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Tag: Osinbajo

  • Osinbajo: no cause for alarm on Buhari’s health

    Osinbajo: no cause for alarm on Buhari’s health

    NLC condemns speculations on President’s health

    Fears over the President’s health were dismissed yesterday.
    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo told Nigerians: there is no cause for alarm.
    President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate for an extension of his 10-day vacation. He is in Britain where doctors have told him to wait for some tests. He was to return at the weekend.
    Also yesterday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) cautioned against negative remarks on the President’s health. To labour leader Ayuba Wabba, there is no need for any speculation on the President’s health.
    The indefinite extension of the President’s vacation sparked a massive row in some quarters.
    But Osinbajo said he had been in touch with the President. He also insisted that he was not under pressure to resign – as speculated in some unofficial quarters.
    He spoke with State House correspondents after a meeting with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, at the Presidential Villa.
    Osinbajo said: “The President is hale and hearty, I spoke to the President just this afternoon and we had a warm conversation. He was interested in knowing about the budget process and how far we had gone and the meeting today with the private sector and the economic recovery growth plan and I informed him about the protest march and feedback about what people are saying about the economy. He is in good shape.
    “Just like he said in his letter to the National Assembly, he needs to go for a cycle of tests and once he sees the results and gets medical advice, we expect him very soon.
    “I think that the health status of Mr President is an issue that only Mr President would discuss at the appropriate time. Again, he is running tests and all of that. Before you will be able to determine your health status you must be able to say this is my health status. I have to do the test my doctors have advised me to do and will wait for the outcome of the test and know my status.”
    On whether he was under pressure to resign from office, Osinbajo said: “I am not under any pressure to resign. I was voted for by the people of this nation – myself and Mr President – and so the people of this nation have not asked us to resign.
    ”I am absolutely not under any pressure whatsoever. The truth is that there have been no pressure from any source asking me to resign.”
    The NLC president, at a news conference in Abuja, said on the President’s vacation and the furore it caused: “We are human and people can fall ill. I think it is not an issue to be contested. Once it is about the issue of ill health, that consideration must be given because we can fall ill at any time and so, I think that should be respected.
    “For me, If it is communicated properly, that is what is expected and people should be aware once that is done. There is nothing you can do about sickness. Our position is that if proper communication has been done, it should not be an issue that should degenerate into trying to raise fundamental issues about it.
    “The important thing is for us to continue to pray that our President recovers quickly and returns to pilot the affairs of the country.”

  • Osinbajo to protesters: we hear you loud and clear 

    Osinbajo to protesters: we hear you loud and clear 

    •’We hear you loud and clear’ 

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo  yesterday told Nigerians that the Federal Government was addressing Nigeria’s “serious economic situation”.
    To those who protested, he said: “We hear you loud and clear”.
    Recalling a similar remark by President Muhammadu Buhari a few months ago,  Osinbajo said he had gone round the country and the complaints of the people on the economy were similar to what the protesters complained about.
    According to him, the rot of many years could not be addressed overnight.
    But he said the government remained committed to turning around the trend and placing Nigeria on the path of growth.
    There were protests against the hardship being experienced in the country in Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan.
    In Abuja, a group protested in support of the government. In Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the protesters failed to gather at the advertised venue.
    Minister of Transportation Chibuike Amaechi, also yesterday, said Nigerians should be patient with the government as it had four years to deliver on its promise.
    Speaking during the opening ceremony of the consultative forum between the Economic Management Team and the Private Sector on the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, the Acting President said:  ”We are in a serious economic situation and the President was particularly concerned about the lot of the common man.
    “And I quote him, “Recession today for many… for  some its means not being able to pay school fees, for others not being able to afford high cost of rice and millets and for most of our young people recession means joblessness…’
    “I for one have been across the states and even today some people are out on the streets, protesting that things are difficult. What we are saying to every Nigerian is that  ’we hear you loud and clear’, and we are determined to recover the economy. You have a right to demand for a better economy and we are committed to see it happen.
    “Years of deterioration cannot be reversed overnight. Again, it has to be said that it’s our business, it’s our duty to ensure that we put the Nigerian economy on the track of recovery,” he said
    Osinbajo spoke of how the government had intervened three times to assist states in the past 18 months to pay salaries.
    He added: “And the last intervention was in December when we paid the Paris Club refund to the states. This are funds that the Federal Government had been owing states since 2005. This was to enable states pay their workers and we tend to believe that this is what is being done.”
    The Acting President also spoke about the social intervention fund.
    This, he said, included payment of N5,000 monthly to the poorest citizens, the home grown feeding programme in several states, and the credit facility to 1.6 million traders and artisans.
    Stressing the importance of engaging the private sector in the economic recovery plan, Osinbajo said that the government could not do it alone.
    “Your participation is your own commitment to the future of our country and to those coming behind us,” he said.
    In Ilorin during the North Central Town Hall meeting by the Federal Government, Amaechi said the All Progressives Congress (APC) government did not promise to fix Nigeria’s problems within a year. He urged Nigerians to wait till the end of four years, adding that the government heard the cries of Nigerians.
    “We did not promise you that those challenges will be solved in one year. If we promise you that those challenges would be solved in one year you would have given us one year but you gave us four years mandate; so wait till the end of four years,” Amaechi said.

