.

    He said that the report would be used by the government for the full rehabilitation of the victims and reconstruction of infrastructure.

    “The long-term purpose is to reconstruct affected infrastructure and also resettle persons affected by the flood across the country and also embark on preventive measure against future occurrence,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the CBN deputy governor as saying during the visit.

    Lemo said the committee was meeting with development partners, the World Bank and United Nations agencies to solicit for support for victims.

    He said the relief materials provided by the committee was a palliative measure aimed at providing immediate succour for the victims.

     

  • FG to unveil new cement policy

    FG to unveil new cement policy

    The Federal Government on Monday said it would review its Backward Integration Policy (BIP) on cement to consolidate the “tremendous’’ success recorded so far in the sector.

    The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said this in Abuja during a meeting he held with stakeholders in the cement industry.

    He told the gathering that a committee would be set up “before the end of this week’’ to commence the review.

    Aganga said that the review of the policy was sequel to the “tremendous’’ success recorded through the introduction and rigorous implementation of the Backward Integration Policy in the cement industry.

    “We have achieved everything we set for ourselves 10 years ago when the Backward Integration Policy was introduced; we want to take the next step as part of our strategy on the way forward.

    “After 10 years of implementation of BIP with two million tonnes capacity, the good news is that today, we have about 28 million tonnes capacity of cement and investment of about six billion dollars.

    “More so, it provides direct and indirect employment for about two million people, “the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Aganga as saying at the forum.

    According to the minister, there is no industrial policy that has been as successful as the BIP in the cement industry.

    He hinted that the implementation of the BIP had saved the country foreign exchange of about N210 billion per year.

    He, however, stressed the need to carry out a deeper review of the cement sector to make it more competitive locally and internationally.

     

  • FG to procure insecticide- treated nets for three states

    FG to procure insecticide- treated nets for three states

     

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Pate, on Monday said the ministry had proposed N1.8 billion for the procurement of long lasting insecticide treated nets for additional three states.

    Pate disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja while reacting to a recent annual World Health Organization report on universal access to malaria treatment.

    The annual WHO report stated that five billion dollars (about N790 billion) would be needed each year over the next decade to ensure universal access to malaria treatment.

    The report noted that Nigeria would need one billion dollars (about N158 billion) to stave off backsliding and resurgences in malaria in 2013 and 2014.

    The report also highlighted that delivery of bed-nets in sub Saharan Africa dropped from a peak of 145 million in 2010 to an estimated 66 million in 2012.

    It also added that indoor spraying programmes reached only about seven million people in Africa out of an estimated 77 million people at risk.

     

  • FG to procure 10m handsets for farmers

    FG to procure 10m handsets for farmers

    The Federal government will spend between N40bn and N60bn to procure 10 million pieces of mobile phones from China and United States for free distribution to rural farmers across the country.

    The handsets would be made available to farmers before the end of March.

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, who dropped the hint, said the rationale behind the planned distribution is to establish direct communication between the government and farmers on agricultural matters.

    She added that the beneficiaries would be “women and youth” in rural settings.

    Odusote, who spoke on a New Year Day in Igan – Ipabi community in Ijebu North East Local Government Area of Ogun State, explained that the handsets would also be accompanied with solar powered lamps that would serve as chargers for the phones in the event of power failure.

    She said: “You can do a rough estimate. We are talking about 10million handsets, each handset phone would cost may be N4, 000 or N6, 000 because it is in large number. We are not going to buy in pieces like that, we will buy directly from the manufacturing companies.

    “We have agreement with some organisations in China and some in the United States, they are going to provide all these handsets for us because they are also interested in investing in Agricultural sector in Nigeria. So you have the idea and estimate of the cost.”

     

  • FG to save N300b on wheat importation – Maku

    FG to save N300b on wheat importation – Maku

    The Federal Government will save about N300 billion annually on the importation of wheat through the use of 20 per cent cassava flour for bread production.

    The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, announced this on Monday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in 2012.

    Maku said the amount spent on wheat importation had so far been brought down by N200 billion following the improvement in the production and processing of cassava flour.

    He said the government was exploring agriculture as major area to create jobs and wealth generation.

