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Tag: Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

  • Okowa congratulates AliBaba on presidential honour

    Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has congratulated comedian Atunyota Akporobomerere, popularly known as Ali Baba on the Presidential Award of Excellence given to him at the Second National MSME Awards.

    The event was hosted by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the Banquet Hall, Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifeajika on Wednesday in Asaba, Okowa described Ali Baba as a quintessential comedian whose contributions to the development of entertainment industry in Nigeria would remain indelible.

    “As a state, we are particularly proud of your numerous ‘firsts’ – first Nigerian comedian to perform on commercial flights, first to entertain over 40 heads of governments, first comedian to ring the closing bell of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

    “You are also first comedian on CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera, first to be inaugurated into the Johnnie Walker Hall of fame and first to stage a 6-hour stand-up comedy performance, among many other laudable accomplishments.”

    Okowa  thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for finding an eminent son of the state, AliBaba, worthy of the honour.

  • Experts evaluate workers’, employers’ rapport

    An online trust and credibility survey by a global marketing communication firm, Elderman Group, has revealed that Nigerians exhibit trust more in businesses. The survey, with the theme: ‘Trust at Work’, also showed that employers should take the lead on change rather than wait on government to initiate it.

    The survey, based on trust issues in Nigeria, conducted by the research arm of the firm, Edelman Trust Barometer, based the exercise on four mainstream institutions of government, namely business, media and non-governmental organisations.

    The annual survey report, which is its 19th edition, had 33,000 respondents across 27 countries. It featured Nigeria for the second time.

    At a joint presentation of the report in Lagos penultimate week, Edelman and its sole Nigerian affiliate and partner, Chain Reactions Nigeria, the Managing Director, Edelman Africa Jordan Rittenberry said: “Ninety-five per cent of respondents agreed that employers could create positive change in skills training, while 93 per cent said that Chief Executive Officers could influence economic prosperity in Nigeria.

    “Still, 88 per cent agreed that their employers can create positive change in job creation while another 83 per cent believed in the ability of their employers to initiate positive change in discrimination.”

    The survey conducted between October 19 and November 16, last year, further revealed that 72 per cent of the respondents perceive their employers as trustworthy source on the global economy while 58 per cent perceive business as a reliable source on technology.

    Rittenberry added “Fifty-eight per cent of respondents look to their employers to be trustworthy source of information about social issues and other important topics on which there are not general agreement.

    Furthermore, 77 per cent believe that a company can take specific actions that both increase profits and improve the economic and social conditions in the communities where it operates.”

    Of the four mainstream institutions he revealed that last year, there was a drop from 66 per cent to 42 per cent in trust and that in Africa in general, trust fell four points from last year to this year.

    The report further showed that in Nigeria and nine other African countries, government is the least trusted institution, while trust in media among the 10 African countries exceeded the global average of trust in media at 47 per cent.

    Also, business was the most trusted institution among the 10 African countries, while non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are trusted in six of the 10 African markets.

    Speaking further, Rittenberry revealed that for the media in Nigeria, search engines were the most trusted at 84 per cent followed by social media (64%) and traditional media at 60%. Online media was the least trusted with 56 per cent.

    “Trust in government is really low while trust in media is fairly balanced; business is the most trusted institution in Africa while trust in NGOs varies across the continent,” he said.

    Earlier, the Managing Director/Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Nigeria, Jaiye Opayemi, asserted that the importance of trust could not be over-emphasised, noting that trust played a key role in the last general elections. He called on government to invest in its trust quotient.

    “Trust is built by what we say as well as by what we do, and so for a government such as ours, perhaps this is an auspicious time for those who are responsible for managing the institutions of government in Nigeria to begin to think about investing in that asset of trust.

    “My admonition to President Muhammadu Buhari and his Deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is to make a deliberate effort to earn the trust of Nigerians in their second tenure of four years”.

    Other African countries surveyed were South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Cote’d Ivoire, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Angola.

  • SON urges investors to produce LPG cylinders locally

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has charged local and foreign investors to invest in LPG cylinder plants in the country.

