The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

  • Osinbajo: what to expect from Buhari’s second term

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo gave the 50th convocation lecture at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday. The lecture titled ‘Nigeria Rising…The Path to Prosperity’, Osinbajo itemises what has been done to reposition the country and what needs to be done. Excerpts:

    I suspect that the choice of the subject of this lecture: ‘Nigeria Rising…The Path to Prosperity’ was informed by the curiosity of the university about what to expect from the Buhari administration in the next four years.

    I will speak to this in several parts.

    Perhaps I may begin by affirming the belief of the Buhari Administration that Nigeria’s prosperity means a decent existence for all. Second,  that prosperity so defined will be attained if we are able to address the issues of extreme poverty, productivity, corruption, the rule of law and the deficiencies in the quality of Human Resources caused by poor education and healthcare ) . This last point is possibly the most fundamental.  How to ensure that we maximise the potential of the abundant Human Resources that we have. This implies that we must have a robust enough healthcare system that ensures that the average person is in good health, an educational system that guarantees education capable of preparing children for the opportunities and challenges of a knowledge economy, a thriving private sector-led economy supported by a business-friendly environment , a system of wealth creation options and safety nets capable of taking millions out of poverty and providing for those who cannot work. The wealth creation options must include access to cheap credit for smallholder farmers, traders and artisans. The safety nets include government created job schemes for the unemployed and cash transfers for the poorest and most vulnerable.

    In planning the path to prosperity we also took into account the age-old weaknesses of the Nigerian economy , and the illusion of prosperity that frequently distorts our understanding of the actual fragility of our economy. First is the focus on GDP growth figures, without a clear understanding of the underlying dynamic. 60% of GDP growth is dependent on oil revenues. How? While the oil sector contributes between 8-12percent, the non-oil sector contributed between 88-92 percent of GDP. However, between 50-53percent of the non-oil sector is also dependent on the fortunes of the oil sector.

    This means the economy rested on a tripod where two of the three legs were dependent on highly volatile oil prices and production.

    This shaky economic structure enabled Nigeria to keep growing as long as  revenue from oil and foreign reserves were high enough and of course we celebrated this fragile growth structure. By the very nature of extractive industries  high oil revenues does not mean more jobs or better human development indices.  Jobs are only created where there is value added. A thriving petrochemical industry would of course have created jobs directly from the oil and gas industry . The economy  had also been running a consumption growth model which is only advantageous if consumption is been met by domestic production of goods and services. However our structure was based on consumption of large portions of imports. As long as there was plenty of oil based foreign exchange in the reserves to import and fuel consumption our economy kept growing in GDP terms but few jobs were being created and more people were going into poverty. The majority of the affluent in this economic are the professionals, financial services contractors and others able to plug into the rent seeking opportunities that are created when the biggest business is government owned. The productive sector, the real manufacturers, the value adding businesses are relatively few.  The main source of the income coming to this class of individuals is oil revenue. When oil revenues fall, not only does GDP growth fall but  this most affluent  but unproductive sector suffers. Also in understanding the problems of the Nigerian economy, the place of corruption, especially grand corruption is crucial . The same oil earnings meant to develop infrastructure, fund education and healthcare end up in private pockets. The feeding frenzy is worse in times of high earnings from oil. A combination of theft of public revenues and the consequent failure to invest in infrastructure as well as a largely rentier or rent seeking business class is what accounts for Nigeria’s economic quagmire. The other problem is that of extreme poverty. A problem that  for reasons already adduced  increases even where oil earnings are high.

    It was clear to us that we needed to devise an economic plan that prioritise:

    1. Building of infrastructure especially rail, roads, power and ports.
    2. Productivity as we diversified the economy from oil and gas,
    3. The fight against public sector corruption,
    4. Developing a new educational curriculum that emphasizes Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths
    5. A new approach to resourcing healthcare
    6. A Social Investment programme that deals with issues of extreme poverty and unemployment. The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan effectively addressed these issues.

     

    So,how far have we gone and what is the next level?

     

    We believe that creating an environment for productivity investment in hard and soft infrastructure is crucial. Soft infrastructure covers the whole gamut of the regulatory environment for business. For hard infrastructure we have focused on economically strategic roads, rail, power and ports accross the country. Roads and rail linking important commercial centres are prioritised.

