The Nation Newspaper

Tag: minister

  • ARIAN protests non-inclusion in Insurance Bill Review Committee by minister

    ARIAN protests non-inclusion in Insurance Bill Review Committee by minister

    AGENTS are protesting their exclusion in the proposed committee on the review of the Insurance (Consolidated) Bill by the Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

    To this end, the Association of Registered Insurance Agents of Nigeria (ARIAN) has written to the minister and NAICOM, asking that they be absorbed into the committee.

    The Ministry of Finance had constituted a 10-member committee to review the Insurance Bill to make it conform with the ideals of insurance practice and also ensures an efficient industry.

    ARIAN President Olamerun Gbadebo told The Nation that the committee would be incomplete without agents.

    He said the association has a lot to contribute to enhance retail business considered to be the panacea to insurance growth.

    He noted that it was in the interest of the industry if the agents were allowed to contribute to the review.

    He said it had become obvious that the government is the biggest insurance client with businesses like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and group life insurance policy, among others.

    He added that it had also become clear that with the dwindling oil price, the government might not have money to insure all of its assets and properties hence the need to enhance retail business.

    He said: “The fundamentals to increase insurance premium is to invest into the retail arm of the industry and the insurance agents represent the retail segment. The retail segment can fill in the gap of the dwindling oil price while it bounces back.

    “The industry need concentrate on how insurance premium will grow and also increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while the price of oil bounces back.”

    Reacting to the development, NAICOM said it is not responsible for setting of the committee.

    Spokesman to the Commission, Rasaaq Salami said NAICOM is only a member of the Committee and so there is nothing they can do about their exclusion from the committee.

    According to him, the bill has been with the Ministry of Finance.

    The review is expected to form the basis for a new draft bill, which will be sent to the National Assembly for consideration.

    Minister of Finance said the review committee with members drawn from the public and private sectors, was to submit its report within three months.

    The Review Committee, which is yet to be inaugurated, is chaired by Dr. Omogbai-Omo Eboh, a renowned expert in Insurance Law, while Dr. Talmiz Usman (Head of Legal Department, NAICOM is the Secretary.

    Other members include a representative of the Ministry of Finance; a representative of the National Insurance Commission; a representative of Nigeria Insurers’ Association (NIA), and a representative of Nigeria Council of Registered Insurance Brokers.

    Members of the committee also include a representative of the Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria; a representative of the Attorney- General of the Federation, Kamar Raji and Dr. Ladi Hamalai of the National Institute of Legal Studies.

    The minister said the activities of the Review Committee would be  funded by NAICOM, which is the statutory agency of the Federal Government.

    According to the minister, the terms of reference of the committee include a critical review of the draft Insurance (Consolidated) Bill, to make it a framework or principle-based legislation; a comparative review of the bill to align it with the powers of other financial regulators as well as an examination of  market problems and recommendation of appropriate regulatory powers to allow the regulator, act appropriately.

  • Minister laments dearth of industries

    The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment,  Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah has described as scandalous the sorry state of the nation’s industries, saying a situation where Nigeria in the 21st century is battling to industrialise and expect her products to compete with nations whose industrial revolutions took place centuries ago is proving difficult.

    Enelamah who spoke during his maiden meeting with Chief Executives of agencies under his ministry and the Heads of Department of the Ministry in Abuja, said: “There was no rocket science in massive industrialisation and foreign direct investment as government will not compromise on the policy of ease of doing business in Nigeria.”

    While pledging his commitment to ensure complete industrialisation of the country as well as attract investment from both local and international partners as well as restoring order in the operations and management of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria through inter-agency synergy and collaborations, the minister however warned that the current administration would not spare any Ministry and Department Agencies of government that becomes a clog in the wheel of national aspiration of simplifying operational requirements for investors who want to invest in the economy.

  • $750m Abacha loot coming, says minister

    $750m Abacha loot coming, says minister

    •Nigeria owes N75b judgment debts

    Nigeria will receive additional $750 million “Abacha loot”, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has said.

    Malami, who spoke at an interactive session with the House of  Representatives Committee on Justice, yesterday said his ministry would  also recover £6.9 million “Ibori loot”.

    He said: “In respect of of the recovery of looted assets, the ministry will engage in a Mutual Legal Assistance Agreements or other bilateral and multilateral instruments to seek cooperation with other jurisdictions to ensure the repatriation of illicitly- acquired assets in foreign jurisdictions.

    “ The collaboration will equally involve the engagement of foreign-based counsel to attend to matters on behalf of the Federal Government. Low-hanging fruits being targeted in this initiative include $750 million ‘Abacha loot’ as well as  £6.9 million of the ‘Ibori loot’. In the long run, the ministry will coordinate the recovery of billions of dollars in foreign jurisdictions, based on current estimations.”

