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Tag: FG

  • FG urges African nations to scale up innovation, industrialisation

    Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama has called on African countries to scale up employment generation, infrastructure development, innovation and industrialisation.

    Onyeama spoke in a statement by his spokesman, Dr Tope Elias-Fatile, in Abuja yesterday.

    The minister spoke at the ongoing 32nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    He was reacting to the Report of the AU Ministerial Follow up Committee on the implementation of Agenda 2063.

    Onyeama underscored the need for Africa to scale up employment generation for the youth, Social Investment Programmes, Youth and Women empowerment, Good governance, Infrastructure development, Science, Technology, Innovation and industrialisation.

    He said Nigeria strongly believes that through the accelerated implementation of Agenda 2063- “The Africa We Want,” the African development landscape will change for the better.

    “To this end, Nigeria is committed to four strategic vehicles of implementing Agenda 2063, which are: orientation, ensuring efficiency, financing, and accountability.”

    He intimated the Council that in its effort to align and deliver on Agenda 2063 and its first 10-year implementation, Nigeria had mainstreamed the Agenda along with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) into its national planning process.

    He explained that this was reflected in the Nigerian Economic Recovery and Growth Plan launched in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The minister assured that Nigeria would continue to play an active role in the implementation of the flagship projects under the First 10-Year Implementation Plan (2014-2023).

    He stressed that this in particular included the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area, free movement of persons, silencing the guns in Africa by year 2020, and establishment of the single African Air Transport Market.

    “Altogether, these are meant to enhance intra-Africa trade and integration of the entire continent,” he said

     

  • FG tasked to launch orientation programme for cattle rearers 

    The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu I, has said that the solution to violent clashes between the herdsmen and farmers across Nigeria lies with Fulani cattle rearers.

    He said the Fulani must be ready to upgrade feeding of their cattle by embracing hay storage instead of grazing which he said brings about constant clashes between them and the farmers in many parts of the country.

    Speaking with reporters in Osogbo, Osun State capital, the monarch called on the Federal Government to urgently launch an orientation programme on the need for the Fulani cattle rearers to construct pens and provide hay storages for their animals.

    According to him, use of hay storage in feeding cattles in the pens as obtained in advanced countries instead of grazing would readily provide an immediate relief from regular and incessant violent clashes between the farmers and Fulani herdsmen.

    Describing the Northern states as the basket food of the nation, the Oluwo appealed to the Fulani to modernize rearing of their animals.

    Oba Akanbi said:  ”The impact of Fulani in meat production is largely significant. But I am calling on them to respect international standard of cattle rearing so that they can establish and sustain a peaceful relationship with farmers across Nigeria.

    “There is no sense in farmers fighting herdsmen as animal raising is part of farming. The best the government can do is to modernize herding to the standard of developed nations,” he said

     

     

  • FG to mop up arms in circulation

    FG to mop up arms in circulation

    •CBN stops issuance of Form N for rice importation
    •We’ve banned importation ‘unofficially’, says Customs boss Ali

    A policy on mopping up of arms currently circulating in the country is in the offing, Customs Comptroller-General Hammed Ali, announced yesterday.

    Ali,a retired colonel, said the policy would not only checkmate the influx of weapons into the country, it would also go a long way in controlling  the coming in of  other illicit items.

    He spoke in Abuja against the backdrop of general concern over the free flow of sophisticated guns by groups and individuals, including herdsmen who continue to kill innocent Nigerians across the country.

    Only two weeks ago, Benue state buried 73 victims of such herdsmen attacks, followed by Taraba which also mass buried scores of people killed.

    President Muhammadu Buhari,writing on his Twitter handle on Friday said the security agencies “already have standing instructions to arrest and prosecute anyone found with illegal arms.”

    Buhari, who was giving an update on Thursday’s National Security Council meeting said  government was “stepping up our efforts to tackle the proliferation of small arms and light weapons across the country.”

