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Tag: FG

  • UNESCO, FG to reconstruct North East education system

    The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Federal Government have concluded plans to reconstruct the educational system in the North East part of the country which have been destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents.

    The government and UNESCO gave the hint during a workshop organised for UNESCO line ministries and agencies on the follow up on Nigeria-UNESCO joint communique held on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The event was to map out strategies for the second phase of the Nigeria- UNESCO special plan of cooperation.

    The UNESCO Regional Director, Benoit Sossou, represented by Senior Education Specialist, Saidou Sireh Jallow, said the second phase of the cooperation would be broader than the first with focus on crucial areas especially the Lake Chad, reconstruction of the education system in the North East and strengthening the Science, Technology and Innovation system in Nigeria.

    He said: “The new phase of the special plan of cooperation will be comprehensive in terms of UNESCO’s areas of competence and include areas such as reconstruction of the education system in the North East as part of the Presidential Initiative on the North East; teacher education, technical and vocational education and training for youth entrepreneurship and adult and youth literacy.”

    Sossou assured of UNESCO’s readiness to support Nigeria in the implementation of the special plan of cooperation and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Jamila Shu’ara, represented by the Deputy Director of Planning, Mrs. Gloria Adie-Ayabie, disclosed that past relationships with UNESCO within the last 57 years, have continued to yield numerous fruitful developmental projects and linkages.

     

  • Babalakin chairs new team to renegotiate FG, ASUU agreement

    Babalakin chairs new team to renegotiate FG, ASUU agreement

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a 16-member new Federal Government team to renegotiate the 2009 agreement with unions in federal universities, federal polytechnics and federal colleges of education in order to ensure sustainable peace and industrial harmony in tertiary institutions in the country.

    Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, in a statement issued by the ministry in Abuja on Friday, said the re-negotiation team would dialogue with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Associated & Allied Institutions (NASU).

    The 16-member team is chaired by Dr. Wale Babalakin, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

    Babalakin, who was adjudged the best pro-chancellor at the time of the negotiations in 2009, headed the agreement implementation committee then.

    Meanwhile, Buhari has also approved the reconstitution of the governing councils of university of Port

    Harcourt and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, which were dissolved following the recent crises that engulfed the two institutions.

    The new governing councils would serve for a term of four years, in the first instance, effective from December 28, 2016.

    The government team comprises the following: Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN (Chairman); Prof. M.M. Jibril, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Lafia; Prof. Nimi Briggs, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja; Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Otuoke; Arc. Lawrence Ngbale, Pro-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi; Prince Alex Mbata, Pro-Chancellor, Imo State University, Owerri and Prof. OlufemiBamiro, Pro-Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun. Representatives, Federal Ministry of Education.

    Others are Representative, Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment; Representative, Federal Ministry of Finance; Representative, Federal Ministry of Justice; Representative, Federal Ministry of Budget & National Planning; Representative of the National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission (NSIWC) and Representative of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

    Members of the new governing council of OAU include Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi (Chairman), Prof Felix U. Madubuike, Mr. Inowei Akono, Mr. Adekunle Sanni and Muhammad Bello Kaoje, while those of UNIPORT are Prof Mvendega Jibo (Chairman), Chief Johnson Okafor, Mr. Joseph Fafi, Hajia Lubabatu Lawal Ammani and M. Bello Dukku.

  • SERAP drags FG to UN over Southern Kaduna killings

    SERAP drags FG to UN over Southern Kaduna killings

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) is seeking the intervention of the United Nations (UN) in halting the killings in Southern Kaduna.

    The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in a petition to the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Ms. Agnes Callamard, urged   her to “prevail on the Nigerian authorities to halt further killings of innocent citizens in Southern Kaduna”.

    It also wants the world body  to investigate the alleged  killing of over 800 citizens mostly women, children and the elderly in the area recently  by suspected herdsmen.

    It expects the brains behind the mayhem to be brought to book and the victims  compensated,according to SERAP’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni.

    It further invited  Ms. Callamard to “visit Nigeria to conduct fact-finding mission into the circumstances surrounding the killings.”

