The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • Gov. Shettima justifies establishment of North-East Development Commission

    Gov. Shettima justifies establishment of North-East Development Commission

    Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno on Sunday said the establishment of North-East Development Commission ( NEDC ) was a direct response to the large scale devastation caused to the North-East by Boko Haram insurgents.

    The governor said this in a statement signed by Malam Isa Gusau, his Special Assistant on Communications and Media Strategy in Maiduguri.

    According to the governor, the effect of Boko Haram insurgency is such that no geo-political zone wishes to experience.

    Shetiima said, “Having a commission like the NEDC is a direct response to large scale devastation which no geo-political zone should wish to experience.’’

    He said Borno would have to experience 50 years of backwardness due to destruction caused by the Boko Haram.

    “A comprehensive assessment report by the World Bank put the damage at over $9 billion U.S dollars.”

    “NEDC will set out for the recovery of this backwardness so that the state recovers earlier than it would have taken us to recover.

    “It is not something any section of the country should wish to experience.”

    Shettima noted that the development had also demonstrated Federal Government’s commitment to ensure rapid social and economic rebuilding of the region.

    The governor commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the NEDC Bill into law.

    He said that the people of the North-East would remain grateful to Buhari over his concern and commitment to their plight.

    Shettima said the people were highly appreciative of “President Muhammadu Buhari’s open love for them’’ and the role of the 8th National Assembly in the passage of the bill.

    ‎“I must confess that if Buhari was not elected in 2015, only God knows what would have become of Borno and the rest of the North-East.

    “Buhari has made determined efforts to reverse all the many years of neglect the North-East suffered from 1979 to 2015. ‘’Buhari is the greatest inspiration for us.

    “The President’s passion for the North-East is clearly understandable, because this is a region that lost thousands of its precious sons and daughters, suffered destruction of public and private infrastructure worth $9 billion U.S dollars”.

    The governor also commended the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Doagara for their leadership role in the passage of the bill.

    Shettima said that the people of the region were also satisfied and grateful to members of the National Assembly for good representation of the region.

    “For us, they have achieved 50 per cent of what our people elected them to do at the national assembly by the passage and Presidential assent to the bill establishing the NEDC.’’

    President Buhari signed the bill: The North East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2017 in to law recently.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) Sen. Ita Enang said this in a statement in Abuja on Oct.26.

    The Commission is charged with the mandate to receive and manage funds allocated by the Federal Government and international donor agencies for the resettlement, rehabilitation, integration and reconstruction of roads, houses and business premises of victims of insurgency.

    It will also tackle the menace of poverty and environmental challenges in the area.

    NAN

  • NBC denies accusing Buhari’s supporters of violating broadcasting code

    NBC denies accusing Buhari’s supporters of violating broadcasting code

    Malam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission ( NBC ), on Saturday in Abuja denied accusing some supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari of violating Broadcasting Code.

    Kawu, in a statement expressed dismay about sensational and incorrect report circulating on the internet, describing it as embarrassing misrepresentations and claims.

    “The attention of the Management of the National Broadcasting Commission ( NBC ) has been drawn to a sensational and incorrect report circulating on the internet.

    “That the Director-General of the Commission, Malam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, accused some supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari of violating the Broadcasting Code, among other embarrassing misrepresentations and claims.

    “To set the record straight, and for the avoidance of any doubt, the NBC organised a Stakeholders Forum on Political Broadcasts, which held on Thursday, Oct. 26 in Kano State.

    “The choice of this location in Kano were both necessary and strategic, given the fact that Kano is the most populous state in Nigeria with over 20 operating broadcast establishments as well as the observed spike in hate speech within the environment.”

    He, therefore, appealed to both the traditional and on-line media to uphold the guiding tenets of journalism profession through objective, factual and decent reportage.

    “This has been the time-tested practice and should remain the irreducible minimum gold-standard in our media practice.”

    Kawu explained that the law establishing NBC specifies that regulating the Industry was a core function of the commission in order to ensure decent, objective and factual reportage by all Operators.

    According to him, this resonates with the expressed determination and policy thrust of the present administration to eliminate hate and incendiary speeches and broadcasts across all levels of society.

    “It was against this background that the Director General of the Commission, in his address in Kano, alluded to the escalating spate of hate speech in political broadcasts.

    “And the imperative for broadcast operators to be vigilant and be guided by the broadcasting code in their operations.”

    He lamented instances where political actors often misconstrue the statutory role of NBC as an Industry regulator to be impeding and restricting their political activities, making such actors to reach out to contacts in high levels of government for undue political interference and advantage.

    “In making this observation, the director-general drew several examples across political and regional boundaries to justify the assertion.

    “It is therefore, grossly untrue and mischievous to misrepresent the remarks of the Director-General of the NBC at a Forum in Kano that he made an exclusive accusation targeted against Buhari’s supporters”.

    Kawu restated that the position of NBC on hate speech and other incendiary broadcasts remained consistent with the overarching principles and rules of global best-practice.

