The Nation Newspaper

Tag: FG

  • FG urged to encourage wealth creation

    FG urged to encourage wealth creation

    The Federal Government has been urged to encourage Nigerians to be skilled in turning waste to wealth, to aid the country’s development.

    Prof. Kayode Alao, the Chairman, Academic Committee, Fafunwa Education Foundation (FEF), spoke at the 10th Post Doctoral Seminar of the foundation at the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, with the topic: “Walling materials using rice hulk and sawdust as aggregates”.

    He said government should encourage people to create wealth out of waste products.

    Said he: “Most of the things we consider as waste products, can be converted to useful items. What we just need to do is to carry out a research.

    “We should extol the virtues of the presenter of this year’s post doctoral seminar, Dr. Daniel Momngu Tiough of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who, through a research, has used waste products, such as rice hulk and sawdust as aggregates to walling materials.”

    Prof. Alao said FEF organised lectures in the past to promote excellence in the education industry, adding that this year’s lecture with the title: “Mother Tongue institution and the Education of the Nigerian Child”, would hold on September 23 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos.

  • Get value for money, procurement professionals tell FG

    Get value for money, procurement professionals tell FG

     The Federal Government has been urged to get value for money in all its spending, in the interest of providing utilities and infrastructures for the people.

    All the tiers of government were also advised to continuously review and analyze procurement implementation challenges and provide appropriate solutions.

    This advise was handed down yesterday by the members of the Procurement Professionals Association of Nigeria (PPAN) in Abuja. Chairman of the association, Mr. Wahab Toye noted that “the release of public funds is often tailored towards the provision of infrastructure, for the overall good of the people.”

    The process of doing this, he said, “is reflected in the public contracting system. This system has to be incorruptible, if we are of the opinion that proper implementation of the public procurement reforms is one of our ways forward.”

    Public Procurement reform he said has been gaining grounds as “it is being consolidated at the Federal level, many states have adopted it. At least twenty four have been  listed, while still counting.”

    Wahab Toye stated that “it is important to state that having the law is one thing and implementation is actually the other aspect. While some entities have been having challenges despit commitment to implementation, others are reportedly less committed.”

    The responsibilities of members of the PPAN as practitioners, he explained “is to help organisations resolve their challenges and then encourage others to adopt procurement processes and procedures.”

    The PPAN, Chairman added that through the Public Procurement Act, 2007, the basis of participation in quest for public contract has been expanded because the consciousness, knowledge and awareness of the Act has gradually discouraged the earlier prevalent sole sourcing for competitive bidding in the award of public contracts.

    According to him, “a sense of participation and possible victory from bidding has been engendered by the Act. This fact which relates with the participatory tenets of democracy highlights Nigeria as a country which is moving with the times. The Act has also brought about a higher level of responsiveness on the part of contractors and consultants which raises the stakes for quality and productivity in the execution of public projects and challenges practitioners to be more active.”

    Delivering the key note address at the event, the Managing Director/CEO of Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Mr. Babs Omotowa said the “expectation of society is for equality, empowerment, employment, reduction in poverty, human rights, climate change and these have become very critical for society.”

    In many of these, he said “the development of infrastructure as in recent times has become a key enabler for developing economies and improving economies. Activities such as the rule of law, the construction of roads, rail, power and bridges have become very critical for most economies.”

    These expectations of government, he added are also not different from what the society expects from private organisations as “society expects them to contribute to employment to help grow businesses and ensure good governance, respect for human rights and prevent degradation of the environment such as climate change.”

    He noted that between “25 and 70 per cent of most government spending is on goods and services of which procurement plays key role as infrastructure plays a key role in social development of economies. It is important that as professionals we must bring certain things to bear especially on how to manage procurement.”

  • NLC to FG: Fight Boko Haram like Ebola

    NLC to FG: Fight Boko Haram like Ebola

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdul Waheed Omar, on Monday urged the Federal Government to fight the Boko Haram sect with the same vigour it is fighting the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in the country.

    Omar stated this in Kaduna while declaring open a one-day sensitization workshop on the prevention of Ebola virus disease in the workplace, organized by National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN).