    Mumini in the  30 December 2016 petition  expressed “concern that the killings of citizens in Southern Kaduna of Nigeria amount to serious violations of the rights to life; to security of the human person; to the respect of the dignity inherent in a human being; and right to property guaranted by not only the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) but also the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.”

    He added: “SERAP contends that Nigerian authorities have failed and/or neglected to respect these human rights and to exercise due diligence to ensure that these rights are not violated by private individuals such as herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators.

    “ Nigerian government should therefore be held to account for failing or neglecting to guarantee and protect the rights of the people in Southern Kaduna, regardless of whether such violations are directly or indirectly attributable to the state or its officials.

    “SERAP is concerned that the Nigerian government has failed and/or neglected to create an environment in Southern Kaduna to end the unlawful killings by failing to move their legal and institutional machinery towards the actual realization of these rights.

    “ It is in fact the failure by the government to take adequate measures to prevent the violence which has contributed to the increasing number of victims.”

    “SERAP believes that the killings would not have taken place if the Nigerian authorities have taken measures to prevent their happening and to address persistent impunity of those responsible for the violations and abuses.

    “The lack of accountability for the attacks by herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators across the country has continued to create a culture of impunity which clearly is not compatible with the rule of law in a democratic society.”

    “According to the leadership of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan in Kaduna State, a total of 808 people were killed in 53 villages across the four local governments areas in the state ridden by crisis.

    “The church leaders also said that 57 people were injured; farm produce estimated at N5.5 billion were also destroyed, and a total of 1,422 houses and 16 churches were burnt during the attacks. The affected communities are spread across Kaura, Sanga, Jama’a and Kauru Local Government Areas where there had been persistent attacks on communities by gunmen believed to be Fulani herdsmen.”

  • FG sets up C’ttee to pick candidate for CAF polls

    FG sets up C’ttee to pick candidate for CAF polls

    The Nigerian government has set up a committee that will screen and select a suitable candidate for next year’s CAF executive committee elections.

    Nigeria President Amaju Pinnick has already submitted his nomination to CAF, but this did not get the blessing of the Nigerian government.

    Nigerian sports minister, Solomon Dalung said the government has yet to endorse a candidate for the polls and as such it has set up a committee to recommend a suitable person for its endorsement.

    The CAF polls are slated for March 2017.

  • I did not sponsor protest against FG , Wike insists

    I did not sponsor protest against FG , Wike insists

    Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers says he did not sponsor anyone to protest against the Federal Government, He added that those who planned to protest in his favour must have taken a cue from those who protested against him in Abuja. Wike stated this when he granted audience to the Rivers State Elders Council of Ministers (RISECOM), in Port Harcourt on Friday.

    “If they like, let them bring all manner of accusations daily, it will not cow me. Three days ago, they sponsored protests against me in Abuja with the police leading the protesters. “It is so unfortunate how they can descend so low. The DSS is unhappy because I stopped them from kidnapping a judge.

    Till today, they are yet to invite that particular judge,” he said. Wike asked, assuming people want to protest, are we not in a democracy? If I am the one who is the sponsor of the planned protest in my favour, who sponsored the protests against me? “It means they are the people who sponsored the protests”, he contended. Wike assured the Christian leaders that he remained committed to the development of the state and the welfare of its people.

    He said no level of intimidation or blackmail from federal agencies would scare him into selling out the state to external forces. He said this was a turbulent period but that the state would overcome the challenges because he could not be cowed. He urged Rivers people not to panic “because nobody can take the state by force despite sustained blackmail by the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS). “None of them gave me the mandate.

    The people of Rivers state gave me this mandate and I will never sell the interest of this state for whatever reason. “I will not bring out the money of Rivers to sponsor other people outside the state”, he said. Wike told the Christian leaders that security agencies were frustrating the security architecture of the state to further their plot to declare a state of emergency and thereafter bring a lackey to loot the state.

    Leader of RISECOM, Archbishop of Niger Delta Province, Most Rev Ignatius Kattey commended the governor for his developmental strides in the state. Methodist Archbishop of Port Harcourt, Most Rev Agwu urged the governor to stand firm despite the persecution.

  • Kudos to The Nation, FG on Oyo/Ogbomoso road

    SIR: The ongoing repair of the damaged portions of the Oyo / Ogbomoso road is commendable. It is an answer to the calls by Nigerians for its rehabilitation. I am particularly grateful to the federal government of Nigeria. It is possibly a direct result of my letter published by “The Nation” newspaper of Monday, December 10.

