Need for action against online pests


IT is five years since the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act of 2015 was enacted in Nigeria.


The Act regulates the use of our internet resources to foster socio-economic and political development while preventing crime and abuse of human rights. The Cybercrime Act which is well-received across the civil society spectrum has acted as the shield with which the media and social advocacy community have successfully warded off draconian legislations such as the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill 2019, which empowered government to regulate the social media.

The Cybercrime Act provides against cyberstalking and bullying. Obviously, beyond the sporadic predation of hapless young people by the police for alleged internet fraud, enough has not been done to use this Act to deal with cyber news stalkers, bullies and malicious purveyors of fake news.

Perhaps, no other public figure has been more harassed than the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. For instance, in the past few months, the VP has come under series of allegations most of which turned out to be false. The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, has denied allegations by a former party official, Timi Frank, that it gave Osinbajo N90bn to fund the 2019 elections for the All Progressives Congress, APC.


Also, the House of Representatives has confirmed that the N5bn emergency fund Osinbajo approved for the National Emergency Management Authority’s North East relief efforts were from budgeted sources and the VP had no hand in its spending. The suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has also denied stealing N40bn from the looted funds and giving a N5bn “cut” to the Vice President as widely reported.

The latest allegation, which has also been publicly disavowed, is that Osinbajo colluded with the Auditor-General of the Federation to withdraw N10bn from the Treasury Single Account, TSA. The Vice President, being a cleric and respected legal practitioner, is vulnerable and struggling to cope with this barrage of false publications that seek to sully his name.

We condemn cyber bullying and fake news in all their ramifications. While we stand firmly for freedom of the media, we believe that practitioners (including bloggers) must remain true to its laws and professional ethics. In holding government to account, the media must remain socially-responsible and do everything not to play into the hands of those waiting for an excuse to tamper with our civil liberties. The law must protect every law-abiding citizen from malicious, online pests.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT | PRESS RELEASE


VP adds: “With tech innovation, democratization of law and justice now on fast-track”

Technology and the innovations it entail has defined a new way of life, taking technology away from the realms of luxury into the arena of everyday endeavours whether in the professions or in matters of lifestyle generally.
 
In fact, the advance of technology is now fast-tracking the democratization of law and justice in Nigeria, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
 
Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Thursday in his keynote at the Virtual Law Pavilion Technology Conference with the theme “A New Paradigm in Justice Delivery”. Also at the event, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed; the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro, SAN, and others addressed the theme of the 2020 Legal Tech Conference.
 
According to him, “No one believed the day would come when the Supreme Court would, as it has now done, endorse Virtual Court Proceedings. Or that the day will come when e-filing of court processes will be considered medically safer than physical filing of court processes.
 
“Today, even judges, especially older ones, will of course prefer virtual processes to in-person proceedings. Technology and the fourth industrial revolution, are no longer luxuries but they are the inevitable substructure of our new way of life.
 
“For the administration of justice system, change has surely come and I am personally excited to see how easily our entire judicial system is willingly adapting to innovation.”
 
Speaking further on the impact of technology, the Vice President said with technology and innovation, the democratization of law and justice is now on fast-track.
 
According to him, “Tech companies must now innovate even more. We must now have purpose-built virtual-proceedings software that take into account the various needs of trials and other court proceedings.
 
“There will be opportunities for retraining of judicial personnel, lawyers, and paralegal staff, the new normal calls for new skills and new ways of doing old things and doing away with many old habits.”
 
On the need for the entirety of Nigeria’s justice sector to embrace “the new normal”, the Vice President said though no one had predicted that a time would come when authorities would endorse virtual court proceedings, the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the adoption of technology for all court processes.
 
Referring to the Chief Justice of Nigeria at the event, the Vice President noted that “already, my Lord, the Chief Justice has set the example of adaptation to the new paradigm.”
 
Prof. Osinbajo urged lawyers and stakeholders in the justice sector to be prepared for the times ahead by finding alternative and better ways of delivering legal and associated services.
 
He said “the next few years will see even more changes. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play a bigger role in our court systems, I am told that Law Pavilion is already pioneering an AI-Powered-Speech-to-Text- Transcription System to replace writing in long hand and even the traditional slow stenographic recording.
 
“There is also the AI-Powered Document Review System that helps judges quickly extract authorities and laws cited in any legal documents, outlines and analyses the principles relied upon automatically, in seconds. This is aside from the comprehensive court proceedings software that they have now perfected.”
 
Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said “…nothing can ever be the same again. Legal practice is also in a flux. Artificial Intelligence will make research a million times faster, the lawyer may no longer be required for several categories of legal advice.
 
“There are already apps updated to the latest positions in legislation and case law. The lawyer must become a multi-disciplinary, multi-tasking tech savvy person of affairs,” recalling a description he gave to students of law at a recent function.
 
He restated the commitment of the Buhari administration to support technology companies to drive the gradual shift of systems, in the country, to the ‘new normal’.
 
In his contribution, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed said the judiciary which plays a crucial role in the economic development of Nigeria, must embrace changes within the environment so that it will continue to remain relevant in the scheme of things.
 
The Legal Tech Conference is organized by the Law Pavilion in partnership with TELNET Nigeria Ltd. The conference is a 2-day virtual event featuring other speakers including Supreme Court Justice, Olukayode Ariwoola; Ondo State Chief Judge, Olarenwaju Olutoyin Akeredolu; Borno State Chief Judge, Kashima Zannah; Ekiti State Attorney General and Justice Commissioner, Olawale Fapohunda; and Mr Dapo Akinosun, Partner, SimmonsCooper, amongst others.
 
*Laolu Akande,*
*Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,*
Office of the Vice President.
13th August, 2020.

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo SAN has demanded a daily newspaper, The  Sun Newspaper to retract a false story it published, calling on his probe over an accusation that he(Osinbajo) and the Accountant General of the Federation(AGF) withdrew N10 billion from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) of the Federal government.

On August 9, 2020, The Sun published as story titled: “Ex APC Spokesman asks Buhari to probe Osinbajo, AuGF over alleged N10bn withdrawal from TSA.”  The story emanated from a former Deputy National Secretary the ruling party, All Progressives Congress(APC), Mr Timi Frank, who alleged that the duo of Osinbajo and the AuGF withdrew the sum of N10 billion from the TSA.


In a pre-action notice letter wtitten by Osinbajo’s lawyer, Mr Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa SAN, the vice president gave The Sun Newspapers a seven day ultimatum to retract the news story and tender apology, or face court action.

The letter with Ref: A&C/RC/L-15/08/2020, and dated Wednesday, August 12, 2020 was addressed to the Publisher of the newspaper.
It reads:

PRE-ACTION NOTICE – DEFAMATION OF HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON IN YOUR PUBLICATION OF AUGUST 9, 2020

We are solicitors to His Excellency, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN (‘our Client’), on whose instruction we write, in respect of the above subject matter.