    He noted the government’s rapid response to the Ebola scourge was a commendable, adding that, “I think if Federal Government should fight Boko Haram the way it is fighting Ebola, then the insurgency would have ended since.

    “Therefore I call on the government to be as proactive to Boko Haram as it has done to Ebola.”

    In their remarks, the President and General Secretary, NUTGTWN, Comrade Oladele Hunsu and Comrade Issa Aremu, said there was the need for continuous enlightenment and sensitization on Ebola.

    Aremu said the essence of the workshop was to enlighten the labour force about the disease and how to prevent it.

    “As deadly as the Ebola virus disease is, we should not forget there are other diseases like malaria, polio, cholera which are curable but are still rampant in the country. Thus as we battle with the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, we should do more with other diseases with known treatment/prevention. It is all about good health care and good governance.

    “We commend the recent resolution of the crisis in the health sector that led to the calling off of strike action by doctors under Nigeria Medical Association. We are also impressed that the Federal government has withdrawn the earlier retrenchment of the doctors,” he stated.

  • FG must change strategy to end insurgency, corruption- NBA

    FG must change strategy to end insurgency, corruption- NBA

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has urged the Federal Government to reorganise its intelligence gathering strategy if it must win the fight against insurgency.

    It said the government must be proactive in its efforts at tackling terrorism.

    NBA urged Nigerians to join hands with the government in the fight against terror, saying the battle should not be left to government alone.

    “All Nigerians must collaborate with the government and the security agencies in order to address the issue of the seemingly intractable security problems confronting the country, particularly the escapades of the dreaded terrorists called Boko Haram,” NBA said.

    These were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the association’s annual general conference held in Owerri, Imo State capital from August 24 to 29.

    The conference, which had the theme: “Nigeria: A 100 years after”, ended with the inauguration of a new executive led by Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN).

    NBA blamed insecurity and corruption on bad leadership, adding that values have also been eroded.

    “A major portion of our socio-political and economic problems are caused largely by lack of exemplary and visionary leadership,” it said.

    The association said the progressive erosion of core values in Nigeria leads to communal disintegration and insecurity.

    “There is need for national value re-orientation through leadership by example and the entrenchment of the rule of law and eradication of impunity,” NBA said.

    The association called for adequate protection for prosecutors and witnesses involved in terrorism cases as provided by the UN guidelines for prosecutors.

    It urged military hierarchy to caution its personnel on the overzealous display of anger and emotions in their duty so as not to violate human rights.

    On corruption, NBA called for a reinvigoration of the criminal justice system as a panacea for dealing with criminality.

    “There’s the dire need for the Federal Government to re-engineer and re-invigorate all the anti-corruption agencies as well as grant them more autonomy.

    “This is to ensure their impartiality and for them to exercise their powers and perform their functions without fear, favour or prejudice and without interference from any person or organ of state,” NBA said.

    To further discourage corrupt practices, the lawyers’ body urged judges to impose the maximum sentences provided in law rather than a mere ‘slap on the wrist’ for those found guilty of graft.

    “Judges should be equitable and balanced in the administration of criminal justice in such a way that punishment is blind to status and class.

    “Cases involving serious crime should be assigned to very experienced judges in order to ensure that inexperienced judges do not tacitly encourage such crimes through faulty determination of such matters.

    “The imposition of fine alone is inappropriate for serious crimes. Punishment should combine both fine and imprisonment to reflect the societal revulsion of such serious crimes.

    “The Federal Government, through all stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice should establish a national crime data bank in order to keep information on fingerprints, identification and criminal records of every offender,” NBA said.

  • FG recalls 16,000 sacked resident doctors

    FG recalls 16,000 sacked resident doctors

    Following the suspension of the strike action embarked upon by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), the Federal Government Friday, reciprocated by recalled sacked doctors.

    The Federal Government according to a terse statement issued by the media aide to the minister of Health Dan Nwomeh has lifted the suspension of Residency Training Programme in all federal hospitals with effect from Thursday, 28th of August, 2014,  while the ongoing appraisal of the programme continues.

