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Tag: NEC

  • NEC okays monitoring panel on flood

    •Council fails to intervene in governors, FAAC crisis
    •Excess Crude Account now $1.9 billion

    THE National Economic Council (NEC) meeting yesterday backed the recommendation for setting up of Federal Project Coordinating Unit on flood prevention, mitigation and preparedness programme.

    Anambra State Governor Willy Obiano disclosed this at the end of about two hours meeting of the council chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He was with Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar and Oyo State Deputy Governor Moses Adeyemo and Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters Adeyemi Dipeolu

    According to Obiano, Minister of State for Environment Usman Jibril briefed the council urging for collaborative partnership between the Federal Government and state governments against flooding and other erosion disasters in the country.

    He said: “The presentation informed the council on the imminent onset of this year’s flood season and the need for collaborative partnership between the Federal and State Governments with the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (PCFRR) for immediate intervention on flood prevention, mitigation and preparedness in the country.

    “The occurrence and magnitude of flood continue to increase in Nigeria due to many factors, among which are excessive prolonged rainfall, siltation of existing streams, human manipulation of drainage basins, undeveloped drainages, poor urban planning and dam collapse, etc.

    “It is estimated that about 20 % of the population is at risk from one form of flooding or another, resulting in property damages and loss of lives annually – climate change projections indicate that there may be greater risk of flooding in the years ahead

    “Natural causes of flood are beyond human control, but human manipulation/human induced situation can either be prevented or at least have their impact mitigated.

    The recommendations and prayers, he said, included: “Short time and sustainable way of de-silting major tributaries and canals ahead of the flooding season – this is relatively inexpensive and executable within a short period of time, and

    “Need to set up a Federal Project Coordinating Unit to comprise officers from the collaborating entities (Federal, states and PCFRR), to be headed by a director – this is to identify locations for critical actions and realistic cost estimates, and implement the flood prevention, mitigation and preparedness programme.

    On the council decision, he said: “Council welcomed the recommendations.”

    The Bauchi State Governor said the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, briefed the council on the prison decongestion and the cases of condemned convicts nationwide.

    The presentation, he said, sought council’s attention on the need to tackle the challenges associated with the cases of condemned convicts in prisons nationwide.

    Bauchi State Governor added that the Federation Allocations Account Committee (FAAC) and state governors’ crisis was not discussed during the meeting.

    Dipeolu said the council was also briefed on the gains of the National MSME Clinics.

    Oyo State Deputy Governor said Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun reported to the council the balances in the following accounts as at July 16, 2018 are as follows: “Excess Crude Account (ECA) – $1, 918, 509, 918. 86; Stabilisation Fund Account – N18, 892, 864, 216.65; and Natural Resources Development Fund – N133, 715, 427, 387.37.

     

     

  • NEC okays panel’s recommendation on flood

    The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday approved the establishment of Federal Project Coordinating Unit on flood prevention, mitigation and preparedness programme.

    A panel has recommended the setting up of the unit to mitigate the effect of flood in many parts of the country.

    Anambra State Governor, Willy Obiano, disclosed this at the end of about two hours meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He was with the Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Moses Adeyemo and Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Oluyemi Dipeolu, at the briefing.

    According to Obiano, the Minister of State for Environment, Usman Jibril, briefed the Council and asked for collaborative partnership between the Federal Government and State governments against flooding and other erosion disasters in the country.

    He said: “The presentation informed the Council on the imminent onset of this year’s flood season and the need for collaborative partnership between the Federal and State Governments with the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (PCFRR) for immediate intervention on flood prevention, mitigation and preparedness in the country.

    “The occurrence and magnitude of flood continue to increase in Nigeria due to many factors, among which are prolonged rainfall, siltation of existing streams, human manipulation of drainage basins, undeveloped drainages, poor urban planning and dam collapse, among others.

    “It is estimated that about 20 per cent of the population is at risk from one form of flooding or another, resulting in property damages and loss of lives annually. Climate change projections indicate that there may be greater risk of flooding in the years ahead.

    “Natural causes of flood are beyond human control, but human manipulation/human induced situation can either be prevented or at least have their impact mitigated.

    “Enormous resources towards flood disaster mitigation have been committed by government at all levels. However, the menace continues unabated. There is need for a paradigm shift in the approach to solve the annual negative experience, hence the need for suggestive approaches for an efficient and effective collaboration among stakeholders.”