    The agency said this is coming on the heels of the recent commissioning of Techno Oil Limited’s LPG manufacturing plant by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who stated that the present administration is planning to achieve over 5million metric of domestic, commercial and industrial LPG utilisation in 10 years.

    Representing the Director General, SON, , the Director, Compliance, SON, Engr. Obiora Manafa, said SON is in the business to ensure that goods and services produced in the country meet global best standards, while also calling for both local and foreign investments into the sector to bring down importation of LPG cylinders to the barest minimum.

    He added that investment in setting up LPG manufacturing plants will not only reduce dependence on imports, saying that it will also create job opportunities for the nation’s teeming unemployed youths.

    He noted that efforts of SON’s enforcement and certification programmes have seen an increase in the usage of LPG gas cylinders, stressing that consumers are now sure of the quality of LPG cylinders in the nation.

    He said SON was with Techno from the beginning of the project till the commissioning, adding that this was to ensure SON improve lives through quality assurance.

    The SON boss disclosed that efforts have been intensified to subject LPG Cylinders to laboratory tests and analysis to confirm their conformity, stressing that if these cylinders fail critical safety parameters on construction, performance and markings they will be seized and destroyed.

    He commended Techno Oil Limited for the launch of the LPG plant, stating that the plant can measure up with other LPG plants in the world

    Also speaking, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Techno Oil Limited, Mrs. Nkechi Obi, appreciated the commitment and support of the standards body from the beginning of its ultramodern LPG cylinder plant commissioned recently by the Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo in Epe, Lagos.

    “We cannot thank SON enough. We pledge our resolve to continue to work with SON for the good of the industry,” she said.

    “We are also thankful to the Lagos State government for being a worthy host by providing the much appreciated conducive environment for our business,” she said.

  • Nigeria has recorded investment increase in last – Osinbajo

    Nigeria experienced increased investment in last one year, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said.

    According to Osinbajo, investment interest increased from $66.4 billion in 2017 to $90 billion in 2018.

    Besides, he said the administration has invested over N3.5 trillion on infrastructure in the last 3 years

    The Vice President according to a statement signes by his media aide disclosed this at the first Nigeria-UK Economic Development Forum (EDF), held at the Presidential Villa.

    The Economic Development Forum was signed in August 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari and Prime Minister Theresa May in London as a platform to foster economic and development ties between both countries.

    The vice president noted that the country has recorded 37% increase from 2017-2018.

    He said, “We have seen increased investor interest in Nigeria by the investment announcements that we track, with $90.9 billion of investment announcements in 2018, a 37% increase over the $66.4 billion tracked in 2017. We are interested in these announcements because we know that if we nurture them correctly, we can turn them into actual investments.

    “There is also a steady rise in investor confidence, with an increase in the number of significant deal announcements. 18 days ago, Jumia, an online marketplace company that started in Nigeria, listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the first African start-up to do so. It received such a warm investor response, that it has since appreciated over 125%

    “It will be interesting to see more transactions like this, and several between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

    “Already, there are 4 Nigerian companies listed on the main board of The London Stock Exchange, although only one Nigerian company, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc is listed in both Nigeria and the UK. It is also fascinating that about half of the companies on the FTSE 100 have exposure to Nigeria.

    “By leveraging the EDF, I hope that we will continue to build on the existing foundation and work together on recording increased trade and investment flows, particularly in the areas where we have comparative advantages,” he added.

    On the efforts made by the Buhari administration to boost investor confidence and improve the business environment, Prof. Osinbajo said “as a government, we are not unmindful of the challenges that have hindered the business and investment environment in our country.

    “We have taken these challenges as opportunities and have made the extensive build-out of modern infrastructure (both hard and soft) as the main thrust of our Administration.

    “In the last three years, the government has allocated and disbursed over N3.5 trillion from the National budgets to infrastructure.

    “The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has made significant progress in reducing bottlenecks, eliminating redundancies and increasing transparency across government ministries, departments and agencies.”

    “There is undeniable evidence that the Buhari administration is repositioning the Nigerian economy for true growth and shared prosperity.”

