The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Jonathan

  • Jonathan reassures ‘youthful entrepreneurs’ of government’s support

    Jonathan reassures ‘youthful entrepreneurs’ of government’s support

    President Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday pledged assistance to Nigerian youths by developing their skills and business expertise to become entrepreneurs of international ranking.

    The President made the pledge after inspecting some products manufactured by the first batch of 1,200 Nigerian youths who benefitted from the “YOU-WIN Programme” introduced by his administration.

    Jonathan said he was impressed by the products manufactured by the youths and displayed for inspection by members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) before their weekly meeting.

    The President reiterated his administration’s commitment to build a country that the future generation would be proud of.

    “The concept of YOUWIN is to build entrepreneurs that will start from the scratch, develop their skills and their business acumen and grow them to the known larger business in the world.

    “Some of the big names we are hearing started this way.

    “Very few people get into their business in a big way but most times they collapsed because they didn’t know how to grow businesses.

    “We are quite impressed by what you have done so far,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the president as saying during the inspection.

    He stressed that the era of `godfatherism’, where some Nigerians secured opened-up opportunities by government, without merit, was over.

    “The country should be the godfather of everybody. The government should be the godfather of every Nigerian.

     

  • Jonathan to National Assembly: restore N72.4b budget cut

    Jonathan to National Assembly: restore N72.4b budget cut

    President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the reduction of budgetary allocations by the National Assembly will undermine the implementation of the 2013 budget.

    Dr. Jonathan, in a statement titled “Re:2013 amendment budget”, urged the lawmakers to restore the deductions to promote national development.

    He warned that failure to restore the deductions would exacerbate the unemployment situation as well as make it difficult for the government to meet its obligations to its workers.

    Though Jonathan did not say where the National Assembly put N72.4 billion it reduced from the budget, some observers noted that some of the cuts made by the lawmakers were uncalled for.

    The observers said that the National Assembly should not have tampered with allocations made for construction of roads, amount voted for creation of jobs, health facilities and power projects.

    The President recalled that he had transmitted the 2013 amendment budget proposal to the National Assembly on March 14.

    He noted that following further consultations, he had sent a new version of the categorised 2013 amendment budget proposal indicating changes proposed across the expenditure categories.

    He said: “The capital projects have now been designated as follows: “critical” is designated as (I); “important” is designated as (ii) and “others” designated as (iii).

    “Some Capital Projects, the allocations of which were reduced and which we seek your cooperation in restoring so as to promote national development, include the following:

    “Ministry of Works: Abuja- Lokoja Road reduced by N4 billion; Kano-Maiduguri Road reduced by N3.5billion; Dualisation of Ibadan-Ilorin Section 2 reduced by N5.5billion; rehabilitation of Jebba Bridge reduced by N1.25billion; rehabilitation of burnt Marine Bridge and Iddo Bridge reduced by N1billion; Special Intervention Funds for Emergency Roads and Bridges washed out across the country reduced by N6.28billion; Dualisation of Obajana Junction to Benin reduced by N4billion etc.

    “Ministry of Health: MDG HIV/AIDS ARV drugs allocation reduced by N1billion; Routine Immunisation Vaccines reduced by N1.75billion; Malaria Programme procurement and distribution of insecticides reduced by N0.8billion; payment of pledge for Onchocerciasis Recertification cut by N0.12billion; National Trauma Centre, Abuja reduced by N0.1billion, etc.

    “Ministry of Power: A total of N16.3billion was cut from power projects, including the 215 Mega Watts Kaduna Dual Fired Power Plant, which was reduced by N2.25billion; 2nd Kaduna- Kano 33KV DC Lines reduced by N1.5billion; Gombe-Yola- Jalingo 330KV SC Line reduced by N0.6billion; Maiduguri 330/132KV Sub-station reduced by N0.3billion; Kaduna-Jos 330KV DC Line reduced by N0.5billion; Omotosho-Epe-Ajah 330KV DC Line reduced by N0.8billion, etc.