  • Nigeria facing serious economic challenges – Osinbajo

    Nigeria facing serious economic challenges – Osinbajo

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday insisted that is Nigeria facing serious economic challenges.

    Recalling the similar remark by President Muhammadu Buhari few months back, Osinbajo said he has gone round the country and discovered that the complaint from the people on the economy is similar to what the protesters are complaining about.

    He said the rot of many years cannot be addressed overnight.

    But Osinbajo said the government is committed to turning around the trend and place Nigeria on the path of growth.

    The acting President spoke during the opening ceremony of the consultative forum between the Economic Management Team and the Private Sector on the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    He said: “We are in a serious economic situation and the President was particularly concerned about the lot of the common man. And I quote him, “Recession today for many means not being able to pay school fees, for others not being able to afford high cost of rice and millets and for most of our young people recession means joblessness.

    “I for one have been across the states and even today some people are out on the street protesting that things are difficult. What we are saying to every Nigeria is that ‘we hear you loud and clear,’ and we are determined to recover the economy. You have a right to demand for a better economy and we are committed to see it happen.

    “Years of deterioration cannot be reversed overnight. ‎Again it has to be said that it’s our business, it’s our duty to ensure that we put the Nigerian economy on the track of recovery.”

    He said the government had to intervene three times in the past 18 months states ‎to enable states have enough resources to pay salaries.

    Osinbajo added: “And the last intervention was in December when we paid the Paris club refund to the states. This is funds that the federal government owed states since 2005. This was to enable states pay their workers and we tend to believe that this is what is being done.”

  • Osinbajo enlivens SMEs in Aba

    Osinbajo enlivens SMEs in Aba

    The visit of Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo to Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, to flag off the maiden edition of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Clinic lifted the spirits of small business owners who turned up in droves, reports SUNNY NWANKWO

    On January 24, the acting President and Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo launched the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Clinic. At the launch, in Abuja, Osinbajo said, “Nigerians complain about how practically difficult it is to get approval on practically everything. When I toured the nation with the support of USAID, the whole idea was to signal our support MSMEs and to find out what their problems were. But almost every stand I went to had complaints about how it was so difficult to get approvals for practically anything. I was frankly taken aback on that occasion because practically every point we went to had the same complaint. We also went to Kano on one of our social intervention programmes and it was the same problem, same issues.”

    On Thursday, January 26, Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State and the Southeast was agog as traders’ unions from every part of the state moved their wares to the Golf Course of the Aba Sports Club were Prof Osinbajo was to flag off the SMEs clinics.

    The event provided the acting president and government agencies such as Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Nigeria Export Promotion Council, and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC), among others, the opportunity to register, certify and approve the use and consumption of several products.

    The August visitor could not hide his amazement at the craftsmanship and the technological ingenuity of the people of Aba who will virtually replicate almost manually what their counterparts overseas in some cases may not use their machines to produce or replicate. No wonder owners of shipping companies and other conglomerates have so much relied on the ingenuity of Aba fabricators to keep their ships afloat on our waterways.

    The event also gave the traders high hopes that the incumbent government of President Buhari mean well for the SME’s. This as some of them in a chat with The Nation expressed hope that the steps taken by the federal government would help to reduce some of the challenges they face in registering their products, importing raw materials and exporting finished goods to other parts of the world.

    Speaking after the inspection, the Vice President assured the Aba SMEs of the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to support the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Abia and other states of the federation to grow the country’s economy in the face of the present economic challenges.