    NAN

  • FG’s partners commit $100m to rebase HIV epidemic in Nigeria

    FG’s partners commit $100m to rebase HIV epidemic in Nigeria

    Federal Government’s partners in the fight against HIV/AIDS have set aside US$100 million to conduct a national survey to rebase the epidemic in Nigeria.

    Dr Erasmus Morah, Country Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS ( UNAIDS ), made the disclosure in an interview on Sunday in Abuja.

    He said that most support for the survey would come from the United States Government and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

    Morah said available data showed that Nigeria has about 3.2 million people living with HIV, with a prevalence of about 3.2 per cent.

    “Some people feel that Nigeria doesn’t have as many as 3.2 million people living with HIV, while others feel that more than 3.2 million people are living with it in Nigeria.

    “We need to take a closer look at its prevalence in Nigeria. A national survey will tell us the exact prevalence in the country,’’ he said.

    Morah said the survey would be conducted in 2018.

    He said that UNAIDS was providing support to Nigeria to own and sustain funding the HIV response.

    Morah commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent commitment to maintain 60,000 people living with HIV on treatment.

    He also commended the efforts of the president to care for additional 50,000 people on treatment each year, using domestic resources, as part of Nigeria’s HIV Fast Track plan.

    President Buhari’s groundbreaking commitment to care for additional 50,000 people was made in a statement issued on his behalf by the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Sani Aliyu.

    He made the statement during the side-event on the HIV Fast Track at the 72nd UN General Assembly in New York.

    “I envision a situation in future where the Nigerian government will be paying for antiretroviral drugs, test kits and other consumables that its citizens rely on to remain alive, healthy and productive,” he said.

    NAN

  • Governing councils want colleges granted university status

    Governing councils want colleges granted university status

    The Chairmen of the governing councils of four colleges of education which the Goodluck Jonathan administration upgraded to universities have asked the Federal Government to effect the change.

    The institutions are Adeyemi College of Education in Ondo State, Federal College of Education, Zaria, Kaduna State, Federal College of Education, Kano, and Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri.

    The past administration had pronounced the colleges universities of education in its last days in order to train teachers for Nigerian schools.

    However, the Muhammadu Buhari administration reversed the decision on assumption of office because of the lack of resources.

    In a statement in Osogbo on Friday, Mr John Fasogbon on behalf of the council chairmen,  appealed to the Federal Government to upgrade the institutions to universities.

    Fasogbon, who is the Chairman of the Governing Council of Alvan Ikoku College of Education, said granting the institutions university status would enable them to produce  teachers for schools.

    He said the step would help in realising the Federal Government’s effort to develop the education sector.

    “We want to appeal to the Honourable Minister to use his good offices to urgently re-pronounce the affected universities in order to make them functional for the benefit of Nigerians,’’ he said.

    Fasogbon also appealed to the government to allow the tenure of the governing councils to lapse before appointing new ones.

    NAN

  • Customs impounds N25m donkey Leather, 80 bags of rice, others

    Customs impounds N25m donkey Leather, 80 bags of rice, others

    The Comptroller General of Customs Compliance Team yesterday in Kano burnt over 2, 700 pieces of raw Donkey hides and skins valued at N25 million which was intercepted at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), in an attempt to export the commodity abroad.
    The Head of the CG Compliance Team, Comptroller Ahmed Abubakar Azarema who was flanked by the Kano/Jigawa Customs Command Comptroller, Mr. Yusuf Abba-Kassim, described the exportation of unprocessed hides and skin as criminal and economic sabotage.
    According to him, “it is disheartening to note that some Nigerians are now indulged in unpatriotic business of exporting unprocessed leather, while we have our tannery industries here. Doing this means killing our economy, doing this means outing hundreds of thousands of our teeming youths out of employment.
    “We have the resources and needed man power to process these leathers here and export them as finished products. We also have a number of industries here engaged in production of shoes, bags belts and other leather-related products.
    “We need to help ourselves; we need to protect the future of our children. This is why Nigeria customs has come all out in tandem with the economic agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure that these unpatriotic citizens engaged in this kind of illegal business must be stopped, arrested and brought to book.”
    Comptroller Azarema who hailed good spirited Nigerians for given customs information on illegal activities of smugglers and illegal exporters, said no arrest has been made so far, adding that, “we are current using the clearing agent to get at those behind this crime.”
    He also displayed over 80 bags of smuggled rice and sugar concealed inside bags of Tiger nuts.
    According to him, Customs intercepted the goods loaded in a J5 vehicle with registration number KRD 943XC, along Katsina Road, heading to Kano from Katsina.
    He added that the driver and other occupants of the vehicle fled into the bush when the CG Complain team on duty apprehended the vehicle.
    He, however, warned smugglers to desist from economic sabotage and look for decent business to do, adding that the Nigeria customs will not fold its hand and  allow criminals ruin the nation’s economy.
     