    As of today in two budget cycles despite earning over 60% less than the previous government we have invested 2.7trillion on capital the highest in the country.  We have recently commissioned the Lagos Abeokuta Ibadan end of the new standard gauge Lagos Kano Rail. The rail originates from the Apapa port which means that cargo will be moved by rail from the Apapa port, this will significantly ameliorate the congestion of that port. To expand port facilities generally we are currently dredging the Warri Port. In Lagos work is going on in the private sector led Lekki Port and the Badagry Port has also attracted significant foreign capital and interest. In Abuja after almost fifteen years we have completed and commissioned the Abuja light rail project starting from the airport to the city Centre. Similarly we completed and commissioned the Abuja Kaduna Railway. The Itakpe Warri Railway has also been completed linking the iron ore deposits to the Warri port.  Here in the southwest of Nigeria, work is ongoing on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta Expressway, the Ikorodu-Sagamu Road, and the Ogbomosho-Ilorin Road.  The contract for the Lagos-Badagry Expressway has been awarded and work has already begun.

    On Power, we have moved generation from 4000 to 8100 MW. But the effect of this increase in generation has not translated significantly to better service to the consumer. This is mainly due  to   distribution challenges. Over 2000 MW of power is not taken up by the discos for distribution to consumers largely because of problems they experience in  collection of Tarrif , but one of the reasons for this is  the fact that the discos have not invested significantly in metering. We have now embarked on a major metering Initiative The Metering Assets Programme which involves private   metering Assets providers ,. In addition  the Federal government  has in the past eighteen months taken on the deficiencies in  transmission head on through the TCN and the NDPHC we are completing transmission projects all around the country. But the more important strategy is to decentralize power production. So we have adopted an off grid programme. Which means that we are encouraging private investors to collaborate with government to build IPPs and supply power to willing buyers. This was made possible by what  is called an eligible customer declaration by the Ministry of power works and Housing. By this collaboration we have been providing power, especially Solar Power  to economic clusters such as markets across the country including , Ariaria market in Aba, 31993 shops , Sabongari market in Kano 13,598 shops,  Sura market in Lagos 1047. Isikan  493, NEPA 256,  Gbagi 8778, UMBC 2178, a  total of 81691shops servicing 320000 SMEs.In  Lagos we recently  commissioned the Sura market solar project, the businesses there now have 24 hour power. From printers, commercial tailors to small chop businesses, everyone is employing more and making  more profit.

    The next level is to ensure completion of the major infrastructure projects. The main drawback is funding. We have established an infrastructure fund.

    • The Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund
    • Second Niger Bridge
    • Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
    • Mambilla Hydro Power Project
    • Abuja-Kano Expressway
    • East-West Road

    If we stick to our agenda in the next two years we will see the most significant improvements, in our power sector in history.  Industrial Infrastructure is a major component of our economic transformation plan. Project MINE Made in Nigeria for Export is the major plank of our industrial policy.  The idea is to build Special Economic Zones which accommodate industries for local manufacture of goods for which Nigeria has a comparative advantage. These include cotton, garments, leatherware etc. The Nigerian EZ investment company, a public private partnership company is the delivery vehicle for the project.  The objectives  are to boost manufacturing share of GDP to 20% and make Nigeria the leading regional manufacturing hub for Sub-Saharan Africa, create 1.5 million new jobs in manufacturing, generate  $30bn in non-oil export earnings annually, improve the utilization of Nigeria’s resources and comparative advantage and whilst creating strong domestic value chains and create local models of global best practice in industrial infrastructure and enabling business environment. Already work has begun in three locations.

    The Enyimba Economic City in Aba covering over 9500 hectares outside Aba in Abia State. Master planning, feasibility studies and detailed design have been completed for phase 1. Three international anchor tenants have been secured for phase 1. The city will be served by an existing IPP for power and will create 625000 jobs when fully built. There is also the Lekki Model Industrial Park in partnership with the Lagos State Government. It is set on 1000 hectares in the NE cluster of Lekki Free Zone. It has already attracted world class anchor tenants for textile and garments, agri-processing and light industrial manufacturing including the no 1 Chinese and No 9 global textile and garment group. The proximity to petrochemical feedstock from the Dangote refinery for,synthetic textile and garment manufacturing makes the park irresistible for investors. The third project in its early stages is the Funtua Cotton Cluster in Katsina State. Funtua has the largest aggregation of cotton ginneries in Nigeria. “The cluster will aggregate cotton from 800,000 farmers in Northern Nigeria and become the largest integrated cotton ginning, spinning and weaving complex in Sub Saharan Africa. It will re-establish the cotton value chain from seed cotton to finished fabric and provide feedstock for domestic and export oriented garment manufacturing”( Okey Enelamah)

    We believe that the future for job creation and efficient and profitable businesses lies in innovation and technology. We have partnered with local and international tech companies and innovators, in the building of tech hubs, and promoting innovation. Our aim is to completely democratise access to  innovation and cyber commerce and create jobs.

    We have established hubs  in collaboration with the WB and LBS..the climate change innovation hub . In Yola, the North East Humanitarian Hub.  We have also in collaboration with Cicvic Hub promoted technology and innovation in universities with the Students innovation challenge in the six geopolitical zones, and technology hubs in three.

