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Tag: Saraki

  • Tinubu, Saraki, Lamido, others to be honoured in Ibadan

    Tinubu, Saraki, Lamido, others to be honoured in Ibadan

    EMINENT Nigerians will on Saturday converge on Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to receive awards of excellence for their contributions to national development.
    The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido; wife of former Military Head of State Sani Abacha, Mrs Maryam Abacha and daughter of former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, Hajiya Aisha Babangida, are among those to be honoured at the event to be chaired by the Zamfara State Governor, AbdulAziz Yari.
    The Board of Trustees Chairman of the National Progressive Youth Forum of Nigeria (NPYN), Southwest chapter, which is organising the event, Hon Gbolagade Abiodun, told reporters that the deeds of the selected Nigerians were in tandem with the motto of the body, “Helping the masses is our priority.”
    NPYN, one of the youth organisations in the All Progressives Congress (APC), listed a former Governor of Lagos State and National leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the father of the day.

    Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi and his wife, Florence, are grand chief host and mother of the day.
    Gbolagade, a former Special Assistant to Governor Ajimobi, said the 2016 edition of the award was in keeping with the vision of the group in honouring and encouraging leaders, who have served the country selflessly and have impacted the lives of future generation.

  • VP, Saraki, governors meet in Aso Rock

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday met with Senate President Bukola Saraki and some governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, was also part of the meeting.

    The governors at the closed-door meeting included Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello and Adamawa State Governor Jubrilla Bindow.

    President Muhammadu Buhari left Abuja yesterday for Morocco to attend the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also known as COP-22, in Marrakech.

    Before Buhari’s trip out of the country, Saraki had met with him three different times within one week over his request for approval to get $29.9 billion loan.

    The Senate had recently rejected Buhari’s approval request for the loan.

    At the end of the meeting with Osinbajo yesterday, Saraki told State House correspondents: I am sure the VP will issue a statement. But nothing of great alarm. It’s all for good governance, inclusion and collaboration with all arms.”

  • Buhari insists on $29.9b loans at session with Saraki

    Buhari insists on $29.9b loans at session with Saraki

    •$29.9b loans: President bows to Senate,
    orders Osinbajo, others to work out details

    Despite reservations by some Senators, President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted on going ahead with plans to obtain $29.9billion loans.

    He has also asked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and members of his Economic Management Team to work out the details which were demanded by the Senate.

    It was learnt that Osinbajo has met with the Ministers of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udo Udoma, and the Director-General of the Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo and others.

    The details were being fine-tuned by the presidency as at press time.

    But Saraki may brief Senators on Buhari’s demand at an Executive Session on Tuesday.

    According to findings, Buhari told the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki that the loans were inevitable if the nation was to move forward.

    The two leaders have met more than three times in the past two weeks on the loan palaver.

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “At the session with the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the President insisted on taking the loans to reflate the economy. He presented all the indices and declared that the loans were inevitable.

    “He said the conditions attached to the loans were liberal and affordable by the country. He assured the Senate President that the loans will be judiciously used.

    “He also agreed that the details of the loans will be sent to the Senate when he writes a fresh request to the chamber. The President of the Senate assured the President that the “interest of the nation will be put above any other consideration.”

    As at press time, it was learnt that the President has directed the Coordinator of the Economic Management Team, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to prepare the details of the loans for the Senate.

    The source added: “Actually, Osinbajo has met with the Ministers of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udo Udoma, and the Director-General of the Debt Management Office, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo and other top officials of the DMO on the details.

    “They have done the collation as required by the Senate. I think the details are being fine-tuned in the presidency in preparation of a fresh letter of request to the Senate by the President.”

    Another source in the presidency said: “The loans are central to the fulfilment of the campaign promises of the President. We need it to re-fix key infrastructure nationwide.

    “Without the loans, the nation’s economy may be grounded. The loans are alternatives to the sale of national assets.”

    A ranking Senator, who spoke with our correspondent last night said: “We have not been briefed on the outcome of the talks between the President and the Senate President. But the Senate President is going to give us the details of what transpired at the Executive Session on Tuesday.

    “We are not opposed to the loans, we will however not be rubber stamped into any decision we may regret in the future. The President must give us a comprehensive breakdown of the loans and the conditions attached.”