    “Ministry of Transport: Construction of Abuja-Kaduna Rail was reduced by N1.4billion; Jebba- Kano Rail Line Rehabilitation reduced by N0.5billion; Procurement and rehabilitation of Wagons/Locomotives reduced by N1billion; Insurance of Locomotives reduced by N0.2billion, etc.

    “Ministry of Education: Allocations to various projects were reduced to the tune of N5.64billion, including the National Library Project which was cut by N2billion.

    “SURE-P: We all appreciate the fact that unemployment is our major concern in this country today.

    “Considering the gravity of the situation, I would like to bring up the issue of the budgetary allocation to the Community Services, Women and Youth Employment Programme under the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

    “Against our proposal of N27billion, the National Assembly allocated N9billion.

    “This cut will have the adverse effect of severely undermining our capacity to create the jobs needed for our teeming unemployed youths, women and physically-challenged citizens.

    “In this regard, I crave your cooperation to restore the SURE-P budget.

    “You will further recall that the personnel cost was cut across all Ministry Departments and Agencies which will make it difficult to meet government’s obligations to its workers.

    “I, therefore, seek your kind understanding for the restoration of the said cuts in order to maintain industrial harmony.”

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, however, insisted that the National Assembly has the power to alter the Appropriation Bill.

    Abaribe noted that it would be improper for the National Assembly to return the budget the way it was presented by the President.

  • Southsouth, Southeast monarchs unite for Jonathan

    Southsouth, Southeast monarchs unite for Jonathan

    • Rulers forum inaugurated in Yenagoa

    Traditional rulers from the Southsouth and Southeast yesterday backed the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The monarchs also said they would support the President’s second term ambition in 2015.

    They spoke at the Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, during the inauguration of the Southsouth and Southeast Traditional Rulers Forum.

    According to them, Jonathan had provided effective leadership despite the challenges confronting the country.

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade and Gbong Gwom, Jos, Da Buba Gyang described him as one of the best leaders to have ruled the country.

    Oba Sijuwade, who was represented by the General-Secretary of the Council of Yoruba Monarchs, Oba Aderemi Adedapo. said: “Dr. Jonathan’s emergence as President was a fulfilment of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s prediction that an Ijaw man would rule this country some day in the future.

    “We thank God today that we have an Ijaw son as a good and great leader of this country. If you were there on May 29, 2013 in Abuja where I was representing the Southwest, you will agree with me that this man (Jonathan) has surpassed many leaders we have ever had in this country.

    “I am not a politician, I’m a traditional ruler. We thank God for giving us this President at this point in this country.”

    A business mogul and politician, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu called on Nigerians to give Jonathan a second chance.

    He claimed that there was no time the President pledged to serve a single term.

    Iwuanyanwu said: “Today, I have gone round everywhere in this country and I feel a sense of joy and happiness that Jonathan has not disappointed us. He has done well.

    “However, I am surprised to hear some people in some circles talking about four years’ tenure when our Constitution allows him to run for eight years, if he wishes to do so.

    “Some people even say there is an agreement to that effect, but I am telling you royal fathers, that there was no such agreement”.

    But Gyang urged political class to give constitutional role to traditional rulers to enable them contribute to decision-making.

    He said: “Let me say with humility that the traditional institution in Nigeria is not asking for any executive powers that will bring us at loggerheads with constituted and elected democratic rulers.

    “We are asking for recognition for the obvious reason that governance itself today requires the role and input of the traditional institution.

    Besides, the Chairman, Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers, Cletus Ilomuanya, noted that the two geopolitical zones share common heritage.

    “Historically, we are one people of the same lineage but for political expediency and administrative convenience, we now pretend to be people from two different zones of Southsouth and Southeast.

    “Therefore, it is one of the aims of the Southsouth and Southeast Traditional rulers to re-orientate and galvanise our people to begin to think and act as people of one cultural and traditional identity.

    At the meeting were the Sultan of Sokoto, represented by the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar El-Kanemi, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Nnachi Enwo-Igariwey and former Governors of Bayelsa and Imo states, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and Ikedi Ohakim.

    They all expressed delight at the formation of the Forum, stressing that it would cement the bond of unity between the zones and promote stability in the country.

