The Nation Newspaper

Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • FG targets $1 billion from asset, income scheme 

    FG targets $1 billion from asset, income scheme 

    …50% of recovered fund to go states

     

    The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday approved the proposed Nigeria Voluntary Asset and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) which will take off May 1, 2017.

    It is expected to yield about $1billion to the Federal Government’s purse.

    The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the NEC, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    He was joined at the briefing by Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and Deputy Governor of Kaduna state, Bala Bantex.

    He said that the scheme will capitalize on the considerable international goodwill already built by President Muhammadu Buhari in his mission to rebuild Nigeria.

    The policy, he said, was necessitated by the under payment of tax via the use of Tax Havens and other evasion strategies, which he noted has not been helpful to Nigeria.

    According to him, the practice has been principally perpetrated by multi-national companies and high net worth individuals, making Nigeria to have the lowest non-oil tax to GDP at 6%.

    He said that the policy will also capitalize on the current global movement against tax evasion and illicit financial flows and will offer a window for those who have not complied with extant tax regulations to remedy their position by the provision of limited amnesty to enable voluntary declaration and payment of liabilities.

    He said the VAIDS scheme targets to increase the tax to GDP ratios to 15% from just 6% by 2020 while simultaneously generating revenue and encouraging investment and economic activity “as only 214 individuals in the entire country pay N20 million or more in tax annually.”

    On the scope of the programme, Bowler said: “VAIDS scheme will embrace all Federal and States’ taxes such as Companies Income Tax, Personal Income Tax, Petroleum Profits Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duties, Tertiary Education Tax, Technology Tax.

    “The scheme is intended to cover all back taxes without any limit to time on how far back a tax assessment can go where a taxpayer has willfully defaulted.”

    The FIRS boss said the scheme is targeted to run from May 1, 2017 for up to six months and incentives will be put in place to encourage early participation.

    “Tax payers will be allowed up to 3 years to settle their liabilities. Revenue expected from the scheme conservatively estimated at US$1 billion,” he stated.

    On the role of state governments, he said that based on initial estimates, it is anticipated that at least 50% of the funds recovered will belong to states who are the ultimate collectors of personal income taxes.

    Kaduna State Deputy Governor said that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Munguno, briefed the Council on the security situation in the country with particular reference to Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, cattle rustling, ethnic militias/security outfits, kidnapping, among others,.

    According to him, the NSA blamed the situation on unemployment, which he said was a major security threat.

    He also said that the Council has agreed to hold an extra-ordinary session to discuss security matters especially as it has to do with the economy.

    Abia State governor, who spoke on deforestation in the country, said that the Council backed suspension of temporary wood export from the country.

    It was also disclosed that NEC received report of Excess Crude Account as at 15th March, 2017, which stood at US$2, 45,864,724.59, recording a marginal increase of US$2,458,382,882.03.

     

  • Buhari orders CBN, Finance Ministry to pay states London-Paris Club refunds

    Buhari orders CBN, Finance Ministry to pay states London-Paris Club refunds

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday directed the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to act appropriately and with dispatch in releasing the second tranche of the London-Paris Club refunds to the states in order to ease their financial hardships.

    He gave the directive while addressing the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) made up of State Governors and chaired by the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Buhari, who met the governors behind closed doors, however, made a strong case for settlement of unpaid salaries and pension liabilities of workers in their states.

    The President in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said: “I will not rest until I address those issues that affect our people.  One of these basic things is the issue of salaries.

    “It is most important that workers are able to feed their families, pay rent and school fees, then other things can follow,” he said.

    President Buhari, who went round the Council Chambers to greet the governors one after another, praised the unity of the Forum of State Governors.

    He thanked them profusely for their display of “love and respect” to him.

    According to him, he was overwhelmed by his recent experience in which states, irrespective of political differences charged their citizens to pray in mosques and churches for his well-being and apologized to Governors for barring them from visiting him while he was in London.