    The Senate had about one and a half weeks ago rejected the President’s request for the $29.9billion loan because the details were not attached.

    President Buhari’s letter to the Senate was titled “Request for Approval of Federal Government 2016 – 2018 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan”.

    He said the external borrowing plan would be used for infrastructure, Agriculture, Health, Education, Water supply, Growth and employment generation, poverty reduction through social safety net programmes and governance and financial management reforms etc.

    He said: “The total cost of the projects and programmes under the borrowing (rolling) plan is $29.960billion made up of proposed projects and programmes loan of $11.274billion, Special National Infrastructure projects $10.686billion, Euro bonds of $4.5 billion and Federal Government budget support of $3.5billion.”

    The Senate Leader, Sen. Ali Ndume explained why the request was rejected on technical ground.

    He said: “The problem came on a technical ground; it is supposed to go to the committee level and the committee is supposed to take a look at it.

    “I am going to appeal to my colleagues to take a look at it again and see how we are going to bring it back. One of the technical things that were missing is that in the letter, if you read it, says: ‘attached is a draft’ but there was no attachment. So, these are some of the lapses that we will look at in bringing it back.

    “We were thinking that there was going to be details but there was no detail of the borrowing plan. I believe that those will be included in the next one.”

  • $29.9bn planned loan: Buhari, Saraki meet third time in a week

    $29.9bn planned loan: Buhari, Saraki meet third time in a week

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met for the third time within one week with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    They met first last week Friday while the second meeting was on Wednesday after the President met with members of the South East caucus in the Senate led by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and Eyinnaya Abaribe.

    The third meeting yesterday was held after the Jumaat prayer in the President’s office.

    Just like Wednesday’s meeting, yesterday’s meeting was termed private as the State House correspondents were not allowed to cover it.

    The Senate recently rejected Buhari’s approval request for $29.9 billion loan.

    It also described the 2017 to 2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) forwarded by President Buhari for approval as “empty.”

    The MTEF is yet to be approved by the Senate.

  • Buhari, Saraki meet over $29.9b loan in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Saraki meet over $29.9b loan in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met for the second time within one week with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    They met first last Friday after the Senate on Tuesday rejected Buhari’s approval request for $29.9 billion loan.

    The Senate, the following Thursday, also rejected Buhari’s request for approval for the 2017 to 2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

    It described the MTEF as “empty.”

    Saraki arrived Aso Rock Villa for the meeting yesterday few minutes past 3pm when the President was meeting with members of the Southeast Caucus in the Senate led by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and Eyinnaya Abaribe.

    Saraki, unlike Friday, was accompanied by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang.

    After Ekweremadu and his delegation left, Saraki joined Buhari to pray in the Villa mosque before returning together to the office for their meeting, just like it happened last Friday.

    The meeting was termed private as State House correspondents were not allowed to cover the meeting.

    The Senate President, at the end of Friday meeting, had told State House correspondents that the issue of the $29.9 billion loan was work in progress.

    Bukola during the encounter also warned Nigerians not to politicise the issue of the loan request.

     

  • Witness: Saraki did not buy property from rice, sugar sales

    Witness: Saraki did not buy property from rice, sugar sales

    THE trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on charges of false assets declaration resumed yesterday, with a witness faulting Saraki’s claim of acquiring a property in Lagos from proceed of his sale of rice and sugar.

    The witness, Michael Wetkas, was cross-examined by Saraki’s lawyer Paul Usoro (SAN) at the resumption of proceedings at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    The prosecution witness, who was being cross-examined for the 13th day since the trial, said Saraki bought the property at 17A and B, Mcdonald Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, in 2006 from loans he secured from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).

    Yesterday, Usoro asked Wetkas to read from Saraki’s asset declaration forms, which had been tendered as exhibits.

    In the asset declaration form, dated July 11, 2007, which Saraki filed at the end of his first term as Kwara State governor, he claimed to have acquired the property with a N497 million loan.

    In the form he filed on June 3, 2011 at the end of his second term as governor, he claimed to have acquired the property in 2006, in addition to five others in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996 and 2000 from proceeds from sale of rice and sugar.

    Upon Usoro’s request, Wetkas read from the GTB bank statement in relation to Saraki’s account from 2005 to 2015.