    Ali, addressing stakeholders at the 2018 International Customs Day in Gwagwalada, Abuja,said: “We need to join hands with our neighbours and that is only how we can effectively police our borders and ensure what we see in Libya and other countries that arms do not find their way into our territory.

    “Already we have enough of it, and I hope we will soon come up with a policy on how to retract these arms that are circulating within our publics.

    “But why we are doing that we thought we should also come up with a comprehensive mechanism to be able checkmate not only weapons arms but all illicit items into our territory.”

    One of such is rice which importation,he said, has been unofficially banned.

    He said the Central Bank (CBN)  has not issued Form N to any importer since 2017 to bring rice into Nigeria.

    He said:”I am very happy to support what Mr. President said in his New Year address, that this year that we would ban the importation of rice completely.

    “As at today, unofficially, rice is banned because since the beginning of 2017, Central Bank which is supposed to issue Form N which is the only permit for importation has not issued any Form N to  rice importers.

    “So, any parboiled rice you see, which is not our own local rice must have been smuggled in. So, if you go to buy this, then you are encouraging the smugglers and therefore negating the growth of our economy.

    “Any country that cannot feed itself cannot claim to be independent and I think we want to be independent.”

    Also speaking, Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun announced that following the improvement in revenue collection recorded by the NCS last year, the ministry was working to ensure an increased salary package and condition of service for the personnel.

    The Director of Finance, MojisolaApata, who represented by her noted that the service was making revenue available for the three tiers of government, noting that “we are desirous of a better performance this year.”

    Asked how much revenue the NCS was targeting to achieve this year, Ali  said that “it is our prayer that we should be able to overshoot what we had done last year. It is our prayer that we should be able to get to N1.5trillion this year.”

    The Comptroller-General said that the NCS had commissioned its own Customs police to police the service, and operate as an internal mechanism to resolve disputes.

     

  • Restructure Nigeria before 2019, Eastern Consultative Assembly warns FG

    The Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) has warned that unless the Federal Government carries out genuine restructuring of the country before 2019, the people of Eastern Nigeria will not participate in the forthcoming general election. The group gave the warning yesterday after a meeting in Enugu.

    A communique, signed by the group’s Deputy Leader, Chief (Mrs.) Maria Okwor and the Secretary, Evang. Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, wondered whether the recent report of the APC Committee on Restructuring was genuine or a ploy to deceive the people to vote for them in 2019. It said: “For the avoidance of doubt, the people of eastern Nigeria will not participate in any election whatsoever, until a new people’s constitution is evolved through a referendum. We will not join in the madness of voting in any elections whatsoever, until Nigeria is consensually returned to true fiscal federalism, anchored on regional autonomy. Those fiddling with the idea, that they would deceive the people with a repulsive report on restructuring are day dreamers.”

    ECA also called on ethnic nationalities to join it in its current resolve. “As the over 300 ethic nationalities continue to cry and to yearn for freedom, we invite them to join the ECA to boycott all future elections until Nigeria is restructured.

    “We plead with the colonial power to yield to ongoing pressure from other western powers, who are advising that they tell their preferred and pampered region in Nigeria to yield to the only sensible way to save Nigeria now. Which is: to restructure Nigeria before 2019 election,” the group said.

  • FG to partner COSON to grow economy, says Onyeama

    FG to partner COSON to grow economy, says Onyeama

    The Federal Government has pledged to support the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) to enable the creative industry contribute its quota to the growth and development of the economy.

    Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, stated this in Abuja during an audience with the Board members of COSON led by its Chairman Chief Tony Okoroji, who were at the Tafawa Balewa building, Abuja

    The organisation had earlier conferred on the Minister COSON award of the year which is the highest honour of the organisation.

    Onyeama stressed the importance of the organisation with regards to the development of creative industry in Nigeria.

    “I want to really commend the leadership of the organisation and I feel very humbled and honour for the award which shows the importance of intellectual property.

    “We are now in the knowledge economy in the world and we have seen how the creative industry has played important role in the economy in major industrialised country.