    I am grateful to The Nation for being the harbinger of the good thing. It simply means that good things can come out of our own Nazareth called Nigeria. More gladdening is the fact that some engineers were seen taking photographs of the absolute, narrow and worn out bridge over Oba River at Odooba town in Ogo Oluwa West LCDA of Oyo State. It is our belief that work will commence on its reconstruction soonest. To be candid, souls of many promising Nigerians have perished there. Also, the road sides between Odooba town and Bowen University Teaching Hospital (BUTH), Ogbomoso have claimed more lives since the publication. We urge the federal government ably represented by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fasola, SAN to expedite action on the repair of this quintessential road. The road is so important to Nigeria that an hour of traffic gridlock on it affects the national economy negatively.

    In the same vein, we commend the government for the efforts at completing the dualization of Ibadan / Oyo/ Ogbomoso /Ilorin federal highway. The joy of the people knew no bound when work began on the Oyo /Ogbomoso axis of the road a few months ago. We beseech the government not to stop work until it is fully completed. To be sure, its completion on time will reduce the pressure on the old road as the number of articulated vehicles, tankers and other heavy duty vehicles plying it would be reduced.

    • Adelani Olawuyi

    Odooba-Ogbomoso

  • FG rolls out 10-point roadmap to revive economy

    FG rolls out 10-point roadmap to revive economy

    The federal government has outlined a 10-point fiscal roadmap to reset the economy to a path of growth.
    The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun revealed the outline when she represented Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, at the annual dinner of the Lagos Business School.
    She itemised the fiscal policies and actions to be rolled out to tackle the key barriers to growth.
    Adeosun noted that “the Federal Government’s Fiscal Roadmap is addressing barriers to growth that will drive productivity, generate jobs and broaden wealth creating opportunities to achieve inclusive growth.”
    She stated that the Muhammadu Buhari administration is determined to convert Nigeria to a productive economy rather than one that is consumption driven. “To do so, government would tackle the infrastructure deficit to unlock productivity, improve business competitiveness and create employment.”
    She stated that “Government would actively partner with the private sector to achieve this by use of a number of new funding platforms. These include the Road Trust Fund, which will develop potentially ‘tollable’ roads, and the Family Homes Fund which is an ongoing PPP initiative for funding of affordable housing.”
    In addition, she detailed a revision to the Tax provision that allows companies to receive tax relief for investment in roads on a collective basis. She explained that the existing provision that enabled companies to claim relief for road projects had only been taken advantage of by two companies, Lafarge and Dangote Cement. This was because few companies were large enough to fund roads alone.
    The revision she said “would now allow collective tax relief such that companies will be able to jointly fund roads, subject to approval by FIRS and the Ministry of Works, and share the tax credit. This would be particularly attractive to firms in clusters such as industrial estates, many of which are plagued by poor road conditions.”
    The Minister also outlined measures planned to deal with the problem of hidden liabilities, which were affecting the banking sector and efforts to revive the economy.
    Adeosun explained that the conversion from cash accounting to IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards) had unveiled unrecorded debts owed to contractors, oil marketers, exporters, electricity distribution companies and others. “These liabilities were estimated at N2.2 trillion and would be addressed with a 10 year Promissory Note Issuance programme in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria. This measure would be subject to a rigorous audit process of all claims to ensure validity and mitigate against fraud and the impact of past corrupt practices.”
    Henceforth, the Minister said that measures would be put in place to prevent recurrence of such a problem by ensuring that contracts are managed in a manner that firms have assurance over when they would be paid. She cited the fact that many contractors were owed as a reason that many of those recently paid by government were slow in remobilising to site: “Some contractors had not been paid in the past four years and in some cases the banks they were owing refused them access to the funds released, causing delays”. She explained further that those receiving the Promissory Notes would be expected to provide a material discount to government. The issuance was a solution to a long term problem that was ‘a drag on economic activity’.
    Adeosun concluded by assuring that, “despite the current economic challenges facing the Nigerian economy, the outlook is positive due to the strong fundamentals of Nigeria and the ongoing reform programme.”
    She reiterated that government is determined to create an enabling environment and put in place supportive policies to return to growth in 2017 including greater alignment of monetary and fiscal policies.

