The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FG

  • FG inaugurates committee on ‎$500m grant

    The Federal Government has inaugurated a committee to supervise the 500 million dollars grant disbursement to the 36 states of the federation and FCT to address maternal and child health challenges in the country.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, inaugurated the committee during a retreat organised by the federal programme management unit of the Saving One Million Lives (SOML) Programme for Results (PforR) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    “The fund is ‎expected to address five disbursement linked indicators which are increasing utilisation of high impact reproductive and child health and nutrition interventions.

    “Increasing quality of high impact reproductive and child health and nutrition interventions, improving monitoring and evaluation and data utilisation

    “Increasing utilisation and quality of reproductive‎ and child health and nutrition, in addition to increasing transparency in management and budgeting of primary health centres,” he said.

    Adewole said that the ministry would not interfere with the activities of the agent in any way.

    He charged the agent to serve to the best of its ability as an independent and credible assessor of the performance of the programme implementation at state and federal levels.

    “We promise support but not interference, we will allow you to do your work.

    “We need to utilise this resources properly, we have to show results and we have to pay for results. If there are no results there will be no further payment,” he said.

    The National Programme Manager, SOMLforR, Dr Ibrahim Kana, said that the IVA are like referees who will ensure there is a level playing field.

    Kana reiterated that the disbursement-linked indicators are tied to future disbursements for states.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that SOMLPforR was launched in response to the poor health outcome in the country, particularly for mothers and children.

    The ceremonial launch of SOML Programme for Results (PforR) took place in Abuja in July 2016.

    The minister said at the event that it was part of federal government’s efforts geared towards achieving the Universal Health Coverage

  • FG pledges to enhance skills of vulcanizers

    The Federal Government on Wednesday pledged to enhance skills of vulcanizers across the country.

    Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment said this when officials of the Association of Vulcanizers in Nigeria, Abuja Chapter, led by the Secretary-General, Malam Jammiu Moshood, visited him in his office.

    Ngige said that the capacity building has become imperative as the Federal Government was trying as much as possible to equip workers in the informal sector.

    “ The vulcanizers are very important people, because you have a skill which is a profession and government wants to accord you a major degree of recognition.

    “You have the trade and skill to train others and that is why I asked you people to come, let us brainstorm, vulcanizing is an employment which you can use to assist government in job creation.

    “ That is having apprentices and giving your apprentices certificates of discharged, why should we not partner with your association,‘’ he said.

    The minister said that the Department of Skill and Development in the ministry and the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) that handle vocational skill enhancement would ensure that that the necessary training was provided.

    He noted that government has eight specialised skill centres in Lagos, Bauchi, Kaduna, Warri, Lafia, Calabar, Ibadan and Enugu.

    “Your members can go there and get advanced skills in vulcanizing and also get their certification in the Trade Test 1, 2 and 3 certificates.

    “So, let your members avail themselves to this particular extra training under the association and I assure you that we will give your members the training free of charge, ‘’Ngige said.

    He also said that the ministry would write to the Federal Road Safety Commission to train members of the association on safety measures that goes with the tyres.

    He added that the ministry will partner with the association in providing tools, soft loans from the NDE and also ensure that they participate in relevant workshops.

    Earlier, Malam Moshood called on the minister to provide the association with training and equipment for the proper maintenance of vehicle tyres.

    “We vulcanizers lack skills and equipment and we are deficient in understanding and repairing of modern vehicle tyre, wheel balancing and alignment.

    “We hereby make a passionate appeal that you should use your good offices to organise training programme, direct access to modern equipment, soft loans and among others,‘’ he said.

    Moshood stressed the need to improve the welfare and skills of the members.

  • FG orders investigation into Nigeria’s failure to clinch AU’s position

    The Federal Government has instituted a panel of inquiry to investigate Nigeria’s failure to clinch the post of Commissioner for Peace and Security at the African Union (AU).

    A Presidential source, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed this development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Nigeria contested for the position of the post of Commissioner for Peace and Security at the AU meeting in Addis Ababa on Jan. 30 and lost the election to the incumbent, Algeria.

    NAN reliably gathered that the constitution of the panel was informed by the reported acts of sabotage leveled against some staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    The source said already a senior staff of the ministry had been identified as the brain behind the plot against Nigeria before and during the election.

