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Tag: FG

  • FG assures power companies of support

    FG assures power companies of support

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola says the Federal Government will support power companies in Nigeria to resolve its generation problem.

    Fashola, who gave the assurance in Abeokuta during a tour of Olorunsogo Power Plant in Ogun, called for a comprehensive report of challenges facing the companies.

    He acknowledged that problems facing the companies were different, depending on location and hence the need to call for the reports.

    The minister said that when he gets such reports, the ministry would present it to the Federal Executive Council for consideration and appropriate action.

    “As the supervising ministry, there are some things that are not in our control.

    “If there is water problem in any of the hydro dams, it is the problem of the Ministry of Water Resources.

    “The problem of gas supply is that of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources,’’ he said.

    The minister expressed optimism that the gas programme recently initiated by the Federal Government would address the challenges of gas supply to the generation companies.

    He said the capacity of power generation in the country was about 12,000 megawatt but could not be used because of challenges of either transmission or gas shortage.

    In his remark, Mr Monsuru Afinni, the Managing Director of Pacific Energy, managers of the Plant, commended the minister for visiting the power station.

    He said the installed capacity of the plant was 335 megawatts, adding that generation had hovered between 151 and 186 megawatts in the past weeks because of gas constraints.

    He highlighted the challenges facing the plants to include scarce foreign exchange to pay its expatriates, procurement of equipment and the deplorable state of the road linking the plant.

  • Expert urges FG to build food storage facilities to stabilise food prices

    An Agricultural expert, Mr Richard Ogundele, on Friday called on the Federal Government to build food storage facilities across the country so as to reduce post-harvest losses and stabilise food prices.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the call became imperative because of the huge investment of the government on the revival of the rail service.

    Ogundele is the Group Intervention Manager for Growth and Employment in States (GEMS4), a project financed by the World Bank and UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) in Nigeria.According to him, revitalised rail transportation will unlock the country’s agricultural potential, expand access to markets and create inclusive growth as well as wealth for the citizens.

    Ogundele said that part of the focus of GEMS4 related to plans to reduce the rate of post-harvest losses, adding that it, therefore, collaborated with Connect Rail Services, Best Foods and MasterCard Centre to ferry tomatoes from Kano to Lagos by rail.

    “The scheme, which has started, is to deliver tomato to markets by reducing produce losses from 41 per cent, incurred on the road, to 25 per cent by rail.

    “The train departed Kano at 10.45 a.m. on March 13 and arrived at Iddo, Lagos, at 1 p.m. on March 15.
    “The damage incurred was because the cabins were not well-ventilated and the train derailed twice during the journey. Besides, the country presently maintains only one rail track

    “We could not divert to another track and eventually spent 50 hours, instead of our projected 36 hours.

    “But a cold-room cargo wagon in the country would have safeguarded the produce.

    “Despite this impediment, we still judge the scheme a success because we were able to reduce waste and we got more produce to the market,” he said.

    Ogundele, however, urged the government to collaborate with the private sector in efforts to attract investments in storage facilities and the rail infrastructure so as to bridge the identified gaps.
    He stressed that the investments would translate into job creation, while boosting people’s participation in agriculture and improving the nation’s Gross Domestic Product

  • 80 unemployed graduates benefit from FG’s youth empowerment scheme

    The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, on Thursday, said that 80 unemployed youths were benefiting from Federal Government’s Graduate and Youth Empowerment Scheme on irrigation farming.

    Adamu, who spoke at the official inauguration of the scheme in Illah, Delta, said that the programme was part of efforts to revitalise the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) to boost the nation’s agricultural production.

    He said that the revitalisation of the RBDAs was targeted at creating job opportunities via irrigation farming and aquaculture, while boosting Nigeria’s efforts to attain food security.

    He said that the scheme was an offshoot of an agreement signed between the Federal Government and Songhai Integrated Farms Ltd. in Benin Republic.

    The minister recalled that the agreement stressed the need to reposition and strengthen the RBDAs to become major economic nerve-centres of the country.

    “This is in line with the economic diversification policy and the change agenda of the present administration.

    “The main objective of this scheme is massive job creation for young graduates, with all-year-round agricultural production and other value chain activities,” he said.

    Adamu assured Nigerians that the scheme was laudable as it supported the vision and objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari’s plans for food security and youth empowerment.

    He urged the beneficiaries and all stakeholders to provide maximum support for the scheme through their active participation in its operations and maintenance.

    He added that the scheme was a tool for reducing poverty and youth restiveness in the country.

    Mr Saliu Ahmed, Managing Director, Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (RBDA), called on the Federal Government to expand the irrigation facilities in the authority’s catchment area.

    He said that the RBDA had undertaken irrigation projects in Ewulu and Illah in Delta; Ukhun, Illushi-Ega-Oria in Edo; Owena Multipurpose Dam; Erusu Dam and Iju-Ita-Ogbolu in Ondo State.

