Tag: FG

The federal government (FG) on Thursday, January 25, inaugurated a new handbook on Citizenship Administration in Nigeria. 

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said the document would put Tinubu’s administration on the positive side of history. 

The handbook prescribed conditions for acquisition of Citizenship by foreigners and citizens born outside Nigeria by Nigerian parents, amongst others. 

It also prescribed conditions for “Citizenship by investment”, amongst which is “evidence of required amount for investment”, pegged at a minimum of one million United States dollars. 

According to the minister what was codified in the document if implemented seamlessly would transform management of Citizenship and business administration in Nigeria as never before. 

He praised President Bola Tinubu for his vision, saying what the president has brought to the table in his Renewed Hope Agenda would bridge the gap between the strong and the weak, between the rich and the poor. 

Tunji-Ojo said: “A greater Nigeria is here. You and me are here for a Nigeria that will work for all of us, both the strong and the weak, the rich and the poor. With the Renewed Hope Agenda, what Nigerians are yearning for has come to stay. There is no need for anybody to shake hands before you can do business here. 

“If we practicalise what has been codified in the handbook, Nigeria will grow at the rate that’s proportionate with its rich human and materials resources”.

“We have taken critical look at the Citizenship Administration in Nigeria together with major stakeholders especially the Ministry of Justice and made far reaching amendments to the document in a way that the country would become better in all aspects of life. 

“It is therefore our hope that what has been codified in the handbook will be a reality to enhance internal security in terms of entrance and exiting, granting of business permit, naturalisation and the protection of marriage institutions in Nigeria,” Dr Tunji-Ojo added. 

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He said the handbook covered granting of Citizenship and Residence permit, establishment and maintenance of federal marriage registries, licensing and renewal of public places of worship for celebrations of marriages and issuance of secured federal marriage certificates in federal marriage registries. 

The Minister said the government had grappled over the years with institutionalising the process of Citizenship Administration, but with different challenges. 

“These challenges range from processes beyond the Ministry such as security reports and response from state governments in respect of applicants, to legal/jurisdiction disputes from local government authorities.

“There were also other ad-hoc administrative/operational hiccups in the form of insufficient funding and capacity development gaps “, the Minister said. 

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Wednesday, January 17, reacted to reports of some members of the public crowdfunding for ransom payments for kidnap victims.

Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar said such practices would rather worsen the situation, adding that not responding to ransom demands will eventually make the criminal activity less attractive.

The warning comes amidst reports that Nigerians have raised over N50 million through crowdfunding to pay the ransom for the release of the remaining five daughters of Mansoor Al-Kadriya.

Six siblings were abducted from their father’s house in Bwari Council, Abuja, on December 26, 2023, alongside their father.

Although their father was later released to go and raise the ransom, the kidnappers killed one of his daughters, Nabeeha, last Friday for failing to raise the said ransom, leaving five alive.

However, the Minister of Defence, Badaru, said while the government is deeply concerned about the kidnappings, paying ransoms through public donations will exacerbate the problem.

“We all know there’s an existing law against payment of ransom. So, it is very sad for people to go over the internet, radio asking for donations to pay ransom. This will only worsen the situation, it will not help,” Badaru said.

Badaru urged Nigerians to refrain from responding to ransom demands publicly, noting that the government’s position is to starve kidnappers of the profits which drive abductions.

“If we stop, over time the kidnapping will not be profitable and they will stop. It is not easy though but that is the law,” he said.

According to the minister, the recent kidnappings in the suburbs of the FCT are being perpetrated by bandits fleeing military operations in the Northwest and North Central zones.

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He assured that security agencies are working round the clock to track down the bandits and prevent further abductions.

He said: “As you are aware, people are saying FCT, FCT, these kidnappings happen around the suburb, around now and locations that are bothering Kaduna and Niger and this is as a result of the current operations going on in the northwest and some parts of north central.

“The bandits are fleeing and they are getting shelters around these areas and the security agencies are working very hard to push them out, block the movement and finish this thing once and for all.

“The President has given us the marching order and all the support that we need and what the security agencies need to end this thing.”

The federal government (FG) on Wednesday, January 17, reiterated its determination to stem the tide of the trending mass migration of medical professionals from the country.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Ali Muhammad Pate, in Abuja, while hosting the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) said the improvement of the country’s health sector in all tiers of government remains a priority.

According to him, the recently introduced Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the signing of the Health Renewal Compact by the federal and state governments, along with development partners, signal the government’s commitment to significant investments in the sector.