Our Client has informed us that on or about August 9, 2020, you caused to be published in your newspaper (The Sun) an article titled: “Ex APC Spokesman asks Buhari to probe Osinbajo, AuGF over alleged N10bn withdrawal from TSA.”


2. In the said article, which was published to national and global audience both in print and on your online medium, you made and/or repeated several defamatory statements of and concerning our Client, including the following –


(i) “Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, on Sunday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently constitute a panel of inquiry to investigate the illegal withdrawal of N10 billion from the Treasury Single Account (TSA).”

(ii) “Frank in a statement in Abuja, said such a panel must of necessity be given a clear mandate to unravel the involvement of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and the Auditor General of the Federation (AuGF), Anthony Ayine, in the brazen illegality.”


3. By publishing these statements online within an hour of the purported Timi Frank interview, and obviously without making any attempt to check or verify their authenticity of these unsubstantiated allegations. The above words, in their natural and ordinary meanings, meant and were understood to mean that:
(i) The sum of N10 billion naira had been illegally withdrawn from TSA of the Nigerian Government.


(ii) Our Client was involved in this “brazen illegality” and steps must be taken to unravel his involvement.

4. As you are well aware, our client is a public officer entrusted by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the high office of Vice President, a role that requires explicit and implicit trust from his colleagues in public service and from members of the general public. The ill-considered publication of the above stated libellous statements without due care to investigate or verify the truth, is mischievously calculated to erode that trust. This is more so as the bank statement attached to the Jackson Ude Tweets, from which the story was concocted, clearly indicates a transfer by the duly authorised Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) into Federal Government’s own Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), rather than a withdrawal as alleged.


5. For more than four decades, our Client has built his reputation as a distinguished scholar, legal practitioner and clergyman. In recognition of his distinction in legal practice, our client was elevated to the highly coveted rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2002. Prior to becoming the Vice President in 2015, he had meritoriously served as a distinguished Attorney General of Lagos State for eight years. In his decades of private and public service, his integrity and incorruptibility has never been found wanting.

6. Contrary to your assertions in paragraphs 2 and 3 above, our Client affirms that –


(i) There was never at any time, any illegal withdrawal of N10 billion naira, or any amount at all, from the TSA in which he (our Client) was involved.

(ii) He is not corrupt and he does not engage in illegal conduct.

7. Furthermore, the above words and their apparent or intended meanings are false, malicious and defamatory of our client in all material particulars and they constitute and were published mainly to ridicule our Client. By the publication of the words complained of, our Client has been greatly injured and maligned in his status, reputation, office, integrity, calling, profession, career, calling and business and he has been brought into irreparable scandal, odium, ridicule and public contempt. The said malicious and libelous publication was deliberately published and circulated by your company with the full knowledge and/or awareness of its consequences and implications on the feeling, integrity, character, office, business, status and reputation of our Client.


8. Since your publication aforesaid, our Client has been inundated with several telephone calls, visits and enquiries from his friends, family members, colleagues, supporters and sympathizers, home and abroad. The said publication was published, sold (for N300.00) in the open market and on the streets throughout Nigeria and beyond, and it was similarly published on your website:http//www.sunonline.com.


9. This publication falsely portrays our Client as a very corrupt public officer who regularly, furtively and illegally steals billions of naira from the public treasury. By so doing, it has wrongly exposed our client to utter contempt and ridicule in the estimation of right-thinking members of the society. Your unfounded and malicious publication also violates sections 391 to 395 of the Penal Code Act as well as section 24 of the Cybercrimes Act.

10. Accordingly, we have our Client’s instructions to demand the following from you:

(i) An IMMEDIATE RETRACTION of the libelous publication and an express and unambiguous APOLOGY, to be published in your newspaper and on your website, with the same or greater prominence, circulation and distribution, and also to be published in at least three national newspapers, preferably but not limited to The Punch, Thisday and Daily Trust.

(ii) A WRITTEN UNDERTAKING, not to publish any similar or further libel of and concerning our Client.

TAKE NOTICE that if after seven (7) days of your receipt of this letter, you fail, refuse and/or neglect to comply with the above demands, we shall proceed to execute our Client’s further instructions to institute an action in court against your company.

While thanking you for your kind consideration to act promptly, please accept the best assurances of our esteemed regards, always.

Yours faithfully,

EBUN-OLU ADEGBORUWA, SAN

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

OSINBAJO TO YOUNG NIGERIANS: REVERSE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC THROUGH INNOVATIONS
*VP details FG’s economic response to pandemic at Law Students Townhall Meeting
*Adds: “Today’s lawyer must be multidisciplinary, multi-tasking, digitally strong men or women of affairs

Though the COVID-19 pandemic presents the most challenging times in recent history, it can also be a turning point for innovative thinking especially towards resolving the numerous challenges faced by humanity, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Thursday at the virtual Townhall meeting of the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) themed “How to build the right mindset for a better Nigeria, post COVID-19”.

According to the Vice President, “We are faced with a two-fold global crisis. First is a health crisis and then there is an economic crisis and the combined effects have resulted in possibly the greatest socio-economic crisis in recent history.

Continuing Prof. Osinbajo noted “…at the moment, we are also at a turning point with new opportunities to turn under-consumption into thriving business models if only we effectively innovate. We are seeing some of this emerge already.”

Below is the full text of the Vice President’s remarks:

KEYNOTE REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA TOWNHALL MEETING ON THURSDAY, 6TH OF AUGUST, 2020.

Let me just express my sincere thanks to the Law Students Association of Nigeria for the very kind invitation to be here today and to speak to you on this very important subject. I was specifically asked to speak within the context of this summit on the topic ‘How we can build the right mindset for a better Nigeria, post COVID-19’.

I must say that amidst the very depressing forecasts pervading the airwaves, it is a major task to talk about how exactly to get to the right mindset. But one thing that is clear is that the forecasts are quite bleak. And I don’t think there is a way of diminishing some of the economic forecasts and even some of the forecasts regarding what the social situation may be.

We are faced with a two-fold global crisis. First is a health crisis and then there is an economic crisis and the combined effects have resulted in possibly the greatest socio-economic crisis in recent history. We are convinced that this is the case, there are many who would say that nothing like this has ever happened to the world.

The crash in global oil prices is particularly a problem for us, the Nigerian government because revenues have plummeted, foreign exchange earnings, in particular, are very depressed on account of the fact that the prices of our major source of forex which is oil, are much lower than ever before. So, we are looking at a 40% loss in revenue than what we had projected. Even what we had projected in itself, we were going to have some difficulty funding it, but now there is a 40% loss in revenue.

So, we see the impending slowdown in the economy shrinking our GDP.
However, I think that where the needle will ultimately fall will depend on how well we respond to these crises; how well we work within the current circumstances; and how well we manage to adapt to these changes, as opposed to wallowing in trepidation and worry.

Because we don’t realistically know when this pandemic will end, speaking of a ‘post-COVID Nigeria’, is not actually of much use. The better approach, in my view, is to ask ourselves where the opportunities in this global crisis lie.