    Osinbajo who described the SMEs as the highest employers of labour and engine house of every great nation’s economy said that President Buhari has great interest in the growth of the SMEs and stressed that it was the intention of the incumbent administration to make the industry to compete favourably and to even surpass their counterparts at the global stage.

    He said that the essence of visiting Aba, Kano, Nnewi, Onitsha and any other parts of the country is to interact with the people, identify their problems and as well finding a lasting way to tackle some of the challenges that are hindering the SMEs from performing optimally.

    “Mr. President gave two examples of how some of our agencies make it difficult for people to be able to register anything or do business and I think that everybody today understands that if we are talking about diversification of Improving our economy, it starts from those who are manufacturing, those who are doing local manufacturing. I am sure you know that the biggest employer of labour and the largest earning to our GDP comes from the local manufacturers and the local industries; that is how it is in everywhere in the world. Our focus is to support the local industry. I have seen all sorts of things today. I want to encourage those who are in manufacturing and industry to know that whatever that it will get you to do you business well and to become major competitors worldwide, that is exactly what we intend to do and that is why we are going round, we are making sure that we understand what the problems are so that we can be able to address all of those problems. We are looking forward to a greater Aba, an Aba that will compete with any of the industries that are established in China and any other part of the world.”

    Earlier in his remarks, the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu said that the choice for Aba for the flag off of the MSME Clinics was apt and that Aba merited it.

    Ikpeazu who hailed the resilience of Aba manufacturers and industrialists said that the state government was working assiduously to ensure that the goods of the SMEs produced in Aba will get the requisite certification to meet best global practices and standard.

    Lauding the energy that the Aba manufacturers deploy in producing their wares, Ikpeazu said he was excited that the efforts of the state government in promoting Aba made wares have been receiving acceptance and at the same time, getting the endorsement of the President of the country, Muhammadu Buhari.

    The governor urged the manufacturers to be proud of what they produce, adding that the state government was building “a one-stop shop specifically to make businesses to excel” and promised that the state would be giving land freely to any agency of the federal government involved in the certification of locally manufactured goods that wishes to establish its office(s) in any part of the state.

    In their separate reactions, some of the traders at the event, including Mr. Fidelis Offor, Christian Madukwem amongst other traders from Ariaria International market thanked the federal government and Abia State government for their initiatives.

    They were unanimous that if the Bank of Industry (BoI) and other commercial banks gives them soft loans with low interest rate, concerned government agencies register and approve their products without being exploitative and making the process of registration and certification of products cumbersome, that they would help the country raise its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) especially now that the country is facing economic recession and the federal and state government respectively talking about economic diversification.

    The traders while calling on the federal government to address the issue of poor electricity supply and road network in the state and other parts of the country, this is even as they also lamented excessive levies and taxes by agencies of government who most times doesn’t remit such monies to government coffers.

    The traders expressed hope that the multiplier effects of the SME’s Clinics will be beneficial to both the government and traders if the state and federal government would back their plans with action.

    The event attracted various dignitaries across the state and country including the Hon. Minister for Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelama, Hon. Ossy Prestige, member representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Abia State Deputy Governor, Sir Ude Okochukwu, State Commissioner of trade and investment, Chief Henry Ikoh and amongst others

     

  • Osinbajo swears in five NPC commissioners

    Osinbajo swears in five NPC commissioners

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday swore in five commissioners of the National Population Commission (NPC).

    The event was held at the Council Chamber before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja.

    Those who took oath of office were Eyitayo Oyetunji, Benedict Ukpong, Haliru Bala, Patricia Iyanya and Gloria Izonfo.

    After they took oath of office, Osinbajo immediately proceeded for group photograph with them.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had in line with Section 154 (1) of the Constitution forwarded their names to the National Assembly.

    The Senate had also confirmed the quintet for the appointments.