    On the relationship between Nigeria and United Kingdom, the Vice President said, “it is of strategic importance to Nigeria” while welcoming the opportunity to actively grow the commercial bilateral relationship with the United Kingdom through the Economic Development Forum (EDF).

    According to the Vice President, “The deep and long-standing relationship between Nigeria and United Kingdom indicates that the current level of trade and investments between our countries is materially below the potential the relationship suggests, given that Africa represents only 2% of the UK’s trade relationships, and Nigeria represents only a tenth of that.

    “All hands must be on deck, to ensure that we foster the right environment to grow the level of bilateral trade and investment between our great countries.”

    Earlier in his remark, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, said the importance of the Nigeria-UK Economic Development Forum cannot be over-emphasized.

    He noted that Nigeria’s current demographics require government and other stakeholders to improve efforts and other interventions aimed at tackling unemployment and other challenges.

    Mr Hunt advised government to adopt steps aimed at improving the investment climate one of which is the approval of the revised Companies and Allied Matters Act.

    Also speaking, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah said a number of key decisions were reached at the end of the first Nigeria-UK Economic Development Forum, including work streams on standards, business to business linkages, clarification of regulatory frameworks, manufacturing and technology transfer, amongst others.

    The highpoint of the event was the signing of the communique reached at the end of the first Nigeria-UK Economic Development Forum, by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah and the UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

  • New ICPC chief pledges to live above board

    Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the newly appointed Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), has pledged to live above aboard in the discharge of his responsibilities.

    He made the pledge during his interaction with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Owasanoye, who is the fourth chairman of ICPC, was sworn-in by President Muhammadu Buhari on Feb. 4.

    Until his appointment by the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Aug. 2, 2017, Owasanoye was the Executive Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption.

    He replaced Mr. Ekpo Nta, who was redeployed to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

    He said that the chairman and board members of ICPC would not push past their limits, but would live above board.

    “We won’t be the ones frustrating the efforts of the commission.

    “We will provide leadership. We will work within the confines of the law.

    “We will not be ambiguous in our statements and we will be an example to the staff members of the commission.

    “We will also work with integrity, absolutely,” Owasanoye said.

    He added that as chairman of ICPC, he would ensure that staff members were motivated.

    According to him, a mechanism is already put in place to achieve that.

    READ ALSO: ICPC recovers N594b from civil servants

    On divulging information to the public, the chairman said that a provision in the ICPC Act prohibited discussion on issues being investigated.

    “We are only allowed to make a public statements when we have done an arrest and have charged someone to court.

    “Sometimes some of our investigations are jeopardised when you expose them on the pages of newspapers.

    “I appreciate it that the media have a right to know and so every now and then we will let you know measure and steps we are taking.

    “But in terms of specific things about who, what – until we formally arrest the person,  charge them to court, we will not put a name to what we are doing,” he said.

    He further said that coordinating what the new management met on ground was one of the challenges.

    “The commission has been talking on some cases that in my view, could be easily dealt with by other agencies or by other methods.

    This, he said, included civil contract issues and land cases.

    “I do not think we have any business with those issues,” Owasanoye said.

  • Nigeria back on the path to recovery -FG

    The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, says Nigeria is on the path of taking its place among the comity of nations with various developmental programmes ongoing in different sectors of the country.

    Osinbajo made the assertion at the 2017/2018 50th Convocation Lecture of the University of Lagos on Monday in Lagos.

    The theme of the lecture is, “Nigeria Rising: The Path to Prosperity’’.

    According to him, the most crucial pillar of any government’s economic policy should be the improvement of human resource.

    “I suspect the topic, Nigeria Rising; the Path to Prosperity is informed by the curiosity of what people expect from President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the next four years, or what “Next Level’’ really means.

    “I, therefore, think that I should begin by affirming that the Buhari administration believes that Nigeria’s prosperity means a decent existence for all, ending extreme poverty, increasing productivity and ending corruption.

    “We believe in wealth creation system that is capable of taking millions out of poverty, while providing for those who cannot work.

    “Wealth creation options must include access to cheap credit. It must include job schemes for the unemployed and cash transfers to the poorest and vulnerable.