    Our technology agenda is premised on our new educational curriculum which emphasizes STEAM. Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. We are currently developing  that curriculum  with the support of global players like MIT, Cisco, IBM and Oracle, a nationwide curriculum that incorporates 21st century STEAM thinking: coding, design skills, digital arts, robotics, machine learning, and so on.

    The curriculum will cover primary to secondary education. The Arts component of that vision is extremely important to us. Visual arts, dance, music, film and theatre, comedy,  literature – these and many more are fields in which Nigeria is has proved to the world that it is full of talent and originality and ambition. At the highest levels of the government in Abuja, we are creating opportunities to engage with artists to better understand how we can, as a government, support you to succeed.

    We believe that like technology entertainment and the arts require active support, especially in the development of policies as we engage uncharted territory in the coming years. Consequently the President directed that we establish a  technology and creativity  advisory group, to work on and formulate policies in these very dynamic spaces. We have had about three meetings so far.

     

    Assembly Plants

     

    At the top of the mechanisation chain are six assembly plants to be activated and spread across the six geo-political zones. The assembly plants will undertake the assembly of tractors and processing equipment as well as light manufacturing of parts which will be sent out to the Service Centers closer to the farmers across the length and breadth of Nigeria.

    The first assembly plant, among a total of six (6) to operate, to assemble tractors and implements, will be located in Bauchi State in an already existing facility owned by a private operator.  It is projected that almost 5,000 tractors will be assembled in Nigeria every year.

     

    Service Centres

     

    There will be a total of 780 Service Centers spread across all the Local Government Areas in all the states and the Federal Capital Territory.

    Primarily, the Service Centre will offer a technological package consisting of machinery and equipment services (agricultural mechanisation- e.g. rental of tractors), quality inputs (improved seeds varieties, fertilisers and pesticides), technical assistance and training for small holder farmers in order to ensure consistent results of productivity and quality of agriculture produce.

    The Service Centre will also perform an important market function of being able to aggregate primary produce for processing and haulage to markets. This establishes a means for monetisation and loan repayment based on a percentage of its own agricultural production.

    109 of these Service Centers will be located in the 109 senatorial districts in Nigeria and classified as “ Process Service Center”. Process Service Centers will, in addition to the already mentioned services, have processors which serve as a throughput with which value can be added to agricultural produce brought in by local farmers. Service Centers will be based on the comparative and complementary advantage each location has and also along value chain lines.

    The value chain will cover Grains & Cereal, Livestock, Poultry, Fruits, Roots & Tubers, Horticulture and other areas.

    Young technicians, from The N-Power Agro Programme will join the technical staff of the Service Centres to provide agricultural extension services and production planning, carried out jointly with small holder producers and geared towards market demand.

     

    Impact

     

    Through the implementation of the Green Imperative, 5 million people will be impacted, 100,000 technical personnel will be trained, and 4,848 tractors will be assembled each year, resulting in the ultimate injection of $12 Billion into the local economy over 10 years.

    Additionally, it will increase production and productivity, leading to a reduction in food prices and the cost of living, a drop in food imports, as well as improved food security while boosting exports significantly. The Green Imperative is the next level for Nigerian Agriculture.

    The third is the Social investment Programme .  The SIP is the largest and most ambitious social protection programme in the history of Nigeria. We provided N500b for it in  both 2016 and 2017. But total spend on the programme is  closer to 250 billion from both budgets. The programme has four components. The Npower programme our graduate employment scheme is the largest post-tertiary jobs project in Africa. 500,000  graduates have been recruited as teachers, agricultural extension workers, and as public health officials.  Each of these volunteers is provided with an electronic tablet containing relevant training materials including some with which they are trained to provide the required services on an on-going basis. The device also  empowers them to participate in the digital economy as data collectors and analysts.

    Under the scheme we are giving microcredits to 2 million petty traders across the country.  The scheme enables them to draw further credit if they are able to pay back within six months. The credit schemes also achieve major By giving them credit to replenish and increase their inventories, we give them a stronger chance, to earn more, while they also service the value chain that they are a part of. But more importantly, we bring them into the formal sector, where they have access to government and private credit . GEEP has  led to one of the most successful financial inclusion outcomes, the opening of 349,000 new bank accounts/wallets for beneficiaries and intending beneficiaries.

