The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesome Wike, has resumed office with the minister of state, Mariya Mahmud.
They arrived at FCTA at about 1:20 pm after the swearing-in ceremony at the presidential villa.
The former Rivers state governor was accompanied by a large crowd into the FCTA.
…Vows to develop local capabilities
The management and staff of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) were in celebration mood as the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu commissioned seven projects completed by the institute in Lagos recently.
The projects are the newly constructed Library complex, newly constructed Animal house/ Toxicology laboratory, Spawn production laboratory, renovated Sensory Laboratory, and renovated Laboratory for CFET department, renovated Foundry building and renovated Electroplating building.
Onu at the occasion reiterated federal government commitment to stimulate the various sectors of country’s economy using local research findings from the Ministry and the parastatals such as FIIRO.
According to Onu, his ministry is currently intensifying its efforts in the development of indigenous capabilities and their domestication for national industrial and economic development.
“Several technologies and R&D results/products have been developed by FMST’s Research Institutions which are readily available for commercialisation, with a view to supporting the economic diversification needed for wholesome national rebirth.
“Of course, the Ministry recently held an Exposition that attracted numerous entrepreneurs, investors, industrialists, innovators and inventors among others, which greatly impacted on the business community, facilitated industrial linkages with research and development,” Onu stressed.
He disclosed that in a bid to contribute to the economic development of the county, agencies of the Ministry such as the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI), FIIRO, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), have established centres in different states of the federation to provide support to SMEs across the country.
“They have trained and empowered so many entrepreneurs through their various technologies and innovative skills programmes. My Ministry is very committed to this diversification process using the tool of STI and will continue to support actions that will support economic diversification, entrepreneurship and employing the suitable technologies towards promoting SMEs for economic growth”, he stressed.
He commended Gloria Elemo, the Director General and the entire management of FIIRO for embarking on these projects and making them a reality.
“These facilities when available for research and academic purposes help institutions to recruit and retain top researchers. There is global competition for top researchers, and only institutional reputation is key to attracting them. The facilities will also help researchers win research grants and this is critically – important, especially now that government alone can no longer fund research due to dwindling revenue at the disposal of the government. They are very important for researchers to exploit the full benefits and opportunities of the networked world, including such developments as open access and social media.
“I wish to state that the establishment of these modern facilities is very apt particularly at this period when the world has become a global village. I strongly believe that these facilities will provide the needed medium for interactions among our researchers and their colleagues all over the world,” Onu stressed.
In her welcome address, Prof. (Mrs). Gloria Elemo DG FIIRO expressed her delight over the commissioning of the completed capital projects at the institute by the minister.
Elemo disclosed that the efforts of management and creative leadership in creating an enabling environment for research to thrive and the effort of scientists at FIIRO who according to her toil endlessly, using what is available to them to churn out laudable research and development.
“One of the projects that we are proud of is the newly completed building complex housing both the library and extension &linkages department. The building replaces the very old and outdated library which has been in existence since 1957, just a year after FIIRO was established.
“I cannot overemphasise the importance of a functional and updated library in a Research institution. The developed world has since been benefiting from a knowledge-driven economy and the time has come for us as a people and institute to have a world-standard library where knowledge can be acquired, disseminated and even accommodate development of new knowledge,”Elemo noted.
She says FIIRO is heading towards becoming a place where core researchers of the institute can sharpen their minds and develop new ideas from existing ones and also, doing so in tranquility; which is sometimes required in the birthing of new ideas and honing of old ones.
She stated that another aspect of this building that is critical to FIIRO’s progress is the Extension and Linkages department, which is charged with effectively and efficiently connecting FIIRO with the world through its partnership and coordination offices.
She pointed out that the institute has worked on virtually all the raw materials available in Nigeria both agro-based and mineral resources excluding oil and gas, adding that It has developed over 250 technologies since inception based on the locally available raw materials through its R&D activities.
“About 500,000 techno-entrepreneurs have been trained at the institute through its various technology transfer and entrepreneurship development training programmes. Most of these entrepreneurs have set up profitable businesses generating millions of employments through multiplier effect thereby reducing poverty, creating wealth and conserving foreign exchange.
“Today, the institute pride itself as a major technology provider to the MSMEs in Nigeria. This building serves as a learning hub where MSMEs can acquire knowledge that would help them grow their businesses as well as tap into FIIRO’s developed technologies to enhance their opportunities,” Elemo stressed.
The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, has stated that the nation has achieved huge success in the fight against HIV/AIDS and commended the APIN Public Health Initiatives in the role the organisation has played in achieving the said success.