    “And, how it has played more and more important role in Nigeria, its role came to limelight during the rebasing of Nigeria economy where Nigeria became the largest economy in Africa,” he said.

    According to him, one of the greatest factors that contributed to that was the creative industry; and it is important because what they do was to collect royalties to pay the artists.

    He said that the creative industry had really redefined the country and also rebranded the nation and helped in growing the economy.

    “The bulk of Nigeria population is made up of youth so to have an industry that is really creating jobs for the youth and creating a very positive image for the country.

    “The industry is also adding to the wealth of the country  which is amazing,” he said.

    He however, noted with concern that one of the biggest challenges of the industry was piracy,

    Earlier the Chairman of COSON board sough the cooperation of the Federal government in the development of creative industry.

    Okoroji said that the organization was trying to work with the Federal Government at different levels and at the level of  foreign affairs  because Nigerian creative products are all over the world.

    “The issue is that we are not getting appropriate value for the work and then we need to engage all the stakeholders and others involved in the changing nature of the economy.

    “We will engage the Ministry of Information and Tourism, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and all other agencies involved,” he said.

  • FG urges restraint in media coverage of farmers/herders’ crisis in Benue

    FG urges restraint in media coverage of farmers/herders’ crisis in Benue

    The Federal Government is seeking ‘utmost restraint’ by the media and the public over the  recent farmers/herders’ clash in Benue State.

    This,according to Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed,is necessary    in order not to further inflame passion and worsen the situation.

    Mohammed,in a statement in Abuja, said while the Federal Government “is working hard to address the situation with a view to preventing a recurrence, not just in Benue State but everywhere across the country, it is incumbent on the media and public commentators not to engage in actions that can aggravate the crisis.”

    But he explained that the appeal does mean that  the media “should not cover the crisis nor asking public commentators to desist from commenting on it. All we are saying is that both must be circumspect.”

    He added:’’The current poisoned atmosphere of incendiary comments, unrestrained use of pictures and footages that offend human sensibilities as well as fingerpointing can only exacerbate the situation and complicate ongoing efforts to end the crisis.’’

    Alhaji Mohammed said the Federal Government is “absolutely saddened by the loss of lives and the destruction of property resulting from the crisis, and recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, in commiserating with the Benue Governor, unreservedly condemned the killings and also assured of the necessary security measures to prevent further attacks and bring the perpetrators to book.”

     

     

     

  • …as PDP cautions FG on alleged move

    …as PDP cautions FG on alleged move

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Federal Government on the alleged plans to increase the pump price of fuel above the prevailing price of N145 per litre.

    In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, the party asked the government to perish the thought, saying that such would not only be criminal but inhuman and completely unacceptable to Nigerians.

    The opposition party said its investigation had shown that the Federal Government was lying to Nigerians on oil-related issues while using the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to bandy figures with intentions to arrive at the government’s predetermined agenda to increase the price of fuel.

    The statement further stated that the lingering fuel crisis and its attendant eblack-market costs were only a ploy by the ruling party to justify its intended hike of petroleum prices.

    The PDP accused the government of having completely become numbed to the sufferings of Nigerians to the extent that it no longer cares to impose more hardship on our people.

    “Instead of putting more burden on the people, the APC Government should come out clear on sleazes in the oil sector under its watch, particularly the shady oil subsidy payouts and illegal lifting of N1.1 trillion worth of crude, using unregistered companies,” the statement added.

    It recalled that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had in December informed Nigerians that the NNPC had been paying subsidy on fuel.

    The party challenged the government to tell Nigerians who the beneficiaries of the subsidy were, the amount involved and who authorised the payment. It alleged that there was inherent corruption in the deal.

    “Any increase in fuel pump price would be an indirect tax on Nigerians to fund APC interests, and considering the pains Nigerians have suffered under this inept and unfeeling government, this intended hike will be callous.

    “It is now clear to all that this APC-controlled government will never act in the interest of Nigerians. All the actions and policies of APC, in their close to three years in office, have been targeted against Nigerians, and there are no signals that they will change.