    The minister also said the country owed N75 billion in judgment debts. “ It is equally necessary to highlight the fact that the ministry’s liability for judgment debt is N75 billion.

    “ The ministry has, however, proposed N16 billion to meet a portion of the outstanding sum in 2016, of which the Budget Office proposed N709, 155,140.00, which does not meet one per cent of the debts,” he said.

    On terrorism, he said: “My ministry is processing approximately 800 terrorism cases  for prosecution. The resources required for the successful prosecution of these cases as well as the coordination of the Criminal Justice Sector as envisaged under the ACIA, were captured in the proposal made us to the Ministry of Finance.”

    Chairman of the Committee Razak Atunwa said the purpose of the interaction was to allow the committee appraise the situation in the ministry and deliberate on finding solutions to challenges it might encounter.

  • Reps, minister in mild drama over suspension of NITDA DG

    Reps, minister in mild drama over suspension of NITDA DG

    EFFORTS by the House of Representatives’ committees on Communication and ICT to probe the suspension of Peter Jack, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) resulted in a drama yesterday.

    Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu was invited to explain the removal of the director -general and the appointment of an acting director general in violation of the NITDA Act.

    The minister told the committees that he was “blank” on why he was before the committee. This annoyed members.

    He said: “My name is Abdulraheem Adebayo Shittu. I’m here almost blank as to why I’m here. I don’t have information why I was asked to come. And I’m hoping that members will tell me. As I speak, there’s a conference at Transcorp where I’m to represent Nigeria in the midst of many international bodies and foreign players.

    “I also have another meeting with Mr President and some foreign investors. And as you know, Nigeria lacks the capacity to fund investment in the ICT sector, so I’m appealing that I have the questions so that I can go and look at them, get necessary information and provide answers on another date”.

    The minister’s submission annoyed the lawmakers. The Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee,  Saheed Fijabi, said the letter of invitation sent to the minister was stamped “received” by a staff in his office .

    He said the contents stated that he was being invited over investigations into the petition from the suspended NITDA director-general.

    Linus Okorie said the minister was only expected to introduce himself and allow the chairman of the Information Technology Committee, Mohammed Onawo, to continue  but that Shittu stripped the lawmakers of the “extreme respect and courtesy” the National Assembly deserved.

    The Permanent-Secretary, Sonny Ochono, made frantic appeals to the lawmakers.

    The minister eventually admitted receiving the letter of invitation and apologised.

    His words: “I want to apologise for any misconception. A letter was brought to my office yesterday with a heading relating to the suspension of the director general, NITDA. And I liaised  with my permanent secretary to get back to the Clerk to work out the possibility of readjusting the date, given the number of engagements I’m to have on behalf of the President.”

    The session was eventually rescheduled for another date.

    Onawo told reporters that  the House mandated the committees on ICT and Telecommunications to invite the minister to explain his role in the alleged unlawful suspension of the director general, NITDA and the appointment of another in acting capacity.

    FFORTS by the House of Representatives’ committees on Communication and ICT to probe the suspension of Peter Jack, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) resulted in a drama yesterday.

    Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu was invited to explain the removal of the director -general and the appointment of an acting director general in violation of the NITDA Act.

    The minister told the committees that he was “blank” on why he was before the committee. This annoyed members.

    He said: “My name is Abdulraheem Adebayo Shittu. I’m here almost blank as to why I’m here. I don’t have information why I was asked to come. And I’m hoping that members will tell me. As I speak, there’s a conference at Transcorp where I’m to represent Nigeria in the midst of many international bodies and foreign players.

    “I also have another meeting with Mr President and some foreign investors. And as you know, Nigeria lacks the capacity to fund investment in the ICT sector, so I’m appealing that I have the questions so that I can go and look at them, get necessary information and provide answers on another date”.

    The minister’s submission annoyed the lawmakers. The Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee,  Saheed Fijabi, said the letter of invitation sent to the minister was stamped “received” by a staff in his office .

    He said the contents stated that he was being invited over investigations into the petition from the suspended NITDA director-general.

    Linus Okorie said the minister was only expected to introduce himself and allow the chairman of the Information Technology Committee, Mohammed Onawo, to continue  but that Shittu stripped the lawmakers of the “extreme respect and courtesy” the National Assembly deserved.

    The Permanent-Secretary, Sonny Ochono, made frantic appeals to the lawmakers.

    The minister eventually admitted receiving the letter of invitation and apologised.

    His words: “I want to apologise for any misconception. A letter was brought to my office yesterday with a heading relating to the suspension of the director general, NITDA. And I liaised  with my permanent secretary to get back to the Clerk to work out the possibility of readjusting the date, given the number of engagements I’m to have on behalf of the President.”