    Addressing the forum, Jonathan lauded traditional rulers across the country for complementing government’s efforts, especially in the maintenance of peace and order in their respective domains.

    Jonathan, who was represented by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, urged them to partner stakeholders in the ongoing effort to build an egalitarian and prosperous Nigeria.

    He said:“Traditional rulers occupy a special place in our system. It was so before in the days of our forefathers and it is so up till now and will continue to be.

    “You are the critical link between our cherished history and past. You have a duty which of course, you are doing well to maintain our values, traditions and cultures.

    “And hopefully, working together with other stakeholders, we believe that you will also successfully transfer these same values to the future generation of our people.

    “I thank you all for the support that you have been giving to those of us, who are in secular leadership because you cannot talk of mobilising and influencing our people positively and even maintain law and order without the role of traditional rulers.

    However, Dickson advocated the need for the political class to support traditional rulers to enable them perform their duties effectively.”

     

  • No Nigerian should die from HIV/AIDS – Jonathan

    No Nigerian should die from HIV/AIDS – Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday declared that it is unacceptable for any Nigerian to die from HIV/AIDS in the country.

    To this end, he ordered 100 percent scale up against HIV/AIDS to prevent any Nigerian from dying as a result of HIV/AIDS in the next few months.

    He gave the directive during the meeting on the President’s HIV/AIDS Emergency Response Plan (PERP) for 2013 to 2015 at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    According to the plan presented by the Director General of National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA), Prof. John Idoko, at the meeting, Nigeria needs N377.5 billion to achieve universal access of 80 percent coverage.

    But Jonathan disagreed with the 80 percent target as he wondered what will happen to the remaining 20 percent not provided for.

    He said: “As a President of this country, I don’t want any Nigerian to die of HIV/AIDS. If 80 percent is the global target, what is the fate of the remaining 20 per cent? Should they die?

    “Our target back home here is to manage 100 percent. We have to look for ways to fund it. We must make sure that the 100 percent Nigerians that need attention, get the attention. As a government, our target should be 100 percent.”

    Noting that it may be late to save the lives of some critically-ill HIV/AIDS patients, he said that the comprehensive plan should be able to prevent deaths among Nigerian patients from the next few months.

    “I have been here at the centre here for about six years as the Vice President, Acting President and President and the statistics sometimes don’t show any improvement,” he added.

    Worried that more Nigerian soldiers on missions abroad could be dying from HIV/AIDS than bullets, he said: “If we are sending troops outside, especially those who will stay for more than a week, we must make sure that we also protect them so that their children don’t become orphans few years later.”

    “We need to prepare them and not just buying bullet proof vests for them,” the president stated.

     

     

  • Jonathan to NASS: Restore N72.4b budget cut

    Jonathan to NASS: Restore N72.4b budget cut

    President Goodluck Jonathan has said the reduction of budgetary allocations by the National Assembly will undermine the implementation of the 2013 budget.

    Jonathan in a statement entitled: “Re: 2013 amendment budget” asked the lawmakers to restore the deductions to promote national development.

    He warned that failure to restore the deductions would exacerbate the unemployment situation as well as make it difficult for government to meet its obligations to its workers.

    Though Jonathan did not say where the National Assembly put a total of N72.4 billion it reduced from the budget, some observers noted that some of the cuts made by the lawmakers were uncalled for.

    The observers said the National Assembly should not have tampered with allocations made for construction of roads, amount voted for creation of jobs, health facilities and power projects.

    The President recalled that he had transmitted the 2013 amendment budget proposal to the National Assembly on March 14.

    He noted that following further consultations, he had forwarded a new version of the categorized 2013 amendment budget proposal indicating changes proposed across the expenditure categories.

    He said, “The Capital Projects have now been designated as follows: “critical” is designated as (i); “important” is designated as (ii) and “others” designated as (iii).