    “We therefore urge Nigerians to reject this plot to raise the prices of petroleum products even as they gear towards using the next election to end the misrule of the APC,” the statement added.

     

  • FG, Governors in order over $1b Boko Haram fund – Dansadua

    FG, Governors in order over $1b Boko Haram fund – Dansadua

    WILL your new party be fielding candidates for the 2019 elections?

    I want you to write it in your dairy today that NRM is set to be sworn in on May 29, 2019 to occupy the Presidential villa. We are determined and serious. I don’t  blame Nigerians if they make mockery of the registration of 21 political parties because from our experience, most of these small political parties don’t make any impact. For us in the NRM, we decided to form this party because we are not satisfied with the performance of the APC.

    We have discovered from a survey we did through some consultants that Nigerians are disenchanted and are losing hope. That is why we hope to rekindle the hope of Nigerians and carve out a political party with an ideology. In Rwanda, after the genocide of 1990, people wondered how they were able to fix their country in just 20 years. Today, Rwanda is the pride of Africa. If you go to Kigali, it is like you are in Europe.

    And here we are in Nigeria, telling ourselves that Nigeria can not be fixed. I don’t believe in that. We are out, determined, resolute and committed to making the difference. All we want is  cooperation of the Nigerian people. We are going to present credible, patriotic Nigerians who are honest, God fearing to contest elections at all levels because we believe that they are there all over the country.

    The only thing is that these people have been runing away from politics because they don’t have the kind of money it takes to contest election or get the PDP or APC ticket. We re going to fish out those people and provide the platform for them. They will not need to get the ticket. Their asset will be their credibility and acceptability by the people. So, we are set to make the difference in the next election.

    What do you consider as the main problem facing this country?

    If you observe, part of the problem of governance in this country is that you have professionals and credible people, selfless and patriotic people who are willing and ready to serve this country selflessly, but our political leaders don’t want to see the faces of such people. They prefer sycophants and hypocrites who will be singing the songs of sycophancy. Sadly, this is a serious problem.

    That is why we want to make a difference not only while in governance, but also in leadership recruitment. All Nigerians are entitled to be members of this party if they so wish. But to get a ticket to contest elections at all level of governance, a person must prove himself to be credible God fearing, selfless and accepted by his people. NRM leadership will not seat here in Abuja like other parties and impose candidates on the people.

    We feel that until and unless there is justice in all that we do as a political party and as leaders, there can’t be peace and prosperity and good governance. Unless the people are allowed to make their choice, democracy cannot grow. That is why anybody who wants to contest election in this party should know that there are strict and rigorous process of screening before he can be allowed  to contest any election.

    The task of rescuing Nigeria from where it is today is a task that all patriotic Nigerians must be part of in other to have a better Nigeria and be able to catch up with its peers across the globe.

    What is the view of the party on the ongoing fight against corruption?

    For us in NRM we see no difference between the APC and the PDP in terms of the issue of corruption, implementation of the budget and prudent management of the nation’s resources for the common good of the Nigeria people.

    The recent decision by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to support of $1 billion for the federal government to fight Boko Haram is generating mixed reaction from across the country. What is the position of the party on this?

    Well, that money belongs to the 36 states and the federal, government. The Governors are the chief  executive of their respective states and are the custodians of the resources of their respective states. While the Boko Haram issue is a security challenge that affects the entire nation. Yes, the insurgents are being fought in the northeast, but its economic and social consequences are all over the country.

    So, for me, I think it is worth while as long as the money will be prudently used for the purpose it is allocated for. So, I don’t think there is nothing wrong with it. The federal government and the National Council of States should put in place a special mechanism for monitoring how that colossal amount of money is going to be used. The Nigerian government has a very good opportunity which they don’t want to use.

    We have professionals who have retired who are credible and willing to offer services free, but they are not being utilized because people in government wants to do everything. The government is setting up a technical committee to handle something and appoints governors and ministers as members when they have not been able to discharge their primary responsibility satisfactory.

