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Tag: governors

  • Governors: we’ll not tamper with $2m grant

    The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has promised to stay off the N630,000,000 ($2 million) grant given to it by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

    At a ceremony in Abuja yesterday, the Foundation committed a grant of N630,000,000 to the NGF to strengthen the generation and management of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) at the grassroots.

    The governors have, however, assured Nigerians that they would contribute all available resources towards the success of the partnership, rather than take out of the grant for purposes other than what it was meant for.

    At the event were Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Bagudu, Director General of NGF, Ashasina Okauru and BMGF’s representative Mark Suzman, who is also President, Global and Advocacy and Chief Strategy Officer of the Foundation

    Tambuwal, who represented the NGF Chairman and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, said: “The grant will be judiciously applied; we would rather support the partnership than take a dime out of the grant.”

    Suzman said the result of the Foundation’s previous partnership with NGF, especially in polio eradication as well as the leadership shown by NGF, were responsible for the new partnership.

    “The three year US$2 million partnership will primarily focus on domestic revenue challenges, with the aim of strengthening public financing for social programs that benefit the poor.

    “The Gates Foundation recognises how critical state leadership is to development in Nigeria, not least because two-thirds of social spending in Nigeria occurs at the sub-national level.

    “We are pleased to be supporting the critical work of the NGF as it facilitates better information exchange, collaboration on policy, and the work of the governors in determining how best to ensure Federal and State policies work for Nigeria’s poorest”.

     

  • Saraki, Dogara, governors, others hail governor-elect Akeredolu

    Saraki, Dogara, governors, others hail governor-elect Akeredolu

    Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday congratulated Ondo State governor-elect Rotimi Akeredolu.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said Akeredolu’s victory did not come as a surprise going by his excellent credentials.

    He urged the governor-elect to be magnanimous in victory by working with stakeholders to move the state to the next level.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media & Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, maintained that the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a proof that the party is still loved by Nigerians.

    “The election of Akeredolu and the APC is a clear indication of the popularity of our party.

    “I would like to congratulate my learned colleague and commend our great party for a successful campaign,” he said.

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun hailed the people for choosing Akeredolu and the APC.

    Amosun said: “This is one choice that will bring unprecedented progress, infrastructural development as well as social and economic growth to the sunshine state.

    “Akeredolu’s victory portends a good omen for the collective development and progress of the Southwest.”

    Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha  described the victory as a confirmation of the party’s popularity in the Southwest.

    He said it was also a testimony of the people’s love for President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom congratulated the people  for making a “loud and clear decision”.

    He described Akeredolu’s victory as well deserved as it has further confirmed the confidence Nigerians have in the APC administration.

    Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for a free, fair, credible and peaceful election.

    In a statement yesterday by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said the onus is on the political class  to rally round the governor.

    The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi,  said the people made the right choice.

    Fayemi described Akeredolu’s triumph as a victory for democracy.

    The minister said the people have demonstrated their preference for transformative leadership and progressive governance ,which Akeredolu represents.

    The APC governorship candidate in the 2015 general election in Rivers State, Dakuku Peterside, has urged the governor-elect to be humble in victory.

    Peterside said APC would always win free, fair and credible elections.

    He called on the governor-elect to see his emergence as the wish of the people.

    Afenifere chieftain Senator Ayo Fasanmi,  in a statement, said: “Your Excellency, But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint. Congratulations on your well deserve victory.”

    A Second Republic Senator, Pa Olorunimbe Farunkanmi, urged Akeredolu to keep a large heart and embrace all aggrieved members.

    The Chairman, APC Elders Council, advised Akeredolu to be magnanimous in victory.

    The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG)  congratulated the people for their faith in democracy.

    In a statement by its Chairman, Olawale Oshun, ARG  praised Akeredolu and other candidates for pursuing their ambitions within the ambit of the rule of law.

    Such maturity and statesmanship, the group said, is needed to restore the pride of Yoruba land.

    “We urge Akeredolu, as the guardian of the people’s mandate, to continuously and consistently prove himself a leader worthy of his people’s trust, by constantly communicating his vision and managing the resources of the state towards the development and wellbeing of Ondo State.”

  • Governors’ wives hail MTN’s breast cancer initiative

    Wives of Kaduna and Niger states’ governors have  hailed MTN Nigeria for throwing its weight behind the eradication  of breast cancer.