    The witness confirmed that Saraki obtained three loans of N380 million, N380 million and N400 million in relation to the property he acquired.

    Wetkas said: “In 2006, the balance was N9,779,109.79 before the loan was credited. This first loan was used to pay the one before. The loan amount was N380 million.

    “The property it was used to buy was worth N256.3 million. There was five per cent charge translated into N12,815,000.

    “It was liquidated on February 5, 2007. When the loan was liquidated, it took the balance to a debit balance N231,552,804.93

    “Then another loan was taken of N380 million on the same February 5, 2007. The second loan was taken to defray the debit. It now gave a credit balance of N98 million.

    “As of the 2007 declaration, there was debit outstanding of the loan of up to N300 million, which was not declared in the 2007 declaration.

    “There were other inflows into the account for the purposes of paying. On August 27, 2009, the balance on the account shows an inflow into the account of N100 million through banker’s cheque.

    “On July 31, 2009, it shows that the account was in debit of about N93,933,654.15. After the inflow of N100 million on August 27, it went into a credit balance of N6,066,345.6

    “On April 30, 2009, the account was in debit position of N17 million. On the same date, there was loan disbursement of N400 million,” he said.

    Wetkas confirmed that when Saraki declared the property at 17A and B Mcdonald Street, Ikoyi in 2011, he (Saraki) had finished repaying the loans.

    When asked about his opinion in relation to the allegation in Count 3, where Saraki was accused of abusing his office by repaying his loan from state’s funds, Wetkas insisted that “the funds were proceeds of crime”.

    Wetkas said:  ”I have to be careful in answering your question. I have said I did not investigate the account of Kwara State government.

    “But I have earlier said in my evidence-in-chief that the loans were paid back through cash lodgments made into the account of the defendant with GTB at G.R.A, Ilorin.

    “Aides to the defendant serving him when he was governor have told us that the defendant gave them the cash at the Government House in Ilorin.

    “The account officers have told us how the lodgments were made. We believe that the funds were proceeds of crime because the defendant could not have engaged in the trade of rice and sugar while he was still governor.

    “We believe that the cash given to the aides amounted to money laundering because they were above the threshold stipulated by law.

    “So, if the case of money laundering is established against a public officer while in office, that is an abuse of office.”

    At that point, Usoro interjected and urged the tribunal not to record Wetkas evidence on money laundering on the grounds that the CCT lacked jurisdiction to inquire into money laundering allegations.

    Saraki is being prosecuted by the Federal Government at the CCT on 16 counts, including false and anticipatory asset declaration, which he allegedly made as Kwara State governor between 2003 and 2011.

    Proceedings resume in the case today.

  • Saraki to train 40,000 youths on skills acquisition

    Saraki to train 40,000 youths on skills acquisition

    Senate President Bukola Saraki will train 40,000 youths on skills acquisition and thereby create 40, 000 direct jobs in the next four years for youths in Kwara State, it was learnt yesterday.

    The scheme is under the Skill Acquisition, Training and Empowerment Programme (STEP) of the Saraki Employment and Empowerment Centre (SEEC).

    Already, SEEC has received 10,000 applications of which 250 persons have been selected for the pilot scheme scheduled to begin in November

    12.

    Managing Consultant of STEP Nasir Abdulqadir, told reporters yesterday that the programme is aimed at training and empowering youths with advanced skills in computer engineering, software development, animation, mechatronics engineering, cinematography, event management, interior decorations, catering services, etc.

    “The goal of the Senate president is to directly train over 40,000 youths from within and outside Kwara State in skills that can make them compete with their counterparts all over the world.

    “With 40,000 youths trained in the next four years under the STEP programme, we believe the multiplier effects will have direct impact on job creation and economic growth of Kwara state in particular and Nigeria in general,” he said.

    Abdulkadir reiterated that the programme had no political colouration, adding that beneficiaries would be funded with seed money to start their business after the training.

    He said efforts would be made to create markets for the beneficiaries to ease their success rate, adding that both local and state governments have keyed in to patronise them.

  • Saraki’s made in Nigeria

    Saraki’s made in Nigeria

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki had very kind words for the Nigerian Army last week over its decision to purchase 50,000 pairs of shoes from a local manufacturer in Aba. He sees the decision as ample evidence of the crucial role a truly national institution such as the Nigeria Army could play in ending the prevailing economic recession in the country.

