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Tag: Kaduna State Governor

  • El-Rufai present N216bn budget to Kaduna assembly for 2018

    El-Rufai present N216bn budget to Kaduna assembly for 2018

    Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has on Thursday presented 2018 budget estimates of N216.55bn to the State House of Assembly for accelerated passage into law.

    Presenting the budget, El-Rufai who described it as a ‘Budget of Consolidation’ said the budget is structured to complete the many projects the government is undertaking.

    The governor said in keeping with the tradition of the government, the budget maintains a priority for capital projects with a vote of N131.bn is 60.54%,while the recurrent expenditure is N85,440,998,051.95. (39.46%).

    El-Rufai said that the capital to recurrent ratio is “consistent with our agenda to spend more on the people than on running government”.

    The proposed budget has expanded beyond the initial size of N201bn that was presented to Kaduna citizens last week in a town hall meeting for input from the public which informed the rejig of the budget.

    In his budget speech, El-Rufai explained that: “the 2018 revenue and expenditure estimates are based on a robust medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) which assumes a $42 benchmark price for oil at production levels of 1.8 million barrels per day, 17.5% inflation, 1.9% projected real GDP growth and an exchange rate of N305 to a Dollar”.

    At N51.4bn, Education, Health and Social Development take 39.2% of the N131.1bn capital budget.  Education takes 25% at N33bn, while Health takes N17bn (12%) of capital”

    El-Rufai said, fixing the inherited dilapidated schools would require about N60bn, and that the album of decayed schools the government produced has helped them to show the development partners the scale of investments required.

    The governor disclosed that it was that discussion that led to the decision of the World Bank to grant Kaduna State a budget support facility of $350m.

    He said that the state will begin accessing the funds once the National Assembly approves the Federal Government’s 2017 borrowing plan.

    According to the Governor, the 2018 budget prioritises the completion of projects started in the 2017 budget:“We shall be prioritising completion of these projects in the coming year. We are in a time of consolidation, and the budget reflects this thrust.  Development is a continuum, and we are firmly building on the foundations we have laid in the preceding years”

    “As at mid-2017, there were 443km of township roads and 16 intercity roads with a distance of 414.8km at various stages of completion. In addition, 17 rural feeder roads with distance of 172 km are being constructed. We campaigned vigorously against the poor state of public schools.

    “There are many schools being rebuilt, hospitals being upgraded and equipped, water works being refitted, rehabilitation centres being fixed. We are very proud to have initiated these projects in the interest of our people. And we have been clearheaded enough to take on inherited projects that we consider feasible and viable!

    “The Kaduna State Government will stay focused on delivering on our promises. We shall not relent in promoting development and progress for the people who have invested their hope in us.” El-Rufai said.

    In his remarks, Speaker Kaduna State House of Assembly, Aminu Shagali, commended governor Nasir El-Rufai for his timely presentation of the annual budgets,saying the assembly members will quickly scrutinize the draft budget and pass it into law.

  • El-Rufai denies awarding contracts to wife, cronies

    El-Rufai denies awarding contracts to wife, cronies

    …Says, N3bn wasn’t spent on drainage works

     

    Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has denied awarding contracts to members of his family, friends and close government officials, describing Sahara Reporters allegations as false.

    The Governor stated categorically that, there was nothing like N3bn drainage contract bazaar, nor was he and his family and senior officials of the government involved in sharing contracts or using fronts.

    In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, Governor El-Rufai said his government has rather stepped in to stop one of its agencies going rogue on the drainage works, stopped the project, reviewed it and took disciplinary action.

    According to the statement issued in reaction to Shara Reporters’ allegations that the Governor awarded contracts to his wife, children and top government officials without due process, “Upon review of the state of the projects, KDSG has not paid anything beyond the N119.2m KAPWA expended prior to the drainage project being suspended. Investigations have verified further outstanding payments of N626m.

    “It is regrettable that the actions that were taken to prime our local economy through massive public works executed in small lots, and drawing in many of our citizens is now being used to scandalize the government and prominent citizens.