    Nigeria took the decision to embark on a School Feeding Programme as an important part of our Human Capital development agenda, by tackling  the broader issues of eradication of poverty, food and nutrition security, increasing school enrollment.  The At a cost of $0.19 per child per day we are able to provide a balanced meal for every one of the children.    9,300,892 million pupils in 49,837 public primary schools in 26 states across Nigeria benefit daily.     .lThe programme employs 95,422 cooks, and  over 100,000 small holder farmers linked to the program supplying locally sourced ingredients. This translates to 594 cattle, 138,000 chickens, 6.8 million eggs, 83 metric tons of fish that are procured, prepared, and distributed each week. As you can imagine, the quantity of starch, and vegetables required for this program on a weekly basis is equally impressive. Dietary energy and nutrients with established links to cognition- carbohydrates, protein, fat, iron and iodine as well as minerals with public health importance–are targeted by the NHGSF. The program aims to provide 50% of the Recommended Nutrient Intake targets for protein and prioritised micronutrients (iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin A, folate and vitamin C and 30% of energy because of the high burden of undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in Nigeria. There is also a deworming programme attached to the school Feeding programme.

    By the end of the year the number of new States joining will increase,     the NHGSFP is set to become the largest school feeding programme in Africa.

     

    Conclusion

     

    We restored medium term planning with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan which served as a useful lodestone in improving macroeconomic performance, boosting the real sector of the economy and building infrastructure.  The decline in growth which started at the end of 2014 has been reversed, inflation has stabilised at about 11% over the past six months and our current account was in surplus at about 1.3% of GDP last year.  Our foreign reserves can cover at least 9 months of import of goods and services and despite understandable concerns, our debt burden is only about 22% of the size of our economy which is one of the lowest ratios in the world.

    We have very clear objectives. Clear plans. As you know the problem of our country is not the planning…or in designing great projects. It is in the actual implementation. We are fortunate that Muhammadu Buhari is not an orator…he is a doer.

  • Osinbajo: govt to partner investors on IPP, airports concessioning  

    VICE President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday spoke of plans by the Federal Government to encourage private firms to supply power to end users.

    Delivering the 50th  Convocation Lecture of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) titled: “Nigeria rising: The path to prosperity” at the J.F Ade Ajayi Auditorium, Prof Osinbajo said more than 2000 megawatts of the 8100 megawatts being generated could not be distributed by the Distribution Companies (DisCos).

    He blamed the DISCOs’ inability to distribute the power on what he described as their failure to invest.

    He said: “We have moved generation from 4,000 to 8,100 MW. But the effect of this increase in generation has not translated significantly to better service to the consumer. This is mainly due to distribution challenges. Over 2,000 MW of power is not taken up by the discos for distribution to consumers, largely because of problems they experience in collection of tariff.

    “But one of the reasons for this is the fact that the DisCos have not invested significantly in metering. We have now embarked on a major metering initiative – The Metering Assets Programme — which involves private metering Assets providers.

    “In addition, the Federal Government has in the past 18 months taken the deficiencies in transmission head on.  Through the TCN and the NDPHC, we are completing transmission projects all around the country.”

    Osinbajo said the government was experimenting on the decentralisation of power production with the Independent Power Projects (IPP).

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

    The vice president said: “The more important strategy is to decentralise power production. So, we have adopted an off grid programme, which means that we are encouraging private investors to collaborate with government to build IPPs and supply power to willing buyers. This was made possible by what is called an eligible customer declaration by the Ministry of Power, Works & Housing.

    “By this collaboration, we have been providing power, especially solar power, to economic clusters such as markets across the country, including, Ariaria Market in Aba (31,993 shops); Sabongari Market in Kano (13,598 shops);  Sura Market in Lagos (1047); Isikan ( 493); NEPA (256);  Gbagi (8,778) and UMBC (2178). In all, 81, 691 shops are servicing 320,000 SMEs.

    “In Lagos, we recently inaugurated the Sura market solar project.  The businesses there now have 24-hour power supply. From printers, commercial tailors to small chop businesses, everyone is employing more and making more profit.”

    In business, Osinbajo said Nigeria had moved up 24 places in the ranking of countries with ease of doing business, adding that there were plans to concession the airport and increasingly get government off running business.

    He said: “Nigeria has also made appreciable progress in improving the business environment. We improved our position in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Rankings by 24 places over a three year period.  And we were adjudged one of the 10 best reforming economies in the world.

    “Also worthy of note is the fact that there has been an increased presence of foreign companies in Nigeria.  I am told that the number of Japanese companies operating in Nigeria has increased by over one-quarter over the past three years while those from Norway have more than doubled in the same period.  Allianz, the largest insurance company in the world, has started operations in Nigeria after buying into a local firm while Coca-Cola has bought up the remaining shares in Chi Industries that it did not own.  These reforms are expected over the next four years and in which sectors.

    “We plan to complete the concession of our airports for increased efficiency and alignment with global standards; and establish the National Trading Platform to encompass a more sophisticated single window platform, scanners and a ports community portal for goods being imported into and exported out of the country,” he said.