    ““A serving Director and two retired Permanent Secretaries with reported ties to one of the candidates from a friendly country that vied for the same position of Commissioner, Peace and Security, were said to be behind the illegal, fraudulent and highly unpatriotic issuance of these infamous Notes.

    “The serving director had since been issued with a query.

    ““This, certainly, is another case of suspected fraud and corruption which, by the way, is also endemic in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in its more than one hundred missions abroad.”

    According to the source, the official single-handedly wrote a letter to express Nigeria’s support for the Algerian candidate despite a Nigerian, Fatima Kyari, running for the same position.

    ““Clearly, therefore, Nigeria’s failure to clinch the post can only be attributed to other factors and not the quality of the its candidate.

    “”In this kind of elections, countries base their voting pattern more on political and other considerations than on the substantive quality (competence, skills, experience) of candidates.

    “”This pattern is clearly reflected in the elections of all the other categories, including that of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission.

    “”Most worrisome and unfortunate is the issue of the so-called Note Verbal issued by our embassies in Addis Ababa and Algiers, conveying a decision by the Federal Government of Nigeria to withdraw from the race in favour of Algeria. The truth is that there was no such decision by the government,’’ he said.

    The source said Nigeria deserved to be commended at the way it reacted to the outcome of the election.

    “If anything, the Government deserves commendation for keeping calm and abstaining to raise dust, despite initial indication of an external influence in the issuance of these highly embarrassing Notes.”

    The Presidential source also disclosed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama chaired the selection process where prospective candidates were shortlisted.

    Onyeama, he said, also chaired the interview panel which graded and recommended names of candidates for the consideration of Mr. President.

    He said that Fatima Kyari was graded as second best candidate along with another female candidate even though all the other candidates were also found to be competent.

    “However, only one candidate was to be selected. While only Mr. President and possibly those who were privy to the final selection process could say why Fatima and not any of the other three highest rated candidates was approved, the AU rule regarding gender parity, might have been a determining factor in favour of a female candidate.

    “”The rule requires that the two Commissioners from each of the five regions must be a male and a female.

    “”While Nigeria was still on the selection process – as always we were running late – , Senegal and Ghana had already put forward candidates for the two top most posts of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson respectively.’’

    He maintained that Fatima’s proficiency in French language, among other set of skills also stood in her favour.

    The source also dismissed the insinuation that Fatima was “inexperience”, and/or “incompetent” for the seat.

    He noted that the AU contracted an independent consulting firm that evaluated, assessed and cleared those who were adjudged to have the requisite skills, experience and competence to hold the positions they wanted to compete for.

    He said that Fatima went through this process as all other candidates did, and was duly cleared otherwise she would not have been allowed to run.

    “It, therefore, amounts to ignorance, malice and/or mischief to label the candidate as inexperienced and incompetent to serve as Commissioner at the AUC.

    ““The candidate is indeed highly qualified not only by the assessment of the AU consultants, but also by the testimonies of many other African and non-African personalities, bodies and organisations.

    “”She is skilful, competent and experienced to do the job very well and indeed add value into the job with new and pragmatic ideas.”

    The source recalled that Fatimah was selected, along with 12 other African mid-career leaders, for the  2016 Africa Program of the Eisenhower Fellowship in the United States, but could not participate because it coincided with the preparations for the AUC election.

    He also dismissed the report claiming that Fatima Kyari is the daughter of Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

    “”The assertion, including in some major media, that Fatima is the daughter of the Chief of Staff to the President is utterly callous and malicious, clearly made with the intention to generate bad feelings against not only the Chief of Staff but the President, and to also denigrate the candidate by associating her to nepotism.

    “”This is much so because it does not take anything to crosscheck her lineage, if no malice was intended and if professionalism was a motivating, and guiding factor.’’

    According to him, the Chief of Staff met her for the first time ever after she became Nigeria’s candidate.

  • Recession: Financial experts task FG on private sector involvement

    Some experts on Friday called on the Federal Government to involve the private sector in its new economic recovery plan for the needed foreign and portfolio investments, to bring the country out of recession.