In a statement by the Director of Media and Public Relations, Patricia Deworitshe, the minister emphasized that there is no doubt about President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s resolve to rejuvenate the nation’s health sector and prevent its collapse.

Highlighting the critical role of collaboration with the private sector and all health organizations in the realization of the government’s objectives, Pate assured the association of the government’s commitment to working diligently with health organizations to ensure rapid progress and the smooth operation of their affairs in achieving shared aims and objectives.

He added: “I will do everything possible to create a conducive environment for health and social workers.”

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Earlier, NANNM President, Comrade Michael Nnachi, commended the Minister for his visionary leadership since taking office while encouraging him to persist in pursuing his vision for the sector

Citing the underfunding of the country’s health sector as an example, Nnachi urged the Federal government to adhere to the recommendation of the Abuja Declaration 2020 and allocate 15% of the National Budget to the health sector.

He assured complete support and readiness from the association to align with the Minister’s sector-wide approach, centred on the Four Point Agenda, and President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

NANNM is the umbrella body responsible for nurses and midwives who are certified, registered, and licensed to practice by the regulatory authority, the Nursing and Midwives Council of Nigeria.

The federal government has concluded its plans on a comprehensive roadmap to attain cheap internet and broadband services across the country, The Nation has learnt.

The roadmap would also address underserved and unserved communities in rural areas and places affected by security challenges, especially in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states and about 300 communities across Nigeria.

The Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani is spearheading the drive with telecom stakeholders and regulatory bodies to improve and accelerate broadband penetration beyond the current 45.5 percent.

But telecom companies have also complained of multiple taxation/levies, access to foreign exchange and the challenges associated with Right of Way (RoW) as critical areas to be addressed for the government approach to yield the desired results as soon as possible.

Dr Tijani has been largely quiet in pursuing his agenda for the ministry, insisting that it should be in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to create jobs, wealth and reduce poverty.

A document emanating from the office of the minister showed that for the first quarter of 2024, the Minister approved the launch of an initiative to boost broadband development and adoption in Edo, Ogun, Kwara, Katsina, Imo, Abia, Borno, and Nasarawa states.

Katsina, Kwara and Edo states have zero charges for RoW, making it possible for telecom companies to lay fibre optic cables and install infrastructures seamlessly.

Our correspondent gathered that the minister’s initiative called the National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria is aimed at solving low-fibre network rollout in the country.

According to the document titled, ‘Broadband Access for All: Introduction Deepening Nigeria’s National Backbone and Middle Mile Infrastructure,’

Tijani suggested a multi-stakeholder approach to the challenges of developing telecom infrastructures across the country.

 The initiative explained ways by which Nigeria would achieve unprecedented benefits from internet/broadband services in speed, reliability, and future scaling.

It maintained that such could be achieved when Nigeria build modern broadband infrastructures.

The document made references to the 2019 Broadband Plan, which says the country needs at least 120,000km of fibre optic cables to achieve its coverage goal.

The document reads in part: “To tackle the low and non-consumption challenge and its resultant poor ROI in a nationwide fibre network, the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy has initiated a National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria to foster collaboration for broadband development and adoption, as well as position Nigeria at the forefront of the global digital landscape.

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“Recognising the imperativeness of broadband in economic development, the alliance will bring together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as civil society, to collaboratively develop a sustainable business model(s) for driving the adoption and consumption of Internet in key critical public institutions (schools, hospitals, government offices, libraries and markets etc.) across the nation.

“It will also drive digital inclusion and awareness to ensure the inclusion of all segments of society in the digital economy and benefit from the advantages of broadband connectivity.

“The pilot of this initiative will kick off in 7 states of the country before the end of Q1 2024. The initial states are Edo, Ogun, Kwara, Katsina, Imo, Abia, Borno and Nasarawa.

“These initial states have been considered using their present broadband investment and management of fibre optic challenges in their respective states such as such as waiver of the Right of Way fee.”

The federal government (FG) has intensified its Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative for the construction, operations, and maintenance of highways by constituting three committees to expedite the implementation of the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI).

The government also warned concessionaires handling its road projects of facing the risk of being delisted if they fail to comply with the terms of the contractual agreement.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi said the move becomes imperative in aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to a road infrastructure revolution, aiming to provide Nigerians with safe and secure roads while ensuring satisfactory returns for investors.

The minister, in a statement on Tuesday by his spokesman, Uchenna Orji, emphasized the paramount interest of Nigerians while inaugurating three committees in Abuja to oversee the implementation of HDMI where he also noted that the interests of the concessionaires responsible for project handling would not be undermined.

