The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • Korean President congratulates Buhari on re-election

    President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election.

    Writing to the Nigerian leader on behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Korea, President Jae-in said, “I hope that under your leadership, Nigeria will continue to achieve political stability and economic prosperity.”

    READ ALSO: UK congratulates Buhari on re-election

    He also noted: “Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1980, our two countries are maintaining friendship and cooperation in various areas. I would like to closely cooperate with you to develop the relationship to a more mutually beneficial and future-oriented one.”

    President Jae-in, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also wished President Buhari “good health as well as the everlasting prosperity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

  • We’ll fix challenges facing Lagos, Sanwo-Olu assures

    Lagos State Gov.-Elect Babajide Sanwo-Olu says he has documented the challenges facing the state and will come up with solutions without delay.

    Sanwo-Olu made this known to State House correspondents on Monday after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The governor identified the challenges before that state as youth unemployment, insecurity and building collapse.

    According to him, his administration, when inaugurated, will quickly embark on programmes aimed at improving the quality of lives of residents and address all of the challenges facing the people.

    READ ALSO: How Sanwo-Olu can succeed, by Razak

    He said: “We are very excited that we have seen all the challenges and we will certainly be bringing about solutions that will very quickly solve all of our various challenges in Lagos.

    “We know that with a mega city of our status, it comes with a lot of challenges but we are lucky that we have been part of it before now.

    “So, we are excited that we are bringing solutions to problems that we identified on the campaign trail.

    “We will very quickly bring about positive development that would improve the quality of lives and ease all of the challenges that we currently see in Lagos.’’

    While describing recent collapse of some buildings in the state as most unfortunate, Sanwo-Olu lauded the current administration for its quick response to the issue of building collapse.

    “It’s an unfortunate incident. Incidentally when I was in government before, I used to be the Vice Chairman of the building collapse committee.

    “It was something that happened about 8 to 10 years ago, which was what led to the creation of an agency which we called Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) at that time, which was meant to begin to identify structures way ahead before such incidences occur.

    “But it’s an unfortunate thing, extremely very unfortunate and it is not something that we would like to see happen again.

    “So the current government has started very quickly, ensuring that they test the integrity of a whole lot of properties we have there.

    “You know Lagos State is part of the old colony of Lagos and it is not unexpected that you see houses that are over a century old and in their numbers.

    “So, we need to be real and know that Lagos truly, really needs regeneration, especially Lagos island,’’ he added.

    Sanwo-Olu, who was accompanied by his Dep. Gov.-Elect, Obafemi Hamzat, said that they were in the villa to congratulate President Buhari on his re-election for another four-year term.

    NAN

  • FG restates commitment to food sufficiency

    Professor  Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, has restated the commitment of the Federal Government to ensure that Nigeria achieves self-sufficiency in food production.

    Adewole said this on Monday during a factory visit to Erisco Foods Ltd. in Lagos.

    He said that President Muhammadu Buhari insisted that the bulk of the 235 million dollars approved for Nutrition projects should be used to finance companies that would boost food production.

    “We are not going to importation of food for Nigerians because we want Nigerians to feed themselves. A company like Erisco Foods stands to benefit from this project,” he said.

    The minister commended the company for its ingenuity and passion to deepen employment and patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products.

    Read Also: How food processing can create jobs

    He urged the company to ensure hygiene, standards, quality and safety in its production, saying the government would continue to support its efforts to contribute to economic development.

    The minister, however, urged the company to seek partnerships with various Nutrition departments of universities to strengthen its innovations.

    Adewole also advised Erisco Foods to extend the marketing of its brands beyond Nigeria, adding that the company’s range of Ready to Eat Jollof Rice with meat and Ready to Eat Spaghetti with meat had a lot of potential.

    “I have tasted the products and I can say that they are good. The Ready to Eat brands are safe for Nigerians to consume.

    “In fact, I have recommended the company to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for support because Nigeria’s economy will boom if Erisco Foods booms,” he said.

    The minister urged Nigerians to continue to support locally produced goods towards boosting employment and economic growth.