    They stated this in at the Vanguard Economic Discourse themed, “The hard facts to rescue the Nigerian economy,’’ in Lagos.

    Mr Muda Yusuf, the Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said that the country would not experience any economic recovery without the involvement of the private sector.

    Yusuf stated that government should involve the private sector in the new economic plan to take the country out of recession because they were the ones that would bring in investment.

    He said that the key driver of investment into any country was confidence, adding that confidence building through good economic policies was needed for both foreign and portfolio investments.

    “We cannot get these investments to come into the economy without confidence,” he stated.

    The director-general said that getting the foreign exchange regime right was critical to confidence building, noting that no economy can live in isolation of other economies.

    Yusuf said that critical scarcity of foreign for manufacturing companies was affecting their production capacity to move on with their businesses, with some of them having to close down.

    He said that the policy had brought about all manner of underhand dealings, drop in remittances, dividends payout and drop in profits, among others.

    According to him, people have suffered serious loss transiting from the former foreign exchange rate policy regime to the new one.

    He stated that many businesses had collapsed because of inability to service off shore obligations and credit lines.

    Yusuf added that round tripping in the foreign exchange market was very high because the huge exchange gap and margin.

    “We need to fix liquidity issues in the foreign exchange market by allowing the market to play bigger roles, rather than regular CBN interventions,” Yusuf said.

    He added that the current monetary policy rate would not in any way help to rescue the economy, noting that policies and incentives determine the kind of Investment people pursue.

    Yusuf also said that government borrowing had become a major problem of investors.

    He said that government borrowing at 18 per cent, without risk, was crowding out the private sector with banks preference to invest in Treasury Bills and bonds, instead of lending to the real sector.

    “We cannot compete with the Federal Government in investment, banks invest in Treasury Bills and bonds, rather than borrowing to the real sector,”  he said.

    Yusuf stated further that high cost of business in the country, due to high inflation rate, was affecting the growth and development of industries.

    Also speaking, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, a former CBN Deputy Governor, said that there was the need for a national concensus with regards to national development, for the country to move forward.

    Mailafia said that the insecurity of lives and property and rise in crime rate was affecting economic growth and development and should be checked.

    He stated that the country was losing money with the closure of the Abuja airport following some international airlines decision not to fly to Kaduna, due to alleged security challenges.

    The former CBN deputy-governor said that the country must industrialise and improve on technology innovations or perish.

    “We are still very behind in the issue of industrialisation, technology and innovation and if we fail to industrialise, we will perish,” Mailafia stated.

    He added that youths involvement in the government’s economic recovery plan was low, in spite being the majority in the country’s population.

    Mailafia said that the country was sitting on a time bomb, if they were ignored, considering the rising unemployment rate.

  • FG plans conference on Lake Chad

    FG plans conference on Lake Chad

    The Federal Government has initiated a bilateral engagement for an international conference to discuss modalities to resuscitate the Lake Chad which is drying up.

    Water Resources Minister Suleiman Adamu  told  a  delegation of the  UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) that visited in Abuja  that it was important to  draw international attention to the drying up of the lake in order to save 47 million people living around the lake.

    Adamu reiterated the need for the international consideration since 47 million people depend on it (lake) for farming, fishing, livestock production and water supply for drinking and sanitation.

    The planned conference, according to him, will look at ways to draw experts to proffer solutions on how to save the lake.

    He explained that the conference would look into the feasibility study of inter-basin transfer of water from Oubangui River in the Central African Republic.

    Adamu said that one of the conference’s major focus would be to emphasise on poverty alleviation of the population who depend on the resources from the Lake Chad Basin, following its reduction to about 468km due to the effects of climate change.

