The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
The meeting holding at the Council Chamber in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, started around 10a.m.
A sizeable number of cabinet members were in attendance when the meeting started.
Osinbajo had also presided over FEC last week as President Muhammadu Buhari left Nigeria for the United Kingdom on May 7th.
The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.
Details Later…
…plans to hit 3million bpd
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will resume oil exploration activities in the Chad Basin of the Country.
The projection came on the heels of improved security situation in the North-East of the country which had been devastated by insurgent upheavals.
Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru made this disclosure yesterday during a courtesy visit to the Governor of Borno State, Hon. Kashim Shettima and the Shehu of Borno, Alh (Dr.) Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, in Maiduguri.
According to a statement that the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu issued on Monday, Baru said that: “We have been discussing with military authorities in the area and they have assured us of improved security. Once they give us the green light, we would resume operations in the area within six weeks.”
The statement noted that it was the Chief Operating Officer, Gas & Power, Engr. Saidu Mohammed, that represented him in the visit.
Baru informed the Governor that NNPC was keen on increasing its production from 1.9million bpd to 3million bpd as well as increasing its oil and gas reserves, a target that necessitated exploring for more oil within and across some of the nation’s inland basins.
The GMD commended the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the state Governor in the area of peace restoration, reconstruction and rehabilitation, stressing that as a responsible corporate citizen, the Corporation was ready to provide support in that regard.
At the Shehu of Borno’s Palace, the GMD sought the fatherly support of the traditional ruler especially in the area of host community understanding towards the resumption of oil exploration activities within the State.
The Corporation also presented relief items to the Shehu for onward delivery to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
Earlier in his remarks, Governor Kashim Shettima said the insurgency had taken a huge toll on the North East region leading to the loss of over $9.6bn, with Borno state alone losing $5.6bn.
“We need your support in our reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts so that when the history of the new Borno is written, NNPC’s name will be written in gold,” he stated.
He stressed that much as the International donor agencies and good-spirited organisations like the NNPC were keen on helping the IDPs, the state’s ultimate target was to resettle the IDPs in their various communities.
Also responding, the Shehu of Borno, Alh. (Dr.) Abubakar Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, thanked the NNPC Management for identifying with the Borno people, stressing that the Corporation should do more for the betterment of Nigerians.
He expressed his happiness over the peace being enjoyed across the State now and the entire North East, stressing that in the nearest future, “Borno people will survive the onslaught of the insurgency.”
Members of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), one of the legacy parties the makes up the All Progressives Congress (APC) Monday asked the Nasarawa state governor Tanko Al-Makura and the National Assembly to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari to consider either former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh or Engr. Buba Galadima as the next Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
While Prince Momoh was the National Chairman of the defunct CPC, Galadima was Director General of the Buhari Campaign Organization.
The defunct CPC members operating under Southern Mandate of Nigeria (SMN) said their advocacy was about the empowerment of core members of the defunct CPC and “our collective political and economic survival of the members who stake their lives and properties to deliver 2.5million votes for the now President Mohammadu Buhari in 2011.”
In a statement in Abuja signed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Ikonomwan Francis, the group called on its members nationwide to form a united front “to resist these strangers who now form cabals to hijack Buhari administration.”
The statement read in part: “There is no doubt that Nigerians are in dear need of capable hand to man the office of SGF that will join the President to bring smiles to their faces in the second half of this Administration.
“Prince Tony Momoh and Engr. Buba Galadima are personalities who will never compromise in an issue that is for good of Nigeria people and so, will ensure that such laudable program is fully implemented.”
He said Nigerians were suffering because some people in President Buhari’s government are aliens to the programmes he promised Nigerians, adding that “for instance where was the current Chairman and Managing Director of NDDC, Managing Director of Nexim Bank, Chairman of NPA and Host of others when we were labouring to build for Mr. President?
“We must unite to resist these handful political monsters who are hell bent in making every one of us to play a second fiddle role in a government we laboured to build for years.
“We make bold to say that there is serous hunger and starvation in the land, the exchange rate of dollars has sky rocketed, prices of goods and services are on the increase on daily basis, all because the cabals are alien to the 14 years developmental plan of the defunct CPC.
“Imagine what is happening to the much publicized Anchor Borrowers Programme in various State today? How about the Social Investment and Empowerment Program, has it been able to achieve it’s set goals?”
Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, says President Muhammadu Buhari is holistically transforming Nigeria.
The minister told journalists in Zaria, Kaduna State that Nigeria has so many things to be happy about since the coming to power of the Buhari administration.
The News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] reports that the minister was in Zaria to inaugurate a chemical laboratory at the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) and a plant for the production of high grade precipitated calcium carbonate and caustic soda.
“We have so many things to be happy with and to say yes that our country is on the move again.
“Yes, of course, we are on the move, we really want to transform Nigeria and we are very hopeful that by the grace of God we will transform our country,” Onu said.
He, however, tasked Nigerians on collective efforts towards the transformation drive.
“The problem of transforming the economy is something that will involve all Nigerians, so we need to work together.
“It is not just the research institutes that will do it alone, we need the industries too.
“Here we have the industry coming to assist research and developmental works of the nation, knowing that in the end, they will be the primary beneficiaries.
“The output will be of great interest and benefit to the nation’s industrialisation programme and all Nigerians,” he noted.
Also in an interview, the NARICT Acting Director-General, Prof. Mohammed Yakubu said the projects inaugurated by the minister would add value to the quest for Nigeria’s industrialisation.
He appreciated the support of NOTAP, PZ and RMRDC for their contributions to the success of the research projects.
“Hardly is there any serious research and development institution in Nigeria that does not owe its success story to the intervention of RMRDC.
“We in NARICT are proud to continue to enjoy their patronage for a long time. We collaborated with them to develop a plant for multi-metric salts production facility.
“With this facility, we are sure we will be able to supplement reagent grade and industrial grade metric salts needed in this country,” the D-G said.
He disclosed that the institute was also collaborating with RMRDC in Kenaf fibre processing technology, indigo dye extraction technology and adaptable dye machine fabrication technology among others.
The 2017 Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly will galvanise economic growth and pull the country out of recession, Dr Abubakar Amuda-Kannike, member House of Representatives, has said.
Amuda-Kannike (APC-Oyo state), made the statement on Friday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in his reaction to the passage of the budget.
NAN reports that on Thursday, the National Assembly passed the 2017 Appropriation Bill of N7.44 trillion.
The amount is N143 billion more than the N7.30 trillion budget presented to the legislature by President Muhammadu Buhari on Dec 14, 2016.
Amuda-Kannike said: “what is giving me the confidence that we are going to have a budget of recovery and development is the appropriation of the expected revenue.
“A good look at the budget will tell you that there is a departure from a situation where there is huge disparity between recurrent and capital projects value in the budget.
“This year, we are looking at a situation where 30 per cent of the budget will be for capital projects.
“Before now, we used to have about 60 per cent of our budget for recurrent expenditure.
“There was no proper focus on capital projects; there is no economy that will grow or recover if the government does not invest on capital projects.’’
The legislator pointed out that the 2017 budget would not only address the huge infrastructural deficit in the country, it would also guarantee conducive environment crucial for economic activities to thrive.
“We had situations where manufacturers were moving out of Nigeria to neighbouring countries where the conditions were more encouraging which made Nigerians to loose their jobs.
“But now we are focusing on infrastructure and this will engineer growth.
“You will now see more roads are going to be constructed, we will have more power generation and electricity will become more constant and there is going to be more infrastructure,’’ he added.
Speaking during plenary on Thursday, Rep. Mustapha Dawaki, chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, said the 2017 budget was increased by over N143 billion to cater for some critical sectors of the economy.
Dawaki explained that N10 billion was appropriated for the construction of the second Abuja runway.
He said that funds were also provided for the long abandoned Itakpe-Warri rail line.
“Others are funding for Ajaokuta airstrip, the inland water ways and increased funding for the amnesty programme in the Niger Delta to ensure stability in the region,’’ he added.
He said that the expected additional revenue from increased benchmark price of crude oil from USD 42.50 to USD 44.50 and the under listed budgetary needs, prompted the committee to increase the budget to N7.44 trillion.
A breakdown of the budget showed that N2.1 trillion was appropriated for capital expenditure and N2.9 trillion for recurrent expenditure.
The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing had the highest capital expenditure of N533 billion, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development got N103.7 billion while the Ministry of Education got N56.7 billion.
