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Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • NHIS crisis: Protesting workers call for scrapping of HMOs

    The crisis in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), has taken a new dimension, as protesting workers Monday called for the scrapping of the Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs).

    This is the fifth day of the protest.

    They insisted that the Scheme can operate without the intervention of the HMOs as it is being practiced in some African countries.

    Read Also:NHIS as symptom of dysfunctional federation

    The Vice Chairman, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), NHIS chapter, Mr. Theophilus Egwadah, stated this while responding to questions from journalists in Abuja, Monday, in continuation of their protest for the Executive Secretary, Prof. Usman Yusuf, to respect the suspension order given to him by the Governing Council.

    While noting that HMOs are among the major problems hindering the progress of the NHIS, Egwadah however, insisted that Prof. Usman Yusuf must step aside pending the outcome of the investigation of the allegations leveled against him.  .

    The workers however, vowed not to work with Prof. Yusuf, reiterating that President Muhammadu Buhari should compel him to step aside.

    Responding to the allegations that the union has been bought over by external influence, Egwadah noted: “HMOs are the intermediary between the regulator (NHIS) and the enrollees (the public). There is no personal relationship between me and the HMOs. In all the fora that I have attended, I have been telling them that HMOs are part of the problem we are having in NHIS.

    “The HMOs are stakeholders and have been participating in the scheme even before I was employed. We told Prof. Yusuf that this thing has to do with legislation, until the legislation takes care of these HMOs to exit them.

    “There are some African countries that are practicing their health insurance without HMOs. Some programmes like the Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) we are running without HMOs, so the HMOs are only concern in the formal sector.”

    He, however, said that not all HMOs are bad.

    “It is not all of them that are bad, there are some of them that are actually killing the scheme which we know and we have suspended one of them, particularly, Precious HMO when there are reports of compromise.

    “Prof Yusuf has not delisted any HMO, rather he is busy making noise in the media and revealing to them some of the strategies we wanted to use against them. He is fighting everybody, fighting the staff, the HMOs, fighting hospitals and everybody,” he said.

    On the way forward for the scheme, he said: “The best option is for him to step aside.

    “His appointment has not been terminated, the Council only said, go on suspension  and let the committee carry out the investigation on these infractions.

    “The EFCC and ICPC have been investigating this man since 2016, up till now they have not concluded the investigation.”

    Also, the Chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN)  and NHIS joint union, Comrade Olawuyi Kayode,  called on Federal Government to mount pressure on Prof. Yusuf respects the order give to him as 2019 elections are at the corner.

    “We need to help our president because election is around the corner and we don’t want the opposition party to use this as an advantage campaigning against our president.

    “That is why we are shouting and clamouring that the appointing power lies with the president, which is not in doubt, but we want Professor Yusuf to step aside to answer to all these allegations and infractions that has been leveled against him.”

  • Nigeria’s democracy improving steadily – Buhari 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja said Nigeria’s democracy is steadily improving with deeper understanding of the culture and tenets among the people, and strengthening of the institutions that guarantee free and fair elections.

    Receiving Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency Rt. Hon. Julie Payette, at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari said he saw the evolving strength of democracy in the country by contesting for elections three times before winning at the fourth trial in 2015.

    Read Also:Anenih gave so much to party politics, democracy in Nigeria, says Tinubu

    The President, in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, told the Governor General that Nigeria had been learning from the mistakes of those who practiced democracy for a longer period, and by looking inward at its own peculiarities.

    “I emphasize free and fair elections at all times,’’ he said.

    The President said the bilateral relations with Canada will continue to be improved considering the huge interest of the country in Nigeria and growing economic ties, with many Nigerians schooling and working in the country.

    He said Canada played a brotherly role in helping displaced persons in the North East, following Boko Haram insurgency.

    In her remarks, the Governor General said Nigeria and Canada enjoy a warm and strong partnership that has translated into ease of migration, large trade relations and cultural exchanges.

    Rt. Hon. Payette, who is an astronaut, said it was important for nations to pool resources together to start exploring the benefits of space in providing solutions to some problems on earth.

    The Governor General noted that the world would achieve more by de-emphasizing geographical differences and refocusing its energy on the commonality of humanity, pointing out that from space one can only see an earth without borders.

    Rt. Hon. Payette said her visit was about showcasing “youth, innovation and technology’’, adding that Canada would like to partner with Nigeria in the ongoing diversification of the economy.

    “We wish you free and credible elections in 2019,’’ she said.

    Speaking with journalists at the end of the meeting, she disclosed that the two countries have resolved to deepen bilateral relation in the areas of Trade and Commerce, education, security, Science and space technology advancement.

