The Nation Newspaper

Tag: GOVT

  • Lassa fever: Seek trado-medicine experts, govt urged

    The government should seek the assistance of traditional medicine practitioners to curb the spread of Lassa fever, a traditional medicine practitioner in Ayobo, Lagos State, Chief GbagobiAjele, has said.

    Chief Ajele said curtailing Lassa fever, like Ebola in the recent past, was not beyond the sphere of traditional medicine.

    Speaking with The Nation on Tuesday, Chief Ajele said the disease can effectively be contained with the help of herbal preparations and spiritual atonement.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that Lassa fever is currently ravaging the country and killing people. The solution does not lie in eradicating rats and taking treatment in hospitals butcurtailing its spread because it is an affliction by a deity known as Olode.

    “The affliction usually comes during dry season and only the appeasement of the virulent deity can stop it.To this end, government at all levels must get in touch with traditional medicine practitioners to make necessary appeasement and prescribe potent herbal medicine that can eradicate the disease.”

     

  • Ogun at 40: Govt distributes 1,000 C of O to beneficiaries

    Ogun at 40: Govt distributes 1,000 C of O to beneficiaries

    The Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Arch. Olamilekan Adegbite has distributed 1,000 Certificates of Occupancy to the 11th batch of Homeowners’ Charter Programme beneficiaries to mark the 40th anniversary of the state.

    Presenting the title documents to the elated beneficiaries at the Arcade Ground, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Adegbite who was represented by the Director of Administration and Supply in the Ministry, Mr. Dolapo Adewunmi, said that thousands of people have become ‘’real landlords’’ under the Senator Ibikunle Amosun administration which showed that the state government was sincere and always stand by its words.

    He said the process of obtaining the documents was convenient and affordable for the citizens, noting that due process was followed in order for the exercise to be a success.

    ‘’In celebrating Ogun at 40, the present administration has worked hard to change the face of the State through Homeowners’ Charter programme and other notable projects such as the construction of Ogun Standard roads and flyover bridges, model schools, agriculture and rural development, youth empowerment, amongst others’’, he said.

    Arch. Adegbite further gave the assurance that other qualified applicants under the scheme would soon receive their title documents.

    Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning, Alh. Mufutau Adetimilehin said the benefits of Homeowners’ Charter Programme include elimination of ownership disputes and problems of land speculators ‘’Omoonile’’, promotion of an orderly and planned environment to mention but a few.

    Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Babatunde Soyombo, from Ijoko-Lemode area of the state said that the title documents are genuine, affordable and had made them authentic property owners.

  • Govt to improve tax collection by 20 percent

    Govt to improve tax collection by 20 percent

    •Forensic auditing for 81 revenue generating agencies

    The fund the deficit in the 2016 budget, the federal government plans to increase tax collection by 20 per cent, Minister of Budget and Planning Udoma Udo Udoma said yesterday.

    Stressing that the government does not want to increase the suffering of Nigerians, he said that the government will increase corporate tax and Value Added Tax (VAT) collections.

    He spoke with State House reporters after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    The Minister was accompanied by Governors Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos) Willy Obiano (Anambra) and Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa).

    Ambode said Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole gave an update to the Council on NEC’s Ad-Hoc Committee on the management of the Excess Crude Account and payment into the Federation Account.

    According to him, the Ad-hoc Committee submitted a memo for approval on its findings which included 81 government revenue generating agencies identified for forensic auditing while 18 core revenue generating agencies like the NNPC to be audited by KPMG, an international audit firm.

    He said that other revenue generating agencies would also be forensically audited by SIAO, a local auditing firm. Council, he said, approved engaging of the forensic auditors.

    Udoma said: “We expect about 20% increase in VAT collection, which is conservative in terms of our revenue projections. We are expecting much more than that. Occasionally we try to be conservative.

    “With reference to the budget, one thing we are determined not to do is to cut any of those capital projects, because we need them to stimulate the economy. We are going to work with the National Assembly, to see how we can get savings.