    “Kaduna State is thorough about advertising its contracts. Its tenders are regularly published in national newspapers. In 2016, KDSG published 72 adverts for tenders and employment opportunities. Thus far, in 2017, we have advertised 19 tenders and vacancies. The default mode for the government is a rigorous insistence on open, competitive tendering. But not every contract meets the threshold for this. The Public Procurement Law of the state requires that only contracts above N5m be advertised.

    “The government of Kaduna State and its leadership do not use fronts or engage in violations of its public procurement regulations. Sahara Reporters is being unduly sensational. In alleging the use of fronts, it obviously escaped the blog to interrogate if anybody that intends to use fronts would actually put down their names or offices next to the contracts. Even for a blog that claims that it is not bound by the journalistic obligation to verify its assertions, this is unfortunate.

    “KDSG investigations revealed that many of the names on the list have no connection to the drainage works. Many of the names are of non-existent people with surnames attached to them to justify the use of fronts by the same officials of KAPWA whose services have been dispensed with. Others that exist have denied knowledge of the contracts and the names of those they were supposed to have sponsored. The dismissed AGM who was the architect of the madness was unable to produce evidence linking the so-called contracts to most of the names of existing and living persons

    “KDSG supports investigative journalism because it can throw so much light on what is opaque and help to improve the quality of our public life. That obligation is best exercised with diligent attention to details, verification and not rushing to sweeping conclusions.

    “The story of the drainage works is as follows: Kaduna State has not spent N3bn on drainage works. Rather it took timely action to stop irregularity in one of its agencies in January 2017, dismissed the acting AGM of KAPWA and reviewed the entire project.

    “Secondly, drainage works were undertaken in the major metropolitan areas of Kaduna State to protect roads and assuage flooding. The public works agency, KAPWA, is a direct labour agency, and is prohibited by law from awarding contracts. Therefore, the issue of advertising contracts does not arise for KAPWA.

    “The nature of the works were such that influential persons introduced members of the public to secure the works. And the identities of these sponsors were recorded as an additional guarantee that the contracts would be delivered by the beneficiaries. This is not the use of fronts. It is simply the energizing of the local economy through public works that were allotted to local companies. Is it reasonable behaviour for someone intending to use fronts to also unmask themselves?

    “It was most unfortunate that the safeguard above was abused by the dismissed AGM who proceeded to add fictitious and non-existent names, or put down names of known persons without their knowledge and consent to ‘award’ contracts to persons of his choice. This action and failure to substantiate many of the records led to his dismissal. The government would not have acted as such if its officials or relations were truly complicit in the madness.

    “The drainage works began in December 2016. They proved popular, creating jobs and new markets for traders in construction goods. But by the end of January 2017, the massive scale of the works and appeals to the Governor by many senior politicians to promote and confirm the acting AGM to the position of GM of KAPWA, indicated that something was amiss. The Governor therefore directed that some investigation of the state of affairs be undertaken immediately.

    “If there was self-interest on the part of government officials, would they have acted to stop a project in which they are supposedly beneficiaries? How can a project suspended since January 2017 be cast as a bazaar?

    “A government investigation revealed that the then management of KAPWA went out of its lawful bounds, and had potentially committed the state to a bigger than intended liability. The project was accordingly reviewed.

    “Disciplinary action followed the investigation. In February 2017, the government fired Hayatudeen Lawal Makarfi, the acting AGM of KAPWA, for this and ordered a wholistic review of the drainage works. During the investigation, the sacked AGM was unable to provide any documentary evidence of valid contracts, the technical justification and links to the persons he named as having introduced the individuals and companies purportedly engaged.

    “The investigation also revealed that the dismissed AGM did not comply with the 16-step process he was given to guide the road maintenance and drainage projects.

    “Since then, KDSG has sent a bill to the House of Assembly to abolish KAPWA for these and other reasons, and establish a new agency with a totally different modus operandi.

    “Sahara Reporters took a list of contracts, entertained no skepticism, invented the cost and went on to concoct a bazaar and needlessly taint the names of innocent persons, in and out of the government.