    ”Some Capital Projects, the allocations of which were reduced and which we seek your cooperation in restoring so as to promote national development, include the following:

    ”Ministry of Works: Abuja- Lokoja Road reduced by N4 billion; Kano-Maiduguri Road reduced by N3.5billion; Dualization of Ibadan-Ilorin Section 2 reduced by N5.5billion; rehabilitation of Jebba Bridge reduced by N1.25billion; rehabilitation of burnt Marine Bridge and Iddo Bridge reduced by N1billion; Special Intervention Funds for Emergency Roads and Bridges washed out across the country reduced by N6.28billion; Dualization of Obajana Junction to Benin reduced by N4billion, etc.”

     

  • Jonathan, Service Chiefs meet

    Jonathan, Service Chiefs meet

    President Goodluck Jonathan met yesterday with the Service Chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    Details of the meeting, which lasted for about three hours, were not made public.

    But it was gathered that the meeting discussed the attacks in Plateau and Yobe states.

    It was also said to have centered on the impact of the State of Emergency declared in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in May.

  • Wike: Jonathan didn’t shun me at Port Harcourt Airport

    Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike has denied reports that President Goodluck Jonathan shunned him at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

    Wike, in a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Simeon Nwakandu, accused the Rivers State government of masterminding the reports.

    The minister said Jonathan not only shook hands with him, they both walked round the airport and waved at the people.

    He said the architect of the reports were only out to achieve selfish end.

    “On Sunday, June 30, major national newspapers in the country published a planted report from the Rivers State Government House. Most of the papers replicated a story that was emailed to them by propaganda officials of the Rivers State Government.

    “The storyline which the propagandists wanted to shove down the throat of Nigerians was the falsehood that Chief Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and his loyalists were shunned by His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan whilst he arrived the Port Harcourt International Airport enroute Abuja. They copiously quoted from the same source.

    “A clearer insight into this deliberate falsehood aimed at misinforming Nigerians emerged in the similar paragraphs extracted by the different newspapers in a bid to create the false impression that there was a conflict between the President and the Honourable Minister of State for Education.

    “We have taken the pain to highlight the obvious pre-meditated falsehood of events at the Port Harcourt International Airport and sponsored by the Rivers State Government. In the last one month, Nigerians have been fed with one form of concocted report or the other by the same set of reporters, who refuse to rise to their professional calling and have chosen deliberately to mislead their editors and the Nigerian public.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Chief (Barr.) Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, was part of the official advance team of the President’s team to Bayelsa. It was on that basis that he was also at the airport to receive His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) on his way to Abuja from Bayelsa State. For those who were there at the airport, they saw as the Minister greeted him in line with the rules of state protocol before the President went ahead to greet other dignitaries. It was a simple airport ceremony.

    “The fact that the Rivers State Government House is bent on manipulating every simple event to achieve political milestone brings…. The release sent by the Government House, Port Harcourt aimed at spreading falsehood was unsigned and sent to selected reporters, who made no attempt to verify or cross-check the issues peddled in the said news releases.

    “We are not surprised at the unprincipled tactics of the Government House Port Harcourt. We are only shocked that some senior journalists and reputable newspapers have allowed themselves to be tricked into dumping time-honoured journalistic ethics in pursuit of political shadows. We are shocked that the editors have looked the other way whilst media professionalism is being brutally murdered. We are surprised that the so-called critics have looked the other way whilst the supposedly unbiased media is being blatantly compromised.

    “The emerging trend of claiming that false press releases from Government House Port Harcourt press releases are products of ‘investigations’ as in the extant case is worrisome. Now is the time for the editors of the newspapers that are being repeatedly used to promote a negative political agenda to ask questions. The reading public and other stakeholders deserve better service.”

     

  • Jonathan urges ministers, others to implement flooding measures

    PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday warned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure that flood control measures were implemented to forestall a recurrence in the country.

    It was during his meeting with ministers and officials at the Presidential Villa to review ongoing flood containment measures.

    Specifically, Jonathan warned that he would not tolerate any excuses for a repeat of last year’s flood disasters which displaced communities and ravaged farmlands.

    He directed relevant agencies to ensure that every necessary action was taken to prevent a recurrence.

    Jonathan said: “We have no excuse to be caught unprepared again.