    Payette, who is accompanied on the visit by eminent Canadians including government officials, members of parliament and members of the business sector, noted that Nigeria and Canada had been friends and partners for decades

    Describing Nigeria as the largest trading partner in Africa and largest investor in Canada, she said Canada had a strong base in Nigeria as the number of companies doing business in the country had grown significantly in recent years.

    She said “Many opportunities exist for deepen cooperation as you mentioned to me during our conversation there is a lot of room for growth for the bilateral relation between Nigeria and Canada.

    “Fortunately, we already have a strong base and we will continue to build on this.

    “Nigeria is Canada’s largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa and as well Nigeria is the largest investor from Africa in Canada.

    “The number of Canadian companies doing business here, have grown significantly in recent years and we really hope that this delegation would foster even more trading and commerce between our two countries,’’ she said.

    Payette said that, at the height of the Nigeria – Canada relationship, more than 10,000 Nigerian students were studying in Canada.

    She further revealed that another set of over 5,000 Nigerians residing in Canada had been contributing positively to the growth of the Canadian textile industry.

    She said that one of the priorities of her visit to Nigeria was to meet and celebrate the vibrant youths of the country.

    Payette said the visit would also focus attention on the National Space Research and Development Agency in Abuja.

  • PDP to Buhari: Present your certificate to INEC

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to show proof of his vaunted integrity by presenting his academic documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and put to an end his certificate saga.

    The main opposition party also urged President Buhari to fulfill his obligation like other presidential candidates, by presenting his certificate, if he has any, instead of bugging the commission with affidavits.

    A statement Friday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused the President of seeking ways to short-circuit the system, instead of complying with set rules.

    The party said while its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has submitted his educational and other relevant documents to INEC, President Buhari has continued to insist that his secondary school certificate was with the military authorities.

    The statement said, “Indeed, a situation where President Buhari has been dodging the certificate issue raises huge questions of integrity, which demands that he makes available his credentials, or apologise to Nigerians, if he has none, so that the nation can move ahead.

    “President Buhari knows by now that Nigerians are no longer interested in his claims in an affidavit wherein he stated; “I am the above-named person and the deponent of this affidavit herein. All my academic qualification documents as filled in my Presidential form, APC/001/2015 are currently with the Secretary of the Military Board as of the time of this affidavit”.

    The PDP maintained that integrity strictly demands that President Buhari, particularly as the Commander-In-Chief write to the military authorities directing them to forward his claimed credentials to INEC, as requisite evidence of compliance with a key requirement for election into the Office of the President, under Section 131 (d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    “That President Buhari and the previous INEC succeeded in circumventing the law in 2015 does not make such acceptable in our current electoral process.

    “Moreover, President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) must realise that even their followers that were beguiled in 2015, are currently not prepared to accept ‘NEPA bill’ as WAEC certificate in the 2019 elections.

    “This is particularly as the certificate scandal contributes to the erosion of Mr. President’s rectitude to check the humongous corruption, ineptitude and recklessness among his officials which has brought the nation to its knees under his administration.

    “Furthermore, President Buhari’s failure to tidy up such grey areas also contributes to his inability to cultivate and earn the productive followership of the youth and the respect of the international community, resulting in retardation in national productivity and dearth of international development partnership in the last three and half years.

    “This situation has even been worsened by the revelations that President Buhari’s ministers and aides parade forged certificates.

    No country makes meaningful progress with persons with these educational pedigrees in its leadership.

    “The PDP, therefore, urges President Buhari to do the needful so as not to cause any frictions that will put INEC under further pressure ahead of the 2019 general elections”.

     

     

  • Why we focus on quality infrastructure – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, in Abuja, reaffirmed that his administration will sustain the delivery of quality infrastructure across the country for investments and businesses to thrive.

    He made the remark while receiving representatives of Trade Associations from the 36 states and the FCT led by the National Coordinator, Prince Paul Ikonne.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari pledged that he will continue to do his best to ensure that the country is safe and secure for everybody.

    The President welcomed the group’s appreciation of government’s efforts in providing and improving critical infrastructure, especially roads and railways, to ensure ease in movement of goods and services.

    He said “These efforts are part of our campaign slogans on security, the economy and the fight against corruption; and on security, it is common-sense that unless the country is secured it cannot be governed.

    ‘‘The best people to comment on the achievements of this administration in terms of security are people who come from the North East where they used to share their local governments with Boko Haram, get ambushed and dispossessed.

    ‘‘Today, we are all witnesses to the commendable efforts of government on security,’’ the President said.

    President Buhari also took note of some major observations by the traders including illegal seizure of good by agents of governments, harmonisation of taxes and charges, and the need for timely completion of rail networks connecting ‘‘South to North, North to the East and East to the West.’’