    “One of the areas we are looking at is our cash call elements. The minister of state for petroleum (Ibe Kachikwu) is looking at how we can cut our cash call elements which is about N1trillion by innovative financing.

    “So he is discussing with some oil companies and looking for some innovative financing which might pick up some of the financing so that we reduce our financial output and contribution by the federal government.

    “That will be a major saving which can be used to plug the gap particularly with falling oil prices. In addition some of the capital projects, the various ministers for infrastructure are looking at how we can get private sector funding for some of them.

    “For instance the airport can be concessioned. We are looking at public buy back for some of the roads, looking at tolls. We have to be imaginative.

    “But it is important not to touch the capital portion because that is important to revitalise the economy to get our people back to work, to get growth moving again so that we can get the 4% growth.” He added

    Udo- Udoma had informed the Council that the state of economy was largely affected by the decline in oil price between June 2014 and December 2015 which has increased domestic vulnerabilities.

    According to him, 2016 budget objectives among others included to deliver inclusive growth to Nigerians, create significant number of jobs to reduce unemployment and underemployment, building an economy that is less vulnerable to oil price shocks by creating resistant divested income base and creating efficient Public Financial Management System.

    Governor Badaru said the Accountant-General of the Federation reported to the Council that the balance in the Excess Crude Account as at 31st December, 2015 was $2.257 billion.

    On the update of states that have received bailout funds and those outstanding, he said CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele gave an update to the Council that 23 States have benefited from the N10 billion ECA-backed soft loan, stressing that some states have not indicated interest, while some are still holding discussions with their banks.

    He said 28 states have benefited from the Presidential bailout.

    Governor Obiano said that the Council also received report on government agencies collecting revenue in foreign currency but remitting in naira.

    According to him, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance reported to Council that apart from NNPC, NIMASA and the Ports Authority, other agencies involved in revenue generating are FIRS, Shippers Council, Airport Authority and Nigerian Immigration Service.

    “He reported that the introduction of TSA has now resolved the problem as all accounts are under the control of the CBN. The Vice President reiterated Federal Government policy that NNPC and other agencies must present budget for approval before spending in line with TSA.” He added

  • Govt urged to diversify into forest conservation

    The Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) has called on the Federal Government to consider the exploration of forest conservation.

    The body urged the government to bridge the legal framework gap in assigning economic value to individual species of the ecosystem, having witnessed severe exploitation over the last 60 years without replanting.

    President, NCF Board of Trustees, Izoma Asiodu, made this call  at the 14th Memorial Lecture in honour of Chief S. L. Edu, in Lagos.

    The lecture had as theme: “Economic valuation of Nigeria’s forest.”

    According to Asiodu, to mitigate the  effect of dwindling oil price, Nigeria could diversify the economy by looking in the direction of agriculture and solid minerals as enable alternative income.

    And with the abundance of forests, Asiodu said it is the responsibility of the NCF to guide decision makers on the economic valuation of such forests to stimulate the necessary investments for its protection and restoration, and by extension, preserving the ecosystem.

    The gradual extinction of forestry, he added, leaves a damaging impact both economically and in terms of human lives.

    The guest lecturer, Labode Popoola, a Professor of Forest Economics, said conservation of forestry has multifarious uses, ranging from environmental functions to economic, socio-cultural services, scenic and landscape functions. “There are wide varieties of other goods and services produced in the forest and a variety of other tree configurations on farms ranging from livestock fodder and quality water, to recreational, aesthetic and environmental benefits,” he said.

    Popoola noted that the rate of deforestation is about 3.5 per cent yearly, equivalent to a loss of 350,000 hectares of forest land. He lamented that some state governments encroach on protected area status of forest estates without regard for the environment and the laws establishing such estates.

    “The state Forestry Departments have been unable to curtail the spate of requests to establish large-scale oil palm and other plantations in forest estates. The unfortunate impression that has thus been created is that the forest estate exists as a land bank for other sectors as demands continue to rise nationwide.

    “Nigerian forests and forestry are thus at crossroads in spite of the huge potential for contribution to the economy, social and environmental sustainability,” he said.

