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Tag: Minister of Mines and Steel Development

  • Fayemi notifies APC leaders, public on interest to run for Ekiti governorship

    Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, has notified the national and state leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) of his ambition to run for July 14, governorship election in Ekiti.

    Mr Olayinka Oyebode, Special Assistant on Media to the minister, disclosed in a statement on Thursday in Abuja that letters had been written to elders of the party, prominent citizens and traditional rulers in Ekiti.

    Fayemi, the immediate past Governor of Ekiti, in the letter, which he personally signed, also disclosed that his public declaration for the gubernatorial contest would come up at a rally in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, April 14.

    Some prominent names to which the letters were addressed include, National Chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun, National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande.

    Others are, all traditional rulers in Ekiti State, his colleagues in the Federal Executive Council (FEC), former and serving governors elected on APC platform, as well as prominent sons and daughters of Ekiti.

    The Minister had on April 2 hinted on his plan to run for the party’s ticket during the quarterly meeting of the Ekiti APC leaders at his Isan Ekiti country home.

    Ahead of the Saturday’s public declaration, the Minister had undertaken a tour of the 16 local government areas of the state, where he held meetings with local government and ward executives among others.

    Fayemi, in the letter, said his decision to join the governorship race was to join other patriots to rescue the state from the grip of the current insensitive and incompetent PDP-led administration.

    He said that the PDP-led administration has plunged the state and its people into unimaginable misery and poverty.

    “My mission in public life which has always cantered on transforming the material conditions of our people has always revolved around three imperatives.

    “The three imperatives are breaking the yoke of ignorance keeping our people down; liberating them from ill-health and other limitations that restrained them from achieving their potentials.

    “While the third one is breaking the stranglehold of poverty which keeps people from living full creative lives.

    “In practical and policy terms, this for me has always meant prioritising social investments in education, healthcare and other social interventions that reduce the cost of living, while raising the quality of life,’’ he said.

    According to him, public office is too serious to be left to charlatans.

    He said when men and women of good conscience that are committed to the ideals of social justice and the common good turn away from politics, that pave way for unprincipled opportunists to take power.

    “My convictions about how much more is possible in Ekiti stem not from any sense of entitlement but from a sense of service of obligation and posterity that positioned us for a time like this.

    “There is much that we have to repair and redress in Ekiti before we can go forward.’’

    The minister’s central message at various meetings during the tour dwelled on the need for all APC members to unite to successfully confront and defeat the incumbent PDP government in the state, come July 14. (NAN)

  • Mining: Fed Govt to spend N20b on exploration

    Mining: Fed Govt to spend N20b on exploration

    The Federal Government  plans to spend N20b more on data exploration, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development Dr Kayode Fayemi has said.

    The money, he said would employed to further generate information on other aspects of exploration which has been a major challenge in the sector.

    He also revealed that the government has paid for and retrieved arial survey that was conducted years ago, but was not paid for by previous governments, that can now be used by mining investors.

    Speaking yesterday in Abuja at the Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification Project (MINDIVER), done in collaboration with the World Bank, Fayemi said Nigeria now takes the lead in regional efforts to develop mining, especially within the framework of the Africa Mining Vision.

    He said: “It is noteworthy that in addition to funding support from multilateral agencies, partnerships on technical cooperation have also been brokered or re-activated with several foreign governments.

    “Existing technical partnerships have been operationalised with the governments of South Africa, China, Australia, Canada, the UK and US. Nigeria now takes the lead in regional efforts to develop mining, especially within the framework of the Africa Mining Vision., he stated.

    Fayemi said he ministry is finalising plans to spend another N20billon on exploration and the process has just been concluded, saying many of our expert institutions applied and we believe it will lead to further information being generated and further data being provided, in those area of exploration which have been a challenge.

    He said the ministry has  retrieved the Arial survey that was conducted years ago, which was not paid for by government, we finally paud for it and retrieved the data for the use of mining investors.

  • Playing games

    Playing games

    What is happening in Ekiti State?  Here, a January 24 report:  “The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has accused the Ekiti State government of blocking his efforts to get the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the report of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry, which barred him from holding office for 10 years. Fayemi said the Ayo Fayose administration had been frustrating his efforts to get the report, more than one week after it was made public with release of its White Paper. He accused the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Dupe Alade, as well as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Kolapo Kolade, of ignoring his written applications for the CTC of the panel’s report.”