  • NEC targets $21b, N526b recovery

    The National Economic Council (NEC)  yesterday directed the recovery of N526 billion and $21 billion under-remittance to the Federation Account by  revenue generating agencies.

    Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo briefed State House correspondents at the end of the NEC chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He was with Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, Osun State Governor Rauf Aragbesola and Minister of Budget and National Planning Udoma Udo Udoma.

    He said: “KPMG presented the report of the revenue generating agencies, concluding that the sum of N526 billion and $21 billion was underpaid to the Federation account. NEC Ad-hoc committee, which was chaired by me, Gombe State Governor with members, including governors of Edo, Akwa Ibom, Kaduna and Lagos.

    “And the Finance Minister recommended refund of the amount underpaid.

    “Council adopted the presentations and reports of the KPMG and the recommendations of its Ad-hoc Committee, including a resolution to identify instances where there appears to have been criminal infringements and forward such to the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Legal Committee of the National Economic Council for further action.

    “Council resolved to pursue strengthening of the NNPC governance structure to prevent further recurrence of such gross under-remittance by the NNPC and other RGAs.”

    According to him, a sub committee will be set up to look into the details of the infringement in order to determine those that will be prosecuted by the Attorney General.

    Explaining that the audit report covered 2010 to June 2015, Dankwambo said that the audit will be extended to 2017.

    His words: “The audit was for the revenue generating agencies that have paid into the Federation account and those that paid for Federal Government agencies.

    “We are talking about federation account because those that paid by law to Federal Government are the responsibility of the Federal Government. So all the entities in the budget that are supposed to pay revenues into government coffers were checked from 2010 to June 2015; that was the cadre.

    “One of the resolutions of NEC today is to extend the audit to June 2017. So the audit will continue for the remaining agencies.”

    Some of the affected agencies are: “NNPC, NPDC, DPR, Customs, Federal Internal Revenue Services, NPA, Maritime Authorities.

    “All the revenue generating agencies and the details of the infringement are contained in the report. Because it is a voluminous report; there are a lot of items that are there,”Dankwambo said, adding:

    “The most important decision that was taken is that a sub-committee will be set up which will be an arm of the legal committee of NEC that will go into details of these kinds of infringements and make sure that those issues that are criminal and require prosecution will be handled by office of the Attorney General of the Federation.”

    Asked if the Council would not commend agencies that remitted 100 per cent to the Federation account, he said: “And also to say that an audit is an exception report, it’s not an okay report. So we are not looking for a company that is doing well.

    “Accountability does not mean you are doing well; the mirror is very big and depending on how you look at the mirror that is how you will see yourself.

    “So it is an exception report. We were not looking at the good boys, we were looking for exceptions. And to go further, it is forensic audit, detailing this kind of short coming.”

    On NEC’s discussion on the question of states to determine how much is paid as subsidy by the government and not NNPC, Yari said: “Yes, the item was brought up for discussion but it was referred to the Sub-committee (Remittances) which I chair. We are doing the nitty, gritty with the NNPC in terms of remittances.

    Aregbesola said that the Council commended the courage of the President and the Vice President as Chair of Council in ensuring the probe of Federal Government Agencies and completing the audit report as this promotes transparency and the anti-corruption efforts of the Administration.

    Udoma said he briefed the Council on the just-concluded Economic Recovery and Growth Plan Focus labs.

    A report on the Excess Crude Account (ECA) presented by Minister of Finance to Council, according to the Talking Point released at the end of the meeting, disclosed that the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) as at May 14, 2018 stands at $ 1,830, 682, 945.30

    It added: “Honourable Minister of Finance reported to Council that the current balance in the Stabilisation Account as at May 14, 2018 stands at N 15, 725,456,963.83

    “Honourable Minister of Finance reported to the Council that the current balance in the Natural Resources Development Fund as at May 14, 2018 stands at  N116, 104,644,763.39”

  • NEC backs Buhari on purchase of fighter jets

    The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday backed President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to purchase $496 million military jets.

    Some lawmakers have for Buhari’s impeachment for not seeking National Assembly’s approval before withdrawing $496 million for the purchase of aircraft from the United States.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the NEC meeting, Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, said it was important for Nigeria to quickly buy the military jets before the U.S government changes its minds on the matter.

    He said: “We forget easily. If you recall, we have been battling with approval from America to buy these equipment in 2014. We have been begging America to sell the equipment to us.