I think it was John F. Kennedy, who said, “When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity”. Although I am told that linguistically, this isn’t completely true, there is a valuable lesson here for how we must reset and what our attitudes ought to be in times of crisis.

The good thing about this particular crisis is that no one has been this way before and everyone is searching for answers. So, there are no experts. No one can say ‘I am an expert on how to resolve socio-economic crisis in a pandemic. All over the world, people are literally scrambling for answers. Even in the most developed economies of the world, they are still scrambling for answers. So, I must say to you that there is no minimum age to seek solutions to the problems of these times. And you are certainly welcome to begin to think through what the solutions should be and how we should be responding.

As a government, this reality dawned on us much earlier on. And faced with the prospect of unprecedented unemployment figures and business closures, we had to get creative about solutions: to build resilience into our economic growth structure and to take bigger and bolder steps in our approach to creating wealth and opportunity.

So, for about two months, at the direction of Mr President, I led an inter-ministerial team mandated to look specifically at how to resolve some of the issues around the pandemic, its impact and draw up a response plan.

That response plan is what we call the Economic Sustainability Plan and we have a committee called the Economic Sustainability Committee which is to implement this pIan and I also have the privilege of chairing this committee. What we tried to do in the Economic Sustainability Plan was to design strategies that will save jobs and create new opportunities. And we looked at certain broad areas. We looked at mass housing and mass agriculture where we are focused on using local resources and innovation.

The whole point of mass housing and mass agriculture is that this will provide jobs. They provide jobs for small groups of engineers, architects etc. And of course, local production of some of the raw materials will also be an advantage. We are looking at both mass agriculture and mass housing as opportunities to create significant numbers of jobs.

We have also looked at technology as a major opportunity for providing several jobs. We also considered the huge deficit in our power sector at the moment especially the deficit in the availability of power to millions who have never been on the grid and have never had power. So, we focused on renewable energy and solar power in particular because high radiation, as you know, is a resource that we have in abundance. We thought that this crisis will be an opportunity to do something more significant about solar power – to provide solar power through the private sector, and second to increase local capacity to assemble, to repair, and to service solar equipment.

So, Solar Home Systems which is part of the Economic Sustainability Plan will power up to 5 million Nigerian households, who previously had no power. The systems will be provided by local private solar companies who have also worked out digital metering and payment methods.

So, to give another example of the sort of things that we are trying to encourage, Nigerian companies such as LifeBank and 54gene have been making waves in health technology for some time now. However, it has taken a global pandemic as we have now, for the government to develop truly collaborative solutions building on existing work that they had already done.

So, 54gene and LifeBank are both running NCDC-licensed COVID-19 testing centres across the country. LifeBank is also delivering emergency oxygen equipment and working with the government to create a database of available ventilators and respirators across the nation.

The infectious disease centres that we have both government and private sector, have come together to build some of them. Many of them will outlast the pandemic and thus, ensure that we have durable healthcare infrastructure provided for our future.

We might not have experienced the depth of such collaboration had it not been for the urgent needs created by this crisis. Today we have well over 54 testing centres across the country, we are converting the testing machines that were used for Tuberculosis and the machine used for testing AIDS, changing the cartridges and introducing the reagents for testing COVID-19, so there is a lot of innovative solutions going on at the moment.

The thing that we will always keep in mind is that this is a huge country. So, sometimes when things are done, you hear people say ‘I don’t even know that things are being done.” So, you will always have a situation where it will never seem like it’s covering the entire country.

I give you another example. When we decided that we were going to provide micro-credit for two million traders across the country, in fact, we did, eventually, over two million. So, in a country of this size, many will even say, we didn’t get anything.

So, every time you think, in terms of solving the problems of Nigeria, we have to think in terms of scale, scale is it. You can do 200,000 of anything and it won’t make a difference in Nigeria. So, scale is very important as you think through solutions.

As you are also thinking of solutions, in innovative ways, I feel that one of the things that you must be thinking about is how to ensure that you are thinking on scale.

One of the things that we experienced in the 1990s was mobile phones. In the 1990s, mobile phones were limited to more affluent who could afford them. The unmet need that existed amongst the rest of Nigerians then was seen as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to introduce business models that would make owning mobile phones affordable for the average Nigerian.

So, today, it has not only connected us with the rest of the world, and provided millions of jobs in the process, but it has even become a medium for us to effectively engage other industries such as mobile banking and the likes. Because there was a need, there was a problem with the telephony system in Nigeria, entrepreneurs got into it, thinking people got into it and today we have mobile phones and we have one of the largest in terms of mobile phone ownership across the world- something in the order of 114 million mobile lines in Nigeria and that is increasing practically every day.

This is a story of innovation and I just mentioned that because at the moment, we are also at a turning point with new opportunities to turn under-consumption into thriving business models, if only we effectively innovate.

We are seeing some of this emerge already and I can refer to a few examples to demonstrate a real basis for hope. The closing of schools, for example, with the lockdown has forced us to get creative about how we can replicate learning environments outside of the classroom. So, we have a lot of Edtech startups like uLesson – one of the new startups, leading the way, merging online and offline features to ensure the provision of a learning experience that spans the digital divide. Those kinds of innovations are crucial.

E-learning isn’t new, many of us are familiar with e-learning but the challenge in Nigeria is how do you do e-learning on scale especially when you don’t have broadband technology across the country. So, there is a need to take e-learning offline, there is a need to take e-learning so that it can be used on our devices without necessarily having access to broadband all the time and there is a need to do it on scale.

So, the challenges we have are slightly different from the challenges more developed economies may have. We have millions of people who need to access education. The real question is how do we get this education across to them, especially without in-person learning and where you may not have broadband technology.

Some have done well with the use of radios and many are using all sorts of offline type devices. For those without, we know already that states are incorporating radio, TV lessons, and some schools are even delivering work to their students by WhatsApp. With regards to accessibility to the internet and technology as a whole, there are abundant opportunities, in my own opinion, for what can be done.

But these are broad areas that we must all be thinking about. And as I said, no one can say I am too young to think about this. All over the world, solutions are thought through and being implemented by young people. It is very difficult to find a 63-year old man like myself that will say I have discovered a new app that can teach law to law students across the country without the use of broadband technology.

But perhaps of importance to us as lawyers or lawyers in the making is what these times mean for lawyers and where the opportunities lie. And I think we have to think through this especially like yourselves who in the next couple of years will be out there in practice. A few examples will tell you that you are living in the most interesting period in the history of our profession.

So, the Supreme Court has recently endorsed virtual court proceedings. This means that there will be plenty of opportunities for new technologies adapted to the dynamics of the courtroom. You can share documents on Zoom but for courtrooms and for practice, you need more nimble technology to tender documents or cross-examine a witness from a remote location on a bundle of documents. So, Zoom will not be the best technology for court proceedings although it is being used now but it is not the best technology because sometimes you have a bundle of documents to tender and that may be difficult. So, there is room there for innovative technology that will be suitable for use in the courtroom and I know that there are so many ideas that people are coming up with but there is plenty of room for thinking that through.