    At the yearly Breast Cancer awareness campaign, which was part of MTN African Patrons Cup Polo Tournament, Kaduna State governor’s wife Hajiya Hadiza Nasir El-Rufai said increased awareness and advocacy and public-private partnership would help stem  cancer.

    She said: “We need all hands to be on deck if we are going to successfully stave off the threat of cancer in Nigeria. I hereby call on well-meaning corporate bodies, organisations and well-placed individuals to join hands with us in this initiative.”

    Niger State governor’s wife Dr. Amina Abubakar Bello, said: “Breast cancer is the deadliest among all the cancers that affect women. Polo on the other hand is widely acknowledged as the game of kings and the king of games. We feel the Pink Polo Tournament platform will draw the attention of not only kings but also the wider public to the menace of cancer in Nigeria. Beyond the exciting polo on display, we are also reminded of the plight of women whose lives have been adversely affected by the cancer scourge, not only in the country but the world over.”

    MTN Nigeria, Master Brand, Senior Manager, Emamoke Ogoro, while thanking the Fifth Chukker Polo and Country Resort for partnering with MTN to hold the tournament, expressed optimism that the event would help raise the profile of polo and also drum up support for breast cancer awareness.

    “The whole Pink Polo initiative is in line with a number of other breast cancer initiatives around the world. The idea is to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer. We are delighted at the response we have gotten so far and we are optimistic that we have been able to touch lives through this initiative,” she added.

    Highlights of the Pink Polo day included an international polo exhibition match,  awareness lectures on breast cancer, screening and counselling.

  • Southwest governors meet today on economy

    Southwest governors meet today on economy

    Southwest governors will meet today in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on the economic development of the region, it was learnt last night.

    Expected are Governors Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun).

    They are to discuss how to boost the infrastructure in the region and how the states can collaborate to improve the economy of the region, a source privy to the agenda of the meeting which is bipartisan, said.

    “The ultimate goal is the economic integration of the region from Ondo State in the northern part to Lagos State in the South.

    “States will have to lift each other up, working from their areas of strength. This has nothing to do with politics but the overall economic development of the Yoruba,” the source said.

    For some time now, moves have been ongoing, led by some leaders in the region, for the states to collaborate to develop the economy of the region thorough a collaborative effort and integration.

    Special Adviser Communication and Strategy to host Governor Ajmobi said the meeting was called at the instance of the Oyo State helmsman.

    In a statement, Mr. Yomi Layinka explained that the meeting would discuss several issues of common concern in view of the challenging economic circumstances confronting the nation and its constituent parts.

    He said, “These issues include security of lives and properties of all citizens and our peoples; the economic development of the states by leveraging on common resources and the competitive advantages of the region.

    “Other issues to be discussed will include the identification and development of critical infrastructure, especially road networks and the need for a regional rail network for transportation of goods and services within the region.”

    The statement added that the conversation would be facilitated by Director-General of the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research, Prof. Dosu Adeyeye; Director-General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN Commission), Mr Dipo Famakinwa; and the Group Managing Director of O’odua Investments, Mr. Adewale Raji.

  • Governors uncomfortable with investigations into spending of bail-out funds – ICPC

    Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offence Commission (ICPC), Mr Ekpo Nta, said most state governors were jittery when the commission commenced investigations into the spending of bailout funds.

    Nta stated this in Bauchi on Monday in his speech at the opening of Bauchi State Anti-Corruption Summit, titled “Transparency and Accountability: A Panacea to Good Governance and Sustainable Development.

    He said that when the commission commenced investigations into coffers of state government accounts most of the governors were uncomfortable.

    “Most of the governors thought I was going to find out how the bail funds were utilized, not knowing that the commission had different intention.

    “We witnessed a situation where most of the states were bedeviled with ghost workers syndrome in spite that their resources could pay workers’ salaries.

    “Staff verification could not be authentic as most agencies alerted both their authentic and fake staff to appear during such exercises,” Nta said.

    He said that the commission, therefore, had to fall back on Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), and matched same with staff nominal list and a lot of malpractices were discovered.

    “Some of the workers were discovered to be receiving double and even triple salaries, with two or four accounts, different names in different banks and one BVN.

    “They draw salaries from all the accounts on monthly bases, as such I urge all agencies to address the issue of ghost workers with dispatch,” Nta said.

    He called on members of the National Assembly to monitor projects executed by the executive to ensure that such projects tallied with funds appropriated in the budget.