    On education, Osinbajo said the government was working on a new curriculum that would drive learning of the skills needed for the technology-enabled workspace.

    He said: “Our technology agenda is premised on our new educational curriculum, which emphasises STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics).

    “We are currently developing that curriculum with the support of global players like MIT, Cisco, IBM and Oracle – a nationwide curriculum that incorporates 21st century STEAM thinking: coding, design skills, digital arts, robotics, and machine learning, and so on.

    “The curriculum will cover primary to secondary education. The arts component of that vision is extremely important to us. Visual arts, dance, music, film and theatre, comedy, literature – these and many more are fields in which Nigeria has proved to the world that it is full of talents and originality and ambition.

    “At the highest levels of the government in Abuja, we are creating opportunities to engage with artists to better understand how we can, as a government, support you to succeed.

    “We believe that like technology entertainment and the arts require active support, especially in the development of policies as we engage uncharted territory in the coming years. Consequently the President directed that we establish a technology and creativity advisory group, to work on and formulate policies in these very dynamic spaces. We have had about three meetings so far.”

    At the event, which was chaired by Chief Arthur Mbanefo, who was Pro-Chancellor of the university 35 years ago, were Vice Chancellor Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Pro-Chancellor/Chairman of Council Wale Babalakin; Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi; Niger Delta Affairs Minister Usani Uguru Usani; Tertiary Education Trust Fund Executive Secretary Prof Elias Bogoro;  University of Lagos Alumni Association President John Momoh and former UNILAG Alumni President, Olorogun Sunny Kuku, among others.

  • Osinbajo bags Life Bencher award

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was on Friday presented with Life Benchers Award.

    Osinbajo and 131 others were presented with the award at the Body of Benchers of Nigeria Award night held at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja.

    The Body of Benchers is a statutory body established by the Legal Practitioners Act, I962 responsible for Call to the Bar of persons seeking to be legal practitioners as well as discipline of erring lawyers.

    A Life Bencher serves in the body for life and is a legal practitioner of the highest distinction.

    In his remarks,  Osinbajo said he was elated by the honour and commended the body for the extraordinary leadership it had provided over the years

    He said that the Body had borne the enormous responsibility of being the conscience, arbiter, judge and interlocutor for the legal profession and administration of justice system.

    “I am deeply honoured to have been preferred to the prestigious rank of Life Bencher.

    “It is humbling, but also exciting to be reminded that one still has more to offer. I owe gratitude to the remarkable men and women – teachers, mentors, partners and students, who have contributed to my professional experience. I accept this honour as a call to greater responsibility.

    “Perhaps, one should also seize this opportunity to salute all distinguished colleagues, seniors and juniors alike, who have internalised the application of the rule of law in the most difficult circumstances.

    “Stood for the helpless through advocacy; demanded transparency and accountability in all spheres; and pushed for positive reforms in the advancement of not just our system of justice, but also all the ramparts upon which our democracy is built, alongside our nationhood and common patrimony.

    “Today, our profession stands at a critical cross-road. Yet, the different possible paths that we could take have, to my mind, never been as illuminated and clear as they are today. One path is the path of business as usual which of course means that we will face the extinction of our credibility soon enough.

    “The other is the path of renewal, the right path; a more courageous even if more difficult path.”

    He said that the weaknesses that had recently been exposed in the profession, as disturbing as they were, had provided great opportunity for deep introspection and self-assessment.

    He said that the benchers owed the young and aspiring lawyers the duty to set the ground rules right and to lead by example.

    According to him, as custodians of the law, lawyers owe the nation, at the very least, the duty to ensure the proper functioning of the justice system.

    Osinbajo said that the professional practice and the courts must always measure up to the moral, ethical and statutory standards ascribed to them.

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

    “Whether we sit at the Bar or on the bench, we bear the responsibility for a fair and just society; a free, fair and impartial justice system that ushers in progressive reforms in governance and protects the social structure of our nation.

    “Our everyday practice of law has the potential to either strengthen or weaken our democratic values and institutions.

    “The sobriquet ‘learned’ that everyone ascribes to us, suggests amongst other attributes, that we are- skilled not only in the art of our trade/calling, but also in the mechanics of a just society.

    “That just society cannot be established by mere wishes or rhetoric; it can only be by deliberate action and sacrifice especially of those of us to whom our profession has so generously conferred membership of its highest body,” he said.

    He congratulated all the honorees, adding that award from the most distinguished Body of the profession was worthy of commendation.

    Earlier, in his address, the Chairman, Body of Benchers of Nigeria, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu,  said that the a system had been put in place to recognise those whose efforts contributed in maintaining and sustaining the values of the profession.

    In a goodwill message, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said that legal practitioners were defenders of Nigeria’s democracy and urged them to discharge their duties creditably.