    “The Kaduna State Government acted in January 2017 to stop a potential crisis of cost overruns and suspended the drainage works, at great political cost. The works will resume, based on a verified list, when the rainy season is over this year. However, intervention works are going on to safeguard buildings, fences and culverts, and allow for free flow of water.

    “Tenacious efforts taken by KDSG to remedy and correct deficits in an agency six months ago should not be twisted to eke a scandal out of nothing. The dismissed AGM was a political appointee who came from the campaign structure. But that did not stop the government from applying sanctions against one of its own”, the statement said.

     

  • Sani to El-Rufai: Forget your presidential ambition

    Sani to El-Rufai: Forget your presidential ambition

    The Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Shehu Sani, Wednesday asked Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to forget his touted presidential ambition in his own interest.

    He said that El-Rufai knew that he was grandstanding as he has nothing to offer Nigerians.

    Sani in a statement by his Adviser on Politics and Ideology, Suleiman Ahmed, accused Kaduna State governor of corruption and nepotism in the governance of the state.

    He said, “I call on El- Rufai to suspend his Presidential or ‘Vice Presidential’ ambitions and concentrate in proper governance of the state.

    “The Kaduna State governor who in his memo accused PMB of running a failed Government, has failed also woefully.

    “He thinks PMB failed but he never invited PMB to even commission a completed toilet in his state.

    “Under El-Rufai Kaduna has become a hub of Kidnappers and a sanctuary for herdsmen.

    “The very Governor who once condemned the National Assembly for lack of transparency has proven to be worse.

    “El-Rufai wants to be seen as an apostle of Buhari’s change but he is actually the Judas of change.

    “It’s hypocritical to promise Nigerians change and end up only ‘putting change in our pockets’.

    “There is nothing progressive about many people who claim to be Buharists; they are reactionaries and career opportunists who can fit into any Government in power.

    “Kaduna State is run like a personal family and friend’s estate without any meaningful physical achievement other than sponsored media propaganda.

    “El-Rufai has no money to pay traditional rulers he recently sacked but has money to dispense as contracts to family, friends and political cronies.

    “El-Rufai has enough money to pay herdsmen but no money to pay district heads. Kaduna is today littered with abandoned drainages to the point that the rainy season has turned Kaduna into a ‘coastal state with creeks.

    “He is auctioning over two thousand Government houses he inherited but he is yet to build a hut.”

    Senator Sani insisted that the allegation of “systemic nepotism, opacity and complete absence of transparency” in the governance of Kaduna State is factual and the reality of the situation in the state.

    He said that journalists in Kaduna State are under siege, blackmailed, arrested, pocketed or threatened with arrest.

    Governor El-Rufai, he said, “is a man with a mouth for criticism but without a stomach for criticism.”

     

  • El-Rufai receives North Igbo Leaders in Kaduna 

    El-Rufai receives North Igbo Leaders in Kaduna 

    …Assures Arewa youths’ll be arrested, prosecuted

     

    Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday received leaders of the Igbos resident in Northern Nigeria under the auspices of Igbo Delegate Assembly and Northern Igbo Chiefs, reassuring them that, they and their property in the region will be protected.

    This was also as the Governor assured the Igbo leaders that, no matter how long it will take, Northern youths who signed the quit notice to Igbos would be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.

    El-Rufai, however urged Igbo leaders to prevail on their youths against making statements and agitations capable of dividing Nigeria.

    According to El-Rufai, “Kaduna State Government is grateful to the Igbos for coming. Kaduna has suffered so many crises, so we are very sensitive to comments that incite and cause disaffection among the people. Therefore, the Northern youths behind the ultimatum will not only be arrested but will be prosecuted”.

    “Kaduna used to be a home for all, but so many crises have divided the state and the metropolis across religious lines. As a government that is why we abolish indigeneship, once you live in Kaduna you are an indigene.

    “We have arrested so many people for hate speeches and we are trying them. We are going to arrest the Arewa Youths and bring them to justice no matter how long it takes. Since the press conference was done in Kaduna.

    “If they had done it in any other place we would have just condemned them, but since it is in Kaduna we are going to arrest them no matter how long it takes.”