  • Malami, Oyo-Ita attend FEC, Danbazzau absent

    Malami, Oyo-Ita attend FEC, Danbazzau absent

    Some cabinet members linked to the recall to service of the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, attended the Federal Executive Council ( FEC ) meeting on Thursday.
    Maina, who was on the run for alleged N2 billion scam, got back into service without the knowledge of President Muhammadu Buhari.
    The President, on Monday had ordered disengagement of Maina from service and immediate investigation of how he was recalled.
    Those linked to the recall who attended FEC on Wednesday included the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
    Malami, who arrived the Council chamber around 10:53 a.m had discussions with the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, before the rendition of the National anthem.
    The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, who was also linked to the issue, arrived the Council chamber around 10:54 a.m.
    But the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau, whose Ministry Maina was posted to, was absent when the FEC meeting started on Thursday.
    The meeting commenced when President Buhari arrived the Council Chamber around 11 a.m.

    BREAKING: Police, DSS seal off venue of PANDEF’s Assembly in Port Harcourt

  • President Buhari presides over FEC

    President Buhari presides over FEC

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday presided over the meeting of Federal Executive Council (FEC) in the Presidential Villa, Abuja

    The meeting which was shifted from Wednesday, Oct. 25 to Oct. 26, started at about 11 a.m.

    It is being attended by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Habiba Lawal, and cabinet ministers.

     Gathered that the 2018 budget might be the sole agenda to be deliberated upon at the meeting.

    NAN

  • FG terminates payment of OBC, FBC certification fees

    FG terminates payment of OBC, FBC certification fees

    The Federal Government( FG ) on has terminated payment of Outline Business Case (OBC) and Full Business Case (FBC) Compliance Certification fees with effect from Oct. 19.

    Mr Chidi Izuwah, the Acting Director, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission ( ICRC ) announced this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

    Izuwah, the Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, directed that all Public Private Partnership (PPP) stakeholders in Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAs ) of the government should immediately discontinue payment of the fees.

    According to him, removal of the OBC and FBC fees will ease doing business on PPP procurement by MDAs in line with the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “It is hoped that this will provide the needed impetus to MDAs and other key stakeholders in the development and deployment of an avalanche of PPP projects,’’ he said.

    Izuwah explained that the decision by the government was in accordance with the high cost of PPP project preparation in the country.

    He said “this follows a feedback from stakeholders and potential investors with respect to the cost and procedure of Public Private Partnership (PPP) project preparation.

    “It is in a bid to give additional push to the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, policy of the current administration that the ICRC initiated steps aimed at mitigating the bottlenecks that impede the successful conclusion of PPP projects’’.

    NAN

  • Association urges Buhari to reshuffle cabinet

    Association urges Buhari to reshuffle cabinet

    The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria ( ASCSN ) on Wednesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reshuffle his cabinet.

    The call followed the controversy generated by the reinstatement of a former Chairman of Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina.

    The Association’s General Secretary, Mr Alade Lawal, made the appeal in a statement in Lagos.

    He said it was regrettable that Maina, who was sacked in 2013 for about N2 billion pension funds fraud, was “smuggled back” into the Federal Civil Service by key government officials.

    “Information made available shows that the Attorney-General of the Federation ( AGF ) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami ( SAN ) and the Minister of Interior, Lt-Gen. Abdulrahaman Dambazau know about the issue.

    “The information shows that they cannot be entirely extricated from the conspiracy that led to the illegal re-absorption of Maina into the Civil Service,” he said.

    Lawal commended the President for sacking Maina, but urged the Nigerian leader to  to also sack those who were bent on ruining his reputation as a man of integrity.

    He said that the consistent and persistent acts of impunity by some individuals in the cabinet had continued to embarrass the government.

    “If the President does not replace some of his personal aides that are besmearing the image of his government, the impression will continue to be created that he may be privy to their actions,” he said.

    Lawal said that it was absurd that somebody that was declared wanted by the EFCC and the International Police (Interpol) could arrive in the country and resume duty as a an Ag.Director in the Ministry of Interior without being apprehended.

    He said it was unfortunate that such impunity had continued to give the country a bad image in the comity of nations.

    Lawal said that those who conspired to reinstate Maina and gave him double promotion should be disciplined to serve as deterent to others.

    He cited the Public Service Rule 030413 which stated that any officer who abandoned his or her duty post would be dismissed from service.

    NAN

  • Buhari felicitates with `Baba Ijebu’ at 82

    Buhari felicitates with `Baba Ijebu’ at 82

    President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Ogun businessman Chief Kesington Adebutu as the philanthropist clocks 82 on Oct. 24.

    The President in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Tuesday, lauded Adebutu’s contributions to the growth of the economy.

    Buhari also lauded Adebutu for providing jobs to thousands of Nigerians, especially the youth.

    He praised the business acumen, hard work and determination that enabled Adebutu to rise from a humble beginning to sit atop a business empire currently.

    Buhari affirmed that Adebutu’s philanthropic programmes under the auspices of the Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation had made life more meaningful for less-privileged Nigerians.

    He described as “worthy of emulation” the donations made by Adebutu, especially to educational and religious organisations by the octogenarian, popularly called “Baba Ijebu”.

    According to Buhari, such contributions have endeared Adebutu to Nigerians from all parts of the country.

    The president prayed that God would grant Adebutu good health and longer life, to continue rendering selfless services to his fatherland and humanity.

    Adebutu is a recipient of several chieftaincy titles and honorary doctorate degrees from various institutions across the country.

    NAN