The Minister was speaking at the public presentation of the book, Turning the Tide: AIDS in Nigeria, produced by APIN which was held in Abuja on Thursday. The minister said the contribution of numerous prevention strategies and availability of drugs have led to changes in the narratives of the epidemic.
“We have achieved tremendous success in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. The contribution of highly anti-retroviral drugs and numerous prevention strategies resulted in phenomenal changes in the narrative. Even though a definitive cure has yet to be found, people living with HIV who have access to the drugs can now live normal life, Adewole said.
He added that the disease could now be managed like any other chronic disease; adding that the nation has witnessed a significant reduction in the prevalence even far lower than was recorded at the beginning of various interventions.
“Four weeks ago, President Muhammadu Buhari announced the result of the largest HIV related population based survey. That result is something we are now celebrating. The prevalence rise from 1.8 per cent in 1991 to its peak of 5.8 per cent in 2001 and it began to decline. Today, 1.9 million people in Nigeria are infected, the Minister stated.
In his opening remarks, the chief executive officer of APIN, Dr. Prosper Okonkwo, said the book launch was a day of gladness and joy for the organisation. He added that the book launch was a culmination of three years of serious work to produce the book.
He said after the first book written 13 years ago and with noticeable improvement in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and the increasing drop in the prevalence of the disease, the organisation felt the need to write another book.
With more than a decade of massive scale up of comprehensive HIV/AIDS programme in Nigeria with domestic and international funding mainly from the US government, Global Fund, philanthropic foundations and other bilateral and multilateral donors, the national programme has enough accomplishments worth documenting in another book, Okonkwo stated.
Minister of Water Resources Suleman Adamu has said 47 million Nigerians defecate openly, making the country first in Africa and second in the world.
Speaking at separate ceremonies to celebrate attainment of the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status by Yala and Ikom local governments of Cross River State at the weekend, Adamu said over two-third of Nigeria’s population could not access basic sanitation.
With this, five councils in the state has ODF status under the Community-led Health Improvement through Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (CHISHPIN) project.
He said while the country made progress in safe water supply, the same could not be said of sanitation.
The minister, represented by Emma Eze, said although there was a roadmap to eliminate open defecation in the country by 2025, launched in 2016, the operation had been slow.
He said through the Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) approach by sub-national governments and partners, 10 councils had been certified ODF, with Cross River having five.
The head of administration in both councils promised to work hard to sustain the status.
Project Manager of CHISHPIN Mr Oliver Orok said ODF meant every household and institution had ended open defecation, with basic and improved facilities.
He said the people now enjoy the benefits of living in an open defecation-free environment, with improved health and wellbeing, increased socio-economic activity, reduced school absenteeism and a dignified life.
He said CHISHPIN was a 1.6 million pound project, coving three councils (Biase, Ikom and Yala) in a three-year sanitation and hygiene intervention.
Everyone, he said, could access sanitation and end open defecation, thereby reducing diarrhoea prevalence in children under five.
He said the project, with United Purpose as executing agency, was funded by the United Kingdom through the UKAID Direct Impact Project.
Programme Manager of United Purpose Nanpet Chuktu thanked those who contributed to the success, and urged the communities to sustain their new status.
AS ‘facts are emerging,’ so are events unfolding on the drama of last week involving former Ogun State governor and director-general of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
OGD, as his admirers call him, shocked not a few last week when he renounced his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and quit partisan politics.
Just as analysts and observers were wondering what could have happened came a report that he would join the All Progressives Congress (APC). His supporters, mostly women, thronged his palatial residence in Shagamu, wailing, rolling on the ground, cursing, vowing not to leave until he rescinded his decision to quit politics and lead them to the APC. Some, we were told, even held his legs, saying they would not let him go unless he agreed to take them to the APC. As a man of the people, he concurred. But less than 24 hours later came another statement saying that he was not APC-bound.
Sentry immediately went in search of the real gist, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Before his appointment as the DG of the Atiku campaign organisation, Daniel’s political ambition was said to have been hurt when the PDP caved in to pressure from the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, to change the zoning of the national chairmanship position of the party from the South West to the South-South, with Wike-backed Uche Secondus becoming the National Chairman of the party.
While Daniel was still smarting from the injury inflicted on his plan for a shot at the chairmanship seat of PDP, and perhaps as a way of appeasing his bruised ego, he was offered an appointment as the DG of Atiku’s campaign organisation. On account of his appointment, he toured the length and breadth of the country campaigning vigorously for Atiku. But like a bolt from the blue, Atiku brought in the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, as the de facto director-general of his campaign organisation, sidelining Daniel and re-designing his function. Saraki thus became the big boss and the all in all, so much so that even the disbursement of campaign funds was entirely his game.