    The fiscal roadmap is detailed in the attached 10-point plan:
    Fiscal Roadmap 2017
    Fiscal Policy Initiative
    Expected Impact
    1. Recognise inherited debt profile after a robust audit process:
    • Introduce promissory note programme to finance verified liabilities
    • Issue debt certificates to contractors, Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs), and State Governments
    • Improve cash flow of businesses
    •Improve Banks’ Non-Performing Loans (NPLs)
    • Free up Banks’ balance sheet for lending to private sector
    •Improve government’s business interaction with the private sector

    2. Mobilise private capital to complement Government spending on infrastructure:
    •Roads Trust Fund
    •Family Homes Fund
    •Extend infrastructure tax relief to a collective model to attract clusters of corporate entities
    •Expand the provision of infrastructure
    •Drive growth of non-oil sector.
    • Drive economic growth
    3. Strengthen fiscal/monetary handshake:
    • Replace administrative measures on list of 41-items with fiscal measures to reduce demand pressure in parallel market
    • Encourage domestic food production through specific incentives e.g. accelerated depreciation on food manufacturing equipment and Zero (0%) duty on green houses
    •Planned revitalisation of refineries
    • Increase Diaspora remittances via participation in the buyer support scheme for the Family Homes Fund
    •Reduce demand for US Dollars
    •Increase supply of US Dollars
    4. Incentivise exports:
    •Restructure the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) to a tax credit system
    •Rationalise tariffs and waivers in key export sectors
    •Encourage/incentivise non-oil exports
    •Drive import substitution
    5. Encourage investment in specific sectors through fiscal incentives:
    •Accelerated depreciation on equipment in strategic sectors e.g. food processing, mining and power
    •Rationalise tariffs and waivers in priority sectors
    •Drive investment in strategic sectors
    6. Continue expansion of fiscal space through revenue enhancement and cost consolidation:
    •Customs Single Window (being implemented through a Private Public Partnership (PPP) scheme)
    • Template for non-allowable expenses for government agencies.
    • Overhead cost control by the Efficiency Unit
    • Continuous risk based audit by the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit
    • Revenue enhancement
    •Cost containment
    7. Improve fiscal discipline at Sub-National level:
    •Extension of efficiency unit at Sub-National level
    •Fast track municipal bond issues to deepen the bond market
    •Conversion to International Public Sector Accounting Standards by all State Governments.
    •Improved fiscal position at Sub-National level
    8. Enable and accelerate Recoveries process:
    • Whistle-blower scheme
    • Centralised database on recovered assets
    •Asset tracing
    •Professional management of recovered assets
    • Increased efficiency of Recoveries process
    •Increased budgetary funding availability from Recoveries
    9. Rebalance debt portfolio to extend maturity and optimise debt service cost:
    •Rebalance public debt portfolio with increased external borrowing (60:40 target)
    •Extend maturity profile of public debt portfolio
    •Deploy long-term debt instruments including Infrastructure and Retail Bonds
    •Maximise use of concessionary loans
    •Rebalanced debt profile withimproved debt service to revenue ratio
    10. Catalyse Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) growth through specific measures to improve capacity and access to finance:
    •Development Bank of Nigeria (US$1.3bn)
    •Increase share of business awarded to MSMEs from Government contracts
    •Tax harmonisation and tax incentives
    •Accelerated depreciation

  • Abacha loot: FG debunks report on payment of $79m

    Abacha loot: FG debunks report on payment of $79m

    The Federal Government of Nigeria has debunked report on payment of $79million commission to Swiss Government. A statement from the government said: “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has been drawn to a misleading report published in the Saturday edition of a national newspaper, December 10, which erroneously claimed that the Federal Government has agreed to pay a $79 million commission to the Swiss government as part of conditions for repatriation of the Abacha loot.
    The Minister of Finance clarified that the amount payable to Nigeria from Switzerland is $321 million, and is being returned to Nigeria for projects which are subject to verification by the World Bank. The recovery process is ongoing with the Swiss authorities and the World Bank has agreed to undertake the required verification.