    Ahmed said that the Illah/Ebu irrigation project was one of the priority projects of the river basin authority.

    He said that the project had a capacity of developing over 3,000 hectares of irrigable land, adding that 550 hectares had so far been developed for the cultivation of rice, water melon and cucumber.

    Ahmed said it was the desire of the RBDA to increase the participants of the scheme to 1,000, calling for more support from the Federal Government.

    “We need the government support to enable us to rehabilitate our broken-down tractors and acquire new ones, while procuring equipment such as rice harvesters and planters.

    “We also desire to prepare farmlands to accommodate more prospective farmers,” he said.

    Ahmed called on the host communities to take ownership of the project and assist in effective management of all the facilities.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that similar projects had been inaugurated in Kogi, Ogun, Zamfara, Kano, Cross River, IMO and Nasarawa States.

  • FG pledges to refund expenditure on federal roads to state govts

    Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing on Thursday pledged the commitment of the Federal Government to refund expenditure on the execution of federal roads to state governments.

    Fashola, who stated this in Ado-Ekiti during a courtesy visit to Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, said the planned refund followed request by several state governments.
    The minister said he was in the state to inspect ongoing Federal Government road projects.

    He commended the governor over federal road projects executed in the state, adding that the Federal Government was committed to refunding the amount spent on the projects.

    According to the minister, we are committed to supporting states toward achieving their developmental objectives and so, efforts are being made to raise the fund through bonds.

    Fashola said Federal Government was not in competition with any state government and therefore, urged the governor to support the activities of the Federal Controller of Works in the state.

    He said the controller was in the state to ensure that the realisation of the Federal Government’s infrastructure developmental plans.

    The minister assured that work would resume in roads where engineering designs had been completed in the state, as soon as the 2017 budget was passed.

    In his remark, Fayose commended the minister for the visit, adding that coming to the state through road from Abuja was an indication that the minister was prepared to work.

    He said the state had no reason to doubt the minister over his promises to refund moneys spent on federal roads, completion of ongoing projects as well commencement of new ones.

    Fayose, however, urged the minister to expedite actions in ensuring that the projects were completed before the expiration of the tenure of the present administration in the state.

  • Revive primary healthcare centers in Nigeria, Reps urge FG

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday in Abuja urged the Ministry of Health to ensure that all primary healthcare centres in the country are functional for effective service delivery.

    The House also urged the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency to evolve a mechanism to take inventories at all the healthcare centres with a view to ascertaining their status.

    This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Rep. Joseph Edionwhele entitled `Urgent Need to Revive the Primary Health Care Centres in Rural Communities’.

    Moving the motion, Edionwhele expressed concern that dearth of staff and lack of equipment had rendered many health centres in the country non-functional.

    He said that the poor state of facilities had caused the centres to be of no benefit to the citizenry, particularly those living in rural areas.

    “This has contributed to the deteriorating health condition of the citizenry as noted in recent reports by the World Health Organisation and other multilateral agencies in terms of increasing child/maternal mortality rate.

    “It has also led to the resurgence of child killer diseases and drop in average life expectancy in the nation and this calls for urgent action,’’ Edionwhele said.

    Contributing to the motion, Rep. John Akinlaja (APC-Ondo), said there was need to equip existing primary health centres than establishing new ones.

    “It is a great displeasure that many of the centres are not providing the needed services because there are no personnel, drugs and other facilities.

    “In the past, these healthcare centres were akin to the dispensaries and as a school boy when one sustains injury while playing football we go there for treatment.

    “But today the reverse is the case. So instead of building new health centres, let us concentrate on ensuring that the existing ones are revived.

    “Many of them have been taken over by rodents,’’ Akinlaja said.

    Rep. Ayo Omidiran (APC-Osun) said that provisions were made for upgrade of health centres across the country.

    “As a member of the Committee on Healthcare Services, I can assure you that the upgrade of the centres was provided for in the 2017 budget and before it is fully executed, the centres will become upgraded and functional,’’ Omidiran added.

    The Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, referred the motion to the Committee on Healthcare Services and Health Institutions to ensure implementation and report back in eight weeks

  • ASUU to FG: Pay our February salary in full

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos chapter, has urged the Federal Government to pay in full the university teachers’ February salary.

    Speaking at a press briefing held at the University of Lagos (UNIILAG), on Tuesday, the Lagos Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Olusiji Sowande, said the union is unhappy with the government reduction of the February salary and should pay up the balance to avert “drastic decision from the union.”

    He said, “The February salary in particular came as a shock to us. It came with shortfall of different percentages in various universities. We think that this is not the right thing for the government to do. So we expect them to pay up the remaining balance of the February 2017 salary in order for us not to take a drastic measure to address the issue.