We also have to think about what the new rules for protocols will be. Virtual court proceedings are not the same as in-person or live court proceedings. When you are sitting in your office, conducting a case, the record-keeping will be totally a different issue. What will the protocols be for cross-examination, for making submissions? How does the judge look at the question of demeanour? It is a bit more difficult to look at people’s demeanour when you are using virtual processes such as we are using today. So, we need to be able to define what the rules will be.

What sort of pre-trial advice do you give clients now? When witnesses are giving evidence from outside Nigeria, maybe from the US, from Greece, which is possible now if we use virtual court proceedings. In the past, a witness had to be physically present in Nigeria, but now with virtual court proceedings, a witness can sit in Denmark and give evidence in Nigeria.

So, the question that will arise is, what are the jurisdictional problems? Do we need to change our rules as regarding jurisdiction? Can the witness truly without being present in Nigeria, give evidence? How do we assess that in terms of current legislation?

How about the future of the law firm itself? We know that the law firm is one of the busiest places you’d find. Lawyers are always seen cramping all over the place but the workplace is changing. With COVID-19, most law firms are working off-site and working from different other locations. What will remote working mean for a law office? What sort of technology will work best? We, lawyers, deal with documents all the time; we are forever re-drafting, sending drafts back and forth. What technology will be nimble enough to handle all of that traffic? I think there is plenty of room for us to do so much around that area.

What are the changes required in employment laws and in the practice of remote work? Everybody is working from different locations, are employment laws fit for purpose today? Or do we need to change something around it? These are the kinds of thoughts and ideas that we have to be thinking about.

How about cybersecurity in this new world where sensitive documents will be constantly moving around on the internet? How do we ensure that documents going back and forth are safe?

I want to say that innovation is itself, a mindset, and this is the only mindset that is going get us through this time of crisis in a manner that puts us ahead, rather than behind. Innovators, by their very nature, build much out of seemingly little and I believe that there is a bigger lesson here for all of us that we can make a difference ourselves.

I must say for lawyers, especially the young law students listening, I believe there is already a paradigm shift in the very concept of who a lawyer is today. In my own day, a lawyer was a person who understood the law, read the law, citing the sections, he was more or less a legal technician.

Today, a lawyer that would be fit-for-purpose must be multidisciplinary, multitasking, digitally strong man or woman of affairs. By that, I mean that a lawyer can no longer be a legal technician.

He must be a person capable of understanding the broad dimensions of everything; business, technology, the environment and various things that are at play today.

Such a person is comfortable in the board room, he is also comfortable talking to people who want to sell music on digital platforms, or advising on the regulatory environment for FinTech companies. Such a person is not restricted to “all I can do is go and argue a motion in court”.


So how do you prepare yourself, aside from your regular law curriculum for this new world? I think you must educate yourself in new ideas, read widely, take up the enormous resources available online on practically any field of human endeavour.

You must be intentional about understanding technology, information systems and artificial intelligence. This sort of radical versatility is the new normal, you can’t be a lawyer such as we were. You are in a completely new world.

If I come to you and I say that I just recorded a new gospel song, and I need advice on how to sell, smartly, you the lawyer ought to be able to tell me that there are jurisdictional issues; I know the copyright issues that are involved in this, I know if we have to market and how it will be done, the exposure needed. There are a variety of questions that a lawyer today must be able to answer.

I think it is a brilliant challenging new world that we have out there and I am sure you young people know that the days ahead are exciting, we are in the best moment in history, you have all the resources. I always say that never listen to the people who tell you of ”the good old days”, they have memory loss. There is no such thing as good old days, today is the very best day possible.

Every generation has its own challenges; the next 20 years, there will be different sets of challenges. You can’t say that my father told me that when he got out of school, he didn’t need to look for work. You’d need to ask him how many people were in Law School at the time? In my set, we were only 300 in the entire country. If I come out of school and say I found a job, so what? Today, there are thousands of people but there are also thousands of opportunities and the world is open.

In my day, I couldn’t seat in my office and talk to you, I didn’t have a mobile phone and even our regular phones were not working.

So, the days ahead are exciting and I hope this interaction will be one that will give you greater insights into the opportunities they are and I noticed that there are going to be many speakers even from the private sector.

I thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity and to say that I wish you all very well and I hope we get another chance sometime soon to talk again.

Thank you and God bless you.

Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
7th August 2020

Pfizer says supply to Nigeria is priority in Africa

The Federal Government intends to examine every possible option in the development and distribution of a vaccine against the COVID-19 disease, and the health and safety of Nigerian citizens is the priority of the Buhari administration in that matter.

This was disclosed earlier today by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, during a virtual meeting with representatives of the BNT162 COVID-19 vaccine candidate on the progress of the vaccine development around the world, including Africa.

The meeting was attended by the Health Minister, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib with representatives of Pfizer and Biotech, the international pharmaceutical firms promoting the BNT162 vaccine candidate.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, the interaction between the FG and the promoters of the vaccine candidate “is an important conversation and it is important for us that we are prioritized-as the largest country in Africa-in the distribution of the best COVID-19 vaccine when it’s eventually ready.

“Our priority is the health of the Nigerian citizens. We continue to engage and intend to look at every possible option -from all manufacturers- of a good vaccine. We want to do the very best for our people in this regard.”

During the meeting the Vice President asked several questions about the COVID-19 vaccine candidate including how quickly can Nigeria get the vaccine once it’s safely ready.

Responding, the Pfizer Country Manager and Representative in Africa, who spoke for the promoters, Mr. Subair Olayinka disclosed that “Nigeria will be priority,” for the vaccine supply to Africa.

Although the vaccine trials are not going on in Nigeria currently he said the trails are ongoing in parts of the African continent and it would be entering the third phase, having concluded the first two phases successfully.

Also speaking the Health Minister noted that the FG would consider quality, appropriate volume and how well and quick a vaccine can be delivered to Nigeria in deciding which manufacturer to make the supply.

One year and five months after a helicopter conveying Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to Kabba, Kogi State crashed, the Accident and Investigation Bureau (AIB) cited human error as the major cause of the accident.
The other reasons cited in a report on Tuesday are loss of visual contact with the ground and external surroundings, inappropriate landing techniques and limited planning before the commencement of the flight by the crew.
Osinbajo was one of the 12 persons aboard the Caverton Helicopters Limited chopper marked 5N-CML when it crashed at the Kabba Stadium February 2 , 2019, almost aborting his Family Chats and Next Level engagements.
The chats and the Next Level were part of the electioneering strategies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for last year’s presidential poll.

The Accident and Investigation Bureau (AIB) released details of the crash alongside three others that happened in the country between 2014 and 2019 in Abuja yesterday.
AIB Commissioner Akin Olateru, who gave accounts of the Kabba helicopter, said the crew lost visual contact with the ground and external surroundings while trying to land at the stadium.