    “I didn’t want government to move to London. I wanted it to remain here and I am glad it did,” he said.

    After narrating what he went through while on that vacation, President Buhari noted the suggestion by the Governors for him to add more rest, but insisted that he would remain relentless in the pursuit of the interest of the Nigerian people at all times.

    This, he said, was the only way to show his gratitude to the people who, he said, “had given so much to me.  I was overwhelmed by the celebration of my return all across the country.”

    The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Abdul-Aziz Yari of Zamfara State assured the President, on behalf of his colleagues, that they will continue to support his policies and actions which they had adjudged as being in the nation’s best interest.

    The governors of Imo, Akwa-Ibom, Osun and Abia States thanked President Buhari for saving the day for states through the first tranche of the London-Paris Club refunds while calling for the immediate release of the second one.

    They also commended the trust the President reposed in the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, whom they said did not disappoint when he acted as President.

     

  • Buhari appoints Grand Kadi for FCT

    Buhari appoints Grand Kadi for FCT

    …To be sworn in Friday by CJN

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Kadi Ibrahim Rufai Imam as the Acting Grand Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Director, Information of the National Judicial Council (NJC), Soji Oye, said in a statement yesterday that the appointment was sequel to the retirement of the former Grand Kadi of the court

    He said Kadi Rufai will be sworn-in on March 16 by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the NJC, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

     

  • Reps task Buhari on herdsmen attacks in Benue herdmen, Ife

    Reps task Buhari on herdsmen attacks in Benue herdmen, Ife

    The House of Representatives has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately set up a Task Force to disarm herdsmen that attacked Buruku communities in Benue State that led to loss of lives and destruction of property last week.

    In addition, the Presidency was advised, to as a matter of urgency investigate the reason behind the Ile Ife clash between Hausas and their Yoruba host that also led to loss of lives.

    The lawmakers urged the Federal government to advise Osun State to pay compensation to the victims in addition to cleaning up arms in the community and withdraw unlicensed weapon in the country at large.

    While condemning the 10th March, 2017 attack on Buruku, the lawmakers opined that the attackers may have been encouraged by lack of action on the part of the Federal government over past attacks.

    As a consequence, the House is setting  up an ad hoc Committee to meet with heads of security agencies to explain the reasons behind their inability to stop the attacks.

    The decision followed the adoption of a motion by Emmanuel Oker-Jev (APC, Benue) and 10 others, who expressed concern that on Friday 10 march, 2017, the invading herdsmen became violent and destructive, created fear and tension which forced residents of most communities in Binev Council Ward to flee their homes.

    According to him, the herdsmen destroyed farms, plundered yam barns and looted houses deserted by innocent and armless villagers.

    He said: “On Saturday 11 March, 2017 the marauding herdsmen started indiscriminate attacks and killings of anybody they encountered around the communities of Ber Awuna, Dogo, Ortese – Mbashian, Tse Igyu, Tse Gebe, Anbighir, Tse Iwa, Gbaikyo, Agudu, Nyorum, Shonto and Abuku in three major kindreds of Mbade, Mbagoho, Mbashian, Mbaboor and Wuav.

    “These violent attacks continued unabated without any intervention from any security agency throughout that Saturday and 20 people were reported killed by these armed herdsmen, out of which 10 bodies have so far been recovered and deposited at the local Government”.

    According to him, the strange herdsmen, who were heavily armed with sophisticated weapons, seemed to be operating or supported by a killer squad of mercenaries that arrived the communities on Friday night on motorcycles and unleashed the mayhem the following day.

    “The worst part of it is the attitude of security agencies once the crisis starts. They stand afar and they seem not to be interested.

    “Now, we have reached the stage where it seems the Nigerian State is asking us to defend ourselves”, he added.

    Tarkihgir Dickson (APC, Benue) condemned the Presidency for not not reacting to past attacks, saying the attackers were encouraged by that silence.