    Also, Chief Eric Umeofia, Chief Executive Officer, Erisco Foods, commended the government for its support to manufacturers and deepening local content in the economy.

    Umeofia said that the minister’s visit was a new dawn for the company, and pledged to continue to uphold quality and best practices in their production.

     

  • Sanwo-Olu condemns cases of Lagos collapsed buildings

    The Lagos State Governor-Elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday described recent collapse of buildings in the state as most unfortunate.

    But he praised the swift actions taken by the current administration in the state to address the problem.

    The Governor-Elect spoke with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari alongside the Deputy Governor-elect, Femi Hamzat.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun capable, says Oyetola

    He said: “It’s an unfortunate incident. Incidentally when I was in government before, I used to be the Vice Chairman of the building collapse committee. It was something that happened about 8-10 years ago, which was what led to the creation of an agency which we called Lagos State Building Control Agency LASBCA  at that time, which was meant to begin to identify structures way ahead before such incidences occur.

    “But it’s an unfortunate thing, extremely very unfortunate and it is not something that we will like to see it happening again. So the current government has started very quickly, ensuring that they test the integrity of a whole lot of properties we have there.

    “You know Lagos State is part of the old colony of Lagos and it is not unexpected that you see houses that are over a century old and in those numbers so we need to be real and know that Lagos truly really needs regeneration especially Lagos island.

    “That was one of the things we promised during the campaign trail so it’s to have a conversation round the families and see the kind of re-development that is important as is being done in a lot of other big cities like Lagos.” he said

    According to him, he was in the State House alongside his Deputy-Elect, Femi Hamzat, to pay courtesy on the President and congratulate him for winning the Presidential election.

    On what he is offering the people of Lagos when he assumes office, Sanwo-Olu said he has seen the challenges ahead and will come up with solutions without delay.

    “We are very excited that we have seen all the challenges ahead of us and we will certainly be bringing about solutions that will very quickly solve all of our various challenges in Lagos and we know that with a mega city of our status, it comes with a lot of challenges but we are lucky that we have been part of it before now so we are excited that we are bringing solutions to problems that we identified on the campaign trail.

    “We will very quickly bring about positive development that would improve the quality of lives and ease all of the challenges that we currently see in Lagos,” he said

  • Saraki’s defeat new beginning for Kwara, says Abdulrazaq

    The defeat of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his anointed governorship candidate, Razak Atunwa, in the just-concluded elections in Kwara State marks a new beginning, Governor-Elect Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has stated.

    He also attributed his victory and those of other All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates to divine intervention.

    The dismantlement of the Saraki dynasty in the state, according to him, has sign-posted total freedom for Kwarans, adding that “it is a new beginning.”

    The frontline businessman-turned politician added that the trouncing of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidates at all levels was borne out of God’s hands and reward of hard work.

    Mallam Abdulrazaq, who was represented by Abdulrahman Giwa spoke this in Ilorin, the state capital at an event to celebrate APC’s victory in the state.

    Read Also: I will perform far better than Saraki, says Oloriegbe

    He said: “We have seen the reward for hard work; the future lies ahead of us, as the people have spoken.

    “Our victory has shown that the people now know that the power resides with them. It means any elected representative that fails to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the voters will be shown the way out at the polls.”

    State Coordinator of BOCA Hajia Afsat B. Byll said that the whole country is watching the governor-elect “to see what we will achieve having won the elections.

    “For Kwarans, the victory is very symbolic in the history of the state politics, as no party has ever a landslide victory across all the three senatorial zones.

    “This is indeed a revolution by the people that led to great victory. We hereby implore all Kwarans to give maximum support for the incoming administration to move the state to greater heights so that the struggle for freedom and victory would not be in vain. “

    Hajia Byll hailed the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osibanjo at the polls, adding this achievement has made them game changers in the history of Nigerian politics.

    “For the first time, Nigeria conducted elections without acrimony. The president and his vice not only won, the election was also free and fair to which the international community testified. This achievement is an eye opener for all Nigerians to know that it is possible to have elections without unnecessary expenses by government and individuals.