Although Daniel was far from being a happy man, he endured the situation in the hope that Atiku would win the presidential race and he (Daniel) would be compensated or appreciated. But the election came and it was President Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who emerged victorious. Daniel’s hope was thus dashed and his expectation of serving at the federal level, perhaps as a minister, became a pipe dream.
It was in the foregoing circumstance that Dapo Abiodun, the governorship candidate of APC in Ogun State (now governor-elect) offered Daniel a window of opportunity. The two are not only kinsmen from Remo land, they have been very close friends. Abiodun was reputed to be very close to Daniel while the latter held sway as Ogun State governor. To those who know how close they had been, it was not a surprise when Daniel publicly endorsed Abiodun and disowned Buruji Kashamu, the candidate of PDP.
In the fight between Ladi Adebutu and Kashamu over the governorship ticket of the PDP in Ogun State, Daniel had supported Adebutu who, incidentally, was the candidate recognised by the party at the national level. But because of the crisis over who was the right candidate, Atiku skipped Ogun during his presidential campaign. That again infuriated Daniel who believed that Atiku should have stood by him and the candidate recognised by the party at the national level. What mattered the most at that point was principle, but Atiku was neither here nor there.
Then came the carrot Abiodun allegedly dangled before Daniel, which became the joker upon which Daniel publicly endorsed him and eventually quit the PDP. Reliable sources told Sentry that the Ogun State governor-elect had promised to nominate Daniel for ministerial appointment. President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to run an all-inclusive government; the implication being that Daniel’s chances of ministerial appointment would be brighter if he is not in PDP.
But tongues are already wagging in the state over Abiodun’s alleged promise of ministerial appointment to Daniel. Apart from the imbalance in the spread of appointments which such a gesture could cause, many are asking how Chief Olusegun Osoba and other party chieftains who worked hard for the party’s success would react to it.
Nigeria’s economy has turned the corner and is now firmly on the path of growth, Budget and National Planning Minister, Udoma Udo Udoma has said.
Pointing to the recently released fourth quarter numbers by the National Bureau of Statistics, the Minister told a gathering of media practitioners at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre, that the report shows the strongest performance since the economy emerged from recession.
“It shows that 39 out of 46 economic activities are now growing. Agriculture is growing; Manufacturing is growing, and Services has recorded its best performance in 11 quarters. Particularly notable is the fact that the growth is driven by the non-oil sector which has recorded its strongest growth since the fourth quarter of 2015. In short, we have turned the corner and are now firmly on the path of growth, he said”
Senator Udoma said the current real GDP growth performance is most encouraging and shows a movement in a very positive direction, especially with regard to the non-oil sector performance; and assured that with the Buhari Administration’s continuing commitment to the implementation of the ERGP, the economy is expected to further strengthen in 2019, and over the medium term.
He explained that at inception the administration faced real crisis in the economy which included a sharp drop in oil revenues with consequent fiscal challenges as the Federal Government had to struggle to meet its commitments while many states were unable to pay salaries on a regular basis.
Investors and businessmen complained about the difficulties they encountered in doing business in Nigeria; Foreign reserves had dropped from $37.33 billion in June 2014 to $23.81 billion in September 2016 and inflation had risen from 9.2 per cent in June 2015 and peaked at 18.5 per cent in December 2016 coupled with exchange rate instability as the Naira lost value in the parallel market, ultimately falling to as low as N520/$.
These, he further explained, led to the economy dipping into recession by the second quarter of 2016 registering GDP contraction of -1.49 per cent from where it dipped further to -2.34 per cent by the third quarter. Government had to take immediate steps to stop the economic drift and reverse the collapse, he added.
He enumerated the steps to include the introduction of an expansionary budget in 2016 christened the Budget of Change, because once an economy begins to decline and goes into recession, the private sector is usually reluctant to invest.
Kuje link road is to be dualised this year, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello said at the weekend.
He made this known when he led the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign train to Kuje Area Council to begin the party’s campaign tour of Abuja.
Before proceeding to the rally ground, the Minister who is the APC campaign council chairman led his team to pay homage to the Gomo of Kuje, the monarch of the town, Alhaji Haruna Tanko Jibrin.
The Minister announced that the project for the dualization of the main arterial road linking Kuje with the Umar Musa Yar’Adua Airport Express Road is under procurement this financial year.
He noted that this was in recognition of the growing importance of the town as a major satellite town in Abuja.