    The chairman commended Kano State Government for being the first to constitute an anti-corruption commission for the state and urged other states to do same.

    In his speech,    Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji  Mohammed Abubakar, said that in line with the anti-corruption campaign in the state, a committee was set up to recover all funds and property acquired illegally by some government officials.

    “In line with the present administration’s commitment to fight corruption in all the sectors of the economy and the civil service, the Bauchi state Government  set up a committee to recover all public funds and property acquired illegally by some persons in the past administration.

    “The committee has submitted its reports and released a white paper on the findings of the committee,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Governors, others honour Imo Speaker

    Governors, others honour Imo Speaker

    State governors, parliamentarians and other leaders were among dignitaries who honoured the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim as he became president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, African Region.

    The state governor Rochas Okorocha was there at the Imo International Convention Centre (IICC) where the reception was held for the new IICC president. So were governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Aminu Bello Masari (Kastina) and former Senate President Ken Nnamani and other political and religious leaders.

    The Speaker, who had not been in the limelight of the state politics, was showered with encomiums, some describing his cordial relationship with the Executive as exemplary.

    He was praised for supporting and creating harmonious working relationship between the state governor and the legislators, which was cited as the reason for the monumental achievements recorded by the Okorocha’s administration.

    Another cause for joy for the Speaker, according to feelers, was that the highly successful reception may have added impetus to his alleged ambition of succeeding Okorocha as the state governor.

    Meanwhile, in their separate speeches, the three governors who graced the occasion submitted that a healthy collaboration between governors and legislators will speed up the growth of democracy in the country.

    They advised state governors to always work in harmony with the legislators, enjoining the executive the legislative arms of government to eschew undue suspicions.

    Governor Okorocha said, “Things are working well in the state because my government is working with a strong and patriotic parliamentarians, hence, the four-year rolling plan which the legislators in the state had okayed, which has helped the us to record monumental achievements to its credit”.

    Okorocha said, “My administration would not have recorded the volume of monumental achievements on ground to its credit without the cooperation and understanding of the members of the State House of Assembly”.

    He stated that the working relationship would continue to be strengthened.

    Governor Tambuwal stated that the parliament gives democracy the needed teeth.

    He noted that the success recorded in Imo state shows the cordial working relationship between the executive and the legislature.

    The Sokoto State governor advised the Speaker to sustain the virtues that brought him this far.

    He urged the governors to work closely with the legislature for the good of the people, adding that “the legislature is not all about making bills or being in fight or being in competition with the Executive but for checks and balances for a good democracy.”

    Governor Masari, who was the chairman of the event, in his speech, advised that governors should not see legislators as rivals, but  as partners in progress.

    Nnamani while highlighting the roles of the legislature, said that the bridge between autocracy and democracy is the budget, adding that speedy passage of the budget by the Imo legislature helped the government in delivering dividends of democracy and called for such relationship between other governors and their legislators.

    In his speech, the Speaker, expressed gratitude to Governor Okorocha and assured that he won’t fail in his new assignment.

    He noted that the continued support for the Governor by the lawmakers was in the best interest of the people of the state, adding that the existing cordial relationship between the Governor and the lawmakers will continue to be improved upon and sustained.

    Ihim insisted that a vibrant House is not the one that is endlessly engaged in a battle of supremacy with the Executive but the one that is focused on the responsibility of making legislations that will impact the lives of the people and the overall development of the state.

  • Governors seek disbursement of ecological, stabilisation funds 

    Governors seek disbursement of ecological, stabilisation funds 

    As the cash crunch bites harder, governors yesterday opened their bid for monthly withdrawals from the stabilisation and ecological funds.

    Led by Governors Forum Chairman Zamfara State Governor Abdul’aziz Yari, the governors met with Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele to perfect plans for accessing funds in the stabilisation account and ecological fund to address environmental challenges.

    Yari told reporters after meeting with the fiancé minister that the mission was a follow up of resolutions reached two days at the governors’ meeting.

    He said: “We have a lot of funds in the ecological stabilization funds. And those funds are not being discussed at the National Economic Council (NEC). What we discuss at NEC is usually briefing on excess crude account and the federation account. But this fund is not being discussed at that platform. So we will like to have this fund every month because those funds are federation funds and we are having so many problems. We need the money.”