  • High food prices: FG opens grain reserves in two weeks

    High food prices: FG opens grain reserves in two weeks

    The federal government will open the national grain reserves in the next two weeks if the prices of food continue to escalate, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has declared.
    He disclosed this at the weekend after inauguration of managements of the three Federal Universities of Agriculture at the ministry in Abuja.
    Describing roles of the institutions as vital to attaining food sufficiency, the minister noted prices of some staple foods such as maize, sorghum and millet were beginning to drop in the market.
    He promised to fund the universities in the area of research and ensure research outputs are put to use to boost local food production.
    Ogbeh said: “In another two weeks, if we find out that the prices are not going down, we will open the grain reserves.
    “Already, the price of maize is falling, even cost of sorghum and millet are beginning to drop.
    “From N180, 000 per ton, maize dropped to N145, 000. In Kaduna, farmers were willing to sell at N135, 000. So it appears there is a natural drop.
    “We are already moving 8, 000 tons of soya beans from Kaduna to Lagos because we are exporting the commodity. The railway system is helping. They don’t have enough wagons but the Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi is bringing in some.”
    According to him, transporting agricultural products through the railway is cheaper with no taxes or break down of trucks on the highway.
    He urged Nigerians not to panic over food shortage because aside from existing grains stored in the silos, a new round of grains were being harvested in about four states.
    He stated that despite the quantities of food West African countries exported from Nigeria, there were still a lot in the store.
    The minister noted that farmers have expressed resentment over plans by the federal government to cut food prices because it is the first time they are making high profit from farming.
    Speaking on invading pests, Ogbeh raised concerns on the attack of maize by armyworm disease spreading across Africa, which according to him already destroyed farms in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania and Angola.
    On fertiliser, he restated determination to reduce cost of the farm input below N6, 000 from N12, 000.

  • Catholic bishops to FG: end mass suffering now

    Catholic Bishops in Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province have called on the nation’s political leaders to urgently work hard to restore the confidence of the populace in the nation.

    They regretted that Nigerians are suffering the pangs of economic hardship unleashed on them by the prevailing recession.

    According to them: “There is a growing sense of desperation in the general populace that the much expected change has been slowed down. It is no longer news that Nigerians are truly suffering”.

    They noted the unfortunate situation has provoked ill will manifested in the current proliferation of false information, violent clashes, calls for the break-up of Nigeria and pervasive criminality.

    The Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province Catholic bishops’ position was conveyed in a communique  at the end of their meeting.

    It was signed by its President Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin and Secretary, Most Rev. John Oyelola.

    The clerics said Nigerians have not reaped the dividends of change promised by the federal government, saying citizens must be seeing signs that political leaders have the grip of economy and making efforts to ease their suffering.

    They said: “Some of this can be understandable under a recession. However, there ought to be clear signs in national life by now that the government and people of our country are truly working to bring things under control.

    “We condemn the needless loss of life in the Southern Kaduna crisis which has confirmed an impression that government is lackadaisical in responding to the needs of some sections of the nation.

    “This impression should not be allowed to take firm root. Government exists for all and must never be seen to favour any group or ignore the needs of another.

    “We admonish the government to be more proactive in protecting the life and property of Nigerians.

    “We appeal to all men and women of goodwill to succor the needy and all those affected by the crisis.”

    The bishops added: “As things stand, much of the government’s strategies do not seem to be working well.

    “The campaign against corruption seems to be losing steam as convictions are rare and the initial recovery of stolen funds has slowed down.

    “The reform of the power sector is at a standstill with only some parts of Nigeria experiencing better or constant supply of electricity and road infrastructure is not improving much.

    “We appreciate the sacrifice of our security agencies which have helped to keep Nigeria together so far.

    “In spite of the recent unfortunate bombing of the IDP camp where dozens of innocent people were killed, our soldiers and security agencies deserve our support and appreciation.

    “It is our prayer that Nigeria will soon experience the peace for which we have always desired and prayed.”

  • FG seeks protection for 65,000 Nigerian refugees

    FG seeks protection for 65,000 Nigerian refugees

    The Federal Government is seeking protection for 65,000 Nigerian refugees in Cameroun, the Minister of Interior, Lt Gen Abdulrahman Danbazzau, has said.

    The minister said yesterday in Abuja that “the refugees who are mainly women and children are in various camps in Cameroun, while others are in Niger and Chad republics”.

    Besides food items, they need the support of individuals, government institutions and the private sector, especially in the areas of education and health care, the minister added.

    He said to secure the protection of the refugees, a tripartite agreement would soon be signed in Cameroun between Nigeria and Cameroun and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCFR).

    The minister, who made the remarks while receiving relief materials donated to the Federal Government by Huawei Technology Company, said there were over two million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in various camps in the country and over 65,000 refugees outside the country.

