The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Vice president Prof Yemi Osibanjo

  • Osinbajo visits Tompolo’s home base, pleads for stakeholders support

    As part of federal government’s efforts to peacefully sort out resurgent militancy in the Niger Delta region, Vice President Yemi Osibajo on Monday  visited Oporoza community, the headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta state, on a fact-finding visit.

    Gbaramatu is the home-base of fugitive ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.

    Professor Osibajo, who was accompanied by the Delta state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, said the issue of development of the Niger Delta region was not a responsibility that only the federal government could tackle, noting that other stakeholders must join hands with government to solve the region’s question.

    The Vice President who visited the temporary site of proposed Nigerian Maritime University in Kurutie after addressing the huge crowd that came receive him, later left Gbaramatu Kingdom for Warri, where he paid a courtesy call on the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli. He went on from there to address a meeting help at the PTI Conference Centre, Effurun.

    Addressing the need for the development of the Niger Delta region, which he agreed had a genuine need to be treated as a special development zone, Osibajo said “number one, we must recognise the environmental and terrain challenges of the Niger Delta, we must also recognise that the Niger Delta is a special economic zone for this nation and so we must treat it as a special development zone.

    “I agree that it must be treated as a special development zone. But what does it mean in practical terms? It means that the federal government, the state governments, the National  Assembly representatives, alongside the NDDC and the civil society representatives of the Niger Delta people must sit together and develop a plan and funding arrangement for rapid development.

    “There is no excuse for not planning together, the federal government alone cannot solve the problems of the Niger Delta, it is impossible for the federal government alone, but we can, sitting with the state governors from this region, National Assembly members and civil society organisations, plan for this special development zone and make sure that we carry it out and deliver on the promises that we have made to the people.

    “The states must also be prepared to devote substantial budget to this special project. The PANDEF has submitted a concise list of 16 dialogue issues that will be extremely helpful in ascertaining the key development priorities. That PANDEF document is an important working document, it’s a document around which we can plan”, he said.

    In his speech, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, harped on the need for the people of the region to look into the tourism potentials of the region and start tapping it for the development of the area.

    The state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who described the visit of the Vice President as both a game changer and confidence builder in the relationship between people of the region and the federal government, however noted that the people must allow the enabling environment for development to come.

    He expressed the confidence that the visit would yield a lot of positive fruits and development in the future, emphasizing the need for the people to give peace a chance for the region to move on.

    Also speaking, National President of the Ijaw Youths Congress (IYC), Udengs Eradiri, said the people of the region were willing to work with the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, but plead that the federal government cease the persecution of Ijaw leaders and release all those already arrested.

  • Nigeria’s problems temporary, says Osinbajo

    Nigeria’s problems temporary, says Osinbajo

    Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday restated the resolve of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to instituting a new culture of probity and accountability in governance.

    He declared that it is now a new day in Aso Rock.

    Osinbajo spoke at The Platform, a public engagement forum organized by the Covenant Church led by Pastor Poju Oyemade.

    The theme was ‘What do we have in our hands, tapping into dead capital’.

    The Vice President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, said: “Nearly a year on, there are many problems and many have asked where is the change? Is this the change we voted for? Even some fifth columnists in our midst have suggested bring back corruption.

    “The government of President Muhammadu Buhari is completely and irrevocably committed to change.

    “We believe that though it may not be easy, though the early signs may be confusing and sometimes discouraging, there has never been a better opportunity than now to turn the country in the direction of success.

    “Today we have the best opportunity in decades for profound change. It is an opportunity in a generation. A revolution whose time has come!

    “Everything around us tells us that the moment is now! Can this change happen? Yes it can! Yes it must! What do you have in your hands to make it happen? We have a country that is tired of corruption, tired of leadership without values, tired of an economy that is neither designed to accommodate enterprise, nor to create opportunity and wealth for the majority. ” He said

    He said that the “new day in Aso Rock” is that of a Presidency that is committed to ensuring a departure from the past culture of corruption and profligacy in government.

    Osinbajo said: “The government of President Muhammadu Buhari is completely and irrevocably committed to the Change promised Nigerians

    “We have a leadership, a leader that is ready to challenge the rotten system, one that has said he is ready to kill corruption rather let corruption kill us.”

    “We believe that though it may not be easy, though the early signs may be confusing and sometimes discouraging, there has never been a better opportunity than now to turn the country in the direction of success, ” he added

    He told the gathering mainly comprising of youths that the Federal Government was not unaware of the nation’s challenges and that the youths must believe the problems facing the nation in the area of power, availability of petroleum products, infrastructure and agriculture are surmountable and resolvable.