    Yari noted that governors would like “to have a report every month because those funds are federation funds and we are having so many troubles and there is another fund from foreign donors in support of desertification and the environment. Therefore, we are discussing with the federal ministry of finance, we are discussing with the CBN governor on how states will get access to these funds for the betterment of our society.”

    Other governors with Yari are: Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Rochas Okorocha (Imo ); Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna).

     

  • Niger Delta Minister berates governors over amnesty for militants

    Niger Delta Minister berates governors over amnesty for militants

    …Says exercise mere fraud

    Despite the widespread jubilation that greeted the Amnesty Programme organized by state governments for militants and cultists in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Usani Nguru Usani, Friday described it as a fraud that does not have any impact.

    The Minister expressed displeasure over the manner the state governments granted pardon to criminal elements parading as militants, adding that the exercise does not enjoy the backing of the Federal Government or his Ministry and therefore is “null and void”.

    Uguru who was apparently referring to the recent Amnesty programme organized by Imo and Rivers states, where militants surrendered their arms and we’re granted amnesty, insisted that the Amnesty programme has been abused by the state governments.

    According to the Minister who spoke with newsmen after a workshop in Owerri the Imo state capital, “it is unfortunate that the amnesty programme has been misused and abused. From my own understanding, what is happening is not amnesty. Any criminal cannot just go and carry his grand-father’s arms and after terrorizing the community for a while, he is granted amnesty.

    He continued that, “the amnesty has been abused, in my own view, it has really been abused. Somebody goes to carry his grandfather’s gun that he used in fighting the 2nd world-war to present and say it’s amnesty, that is nonsense to me, this is my take on this amnesty thing that I see happening around”.

    Meanwhile the Minister disclosed that the Niger Delta Ministry is in partnership with the United Nation development programme UNDP has organized a workshop to assess the validation of baseline report on projects on the Niger Delta region.

    He said; “I am in Owerri to attend the discourse on assessing towards validation on the baseline report on the region; the essential perspective of this report is to be sure that whatever we are doing in any area of the region is according to needs and not perception. So baseline report has been carried out between the Ministry and the UNDP to be sure that we assess the state of affairs intersectorally and regionally to be able to know in our planning what needs to go well according to demand.”

  • Governors, others honour Imo Speaker

    Governors, others honour Imo Speaker

    State governors, parliamentarians and other leaders were among dignitaries who honoured the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim as he became president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, African Region.

    The state governor Rochas Okorocha was there at the Imo International Convention Centre (IICC) where the reception was held for the new IICC president. So were governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Aminu Bello Masari (Kastina) and former Senate President Ken Nnamani and other political and religious leaders.

    The Speaker, who had not been in the limelight of the state politics, was showered with encomiums, some describing his cordial relationship with the Executive as exemplary.

    He was praised for supporting and creating harmonious working relationship between the state governor and the legislators, which was cited as the reason for the monumental achievements recorded by the Okorocha’s administration.

    Another cause for joy for the Speaker, according to feelers, was that the highly successful reception may have added impetus to his alleged ambition of succeeding Okorocha as the state governor.

    Meanwhile, in their separate speeches, the three governors who graced the occasion submitted that a healthy collaboration between governors and legislators will speed up the growth of democracy in the country.

    They advised state governors to always work in harmony with the legislators, enjoining the executive the legislative arms of government to eschew undue suspicions.

    Governor Okorocha said, “Things are working well in the state because my government is working with a strong and patriotic parliamentarians, hence, the four-year rolling plan which the legislators in the state had okayed, which has helped the us to record monumental achievements to its credit”.

    Okorocha said, “My administration would not have recorded the volume of monumental achievements on ground to its credit without the cooperation and understanding of the members of the State House of Assembly”.

    He stated that the working relationship would continue to be strengthened.

    Governor Tambuwal stated that the parliament gives democracy the needed teeth.

    He noted that the success recorded in Imo state shows the cordial working relationship between the executive and the legislature.

    The Sokoto State governor advised the Speaker to sustain the virtues that brought him this far.

    He urged the governors to work closely with the legislature for the good of the people, adding that “the legislature is not all about making bills or being in fight or being in competition with the Executive but for checks and balances for a good democracy.”

    Governor Masari, who was the chairman of the event, in his speech, advised that governors should not see legislators as rivals, but  as partners in progress.