    “I have the mandate of the Northern Governors Forum under the chairmanship of Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, to reassure the Igbos in the 19 Northern states and Abuja that their lives and property are safe in the North”, El-Rufai said.

    On his part, President General Igbo Delegate Assembly, Chief Chikezie Nwogu, commended the Federal government and Governor El-Rufai for their swift reaction to the quit notice issued by the Northern youths.

    Chief Nwogu, who led the Igbo traditional rulers from the 19 Northern States to Kaduna on a courtesy to Governor El-Rufai, said the Igbos are ready to remain in the north.

    He said, “we are here in Kaduna to hold a meeting based on what has been happening in the North, especially with the Arewa Youths and the ultimatum given to Igbos and the agitations by IPOB. We are not here to condemn anybody. We thank the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai and other Northern governors, traditional rulers and the Federal government for their interventions at the heat of the issue.”

    “We want the government to tackle the root cause of agitations and subsequent quit notice by Northern youths and find solution. Let us look at the problem of the Youths when there is complains, also is good to restructure in a way that will benefit everyone.”

    “We are not happy with the call for division. We want Nigeria as one so that all of us can benefit. Northern youths have been our brothers. The Igbos are not going anywhere, we will remain with our Arewa brothers in the north,” Nwogu said.

  • How we’re addressing conflicts in Kaduna – El-Rufai

    How we’re addressing conflicts in Kaduna – El-Rufai

    Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said that the state government is employing peaceful means to resolve conflicts in the state, and it will continue to do so.

    Governor El-Rufai said, his government’s approach to conflicts resolution has given room for steady progress and development in Kaduna State despite the pocket of conflicts.

    The Governor stated this on Kaduna at the opening ceremony of a summit on promoting peace, democracy and stability in Nigeria organized by Journalists for Democratic Rights.

    El-Rufai who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, however used the occasion to caution journalists to be guided by the ethics of journalism in their reportage.

    He urged journalists to see themselves as agents of peace and development, adding that, “promotion of peace is the responsibility of the media, traditional rulers, religious and community leaders.”

    Speaking, earlier, the Executive Director of the Journalists for Democratic Rights, Mr. Adewale Adeoye expressed worry that Nigeria was faced with unnecessary violence and bloodletting.

    He said it is worrisome that many Nigerians today have no access to food, stressing that, “many of our people go hungry from morning to night without any hope of what to eat.”

    “We are also facing challenges of bitter ethnic contest, our country remains deeply divided. There is lack of an inspiring national spirit.

    There are killings on-going in Southern Kaduna, youth have taken up arms against the state in North-East,” he added.

    He however said that, time has come for the people to wake up and champion the peace-building mechanism for the sake of the country children and its generations yet to come.

    Adeoye commended the prompt response of the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to the last week’s quit notice issued to the Igbos by Northern youths, by ordering the arrest of the youths.

    He said, Kaduna as the melting pot of the country must always be protected against any form crisis, as it can easily spread to every part of Nigeria.

     

  • Quit order: Christian leaders declare 30-Day fasting, prayers

    Quit order: Christian leaders declare 30-Day fasting, prayers

    A religious group under the auspices of Non-Indigenous  Christian Leaders Network (NICLN), Kaduna State has called on all Nigerians to embark on a 30-day fasting and prayers against the quit notice issued to Igbos by the Arewa Coalition groups to leave the North.

    In a statement signed by NICLN Chairman, Rev. Joseph Ajayi and Secretary, Pastor Vitalis. S. Yahemba, while condemning the threat explained that it becomes necessary for clerics to declare prayers for God intervention in the land.

    The statement described the quit notice by the self-style ‘Northern Youths’ as evil, disgraceful and a serious threat to national security and unity, stressing that the Arewa youths action is also capable of inflaming chaos and disunity in the country.

    According to the Christian leaders, Nigerians should celebrate the nation’s diversity and live together in peace and harmony as brothers and sisters.