    The minister said the transformation that had taken place in the sector in the last one year was aimed at ensuring food security, curbing importation and diversifying the economy.

    He said the “Growth Enhancement Scheme’’ initiated by the Minister of Agriculture was designed to support small scale farmers to enable them get access to fertilisers and seeds directly at affordable prices.

    Maku stated that the introduction of the “Electronic Wallet System’’ (e-Wallet) for the distribution of fertilisers to farmers was aimed at eliminating corruption.

    “Nigeria is the first country in Africa to launch the e-Wallet system for the distribution of subsidised agro-inputs to farmers.

    “The focus is also to check corruption in fertiliser and seeds distribution to farmers, strengthen commodity and input market and start up staple crop processing zones across the country,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the minister as saying at the forum.

     

  • ‘FG enlists 30,000 ex-militants in Amnesty Programme’

    ‘FG enlists 30,000 ex-militants in Amnesty Programme’

    The Federal Government has so far enlisted 30,000 former militants in the amnesty programme, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, said on Monday.

    Kuku, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, gave the figure in interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

    He said that when the Federal Government proclaimed unconditional amnesty for the ex-militants on June 25, 2009, a total of 20,192 former agitators gave up their arms and ammunition and enrolled for the first phase of the amnesty programme.

    Kuku said that the terms of the amnesty included the willingness and readiness of the agitators to surrender their arms on or before October 4, 2009, unconditionally renouncing militancy and signing of an undertaking to that effect.

    “In return, the government pledged its commitment to institute programmes to assist the disarmament, demobilisation, rehabilitation and reintegration of the former agitators.

    “At the expiration of the 60-day grace period on October 4, 2009, a total of 20,192 Niger Delta ex-agitators had surrendered large number of arms and ammunition to the Federal Government and accepted the offer of amnesty.

    “And pursuant to the letter and spirit of the Amnesty Proclamation, the Federal Government instituted a Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) package for those who accepted the offer of amnesty on or before the expiration date.

    “Another 6,166 were added in November 2010 to constitute a second phase of the programme to bring the number of persons enlisted in the Presidential Amnesty Programme to 26,358,’’ Kuku said.

    The presidential aide said the Federal Government approved inclusion of another 3,642 former militants, totaling 30,000 in October, 2012.

    He said the Presidential Amnesty Office (PAO) was committed to funding the disarmament process of 3,642 former militants, newly enrolled for the third phase of the amnesty programme.

    According to him, the purpose of the process is to reconcile the disarmament record of the former agitators in the third phase of the amnesty programme.

    “This is because they have surrendered their arms to military formations and security agencies.

    “The process is being budgeted for by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Presidential Amnesty Programme is mandated to carry out the disarmament exercise,’’ Kuku said.

     

  • FG to train 40,000 teachers

    The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, said in Lagos on Friday that 40,000 teachers would be retrained under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) capacity building programme before the end of the year.

    The minister said at the opening ceremony of a retraining workshop that the teachers would be drawn from primary and junior secondary schools.

    She said the capacity building workshops would be organised by National Teachers Institute.

    The minister said the Federal Government was committed to improving the quality of teaching and learning at the basic education level.

    She said that teachers at the junior secondary level would be trained on English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies, Basic Science, Basic Technology and communication skills.

    The minister restated the commitment of the Federal Government to accord great priority to education.

    “Countries which have made the greatest progress in reducing poverty in recent decades are those which have combined effective and equitable investment in education with sound economic policies,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the minister as saying at the forum.

    Rufa’i said that primary school teachers would be trained on “basic teaching methods, communication, management skills and Information Communication Technology.’’

     

  • FG inaugurates Lagos-Kano Rail service

    FG inaugurates Lagos-Kano Rail service

    The Federal Government on Friday in Lagos inaugurated the Nigeria Railway Corporation’s Lagos-Kano intercity passenger train services and haulage of petroleum products.

    The Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, said at the event that the government was still committed to revamping the transport sector, particularly railway services, because of its importance to Nigeria’s economic development.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the NRC revitalised the Lagos-Kano intercity train services to complement the existing Lagos- Ilorin and Minna-Kano intercity train services.

    Umar said: “This segment holds the key to the development of the nation’s economy from the commercial port city of Lagos to the commercial hub of northern Nigeria in Kano.