    Nnamani while highlighting the roles of the legislature, said that the bridge between autocracy and democracy is the budget, adding that speedy passage of the budget by the Imo legislature helped the government in delivering dividends of democracy and called for such relationship between other governors and their legislators.

    In his speech, the Speaker, expressed gratitude to Governor Okorocha and assured that he won’t fail in his new assignment.

    He noted that the continued support for the Governor by the lawmakers was in the best interest of the people of the state, adding that the existing cordial relationship between the Governor and the lawmakers will continue to be improved upon and sustained.

    Ihim insisted that a vibrant House is not the one that is endlessly engaged in a battle of supremacy with the Executive but the one that is focused on the responsibility of making legislations that will impact the lives of the people and the overall development of the state.

  • Governors decry exclusion from amnesty programme

    Governors decry exclusion from amnesty programme

    …Communities, OICs disagree on $141 million CSR
    A bill seeking to provide a legal and institutional framework for the implementation and management of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in Nigeria was Tuesday criticized by stakeholders.

    While giving his opinion on the “Presidential Programme on Rehabilitation and Reintegration (Establishment and implementation) Bill, 2016 Tuesday,  the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in his submission before the Essien Ekpeyong Ayi- headed House of Representatives committee on Niger  Delta Affairs said there is an urgent need to restructure the programme.

    This was as communities in the Niger Delta insisted on getting 2 percent of the annual budget of the international Oil Companies operating in their Communities. They also called for the use of security votes to support youths “who surrendered their arms but were not captured in the amnesty programe.

    Nearly all stakeholders at the event wanted a clarification on the supervisory role of the National Security Adviser in the proposed Amnesty Bill.

    Okowa in his submission presented by Pascal Adigwe said: ” One of the things that need to be urgently looked at is the structure of the programme, which at the moment is solely run by the federal government . This needs to change. The state governments in the region need to be engaged as partners with the federal government.

    “This partnership should take the form of involvement of the states in the selection, training and empowerment, while the federal government takes charge of the funding.”

    He decried a situation whereby those captured in the amnesty programme were sent to study courses that had no bearing on local needs.

    “I strongly recommend the model encapsulated in my administration’s S.M.A.R.T agenda where unemployed youths are trained in select disciplines relevant to local industries and the needs of the society,” he said.

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC in a presentation signed by its Group Managing Director, Maikanti Baru said it would not support that collection of gifts and donations as parts of the funding for the amnesty programme to avoid conflict of interest.

    “We recommend that loans, gifts and donations from individuals and private companies should be discouraged. Gifts of land from Communities for field offices should also be permissible. Other gifts and grants should only come from national, bilateral and multilateral agencies and the three tiers of government.”

    The chairman of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Clay Neff, while giving their opinion on the bill rejected section. 15.2( e) of the Amnesty Bill.

    His words: “OPTS’ 24 members operate approximately 90 per cent of Nigeria’s oil and gas production.

    “In 2015 alone, OPTS contribution amounted to over US$ 141 million in support of voluntary corporate social responsibility initiatives on infrastructure development , education, and medical facilities to mention a few. As you’re aware, we also pay the required Niger Delta Development Commission levy.

    “Currently, government takes approximately 95 percent of net revenues from joint Venture Oil production. This includes corporate taxes, production royalties, NNPC share of production and a plethora of taxes and levies to the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agencies.

    “It is our view that the additional obligations sought to be imposed by Clause 15.2(e) of the amnesty bill will increase the burden on industry- thereby weakening Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global oil and gas industry.”

    He therefore submitted that section 15.2(e) should be deleted from the amnesty bill.

    But the communities faulted OPTS’ submission especially its assertion that they had spend over $141 million on CSR.

    Prof. Jasper Jumbo who spoke for the oil producing communities said what the Oil producers said they have done with such an amount is not visible to anyone.

    He said Security votes should go into programmes for other youths who surrendered arms and were not included in the amnesty and that the 5 percent of the Ecological Fund in the bill should be increased to 10 percent.

    The National Civil Society Consultative Forum in Peace and Security represented by Jaiye Gaskiya proposed a clear exit date for the amnesty programme. And that peaceful communities should be identified and provided incentives under the programme to encourage other communities to remain peaceful.

    The Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, represented by deputy Minority leader, Chukwuka Onyeama, noted that the passage of the bill will end militancy,,pipeline vandalism and bring business back to the Niger Delta by increasing the crude oil production output.