While he emphasized the imperative for the committees to work effectively and collaboratively, considering the expectations of Nigerians in terms of transparency, standards, and efficiency in contract negotiations, Umahi noted that the emerging concessionaires are expected to recoup their investments through toll and non-toll revenues, as negotiated.

The three Committees for the actualization of the Federal Government’s HDMI programme are Scoping and Design; Financial Due Diligence; and Agreement Review.

According to Uchenna in the release, the minister disclosed that a contract with some concessionaires had been consummated, but with the current economic dynamics and the new policy direction of the present administration, there is a need to review the scope of work and cost implications.

The minister charged the concessionaires to abide by the criteria set and the timeline for the projects, saying, “We own the design, you will own the cost of the project while we carry out verification on the cost of the projects; the idea is to scope the projects. We want to have a standard road infrastructure to toll. 

“Our business is to ensure that your design conforms with the Ministry’s standard of design, that is why we are making the Director of Roads and Bridges of the Ministry to be the Chairman of the committee on Scoping and Design. 

“We don’t want to do just a patch on the road and give it to the public for you to toll. The public will resist. We want to have a standard road to toll.

“We have to provide alternative road because by law you cannot toll road if there is no alternative route to it. It is very important that every one of the projects must have alternative routes.  

“The number of toll gates and toll stations will be determined by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). We also have to put CCTV Camera, Solar Light and Security on our roads. 

“Whatever that will make our roads safer is very important to us. All these must be considered part of the business”.

Furthermore, Umahi was quoted as cautioning the concessionaires about the repercussions of failing to adhere to the rules of engagement, saying, “I must say that in case timelines were set and any company couldn’t meet up with the timelines, we may not continue processing anything with that company.

“In all our biddings in 2024 going forward, every cost element must be disaggregated. The procurement law has set up profit for the contractors. We will verify the cost in respect of concessionaires. 

“We have to ensure that the cost you are putting will do the job. We don’t want you to engage and come back and say there is inflation after we engage you on the project. We have to ensure that concessionaires have all what it takes to do the job. 

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“The Ministry of Works and the concessionaires must ensure that we are on the same page so that the citizens will not suffer. Patriotism demands that we must not allow the citizens to suffer. We have to be realistic and honest. We don’t have all the money as government to do these jobs”.

Earlier, the Director of Highways and Bridges, Awosanya Onatuga, who spoke on behalf of the Permanent Secretary assured of the readiness of all the parties involved to ensure the successful implementation of the HMDI project. 

“The contract has been consummated but there are certain dynamics that will necessitate a review of the scope of work that will dovetail into the cost of each project, and the Hon. Minister is desirous to fast-track this process so that the second phase can take off.”

The federal government (FG) is partnering Chinese Company, Luan Steel Holding Group to build a new Steel Plant in Nigeria.

The partnership hopes to also commence the building of military hardware in the Ajaokuta Steel Plant.

The Head Press and Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Steel Development, Salamatu Jibaniya made this known in a statement.

She said this formed the crux of the visit by a delegation of the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Audu, Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Steel Development, Mary Ogbe in their tour of Luan Steel Holding Group in Hefei and Guangzhou Regions of China.

Jibaniya said Prince Audu stated that the trip to China is one of the steps being taken to realise the goals of reviving the Steel Industry in Nigeria in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

She said, according to Prince Audu, work has commenced to create an operational Steel Industry that would attract billions of dollars of foreign direct investments into the country, open up the nation’s economy, and create hundreds of thousands of job opportunities, which form the core of the renewed hope agenda.

He further noted that building Military hardware in the Ajaokuta Steel Plant is also timely, considering that Nigeria is faced with security challenges. Adding that this would help in the fight against insecurity and terrorism.

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She added: “We had very meaningful discussions with the Chairman of Luan Steel Holding Group, Mr Wang Jianbing, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr Xiao Weizhan, and other senior Executives of the Luan Steel Holding Group.

“Like several other international and local investors, Luan Steel Holding Group has indicated interest in setting up a new Steel Plant in Nigeria, as well as handling a component of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant for building military hardware in Nigeria.

“The Minister of Defence and I led this delegation, which includes the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Steel Development, Dr Mary Ogbe, Sole Administrator/Managing Director of Ajaokuta Steel Company, Mr Sumaila Abdul-Akaba, to enable us to have a first-hand look at the Luan steel plants before arriving at a decision.

“With all the commitments on the ground, we are optimistic that before the end of President Tinubu’s administration, we will commence commercial Steel Production in some of the government-owned entities in Nigeria.”