Bello stated that he brought the goodwill of President Muhammadu Buhari to the people of Kuje, while using the occasion to formally inform the royal that the party has chosen President Buhari to recontest in recognition of the developmental strides recorded in his first term in office.
His words: “We have come to notify Your Royal Highness of Mr. President’s acceptance of the call for his service to continue the good work he had started. He used the first time to lay foundation while the second term would be to consolidate on the great works he had begun in order to take Nigeria to the Next Level. “
Bello acknowledged that the reign of the Kuje monarch has been marked by peace and prosperity in the chiefdom as evidenced by the rapid expansion and development being experienced in the town year-on-year basis.
The Minister used the occasion of the visit to introduce the various APC candidates to the monarch namely, Hon. Zephaniah Jisalo for Senate, Zakari Angulu Dobi for House of Representatives and Abdulahi Galadima for Kuje Chairmanship.
He stated that he was impressed with the massive support that Buhari has in Kuje Area Council and requested that the people should do the same for the various candidates as to provide Mr. President with trusted lieutenants he would work with.
According to a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Cosmas Uzodinma, the campaign train thereafter proceeded to the Kuje Townhall to meet a rousing welcome and chants of “Nigeria Sai Buhari.”
THE cold working relationship between the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd) and the police ended yesterday as he explained how difficult it was working with the immediate past Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris.
Dambazau, who expressed sadness over what transpired during Idris’s tenure, said such should be avoided in the future.
The minister, who spoke in Abuja when the new Acting IGP, Mohammed Adam, paid him a working visit, said: “I congratulate the Acting Inspector General of Police. I appreciate your coming here recognising the significant of the Ministry of Interior following its supervisory mandate of the police and other agencies and also its mandate in internal security and public safety.
“Because we are happy that you took this step because since November 2015 that I came in here as minister, Mr. Solomon Arase, who was the then Inspector General of Police, we had cordial relationship.
“But after Arase left, I think there was perseverance of relationship between the police and the Ministry of Interior. Not completely because most of our dealings in terms of internal security and public safety was with the present DIG Operations because we thought we must do everything possible regardless to ensure that we ensure our mandate in terms of police and also ensure that the police as an institution does not suffer. We are glad today that you came in with different idea to strengthen this relationship.”
The minister added: “Throughout the three years, we have presented more than 25 memorandums to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) that have to do with policies and projects. But none of those 25 memorandums that went to FEC included the police. So, this is the kind of things that we should avoid. You need a parent ministry to represent you at FEC. Except few memorandums that came from the Police Academy. I think we need to work together, particularly with the kind of internal security challenges we are experiencing in this country. We appreciate the idea of community policing. Ours stops at making policies, but for implementation, it is absolutely yours. We will not interfere in that.”
He assured the new police boss of support, adding: “This ministry will give you all the support you need to succeed. We will work hard with you as you have suggested that there are internal security challenges and we will provide for Nigeria the kind of security they deserve.”
On his part, the new police boss acknowledged the fact that there was crisis between the Ministry of Interior and the police.
He promised to change the old ways of operations and embrace peace in order to tackle the country’s internal security.
Adam also vowed to always attend meetings summoned by the minister when necessary.
His words: “It is a privilege to be received by you today. Since my appointment as the Acting Inspector General of Police, my thought was first to visit the Ministry of Interior because it is very important.
“We are aware of the fact that most policy issues concerning police operations comes from the Ministry of Interior and we don’t want to be left out.
“We want to be deeply involved in the activities of the ministry. We want the minister to know that we (police) are 100 per cent ready to participate in every activity in the ministry that will involve security.
“We do have challenges involving security in the country; challenges that can be surmounted with the support of the parent ministry.
“If in the past we were not participating the way we should in the ministry, but now we have retraced our steps to come back and do the needful for the benefit of the country and for the benefit of everybody. That is the reason why we are here. After this meeting, I will go into a closed door meeting with the minister.”
Findings revealed that the former IGP Ibrahim Idris did not personally attend any meeting summoned by Dambazau since assumption of office.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of using state resources for electioneering campaign.
It is all lies, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said.
Besides, the president has said he would not open the treasury for campaign funding
Atiku said Buhari and the APC had been acting contrary to claims by the President that he would not use state resources for election.
In a statement yesterday by his Media Adviser, Mr. Paul Ibe, the PDP presidential candidate called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to sanction the President and the APC for violating the constitution and the Electoral Act.
The statement said: “Recall that the National Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had in December of last year warned incumbent office holders against using state resources or apparatuses for their campaigns, or deploying same against their opponents.