…Says Buhari believes Nigeria has limitless capacity to boost Small, Medium Enterprises
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said that that President Muhammadu Buhari has been treating him like his son in the last two years.
He made the remark at the launch of the Katsina State’s MSMES Clinic in Katsina.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, said that the gathering included small scale businesses, industry and stakeholders from the public and private sectors.
Reflecting on the personal and official relationships between him and the President in last two years, Osinbajo said “The President has been treating me as a brother. In fact the President has taken me as a son in the way he treats me.
“Going by the amount of responsibilities President Buhari has given me, it shows that he seriously believes that we can live as brothers in this country.
“He seriously believes in the unity of Nigeria. I pray the Lord will preserve our President to continue to lead us just as the nation has voted him to do.” he stated
Osinbajo said that President Buhari believed that Nigeria’s capacity is limitless in terms of what it can produce.
He said “When he gave the 2017 budget speech in December 2016, the President said the central vision of our government is to grow everything that we would eat and to make everything we would use.”
Prof. Osinbajo averred that the Federal Government’s newly launched Economic Recovery & Growth Plan (EGRP) places high premium on the nation’s capacity to grow it’s export potentials rather than continue on the unsustainable path of total dependence on import.
He said the focus of the Plan that is to develop “the capacity of Nigerians to do everything that we need internally; to become a net exporter of the various things that we are importing today.”
Explaining Federal Government’s reason for the inauguration of the MSMEs Clinics that is now going round major cities of the country, Prof Osinbajo said that it was designed to give small businesses the opportunity “to meet with the industry regulators, to talk to them and to hear their problems”
He added that he was so excited to see not only business men but women who are focussed and serious about their businesses.
He explained that the idea of the MSMES clinics which he has personally attended for the fourth time now is the Buhari administration’s effort to close the gap between MSMES and relevant FG regulatory agencies like NAFDAC, CAC, SON, BOI, FIRS and others and ensure that those agencies become facilitators of businesses and not obstacles to business development.
The Acting President in Katsina had earlier paid a visit to the Emir of Katsina, Dr. Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, also spoke about his close relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari at the palace reception saying “one of the reasons why I feel very much at home in Katsina State is because this is the State of our President, President Muhammadu Buhari, who has taken me more like a brother; in fact sometimes more like a son than a Vice President.”
He commended the Government and people of Katsina State for being a role model in terms of peaceful co-existence of all ethnic tribes and religions in the State.
Prof Osinbajo who declared the MSMEs Clinic open, was accompanied to Katsina by the Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler and Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu.
He also spoke about the imperative of a one indivisible and united Nigeria, emphasizing that the nation’s diversity is its strength and noted that “Katsina State is the home of a United Nigeria.”
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Thursday urged Nigerians to pray for the speedy recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it was abominable to wish him dead.
The Alaafin, who said he had been following the debate over president’s health, noted that it was against African culture to “speculate the death of the sick.”
In a statement Thursday, he encouraged Nigerians to support the “unity and cohesion” between the President and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, adding that it was not Yoruba practice or tradition to benefit from other’s misfortune.
He said: “I have been following with great interest though mixed feeling comments that have been generated on both social and conventional media on the state of health of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Muhammadu Buhari.
“Let me state very clearly and unambiguously that in African culture, it is not proper to speculate the death of the sick. In Yoruba culture in particular, it is abomination not only to speculate but to wish a fellow mortal dead. Neither is it proper to mock the sick because only God determines the future of everybody.
“In the custom, belief and tradition of the Yoruba, death is not age determinant. That is why in Yoruba tradition, we always pray for the recovery of the sick, no matter his age.”
He noted that although President Buhari, like any mortal, may be physically sick, “that sickness is not in any way transferred to the style and level of governance in the country. In other words, the President might have been delegating some responsibilities to the Vice President; he is still much in charge of the government.”
“That is why recent insinuations and interpretations including some political hypothesis on the state of the President’s health is not only uncalled for but unwarranted.
“It is both uncharitable and untenable for the state of the health of President to be given any ethnic insinuation of any form. Let me state with every sense of clarity and candour that it is not the practice and tradition of the Yoruba to benefit from the misfortune of others.”
The Alaafin warned that nothing should be done “by any form of political insinuation to break the wall of unity and cohesion in the Presidency especially between the President and his very loyal Vice, Yemi Osinbajo SAN.