    Over 16000 resident doctors were believed to have been sacked in the light of FG’s earlier directive.

     “Accordingly, all Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of the training centres are directed to issue letters of reinstatement to the resident doctors to enable them resume work immediately.

    “The Federal Government urges the resident doctors to see the magnanimity of government in reinstating them as a goodwill gesture to engender greater commitment and dedication to their duties”,the statement said.

  • FG earmarks N752bn for expansion of power transmission for five years

    FG earmarks N752bn for expansion of power transmission for five years

    Vice President Namadi Sambo recently said the Federal Government had earmarked N752 billion for expansion of power transmission in the next five years.

    Sambo said this at the inauguration of the National Council on Power in Abuja.

    Sambo, represented by the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, said government would continue to expand the national transmission grid to all parts of the country.

    He said this would be done through additional resources leveraged from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).

    The VP said government was also committed to adequate provisions within the national annual budget in the years ahead.

    He added that government also intended that more innovative approaches would be adopted to fund the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) by opening private sector investment window in future.

    He said some institutions had been established to earn investors’ confidence by further enhancing the environment for doing business in the sector.

    Sambo said for the sector to grow in the direction the government intended it to be, metering gap amongst consumers must be bridged to shore up market revenue.

    He said it was for this reason that government was sourcing for various fundings.

    Sambo said this included opening an initial N33 billion soft term credit line to enable the distribution companies to acquire smart meters.

    He stated that the Ministry of Power and the Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals Development had been directed to ensure the take-off of the first large scale coal-to- power project.

    Sambo called on the council to come up with clear roles and mandates for stakeholders in the sector, as well as set targets and strategies toward achieving the power reform objectives.

    The Minister of Power, who is also the Chairman of the council, said it would facilitate the progress needed to adequately advance the sector.

    Nebo said the council would ensure the transformation of power to launch the country into an era of massive industrialisation and double digit GDP growth rate.

     

  • Two more Nigerians down with virus— FG

    Two more Nigerians down with virus— FG

    One hundred and  thirty-nine people are currently under surveillance for  Ebola, Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu announced yesterday in Lagos.

    Nine cases have already been confirmed with  the fatality rate of two.

    Chukwu with whom was Information Minister  Labaran Maku told reporters  that the situation could have been worse “but for what we are doing.”

    As he spoke,the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)  shut down indefinitely  its clinic at  Muri Okunola, Victoria Island, Lagos, following a suspected case of the Ebola virus  at the clinic.

    “As at Tuesday there were seven confirmed cases, but we got two more cases confirmed today (Friday) making it a total of nine cases. Seven out of the cases are alive and receiving treatment in Lagos, while two have died,” Chukwu said.

    But he said that despite the situation,  no one should regard Ebola as a death sentence.

    He warned people against wearing gloves in their attempt to avoid being infected  by the virus.

    He said: “There is no need for people to be wearing gloves because, by doing so, they may be potentially be gathering the virus to unknowingly transmit to their community and immediate family members.”

    The minister dismissed the  salt water bath remedy for Ebola and threatened  to track and prosecute the people behind the circulation of the misleading  information.

     “Salt can cause further damage  to health leading to non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. For further help visit- www.ebolaalert.org; or call a toll free line- 080EBOLAHELP,” he said.

    He stressed the  need for people to engage in personal hygiene, especially constant hand washing with the use of soap and water.

    “Where there is shortage of water, people can also mix bleach with a bucket of water and clean their hands with same. I got this information from contacts in Liberia. People can also use sanitizers in the public places.

    “I must warn that nobody should wear hand gloves in public places or even wear (personal) protective garments. Those are meant for health workers working in the hospital where these Ebola suspects are being quarantined.

    Mr Maku said: “Nigeria will win this war against Ebola. We won against Guinea worm; chicken pox and about to finally kick out polio. So Ebola war too would be won. As part of measures to check the spread of the Ebola disease in the country, the government has commenced mandatory screening of all outbound passengers at the country’s airports, sea ports and land ports.”

    Health commissioners are scheduled to meet in Abuja on Monday on the development and other ways to contain its spread.