    “The president has said nothing and in my place, silence means consent. When we set up a committee we shouldn’t only send them to Benue State. The committee should go and ask the President what he is going to do”, Dickson said.

    Mark Gbilah (APC, Benue), who said it was Fulani herdsmen that carried out the attack however regretted that the Nigerian military failed in its responsibility to protect the citizens.

    He said going by the claims of a government officials that foreign herdsmen were responsible for similar attacks around the country, then Nigerian military has been
    irresponsible by failing to check the invasion of Nigeria by the foreigners disguising as herdsmen.

    However Baballe Bashir (APC, Kano) said it would be unfair to blame Fulani herdsmen for the attacks without sufficient evidence linking them to the violent acts.

    On his part, Magaji Aliyu (APC,  Jigawa) urged that all criminals acts be categorised as such, saying, “We must refer to these people as hoodlums and find out which interests are behind these groups and who arms them”.

    In its resolution, the House also urged the National Emergency management Agency (NEMA) to send food and other relief materials to the affected communities.

    Similarly, Sani Zorro (APC, Jigawa) in his motion on the Ife clash noted that concerted efforts must be made to stop a reoccurrence.

    In their contributions, while Israel Famurewa (APC, Osun) said past Ife/Modakeke clashes have militarised the area and there is a need to clean up the arms in the area, Egho Oghene (PDP, Lagos) nited it has become necessary that the Inspector General of Police  (IGP) be engaged and advised on the need to set up quick response team that will react to distress calls within six hours.

    Albert Adeogun (APC, Osun) it was wrong to classify it as a communal clash because it was  an incidence that was misinterpreted.

    According to him, the relationships between the two have made it difficult to differentiate between them due to their deep cultural affinities.

    He cited the case of the Seriki of Sabo that was born in Ife and now over 60 years of age, adding that intermarriage is common between the two groups.

    Ali Madaki (APC, Kano) said the unfortunate clash was as a result of failure of the  leadership that could not deliver on their responsibilities of protecting the  lives and property of the citizenry.

    Saying that action must be taken immediately to check the exodus of Hausas from Ife, the lawmaker said the incidence might have been averted if mainstream media had provided  adequate coverage.

    The two motions were unanimously adopted after being put to voice vote by the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun.

     

  • Fayose to Buhari: Release Kanu, Dasuki unconditionally

    Fayose to Buhari: Release Kanu, Dasuki unconditionally

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to unconditionally release former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki and leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu from prison custody.

    In a statement released on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose admonished Buhari to reciprocate the mercy of God upon his life by also showering mercy on his fellow citizens.

    Fayose said: “You have received the mercy and favour of God. You have come back from medical vacation alive. By what people had said and by your own account, it is the mercy and favour of God that have seen you through as well as the prayers of everyone.

    “It is incumbent on you to now also show mercy. I advise you to show mercy to Nnamdi Kanu and Sambo Dasuki and such other Nigerians that are suffering unjust, punitive, illegal, and unconstitutional incarceration under your directive or administration.

    “Allow all those who have been granted bail by the court to enjoy their bail while their trial continues. This is the right, just, and merciful thing to do. To continue to disdain the court is reckless and unconstitutional. Moreover, it is a sin and it is oppressive.”

  • Arewa Youths to Buhari: Sack non-performing ministers

    Arewa Youths to Buhari: Sack non-performing ministers

    The Northern youths under the auspices of Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to waste any further time in terminating the appointment of non-performing ministers in his cabinet.

    According to the Speaker of the AYA ‎in a press statement issued and made available to newsmen in Kaduna Monday, the youth group urged the President to assess the performance profile of his Ministers while he was away on vacation and take necessary action to avoid their non-performance affect his good intension for Nigeria.

    The group opined that, “he should go ahead and remove those who perform below expectation” noting that “if there is one unique ingredient of quality leadership that is grossly missing from the pot pourri of our nation’s socio-political. Life today, it has to be that of selfless service to the nation”.