    On his part, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara,  said he was delighted that the works of the awardees were being acknowledged.

    He said that the gesture would spur them into serving the country more.

    Awards were also presented to past chairmen of the body.

    The event also attracted governors of Sokoto, Plateau and Bayelsa state as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    Some members of the Federal Executive Council have attended the event.(NAN)

  • I’m a product of God’s special mercy, protection- VP Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday took a cursory look the year 2019 electioneering campaign journey and declared he emerged successful and unhurt because he is a “product of God’s special mercy and protection.”

    Recalling how he miraculously survived helicopter crash in Kabba, Kogi state in February at an interdenominational service of praise and thanksgiving organised for him and the Christian communities at the Obafemi Awolowo Square, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, Osinbajo said were it not for God’s mercy, he and other occupants of the I’ll – fated Chopper would have died in the crash.

    Speaking at the event, which has in attendance Governors Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) as well as the Ogun governor-elect, Dapo Abiodun, Osinbajo ascribed his survival in the crash to the special mercy of God, who according to him, has seen him through many vagaries of life.

    Other personalities that joined him at the thanksgiving service included the immediate past governor of Osun state Rauf Aregbesola; Senator Godswill Akpabio; Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Olusola Oke as well as traditional rulers from the state.

    Read also: God’s goodness to my family, immeasurable – Mrs. Osinbajo

    Osinbajo, who was accompanied by his wife, Dolapo to the service, said the thanksgiving in his home town became imperative to thank God for sparing his life and keeping his family.

    He offered prayers for peace, progress, stability and promotion for the country, Ogun state, his kinsmen and women, acknowledging that God actually saw him through the rigours and hazards during campaigns in the build up to the 2019 general elections.

  • God’s goodness to my family, immeasurable – Mrs. Osinbajo

    Elated Pastor (Mrs.) Dolapo Osinbajo,  wife of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Sunday testified of the goodness of God to her family, saying it is immeasurable.

    Dolapo said she was particularly grateful to God for his mercy and compassion upon the family, which she stressed, protected her husband and pulled him out from the jaw of death unscathed when he miraculously survived a helicopter crash in Kabba, Kogi State, last February 2.

    The Vice – President’s wife who rendered her brief testimony in a core Yoruba language during an Interdenominational Service of praise and thanksgiving in Ikenne, Ogun state, also appreciated God for the re – election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The service of praise and thanksgiving was put together by Christian community in the state in conjunction with the Vice – President to express their gratitude to God for the re -election of President Muhammadu  Buhari and Osinbajo.

    The exciting event where the septuagenarian gospel singer, Dr. Ebenezer Obey entertained guests with many soul lifting songs of praise and worship, was attended by Governor Abiola Ajimobi(Oyo) and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos) who reads the bible lesson from Psalm 149.

    They were also  Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Governor – elect in Ogun state, Prince Adedapo Abiodun and ex – Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Sir Kensington Adebutu, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, Prince Gboyega Isiaka, traditional rulers, community leaders and Christian community.

    The governor – elect, Dapo Abiodun, who came in the company of his wife, described Osinbajo as a “worthy son of Remo” and “Omoluabi one of Nigeria.”

    He said the Vice – President is an embodiment of diligence, sincerity intellect, whom he always confidently call a leader.

    Read also: Buhari poorer now than in 2015, says Osinbajo 

    The successful entrepreneur, oil magnate and real estate player, reiterated what had kept him going in the journey of life despite daunting challenges is his absolute and unshakable faith in God.

    She said such faith was anchored on the message of Christ in Mark 11:23, which assured that an unwavering faith could relocate a mountain from one point to another.

    He pledged to run an equitable, just, accountable  and a transparent government which would create a public, private partnership for the benefits of Ogun state, the citizens and residents.

    In his brief sermon, the Archbishop Lagos Ecclesiastical Province, the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Dr. Olusina Fape, said it was the mercy and compassion of God that delivered Osinbajo from death and helped him and his principal, Muhammadu Buhari to emerge victorious in the presidential election.

    Anchoring his message on Romans 9 : 15 – 16, Fape said it is God that elevates one and not necessarily the product of one’s effort, praying that God in his mercy would also protect and keep the Vice – President safe during his second tenure.

  • Buhari poorer now than in 2015, says Osinbajo 

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says President Muhammadu Buhari is probably poorer now than when he assumed office in 2015.

    Osinbajo spoke during a dinner in Abuja in honour of volunteers who canvassed for votes for the All Progressives Congress  (APC) during the campaigns for this year’s general election.

    His words: “When I looked at his assets declaration form, I was checking it in 2015, I said to him, ‘Mr President, I am so much richer than you, it is an embarrassment.’