    “We tried Dubai, they could not allow us. We tried a factory in Brazil it was the same problem. The FG tried, we couldn’t get it. The America still could not sell to Nigeria.

    “Then luckily, President Donald Trump said it was okay to buy. So we had to quickly buy before they change their minds.

    “Because there is also deadline and this is a state to state transaction, no middleman. We are all concerned about security and they are raising questions on way and manner you protect people. This is an emergency situation.”

  • NEC stops movement of herdsmen in Benue, Taraba, three others

    The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday agreed to stop movement of herdsmen in the country, starting with the five mostly affected states of Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna and Plateau.

    The Council also supported the immediate creation of ranches across the country.

    Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the NEC meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    According to him, the five mostly affected states which had witnessed herdsmen killings will be expected to make land available for the ranches.

    He said through ranching, the nomadic herdsmen and their families would be able to access good medical facilities and good schools for their children if they stay in one place.

    Staying in a ranch, he said, would also improve the well-being of the cattle.

    The governor added that the Federal Government and the affected states would still iron out the interventions expected from the two parties.

    He said foreign herdsmen should be able to show some travel documents, even though visa is not allowed for movement in West African.

    The Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh said the federal government would no longer allow the killings to continue.

    He said Nigeria may no longer keep to the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of persons.

     

  • Mace Saga: PDP calls for urgent inquest

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called for urgent inquest into the security breach that characterised Wednesday’s invasion of the Senate and forceful removal of its mace.

    The party made the call in a resolution at its emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja.

    In the resolution released on Friday, it said that security at the National Assembly complex was compromised during the incident, and that it should be expeditiously addressed.

    The party described the invasion as treasonable and direct attack on the sovereignty of Nigeria and her integrity, which must be jointly condemned by all Nigerians.

    It charged security agencies to arrest and prosecute all persons involved in the embarrassing incident “notwithstanding status’’.

    The party also resolved that the PDP leads a strong conversation and discussion towards a formal coalition of democratic forces to guarantee Nigerians the much-desired all-inclusive platform ahead of 2019 general elections.

    It directed the NEC to commence action towards the establishment of a shadow cabinet to pilot its roadmap towards national economic recovery and good governance.

    According to the resolution this should be done in line with the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians, ahead of 2019 elections.

    “In the same vein, the NEC also strongly condemns the branding of Nigerian youths as lazy by President Muhammadu Buhari. It is a direct injury on the sensibility of the youths.

    “Nigerian youths are known worldwide to as hardworking.

    “The PDP reaffirms its belief and confidence in Nigerian youths and boldly announces to the world that our youths are resourceful and agile.

    “Our nation is blessed with hardworking young men and women,’’ it said.

    NAN

  • Osinbajo, governors hold special NEC meeting in Abuja

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday chaired a special session of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja.

    The meeting that was attended by state governors was held at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    The special session started at 10:28 a.m. and had in attendance the Chairman of the Dangote Foundation,  Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and the Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates.

    The governors who were around when the meeting started are that of Jigawa, Ebonyi,  Borno, Ondo, Plateau,  Osun, Kano, Ogun, Benue, Gombe, Bauchi, Kogi, Edo, Kwara, Imo, Kaduna and Akwa Ibom States.

    Lagos, Oyo, Nasarawa, Kebbi and Rivers States were represented by their deputy governors.

    Also at the meeting are the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido, Obi of Onitsha, Obi Emeka, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole and his Education counterpart, Adamu Adamu, made presentations during the meeting.

     

     

  • Governors who can’t pay workers should resign – TUC

    Governors who can’t pay workers should resign – TUC

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria ( TUC ) on Saturday advised state governors who could not address workers’ problems to resign.

    The TUC President, Mr Bobboi Kaigama, said in Lagos that workers could no longer vouch for state governments that non-payment of salaries was as a result of lack of funds.

    He said that the non-payment could be due to corruption.

    Kaigama made the TUC’s views known while addressing journalists after the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

    He said that it was only the Lagos State Government that had been regularly paying workers’ salaries and allowances.

    “All the other states have one issue or the other in terms of salaries or benefits of their workers.

    “ You will discover that it is 13 months’ arrears of gratuities or pensions that have not been paid.

    “In some cases, it is the contributory pension deductions that have not been remitted or promotions arrears and death benefits not been paid,” he said.

    He advocated a return to regional government, saying that state governments were failing in their responsibilities.

    “The trust we have in state government has eroded.