    While recommending sack for non performing ministers, the youth assembly averred that Brigadier General Boroh (Rtd) deserves a special recognition for managing the presidential Amnesty program, adding, “he deserve a decent mention and attendant space in our society for ensuring peaceful co-existence among the militants and the government”.

    “AYA wish to pay tribute to Professor Benjamin Ozumba a. Quintessential scholar, a detribalize Nigerian, a man of vision and ideas whose vice chancellorship was an era of academic ‎oriented leadership, firm and characterised by industrial harmony and stability”.

    ‎AYA further said Professor Ozumba is highly reputed as an academic  giant with a promising agenda which is action oriented, democratic based, achievement motivated by taking a bold steps of introducing Hausa department at the prestigious UNN, first of its kind in South-East, South-South, “the VC is our intellectual Ambassador and Nigeria’s best minds of his generation” the statement stressed.

    Meanwhile, the youth group has condnmed in strong terms the xenophobic attack of. Nigerians in South Africa and the unwarranted killings of Hausa community in Ile Efe.

    ‎”We condemn the spate of xenophobic attacks by South African on fellow Africans, while many Nigerians have been murder within the last two years in inexplicable circumstance either by South African citizens or even officials of the state. Certainly, governments of Nigeria and South Africa as well as others need to look beyond verbal darts and move from rhetoric to reality cheeks or actions that can defuse tension on all fronts.

    ‎”We wish to condemn the wanton killing of Hausa community in Ile-Ife for no just reasons, government should bring those behind this ugly trend to book because this issues is dirty to public acceptance”, the group said.

  • Buhari writes Reps on resumption of work

    Buhari writes Reps on resumption of work

    President Muhammadu Buhari has informed the House of Representatives of his resumption to work from his annual/medical leave.

    The letter was delivered to Speaker Yakubu Dogara Monday by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly matters (House of Reps) Hon. Abdurhaman Kawu Sumaila

    A statement by Dogara’s Special Adviser (Media and Public Affairs) Turaki Hassan reads, “Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, on Monday received communication from President Muhammadu Buhari on his resumption to duty.

    “Speaking shortly after the letter was handed over to him by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (House of  Reps) Hon. Suleiman Abdurhaman Kawu Sumaila, Dogara said he will read the letter to his colleague in plenary on Tuesday since the communication was meant for them.

    “Tomorrow (Tuesday) I will read this to my colleagues on the floor of the House and thereafter make comments from there,” he said.

    “However, permit me to thank you for working hard to ensure that there is harmonious working relationship between the Executive and the National Assembly.”

    “In your own case I can say it was an appointment that we can truly say amounted to putting a round peg in a round hole or a square peg in a square hole.”

    “So no wonder we have seen to some extent some form of understanding between the National Assembly   and the presidency.”

    “We promise that we will cooperate more than we fight like 1 said before we will always fight and that has been the practice in all climes and ours cannot an exception  but we will cooperate more in the interest of our people rather than fight.”

    “While presenting the letter to the Speaker, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (House of Reps) Hon. Suleiman Abdurhaman Kawu Sumaila commended him for supporting the president and the Executive arm of government”.

     

  • Buhari to universities: Be prudent in funds management

    Buhari to universities: Be prudent in funds management

    President Muhammadu Buhari has charged federal universities to be prudent in the management of funds allocated to them in view of current economic challenges.

    Buhari gave the advice on Saturday at the 30th Convocation of the University of Calabar.

    Represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Onwuka, Buhari said that his administration placed premium on the funding of education as a way to improve teaching and learning.

    According to him, in view of the present economic challenges, it is important for public universities to adopt prudent measures in spending the funds allocated to universities by the Federal Government.

    “As we all know, Nigeria is facing some economic challenges presently; I wish to advise federal universities to make judicious use of the funds allocated to them from the federal government for the development of their campuses.

    “The University of Calabar has fared very well in terms of infrastructural development and I must commend the university management for this,’’ he said.