    “He said, ‘I am only a soldier, you are a big lawyer, so you should have more money than me.’

    “I can tell you that he is perhaps  even poorer than he was in 2015 when I saw his declaration of assets form.”

    Osinbajo urged Nigerians to vote for APC candidates in the March 23 supplementary elections.

    The supplementary elections will take place in six states of Nigeria where the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared last Saturday’s gubernatorial election inconclusive.

    He said “We are still not done with the elections.

    “On the 23rd of March, we still have some outstanding states and as you know we are re-running in about six states.

    “We can’t afford to slack off and say the job is done; we still have some things to do.”

    Recalling his personal experience during this year’s electioneering, Professor Osinbajo said his encounter with Nigerians as he crisscrossed the country, campaigning for votes, showed that Nigerians are so trusting and supportive of their leaders.

    “I think that one of the main characteristics of the Nigerian is how so supportive and trusting many of our people are and they don’t ask us for too much.

    “They never really ask for anything that is impossible to do.

    “And that’s why, for many of us that went around this country, we realized the tremendous amount of work that there is to do and our capacity to do so much work.

    “What our people need, as we discovered, isn’t that much.

    “As a matter of fact, I do not know any nation where the people are so generous, no matter how poor they are.

    Vice President Osinbajo said there was need for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to connect more with the people.

    “It just struck me that what we really need to do a lot more is to connect with the people.

    “All the people need is opportunity for us to interact with them.

    “We should have a way by which everybody is involved one way or the other.

    “One of the complaints that people made about our government is that we were not communicating enough.”

    The vice president acknowledged that the diligent communication carried out to put across the APC message in 2015 was not sustained, making the administration lose some ground to the opposition, especially in the social media.

    He said the new administration would ensure that it makes change in that regard.

    Osinbajo said that he would take up everyone who has challenged the administration on the issue with a view to getting its communication of programmes and policies better.

    Speaking at the event, the APC Woman Leader, Salamatu Eluma, commended the volunteers for believing in the vision of the President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo and working for their re-election.

    Earlier, the Deputy Chief of Staff in the State House, Ade Ipaye, said the volunteers worked during the campaigns to demonstrate the integrity and capability of the candidates of the APC.

  • Osinbajo inaugurates policies, projects, audit committee

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday inaugurated the policies, programmes and projects committee recently set up by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    President Buhari set up the 15-member committee, chaired by the vice president, to take stock of the administration’s efforts so far and to make concrete preparations for the second term in office which begins on May 29 this year.

    The terms of reference of the committee include “to audit and determine the status of implementation of policies, programmes and projects either inherited or commenced by the outgoing administration and “to identify and highlight a residue of works and challenges that may militate against their successful implementation.”

    The committee will also “prepare and produce a detailed working document that will guide the incoming cabinet members on the direction of government regarding policies, programmes and projects;” and “co-opt organisations or persons relevant towards the successful execution of the exercise and make recommendations as may be considered necessary.”

    Other members of the committee are Chief of Staff to the President, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Minister of Budget and National Planning and the Minister of Finance.

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development are also members of the committee.

    Also on the committee are the Minister of Water Resources, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Security Adviser and the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President.

    Inaugurating the committee, Vice President Osinbajo said the committee would, “in the next few weeks, determine the current status of and performance on federal government projects and programmes, relying not just on submissions made by the various ministries, department and agencies but also on objective assessment of experts already engaged on similar assessments and will be co-opted to assist in this mission.

    “They will also be required to produce a detailed implementation plan based on the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP, and on several documents, including the Next Level Document.”

    Prof. Osinbajo said the plan was aimed at ensuring the preparation of a working document that would guide in the implementation of federal government projects and programmes, and especially serve as an important guide for ministers in the new cabinet.

  • Buhari poorer than in 2015, says Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday night said that President Muhammadu Buhari was probably poorer than when he was elected in 2015.

    Osinbajo spoke during a dinner in honour of volunteers who canvassed for votes for the APC during the campaigns for this year’s general election, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said “When I looked at his assets declaration form, I was checking it in 2015, I said to him, “Mr President, I am so much richer than you, it is an embarrassment.”

    “He said, “I am only a soldier, you are a big lawyer so you should have more money than me.”

    “I can tell you that he is perhaps; even poorer than he was in 2015 when I saw his declaration of assets form.”

    He also urged Nigerians to vote for the All Progressives Congress in the March 23 supplementary elections.

    The supplementary elections will take place in six states of Nigeria where the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared last Saturday’s gubernatorial election inconclusive.

    He said “We are still not done with the elections.

    “On the 23rd of March, we still have some outstanding states and as you know we are re-running in about six states.

    “And all of the efforts we need to put into those six states, we still need to do.

