The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Osinbajo

  • Osinbajo: tax compliant Nigerians up by five million

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the number of tax compliant Nigerians has increased by five million to stand at 19 million from the 14 million earlier recorded.

    Speaking yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 2018 edition of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) conference, Osinbajo said Nigeria still has a long way to go to catch up with the rest of the world in the area of tax compliance.

    “Earlier, I noted that as of May 2017, only 14 million economically active Nigerians pay taxes. I am pleased to note that the number is now in excess of 19 million and still growing.

    “This means that efforts led by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in collaboration with many of the states inland revenue services have already added more than five million new tax payers to the tax base.

    “But there is still a lot of work ahead of us as Nigeria races to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of tax compliance we all have a role to play in this.”

    He said five amendment bills and two Executive Orders will soon be submitted to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval in order to change Nigeria’s National Tax Policy.

    Osinbajo  said the implementation committee for the new tax policy’s work has since produced five amendment bills and two Executive Orders; all of which will shortly be presented to FEC for approval.

    He said the specific mandate of the Committee include the removal of obsolete, ambiguous and contradictory provisions in our tax laws, simplification of the tax payment process, and reduction of tax burden on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

    Osinbajo said there should not be an argument about paying taxes as compliance and good governance should exist side by side as the head and tail of a social contract that binds citizens and government.

    He said poor tax management was one of the issues that increased corruption in the system because the tax payer is less tolerant of corruption than another who failed to pay.

    Speaking further, Osinabjo said most states cannot survive without Federal Allocation.

    “Without federal allocation, most states cannot survive; Lagos state alone takes in as much Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as 31 states combined; it tells you how little the other states manage to bring in in IGR.”

  • Osinbajo reads to children on World Book Day

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo read from The Legend: Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe to pupils of L.E.A Primary School, Life Camp, Abuja, as part of activities marking this year’s United Nations World Book and Copyright Day.

    The event tagged “Nigeria Reads” was organised by Rainbow Book Club founded by Mrs Koko Kalango.

    Other dignitaries at the event were the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, FCT Minister Alhaji Muhammed Musa Bello, the UNESCO Country Director, Mr Ydo Yao, represented by Mr Ifeanyi Ajaegbo, and Mrs Kalango.

    After the reading, there was a question and answer session, whereby the Vice President asked the children questions from the book and also answered questions the children had for him. The students asked him questions on issues such as corruption, marriage, life as a Vice President, his childhood, bullying, and ways to regain the country’s lost glory. The Vice President answered their questions intelligently while advising them on ways to be better children to their parents and better citizens to their country.The children presented Osinbajo with a hand-made card and went on to take pictures with him.

    The pupils and staff of the L.E.A. Primary School, Life Camp, Abuja thanked the Vice President for motivating the children to read and for visiting their school. They also remained very grateful to the Rainbow Book Club for creating the opportunity for them to celebrate this year’s World Book and Copyright Day.

    RBC kicked off the Get Nigeria Reading again! Campaign in 2005 with Chimamanda Adichie and since then has enlisted the participation of high profile authors, captains of industries, government officials and celebrities to create awareness of the correlation between reading and building a successful nation.

    Rainbow Book Club has managed the Port Harcourt Book Festival (formerly the Garden City Literary Festival) since 2008. The work of the book club got Port Harcourt nominated as UNESCO World Book Capital 2014.

    The organisation has run over 200 book clubs in primary and secondary schools, set up 13 libraries, organised trainings for over 500 book club facilitators, organised over 42 reading and writing exercises to groom upcoming writers and published some of them. We have also promoted established writers.

  • Osinbajo flags off market power project in Akure

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo flagged off the pilot project of a special intervention in energising markets as productive clusters at Isinkan market, Akure, the Ondo State capital. The federal government project being powered by the National Rural Electrification Agency and Ondo State Government’s Office of Public Utilities, was aimed at ensuring power supply in all markets across the state.