    The statement reads:” while the security agencies and the government are handling their aspect, we call on all Nigerians of different religious background to embark on a 30- day fasting and prayers for God intervention in our land. The leadership of the non-Indigenous Christian Leaders Network (NICLN) Kaduna State views with great concern and disappointment, the ultimatum issued by a coalition of Northern Youths groups to Igbos to vacate the Northern part of Nigeria within three months.”

    “It is the constitutional right of every law abiding Nigerian to stay anywhere, live in peace, move freely and carry out legitimate duties in any part of Nigeria. What we are saying is that urgent steps should be taken to nip this satanic outburst in the bud”

    We appreciate the timely statement issued by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai on this volatile issue”

    We are also calling on the Igbos in the North and northerners living in the South East region of the country to ignore the so called “Kaduna declaration” and remain where they are currently living”

    “We are in democracy and freedom of association and speech are allowed. However, any association or speech by anyone capable of throwing the nation into serious problem must not be allowed. In view of this, the network is calling on Corporate Affairs Commission to cancel certificates of incorporation or registration of any registered group that promotes disunity in their utterances and hate speeches. Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand,” the statement said.

     

  • Jonathan tackles El-Rufai over Ecological Fund

    Jonathan tackles El-Rufai over Ecological Fund

    …Says El-Rufai lied

     

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday disagreed with Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai over how the Ecological fund was utilized under his administration.

    El-Rufai on Thursday after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja had claimed that Jonathan gave N2 billion each from the Ecological fund to PDP states without any emergency or ecological needs.

    But Jonathan on Friday replied that El-Rufai has an incurable knack for lying, which he said has been proven by El-Rufai’s boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Jonathan, in a statement by his Media Adviser Ikechukwu Eze, said that Obasanjo had described El-Rufai in his book-My Watch Volume 2 as follows: “Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological. Why does he do it? He is brilliant and smart. I grant him that also. Very
    early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent and brilliance. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir el-Rufai. He barefacedly lied which he did to me against his colleagues and so-called friends. I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who was like, in the African setting, his foster father. I shuddered when I
    heard the story of what he did to his half-brother in the Air Force who is senior to him in age.”

    With such a description, the statement said Jonathan was not surprised at El-Rufai’s recent comments after the just concluded National Economic Council meeting where he
    accused former President Jonathan of only sharing the National Ecological Fund to PDP States.

    El-Rufai had said “What President Goodluck Jonathan did was to take N2bn each from the
    Ecological Fund and gave to some PDP states. Any PDP state that was not his friend, like Kano and Kwara, didn’t get.”

    Jonathan’s spokesman said “It is so easy to expose Malam Nasir El-Rufai as a liar being that
    Akwa-Ibom, a PDP state governed by the then Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and a close confidante and major supporter of the then President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, did not get the monies alluded to by Malam El-Rufai from the Ecological Fund as did multiple
    other PDP states including Ekiti state, a state governed by a thoroughbred patriot and Jonathan supporter, Ayo Fayose.

    “Also, it is false that non-PDP states did not get monies from the fund. Nemesis catches up faster with liars than any other agent of evil.  El-Rufai was probably led by the gods against his own sinister plot to confess in another breathe that States under non-PDP parties like APGA and Labour party also benefitted.

    “The fact remains that the Ecological Fund is a specialized fund with certain constitutional requirements which must be met before a state can access the funds. Every state benefitted from the fund under President Jonathan who bent over backwards to accommodate states that
    had difficulty meeting the criteria for accessing the fund.

    “El-Rufai’s sinister narrative was intentionally silent on the over N10 billion specially deployed to fund  the Great Green Wall (GGW) project in some northern states, in view of the need to work with the rest of Africa on the African initiative to check desert encroachment in the
    Sahelian states. These states included Zamfara, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and Adamawa.

    “Others are Yobe, Borno and Kano which belong to Mallam El-Rufai’s class of ‘non-friendly’ states that he alleged never benefitted from any discretionary fund.

    “Similar principle applies to the conditions for accessing the Universal basic Education fund where some states have not had access to what is due them, because they are yet to fulfill the mandatory criteria for allocation. Would it then be right in the name of El-Rufai’s position on equity to blame the failure of those states to access their UBEC funds on Jonathan?