    “Let it be on record that the success of APC in Kwara state and across the country can be ascribed to the milestone achievements of the Buhari administration in the various sectors.”

  • FG to prosecute parents who refuse to enroll children in school – Minister

    The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu says Nigeria will soon effect policy to prosecute parents who refused to enroll their children of school age in schools across the country.

    Adamu made this known in Abuja on Monday while addressing newsmen during the 9th edition of the Weekend Ministerial briefing.

    He said parents who sabotage the efforts of the government at reducing the number of out of school children would soon be criminalised and would be made to face the wrath of the law.

    “Unless the issue of parents who refused their children going to school is made a crime, and we start jailing parents, the menace of out of school children will not be resolved.

    “There are many who are still working behind culture, religion.

    “So the ministry is to effect this policy so that any parent whose child of school age refuses to take them to school will be jailed,’’ he said.

    Speaking on matching grant and other intervention funds for basic education in Nigeria, the minister said a total of N350 billion had been expended on the sub-sector as against N360 billion spent by the previous administration.

    “In the six years preceding the Buhari Administration, between 2009 and 2014, the Federal Government spent about N360 billion worth of intervention on Basic Education covering textbooks, teacher professional development, construction of classrooms and library resources among others.’’

    Adamu added that in 2015, matching and non-conditional grants disbursements to 15 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory amounted to N68.4 billion.

    He also said that in 2016, grants disbursements to 29 states and the FCT amounted to N77 billion.

    According to him, in 2017 the Federal Government provided a total of N95billion to 24 states and the FCT, and another N109 billion to 20 states and the FCT.

    “During the four year under review, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari provided a total grant to include, Matching grants, Educational imbalance fund, Special Educational fund and Good Performance fund.

    “Others are Instructional Materials funds, Teacher Professional Development fund, as well as Universal Basic Education  Commission (UBEC ) Implementation and Monitoring funds across geo-political zones as attached.’’

    Adamu emphasised that corruption and lack of political will from State governments were among other reasons responsible for collapse of basic education across the states.

    “Having come to this painful conclusion, the Federal Government decided to deduct from source, part of the last tranche of the Paris Club refund from all the states that have not been able to access their monies from (UBEC).

    “If this attitude of deliberate refusal on the part of states to provide counterpart funding for basic education continues, then the Federal Government will have no choice than to sustain its strategy of deducting counterpart funding of states percentage from source.’’

    Adamu added that stakeholders were awaiting the decision of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on reduction of matching grants for state governments.

    “We have already submitted proposal on the reduction of matching grants and we believe between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of the matching grant will be reduced as against the 50 per cent that states have been claiming is difficult to provide,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Catholic Bishops to Buhari: implement laws, policies for credible elections

    Catholic Bishops have advised President Muhammadu Buhari to enact, endorse and implement laws and policies that will ensure free, fair and credible elections in the future.

    One of the reported phenomena during the 2019 general elections, the Bishops said was the: “crude and reckless use of money to buy votes; showing how desperate politicians and political parties are determined to get political power at all cost.”

    They demanded government should acknowledge the inadequacies that characterized the 2019 elections and embark on a course for redress.

    According to a communique at the end of the First Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) held in Abuja and jointly signed by the President, CBCN, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze and the Secretary, Most Rev. Camillus Umoh: “We affirm that elections are an opportunity for people through the ballot to freely choose those who will serve them.

    “We denounce the unfortunate incident of loss of lives and destruction of property, which is ongoing even now. We however, admonish that elections should not be turned into a battle between warriors fighting to capture power and conquer territory and people at all cost.

    “We observe that many of the challenges that emerged during the electoral process were as a result of inadequate electoral laws, which made implementation problematic and at times offered lacunae for evil minded people to exploit the situation to their own advantage.

    “Even where the rules were clear, they were not always adhered to. One of the reported phenomena during the elections was the crude and reckless use of money to buy votes; showing how desperate politicians and political parties are determined to get political power at all cost.