    “In recent times, government have been eroding and violating the 2009 ASUU- FGN agreement.  This is evident in the unilateral and gradual introduction of shortfall in salary warrants resulting in fractional payment of salaries in our universities.

    “This was experimented with few universities like UNILAG where wage bill was deliberately reduced in most parts of 2016 and the university had to source for funds to make complete payment. In February 2017, virtually all federal universities were affected with government unilaterally cutting the salaries of university workers.

    “The salary shortfall in UNILAG was N125 million and at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB), a shortfall of about N55.5 million was reported.”

    He also lamented government inadequate subvention to some universities which have forced them to tax students in order to raise funds.

     

     

  • Crude oil theft: FG amends charge against Shell

    Crude oil theft: FG amends charge against Shell

    The Federal Government has amended its suit against Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria and its subsidiary, Shell Western Supply & Trading Limited, over alleged crude oil theft

    The plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Ituah Imhanze told Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of the Federal High Court in Lagos of an application to make changes to the statement of claim.

    The judge granted the application, but noted that there had been no remarkable progress in the suit since it was filed.

    The federal government is claiming $406.8million from the defendants, which it said is the shortfall of money remitted to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The money was said to be for crude oil lifted in 2013 and 2014.

    The plaintiff accused the company of not declaring or under-declaring crude oil shipments during the period.

    It said following forensic analysis of bills of laden and shipping documents, it discovered that Shell allegedly cheated Nigeria of the revenue.

    The plaintiff said a consortium of experts tracked the global movements of the country’s hydrocarbons, including crude oil and gas.

    The plaintiff averred that the undeclared shipments between January 2013 and December 2014 brought the total value of the entire shortfall to $406.75 million.

    The defendants were said to have failed to respond to a letter seeking clarifications on the discrepancies.

     

  • TUC to FG: Use Paris Club refund for specific projects

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on Monday asked the Federal Government to tie the release of the Paris Club refund to specific projects by the states.

    This, TUC said is to avoid a situation where state governments will embark on wasteful spending once the money is received.

    The Congress said unless the money is tied to specific projects, what happened when the first tranche of N388 billion was released in December 2016 will repeat itself.

    In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama and Secretary General, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozidi, TUC said if necessary things were not put in place, the governors would come cap-in-hand for another financial support in no distant time.

    President Muhammadu Buhari last week ordered the Minister of Finance and the Central Bank Governor to release N500 billion Paris Club refund to the 36 states, but the labour body said if the governors had judiciously utilize resources available to them, life would have been better for average Nigerian.

    The statement said: “One could infer from the foregoing that the President to some extent profoundly means well but some people are determined to frustrate his efforts. One would have expected that when the first tranche of money was released salaries and pensioners would have been paid.

    “We had expected that some meaningful projects would have been embarked upon; instead (they) the governors rolled out their drums to receive the billions for personal aggrandizement. This is not the way to go in an era of change.

    “We need not bore you with the numerous cases of suicides and suicide attempts so far recorded this year alone. Workers have become unable to feed their families, pay rents and school fees, let alone provide clothing.

    “A countless times the President assured us that his government has the welfare of Nigerians at heart but in reality it appears not to be so. If governors make judicious use of the monies at their disposal, we can be rest assured that recession will soon be of mere historical significance only.

    “It is therefore expedient that the President recognizes the absolute fact that the citizens of this country voted for him because of his pedigree. They voted because they trusted and believed that his administration would be just, prudent, accountable and lead with the fear of God.

    “The cooperation we anticipated is not there as the centre appears to be going one way while the lawmakers and the judiciary are also going separate ways. As it stands, our fate appears to be hanging on a balance.”

     

  • FG certifies Fanta, Sprite safe for consumption

    FG certifies Fanta, Sprite safe for consumption

    The Federal Ministry of Health yesterday put the controversy over the status of Fanta and Sprite to rest.

    The ministry declared both brands safe for consumption.

    There had been wide spread fears in the country following  the judgement of a Lagos High Court that  the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) should  order  the Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC) to issue a mandatory warning

    that the contents should not be taken with Vitamin C in order to avoid poisoning.

    The ministry waded into the meeting yesterday by calling a meeting  with officials of the  Department of Food and Drug Services, NAFDAC, and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to address the matter.

    Spokesman for the ministry,Mr. Akinola Boade, said in a statement at the end of the meeting that

    the findings of the Ministry’s investigation revealed that both Benzoic acid and Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) are ingredients approved by International Food Safety regulators and used in many food and beverage products around the world.

    He said the Benzoic acid content in both drinks remains within the specification set by  Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC),the organ established by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) to set internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines relating to foods, food production, and food safety.

    He said: “In the case of Benzoic acid, the standard set by Codex was 600mg/kg until recently reviewed to 250mg/kg and adopted in 2016 (CODEX STAN 192–1995 revised 2015 and 2016).