  • Osinbajo: homes, offices to rely on off grid power

    Osinbajo: homes, offices to rely on off grid power

    MANY homes and offices will soon quit the national grid for off grid electricity generation sources,  Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said yesterday.
    His confidence lies in the growing favourable economics of using renewable energy sources, such as solar photovoltaics (PV), to generate electricity.
    This, said Osinbajo, means that Nigeria will use off grid renewable energy solutions to close the wide deficit in stable electricity supply to its citizens.
    The Acting Vice President, who spoke in Wuna on the outskirts of Abuja when he kicked off the presidential initiative on solar homes systems, said the government will leverage on the falling costs of deploying solar PV to move many people away from the national grid.
    The pay-as-you-go solar initiative will be funded and implemented by the Niger Delta Power Holdings Plc (NDPHC) in partnership with Azuri Technologies.
    Said Osinbajo: “We think that as solar power becomes cheaper, and it is becoming cheaper practically day by day, we will be able to afford to do even more and deploying more across the country, especially to places that are not served by the grid.
    “The grid is just one transmission centre, if you like, but we cannot take all our power from the grid. And so, in the next few years, it will not be absolutely important for you to be connected to the grid because we will be deploying every type of off grid solutions that we can deploy and we want to do that in the industrial areas,” said Osinbajo.
    He said on the need for Nigeria to pivot to off grid solar power: “There is absolutely no reason why our country that has possibly the best radiation anywhere in the world (should not embrace solar) – many parts of Nigeria, especially in the northern parts, radiation is excellent, and so we are going to do our best to use solar power to the maximum, especially wherever we can find the best radiation.”
    He noted that the initiative would target to provide 20,000 homes with solar power systems, and that the government was talking with private operators to partner with it in escalating its reach.
    “We expect that this will be replicated all over Nigeria. We are starting with 20,000 but I am sure we will ramp up very quickly. We have been talking to the private sector about involving themselves also on this project.”
    The Managing Director of NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo said the initiative was part of the firm’s mandate to reduce the country’s electricity supply deficit.
    Ugbo said 200 homes in Wuna would benefit from the scheme, and will eventually own it after some monthly repayments.
    “There are many Nigerians (estimated at 70 million) without any connection to the grid who still rely on rudimentary lighting systems characterised mainly by use of kerosene lamps, candles and petrol generators with attendant health and safety risks and indeed financial challenges,” he noted.
    He said: By the Solar-Home-System initiative being launched by Your Excellency today, NDPHC, will be actively involved in the process of bringing power to these rural communities, thereby stimulating social and economic activities in the rural communities located off the grid.”
    “Under the first phase of the programme, NDPHC will deploy about 20,000 units of solar home systems to the underserved rural communities with no access to grid electricity supply. NDPHC has deployed 200 units of the SHS as pilot programme here in Wuna. The beneficiaries of the 20,000 units are among the already identified communities of the 19 northern states of the federation. The units will be deployed within a period of 12 months.
    “NDPHC adopted a community-based approach that will allow the rural low-income dwellers an opportunity to participate in this project. This approach allows a monthly payment for energy and also acquisition of the SHS unit after a certain period of time.”

  • Osinbajo orders probe of contract fraud claim in water ministry

    Osinbajo orders probe of contract fraud claim in water ministry

    • Ministry: it’s cheap blackmail

    The Vice President, Prof  Yemi Osinbajo has directed immediate investigation into allegations of contract fraud in Cross River Basin Development Authority (CRBDA), an agency of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

    The directive is contained in a letter addressed to the managing director of an indigenous engineering firm, Coasterners Engineering and Building Services Limited, Kola Adegoke, acknowledging the receipt of petitions written by Adegoke’s company.

    A letter marked: SH/OVP/DCOS/Legal/Misc, written to Osinbajo’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice President, Ade Ipaye, he acknowledged receipt of the petitions by Coasterners, including one in which it accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) of compromising investigation into one of its complaints.

    Ipaye said: “I am directed by His Excellency, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 10th October 2016 and 14th November 2016 on the above and related subjects.

    “I am also to inform you that your submissions have been forwarded to the appropriate authorities for further consideration and necessary action.”

    In one of its recent petitions to Osinbajo, Coatsterners alleged contract racketeering in the CRBDA. The petition  painted a situation where most contracts awarded in the agency are in violation of the Public Procurement Act.

    The petitioner accused the management of CRBDA of penalising it for its whistle-blowing activities by deliberately starving it of necessary funds to execute contracts awarded it, a move allegedly calculated to frustrate it. Coasterners also accused CRBDA of withholding funds due to it for projects executed.

    The Water Resources Ministry has however faulted allegations made against CRBDA, accusing Coasterners of among others, acting with the intention of blackmailing its agencies. The ministry’s position is contained in a letter marked: FMWR/LU/S/292/1/34, titled: “Harassment of the CRBDA by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Coasterners Group Ltd.”