    He said majority of them were victims of insurgent activities of Boko Haram in the North-eastern part of the country, adding that the conditions of the refugees and the IDPs were so pathetic that they should not be left to the Federal Government alone.

    “The Federal Government is making efforts to resettle the IDPs back in their various homes and communities. We are also taking measures to ensure that Nigerian refugees are protected outside the country. But we need the support of all well-meaning Nigerians to adequately address the challenges”, the minister stated.

    In his remarks at the function, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Zhou Pingjian, said Huawei Technology company was leveraging on the cordial relationship between Nigeria and China to provide succour for victims of insurgents in the North-east, stating that it was a gesture of China being a friend indeed to Nigeria at the period of its needs.

    He said the International Community appreciates government efforts to restore peace and stability to the troubled north-east, promising that all necessary support would be accorded the government by the community to enable it succeeds.

    The Deputy Managing Director of Huawei Technology Company, Mr Martin Zhong said the relief materials- 2,300 bags of rice, 200 cartoons of spaghetti, 200 cartoons of Macaroni, 60 bags of 50 kg beans and 50 jerrican of 20 litre vegetable oil- was a token of the company’s support for government efforts to address the problems of the IDPs.

  • FG: Whither Edem Aya highway?

    SIR: While reading through the list of capital projects earmarked for rehabilitation or reconstruction on page 5 of Vanguard Newspaper of Tuesday, December 27, we observed that Edem Aya Federal Highway has not been captured in the contract to be awarded for the reconstruction of Abak-Ekparakwa-Ete-Ikot Abasi Federal Highway .

    Originally, the first contract awarded for the construction of that highway, specified and clarified as follows: Abak-Ekparawa-Ete-ikot Abasi with Spur to Edem Aya-Ukan-Ikot Etetuk in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area.

    Really, the non-capturing or non-inclusion of Edem Aya Highway in the recently released 2017 national budget, is a worrisome omission to the people of Edem Aya, because it is that highway that made the people of Edem Aya to develop a feeling of being a part of Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria when the Federal Government created a spur of that highway of Edem Aya clan more than a decade ago.

    Hence, we deem it necessary to, at this point in time, to write this with a view to reminding the federal government and the Officer of Budget and National Planning, in particular to, please, code and prioritize Edem Aya Federal Highway for inclusion in the number of projects to be executed with capital budget for 2018, whose data gathering for its preparation would soon start.

     

    • Udom Udounwa

    Edem Aya, Ikot Abasi LG

    Akwa Ibom State.

  • FG to begin skills acquisition training in 18 states

    FG to begin skills acquisition training in 18 states

    The federal government said yesterday that 18 states of the federation has been shortlisted to benefit from the first phase of the skills acquisition training aimed at driving the job creation effort of the government.
    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who disclosed this while on a working visit to the Ministry’s facilities in Lagos State, said three states from each of the six geopolitical zones will be selected for the commencement of the training while Lagos and Abuja will serve as strategic pivot for the first phase.
    The minister said government was worried about the high rate of unemployment in the country and was already making concrete efforts to tackle the menace head on from different directions.
    He said: “Our decision to make blue collar jobs prominent in our multi-pronged job creation activities is informed by the limiting opportunities of white collar job against the elastic potentials offered by blue collar skills.
    “The Federal Government will in the next two months flag off skills acquisition training in eighteen states (three in each geo-political zone) with Lagos and the Abuja Federal Capital as strategic pivots for the first phase. We are therefore here to inspect facilities for effective take off.”
    At the Federal Ministry of Labour Skill Training Centre, Lagos, the minister inspected the auto-mechanic and electrical sections, carpentry and joinery, building construction unit and the welding and metal fabrication unit.
    He also inspected the National Directorate of Employment facilities, Government Technical College, Ikeja as well as Samsung Engineering Academy where trainees are taken through the repair of electronics such as fridges, air-conditioning sets, GSM telephones, among others.
    Addressing the staff, Ngige appealed to them to be part of government efforts at job creation by rededicating themselves to their responsibilities and urged them to be ready for deployment even to the rural areas where the N-Power programme were already being implemented in agriculture and mining to contribute to the successful diversification of the economy.