    In his remarks, Ikonne praised the Buhari administration for instituting policies that are friendly and encouraging to traders, artisans and farmers.

    The National Coordinator declared the Association’s support for the fight against corruption.

    He said ‘‘Mr, President, we must applaud your courage to fight corruption which is restoring Nigeria’s reputation within and outside the country. This, indeed, is an outstanding achievement and we are proud of you.’’

  • FG, governors to meet on Monday over minimum wage – Ngige 

    The Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, on Friday said the Economic Management Team (EMT) and governors will meet on Monday towards addressing the N30, 000 minimum wage proposal and other grey areas.

    Read Also:Labour condemns govt’s plan to derail minimum wage

    The organised labour is threatening to embark on strike action on November 6th, 2018 over minimum wage and other issues.

    According to Ngige, no final decision has been taken by the government on the proposed N30, 000 minimum wage.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Ngige insisted that the government will not fail to implement the ‘No work, no pay’ rule.

    He said that the rule started under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

     

     

    Details Later…

  • PDP claims credit for P/Harcourt Airport terminal project

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of claiming credit for the Port Harcourt Airport Terminal, saying the project was conceptualised articulated and financed by the PDP administration.

    The PDP said President Buhari’s theatrical commissioning of the terminal built by the PDP administration was another failed media stunt to create a false impression that Mr. President is performing, even when he made no contribution whatsoever towards the execution of the project.

    Read Also:PDP wasted commonwealth of Nigerians, says Buhari

    A statement Thursday by the spokesman of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Nigerians were thoroughly amused when President Buhari’s handlers brought him to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the first time since his inauguration in 2015, only to orchestrate another failed attempt to claim credit for project executed by others.

    “If anything, the Buhari administration, in its incompetence, only succeeded in delaying the completion of the project, which was perfected by the PDP, including payments to contractors.

    “It is to say the least appalling that after three and half years, a President, who is seeking reelection, cannot point to any development project, initiated and executed by his administration in any part of our country.

    “Instead, our dear President has been moving around trying to claim credit for projects executed by the PDP, all in a desperate attempt to cover his failures in governance”, the statement added.

    The PDP recalled that the President and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had similarly attempted to claim credit for the Abuja Light Rail Project, saying that it’s public knowledge that the project was conceptualised and policy-propelled by the PDP.

    “We know that President Buhari is eager to stuff up his false performance claims ahead of election, but doing so with the achievements of others is the height of desperation and deceit, which has already become repugnant to majority of Nigerians and the international community.

    “The PDP therefore counsels President Buhari’s handlers to use the remaining days of his failed administration to prepare him to get ready to accept his imminent defeat in 2019, as Nigerians have already rallied behind our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, whose performance credential is known to all,” the PDP said.

     

  • PDP wasted commonwealth of Nigerians, says Buhari 

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday night again blamed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for wasting the commonwealth of Nigerians during its sixteen years administrations.

    According to him, there was nothing to show for the huge resources that were earned in the country during the period.

    He spoke at a dinner for youth political appointees at the new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He specifically queried the $16 billion expended on the power sector during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “There was no power they said they spent $16bn on, where is it?” he queried.

    The President also expressed disappointment with the Nigerian press over the poor coverage of his go back to land agricultural revolution program.

    He said that the press did not give the credit of the ongoing transformation in the agricultural sector of the country to his administration.

    Buhari said: “I’m very disappointed with the Nigerian press. They didn’t give this government the credit of the go back to land program. We have cut down the importation of rice by at least 90 percent.”

    According to him, Nigerians are now leaving white collar jobs for farming to tap from the revolution.

    He also said that the country has achieved food security.

    The President said he appointed Chief Audu Ogbeh as the Minister of Agriculture in view of his experience in the sector.

    “Ogbeh went to a bank, borrowed money and invested in the agriculture. He suffered but eventually he paid the money. So, you cannot have a better person than somebody who has suffered in the sector, “he said.

    Speaking at the occasion, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said that the PDP didn’t achieve one-tenth of APC achievements in its sixteen years at the helm of affairs.

    He said “As a Government arm, we have achieved so much and I am going to make available to you a document that we have put together, which captures what the government has been able to achieve in just about two and half years, what I called a midterm report.

    “If we have to make a comparison of what has been achieved in the last couple of years, the 16 years of PDP administration will not constitute one-tenth of what we have been able to achieve in the last three and half years.

    “We went to the 2015 elections with promises, but we will go to the 2019 elections with our scorecard,” he said.

  • Buhari inaugurates new PH Int’l Airport terminal 

    After four years of spadework, President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated the new international terminal of Port Harcourt Airport, in Omagwa, Rivers State.

    The terminal was built by the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company Nigeria Limited as part of the $500 million concessional loan from the Export – Import Bank of China.