    This is a curious development as the panel released the report on December 13, 2017, while the White Paper was endorsed by the State Executive Council and made available to the media on January 15. The White Paper barred ex-governor Fayemi and his Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Oladapo Kolawole, from holding public office for 10 years, and also said that the two men should refund over N2 billion to the state.

    Fayemi’s lawyer, Rafiu Balogun, told reporters that his client needed the CTC of the panel’s report to challenge the recommendations in court. According to him, “We caused a letter to be written to the Secretary to the Commission, Mr. Gbemiga Daramola, but he asserted that having submitted the report to the governor, the commission had concluded its assignment and wound up. He, therefore, directed us to the SSG.”

    Balogun said: “We quickly wrote to the SSG on January 11, and it was received on January 12. We also wrote to the Attorney General of Ekiti State, requesting for the report, since he chairs the committee to review the report and advise government on the White Paper.”

    Fayemi’s legal team, which described the government’s attitude as “lackadaisical,”  had given the officials seven days to make available the CTC of the report of the commission of enquiry and other documents submitted by the seven-member panel headed by Justice Silas Oyewole (retd).

    From the look of things, the Fayose administration is playing games, but this is not a game.  Rather, the government should play the game, meaning that it should do what is decent and honourable.

  • 300 get relief materials in Ekiti

    300 get relief materials in Ekiti

    Not less than 300 victims of natural disasters in Ekiti State had cause to smile  as the Federal Government commenced distribution of relief materials to them.

    Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, inaugurated the distribution on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari with the assurance of more relief materials from the Federal Government.

    Fayemi said Buhari was concerned about the plight of victims of natural disasters such as rainstorm and flood many of who had been rendered homeless.

    Relief materials distributed included bags of rice, millet, cement, corrugated iron sheets, nails, blankets, mats, clothings, asbestos, underwear, toiletries and detergents, among others.

    The minister was joined in the distribution exercise by the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Mustapha Yinusa Maihaja, Governor Ayo Fayose, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Emergency Matters, Mr. Akinwale Rasheed and General Manager of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Femi Osasona.

    The event, which took place at Ekiti State Office of NEMA located at Ajebamidele area of Ado-Ekiti was witnessed by beneficiaries, emergency officials and leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Fayemi revealed that Buhari, who was concerned about the effects of rainstorm and flood on the people of Ekiti State ordered NEMA to send the relief materials for distribution.

    The minister further explained that Buhari was ready to assist all Nigerians irrespective of their political affiliation, religion, ethnic background, culture and language.

    He stressed that Ekiti State had received much assistance from the Buhari administration since assumption of office in May, 2015. They include two tranches of bailout funds, Budget Support Fund for 13 months, Paris Club refund and N2 billion ecological funds.

    Fayemi said: “What NEMA is doing is not the first time the Federal Government under President Buhari is coming to the rescue of our people.

    “The President believes that he is the President of all Nigerians and that is why the states that had benefited most from his government are opposition states because it is Nigerians that are living and working there.

    “That is the message of Mr. President, he is the President of all Nigerians regardless of race, party affiliation, race, religion, culture and language. He will always work for all Nigerians as long as they are Nigerians.”

    In a chat with reporters, Fayemi further said: “You have heard of Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Harma and disaster in Puerto Rico and other places and these happen as a result of climate change.

    “So, all we can do is to ensure that we are better prepared and NEMA under Mr. Maihaja is better prepared for this.

    “I have seen him in places such as Benue, Kogi and other places where he have series of floods. The best we can do is to be prepared like the Boys Scout motto indicates. We know the period when these things happen.”

    Fayose, who spoke through Rasheed said: “We are grateful that NEMA is extending hands of fellowship to victims in our state. On behalf of the state governor and the entire people of the state, we sincerely thank NEMA for assisting the flood victims.”

    Earlier in his remarks, NEMA D-G Maihaja, noted that Ekiti was one of the states that first experienced rainstorm around February which he said was witnessed in about 27 other states.

    Maihaja said climate change caused many natural disasters to victims across the country, noting that natural disasters and floods can overstretch federal and state governments.

    He added: “On behalf of my agency, we express our deep concern and sympathy to all the people that were affected.

    “We have brought some of the materials with which we are inaugurating the scheme to alleviate the suffering of the people.

    “Incidences such as floods and rainstorms are natural disasters which we humans cannot stop but NEMA will continue to assist victims to live

    their normal lives through relief materials and rescue operations.”