    He said that it is really sad that judicious presidential interventions to tackle emergencies and other pressing national needs are being interrogated in a rather facile manner, by those who never got tired of playing dirty politics.

    He urged Nigerians to recall that it was not the first time that El-Rufai has vented his known passion for lying against the former President.

    “The public will recall that in October 2015 he falsely alleged that former President Jonathan spent a whopping N64 billion on Independence Day celebrations, during his tenure when in fact only N333 million was spent.

    “Nigerians may also recall that this same El-Rufai falsely accused former President Jonathan and former CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of founding and funding Boko Haram to the tune of N50 billion.

    “We can only wonder what new false accusation El-Rufai may come up with tomorrow, as with him it is a case of one day, one lie!

    “We therefore urge Nigerians to “be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” whenever this notorious liar opens his mouth,” he stated.

     

  • FG to pay N2 billion Ecological fund each to 19 states, FCT

    FG to pay N2 billion Ecological fund each to 19 states, FCT

    …NEC to review Land Use Act

     

    The National Economic Council (NEC) next month may approve payment of N2 billion each from the Ecological Funds to 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the NEC meeting chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, said that the disbursement is part of recommendations of his committee’s interim report submitted to NEC on Thursday.

    Stressing that the recommendation was to ensure fairness to states that were not given anything when former President Goodluck Jonathan shared N2 billion each to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) controlled states from the Ecological Funds.

    According to him, his 11-man committee, which comprised of governors, Minister of Finance and some permanent secretaries, will submit the final report during NEC meeting in June, where NEC will decide on the recommendation.

    The committee, he said, was asked to look at the operations and management of the one per cent which the Federal Government shares.

    He said “The committee established beyond all doubts that in 2013, the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan gave N2 billion to certain states of the federation but excluded other states.

    “The states that got it were all PDP states and states of other parties that were sympathetic to the PDP like Labour Party in Ondo and APGA in Anambra State. 19 states and the FCT did not get the N2 billion from the Ecological Fund.

    “These states are Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Borno, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Kwara and Lagos.

    “Others are Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory

    “So essentially what President Goodluck Jonathan did was to take N2 billion each from the Ecological fund and give to some PDP states. Any PDP state that was not his friend like Kano and Kwara didn’t get. And all the other opposition party, like no ACN state got anything, no ANPP state got anything.

    “This, the committee of the council consider discriminatory and recommended that the 19 states and the FCT that did not get the N2 billion in 2013 be given N2 billion each to level the playing field.

    “Thereafter very clear criteria for accessing the fund will be recommended to the council for the consideration of the federal government,” he said.

    According to him, there is a Presidential directive that the Ecological Fund office must maintain a balance of N20 billion out of the present N33.6 billion in the Ecological Fund.

    This, he said, is to cater for any emergency or any natural disaster requiring intervention.

    From the total money in the fund, he said that the balance of about N13 billion will be available for distribution to the states that were discriminated against.

    “As I said, 19 states and the FCT making it 20, so it isn’t enough to give them N2 billion each.” he added

    He went on “So what we did was to give an interim report on how the entire ecological fund has been utilized from May 2010 till date. And we realize that a lot of the deployment of the funds was based on discretion of the President and there is need to establish very clear criteria for the use of the 65 per cent of the federal government share among the states of the federation.

    “But the committee recommended to make partial payment to these states that were discriminated against by President Jonathan. Council defied decision on that until we submit out final report which will be submitted to NEC in the meeting of June.

    “The council appreciated the enormous work the committee did and particularly appreciated the permanent secretary of the Ecological Fund office for providing detailed information about the operations of the Fund.” he stated

    He pointed out that the N2 billion each given to the states by the former President was purely on discretionary basis and not on any identified Ecological problem or any project request.

    According to him, it was given to favoured states not based on criteria or any request based on emergency.

    “It was just a handout to favoured states and other states that were not so favoured were discriminated against.