    And you are giving them additional responsibility when we have professionals with the technical expertise  to do that job. I want to appeal to the government to put a special team in place outside government bureaucracy to monitor how every cent of this money will be spent in fighting Boko Haram because that is where the problem is. It is not allocating money that is important, but how the money is spent and how effective it is. That is what is lacking in the APC administration.

    There is the clamour for restructuring of the country. What will be your party position on that?

    All the social economic problems we are having in this country should not arise if we have good governance. My believe is that the clamour for restructuring, agitation for Biafra, Boko Haram, cattle rustling and many others are all manifestations of bad governance. For me personally, I don’t believe in restructuring, but I believe that at the appropriate time, the party will come up with its position on that.

    I believe in good governance because the moment you provide good governance, there will be no agitation. You are hearing about agitation for restructuring because few people who are not more than seven have cornered the resources of the entire nation and they do whatever what they want with it. They take the money outside the country and that is why people are saying let us restructure.

    So, when you restructure the nation, you will also have to restructure the resources and allow every region manages its own resources. It is actually the gale of corruption in governance that brought about all these agitations for so many things across the country. So, for me, providing good governance is the answer to all these agitations and our socio-economic challenges in this country.

    You said that not more than seven persons have cornered the resources of this country, how did you arrive at this position?

    I am just using that as an example and not talking about the exact figure. You are the one who came up with the terminology of cabal. We have had cabals in this country on several occasions and the Nigerian people have alleged that the cabal are cornering the resources of this country. It may even be better at both level. In the state, it is one person cornering the resources. Even  deputy governor have no access to the money.

    Considering the fact that this country is divided along ethic and religious lines, how do you intend to achieve the national integration you speak about?

    The solution we have is to ensure justice and fairness. But more critical is the issue of leadership recruitment. We are definitely going to change approach to leadership recruitment. From 1999 to date, whatever happened, Nigerian politicians must take responsibility for that. We must take responsibility for the state of the nation today. If that is the case, what do we do? It is to answer that question and agree that we need to change approach.

    For us in the NRM, among the present conventional politicians in the country today, only a negligible few will be able to secure NRM ticket. Before you are able to get NRM ticket as somebody who has been in politics for a long time in Nigeria, you must be someone who has been acknowledged as somebody who is credible, patriotic and selfless. It is then only then you can secure ticket under NRM.

    Our first point of call for recruitment is religious leaders. We are not saying that Cardinal Onaiyekan should come and contest election, but what we are saying is that they should bring out their disciples that they know are credible, patriotic and God fearing to come and contest election because they will not need to bribe anybody to have the ticket. They must make that sacrifice because the time is gone when politicians will just come to religious leaders and say pray for us to win election.

    Religious leaders should take this message to their followers. Our second point of call is traditional rulers. We are saying the Sultan should come and contest election. They know within their domain, the people they can trust that will not betray the reputation and credibility of the royal houses. Our third point of call are professionals who have either retired or still serving. We have already drafted letters to all professional and trade union groups, women and youth groups, religious leaders and traditional rulers.

    We will give them our manifesto and ask them to make input into it because what we have today is an interim manifesto. For example, we will tell the Nigeria Economic Summit Group to make input to our economic policy and other professional groups. Then we will aggregate these views. We will have interaction with them because the state of the nation today calls for sacrifice and so, all hands must be on deck.

  • FG’s support for creative industry paying off – Minister

    FG’s support for creative industry paying off – Minister

    The increased attention and support being given the creative industry by the Buhari Administration has started yielding fruits, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said.

    Speaking at the premiere of the movie ‘’Wedding Party 2’’ in Lagos on Sunday, the Minister listed the pioneer status granted to the Industry, the stepped-up anti-piracy campaign and the decision to seek stimulus capital for the Industry from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as some of the positive results.