    For this patriotic example, Saraki urged other military and paramilitary establishments to emulate the army even as he also praised the Nigerian Air force for the cooperation it entered into with a local spare parts manufacturing company to produce some airplane parts for its use. The Senate President attributed the new direction to the amendment by the Senate of the Public Procurement Act in June this year.

    The new law compels Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs) to compulsorily give preference to goods and services which can be sourced locally. Saraki believes that patronage of Nigerian made goods was the panacea for the economic problems that have overtime held this country down. In this, he spoke the minds of many.

    It is heart-warming that the Nigerian Army is now patronizing made in Nigeria shoes while the Air Force is forging some cooperation with a local company for the production of spare parts for the use of its fleet. That is the way it should be. It has long been recognized that our taste for what is foreign even when there are good alternatives locally has been the greatest disincentive to investment and development.

    Government response to this penchant for conspicuous consumption had fluctuated between outright ban on some of these goods and services and some form of restriction. Just recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) banned some items from being funded from the official foreign exchange market. The essence was to discourage the importation of these goods and stimulate the production and consumption of locally produced ones.

    But with the world as a global village and many African countries signatories to World Trade Organization WTO treaties, such restrictions are no longer in vogue. They run in conflict with trade liberalization which is based on the premise that each country will be able to exploit its position of comparative advantage once free and fair trade regime has been implemented.

    But as a primary producer that depends almost solely on a mono cultural economy for its foreign exchange earnings, trade liberalization has had adverse toll on the nation’s economy as our citizens depend largely on imported goods and services, thus exerting undue pressure on our foreign earnings.

    Our local manufacturers have had to contend with stiff competition from foreign manufacturers in the face of hash business environment. Faced with stiff competition and sometimes better produced goods, our people have not hidden their preferences for the foreign produced goods and services. If such a trend is allowed an unfettered reign, our nation would be worse for it. Thus, the allure of the campaign to attune the psyche of our people to patronize locally produced goods and services.

    The overriding idea is not only to conserve foreign exchange usually depleted in the importation of goods that have local alternatives, but more importantly, to enable local industries grow and offer employment to our army of job seeking youths.

    But despite years of preachment and pontification, not much gain has been made in this direction. Even the government that purports to lead the way in this re-orientation drive has come out the worst culprit for serially flouting it. Instances abound where governors have gone abroad to import school uniforms, chairs and other materials when there are a surfeit of those items in very good quality locally.

    Such governors are bad examples and therefore cannot be expected to act as armour bearers in the campaign to make our people patronize made in Nigeria goods. Needless to talk of the millions of jobs they have created for foreign companies while denying their constituents such job opportunities. The same goes for government ministries, agencies and departments.

    Perhaps, the incongruity between policy directives of the government and the actions of its officials moved the Senate to amend the Public Procurement Act, so as to compel these agencies give preference to local manufacturers where viable alternatives exist. Saraki would therefore wish to appropriate credit for the decision of the army and the air force to look inwards for some goods and services. He is entitled to his opinion though the issue predates the current Senate.

    The idea the Senate President is celebrating was the brainchild of the Yar’Adua administration. During that era, the then minister of commerce and industry, Chief Achike Udenwa had rolled out an elaborate programme for the sensitization of Nigerians for the patronage of made in Nigeria goods.

    In those sensitization meetings, stakeholders overwhelmingly embraced the idea as it would in part address some of the problems that had over time militated against industrial development. The campaign was launched with much fanfare in 2009. And at the launch, Yar’Adua who was represented by his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan had announced a number of measures to promote made in Nigeria goods and stimulate domestic production.

    He banned the serving of foreign tea and all manner beverages in government offices and functions. That was not all.  He directed that henceforth, all contractors must give priority to Nigerian made products. In addition, all uniforms and boots of the armed forces must be sourced locally. It is now seven years that directive was given.

    And if the armed forces are just aligning themselves to that order seven years on, it only illustrates most glaringly, the yawning gap between policy pronouncement and their implementation. That is perhaps why Saraki is beating his chest for the credit of strengthening the procurement law. The coincidence of the purchases by the army may well be a consequence of the Senate action.