    Part of the letter authored by the ministry’s Director, Legal Services, Gboyega Oyekanmi reads: “The ministry’s attention has been drawn to your frantic efforts to malign the name and integrity of the management and staff of the CRBDA by making spurious and unfounded allegations against them as evidence in the correspondences under reference.”

  • Osinbajo orders probe of alleged contract fraud in Water Ministry

    Osinbajo orders probe of alleged contract fraud in Water Ministry

    •Petitioner accused of blackmail

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has ordered a probe into allegations of contract fraud in Cross River Basin Development Authority (CRBDA), an agency of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
    The directive is contained in a letter to the Managing Director of an indigenous engineering firm, Coasterners Engineering and Building Services Limited, Kola Adegoke, acknowledging the receipt of petitions written by Adegoke’s company.
    In the letter, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice President, Ade Ipaye, acknowledged the petitions by Coasterners, including one in which it accused Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) of compromising investigation into one of its complaints.
    In one of its petitions to Osinbajo, Coasterners alleged contract racketeering in the CRBDA. It depicted a situation, where most contracts awarded in the agency violated the Public Procurement Act.
    The petitioner accused the management of CRBDA of penalising it for its whistle-blowing activities by deliberately starving it of funds to execute contracts awarded to it, a move allegedly calculated to frustrate it.
    “After we rejected the offer of allowing the management of the CRBDA to deny us of the contracts we legitimately won in 2015, the management issued us with award letter of one of the jobs as ‘ongoing contract’ and that we don’t need to execute the contract, but we can just take N10 million and bring the rest for the so-called ‘facilitator’ and ‘ministry people’.
    “They promised to pay us as soon as possible. We blatantly refused this corrupt practice for the love of the communities that will benefit from this Federal Government project.
    “During the 2015 financial year, the management refused to advertise 95 per cent of the projects and issued them as ‘ongoing contract,’ thereby manipulating the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 and issuing awards above approved threshold contrary to Section 58 of the PPA.
    “In the 2016 financial year, some of the projects again were not advertised, but letters were issued as ‘ongoing contract’, but were immediately withdrawn after our petitions.
    “Money might have been paid to some contractors, but the letters of award have been withdrawn.”
    Coasterners accused the CRBDA’s management of confiscating its equipment, which it took to project sites, on the grounds that it (Coasterners) was yet to “settle relevant facilitators”.
    The Water Resources Ministry has, however, faulted allegations against CRBDA, accusing Coasterners of among others, acting with the intention of blackmailing its agencies.
    The ministry’s position was contained in a letter, entitled: “Harassment of the CRBDA by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Coasterners Group Ltd”.
    The letter by the ministry’s Director, Legal Services, Gboyega Oyekanmi, advised the firm “to desist from any attempt to further harass or malign the integrity of the authority (CRBDA) or any of its staff, failing which the ministry may be left with no other option than to set in motion, all necessary legal machinery to seek redress”.

  • Osinbajo: delay in justice administration self-inflicted

    Osinbajo: delay in justice administration self-inflicted

    •‘Prison ratio to country’s population low’