  • Govt gives gated communities seven-day ultimatum

    Lagos State Government yesterday gave gated communities seven days to comply with the directive on operating them or have them demolished.

    The gates are to be locked between midnight and 5am and manned by security guards to allow vehicular movement.

    Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs Muslim Folami said the government would not hesitate to remove gates of streets where residents fail to comply with the directive.

    He said: “This is a serious issue and we are not taking it lightly with anyone; residents have within seven days to comply with this directive or have their gates removed.”

    He assured residents of security, saying government officials will go round to ensure compliance.

    Earlier, Special Assistant to Governor on Community Affairs Tajudeen Quadri, who was with Folami, said some residents were not complying with the directive.

    Quadri recalled that before the directive was issued in 2009, gated streets constituted bottleneck for police, fire service and vehicles on emergency while carrying out their duties.

    The gates, he noted, also obstructed traffic, especially in areas where they are on roads meant to serve as thoroughfares or alternative links.

    Women in labour and indisposed people, he added also lost their lives following their inability to reach hospitals in time because their gates were locked with no security guards manning them.

     

  • Govt plans $1bn Eurobond sale to plug budget gap

    Govt plans $1bn Eurobond sale to plug budget gap

    Nigeria plans to sell as much as $1 billion of Eurobonds to help fund a record budget deficit this year, Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun said.

    Officials from Africa’s biggest oil producer plan to hold non-deal roadshows to meet investors and explain the government’s policies to revive economic growth, Adeosun said yesterday in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

    “We’re looking at a maximum of $1 billion,” she said. “We need to go out and sell our story, talk to people, talk to the market – and get the best value.”

    Prices of oil, on which Nigeria depends for almost all exports and two-thirds of government revenue, have slumped 15 per cent this year to a 12-year low of around $30 per barrel. The West African nation’s economy probably grew 3.2 per cent last year, the slowest pace since 1999, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists.

    The government is optimistic that crude prices will recover in the second half of 2016 and it has no plans to change the budgeted benchmark of $38 a barrel, she said.

    President Muhammadu Buhari has proposed boosting this year’s budget by about 20 per cent to 6.1 trillion naira ($30.8 billion), while the deficit is set to widen to 3 trillion naira, or 3 per cent of gross domestic product.

    Nigeria has issued dollar bonds twice, most recently in 2013. Yields on its Eurobonds due July 2023 fell 41 basis points to 8.65 per cent at 4:25 p.m. in London. They have risen from under 5 per cent since May 2015 as the economy has weakened and investors have pulled out of emerging markets in anticipation of rising interest rates in the U.S., which makes assets there more attractive.

    Investors have criticized Nigeria’s policy makers for not letting the local currency weaken amid low oil prices. Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, with Buhari’s backing, has held the naira at 197-199 per dollar since March last year via foreign-exchange trading restrictions and curbs on imports. That’s hurt businesses that need dollars to pay for imported inputs and exacerbated the economy’s slowdown, according to analysts.

  • ‘Govt’s funding of teaching hospitals inadequate’

    An ophthalmologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof Folasade Ogunsola, has urged philanthropists and corporate organisations to support the government in funding eye care.

    Speaking at the 25th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), she said the government was finding it difficult  funding teaching hospitals.

    She said: “It will be appreciated if non-governmental organisations and philanthropists support the government by investing in eye health care. We should use those who have to treat the less privilege.”

    Besides, she said the universal health coverage should be funded by the rich and those who have the  means.

    Her vision, she said, is for everybody to have good and comprehensive eye care so that each person can contribute his quota to the economy.

    Ogunsola said: “It is almost impossible for someone that is blind to contribute to the economy effectively. When you can see, then you can contribute to the economy and Nigeria can be a better country.”

    She enjoined people to seek treatment when they are plagued with eye problems at the right place, which is with an ophthalmologist.

    “When people go to wrong places, they get the wrong treatment,” she said.

    The don said an eye clinic and primary health care (PHC) centre that has a primary eye care unit are some of the places to go when an individual has an eye problem, adding: “If you go to the chemist, you will be given the wrong thing to treat your eyes but if it is a PHC centre then the individual will be treated right.”