He also faulted the crew for not understanding appropriate landing techniques and not planning thoroughly before the commencement of the flight.
The commissioner said the AIB had recommended that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) involved the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) Unit in the coordination and preparation of all “Executive VIP” flights.
Olateru said: “The flight crew stated that they sighted the intended landing area as a result of the cloud of residual dust generated by the downwash of a police helicopter.
“After sighting the football field, the flight crew approached with the speed of 20 feet to about a 100 feet, and entered a hover to land.
At about 50 feet above ground level, a brownout set in. The flight crew lost visual contact with the ground and external surroundings.
“The co-pilot began radio altitude callouts “35, 30, 25, 20 and 15”. At about 14:34h, the helicopter experienced a hard landing on the right main landing gear and rolled over onto its right side. All persons on board were evacuated uninjured.”
Other causal factors, according to the report, are: “Inappropriate landing technique used, non-adherence to company procedures for known or anticipated brownout condition during landing and lack of risk assessment, limited landing site preparation, and planning prior to commencement of the flight.”

RE: OSINBAJO DECEITFUL CAMPAIGN IN OKEOGUN

Dear Barrister Waheed Olatunde Lawal,

I read your op-ed on the above subject with amusement.

Just like every other human being, H.E. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is not without his weaknesses. But to say that he is a political scammer is, in my humble opinion, uncharitable and exposes your own flaws in a very damaging way. It reflects the depth of your own questionable imaginations and interrogates your motivations, raising serious doubts about your real purpose.

If I may ask:

1. Have you reached out to him privately using the same means deployed during the campaigns?

2. Considering the fact that only 14 months have been spent out of 48 months, don't you think it's too early to throw away the baby with the bathwater?

3. Do you have concrete evidence to ascertain that the VP has refused to grant audience to our respected traditional rulers/thought leaders from OkeOgun?

4. Are you aware how many of the Oke-Ogun leaders are in touch with the Presidency and the VP on some of the issues?

5. Can you assert boldly that the VP is not working at the FULFILLMENT of some of the promises?

6. Why do you author such a demeaning article about a distinguished public officer when in fact the last thing on record is the mutual goodwill that was exhibited between the good people of OkeOgun and the VP as you rightly showed during the election?

7. What is the real point of trying to mess up that cordial relationship now?

8. Is it that you feel left out personally? Can you not accept that the collective interest of the good people of Okeogun is way higher and deeper than your own selfish calculations?

9. On whose authority are you acting besides what seems a personal irritation?

Comrade Barrister, let us engage constructive engagements over and above destructive ones please. OKE OGUN will not lose out of its support for Buhari/Osinbajo now and in the future.

There is a lot that will still happen. Cool down, Barrister!!

Be rest assured of my regards.

Prince Adekunle Adetayo

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT | PRESS RELEASE

The Buhari administration’s business reforms, through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), is an opportunity to significantly boost local and foreign investments in the country, according to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Prof. Osinbajo spoke today at a virtual meeting of the PEBEC to review the state of the reforms across a number of government agencies, noting that the Federal Government will continue to take the opportunity and ensure that more results are recorded.

As a result of the work of PEBEC, the World Bank has praised the economic direction of the Buhari administration and ranked the country higher in its annual Ease of Doing Business Rankings.

According to the Vice President, “This is a country with so much promise, this is a country that has so much resources and our administration has every opportunity to do something profound about investments in Nigeria.

“We must focus on how to get our business environment working.”

Earlier in his presentation, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo expressed optimism that the challenges observed in sustaining the successes recorded in the reforms will be addressed.

On his part, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Mohammed Bello, said sustaining the PEBEC reforms is a priority for Nigeria as the country would not have risen in the Ease of Doing Business rankings if not for PEBEC.

The Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES) will continue to drive the mandate of PEBEC through extensive collaborations, adding that the National Action Plan 5.0 has been extended to July 29, 2020.

Attendance at the meeting, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, included Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of FCT, Alhaji Mohammed Bello; Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami; Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Mariam Katagum; Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan; Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, amongst other members of the council.

*Laolu Akande,*
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,
Office of the Vice President.
21 July 2020

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT | PRESS RELEASE

The Buhari administration’s business reforms, through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), is an opportunity to significantly boost local and foreign investments in the country, according to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Prof. Osinbajo spoke today at a virtual meeting of the PEBEC to review the state of the reforms across a number of government agencies, noting that the Federal Government will continue to take the opportunity and ensure that more results are recorded.

As a result of the work of PEBEC, the World Bank has praised the economic direction of the Buhari administration and ranked the country higher in its annual Ease of Doing Business Rankings.

According to the Vice President, “This is a country with so much promise, this is a country that has so much resources and our administration has every opportunity to do something profound about investments in Nigeria.

“We must focus on how to get our business environment working.”

Earlier in his presentation, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo expressed optimism that the challenges observed in sustaining the successes recorded in the reforms will be addressed.

On his part, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Mohammed Bello, said sustaining the PEBEC reforms is a priority for Nigeria as the country would not have risen in the Ease of Doing Business rankings if not for PEBEC.

The Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES) will continue to drive the mandate of PEBEC through extensive collaborations, adding that the National Action Plan 5.0 has been extended to July 29, 2020.

Attendance at the meeting, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, included Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of FCT, Alhaji Mohammed Bello; Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami; Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Mariam Katagum; Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan; Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, amongst other members of the council.

*Laolu Akande,*
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,
Office of the Vice President.
21 July 2020

*14 July 2020*
VP Osinbajo delivered, virtually, keynote address at the 20th Anniversary Webinar of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), themed Combating Corruption and Illicit Financial Flows; New Measures and Strategies.

*15th July 2020*
VP Osinbajo partook in the virtual Federal Executive Council (vFEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chambers, Statehouse, Abuja.

*16th July 2020*
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo joined President Buhari at the virtual launch of the Gold Purchase programme where Nigeria’s first artisanally-mined gold, processed & refined according to LBMA standards, under the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative, was presented to the President.

That same day, Osinbajo virtually headlined the 3rd National MSMES Award.

His speech detailed measures in the Economic Sustainability Program (ESP) to help the MSMES, including payroll support.

In the last five years, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has been the most castigated and perhaps traumatized senior member of the Buhari administration. The humiliation and disrespect he suffered under the former Chief of Staff to the President were legendary. No public official should be put through such dishonour by another member of the same government.

Now, there seems to be a well-organized network of persons determined to denigrate and humiliate the VP with a constant barrage of malicious publications. Femi Fani Kayode, often without a good cause and lacking in merit, constantly demeans the Vice President for reasons that are not clear.

Just two weeks ago, Jonathan Ude, another PDP member who publishes a blog known as Pointblank News from a base in the US, manufactured a grievous rumour that the suspended EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, had given Prof Osinbajo N4 billion from the N39 billion he allegedly looted from the agency. Last year, there was a sensational, but false publication which alleged that Prof Osinbajo had collected some N90 billion from the FIRS to fund that year’s elections in Lagos.