    When asked on the cost of the materials, Maihaja said: It is difficult to say anything about the cost now due to some factors but the cost can be provided later.”

     

  • Attract investors to Nigeria ­- Osinbajo

    Attract investors to Nigeria ­- Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday urged the ambassadors-designate to use their positions to attract investors and enhance the Foreign Direct Investment of the country.

    Osinbajo made the call in Abuja at the closing ceremony of a five-day induction programme for the 45 non-career ambassadors-designate.

    He said that the present administration was determined to create a favourable environment for investors by making the process of doing business very easy.

    He said: “Use your position as ambassadors to serve and attract investors to the country.

    “We have been working on so many things on ease of doing business in the country.

    “One of the key measures is visa on arrival for investors, the implementation of which will attract investors to the country,” he said.

    Osinbajo said that another one was getting approval on doing business as well as the one stop shop policy of the government

    The vice president challenged the ambassadors-designate to be friendly in their relationships and be good image makers of the country.

    “We need to know that persons need to be served with dignities and respect, this is very important,” he said.

    The Vice President said that the government would work very hard to put in place all that would be needed to make the embassies what is expected of them.

    According to the Vice President, Nigeria is fortunate to have the crop of the ambassadors-designate to represent the nation in various countries across the world.

    “It is also an incredible opportunity and privilege to represent your country in various countries you will be posted.

    It is in my view a very wholesome responsibility and honour for you to represent your country and given opportunity to serve the nation,” he said.

    Earlier,  Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, urged the ambassadors-designate to attract investors into the mining sector of the economy.

    Fayemi said that the ministry had put in place measures to end the exportation of raw solid mineral by miners.

    He said that the move to end the era of exporting unprocessed solid minerals from the country was part of the ministry’s roadmap.

    He said that any miner ready to invest in the sector must be willing to set up processing plants in host communities in order to create jobs for the people.

    Fayemi said that whosoever that could not afford setting up a plant should collaborate with others.

     

  • Fayemi slams N3bn libel suit against Fayose’s Aaides

    Fayemi slams N3bn libel suit against Fayose’s Aaides

    Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has dragged a member of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Samuel Omotoso and Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka to court for libel.

    Fayemi, the immediate past governor of Ekiti State, is claiming N3 billion as damages from Omotoso and Olayinka in a libel suit filed by his counsel, Rafiu Balogun, before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja for alleged offensive statements made against him (Fayemi).

    The Minister’s action follows the failure of the defendants to retract the libellous statements and tender public apology as demanded by Balogun, in a letter dated November 19, 2016.

    According copies of court papers made available to reporters on Wednesday, the plaintiff is seeking among others, payment of an aggravated damages to the tune of N3billion.

    (N2billion against Lere Olayinka, the first defendant and another N1 billion aggravated damages against Dr. Omotoso, the second defendant.)

    Besides these, the plaintiff is also seeking a retraction of the offensive statements/utterances; a public apology to be published and aired on Ekiti State Television (EKTV) and Channels Television as well as the social media.

    He is also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from publishing or making statements or utterances similar or further libelous publications or statements or utterances against the plaintiff.

    The duo of Omotoso and Olayinka had during an EKTV live programme also broadcast on a cable network Startimes, tagged Ejiire on July 6, 2016 alleged that Fayemi illegally took N1.5b from Ekiti treasury and gave it to the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, to win the 2015 presidential election.

    Olayinka also said that Fayemi illegally collected N5b from Ecobank in the name of Fountain Holdings for purported road construction.

    He also alleged that Fayemi spent the state’s funds to build a private university for himself in Ghana.

    For failing to retract the offending statements and tender public apology within the stipulated period, Fayemi’s counsel is asking the court for reliefs compelling the defendants to pay damages for the statements against him which had portrayed him as a “very corrupt public office holder and fraudulent person who siphoned public funds at the detriment of Ekiti citizens while serving as governor”.

    Balogun also argued that his client was exposed to “public ridicule, odium, opprobrium, embarrassment and unprecedented disrepute”, arguing that the duo had done “incalculable and tremendous injury to our client’s image and personality as an international figure”.

    The plaintiff averred that having regard to the nature of the libel, the wider publication of the offending statements and posting same on Internet, and having done it maliciously and failure to apologise to him when requested to do so, he is entitled to aggravated damages from the defendants.

    No date has been fixed for hearing of the case.