    “The administration is also working toward providing good healthcare and education that makes our workforce relevant in the knowledge economy.

    “In plotting the path to prosperity, the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, we took into account the weaknesses of the Nigerian economy and the illusions that distort our real understanding of our economy.

    “First is the focus on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth figures without the understanding of the underlying dynamics,’’ he said.

    According to him, a total of 60 per cent of the country’s GDP figures depends on oil. The oil sector itself contributed 10 to 12 per cent, while the rest is contributed by the non-oil sector.

    Osinbajo said that between 50 and 53 per cent depended on the oil sectors.

    This, he said meant that the country’s economy rested on a tripod, with two of the three legs depending on highly volatile oil prices and production.

    “But we have to understand that high oil revenue does not equal better jobs or better human development indices.

    “For example, the period of astronomical high oil revenues was when we had high level of poverty, infant mortality and unemployment.

    “Our economy was also being run on a consumption growth model, which is only advantageous if consumption is being met by domestic production of goods and services.

    “However, our consumption was being met by import, and thus, though the GDP was going up, more people were going into poverty,’’ he said.

    According to the professor of Law, the only affluent people in the current economic dispensation were the professionals whom, he said, were able to plug into the rent-seeking opportunities brought by high oil prices.

    He noted that the average citizen could not because when the oil prices fall, not only does GDP fall, but the wealth of these affluent people is wiped out.

    Osinbajo said that the place of corruption was also crucial, adding that the same oil earnings that was supposed to fund education, infrastructure and healthcare ended up in private pockets.

    He added that the combination of theft of public revenues, the consequent failure to invest in infrastructures and the largely rent-seeking business class was what accounted for Nigeria’s current economic situation.

    “It is important to underscore the fact that our major problem has always been grand corruption, the direct stealing of government resources.

    “And we must not allow it to happen again because this high-level corruption affects the government’s ability to provide the most basic service to our people.

    “It is clear to us that we need to devise an economic plan which will prioritise the building of infrastructure, fix our healthcare system, ensure food security, provide quality education and create jobs for our teeming youths,’’ he added.

    He noted that the current administration was on course to providing decent existence for the masses, with a view in improving infrastructure, just like it was also focusing on innovation and technology.

    According to him, plans were on by the current administration to completely democratise access to innovation.

    He noted that it was important too that government would be able to put in place, an educational system that would take care of practically every one.

    Osinbajo added: “Our home grown feeding programme for instance, feeds about 9.2 million children in 26 states across the country with plans underway to cover the remaining 10 states soon.

    “Today, we have all sorts of figures where our out-of-school children is in the range of 10 million and all of that. We understand the problem and when we talk about these children, we are talking about the primary school children and this is run by the states and the local governments..

    “Now, there is no way that the Federal Government will on its own pick up this responsibility solely because each of these states run its own private school system.

    “If we look at the figure, you will find disparity between out-of-school children in Lagos and that of Bauchi or Anambra,’’ he said.

    According to him, what government was trying to do at the National Economic Council is to look at the challenges at the various states and proffer solutions.

    Read also: Osinbajo: govt to partner investors on IPP, airports concessioning  

    He added that what this meant was that government would have to compel all the states of the federation to provide more resources for education as well as healthcare.

    “So, we have to ensure that the states provide more resources and we will back the states as much as we can with resources for education and healthcare.

    “What I see is that in the next few years, we will resolve the issues we are having with our out-of-school children.

    “Another of my greatest worry is respect to quality of education which, of course, brings me to the question of teacher training and how to get the best from our teachers.

    “That is why we are currently looking at how to revamping teachers training. How do we ensure that our teachers are not just better trained in a particular way that is relevant, especially their digital requisite skills and those skills that are relevant for their immediate future,’’ he said.

    Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, noted that the jubilee convocation would be well celebrated as the institution had recorded giant strides in the area of entrepreneurship, research and innovation.

    Ogundipe assured Nigerians that before the end of the year, the institution would record an improved ranking.

    The Pro-Chancellor of the University, Dr Wale Babalakin, re-emphasised the need for only academics to find themselves in the academia.