“It is on this note that I am appealing to all Nigerians irrespective of religious or ethnic differences to remain focused and united in their prayer for the quick recovery of Mr. President.
“The President has remained faithful to the Nigerian cause. He deserves reciprocity from all Nigerians by being faithful to him too in a united prayer for his quick recovery.”
The Federal Government Thursday said it has domesticated the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trans-Human Movement Law and would commence its implementation.
President Muhammadu Buhari stated this at the 2017 National Security Summit organised by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Abuja.
Buhari, who was represented by the Minister for Interior, Gen. Abdulraman Dambazau (rtd), said that the domestication became necessary in order to contain menaces of herders, militants and terrorists.
He said: “ECOWAS protocol on free movement of goods and person has always been there from the word go but there is ECOWAS decision on trans-humans. That is movement from one country to another as herders.
“The decision is that every country where these trans-humans come, they should prepare reception areas for them and issue them International trans-humans certificates for identification. They would also be monitored so that their movements are known.
“So, this is an ECOWAS decision that was taken in 1998 but has not been implemented. ECOWAS is trying now to see how they can implement it so as to reduce the conflict going on between herders and farmers.”
Buhari also attributed increase in crime rate to proliferation of small arms, noting that there were over 10 million illegal small arms in the country a decade ago.
He said: “I did a research ten years ago and I discovered that over 10 million small arms and weapons were in the country and that was before Boko Haram and Niger Delta crisis.
“I do not know the quantity as of today but certainly, they must have increased bearing in mind the flow of weapons from North Africa because of the Libyan and Malian crises.”
Earlier in his address, Buhari said that armed Agro Rangers would be stationed in farms as part of measures to protect agricultural investment, farmers and herders.
He explained that the move would boost food security, economy and reduce incessant clashes.
He said government would pursue security governance initiatives that are broad based, adding that it had entered into bilateral and multilateral agreements with other stakeholders to improve nation’s security.
He assured of government’s support in carrying out institutional reforms and restructuring to revamp police in line with global best practices.
He said government has launched national counter terrorism strategy, adding that security management was the responsibility of everyone including the international community.
Urging states to domesticate the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, Buhari said it would assist in harmonsing, punishing any criminal.
Acknowledging the challenges faced by the police, Buhari noted that there was improved budgetary allocation for the force, urging organised private sector to invest more in security sector as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
In an aside interview with The Nation, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, said the way out of farmers-herders conflict was for Nigerians to be tolerant with each other.
He said: “The main way to tackle the issue of herdsmen and farmers is for us to be our brother’s keeper. We grew up in this country and we saw how people migrated to other places and settled peacefully. I think it is just the element of give and take that is lacking and like somebody observed, Nigerians are becoming intolerant of each other. “Until we stop the intolerance and believe that we have to forego something in order to get something, the communal clashes and ethnic disagreements would continue.
“The reason for the summit is for all stakeholders to assemble and proffer solutions to improving security across the country.”
Highpoint of the event was the anti-kidnapping, K-9 and anti-explosives simulations exhibited by police operatives.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has congratulated Emmanuel Macron on his election as the next President of France.
In a congratulatory letter to the president-elect, Osinbajo said he received the news of the election of Macron with satisfaction.
He noted that under successive governments, the relations between Nigeria and France had blossomed.
The acting president expressed optimism that the incoming French Government would further strengthen the bond of friendship between both countries.
Under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari there has been very close collaboration between Nigeria and France in the war against terror, the acting president said.
He commended the role that France had played in the successes so far recorded in the implementation of the regional initiative against terrorism in Africa.
Osinbajo said Macron’s election was a source of inspiration, especially for the French people.
According to him, Macron’s election portends a greater future in which the French Republic will continue to play its active role in boosting relations between Europe and the rest of the world.
Osinbajo said the Buhari administration “is looking forward to working closely with President-elect Macron to promote international cooperation, advance peace and security.’’
He also expressed the hope that such relationship would “consolidate mutual trade relations and strengthen economic partnership for the benefit of citizens of both countries’’
The French on Sunday elected 39-year-old Macron as their president to take over from Mr. Francois Hollande.
Macron defeated Ms. Marine Le Pen in the second round of the election.