    She stated that there is no deduction of $79 million as suggested in the report which is both “misleading and inaccurate”. She assured that recovery will be made in full and that there is neither commitment nor requirement to pay any commission.

  • FG launches N13bn mortgage refinancing scheme for workers

    FG launches N13bn mortgage refinancing scheme for workers

    The Federal Government has launched a N13 billion mortgage refinancing scheme for federal civil servants.

    The scheme will be managed by the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company Plc (NMRC).

    In the first phase, a total of 5,635 civil servants would benefit from the scheme, which the government said would address the housing challenges facing the country, improve the living conditions and welfare of its  workforce  and people and generate gainful employment  for  the  youth.

    The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, while launching the scheme in Abuja on Friday, said “the government had in recognition of the importance of housing earmarked N40 billion in the 2016 budget for the implementation of a comprehensive housing scheme in line with the government’s overall objective of providing the necessary stimulus to kick-start growth in the current challenging economic environment.”

    Adeosun noted that the N13 billion mortgage refinance investment commitment by the NMRC, would signal to investors at home and  abroad  that  there  are significant opportunities in the  Nigerian housing sector.

    According to the Finance Minister, “the Federal Civil Service workforce plays an important role in nurturing and developing our nation. So it is only fair that those who serve the country can be afforded the opportunity of owning their own home by retirement.”

    To check untoward activities, Kemi Adeosun stated that government has “put in place the right incentives as part of our anti-corruption drive to plug leakages.”

    The scheme is a collaboration  initiated by the  Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board, the Federal Integrated Staff Housing Programme and the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company Plc.

    Managing Director of NMRC, Prof Charles Inyangete, assured the government that the agency would continue to provide liquidity to the housing market, noting that with the huge housing deficit in the country, “there is need for those involved in housing delivery to come up with affordable houses for the people.”

  • FG spends N750b on infrastructure in five months-Adeosun

    FG spends N750b on infrastructure in five months-Adeosun

    The federal government has spent over N750billion on infrastructure in the last five months, Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has said.

    The minister gave this hint yesterday at a public forum in Lagos, where she was guest speaker at the Wealth Creation Platform 2016, organised by KICC International.

    According Mrs. Adeosun, the federal government was concerned about the growing infrastructural deficit in the country, hence the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has made infrastructure finance one of its major priorities.

    “In the past few years, 90% of all what we were spending on was on recurrent leaving just 10% for capital projects. For instance, when we came on board, we discovered that the federal government spent N19billion on infrastructure in 2013 while it spent a total of N64b on travels, N51billion on welfare like rice, biscuits, coffee, and tea. If you spend for the wrong things you are going to get the wrong results,” she said.

    The economy, she emphasised, “Can’t grow if you don’t have the right infrastructure. Why is infrastructure important? It is important because it helps to unlock the economy and productivity of the nation. This is why the federal government released over N750 billion in the last five months to boost infrastructure. The country requires at least N25billion yearly to cater for our infrastructure and that is why we’re prioritising infrastructure and also urging the state governments to align with us so that we can all move in progress together.”

    The minister who acknowledged the fact that country was in dire financial straits at the moment, said things would have been a lot better if the right infrastructure was in place.

    Waxing philosophical, she said, “Often things get worse before they get better. Most nations that are doing well today have passed through some kind of adversity. Ethiopia, that everybody is talking about today invests over 60% of its budget on infrastructure, they export flowers to Holland and make a lot of forex in return. Nigeria needs to take a cue from such good examples.”

    The federal government, she further hinted plans to increase its expenditure on infrastructure in 2017 to bridge the growing infrastructure gap in the country.

    “We have set up the Road Trust Fund, where we hope to use pension funds to massively fund roads that can be tolled,” she said.

    Besides fixing infrastructure, the Buhari administration, she stressed, is also determined to address the ease of doing business.

    Speaking earlier, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, a businesswoman who is the richest African woman, urged the prospective start-ups to work hard, prioriotise, manage their expectations and plan adequately for their businesses in order to succeed.

    Addressing the participants separately, the host pastor of KICC International, Maryland, Lagos, Pastor Femi Ashiru, the Senior Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, said Nigerians must be willing to endure the present predicaments for the country to be great again.