    “We must create an environment that will attract the best scholars and nothing less, if truly we intend to take this country to the next level,’’ he said.

    The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Arthur Mbanefo, said that the topic of the lecture was apt, adding that it could not have come at a better time.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that earlier in the day, the vice-president commissioned some key projects that had already been completed by the institution.

    Among the projects were an Olympic size Swimming Pool, an Academic Publishing Centre, comprising a virtual centre of e-learning and a library, a new extension of the university’s Medical Centre and the New Engineering Lecture Theatre. (NAN)

  • Chopper crash: Many would’ve been in trouble if I had died – Osinbajo

    The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday said that his surviving a helicopter crash in Kogi State last February had saved a lot of persons in and out of government.

    According to him, they would have been saddled with the responsibility of explaining their roles in needless conspiracy theories.

    Osinbajo spoke at the old Banquet Hall of the State House during a special thanksgiving service for the victory of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the recent presidential election.

    Pointing out that if he had died in the crash, which occurred while landing in Kabba, Kogi State before the general elections, he stressed that many government and non-government officials, including his security details would have been blamed or put in trouble for many things they didn’t even know about.

    To this end, he said that God deserved to be praised not only for saving his life but also for saving many other persons the trouble of being smeared with false allegations.

    After the crash, he recalled that a woman repeatedly hinted that Kogi State itself could have been the cause of the accident.

    He said “On February 2nd, God gave me reason to know that but for His grace we would have been consumed, when our helicopter crashed.

    “When the crashed occurred, for a moment there was complete silence. For a second, it occurred to me that if we had died, that is what it would have been – complete silence. But we all got out without a scratch. God delivered us.

    “God also delivered those in charge of our security; even the government of Kogi State would also have been in trouble. We give God all the glory.

    “I pray God will also be kind to you all also, that you will never be lacking in support, care and genuine prayers.

    “God is surely worthy to be praised. I have no special qualifications to be here but exaltation comes from God”. He added

    Osinbajo, who said he had looked forward for a quiet academic or campus life of a lecturer’s family, but “I wouldn’t have believed that I would be going round the country campaigning for votes in 2015 and thereafter”.

    The Assistant General Overseer and Pastor in charge of Northern Region of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Ezekiel Odeyemi, delivered the sermon during the Thanksgiving service.

    He thanked God for preserving Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and his family from evil since he assumed office, with a particular recollection of the helicopter crash, which Osinbajo survived without a scratch.

    Odeyemi recalled the apprehension that preceded the general elections and asserted that the aftermath, however, showed that “God is Nigerian”, that is why peace has returned to the land.

    Noting that war was not something anyone should wish even his enemies, he said that despite challenge facing the nation, Nigerians owe God thanksgiving and gratitude.

    Read also: How Tinubu led ACN to reclaim lost states in 2007, by Osinbajo

    Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, specially prayed for Vice-President Osinbajo and his family.

    The event featured praise and worship sessions, special songs and renditions from Abuja-based and visiting choirs; while a Bible reading was taken by APC presidential campaign spokesman, Festus Keyamo.

    It was attended by President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Supo Ayokunle; former head of state, Yakubu Gowon, and and his wife, Victoria; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Head of Federal Civil Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Senator Godswill Akpabio; ministers; some National Assembly members; members of the diplomatic corps; representatives of heads of different Christian denominations and others.

    In a vote of thanks, the SGF thanked the CAN and other guests for finding time to grace the occasion, even as he equally thanked God for the life of the Vice-President.

  • Abia APC backs zoning of Senate Presidency to Southeast

    The Abia State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has joined other Abians and well-meaning Nigerians to call on the National leadership of the party to ensure that the position of Senate President in the 9th National Assembly was ceded to the Southeast.

    Abia APC speaking through the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Comrade Benedict Godson on Thursday in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state posited that it will be both politically and morally correct to do so.

    According to Godson, the call was important going to the recent political development in the country where both the newly elected and already serving senators from different parts of the country have started scheming for a position, the APC publicity secretary said would ordinarily be zoned to the southeast to balance power sharing among the major ethnic groups in the country.