    The session was eventually rescheduled for another date.

    Onawo told reporters that  the House mandated the committees on ICT and Telecommunications to invite the minister to explain his role in the alleged unlawful suspension of the director general, NITDA and the appointment of another in acting capacity.

     

  • Minister to IG: unmask vandals of public facilities

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has appealed to the police high command to step up surveillance on the increasing activities of vandals in the Federal Capital City and arrest those involved.

    FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello made the appeal while receiving the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase who paid him a working visit in his office at Area 11, Garki I District, Abuja.

    The Minister specifically requested the police to apprehend those removing such vital equipments as electrical and telecommunication cables, manhole covers as well as railway tracks that are still under construction.

    According to a statement issued by Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister warned that security agents have to frontally tackle all those engaged in these nefarious activities, which has the potentials of graduating into big time criminals if they are not adequately checked.

    His words: “What is more disturbing now is that even the urban railway system that is under construction, vandals have started vandalizing the tracks by removing vital equipments. Of course, the issue of the manhole covers is well known. Each manhole is probably about four meters deep and when you leave it open, it’s very dangerous”.

    According to him, “even though these might not appear to be very serious crimes compared to armed robbery and kidnapping, they are still crimes because those that do these minor criminal activities eventually graduate to become big time criminals”.

    He charged the Inspector-General to also unmask those patronizing these vandals to put an end to the illicit trade; stressing, “we need to identify who those vandals are and the markets where they take these items for sale”.

    “We need to make examples with some people; or else, government will continue to invest a lot of resources on key infrastructure and people will just vandalize and sale them for a fraction of the cost,” the Minister added.

    Malam Bello used the occasion appreciate the existing cordial relationship that exists between the FCTA and the Nigeria Police which he noted has made his job and the security of Abuja a lot easier.

    The Minister pledged that the FCT Administration would continue to support the security agencies to do their job of making Abuja a very secure city.

    The Minister however frowned at the scenario where some Abuja motorists flout basic traffic rules; describing it is disheartening to see that up till now, some road users in Abuja still do not like to obey traffic signs.

    Earlier in his remark, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase appreciated the logistic support of the FCTA and called for more assistance in terms vehicles to the FCT Police Command to boost their surveillance activities.

    The Police boss revealed that he has deployed horses to strategic areas like the Federal Secretariat to beef up security activities; remarking that the Police Force would do everything possible within its powers to keep Abuja safe.

    Mr. Arase further solicited the support of the FCT Administration to provide FCT a befitting Police Headquarters that will give the ambience the Federal Capital Territory truly deserves.

    The FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye and some other senior officials of the FCT Administration joined the Minister to receive the Inspector-General Police.

     

  • Minister alarmed at high rate of drug addicts

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has challenged the management of the Social Development Secretariat (SDS) to partner with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to tackle cases of drug abuse and addiction among youths and vulnerable persons in our society.

    Bello gave the challenge while being briefed at the FCT Social Development Secretariat.

    He urged the Secretariat to brainstorm and find best ways of rehabilitating some of the addicts; warning that social issues must be approached with the seriousness it deserves because one social problem has multiplier negative effects on the entire society.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister said: “You all have enormous responsibilities with serious financial challenges which desire proactive steps to effectively tackle them.

    “you also have to brainstorm on how to efficiently tackle the knotty problems of street beggars, commercial sex workers as well as street hawking”.

    The Minister noted that though there are problems of Master Plan abuse that has taken over plots earmarked for sporting facilities in our neighbourhoods, but something urgent must be done about it.

    Bello urged the Secretariat to sit down as a team to generate database for tourism facilities because such facilities would not only provide areas of recreation and sight seeing in and around Abuja, but would equally serve as avenues of generating funds to the government.

    Also speaking during the briefing, the FCT Permanent Secretariat, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye asked Directors of the Secretariat to take drastic measures as the professionals they are, to think outside the box to move the Secretariat to enviable heights.

    He warned that its not business as usual, so all officers must sit up to deliver quality services that would positively impact on the lives of the residents of the Territory.

    The Acting Secretary of Social Development Secretariat, Alhaji Salisu Kallamu, revealed that there are 17 Orphanages in the Federal Capital Territory with only one directly managed by the Secretariat.

    Meanwhile, the Minister also received briefs from the management of the FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat where he advised the Secretariat to get repositioned to key into the policy of the Federal Government which promotes agriculture and mass food production for the populace.

    He assured the management of his Administration’s resolves to help them achieve the goals of the Federal Government in that sub-sector.

    The minister encouraged them to hasten, by going into partnership with the Area Councils in order to carry the people along in all their programmes.