    On poor cornea donation, she said culture is a major factor, adding: ‘’People want to go back to their maker the way they were created. So, whenever they are implored to donate their eye they find it very unusual.”

    The expert said: “It is doable. Cornea can be donated to another person because when people die, only their soul goes to God, their remains are buried. Education and awareness can make people give in to the idea of donating their cornea.”

    She advised people against using harmful traditional medication because the eyes are very precious and should be well taken care of.

    People, according to her, should treat their eyes the way they treat the mouth, stressing: “If you would not put poison in your mouth why should you engage in harmful traditional medication for your eyes.”

    She urged people to always rinse their eyes with clean water when they wake in the morning because there are times that they used their hands to rub the eyes. “Hygiene is very crucial in the maintenance of one’s eyes,” Ogunsola added.

  • Govt has no record of unemployed, says Minister

    Govt has no record of unemployed, says Minister

    Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi, said yesterday that government has no data of the unemployed persons and those who are employed.

    The Minister said the government plans to bring all skill acquisition centres in several ministries under one roof for maximum utilisation.

    Speaking at the APC secretariat, Ocholi said the government plans to employ many untrained graduates and train them to teach in secondary schools

    He explained that the Teacher Conversation Programme is aimed at mopping up unemployed graduates, but have degrees in relevant areas and can teach Secondary School Students.

    The Minister decried the lack of statistical data of the unemployed, saying: “Before we got to where we are, there was no data anywhere. There is no data of the unemployed. In fact there is no data of the employed. It is a bad situation”.

    He said the ministry has started the process of gathering data of both the unemployed and the employed Nigerians saying: “As l talk with you, there are experts working on the software on how to capture the details of the unemployed and the employed.

    “And for those who are employed, there are many who are in the wrong places. There are many who are in working and they are not enjoying the job and want to have jobs better than what they are doing.

    “There is a firm that we have sourced for, working with the National Directorate of Employment, (NDE) right now. The NDE has done a pilot scheme in Bwari and they have an office in Lobito crescent right now working in preparation for a mega scale.

    “What it takes to get that data ready is part of our work. Our work does not begin when the data comes out because the data itself does not employ people.

    “So we have decided to identify how many skill acquisition centres we have in this nation and the capacities of each one. There are more than 76 of them. We have also discovered that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has a lot of skill centres in the Niger Delta region which were built but do not have capable hands with resources, with skills to be able to train. The Ministry of Agriculture has several as well as the Ministry of Finance.

    “So we have decided to do a memo to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) for Mr. President to galvanize all such centres and bring them into one fold. Then we can do a planning on how many people each centre can take for the next three months.

    “We will look at what is the nature of the skill that can be acquired within that period of time, what do we do to sustain those people that will acquire the skill and when you acquire those skills, what stipends can be paid to them to keep them in the training so that while being trained you earn something. That will bridge the gap between now and when they open their shop and begin to employ labour”.

  • ‘Why govt must support entrepreneurship’

    ‘Why govt must support entrepreneurship’

    How can the government tackle youth unemployment? That was the focus of a lecture held at McPherson University (McU) in Seriki-Sotayo, Ogun State to mark freshers’ matriculation. WALE AJETUNMOBI reports.

    •McPherson Varsity admits freshers

    The fourth matriculation of McPherson University in Seriki-Sotayo, Ogun State took place last Tuesday, but it was not all about academics. It also focused on the nation’s most challenging problem – youth unemployment.

    Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Police Mortgage Bank Plc, Pastor Adebola Adeboye, the guest lecturer, spoke on how the government could tackle joblessness through entrepreneurship and skill acquisition.

    Adeboye, who delivered the institution’s second pre-matriculation lecture with the theme: Entrepreneurship: Panacea to economic development in Nigeria, said introduction of entrepreneurship in school curriculum would not solve job crisis, noting that students were only being taught theory of business that could lead them to nowhere.