    “So our committee recommended that to level the playing field every state be treated equally, the federal government should give those states that did not get.

    “My state got because my state was governed by the PDP and was very friendly with Jonathan. In my state the amount was used to do some Ecological projects but in some states the money simply vanished. But in my state, it didn’t vanish. The projects were done, we are looking into those projects because the prices did not look right, the quality in one or two cases is not the best but some projects were done.

    “So we are saying in fairness the other states that did not get this N2 billion on discretionary basis should be done. This is why President Buhari is here to right the wrongs of the past,” he said.

    Bauchi Governor, Mohammed Abubakar said that the Council received the report of an Ad-Hoc committee set up by NEC to study the report of the Presidential Technical Committee of the Land Use Act regulations.

    He said “The presidential committee submitted its report on 26th of September last year. As a result of that the Nigeria Governors Forum set up its own committee comprising Surveyor General of the states of the federation of Nigeria to study that report of the presidential technical committee and come up with recommendations.

    “So when NEC received the report of the committee, an adhoc committee of six was set up with myself as chairman to study both the report of the technical committee and report of the Forum of Surveyor general of the federation and then compare the two reports and make recommendations to council.

    “The reason for setting up the technical committee at the onset was because of the encumbrances being faced in the interpretations given in the Land use Act over time from the time of promulgation in 1978 to date.

    “So the adhoc committee studied the two reports and made recommendations to council.

    “The main basis of the recommendation was the observance of true federalism. You know despite the various interpretations and comments made about the Land Use Act as a unitary law, actually the Land Use Act for the first time is one Act of the federal government that has made a categorical statement with respect to federalism by conferring control over land in the governors of the states and not a unitary system where the federal government will now control land. So this was what the adhoc committee had in mind when it was making its recommendations along with the presidential committee.

    “So at the end of the day all the recommendations that tended to temper with the powers of the governors over control of lands in the state were expunged from the report of the presidential technical committee.

    “Council finally received the report of the adhoc committee favourablly, in fact Council gave another assignment to that ad committee with a view to looking at areas of conflict in the Land Use Act and the minerals Act. There are situations whereby companies will come to Abuja to the Mining Casdastal and obtain license to prospect for minerals in the state. And the go and immediately commence prospecting without minding the fact that it been granted to some other people by governors who have control over land with certificates of occupancy. So this led to a lot of conflicts. So council has extended the life of this adhoc committee to look into this with a view to making recommendations.

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha said that the Council also reviewed many money issues as it affects the nation.

    He said “We were made to understand from the office of the Accountant General that the excess crude account as at May 24th stands at $2.3 billion. Council also reviewed the discrepancies in figures and we have said that the Accountant General will go to look at it and at the next meeting he will brief the council appropriately.

    “As regards the loan support what is called the budget support facility for states which is suppose to come to an end by the end of this month, council was concerned about the fact that we are gradually coming out of recession and if this budgetary support ceases at the end of May, it might create some lapses in our bid to stabilize the economy. So council resolved that the budgetary support be extended to enable states catch up with the economy challenges of the moment.

    “The good news is that we have been reliably informed that crude production at Forcados terminal will soon commence and this will in any small way help the  economy and the stabilization of the economy and for us to get out of recession as quickly as possible.

    “But the highlight of the whole discussion today’s was a special commendation that the Council made on the Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who we have all resolved to call a systems stabilizer given the fact that Mr. President is on medical vacation, the system is still as smooth as it has always been. So, we commended the Acting President for a job well done.”

    He maintained that the Paris Club refund was not a free money, but money owed state governments.

     

  • 1m Nigerian children die yearly of lack of water – USAID

    1m Nigerian children die yearly of lack of water – USAID

    • 57m Nigerians lack access to potable water

    United State Agency for International Development (USAID), has said that over 57 million Nigerians have no access to potable water in the country.

    This was also as it said that, one million Nigerian children die yearly for lack of potable drinking water.

    USAID Mission Director, Stephen M. Haykin stated these in Kaduna on Thursday at the occasion of official launch of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

    To this end, he said the USAID is supporting the WASH programme with 2.5 million Dollars to enable Nigerians have access to potable drinking water.