    In Abuja, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC,Mr. Ohi Alegbe, said the company’s clinic on Victoria Island ,Lagos had been shut down after  a patient on admission there was found to have tested positive to  virus.

    The corporation, in a  statement, explained that the pre-emptive step was taken after the case was duly reported to the Federal Ministry of Health as well as officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Health.

    “In the meantime, all contacts with this case are being traced and adequate precautionary measures instituted to contain the possible spread of the disease,’’ the corporation stated.

    The medical team said the patient was  in a stable condition.

  • Ebola: Fashola urges FG to shut borders with neighbouring countries

    Ebola: Fashola urges FG to shut borders with neighbouring countries

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has urged the Federal Government to shut the nation’s borders with neighbouring countries without delay to avert the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

    The governor’s concern is coming on the heels of the controversy generated bythe case of a recent corpse from Liberia, said to have been routed through Lagos to Anambra State.

    Fashola, while speaking with Journalists yesterday, at Ikeja House, noted that, “This is no longer a local, but an international problem. This is because it is easily transmittable across the borders and boundaries. The Federal Government team has been working with the state team. I think what the Federal Government needed to do at this time is to consider the imperative of closing some of our borders.

    “It is difficult to stop this epidemic. We must now choose the treaty obligations that we hold under the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) treaty and perhaps short term benefits in terms of economic cost to human life.

    “We must make that choice and consider it very seriously. It is a national security issue. I think we should give it that attention. I think men and women who man our border posts-sea, air and land, especially the customs, now know that they are our first line of defence.”

    Fashola said there is no pretence about the issue of such importance, saying few West African countries who are at the epicenter of the virus pose danger to others.

    He said:“I believe some of the countries were Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. There is a risk to the entire sub-region. I like to appreciate all the health workers at the state level for the very professional manner they have responded while I was out of the country.”

    Giving update on the Ebola issue, Professor Abdulsalami Nasidi  of the National Center For Disease Control (NCDC) who briefed the press with Lagos State Government officials, allayed fears on possible outbreak from the corpse brought in from Liberia .

    He said, “All the handlers of the corpse brought into the country from Liberia will be registered and tracked. And those who accompanied the corpse to Anambra and the mortuary handlers are under quarantine in Anambra State.

    “Our team in Anambra State will tomorrow (today) give us the statistics of those who came in contact with the corpse.”

    On the collaboration with other countries, Nasidi explained that  the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Aviation and  the Federal Government will soon issue directives on matters of bringing corpse into the country.

  • FG nets N58.7b to support terror victims

    FG nets N58.7b to support terror victims

    •Danjuma,Dangote, Adenuga, Elumelu, Tinubu, others donate billions 

    Victims of terror attacks in the country have  a N57.790billion kitty for their rehabilitation.

    The amount was amassed on Thursday night in Abuja by the Federal Government and key players in the private sector under the  Terror Victims Support Fund.

    It is about N10billion in excess of the N50billion targeted by the initiators of the fund.

    An elated President Goodluck Jonathan  yesterday  expressed  ”immense appreciation of the kindness of all persons who responded enthusiastically” to his appeal for collective action by contributing generously to the fund.

    N20billion of the donation came from the Federal Government while key players in the oil sector gave N17 billion.

    Other high profile donor were:the banking sector- N15 billion; Mr. Tony Elumelu, N2.5 billion; General T.Y. Danjuma, N1.6billion; and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mr. Jim Ovia, Wale Tinubu, Mike Adenuga,all of whom donated  N1billion each.

    From the 36 states and the FCT came N3.7billion; Arthur Eze and Mohammed Indimi, N800million each;and  Mrs. Folorunsho Alakijia, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, Abdul Samad Rabiu, N500million each.

    Presidedent  Jonathan  speaking at  the occasion bemoaned the terror unleashed on Nigeria by  Boko Haram for the umpteenth time  ,but declared that the defeat of the sect was imminent.

    He vowed to personally  lead Nigerians to victory  over the  terrorists.

    He told the audience comprising key players in the polity and the economy that he often wonders why Nigerians  make themselves available to be used as suicide bombers.