    The lecturer identified over-dependence on crude oil as the root cause of unemployment, noting that Nigeria became a monolithic economy that could not survive without the “consumable product”. The period of oil boom, he said, made the graduates to be lazy in thinking about business that could make them self-reliant.

    While graduates rushed for limited white-collar jobs, Adeboye said their counterparts in other parts of the world were busy using their innovativeness to create world-class business ventures from which millions of people are benefitting.

    He said: “Entrepreneurship contributes greatly to the economic development of the developed countries. It is the bedrock of America’s economy and that of the Asian Tigers. The developed economies attained their status because they encouraged youth innovation that led to the creation of small and medium scale enterprises. These are the backbone of economic growth in those countries.”

    Beyond introducing an entrepreneurship course in higher institutions, Adeboye said the government must encourage graduates with loans to enable them practise theory of business they were taught in school.

    •Adeboye flanked by Prof Agunbiade (right) and Mrs Abegunde
    •Adeboye flanked by Prof Agunbiade (right) and Mrs Abegunde

    Adeboye whose business is worth billions of naira explained how he developed his entrepreneurial skill as an undergraduate. He said his will to be self-reliant made him to seek a N40,000 loan with which he nurtured his business, which, he said, has grown beyond Africa.

    While saying entrepreneurship remained part of solution to the challenges facing the country, Adeboye described an entrepreneur as a person who identifies a new way of doing things to make profit.

    Advising the matriculating students, the lecturer said: “To be an entrepreneur, you must be idealistic, because ideas rule the world. You must be solution-oriented and always look around for what people need and make efforts to meet their demands.”

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Adeniyi Agunbiade, urged the freshers to take their studies seriously. He warned that the school would not tolerate any act of indiscipline, urging the students to abide by the rules and regulations of the faith-based university.

    Agunbiade said: “As this occasion marks a turning point in your lives, it is my hope that you would justify this golden opportunity of your admission to study hard and achieve academic excellence. You should bear in mind that the path to excellence at McPherson University is through God-guided quality decision, diligence in pursuit, determination to succeed, devotion to God and genuine desire for honesty.”

    He said drug peddling and gambling, indecent dressing, immoral behaviours, cultism and all forms of examination malpractice, and other social vices would not be tolerated.

    He made this known recently during the 2015/16 Matriculation held inside the university’s Ultra-Modern Hall. It was the fourth matriculation ceremony of the university.

    Over 100 freshers took the oath of matriculation, which was administered on them by the Registrar, Mrs Adebola Abegunde. The freshers were admitted into the three colleges of the school. They are College of Social and Management Sciences (COSMAS), College of Natural and Applied Sciences (COLNAS) and College of Humanities (COLHUM).

    The highpoint of the ceremony was the prayer session conducted by the Visitor to the university and General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church, Reverend Felix Meduoye.

  • Okowa promises Warri Wolves govt support

    Okowa promises Warri Wolves govt support

    The chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Tony Okowa has assured players of Warri wolves FC of the state government’s continual support in ensuring the team remains among the top contenders in the country and continent.

    He disclosed this to the players in their close camp in Kwale as the team finalised  preparations for the super four next week in Kaduna.

    The Sports Commission chairman said  that certain changes will be injected into the team so as to achieve the set target for the team this season.

    He assured the players that all bonuses and any financial obligations between the players,team management and the state government will be sorted out and settled next week.

    “I can tell you that all your bonuses and the 20% payment we agreed on will be paid  next week Monday and for the new season your salary structure is already being prepared and it has to be based on your performance as a player. You must be in top form so as keep your relevance in the team’s players grading structure. This is a new era of Warri Wolves so all past grievances should be forgiven and forgotten and every body must work together to surpass the previous  standard and record. ”

    Speaking on behalf of the team, the vice captain, Goodluck  Onamodoh thanked Okowa for the visitation and promised that the players will certainly work harder this season so as to show gratitude to the state government for its continual support and encouragement.

    The team is expected to depart Kwale for Kaduna the venue of this seasons super four today and play their opening match against Akwa United on Wednesday.