    The Minister promised that the FCT Administration would soon pay N113 million being counterpart-fund for Fadama III in order to allow FCTA access more facilities in the programme.

    The Permanent Secretary during the session also asked the Secretariat to find ways of stopping Poultry farms in residential areas because of its adverse health implication to human habitation especially now that we are battling avian influenza.

    Ajakaiye urged them to continue to spur the farmers to greater heights by constantly interfacing with all stakeholders in the farming circle.

     

  • Minister suspends NITDA DG

    Minister suspends NITDA DG

    Minister of Communications and Technology Adebayo Shittu has suspended the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Peter Jack indefinitely for  “misconduct”.

    The suspension in a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the  Hon. Minister of Communications, Victor Oluwadamilare, took effect from yesterday.

    The statement said the suspension became imperative on the strength of deluge of petitions regarding several alleged wrong doings in NITDA and subsequent preliminary findings of an Investigative Committee set up by the Ministry.

    It added that” the petitions against Mr Jack relates to illegal employments not approved by the appropriate authority and procurements carried out in direct contraventions of laid down rules and procedure unknown to Civil Service administration in Nigeria”.

    The statement reads:”Some of the infractions identified by the Investigative Committee made up of three senior Ministry officials include unauthorised illegal recruitment of additional staff totalling 245 within a spate of seven months.

  • Kachikwu, UAE minister meet on investment

    Kachikwu, UAE minister meet on investment

    Minister of State Petroleum Resources Dr. Ibe Kachikwu last night met with Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Finance to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries, ways to expand cooperation and establish investment partnerships in Nigeria.

    The minister is a member of the delegation led by President Muhammadu Buhari which arrived the Arabian country last night at the start of a three-day visit.

    During last night’s meeting which took place at the Court of Dubai Ruler, Sheikh Hamdan stressed that the leaders and government of the UAE take keen interest in strengthening relations and friendship with the world, in particular with African countries with which the UAE maintains historic trade and economic relations.

    Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director-General of the Court of Dubai Ruler, and Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) and attended the meeting.

  • Banks to have solid minerals desks, says Minister

    Banks to have solid minerals desks, says Minister

    Minister of Solid Minerals development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has disclosed that many Nigerian banks will be setting up solid mineral desks before the end of the year.

    Fayemi says that this is in response to the plans of the federal government to diversify the economy through solid minerals development.

    He made the disclosure during the week in Abuja, when council members of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), led by its President, Prof Gbenga Okunlola, paid him courtesy.

    Special Adviser Media to the Minister, Olayinka Oyebode revealed in a press statement said that Fayemi stated that he got the assurances of the bank’s chief executives on the setting up solid minerals desks  during a recent meeting with them.

    He said that the banks’ solid minerals desks, when set up, would greatly assist the sector as investors would have access to funds and professional counselling and urged the NMGS leadership to avail the sector with expert and objective analysis of issues, said his ministry would work with them to move the sector forward.

    “It is no longer business as usual. We will implement the Nigerian Mining and Minerals Act (2007) to the letter”, he said, while urging the NNGS members to help in the strengthening of  institutions and capacity building.

    Earlier, Prof Okunlola had pledged the support of the NMGS towards the efforts of the ministry to realise President Muhammadu Buhari’s plan to diversify the economy and create jobs through solid minerals.

    The council members also congratulated the minister on his appointment, adding that they are convinced that he would bring the desired turn around to the sector based on his antecedence as a public servant with a knack for development.

    They also applauded the planned setting up of solid minerals desks in banks, just as they advocated the injection of more professionals into the technical agencies within the sector.

  • Minister: No plan to change prison officers’ uniform

    Minister: No plan to change prison officers’ uniform

    The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd), has refuted report of plans to change the uniform of personnel of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS).

    In a statement issued at the weekend by Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NPS, Mr. Francis Enobore, it said the purported plan to change the uniform was false in its entirety.

    It read in part: “I wish to state that the Hon. Minister since assumption of duty has concerned himself with the business of identifying core challenges in the Service and working out practical steps to address them. The Comptroller General of Prisons has neither complained of staff uniform nor did the Hon. Minister at anytime take such decision or communicated such about changing the uniform of Nigerian Prisons Service personnel to anyone.”

    Enobore said the CG of NPS has never issued any circular to any State command or Prisons formations to that effect.

    It continued, “While recognising the invaluable role of the media in disseminating credible information to shape public opinion and guide policy decisions, concocting stories to create disaffection and unnecessary distraction of public servants should not be encouraged. The office of the Hon. Minister of Interior and indeed that of the CGP have desk officers to clear doubts on any matter with the press where such exist before publication.

    “In effect, this publication, which also involved phone-in programme on the radio is false, embarrassing and a mere figment of the writers’ imagination and should be discountenanced.”