    “If it is for the purposes of payment of salaries and infrastructure development such as provision of health facilities, roads, rail transportation and others, we are better off with regional government,’’ Kaigama said,’’ he said.

    The union leader noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved bailout funds and budget support funding to enable states to settle workers’ salaries, to no avail.

    Kaigama said that accountability in Nigeria was weak, and called for the strengthening of anti-graft agencies.

    On national minimum wage, Kaigama said that state governments should be determined to pay the wage when approved.

    He also called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the power sector due to its deteriorating condition.

    ”No nation can develop without power,” he said.

    The labour leader urged the government to arrest and prosecute killers of innocent Nigerians in the guise of herdsmen and militia in different parts of the country.

  • ‘Change is on,’ says George Weah

    ‘Change is on,’ says George Weah

    Former football superstar, George Weah, took to his Facebook page to react to provisional results of Tuesday’s presidential runoff polls in Liberia.

    “My fellow Liberians, I deeply feel the emotion of all the nation. I measure the importance and the responsibility of the immense task which I embrace today.

    “Change is on’’, Weah wrote shortly after the results were released by the National Elections Commission (NEC), putting him in a comfortable lead to be the next president of Africa’s oldest republic.

    The former World Footballer of the Year who ran on the platform of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) is way ahead with 720,023 votes or 61.5 per cent.

    His rival and incumbent Vice President, Joseph Boakai, of the ruling Unity Party ( UP ) is far behind with 451,088 votes representing 38.5 per cent.

    Read also: George Weah set to become Liberia’s President

    The Chairman of NEC, Mr Jerome Korkoya, who released the results at a news conference in Monrovia on Thursday, said 98.1 per cent of the total votes cast in the polls had been counted.

    With pending results from just 104 or 1.9 per cent of polling places, Weah has sealed a massive victory as the successor to outgoing President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

    The announcement was greeted with massive celebrations by Weah’s supporters in the capital, Monrovia, and across the country.

    NAN

  • FAAC reports NNPC to NEC over missing $1.4b remittance

    FAAC reports NNPC to NEC over missing $1.4b remittance

    There is $1.486 billion generated from gas sales from the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) divested assets between January 2013 and December 2016?

    The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) have not been able to trace the cash.

    According to documents in possession of The Nation, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) reported that the amount was paid into the Federation Account but a scrutiny of the account by FAAC showed that it was never paid.

    FAAC set up a sub-committee to investigate the issue and it was reported that “the same figure was captured by DPR for which the sum of $114.45 million was ascertained as Royalty. …NNPC/NPDC requested that the sum of $1.486 billion should be considered as part-payment for the Good and Valuable consideration of the NAOC divested assets that were valued at $1.540 billion, which the Ad-hoc Committee disagreed on the premise that there was need to verify the amount claimed by NNPC.”

    According to the report submitted to FAAC on December 16,  “the chairman (of the sub-committee) reported that out of the established NLNG Gas Sales value of $1,165,827,482.74 for the period under consideration, a total of $85,111,629.90 was transferred to MCA Escrow Account, leaving a balance of $1,080,715,852.94 as the amount paid into the Federation Account.”

    FAAC was also informed that NNPC paid another $126,753,615.34 into the federation account as NLNG-NAOC gas sales supplementary reconciliation invoices for the period, thus bringing the total amount paid by NNPC/NPDC to $1,207,469,468.28 and not $1,486,621,856.04 as earlier claimed by the oil giant.

    The sub-committee chairman reported that it “upheld that the amount established as earlier paid to the Federation Account be netted off the Good and Valuable Consideration of $1.540 billion, leaving outstanding Good and Valuable Consideration for the NAOC assets to stand at $322,530,531.72,” according to the document.

    FAAC, therefore, asked NNPC to expedite action on the reconciliation of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) to enable the sub-committee conclude its exercise.

    Also, the FAAC has confirmed that the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) is owing the Federation Account N1,313,915,561,688.39 (January 2010 to December 2016).

    To recover the debt, FAAC has reported NNPC to the National Economic Council (NEC), which is headed by the Vice President for its failure to remit NPDC’s indebtedness to the federation account.

    FAAC resolved to report NNPC to NEC in view of its refusal to fulfil its promise to make the money available for distribution during the last FAAC meeting.

    The Director, Home Finance, Federal Ministry of Finance, was directed to compile NNPC’s infractions for NEC for sanctions.