“Prof. Yakubu, who issued the warning at a lecture titled: “Political corruption and other emerging issues for the 2019 elections” in Abuja, noted that the commission has the power to monitor campaign financing and sources of funds according to the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
“However, in negation of the constitution and the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, the Buhari administration and the APC have taken to the illegal deployment of state resources to its advantage for the election.
“We wish to remind President Buhari and the APC that the use of state videos released by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture is illegal under the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
“The media is awash with advertisements with the hashtag #PMBDIDIT and signed by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and referencing so-called achievements of the APC administration in the states of Abia, Kwara, Lagos, Ebonyi, Delta and Kano, among others.”
These, Atiku said, were without doubt, 2019 presidential campaign materials produced by the Ministry of Information and Culture using state resources and apparatuses to benefit President Buhari.
“This appalling conduct, which is clearly in violation of Section 100 of the Electoral Act, is even more shocking when it is recalled that the state resources being used to the illegal advantage of President Buhari are being drawn from agencies which for over three years, prior to this election, failed to perform their duties to the benefit of Nigerian citizens. The Ministry of Information and Culture must stop this illegality immediately.
“We demand that INEC issues an immediate cease and desist order to both the Ministry of Information and Culture and to the broadcast channels running it.
“We also insist that INEC register the media spend behind it as part of the APC’s total N1 billion campaign spend limit.”
It urged INEC to warn the ruling party to refrain from such conduct.
“Now that the party has clearly flouted the law in negation of the electoral umpire’s warning, we urge that INEC sanctions them accordingly,” the PDP said.
Atiku, also yesterday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, in continuation of his campaign for the forthcoming presidential election, pledged that women and youths will constitute 70 per cent of his cabinet, if elected president on February 16.
He said youths will constitute 40 per cent of his cabinet while women will have 30 per cent, noting specifically that the Minister of Sports will not be more than 30 years of age.
The former vice president, however, cautioned the ruling APC and security agencies over any plot to rig the forthcoming general elections, even as he called on electorates to shun religious politics.
Atiku has also restated his commitment to the total defeat of the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and other parts of the Northeast geopolitical zone.
Mohammed, last night, denied that Buhari’s administration is using state resources to fund the President’s re-election.
He said the allegation by Atiku Campaign Organisation and the PDP amounted to suffering from acute paranoia.
He said the massive achievements of the Buhari administration have rattled PDP and the Atiku Campaign Organisation.
The minister said: “It is up to those who made the accusation on the use of state resources for electioneering campaign to prove it, in line with the maxim that he who alleges must prove.”
In a statement through his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Segun Adeyemi, the minister said the PDP candidate’s action was an acknowledgement of the administration’s impressive achievements.
The minister said: “In publicising the activities and achievements of the Federal
Government, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture is only carrying out its statutory role. Long before the elections, the ministry has used various platforms, including Town Hall Meetings, to publicise the activities and achievements of the administration.
”We understand that the PDP and the Atiku Campaign Organisation have been rattled by the achievements as well as the effectiveness of the campaign to publicise them. We are sorry we can’t help them.”
He, however, expressed surprise that the PDP that said the Buhari government has not achieved anything has now turned around to admit that the media is awash with video testimonies from Nigerians on the administration’s achievements.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, on Wednesday resigned her appointment from President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
She left the cabinet following her emergence as the House of Representatives candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) for the Damaturu/Tarmuwa/Gujba/Gulani federal constituency of Yobe State.
She defeated her son-in-law, Mohammed Bukar Abba Ibrahim to emerge flag bearer of the party in the party as primaries in October last year.
She had scored 1,295 votes while her stepson got 15 votes.
Hajiya Ibrahim who was appointed minister in 2015, is the sixth minister to resigned from the federal cabinet.
She confirmed to State House correspondents that Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting was going to be her last, shortly before the commencement of the meeting.
Her resignation comes a month after the former Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril, resigned following his declaration as the 13th Emir on December 7th, 2018 following his selection by the Nasarawa Emirate Council and subsequent approval by Governor Tanko Umaru Almakura.
Others that have resigned are Hajiya Amina Mohammed, on 24 February 2017. This followed her appointment at the United Nations as UN Deputy Secretary-General.
She served as a minister from 11 November 2015 to 15 December 2016
Kayode Fayemi, the governor of Ekiti state also resigned as the Minister of Mines and Steel development on May 30, 2018 to pursue his political ambition.
On September 14th, the Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun had resigned following the scandal that trailed her forged National Youth Service Commission (NYSC) exemption certificate.
Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Aisha Alhassan, also resigned from the cabinet and from the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Alhassan had claimed that her resignation was due to her disqualification in the screening for the 2019 Taraba state governorship contest by the APC National Working Committee.