    Osibanjo explained that the project will boost micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME-s) in the country. According to him, “We are focusing on major markets across the country to put an end to power problem. We are working at Ariria Market in Aba, likewise Sabongeri Market in Kano and we are focusing on markets in Lagos as well. We can see how excited the market women are judging by their testimonies.

    “This technology is new and it is remotely monitored from the headquarters of the service providers. If anyone attempts to tamper with the meter it would be detected from the monitoring centre immediately and necessary action would be taken.” Osinbajo who was accompanied by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, however, promised the market women that the project would be extended to all other markets.

    A team, comprising market women, state government representatives and a representative of the federal agency, was inaugurated by the Director General,  National Rural Electrification Agency,  Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi and Engr. Ariyomo to ensure the safety of the gadgets. The team tagged Cluster Management Unit, has five members. According to the Iyaloja of Isinkan,  Chief Bolarinwa Temidayo, the project is a solution to the main problem they have been facing for the past four years.

  • Buhari’s government different from past governments, says Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is different from other past administrations as it will not steal the commonwealth of the people.

    He spoke at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward Congress in Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

    In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande, the Vice President assured all Nigerians that they would share in the benefits that would accrue as the Buhari Administration continues to serve.

    He said “We came to find out how things are going, to hear the good news that all our ward congresses are going on very peacefully without any rancour and problems.

    “We are confident in our party and the reason we are confident is that we are not thieves, we are different and we want to serve the people and the people know we want to serve them. And with everything we have, we would serve the people. We will make sure we provide everything necessary.

    “And I pray that every one of us will all see and benefit in the goodness of this land. None of us would be left behind. We would all see the blessings together.

    “Our party is a great party and it will become greater and greater still. What we must achieve in Lagos and other parts of the country is that we must be the best in everything we do we must be the best.

    “In terms of progress, whatever we do must be the best, our schools, hospitals and roads must be the best. So we have to put in the resources. And we can do that, very very possible.

    “As I have been saying all over the country, the difference between us and any other govt is that we will not steal the money. We must be confident.” he said

    He went on “With the decline in the oil prices, we have been earning 60% less than the previous government, but God is helping us, we are getting more and more hopeful.

    “With that we would see the changes we hope for, so that our children and ourselves will see the benefits.” he stated

    The Vice President also commended the party leaders in the LG.

    He said “I have seen that we held these congresses peacefully. I am very happy to be here, to see that our party is making progress and is doing very well.”

    Prof. Osinbajo also prayed that “the Lord God Almighty will help us, He will help your children, we will see the goodness in this land, in our own lifetime we will enjoy, suffering must end, progress must continue.”

  • Osinbajo, Mustapha urge youths to support Buhari

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha have called on the youths to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to reposition the country.

    Osinbajo who was represented by Administrator, Aso Villa Chapel, Rev. Peter Ambi, at a Summit organised by the Youths For Peace and Good Leadership Initiative in Abuja yesterday, said the government was not happy with the spate of killings in some parts of the country.

    He assured the gathering of youths that the government was doing a lot to bring the killings to an end, adding that younger generation of Nigerians should also contribute to efforts at finding solution to the problem.

    Osinbajo said: “We at the Presidency are not happy with the killings. This is because peace is key to any development that will take place in this nation.

    “The government is doing a lot to bring this issue of killings to an end.  And we must also support the government to put an end to the killings.  We have issues in this nation that are actually dividing us.

    “The issue of religion, the issue of ethnicity and political differences are dividing us.

    “But as young people, we must come together, discuss and suggest ways through which the government can solve some of these problems.

    “We must also tell the perpetrators that we will not agree to be used for crime”.

    The SGF, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters, Gideon Sammani, urged the youths to believe in the capacity of the Buhari administration to better their lot.

    He urged the youths to key into the various empowerment programmes put in place by the government, adding that the administration would continue to make opportunities available to the youth population.

    According to him: “The government has directed the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators and we believe and trust in God that the perpetrators will be arrested.

    “So the traditional rulers and the religious leaders must be committed towards making our country great again”.