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said in justice administration is mostly self-inflicted.
    He said a faulty criminal justice system explains why there was only 20,357 convicts in Nigerian prisons of a population of 170 million.
    Osinbajo said Nigeria’s ratio of 12 prisoners to 100,000 people was far lower than that of the United States, with 458 per 100,000 at the end of 2015.
    The Vice-President gave a keynote speech at a “stakeholders’ summit on administration of justice”, organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, with the theme: Contemporary trends: Catalysts for justice sector reform in Lagos State.
    Represented by Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN), Osinbajo urged stakeholders to take delays more seriously.
    According to him, findings by an NGO which deployed volunteers to observe court proceedings in Abuja and Kano State from October to November “support the viewpoint that delay in our justice system is mostly self-inflicted.”
    Most judges in both locations, he said, started their days almost an hour late and sat on average of three hours and 11 minutes, covering only 62 per cent of cases listed during the period.
    “For example, they found that judges in both locations did not sit 33 per cent of the occasions they were meant to do so. And what were the reasons for the absences? Officials trips, conferences and meetings,” Osinbajo said.
    Referring to a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, the Vice-President said the main causes of excessive delays include deliberate ploy by parties to delay cases, requests for unnecessary adjournments, interlocutory applications to protract proceedings and absence of defendants, witness or lawyers.
    “This suggests that the stakeholders in the justice sector are mostly responsible for the problem of delay in the administration of justice ,” Osinbajo said.
    The Vice-President decried delays in criminal trials, which he said take over two years on average to conclude at the lower court.
    He said a typical criminal matter was poorly investigated due to poor forensic infrastructure, poorly trained police personnel, corruption and lack of public confidence in the police.
    The result, according to him, is that several high-profile cases remain unsolved with few perpetrators apprehended.
    “It also explains why in a country of over 170 million people, we have just 20,357 convicted persons in our prison system.
    “You may wish to compare Nigeria’s sentenced prisoner population of 12 per 100,000, to that of the United States of America, which has 458 per 100,000 at the end of 2015,” the Vice-President said.
    Towards addressing problems, the Vice-President said the Federal Government initiated several reforms of the criminal justice system, provision of equipment and capacity building for the police, strengthening institutional framework for cooperation and coordination among justice sector agencies, among others.
    He recommended day-to-day system for trials as well as “significant costs for delay occasioned by lateness, ill-preparedness or the deliberate tactics aimed at stalling a case”
    Osinbajo added: “If we can agree that these problems are against our collective interests as practitioners and stakeholders, then we must make firm commitment to tackle the problems by changing our attitudes and standing up for what is right.”
    Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, represented by Justice Clara Bata-Ogunbiyi of the Supreme Court, said obsolete laws should be amended.
    “The laws that regulate society must constantly change or they become obsolete. We have such obsolete laws in our legal system today,” he said.
    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said for any nation to experience economic growth, it must first have a functional judicial system that would not only encourage local and foreign investors, but also guarantee conducive environment for such businesses to thrive.
    Ambode said experience over the years showned that societies with equal and unhindered access to justice have a better environment for economic growth and poverty alleviation than those that do not.
    This, he said, prompted his administration to prioritise justice and security reforms, not only to maintain law and order, but basically to carry out the various developmental projects that would make Lagos safer and more prosperous.
    “As a government, we are well aware that to achieve our socio-economic goals of a safer, secured, peaceful and more prosperous Lagos State, we need a functioning justice sector, which guarantees not only the maintenance of law and order, the enforcement of human rights and freedom, but also provides an administration of justice ambience that protects investments and encourages economic development,” he said.
    He listed some major challenges faced by investors and entrepreneurs as the ease and cost of doing business and over regulation of business processes, saying the summit was not only timely but a veritable platform for experts to proffer solutions.
    “We are mindful of the need to attract foreign investment, and public private investment, especially in the area of provision of infrastructure. No economy can develop without sustained infrastructural development. I firmly believe that discussions around all these issues are pertinent for this august gathering,” the governor said.
    Besides, Ambode said his administration was working to ensure a system where justice institutions in the state are fully automated.
    “One of our top priorities is to leave behind a legacy of a 21st century justice sector driven by digital technology and powered by digital literate judicial officers and legal services providers,” he said.
    Also at the event were the Chief Judge of Lagos Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Abubakar Mahmoud, Justice Joseph Oyewole of the Court of Appeal, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu, represented by Saidu Atteh, among others.

  • Senate Leader briefs Osinbajo on 2017 Budget

    Senate Leader briefs Osinbajo on 2017 Budget

    Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan yesterday met with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House,
    He briefed him on the progress made by the Senate in the consideration of the 2017 Appropriation bill.
    According to him, Senators on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC) and the opposition parties are unanimous in their support for President Muhammadu Buhari.
    He spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.
    He said: “I’m here to meet the Acting President to brief him on what the Senate is doing on the Appropriation Bill 2017. You know we have suspended plenaries for three weeks. The idea is to have ample time to focus on the appropriation bill. The committees will start to work from this week —meeting the MDAs on the budget defence that they need to do.
    He said: “Secondly, you know that the Acting President is an APC members.
    As a new Senate Leader, it is also important that I come here to this office to tell the Acting President and our administration that the APC caucus in the Senate is now a united caucus.
    “We are ready as a caucus to support our administration; we are also ready as a Senate, that is both the APC and the minority parties, to work for the betterment of Nigerians. Our colleagues in the opposition have always been supportive and being there for the Senate to function.”
    The whole development, he said, is to ensure that the government delivers on its campaign promises to Nigerians.