    Osinbajo also told them of the determination of the Federal Government to leverage technology under a number of initiatives he unveiled intended to create the enabling environment that would stimulate youth entrepreneurship and innovation.

    “The key to change and our future prosperity lies in innovation and is critical to our development,” He said

    Informing the forum of the Buhari presidency’s plan for technology and innovation, he said that government would be establishing an Innovation Fund this year which would deploy significant resources for the aim of creating opportunities to the youth to access fund for innovation and entrepreneurship.

    He highlighted other plans as follows:
    – Establishment of technology innovation hubs across the country; 2 super hubs ( in Lagos and Abuja) and 6 regional hubs in the six geo-political zones in partnership some major technology companies;
    – 65,000 young Nigerians to be trained in hardware and software services and in animation;
    – to create a reservoir in technology capacity that can be exported annually abroad like the case of India;
    – on June 23, 2016, Federal Government would launch a Presidential Technology Innovation Initiative targeted at 50 Nigerians engaged in innovative start-ups to be mentored by major technology innovation companies
    – bursary award to 100,000 STEM undergraduates developing their interest in programming, robotic and animation technology, in addition to deploying technology in the training of the 500,000 teachers that are expected to be employed under the social investment of government this year,
    – VP’s Office to institute a literary prize in poetry and short stories during independence anniversary to encourage field of humanity/arts

    Prof. Osinbajo also used the occasion to implore millions of youths in the country to join the vanguard for change under “a New Tribe of Nigerians” saying “we must not blink, no shaking until we turn this country around.”

    The Vice President also commended the conveners of the platform, Pastor Poju Oyemade and his team for their tenacity and unwavering belief in the nation’s development.

    He noted that “the Platform has through the years become a foremost opportunities for ideas and intellectual innovations in Nigeria.”

  • Buhari tasks APC states to build 250,000 housing units yearly

    Buhari tasks APC states to build 250,000 housing units yearly

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday tasked the 22 states governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to build 250,000 housing units per annum.

    This, he said, is to meet up with the election campaign promise of providing one million houses for Nigerians yearly.

    He spoke at the opening session of the two-day National Economic Council (NEC) Retreat on the economy at the old Banquet Hall, Abuja.

    He also charged foreign investors and local construction companies to take part in the new effort to cover Nigeria’s housing deficit.

    He said: “Some estimates put Nigeria’s housing deficit at about sixteen million units. In our successful campaign to win the general elections last year our party, the APC, promised to build a million housing units a year. This will turn out to be a very tall order unless:

    “The Federal Government builds two hundred and fifty thousand units. The 22 APC States together manage another two hundred and fifty thousand units.

    “We invite foreign investors together with local domiciled big construction companies to enter into commercial housing building to pick up the rest,” he added

    Buhari listed the challenges in the housing sector to include severe shortage of housing, high rents, unaffordable prices for prospective buyers especially middle and low-income earners.

    “In addition, red tape, corruption and plain public service inefficiency lead to long delays in obtaining ownership of title documents.

    “Again, there are no long term funding sources for mortgage purposes.

    “These hurdles are by no means easy to scale, but we must find solutions to the housing deficit. This Retreat might start by looking at the laws.” He added

    On the poor power situation in the country, the President said that he observed that it has become the subject of jokes among Nigerians.

    He gave a target of 10,000 megawatts to be achieved in the remaining three years of his administration.

    He said: “Nigerians’ favourite talking point and butt of jokes is the power situation in our country. But, ladies and gentlemen, it is no longer a laughing matter.

    “We must and by the grace of God we will put things right. In the three years left for this administration we have given ourselves the target of ten thousand megawatts distributable power. In 2016 alone, we intend to add two thousand megawatts to the national grid.” He stated

    The President pointed out that despite the privatization of the power sector, not much has been achieved in terms of performance as the old problems have remained.

    He said: “This sector has been privatized but has yet to show any improvement in the quality of service. Common public complaints are constant power cuts destroying economic activity and affecting quality of life, high electricity bills despite power cuts, low supply of gas to power plants due to vandalization by terrorists, obsolete power distribution equipment such as transformers, power fluctuations, which damage manufacturing equipment and household appliances, low voltage which cannot run industrial machinery.