    The president congratulated the graduands on the award of degrees to them and urged that they should be good ambassadors of the institution and Nigeria.
    Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Zana Akpagu, said that the institution graduated a total of 13,347 students in various fields of studies at the ceremony.

    Akpagu explained that 1,437 students were awarded post-graduate certificates while 11,910 got first degrees in different classes.

    He said that 22 students graduated with First Class degrees, adding that the University recorded a milestone in establishing the Faculty of Engineering which never existed since its establishment in 1978.

    He assured that the university would continue to leave up to its expectations in delivering quality academic services to students.

    On his part, the Pro-Chancellor of the University, Dr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, thanked the Federal Government for improving infrastructure in the school through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

    Iwunayanwu said that the support had helped in the physical development of the university.

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who was a guest at the occasion, donated the sum of N30 million as an educational support fund to the university’s Medical Centre, still under construction.

    Tambuwal commended the school management for infrastructural development and urged the graduands not to depend solely on white-collar jobs “but rather, be determined to be entrepreneurs”.

    Highlight of the occasion was the award of doctoral degrees “Honoris Causa” to Brig.-Gen. Anthony Ukpo (retd), Alhaji Ummarun Kwabo and Mr Daniel Chukwudozie for their contributions to the socio-economic development of the country.

  • Buhari’s returns end evil insinuations – APC

    The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State says the safe return of President Muhammadu Buhari has  put an end to unpatriotic and evil insinuations about the President’s health.

    Mr Abayomi Adesanya, the APC Publicity Secretary in Ondo, made the observation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday.

    NAN reports that President Buhari returned from London to Nigeria after 51 days of medical vacation in the early hours of Friday.

    Adesanya said: “the rumours of the death of the President were the handiwork of some unpatriotic Nigerians and the opposition who were desperate to weaken and derail the anti-corruption fight of the President.

    “But, we thank the God Almighty for the safe return of the people’s president.

    “We enjoin Nigerians to continue praying for Buhari-Osinbajo led-Federal Government to succeed in putting our country on the path of glory among the committee of developed nations’’.

    Mr Kehinde Aworele, the National Legal Adviser of  Alliance for Democracy (AD), also congratulated President Buhari for his safe return to the country.

    “I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for making such recovery after much noise about his health.

    “With the current economic situation in the country, we need the President and I urged Nigerians to continue to pray for him,’’ said.

    Aworele commended Nigerians for their prayers on the health of the President.

    Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, the APC Publicity Secretary in Ekiti State, said the President’s return had shown that he was not terminally ill.

    “The President’s return has vindicated our claim that the President is not terminally ill as being portrayed in some quarters opposed to the anti-corruption war of APC-led Federal Government.

    “I, on behalf of APC, also apologised to Nigerians on the role played by Gov. Ayodele Fayose in making himself the “prophet of death’’ while the President was abroad attending to his death

    “Fayose has been put to shame by Buhari’s hale and hearty arrival on Friday,’’ he said.

  • Buhari mourns Ogbemudia

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday extended condolences to the Ogbemudia family as well as the government and people of Edo State on the death of Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, a former‎ governor of the defunct Midwest region and old Bendel State.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Special Adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, joined them and other admirers in mourning the elder statesman who diligently served the country with courage and dedication at crucial moments in her history, both as military governor and a democratically elected civilian governor.

    He believed that the late Ogbemudia, who had a distinguished career as a military officer, administrator and Federal Minister, has left an impressive legacy of hardwork, discipline and commitment to communal, state, regional and  national development.

    Recalling that the unique role of the elder statesman in the nation’s return to civilian rule in 1999, he said that as a tireless advocate for equity, he will be long remembered and honoured for his dedication to the advancement of his people, especially in the fields of education, social welfare and infrastructure.

    President Buhari prayed that God Almighty will comfort all who mourn the late Brig.-Gen. Ogbemudia and grant his soul eternal rest.