    “Bad elections do not lead to good governance. We demand that the government acknowledge the inadequacies that characterized the 2019 elections and embark on a course for redress.

    “We urge her to enact, endorse and implement laws and policies that will ensure free, fair and credible elections in the future.”

    They added: “We enjoin all Nigerians, leaders and the led, to abide by democratic principles such as respect for human life, human rights and the rule of law.

    “We also encourage the electorate to ensure that those who hold public offices in our country are held accountable.

    “We equally urge all Nigerians to eschew all forms of indiscipline and corruption and be resolute rather than lose hope in our struggle for a better future and nation.”

    Read Also: Buhari condemns internecine violence in Kaduna

    On apathy, they said: “It may not have been unconnected with among other things, the violence, malpractice and the unnecessary militarization of the process, all of which contributed to eroding the people’s confidence in the electoral process.

    “We have taken note of those who have been declared winners, and commend the civility of those who rejected the results but have chosen to express their grievances through legitimate means under the law rather than through violence.

    “Whatever the outcome, justice must be seen to have been done. We admonish whoever holds power at the end of the day to remember that power belongs to God and to Him alone.

    “God demands strict accountability for how anyone takes power and uses it, for God cannot be deceived or challenged (Lk 16:2).”

    On the recent killings in Kaduna and other states, the bishops said: “We have received with deep sorrow, the tragic news of the resurgence of further horrific killings in some parts of Kaduna State, Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Edo, Rivers, Zamfara, Adamawa and other states.

    “Against the backdrop of the violence and bloodshed that characterized the last elections, we are pained that the culture of death is becoming embedded into our daily lives.

    “This persistent devaluation of human life and property poses an existential threat to our personal survival and that of our nation. How can government continue to appear helpless in the face of such shameful tragedy?

    “We strongly appeal to the President, in collaboration with the Governors of Kaduna State and other affected States to seriously take steps to arrest this drift before total anarchy and mayhem consume the entire nation.”

  • Buhari condemns internecine violence in Kaduna

    President Muhammadu Buhari has urged actors in the communal and persistent violence in Kaduna State to come to terms with the fact that mutual violence has no winners, but losers on both sides of the conflict.

    Reacting to the endless carnage in Kaduna State on Saturday, President Buhari said: “I am deeply troubled by the fact that sanctify of life is now treated with such reckless disregard that people derive joy in shedding the blood of others or perceived enemies.”

    The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, noted that “inhumanity has replaced compassion in the hearts and minds of the perpetrators of these atrocities.

    “No responsible leader would go to bed happy to see his citizens savagely killing one another on account of ethnic and religious bigotry,” he further noted sadly.

    According to him: “Violence cannot be the solution to these persistent conflicts as long as people resort to deliberate provocations, revenge and counter revenge.”

    “While the government remains committed to protecting its citizens, the communities involved must also put their shoulder to the wheel in order to find a lasting solution.”

    The President noted “lack of cooperation by those involved might frustrate government’s efforts towards finding a lasting solution, especially if those efforts are politicised.

    Read Also: Buhari`s CSO, Abubakar to proceed on course

    “If the people resist government’s efforts to hold the perpetrators and their sponsors accountable, it would be very difficult to bring the violence to a permanent end.”

    He described hate, bigotry and prejudice as “deadly poisons that have infected the human psyche on such scale that people now don’t have any moral inhibitions about taking life.”

    The President also appealed to the warring communities to stop inhibiting the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA’s efforts to deliver food, medicines and temporary shelter to the victims of the violence who are in urgent need of assistance.

  • Buhari won’t interfere with emergence of NASS leadership, says Presidency

    The Presidency has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will not interfere with the process of electing the next crop of leadership of the incoming National Assembly.

    Rather, the President will stick to the rule of law and the operative principle of separation of powers in the affairs of the National Assembly.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Affairs (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, who stated this at a media briefing in Abuja Friday, said the President will give both arms of the federal legislature a free hand to elect their leaders.

    Enang’s position contradicts claims by some returning senators that President Buhari will have a hand in the choice of the principal officers in the Ninth Senate.