    Now it has been given the force of law, it is hoped that all ministries, agencies and departments of government must give priority to it in their procurement plans. That should be the starting point for the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma who had indicated government’s plan to embark on the campaign to encourage Nigerians buy made in Nigeria goods.

    With the government taking the lead, it will become much easier for the ordinary people to follow. Example they say, is better than precept. It had hitherto been contradictory for the government to be parroting the campaign when in all its actions it did the contrary. We also expect to see in the days ahead the arraignment in court of law, institutions that flout the new procurement law so as to serve as a deterrent to prospective offenders.

    The sentiments expressed by Saraki on patronage of locally made goods being the panacea to our underdevelopment are in order. That idea had long been shared by previous regimes. But the necessary incentives and support infrastructure that would catalyze industrial development have all been lacking. So, in this drive to get our people consume what we produce locally, the environment must be made business friendly to enable manufacturers perfect on their production and withstand the stiff competition arising from trade liberalization.

  • Buhari, Saraki strike deal over $29.9b loan request

    Buhari, Saraki strike deal over $29.9b loan request

    •FG may re-present request with details this week

    President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate  President Bukola Saraki may have made up on the $29.9billion loan approval which the executive is seeking from the Senate, The Nation learnt last night.

    Buhari and Saraki are understood to have met three times on the issue in the last few days since the Senate turned down the request last week.

    Saraki has already admitted that the loan request may be re-presented by the executive.

    This, the Presidency may do later this week, sources said yesterday.

    But there is a caveat: the Senate may refer the request to its Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, headed by Mallam Shehu Sani.

    The Senate hinged its rejection of the loan request last week to inadequate information by the Presidency.

    The loan is expected to be used for the provision of  key infrastructure.

    The Nation  gathered that during the interactive sessions between Buhari and Saraki, the Senate President was able to clarify that the Red chamber was not out to sabotage the executive arm.

    A top source privy to the meetings said:”Following consultations, the President and the Senate President have agreed that the request for the $29.9billion loan be presented again to the Senate.

    “All things being equal, the fresh request might be forwarded to the Senate with all the details as demanded by the Senate.

    “But the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, which is headed by Sen. Sani will still go through the request and vet the desirability or otherwise of the loan.

    “The recommendations of the committee will determine the final decision of the Senate on the loan.”

    Saraki had on Friday spoken on the Senate’s relationship with the Executive as far as the loan is concerned, saying: “We should not look at that as a reflection of the relationship. Don’t let us politicize very important issues. As we said this is work in progress”.

    On the purpose of his visit to the Presidential Villa, he said: “I came here to pray; I have finished praying and I just had a general felicitation with the President. It didn’t go beyond that.”

    President Buhari’s letter to the Senate was titled “Request for Approval of Federal Government 2016 – 2018 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan”.

    He said the external borrowing plan would be used for infrastructure, Agriculture, Health, Education, Water supply , Growth and employment generation , poverty reduction through social safety net programmes and governance and financial management reforms etc.

    He said: “The total cost of the projects and programmes under the borrowing (rolling) plan is $29.960billion made up of proposed projects and programmes loan of $11.274billion, Special National Infrastructure projects $10.686billion, Euro bonds of $4.5 billion and Federal Government budget support of $3.5billion.”

     

  • We’ll place Nigerians’ welfare high, says Saraki

    We’ll place Nigerians’ welfare high, says Saraki

    Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki has reiterated the National Assembly’s resolve to place the citizenry’s welfare and interest on the front-burner as a way of cushioning the effects of economic recession and hardship.

    He said this while presenting his speech/debate at the ongoing 135th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and related matters in Geneva, Switzerland.

    The theme is: “Human Rights Abuses as precursors of Conflict: Parliaments as Early Responders”.

    The Senate President said the National Assembly would continue to support efforts by the world legislative body to check human rights abuses across the world.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, quoted Saraki as saying that it was time national governments demonstrated courage in implementing laws against human rights abuses.

    “There are available laws addressing most of the human rights related issues. The major problems are centered around non-implementation, poor oversight and lack of enforcement of these laws.

    “We must however demonstrate courage, make sacrifices, be accountable, and stand up for the people we represent. We must speak out loudly when our laws are not obeyed and work in synergy with the other arms of government to ensure that human right violations, wherever it occurs, is condemned and addressed,” he said.