Just this week, as I was concluding this piece, a man who claims to be an assistant to the suspended chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has come up with another bizarre story and Fake News of how the VP had met with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, some Igbo leaders and a judge to plot the imprisonment of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu so as to clear the way for Asiwaju to clinch the presidential ticket effortlessly. It has now come to air, no such assistant worked with Magu.

As if this was not strange enough, it was further revealed in another publication that Shehu Garba, one of the President’s spokespersons, was behind the tale of Magu giving billions to the VP. Garba has denied and the curiosity continues.

In all the cases, the Vice President’s Media Team has strongly debunked his involvement in any sleaze, scheme, conspiracy theory or any wrongdoing at all. Since this story broke over the weekend, I have tried unsuccessfully to speak to Garba and hear his own side of the story. I am so worried that his name could be linked to something so evil. It is not long ago that the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, had accused him of spreading negative stories about her. May be Garba himself is a victim of another plot in a bigger plot! He should clear his name vigorously.

But who are behind these flurries of fabrications against the Vice President and for what purpose? I ask because what is clear is that some people somewhere are set to turnaround what many regard as Osinbajo's sterling reputation and rising profile.

According to an official statement from his Office released soon after the Jonathan Ude publication: ‘’such mindless, vicious and reckless publications have now become the preferred tool of unscrupulous and reprobate elements in our society who are procured with monetary inducement to peddle blatant falsehood, tarnish the image of upright public officials and mislead unsuspecting Nigerians’’.

I believe that the attacks against the VP are mostly politically motivated. Nigerians will recall that Jonathan Ude, the main purveyor of these acerbities, had worked in the Public Affairs unit of the Jonathan administration with Dr. Doyin Okupe. The two were the major attack dogs hired by that administration, and together with FFK, the Campaign Communication Director, they sniped at President Jonathan’s opponents in the build-up to the 2015 elections.

So it stands to reason that both FFK and Ude are still bitter at the crushing defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan, and are still nursing grudges against the VP who remains a major asset to the APC ticket and has become an important member of the Buhari team.

There is also the view that the sponsors of these noxious publications are not comfortable with the warm relationship between the President and the Vice President. Their assumption is that the cordiality will give the professor a better competitive edge in the politics of 2023. The presidential interests of both Governors Femi Kayode of Ekiti State, Nasir el Rufai of Kaduna and Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu are not hidden. I do not imagine that they are not concerned with a potential challenge from a Vice President who enjoys both the trust of the President and a rising profile among Nigerians. Although the VP has, apparently overburdened and distracted by all the scheming and permutations, recently announced that he has no such ambition, at least for now, Nigerians continue to expect that he will give it a shot. There are very few Vice Presidents in a presidential democracy who don’t want to succeed their bosses. It is therefore reasonable to expect that other contenders will not take Yemi Osinbajo lightly. I have personally spent a long enough time in politics and political communication to know that desperate aspirants will do everything possible to destroy a perceived strong opponent before the race begins. They employ smear campaigns in the media and spread damaging rumours and unsubstantiated claims. Those of them with strong media influence, especially the newspaper publishers, can also instigate hostile press coverage against their perceived opponents.

Another possible source of the persistent attacks on the VP is some disgruntled persons in the State House. ‘The Villa boys’, as these middle-level officials are called, have been known to play damaging roles in our politics. While some work with politicians to upstage or spread dirt on their opponents, others deceive desperate candidates to part with huge cash in the pretext of getting them party nominations, helping to tip court judgments in their favour or arranging meetings with the First Lady or the Chief of Staff. I know many candidates who have been duped by these ‘Villa Boys’. They are merciless and ruthless.

Prof Osinbajo has never really been a favourite of some of the ‘Villa Boys’, especially those who operated within the orbit of the late CoS. The reader may wish to refer to my article titled ‘The Abba Kyari we did not know’ published soon after his passing in which I detailed how they and their late boss dealt with the VP. The VP’s rave coverage in the media when he acted for his sick boss in 2017 stung some of them to the quick. They just could not stand the diminutive lawyer being presented as a better alternative to the ailing boss. Obviously, those grudges still persist three years after. The mention of Shehu Garba’s name in connection with one of these publications has therefore alarmed me a great deal. I am waiting anxiously to hear from him. Can Shehu, a thorough media professional of over 35 years, be involved in a smear campaign against the nation’s number two citizen?

Prof Yemi Osinbajo’s credentials and reputation are never in doubt. The President himself regularly gushes over ‘his intellect and youth’. There is no doubt that the VP is loyal to his boss and is delivering on his assignments. The recently published Economic Sustainability Plan designed by him and Committee attests to his depth and rigor. A humble gentleman who connects easily with the people, he does not even flaunt these qualities like an Atiku Abubakar would. Remember how the former Vice President tried to upstage his boss midway into their tenure? As 2023 comes close, I have no doubt that those who see Yemi Osinbajo as their potential rival will not let up in their plan to make him look bad before Nigerians. It is up to him to push back vigorously in Defense of his true character. The good thing is that Nigerians already know who the real Osinbajo is. Let's hope truth prevails and good overcomes evil.

Opinion Osinbajo’s Rising Profile And The Perils Of Fake News, Abdullahi Haruna

By a way of introduction, a vibrant press is an asset to any country practising democracy. Little wonder the media is referred to as the fourth estate of the realm.

It’s against the foregoing therefore that members of the fourth estate as seekers and revealers of truth to the general members of the public must always be above board, ethical, impartial and objective in the course of information dissemination and management.

Much as the conventional media try to keep to the basic tenets of journalism at all times, though there are occasional slips, it is important at this juncture to say that the advent of the social media, citizen journalism and digital media, which are largely unregulated, has led to a continuous upsurge in the peddling of fake news and libellous publications against public office holders in the country. It’s a growing menace that keeps stripping the country’s media of its credibility.

One of such notorious peddlers of fake news and purveyor of exclusive libellous publications is one Jackson Ude. His latest prime target is Vice President Yemi Osinbajo whom he accused in one of his recent mendacious publications on his junk site- pointblanknews- of collecting a bribe of N4b from the suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

What is clear about Ude is that he could easily have been hired to smear the VP. He was on the media team of the Jonathan administration working under Dr. Doyin Okupe. He is also known as one of the key architects of the Dubai strategy of the PDP designed for the 2019 presidential election. Many from that camp have not forgiven the VP for the robust campaign he put up in 2015 after his nomination by then General Buhari changed the 2015 presidential election dynamics. For them to now imagine that Osinbajo’s profile is rising ahead of 2023, it is not difficult to establish their motivation to do any and everything possible to halt his ascendancy.

So deploying his usual modus operandi, Ude said he obtained an imaginary exclusive from an anonymous source privy to the proceedings of the ongoing investigation of Magu over allegations of corruption by the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel wherein Magu claimed he gifted Professor Osinbajo N4b.

The VP’s Office dismissed the allegation in a statement by his media advisor, Laolu Akande, describing Ude’s publication as a lie from the pit of hell. The VP’S lawyers equally called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, through a petition by his Chief Taiwo Osipitan, SAN to investigate the allegation with a view to prosecuting the notorious fugitive and merchant of falsehood for criminal defamation of character.