    Buhari landed about 12.30 pm and was driven in a convoy to the location of the new terminal.

    Speaking at the ceremony Buhari said the Port Harcourt International Airport terminal will play a significant role in promoting economic prosperity of Rivers State.

    He said the new terminal will increase passenger growth as well as facilitate the movement of cargo.

    He said the facility will bring the airport to international standard to create economic growth for Rivers State as well as the country.

    He said the concession of four international airport terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt will improve infrastructure in Nigeria.

    He said the construction of new terminals will be linked to the Warri Rail Line.

    Buhari said government is making deliberate efforts to increase handling capacities and infrastructure of the nation’s transport sector which was not taken care of since the 70s and 80s when they were built.

    He said it was part of his promises to upgrade Nigeria’s transport infrastructure in all geo political zones of the country.

    The president said:” Today’s commissioning is a significant landmark for international travellers especially those in the South South region.

    “Not much was done after these airports were built in the 70s and 80s to increase handling capacity of the airports and so we needed to take decisive steps to ensure that our terminals meet the minimum international global standards.

    “In the 2017 budget, I promised to upgrade Nigeria’s transport and complete a number projects that will be beneficiary to the nation economically and these include construction of new terminals, railways and power projects.

    “Today’s commissioning is a direct policy to sustain economic growth in all geo political zones of the country,” the president said.

    In his remarks, Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika said the project commenced in 2014 and was inherited from the previous administration at 30 per cent completion in 2015.

    He said despite the inherent challenges associated with the project, Buhari gave approval for the lapses to be corrected.

    He listed the challenges to include: inadequate power supply, litigation, lack of apron space which have been addressed.

    Speaking earlier, Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike assured the president that the people of Rivers State and indeed the South South are happy with the project stating that it would foster further investment in the state.

    Wike said; “I can tell you this today that the people of Rivers State and the Niger Delta are happy with you Mr. President. This terminal here will help the drive of the state to grow the economy and it will attract investment to the state. What has happened here shows that Rivers State is safe, Rivers State is secured and if it was not CCECC will not have been here to construct this.”

     

  • Buhari okays burial of former CJN at National cemetery 

    President Muhammadu Buhari has authorized the burial of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, late Justice Muhammed Idris Kutigi at the National Cemetery, Abuja.

    The National Cemetery is reserved for the nation’s fallen heroes and it requires discretionary approval of a sitting President for a citizen to be given a final resting place in its grounds.

    Read Also:Family announces burial ceremony for late Justice Idris Kutigi

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu also commended his contributions to the evolution of the country’s jurisprudence.

    He said the nation will not forget the hard work and dedication of the eminent jurist.

    President Buhari also sent a government delegation led by his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari to represent him at the funeral prayer at the National Mosque, Abuja and thereafter, the burial at the National Cemetery.

    Other members of the Presidential delegation were the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

    The government delegation also paid a condolence visit to the widows and other family members of Justice Kutigi at his residence in Asokoro, Abuja.

  • 2019: PDP chair restates doubts over INEC’s neutrality

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has again expressed lack of confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair and transparent elections 2019.

    Secondus spoke Wednesday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the European Union of the Election Exploration Mission to Nigeria, led by Niclay Paus.

    According to the party chairman, all intelligence available to the party showed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has concluded arrangements with INEC to manipulate the electoral process.

    Secondus recalled events during the governorship election in Osun State, saying they merely underscored his fears that INEC might not be ready to be neutral.

    He insisted that redeploying Mrs. Amina Zakari from INEC’s ICT department to the commission’s Health unit was not enough to instill confidence in the opposition, adding that the woman ought to have been eased out of the electoral body.

    Secondus said Mrs. Zakari, who is widely believed to be a blood relative of President Muhammadu Buhari, was still capable of influencing other officials with INEC during elections.

    The party chair said, “When we eschewed violence after the electoral theft in Osun State and decided to exercise our right to peaceful protest, the Inspector General of Police directed his personnel to tear gas us notwithstanding the personalities involved in the protest.

    “The Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, five state governors, the PDP National Chairman and members of the National Working Committee NWC and other critical leaders of our party were teargassed.

    “Our fear is strong that the APC and the administration are not disposing themselves for a peaceful 2019 general election and we base our position on the multiplicity of induced crisis across the country

    “With all the unprecedented bloodletting in the country, the President is not engaging the people and a select group operating as cabals have hijacked the system”.

    The party chairman urged international partners of Nigeria, especially the European Union and United States to bring their influence to bear on the INEC to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

    He urged his visitors and other international bodies also to show more than passing interests in the activities of Nigerian security agencies, stressing that a biased police force could be an instrument of violence.