    “I expect all relevant MDAs to be very proactive in speedily implementing required flood prevention and management measures.”

    The president also directed the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Flood Prevention and Control to establish effective liaison with governors of flood-prone states.

    He ordered the committee to ensure proper coordination between federal agencies and the states in the implementation of flood control measures.

    Members of the committee include the ministers of the Environment, National Planning, Water Resources, Finance, Health, Transport and Aviation.

    He stressed the need for greater public enlightenment and advocacy to ensure compliance with measures that had been evolved to prevent a recurrence of the devastating floods across the country.

    The technical team established by the Inter-Ministerial Committee presented a National Climate and Flood Control Framework to the President.

    The framework detailed short term, mid-term and long term measures recommended to solve the problem of perennial flooding in parts of the country.

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) also informed the President that it was constantly monitoring soil moisture saturation across the country since the onset of the rainy season.

    The agency added that its real time monitoring of weather conditions would enable the agency to give early warning of floods.

     

  • Jonathan to media: Tell ‘good stories’ about Africa

    Jonathan to media: Tell ‘good stories’ about Africa

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday night said that Nigeria must lead Africa in creating a media industry that would tell the good stories of the continent.

    Jonathan spoke at the launch of a television station –EbonyLife TV — at the Expo Hall of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    He was represented by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku.

    “Nations must grow a media industry to tell their stories and showcase their talents; Nigeria, being the giant of Africa, must take a leadership position in this quest.

    “Our greatest stories lie in our creative industry, and we are prepared to support this to the last letter,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the president as saying at the forum.

    He gave the assurance that some other private television stations would be established as soon as the process of digitalising broadcast media was concluded.

    “The future of Nigeria rests on the private sector, and we will continue with the reforms in the private sector and the media.

    “We are creating a new fund for the media and creative industries, such that will further assist the industries,” he said.

    Jonathan said that his administration’s goal was to make the Nigeria economy to lead in Africa.

    The president urged interested investors to explore Nigeria’s creative industry.

    He congratulated the Founder of the television station, Mo Abudu, describing the establishment of the station as historic.

     

  • Jonathan, Amaechi embrace at Port Harcourt Airport

    Jonathan, Amaechi embrace at Port Harcourt Airport

    Barely seventy, two hours after security aides to President Goodluck Jonathan prevented the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, from exchanging pleasantries with the president in Abuja, they met yesterday at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.

    And they embraced.

    The Abuja drama took place on Wednesday night at the Presidential Villa, at the mid-term dinner for the ‘Transformation Team’.

    On Friday morning, the President flew into Port Harcourt from Abuja and immediately moved to his Otuoke hometown in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, to inspect some development projects. He returned to Abuja yesterday afternoon through Port Harcourt airport.

    Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, a former Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and the Director-General of the Amaechi Campaign Organisation in 2011, who now wants to succeed the governor in 2015, was also at the airport.

    Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, Samuel Nwanosike, in a telephone interview yesterday evening, stated that contrary to insinuations making the rounds, Wike was composed, calm and not humiliated at the airport.

    Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, was contacted at 5:30 pm for her reaction to the development. She said: “I was not at the Port Harcourt International Airport today (yesterday). I will confirm what happened and get back to you,” but had not called as at press time.

    A senior aide to Amaechi, who would not want his name in print, said: “When President Jonathan arrived Port Harcourt International Airport in a presidential helicopter at about midday en route to Abuja from Bayelsa, he clearly embraced Governor Amaechi and members of the Rivers State executive, while he shunned the factional PDP opposition group in the state, led by Wike. This made Wike and his group confused and dumbfounded.

    “When President Jonathan alighted from the chopper, after shaking hands with Amaechi, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Dr. Chris Oboh, and a couple of others, he ignored the roll of Wike’s loyalists, who stood close to the helicopter.

    “When told who they (Wike’s loyalists) were, the President completely ignored them, but moved to the line where Amaechi’s executive members were standing, waiting to greet him.

    “The President and Amaechi could be seen talking to each other, with Amaechi pointing towards the direction of his state executive. Wike, who was also at the airport, was trailing behind them.”