    “With reference to the Codex standard and other relevant documents, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as the standard setting body in Nigeria in consultation with technical experts and relevant stakeholders elaborated the standard of benzoic acid in soft drinks to be at 250mg/kg based on the National climatic and storage conditions – this standard has been in existence since 1997 and revised in 2008 (NIS 217:2008).

    “The levels of benzoic acid in Fanta (1 batch) and Sprite (2 batches) presented by the claimant in the court are 188.64mg/kg, 201.06mg/kg and 161.5mg/kg respectively; these levels are in compliance with both the Codex and Nigeria Industrial Standards.”

    The ministry pointed out that “NAFDAC and SON regularly monitor the manufacturing practices of food industries and conduct laboratory analysis to ascertain continuous compliance with required national standards; there was a routine inspection conducted at Nigeria Bottling Company by NAFDAC officers in December 2016 which was satisfactory.”

    On the difference between the standard of Fanta and Sprite in Nigeria and the United Kingdom,it said  ” each country or region is permitted to adapt a standard/limit based on country-specific scientific evidence such as environmental, storage and distribution conditions; Benzoic acid as a preservative prevents the growth of microorganisms which thrive more at higher climatic temperatures like in Nigeria.

    “Due to the different environmental conditions obtainable in the UK, the standard for benzoic acid was set at a lower limit of 150mg/kg while in Nigeria it was set at 250mg/kg even below that of Codex (as at time of production of that batch; Codex limit was 600mgkg); and Food products being imported into a country must comply with the relevant standards of the destination country.”

    It said the plaintiff in the suit that sparked the controversy  ”did not obtain NAFDAC certification before export, otherwise, he would have been advised on the required standard of the destination country.”

  • FG to set up 29-man minimum wage committee

    FG to set up 29-man minimum wage committee

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will soon approve the setting up of a 29-man committee to engage organised labour in negotiating a new national minimum wage for workers in the country.

    The minister also hinted that the report of the National Minimum Wage Review Committee soon to be set up by the President will be subjected to scrutiny by the National Assembly before it is implemented by government.

    Organised Labour, made up of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has submitted a N56,000 new national minimum wage request to the government.

    The minister, who spoke with newsmen in his office after a meeting of the technical committee, said the Minimum Wage Review Committee was yet to be set up, adding that the technical committee set up in June 2016 to work out modalities for the review and palliatives would soon submit its report to the main committee.

    The Minister said in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it was within the ambit of the National Assembly to amend the minimum wage act since all national minimum wage issues are on the exclusive legislative list.

    He said: “When the national minimum wage committee finishes its work, it will go to the National Sssembly because all national minimum wage issues are issues that are on the exclusive list.

    “So it is within the ambits of the National Assembly in accordance with the 1999 constitution as amended.”

    According to him, the main committee made up of eight cabinet ministers and the Secretary to Government of the Federation as well as labour leaders will adopt or review the report before submitting it to President Muhammadu Buhari who will in turn approve the composition of the national minimum wage committee.

    He said for the first time in the history of minimum wage negotiation in the country, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum will be represented by three of their colleagues while the private sector employers will also be represented.

    He said that the meeting held on Tuesday between the government and Labour was to conclude and finalize the report of the technical committee, saying “the meeting was the final conclusion meeting of the Federal Government and Labour technical committee on the issue of the review of minimum wage and the prescription  of the palliatives.

    “This was following the government deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry which culminated in the increase in pump price of premium motor spirit otherwise called petrol from N87 to a band of N135 to N145. This committee was agreed to by all parties and a 16-man technical committee was set up.

    “The committee is supposed to put up a framework for the composition, functions and establishment of a minimum wage tripartite committee to review the hitherto existing 2011 minimum wage as well as prescribe to government the areas of palliatives that will enable the economy cushion the effect of the increase in the pump price of petrol.

    “The committee has finished its work and we held a conclusion meeting to finalise our report and this we successful did.

    “This committee will now take this technical report and hand over to the main committee of Labour and government.”

    He disclosed that the main committee that will receive the report of the technical committee has about eight ministers and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation representing the government, while Labour will be represented by the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other interest unions.

    According to him, the main committee will receive the report of the technical committee at a date to be agreed to by all parties, saying “It may be sometimes next week if everything goes normal, and we have started consulting on the day.

    He said further: “Once they receive the report, the committee will adopt the technical report or make some amendments and then submit it to Mr President, and based on the report, the President will constitute a national minimum wage tripartite committee.

    “That means you will have government on one hand, employers (NECA) comprising of Manufactures Association of Nigeria, Chambers of Commerce, as well as federation of trade unions. They will all have to nominate their members to represent them in that committee on national minimum wage review. State governors will also be represented.”