    Those touted to be key contenders of senate Presidency include former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor-Kalu (Southeast), Senator Ahmad Lawan from Yobe (Northeast), former Gombe State governor, Danjuma Goje (Northeast), Senator Ali Ndume from Borno (Northeast )and Senator Adamu Abdullahi from Nasarawa State (North-central).

    Godson said that the structural makeup of the current government from executive, legislative and judiciary, shows that it will be the most infallible and plain sailing decision for the party to cede the senate president to South East.

    “If you can recall, Dr. Chris Ngige because of his defeat could not be made Senate President because he couldn’t come back to the national assembly and there was no way that they could have given it to Ekweremadu who is from another party. That gave way for the manipulation that brought Bukola Saraki in as the senate President.

    “For us here, this should not be a difficult decision at all. It is a decision that will show inclusiveness in all ramifications. The structure of the current government from executive, legislative and judiciary calls for a space for the Southeast to accommodate and integrated.

    “Our able leader, President Muhammadu Buhari is from Northwest, Vice President; Prof Yemi Osinbajo from Southwest, Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari are both from Northeast.

    “Although the current senate president and Speaker of the House of Representatives are no longer our members, but both are from North Central and Northeast respectively. And the South-South until recently had the number one position in the judiciary (CJN). Even the National Chairman of our party is from the South-South as well.

    “This goes to show that the Southeast is the only geo-political zone which has no ranking government official in the hierarchy of power within the APC led government. So, giving us this one is a no brainer I must say it unequivocally.

    READ ALSO: Abia APC in final push for Saturday polls

    “Agreed, in 2015 we didn’t do much in terms of sending people from APC to the National Assembly, but the story is different today as we already have an elected Senator and members of House of Representatives. Even in the presidential election, we showed serious commitment and dedication to our party candidate who won convincingly,” he said.

    Godson who said that he was sure that Kalu was going to deliver creditably if chosen as the Senate President going by his level of experience as a businessman, governor and former House of Representatives member noted that it was imperative that the National Working Committee of APC, all elected Senators from both Southeast and other zones among other stakeholders of the party joined hands to support Kalu to clinch the senate apex position for justice and equity within the party and the nation at large.

    “Those of us from Abia are strongly behind our leader Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu and believe he should be considered for the post because he is capable and has collected his certificate of return from INEC and as such now a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the Southeast.

    “People may say he’s a greenhorn in the senate, but we must put records straight, because he is not new in the National Assembly.

    “He was in the House of Representatives in 1991. He was deputy chairman, House Committee on Finance and Immigration, because his party, the National Republican Convention (NRC) was in minority then. He’s not a greenhorn at all.”

    Speaking further, Godson said, “Let no one get this call twisted in anyway, our call and demand for this position is not in any way trying to say that the APC led Federal Government has not done well in the Southeast.

    “That’s not what we are saying. The essence of this explanation is to make sure that people don’t twist it into that. In fact, our people are aware that the president Buhari led administration has executed more people oriented projects in the Southeast than previous administrations.

    “So, we must make this clear before mischief-makers will turn our simple call for rightful accommodation and integration into the progressive APC government to mean an agitation of dissatisfaction with the APC led administration.

    “We appreciate the Federal Government and all its efforts in the Southeast, but we are saying that it will be fair, politically and morally correct for our zone to be given the number one principal position in the Senate because we deserve it as it will make our party stronger and more balanced in national outlook.”

  • YCE to Buhari, Southwest governors: don’t disappoint Nigerians

    THE Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), also known as “Igbimo Agba Yoruba”, yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to ensure they do not disappoint the majority of the citizens, who voted for them.

    It enjoined the administration to address  issues of insecurity, unemployment, epileptic power supply, farmers/herders clash and others.

    The group also urged Buhari and Osinbajo to see the additional term of four years as a conviction by the majority of Nigerians, who participated in the election that something good would come out of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration at the end of the day.

    These were contained in a congratulatory message issued by the council in Ibadan. It was signed by its president, Dansaaki Ade Agbede, a retired colonel.