    The President of the Youth for Peace and Good Leadership Initiative, Dr. Simon Dolly, urged the government and policy makers to evolve more policies and initiatives with the youth population as primary focus.

    The youth leader called on the government to provide the enabling environment to the youth to thrive and develop their potentials.

    According to him, any country that neglects its youths can never make progress.

  • 7.6m children are fed daily under FG’s school feeding programme – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Friday said that about 7.6 million children in 22 states across the country were being fed daily under the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).

    According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Osinbajo made this known in Akure during an interactive session with beneficiaries of the NHGSFP and inspection of the N-Power Programme at Alagbaka Estate Primary School, Akure.

    He explained that the purpose of NHGSFP was to ensure that children in public primary schools across the country would have at least one very good meal daily.

    The vice president, who had lunch with the pupils, added that the meal would improve the children’s health, boost farming in the country and create job opportunities for some people.

    “I have tasted the food myself and I think it is the quite nice,” he said.

    Osinbajo said that another set of 300,000 Nigerian youths were to be engaged in the N-power programme.

    He explained that the new set of beneficiaries would teach in public primary schools, pointing out that 200,000 graduates were already benefiting from the programme.

    He described the N-Power programme as a very compelling testimony.

    “I have seen firsthand what the N-Power teachers are doing in the classroom, using tablets to teach. I was able to see it for myself and also use it in teaching the pupils.

    “As you know, in the programme, each of the teachers has a tablet which contains materials for teaching and I wanted to see in particular how they used the tablets and the materials.

    “I think it’s a very revolutionary thing for all these young men and women who have volunteered to participate in the programme,” he said.

    The Ondo Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu commended the Federal Government for the efforts in bringing both programmes to the state.

    He attributed the success of the programmes in the state to the positive relationship between the state and the federal government.

    “It is rather unfortunate that we are just joining. Our caterers in the NHGSFP are being paid monthly and this has improved the economy of the state.

    “The food that is served the pupils which I and the vice president ate was a sumptuous meal.

    “I believe we are on course. What we need to do is to ensure that we get more school pupils registered. The federal government is ready to feed them also,” he said.

    Earlier, Mrs Grace Ekpemogu, the Headmistress of the primary school, commended the federal government for the programme which she said, would guarantee the pupils one good meal a day.

    She said that NHGSFP would help increase the intelligence quotient of the pupils and also go a long way in repositioning the education sector, especially at the primary school level.

    Osinbajo also inspected the pilot scheme of the special intervention in energising markets as productive clusters at Isinkan Market, Akure.

    The market stalls are fitted with solar panels which supply lights as an alternate source of energy. (NAN)

  • Osinbajo restates FG’s commitment to creation of atmosphere conducive for MSMEs

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to create atmosphere conducive for small businesses, market women and artisans to do businesses successfully.

    Osinbajo gave this assurance in Akure at the inauguration of National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) clinics, Ondo State, edition.

    He said in the last two years, the federal government had demonstrated an abiding commitment to facilitating genuine efforts by all states to attract investment, diversify economic base and create jobs and economic opportunities for the people.

    He said MSMEs were pivotal to the country’s development and restated the commitment of the federal government to give financial support to MSMEs across the country.

    “MSMEs have tended to be neglected in the country over the years as a result of the competing priorities as well as the tendency to discount their contribution to the nation’s economy.

    “As individual units small businesses may appear to be small, but together they account for as much as 50 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and over 80 per cent of our labour force.

    “Clearly, they are an important part of the national economy and they should be treated as such, moreover, now that it has become inevitable for us to look inwards to become a country that is able to grow what we eat and produce what we consume.

    “The MSMEs were designed to bring government closer to the people by assembling in one place, all the regulatory agencies whose work affects the business experience of small and medium scale businesses,” he said.

    NAN

     

  • PDP seeking return to treasury looting, says Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of plotting a return to power so as to resume treasury looting.

    He described the All Progressives Congress (APC) – led Federal Government as well-focused and determined to lift the country.

    He said the Buhari administration had performed better in three years than PDP did in 16 years.