    According to him, “Having a clean water and sanitation is very essential for the development of a healthy society”.

    “Research has shown that, over 57 million of the Nigerian population don’t have access to potable water and sadly, about one million Nigerian children die yearly for lack of potable drinking water,” he said.

    Earlier, WASH project Coordinator, Timeyin Uwejamomere, said the project is expected to last for two years, ending in November 2018, adding that it will primarily target urban areas and focus the States of  Bauchi and Kaduna.

    He said this was because the respective State government have demonstrated firm commitment to the water sector.

    He said, “This is why we established a country office in the city of Kaduna, and last month a satellite office was opened in Bauchi.

    “The programme will strengthen institutions as well as research and knowledge management to support urban water, sanitation and hygiene”.

    In his speech to the occasion, Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-rufai who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Malam Bashir Saidu said when Zaria water work is completed, it will provide 150 million litres of water for the populace.

    Also, the Bauchi State governor, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar regretted that the influx of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the State has increased the demand for water supply at the expense of original supply.

    He therefore pledged the commitment and political will of his government to ensure the success of the project.

  • It’s not compulsory for Buhari to preside over FEC meeting – APC governors

    It’s not compulsory for Buhari to preside over FEC meeting – APC governors

    Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the auspices of the Progressives Governors Forum rose from a meeting with members of the National Working Committee of the party Thursday night to say that it was not compulsory for President Muhammadu Buhari to preside over the Federal Executive Council meeting.

    The governors also resolved to conduct a fund raising exercise at a yet to be announced date to ensure that the activities of the national secretariat and other organs of the party that has suffered due to lack of funds function properly.

    Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai said the governors and the leadership of the party were not worried about the inability of the President to preside over the FEC meeting for the third time in a roll.

    The Kaduna governor said at 74, it was a normal thing for the President to have health challenge, pointing out that while the absence of the President from the meeting may not be unconnected with his health situation, they were “not worried about the development, it is not compulsory for the President to preside over every Federal Executive Council (FEC) that is why our constitution makes available the place of the Vice President.

    “Mr. President is 74 years old; at that age it is possible to have one ailment or the other, even I at 57 take medications for one ailment or the other. Our prayers is that the president gets better.

    “But the reason he has a Vice President is because of a time like this. It may not be as a reason of sickness that he didn’t attend FEC. He may have had other pressing issues to attend to. I have not had to chair every state Executive Council in Kaduna state because the deputy governor is there, if I have other issues of greater priority to attend to.

    “We are not worried yet or have any reason to be worried but I call on every Nigerian to join all of us to pray for the improve health of the President. It has improved in the last few weeks since he came back and we will continue to pray for his improve health.”

    On the decisions arrived at during the meeting, he said “The most important decision is that henceforth we will hold a meeting here at the National secretariat once every month.

    “This is with a view to increase the interaction, foster relations between the National and state branches of the party as well as work towards strengthening the party. We also took certain resolutions and the first is that the Progressives governors have committed to work acidulously at strengthening and rebuilding the party and ensuring reconciliation and unification of the party at all levels.

    “We have committed to providing the NWC all the support that they need. We will also engage in fund raising from our donors and sympathizers of the APC  to ensure that the National headquarters of the party and indeed all organs of the party have the wherewithal to continue with the difficult work they have been doing within the party.

    “The joint meeting between the NWC and the governors also resolved to that at our next meeting, we are going to look at the arrangements for the midterm convention and put in place the resources needed to ensure that the convention hold as required by our party.

    “The governors reinstate their loyalty to Mr. President, the Vice President and all the leaders of our party. We enjoin Nigerians to continue to pray for the improved health of the President.

    “We are proud as a party and as governors that the state governments under the APC have recorded progress in the last few months and the increasing performance of the federal government at the National level. The governors will continue to advance the course of good governance, fighting corruption, improving security in our country.”

    Four governors of the party, namely Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Godwin Obaseki of Edo state and Jibrilla Bindo of Adamawa were absent at the meeting.