    The YCE also felicitated with the newly elected governors in Southwest – Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abdulrahmon AbdulRazak (Kwara) and Gboyega Oyetola (Osun) – as well as the lawmakers-elect.

    It maintained that the mandate of another term given to Buhari and his deputy should be a wake-up call to them to redouble their efforts.

    The statement also urged the elected Southwest governors and lawmakers to see themselves as one and work for the progress and growth of the Yoruba nation.

    It said: “Politics is over now and political parties’ dichotomy should be jettisoned for the common good of all in the region.

    “We charge them all to see the Yoruba nation as the epicentre of all their activities henceforth. We call on all of them to forge a common front towards advancing our cause as a nation. They should not distance themselves from the people that gave them their mandates and when the need be, they must not hesitate to seek wise counsel from the elders.

    “As a non-partisan body, our doors are opened to all of them, irrespective of whichever political parties they were elected and we are putting it across now that our eyes are on them, They must be conscious at all times that they are being watched. We equally pray that our creator will abide and guide them through the onerous task,” the YCE stated.

     

     

  • Fed govt launches mobile app to boost ease of doing business

    The Federal Government through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) on Thursday launched a new Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Mobile App, Nigeria’s official public service feedback and complaints platform for business environment reforms.

    The web-based portal or platform will enable the PEBEC office resolve issues and complaints encountered by private sector operators with government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) within 72 hours of lodging same.

    President Muhammadu Buhari established thee PEBEC in July 2016 with the aim of eliminating the delays and restrictions that come with doing business in Nigeria thereby, making the country a place to start and grow a business.

    On May 18, 2017, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, signed the first executive order (EO1) to promote transparency and efficiency in the business environment. It was aimed at removing the hurdles that stand in the way of a bigger and more productive private sector.

    READ ALSO: Fed Govt launches school enrolment campaign

    The launch of the (EoDB) Mobile App in Lagos, on Thursday, was therefore, a step forward in the Federal Government’s resolve to make the business environment conducive and also boost domestic and foreign investments.

    At the unveiling of the web-based application, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, explained that while the EO1 was all on transparency and efficiency, the app is the other side of the coin, where the private

    sector gets to see what is going on from their end.

    She described the EoDB Mobile App as revolutionary, pointing out that Nigeria has never walked down this road before. “Collaboration has been the cornerstone of this initiative,” she said, adding that PEBEC engaged extensively with various stakeholders.

    While noting that the initiative was aimed at making sure that public and civil servants adhere to Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Oduwole said the PEBEC has spent a lot of time building capacity to ensure that feedbacks and complaints from the private sector are resolved within the 72 hours approved by the president. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, said the launch of the web-based app was in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to being a business enabler and facilitator. “It’s about energizing businesses and making the business environment conducive,” he said.

    He said the app, which is now available for download, is already on Goodle Store, while efforts are being made to also put it on Apple Play Store. He also assured that complaints made on the new app will be quickly resolved, urging users to download it on their mobile

    phones. The Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Muda Yusuf, described the app as “A game changer and one of the best things to happen to this country.”

    He said although, the PEBEC office has been doing a lot, it’s still work in progress. “There is still a whole lot more to be done, despite a few progresses that have been made,” he said.

    Yusuf, who spoke during a panel discussion to discuss issues bordering on transparency and efficiency of service delivery in Nigeria, observed, for instance, that there is need for the World Bank to review the indicators for composition of the EoDB Index to reflect the reality of each country.

    He said countries vary in their peculiarities and challenges; that some of the indicators in the EoDB composition do not properly capture the critical variables in the Nigerian environment such as power, transportation and security.

    “We need to address all these other variables that are not on the list of the EoDB parameters,”

    Yusuf said, pointed out, for instance, that the present indicators are about construction permit, ease of starting business, credit, reforms, trading across borders, among others.

    The launch of the Mobile App was the high point of the Third Regulatory Convention organised by The Convention on Business Integrity/The Integrity Organisation in collaboration with ActionAid, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, LCCI and Business Day Newspapers.

    It was held in partnership with the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES) with the theme “Improving Transparency and Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.”