    Vice President Osinbajo spoke in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during a vist to inaugurate Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Clinic (MSME). He also visited the Deji of Akure Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi.

    The VP described those pushing for the ouster of the the Buhari administration as the corrupt who wanted to reclaim government at all costs in order to return the contry to corrupt ways.

    He said the argument that nobody had been put to jail on the account of corruption could not hold water, saying: “We will continue to put them on trial even if the courts have not put them into jail”

    He urged Nigerians to continue their support for the APC- led federal government in its quest to address the challenges confronting the nation.

    He noted that the government had committed N1.3 trillion to infrastructural development since it came on board three years ago.

    He said: “This government wants to be honest with the people. The difference between us and the previous governments is that we are not stealing public fund.

    “We are able to achieve this because we are spending what we have for the people.We have spent over N1.3trillion on infrastructure to better the lives of Nigerians.

    “They promised Lagos-Kano rail line, they did not do it. We earn less than they did, we are doing it. Look at the Lagos-Ibadan rail line, they had much money, they did not do it, we are doing it. Look at the Lagos -Ibadan Expressway, we are doing it.

    “We shall continue to arrest these who stole the nation’s money. They said we have not been able to convict anybody, we are not bothered; we shall continue to arrest and prosecute them. Let the cases remain in court.

    “The corruption is desperately fighting back so that they can come back to into power. God will not make it possible”.

    On the MSME prgramme, Osinbajo said N80billion out of the budgetted N500 billion had been spent on the programme despite the paucity of fund coming into the coffers of the government.

    According to him, additional 300,000 people would be employed into the N-Power, with 200,000 people already in the scheme.

    At the palace of Oba Aladelusi, Osinbajo commended the monarch for his show of love at all times and promised that government was determined to fulfill promises made particularly the actualisation of a Teaching Hospital in Akure.

    He told the monarch that the government was also working very hard to fix the blackout being experienced by the people of the southern senatorial district of the state.

    The VP said the MSME’s clinic in Akure became necessary in ensuring that small businesses grow tremendously. He described it as a way to revitalize Nigeria’s economy.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said the programme underscored the determination of the Federal Government to drive the country’s economy towards self-reliance, using this platform, as a delivery tool for development.

    The governor noted that there could be no better demonstration of serious commitment on the part of the government than this direct involvement at the highest level of authority.

  • Adamawa suicide attacks tragic – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed shock at Tuesday’s suicide attacks on a mosque and Market in Mubi, Adamawa State.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Laolu Akande, said that desecration of a place of worship by criminals is tragic and condemnable.

    “Osinbajo sent condolence messages to the victims and their families and to the government and people of Adamawa State,” the statement said.

    According to the statement, the vice president has been in touch with the state Governor, Bindow Umaru Jibrilla, and has directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to ensure the speedy and adequate provision of medical supplies and relief materials to the victims.

    He also expressed the Federal Government’s gratitude to the rescue workers and medical personnel who attended to the victims.

    He said security agencies have been directed to immediately beef up security in Mubi and environs, especially markets and places of worship.

    “The agencies are also working to apprehend the criminals behind this act and bring them to justice,” the statement added.

     

  • Adamawa attack tragic, condemnable, says Osinbajo

    The Federal Government has condemned the suicide bomb attacks on a mosque and market in Mubi, Adamawa State on Tuesday.

    “This desecration of a place of worship by criminals is tragic and condemnable,” Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo said in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Laolu Akande.

    Osinbajo expressed condolences to the victims and their families, and to the Government and people of Adamawa State.

    He said he  has been in touch with the State Governor Bindow Umaru Jibrilla, and has also directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to ensure the speedy and adequate provision of medical supplies and relief materials to the victims.

    He also expressed the gratitude of the Federal Government to the rescue workers and medical personnel who attended to the victims.

    Security agencies have also been directed to immediately take steps to beef up security in Mubi and environs, especially markets and places of worship.

    The agencies are also working to apprehend the criminals behind this act and bring them to justice.