    “I never for once thought that I would, in my life time, hear of Nigerians strapping bombs to themselves and blowing up innocent people. We would have sworn that it is impossible! Ten years ago, no Nigerian would have imagined it. We thought it was something that could only happen in other countries,” he said.

    “But here we are today witnessing this sordid phenomenon. Even women, who are not known for violence, are now involved.We will defeat terror and I will lead Nigerians to achieve this.”

    He said the setting up of the fund should not be seen   as an acceptance  of  terrorism as a way of life in the country.

    ”No! Never! Rather, this is just one of the short-term measures in our overall strategy against the enemies of peace and progress,” he said and spoke of government’s determination not to allow evil to overcome good in the country.

    He also said he found it  unbelievable to think that “some twisted minds” could kidnap innocent school girls and keep them in captivity for months.

    Government,he added,was  now  caught between demonstrating military might and endangering their lives or undermining the sovereignty of Nigeria by succumbing to the blackmail of the terrorists on their own terms.

    All options, he said, were  still opened to bring the girls back home safely.

    He said: “We will come out of this tougher and better nation. In these trying times, we have seen Muslims and Christians, Northerners and Southerners, men and women, and Nigerians from all walks of life rise up in unison to condemn the terrorists.

    “By bombing mosques and churches, they have shown to us that they are enemies to all. By killing Muslims and Christians, they have demonstrated to every Nigerian that their evil agenda does not discriminate. Unintentionally, they are motivating millions of Nigerians to see them as common enemy whose only purpose is to steal, to kill and to destroy.”

    Chairman of the  Fund Committee and former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma said : “All too often, the victims of terror are soon forgotten. The majority are the soft targets the terrorists prefer but unable to fend for themselves. The funds being collected are not for combating terror or fighting terrorists organizations but for supporting victims of terrorists attacks.”

    The President  said  yesterday that he was overwhelmed by the “expression of support, cooperation and solidarity by Nigerians and friends of Nigeria from all walks of life” at the launch

    He said this showed that the public  ”is genuinely concerned about the threat of terrorism to our common humanity and stands ready to support worthy causes and pro-people policies.”

  • FG terrorising Osun, APC cries out

    FG terrorising Osun, APC cries out

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday alleged that  the PDP-led federal government  has started  terrorizing and  intimidating the  people of Osun State, “with a view to cowing them ahead of the August 9 governorship election in the state.”

    The  APC cited the deployment  to the state of agents of the Department of State Services (DSS), some of them masked and clad in black.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said  the move was to “harass innocent citizens in an unprovoked and primitive show of power that can only be described as sheer gangsterism.”

    He said:”As widely reported, DSS agents, armed to the teeth and riding in over 50 trucks, drove around Osogbo and other parts of Osun State on Wednesday blaring siren and shooting sporadically in the air, thus disrupting the normally peaceful life in the state.

    ”Residents who were visibly traumatized by the shameful display of state power ran helter-skelter and wondered why their government has

    sent masked men, or ninjas, to terrorize them.

    “They now understand that the masked thugs who have been following the PDP candidate around on his campaign trail were actually government sanctioned. This is a  power show taken too far, even with the well-known impunity tendencies of the Jonathan administration.”

    The  APC said as many as  5,000 more DSS men are being dispatched to the state before the election, on the basis of an orchestrated petition alleging that certain APC leaders are planning to foment trouble during the election.

    ”Flooding Osun with irresponsible DSS officials to terrorize the residents is another low for a government that is notorious for abuse of power and federal institutions. It is no longer news that the military, the police and other security agencies are working for the Jonathan aministration, rather than for all of Nigeria. What is new is that the security agencies have now been unleashed on the citizenry,” he added.

    ”What rankles even more is the constant assurances by President Jonathan that the election will be free and fair. How can we have a credible election in an atmosphere of state-led gangsterism? How can we have a credible election when the FG that is supposed to protect the people and ensure violence-free polls is the same one that purveys violence? Where else in the world do secret police announce themselves by firing to scare away harmless citizens? When did masks become part of the uniform of the State Security Service agents?” the party queried.