    “We can’t afford to slack off and say the job is done; we still have some things to do.”

    Recalling the experiences he had during the electioneering, Osinbajo said his encounter with Nigerians as he crisscrossed the country, campaigning for votes, showed that Nigerians are so trusting and supportive of their leaders.

    “I think that one of the main characteristics of the Nigerian is how so supportive and trusting many of our people are and they don’t ask us for too much.

    “They never really ask for anything that is impossible to do.

    “And that’s why, for many of us that went around this country, we realized the tremendous amount of work that there is to do and our capacity to do so much work.

    “What our people need, as we discovered, isn’t that much.

    “As a matter of fact, I do not know any nation where the people are so generous no matter how poor they are.

     Osinbajo said there was need for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to connect more with the people.

    “It just struck me that what we really need to do a lot more is to connect with the people.

    “All the people need is opportunity for us to interact with them.

    “We should have a way by which everybody is involved one way or the other.

    “One of the complaints that people made about our government is that we were not communicating enough and that people did not know what had done.”

    The vice president acknowledged that the diligent communication carried out to put across the APC message in 2015 was not sustained, making the administration lose some ground to the opposition, especially in the social media.

    He said the new administration would ensure that it makes change in that regard.

    Osinbajo said that he would take up everyone who has challenged the administration on the issue with a view to getting its communication of programmes and policies better.

    Speaking at the event, the APC Woman Leader, Salamatu Eluma, commended the volunteers for believing in the vision of the President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo and working for their re-election.

  • Buhari extols Osinbajo’s virtues as VP clocks 62

    On the occasion of 62nd birthday anniversary of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,  President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday described his relationship with his deputy  as one of a special bond.

    The President, in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja   said he joined Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, her children and other Nigerians across the country as well as friends around the world to celebrate Prof. Osinbajo.

    “I join the world in celebrating this erudite scholar, Minister of the Gospel and a very dependable deputy with whom I share a very special bond,’’ Buhari said.

    Buhari, expressed gratitude to God for preserving the life of Osinbajo.

    He added that in the past four years, Osinbajo has diligently championed the values of setting the foundation for the peace, progress and stability of the country, by working very hard to build a resilient economy, while promoting transparency and accountability.

    The President also extended special appreciation to the Vice President, wishing him many more years of robust health, happiness and fulfilment in his service to God, the nation and humanity.

    According to the president, he looks forward to sharing many special moments of celebration with Osinbajo as they take the country to the ‘Next Level’ in the years ahead.

    In his own birthday message to the Vice President,the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG),Pastor Enoch Adeboye prayed God to strengthen Osinbajo.

    Adeboye in the message posted on his verified  Twitter handle @PastorEAAdeboye said:

  • Osinbajo to Ogun people: Come out to vote, ignore threats of mayhem

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday revealed that the Presidency had received security report that some people in position of authority in Ogun state were threatening fire and brimstone during and after the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for March 9 in the state.

    Osinbajo, however, urged the people to discountenance such threats, saying it is only the Federal government that is saddled with the exclusive preserve to provide security for the protection of lives and property.

    The Vice -President who addressed thousands of traders at Kuto, Itoku, Lafenwa and Panseke markets – all in Abeokuta, separately in a mega rally for APC,  further assured that nobody would be able to breach the peace or cause problem as there are adequate security arrangement to ensure the safety of everybody.

    Osinbajo urged the traders to come out en masse to cast their ballots for the All Progressives Congress Governorship candidate in the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun.

    “We will do all humanly possible within the ambit of the law to provide adequate security for all and sundry on and after the coming Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state.

    So, don’t panic as we are up to the task ahead.

    “The coming Governorship election in Ogun state is very crucial and we should all come out and vote.

    “And you are to cast your votes for Prince Dapo Abiodun as the Ogun state governor. Also, vote for all House of Assembly candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.

    “By and large, ensure your votes are counted in your presence before you leave the polling booths.

    Don’t let us turn our back at the APC, because it is the only party that can take us to the next level. And we should not cast our votes for any other party than the APC,” Osinbajo advised.

    Similarly, former governor and leader of the party, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, enjoined the people to cast their votes for Abiodun as the next governor.

    Osoba said the Vice-President who represented the President for the rally, brought good tidings for the state to express appreciation for the electoral victory of the President Muhammadu Buhari/Osinbajo joint ticket in the Saturday, February 23, 2019 polls.

    Also, Dapo  Abiodun who was flanked by his running mate, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele and the Lagos West Senator, Solomon Adeola, appealed to the people to support him to emerge victorious on Saturday.

    “We won’t promise what we would not do. But with your support during the polls, victory is sure for us in the APC.

    “Come out and cast your votes for the APC. Your votes are to make Ogun state greater,”  Abiodun said.