    He recalled that shortly after the creative industry Financing Conference in Lagos earlier in the year, he led a delegation of the film industry stakeholders to the Inspector General of Police, which resulted in the formation of anti-piracy units in all the 36 states of the federation

    “The subsequent extensive piracy raids have now resulted in the confiscation of pirated films worth hundreds of millions of Naira. In fact, criminal prosecutions of culprits have now started,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

    He also recalled how, shortly after the Conference, the federal government granted pioneer status to the creative industry to reduce financial burdens on new investments and encourage both foreign and local investments into the film industry.

    The Minister congratulated Ms. Mo Abudu and all those involved in the production of ‘Wedding Party 2’, saying with the blockbusters being churned out by Nigerian film producers, “we can formally announce to the world that a true film industry has arrived in our Nollywood.”

    Meanwhile, Alhaji Mohammed has declared the arrival of a new dawn in the nation’s creative industry

    “I am totally encouraged that Nigeria is indeed on track with all the capabilities to diversify our economy in order to create jobs and boost our Gross Domestic Product. It’s great to note that the Creative sector is taking the lead to achieve this,” he said at the opening of the musical ‘Fela and the Kalakuta Queens’ at Terra Kulture, also in Lagos on Sunday.

    He said the vibrancy in the sector is largely due to the collaborative efforts of the Public and Private sectors, which the likes of Ms. Bolanle Austen Peters, founder of Terra Kulture, have leveraged with impressive results

    The Minister congratulated Ms. Austen Peters, her management team and all the creative talent involved in the making ‘Fela and the Kalakuta Queens’, saying: “This production will no doubt take us to another level in our achievements and I want to assure you that this government is with the Creative sector all the way.”

     

  • FG releases N1.2trn for 2017 capital expenditure

    FG releases N1.2trn for 2017 capital expenditure

    The Federal Government ( FG ) on Monday said it released N1.2 trillion to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government for implementation of capital projects contained in the 2017 budget.

    The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, gave the figure during a meeting with a delegation of investors from France in Abuja.

    Adeosun told the delegation, made up of 30 companies from France, that government had previously released N450 billion for capital projects, and with additional N750 billion, a total of N1.2 trillion would have invested in infrastructure in the country.

    She also told the delegation, who expressed readiness to invest in key sectors of the Nigerian economy, that “what the government is doing is to provide enabling infrastructure that will bring potential into reality.

    “Last year (2016), we released N1.3 trillion of capital and so far this year we have released N450 billion and this week, we will release another N750 billion and this will take the release to N1.2 trillion by the end of the year.”

    The Head of the French delegation, Mr Philippe Labonne, said the investors had indicated interest in key sectors of the economy such as banking, infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture and youth empowerment.

    He said the decision of the companies to invest in Nigeria was taken following a directive by government of France for French companies to increase their investments in Nigeria.

    He described the Nigerian economic environment as encouraging, following the recent stability in the country’s foreign exchange market.

    To achieve their investment objective, Labonne said, most of the French companies would form strategic partnerships with their Nigerian counterparts.

    He said “we are here to assess the investment environment in Nigeria to enable us to take advantage of the opportunities.

    “We have about 30 companies in this delegation in sectors such as infrastructure, services, agriculture and banking and the purpose of this meeting is to identify key sectors where we can invest.

    “We are interested in many areas such as energy, agriculture, services, especially toward youths and we will identify other areas subsequently.”

    Before the meeting with Adeosun, the delegation had earlier met with Ms Yewande Sadiku, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.

    Sadiku had told them that Nigeria remained a top destination of capital inflows in the African continent.

    She said “Nigeria is strategically located in Africa to serve the needs of many countries as regional hub to the continent.

    “We have a compelling population that provides the market which means that Nigeria can serve as manufacturing hub for investors.”

    She expressed delight over the interest of the investors in Nigeria, noting that
    France was one of the many countries that Nigeria was targeting in its investment strategy.

    On investment inflows, Sadiku said France appeared as number 10 on the chart and represented about N1 billion of the capital inflows into Nigeria.