    Read Also: Buhari deserves victory, say Ekiti elders

    The presidential aide maintained that Buhari will play neutral and allow the elected lawmakers to sort out their leadership tussle and allow the best candidates to emerge.

    Enang said, “The principle of President Muhammadu Buhari is that each arm of government should function according to what the constitution says which, is that every person in government should do the right thing.

    “He (Buhari) will not go beyond what the constitution allows him and every arm of government should stick to its constitutional responsibilities”.

    Enang appealed to the present crop of lawmakers to give priority to some pending bills, among which are the 2019 Appropriation Bill, the New Minimum Wage Bill, the Medium Terms Expenditure Framework and the budget of the various government agencies.

    “The budget of the 64 different federal government owned agencies are still pending before the national parliament.

    “Unless the budgets of the different agencies are considered and passed, we still have a lot to lose in terms of opportunities for employment in those ministries and some capital projects which would have increased government spending or the spending of the various agencies and parastatals.

    “The executive is ready with all the system to come in and defend the budget. We have in advance, worked with the committee on appropriation to determine a time table for the defence of their budgets.

    “We have informed all the ministers, heads of departments, agencies and the ministries to be on the alert so that immediately the bill is committed to the committee on appropriation, we will upon invitation, appear before them,” he said.

  • Osinbajo inaugurates committee on policies, projects audit

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday inaugurated the Policies, Programmes and Projects committee recently set up by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    President Buhari set up the 15-member committee, chaired by the vice president, to take stock of the administration’s efforts so far and to make concrete preparations for the second term in office, which begins on May 29 this year.

    The terms of reference of the committee include “to audit and determine the status of implementation of policies programmes and projects either inherited or commenced by the out-going administration;” and “to identify and highlight a residue of works and challenges that may militate against their successful implementation.”

    The committee will also “prepare and produce a detailed working document that will guide the incoming cabinet members on the direction of government regarding policies, programmes and projects;” and “co-opt organisations or persons relevant towards the successful execution of the exercise and make recommendations as may be considered necessary.”

    Other members of the committee are Chief of Staff to the President, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Minister of Budget and National Planning and the Minister of Finance.

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development are also members of the committee.

    Also in the committee are the Minister of Water Resources, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Security Adviser and the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President.

    READ ALSO: Osinbajo inaugurates sanctions committee

    Inaugurating the committee, Vice President Osinbajo said the committee would, “in the next few weeks, determine the current status of and performance on federal government projects and programmes, relying not just on submissions made by the various ministries, department and agencies but also on objective assessment of experts already engaged on similar assessments and will be co-opted to assist in this mission.

    “They will also be required to produce a detailed implementation plan based on the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP and on several documents, including the Next Level Document.”

    Prof. Osinbajo said the plan was aimed at ensuring the preparation of a working document that would guide in the implementation of federal government projects and programmes, and especially serve as an important guide for ministers in the new cabinet.

    “It is important to note that the review of ongoing projects is already an entrenched activity of this government.

    “In fact, status reports were presented to the Federal Executive Council by all ministers between January and May last year and those reports only need updating for the purpose of this committee’s work.

    “Also government plans are always guided by the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress, the basis of the promises which we made to Nigerians, and also by the ERGP, where we strive to reflect not just our annual budgets but policies and programme and implementation plans of the government.

    “Of course, this would be supplemented by the updates made by the party manifesto by way of the next level government.”

    The vice president said the policy, programmes and projects audit committee would also ensure that there would be objective report, critical analysis and realistic projections that would constitute clear guidelines for each cabinet minister.

    “We will focus on ensuring that we have for the incoming cabinet a clear presentation, ministry by ministry, what government needs to do, the challenges to be envisaged and the implementation plan.”

    He said the members of the committee would be required to work with teams of their own choice.

    Absent at the inauguration on Friday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister Justice, Abubakar Malami, sent in his apologies.

    The Head of Service of the Federation, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Minister of Transportation were represented by Magdalene Ajani, Edward Adamu and John Eboigbe, respectively.