    “ This is vital to the start-off of the transformation of the Nigerian economy.”

    Umar said the Federal Government had also awarded contracts for feasibility studies to open up other railway routes.

    He explained that the government was also rehabilitating the Eastern Railway Line from Port Harcourt –Maiduguri with spur lines from Kuru-Kafanchan –Kaduna and Kuru-Jos.

    The minister also said that government was repairing the Zaria-Gusau-Kauran Namoda rail Line.

    He added that the government was modernising the Project Phase I, Addendum 1, Abuja-Kaduna (Idu) Standard Gauge Rail Line (187km)

    The Managing Director of the NRC, Mr. Adeseyi Sijuwade, said that Lagos-Kano Route covered a stretch of 1,126km.

    Sijuade said the rehabilitation was much awaited, and hoped that train services on the route would improve Nigeria’s economy.

    He said that NRC transported 450,000 litres of diesel on Friday from Lagos to Offa, through the route, to mark its inauguration.

     

  • FG will not increase fuel price in 2013 – Omar

    FG will not increase fuel price in 2013 – Omar

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Abdulwahed Omar, on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would not increase the price of petrol in the New Year.

    Omar, who gave the assurance in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos, said that already the masses were facing a lot of hardship, adding that the government would not want to add to their sufferings.

    According to him, any further increase in the prices of petroleum products could result in violent protest by the masses, and the government would not want that to happen.

    “Generally, Nigerians should expect a good year in 2013. We don’t expect sudden surprises from the government like we had early this year.

    “I don’t think government would be disposed to doing that because if you look at it, the hardship Nigerians are enduring now is slightly higher than what they were enduring at the end of last year.

    “So, I think it would be unthinkable for government to want to compound the problems of the common man.

    “So, let us hope that 2013 is going to come with good hopes and with a lot of prospects for everybody in this country,’’ Omar told NAN.

    The union president said Nigerians should not expect anything from the NLC, but should hope for many good things from the government.

    He urged the government not to sack any worker, saying that it would not solve Nigeria’s economic problems.

     

  • Crash: FG probe team arrives Yenagoa

    Crash: FG probe team arrives Yenagoa

    …Navy sets up panel

    As the presidential investigate team arrives Yenagoa to probe last weekend’s helicopter crash, the Bayelsa State government said it is eagerly awaiting the outcome of investigations.

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, was in Yenagoa, where he briefed Governor Seriake Dickson on Federal Government’s directive to carry out a thorough investigation on circumstances leading to the crash.

    Vice Admiral Ezeoba, who called on Nigerians to remain united despite the national loss, informed governor Dickson that President Goodluck Jonathan has directed a detailed investigation of the helicopter crash, assuring that, all necessary steps would be taken to unravel the problems that led to the incident.

    Receiving the team, Dickson who described the incident as a monumental tragedy reaffirmed his administration’s commitment and support for the investigation.

    He commended the Chief of Naval Staff and the team for their prompt response by visiting the state to carry out an assessment tour of the crash site at Okoroba community in Nembe Local Government area of the state.

    While sending his condolences to the government and people of Kaduna State over the death of former Governor Patrick Yakowa, Governor Dickson lamented that the late Yakowa was in Bayelsa for an important mission, but ended up dying.

    He also eulogized the late Azazi, saying “we have lost one of our best who means so much to the state and has contributed towards nation building.”

    Meanwhile, the Nigerian Navy has constituted a board to unravel the remote and immediate causes of its helicopter crash.

    The Chief of Training and Operations, Rear Adm. Emmanuel Ogbor announced the constitution of the board at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

    He said that the members, who are aircraft investigation specialists, are drawn from Agusta Westland, the manufacturer of the ill-fated aircraft and other aviation regulatory agencies as provided by extant regulations.

    Ogbor said that some components of the helicopter that could assist the board to carry out its investigation had been recovered.

    “It is expected that the board will come out with the remote and immediate causes of the accident with far reaching recommendations that will forestall future occurrence,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted Ogbor at the briefing.

    He explained that the Navy’s helicopters, including the NN07, which crashed on Saturday, were properly maintained and serviced regularly, in accordance with the manufacturer’s specification.