    “These are some of the problems, which defied successive governments. In our determination to change we must and will, insha Allah, put a stop to power shortages.” He promised

    The President charged the retreat to consider the privatization exercise, adding: “We are facing the classic dilemma of privatization: Public interest Vs Profit Motive. Having started, we must complete the process.

    “But National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the regulatory authority, has a vital job to ensure consumers get value for money and over-all public interest is safe-guarded.

    “Government to fast-track completion of pipelines from Gas points to power stations and provide more security to protect gas and oil pipelines.

    “Power companies should be encouraged to replace obsolete equipment and improve the quality of service and technicians.” He said

    Speaking on agricultural sector; he said that as at today both the peasant and the mechanized farmers agree with the general public that food production and self-sufficiency require urgent government action.

    According to him, government’s policies on agriculture have been half-hearted for too long due to inconsistencies and discontinuity.

    The worries of the public, he said, included rising food prices, such as maize, corn, rice and garri; lack of visible impact of government presence on agriculture, lack of agricultural inputs at affordable prices.

    He also said that the cost of fertilizers, pesticide and labour compounded the problems of farming while extension services are virtually absent in several states, among others factors.

    On manufacturing, he regretted that lack of foreign exchange had hampered import of industrial raw materials and spare parts but gave assurance that the situation is temporary.

    He said: “It grieves me that so many manufacturing industries in the country today are groaning and frustrated because of lack of foreign exchange to import raw materials and spare parts.

    “Painful though this is, I believe it is a temporary phase which we shall try to overcome but there are deeper, more structural problems bedeviling local industries which this Retreat should identify short and long-term answers to.” He said

    He listed the problems to include “Inadequate infrastructure: Power, Roads, Security leading to increase in costs of making Made-in Nigeria goods pricier than imports, high Cost of Borrowing Money.

    Buhari said: “Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has been hammering on the fact that high lending rates make manufacturing unviable and unprofitable.

    “Lack of Long Term Funding, the Nigerian Capital Market has not completely recovered from the 2008 worldwide crisis. Banks’ funding sources are short-term in nature due to sources of the liabilities.

    “Under-developed Science and Technology Research: As with Agriculture, Nigeria’s industries are in the main outmoded and industrial practices far behind those in advanced countries.” He added

    The president recommended that a fresh campaign to patronize Made-in-Nigeria goods should be launched saying: “Example: all uniforms in government-sponsored institutions should be sourced from local factories.”

    On Labour, he said: “We need to protect our workers from exploitation, but unions must cooperate with entrepreneurs to substantially improve productivity and quality of products if we are to move forward.”

    As for smuggling, he stated: “Smuggling: Need I say more?”

    The two-day retreat is to generate immediate, medium and long-term viable policy solutions to the economic challenges facing us at both the Federal and State levels.

    In his welcome address, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is the chairman of NEC, said that the retreat is organized to address the problems created by over-reliance on oil.

    At the retreat were state governors, ministers and other stakeholders.

  • Photo : Osinbajo at swearing-in of AFDB President

    Photo : Osinbajo at swearing-in of AFDB President

    Darius Dickson Ishaku Taraba State Governor, Gov Umar Ganduje Kano State Governor, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), Daniel Kablan Duncan Prime minister, Côte d’Ivoire at the swearing in ceremony of president of AFDB.
    Darius Dickson Ishaku Taraba State Governor, Gov Umar Ganduje Kano State Governor, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), Daniel Kablan Duncan Prime minister, Côte d’Ivoire at the swearing in ceremony of president of AFDB.
    Dr. Kayode Fayemi Former Governorof Ekiti State, Amb. Ifeoma AKABOGU-CHINWUBA, Head of Mission Embassy of Nigeria in Côte d'Ivoire Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina as President of the African Development Bank, AfDB at the swearing in ceremony. Mrs Adesina Wife of President of AfDB Governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, Gov Umar Ganduje, Kano State Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku Taraba State Governor Cecilia Akintomide Vice President African Development Bank, AfDB.
    Dr. Kayode Fayemi Former Governorof Ekiti State, Amb. Ifeoma AKABOGU-CHINWUBA, Head of Mission Embassy of Nigeria in Côte d’Ivoire Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina as President of the African Development Bank, AfDB , Mrs Adesina Wife of President of AfDB,Governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, Gov Umar Ganduje, Kano State Governor,Darius Dickson Ishaku, Taraba State Governor,Cecilia Akintomide Vice President African Development Bank, AfDB.