Luckily for the VP, who is known to be above board in all his dealings, either as a private person or as a public office holder, Magu, after his release from detention, had come out to debunk the allegation, emphasizing that at no time did he ever tell the panel or even mention it in written submissions to the panel that he gave the VP N4b. He added that such an issue was not even discussed at the Salami Panel.

Ude again was caught in the web of his infantile and criminal lies when he alleged bold facedly that Kiki Osinbajo bought a property in Wuse, Abuja for the sum of N800m, insisting that such amount could only be from the proceeds of corruption linked to her father. Well, these days, lies don’t travel far again before being overtaken by truth. The landlord of the property, Dr Aliyu Musa, has come out to debunk such. Dr Musa said anyone could go verify the ownership of the property with AGIS and the FCT. It turned out that Kiki, the VP’s daughter, is a tenant in the said property who has just renewed her rent for one more year in May 2020.

But did Ude just happen on us? No. He has a history of weaving lies under the guise of publishing exclusives of alleged fraudulent practices to blackmail public officeholders. He almost ruined the hard-earned reputation of former Finance Minister, Dr(Mrs) Okonjo-Iweala, when he asserted that the woman bought a property in Maitama Abuja worth N1.2b which were proceeds of a corrupt deal. He also accused Iweala of awarding contracts amounting to $50m to her brother.

Okonjo Iweala sued him, his medium and partner in crime in order to prove her innocence regarding the allegation which she recalled, years later, really traumatized her to the point of almost losing faith in public leadership in the country. For the entire duration of the litigation, Ude never showed up nor was he represented by a counsel until the judge ruled against him and awarded damages of N200m against him. Till this moment, Ude has not paid the money nor appealed the judgement. He has been a permanent fugitive, hiding under the anonymity of online publication to blackmail and tarnish the reputation of his targets while marooning away somewhere in New York, United States of America.

There is no gainsaying the obvious that VP Osinbajo has come under serial smear campaigns in recent times. The purport of the intermittent falsehood woven around his person is to create a wedge between him and his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari and rubbish him ahead of the 2023 presidential election. Meanwhile, those who are conversant with the VP know that he is the least of ambitious men and that his cardinal focus at the moment is to see how he can help the President actualize his social contract with the people of Nigeria before the expiration of their second term tenure in 2023.

Again, the likes of Ude and his notorious gang neck-deep in vending fake news and publishing falsehood provide a genuine ground for the regulation of online journalism in the country and malicious usage of social media for character assassination and personality defilement. The advocacy is ongoing, though there are strong concerns that politicians may use it to gag free press and freedom of expressions.

Sadly, there are quite a few youths who are mostly the vendors of falsehood and enablers of characters like Ude who will never use the social media for factual analysis, informed commentary, agenda-setting, e.t.c as admonished by the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, but rather deploy it for promoting ethnic hatred, blackmail, cyberstalking, character assassination, among other odious vices.

Following a social media post by one New York based rogue blogger, Mr Jackson Ude that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s daughter owns the property at No. 40 Durban Street, Wuse 2, Abuja, housing her company, GLAM’D Africa, the landlord of the property, Dr Ayuba Musa has dismissed Mr Ude’s claims, describing it as entirely false.

In a disclaimer signed by Dr Ayuba Musa, last night, the landlord said the property was never, at any point in time, sold to the Vice President’s daughter or t anyone.

Dismissing Ude’s post about the ownership of the property, Dr Musa said that he remained the rightful owner of the property and that all documents on the house were still carrying his name and challenged anyone in doubt to check with the FCT authorities.

“In reaction to the recent reports on social media with regards to the above mentioned property, I write to declare that I, Dr Ayuba Z Musa, am the rightful owner of the said property located at No. 40 Durban Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.

“I have all my documents which are duly registered with AGIS.

“I have never at any point sold or have agreed to sell my property to GLAM’D Africa, Miss Kiki Osinbajo or to any other person. This is completely false,” the disclaimer quoted Dr Musa as saying.

Continuing on the tenant occupant of the property, Dr Musa said “GLAM’D Africa, a business owned by Olukoyinsola Osinbajo, is my tenant and has been since 12th April 2017. The tenancy was recently renewed on the 3rd of May 2020 for an additional period of 1 year.”

Dr Musa’s response further clarifies the questionable motive and fraudulent character of Mr Jackson Ude, hence the need for the general public to disregard comments attributed to him about just anything.

Mr Ude, through his fake news platform recently claimed that ex-EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu had confessed to giving N4b to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and further reported in another post that part of the N4b was used to purchase the property at Wuse 2, Abuja for GLAM’D Africa, a company owned by the Vice President’s daughter.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has written a letter to the Inspector General of Police seeking actions against an Online Publisher Mr Jackson Ude.


Mr Ude who operates from his New York base had alleged that the Vice President collected N4b from Mr Ibrahim Magu , the suspended chairman of EFCC who is presently undergoing investigation.


In a letter handed over the IG this morning in Abuja by Osinbajo’s lawyer Prof Taiwo Osipitan ( SAN) Osinbajo wants Ude taken in and prosecuted for criminal defamation following a wide publication of falsehood against him on social media.


In the letter having copies of the publication attached, Osinbajo ‘humbly’ requested the IG to “investigate all the allegations against him and if the suggested investigation confirms our complaint of the falsehood of these allegations , to initiate criminal proceedings pursuant to the provisions of section 391-395 of the penal Code Act for Criminal Defamation against the said Jackson Ude.”


Sources at the police headquarters this morning informed our reporter that the IG has immediately swung into action. The legal department of the police we are told will link up with Interpol to bring back Ude from his New York base time assist the police in its investigation if he fails to honor the police invitation.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT


PRESS STATEMENT 


VP OSINBAJO WILL NOT BE DISTRACTED BY CAMPAIGNS OF LIES & CALUMNY


The attention of the Office of the Vice President has been drawn to a series of tweets and online publications by PointBlank News and Newsreel.com.ng today 8th July 2020, credited to the same person, one Jackson Ude.

In essence, Ude’s story is that “embattled former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, allegedly embezzled over N39 billion and gave Vice President Yemi Osinabjo (sic) N4 billion, after the VP gave instructions to him to release some of the recovered loots…” The same Jackson Ude has also been circulating a video on YouTube with a female commentator, peddling the same lies.

With all emphasis at our disposal, let it be firmly stated that these are totally false and baseless fabrications purporting to reflect goings-on at the Probe Panel investigating Mr. Ibrahim Magu. They are indeed completely absurd in every respect. 


Sadly, such mindless, vicious and reckless publications have now become the preferred tool of unscrupulous and reprobate elements in our society who are procured with monetary inducement to peddle blatant falsehood, tarnish the image of upright public officials and mislead unsuspecting Nigerians.


Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will of course not be distracted by these obvious campaigns of lies and calumny. The online publications, being criminally defamatory in nature, have been referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for investigation and necessary action.


Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President

 on Media and Publicity

Office of the Vice President

8th July 2020

Magu: Reports linking Osinbajo to stolen EFCC billions another PDP Dubai strategy by fake news merchant Jackson Ude - BOSF

Jackson Ude, a fake news merchant, PDP Dubai Strategist and partisan hack is in the news again, making fictional claims about fake revelations regarding the ongoing investigation into the activities of the Ag. EFCC Chairman. His claims that Magu gave money to the Vice President is not only an irresponsible lie, but a concocted move that continues a long running smear campaign against Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

Ude, who worked as Media Aide under the PDP Jonathan Presidency is determined to tarnish the enviable image and steerling reputation of the Vice President ahead of 2023. He will use any and all opportunities his devious mind sees to achieve that. While he claims knowledge of ongoing Magu investigation, the truth is that Ude has no information whatsoever neither is he connected to any credible source that might hint him about goings on.

His past records of Fake News are enough to nail this partisan operative whose mindless and baseless reporting are becoming legendary.

This is why we, nationwide members of the Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front, (BOSF) have decided to call out this shadowy and despicable character called Jackson Ude, as a fraud, mercenary and paid political hireling.

Since Ramon Olorunwa Abbas aka Hushpuppi was linked to PDP leaders, people like Ude and his paymasters have been desperate to divert attention. Pictures of Hushpuppi and PDP leaders like Atiku Abubakar, Yakubu Dogara, Dino Melaye among others leaked after the failed Dubai strategy of the 2019  presidential election. The current vexations against Prof. Osinbajo, (a man a widely admired across all section of Nigeria and who many Nigerians have come to respect and admire) is part of an unending desperation of political interests, fearful of another round of defeat from the hands of Nigerians come 2023.

BOSF totally dismisses the claims by Ude that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was mentioned like he claimed during a Presidential Panel grilling of the boss of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu.

Jackson Ude is nothing but a fake news merchant and a fraud. He has a long history of spreading falsehood and lies against people with the aim of blackmailing them for money.

On the allegation levelled against Magu, it is on record that the EFCC chairman never mentioned the Vice President’s name and that all the news by Ude was concocted. Not only is he not close to the proceedings, he lacks credibility of any kind.

Here are a few catalogues of some of the fraudulent activities and lies by Ude:

*Not many remember that this element called Ude once tried to dupe former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala after threatening to publish fake news about her ownership of a billion naira mansion in Abuja using Chinua-Ogwu, a dismissed police officer to perpetuate his criminal act.

So this is not the first time Ude will claim an authoritative source gave him an information. It was a lie then and he is still an active liar. 

*Ude also once claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari and late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, were secretly flown out of Nigeria for COVID-19 treatment. 

He tells this lies with a straight face and after each and every of his lies are exposed, he keeps silence for a while and then comes back with a new salacious offering. Nigerians have come to realise his folly and should pay no attention to this son of a gun!

*This element, Ude also once swindled Mrs Oyindamola Amuka (wife of Uncle Sam Amuka, Vanguard Publisher) of £20,000.00.

*He also once claimed via his Twitter account that former Lagos governor, Babatunde Fashola had been dropped from the list of ministers compiled by President Buhari.

*If that was not enough, he tweeted a picture and wrote categorically that the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele had been sacked.

There are countless more cases where he claimed an authoritative source told him this or that, revelling in hearsay as though he has any shard of credibility!

*He once claimed that the names of Custom and NPA bosses were among the ministerial nominees and in another instance that the leader of proscribed IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu is being detained inside Nigerian Navy war ship off coast in Bayelsa.

All were lies, he concocts from his Bronx, New York base, where we would now be seeking means to bring him to some accountability. We shall be making international contacts on the best strategies to properly and legally go after Ude and especially showcase him in the US as an illegal operative and fraudulent character.

Ude is a petty criminal and should be treated as one. We urge Nigerians to disregard this new Dubai strategy from a petty criminal like Ude, they are only trying to divert attention.

In the last two weeks, PDP leaders have been linked to Hushpuppi and they are desperate to deflect attention to something else, so they believe that mentioning Osinbajo is the right fake news strategy but they have failed.

The Vice President’s integrity is rock solid and no amount of fake news can undo his reputation. He built it over the years and has been described as an upright man all across the world.

BOSF calls on well meaning Nigerians to understand what is going on and ignore all fake and evil news designed to cause confusion and mislead.

Signed:

*Liberty Olawale Badmus,*
National Coordinator,
Buhari Osinbajo Solidarity Front.
08-07-2020

Synergy Key To Addressing Nigeria’s Border Management Issues

*VP commends research report of National Defence College Course 28

As government and other stakeholders continue to seek solutions for more effective border management in Nigeria, renewed efforts will be channelled towards improving synergy amongst agencies involved in border management, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Monday during the virtual presentation of the research report of the National Defence College Course 28 titled “Border Management & National Development in Nigeria: The ECOWAS Protocol Relating to Free Movement of Persons, Residence & Establishment in Perspective”.

Giving his remarks after the presentation of the research report and the interactive session, the Vice President said border management affects the economy very considerably hence the need to get all agencies involved in the sector together.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “It is absolutely the correct thing to do, to try and see how we can unify agencies concerned with border management so that there is synergy. We must come back to the question of synergy. Why it is that we have the kinds of problems that we have at the borders and ports, and why the delays?”

While commending the participants for a thoroughly researched paper, the Vice President said research paper touched on important national issues and that efforts would be made to adopt and implement key recommendations.

“I commend you for a very comprehensive, thought-provoking and well-researched paper. The point that has been made also is that we can see the importance of synergy even here. Here is a situation where relevant services have come together including international participants with experience in the relevant areas, and have made what I think is really a seminal contribution to our ideas about border management.

“I like the fact that you have addressed very practical issues and also very contemporary questions that we have to deal with not just as matters of security and human trafficking but perhaps on a broader scale for the generality of our people and the Nigerian economy at a very difficult time.

“There is no question at all that whatever we do with respect to border management will affect our economy very considerably.

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo said “I think that the questions that you have addressed really goes to the root of our economic survival. Some of the things that you have said are spot on. And what we really need to do is to see how to implement some of these suggestions.”

The report identified the lack of coordination as a major weakness in Nigeria’s border management sector while key recommendations include the adoption of a comprehensive border surveillance programme, the creation of National Border Management Service, amongst others.

Participants present at the event include the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Mackson Kadiri, and other principal officers of the College; the Director-General of the Border Communities Development Agency, Capt. Junaid Abdullahi; the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Amb. Adeyemi Dipeolu; and the Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.

Representatives of the Course participants that made presentations at the event include; Col. Babatunde Omopariola, who was the lead presenter; Col. Raymond Utsaha; Navy Capt. O A Oshatuberu; Group Capt. Ehimen Ejodame; and Brig. Gen. Jitendra Singh.

A look at some of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's official activities for last week.

*23 June*
VP Osinbajo presided over a meeting of National Single Window Trading Platform Committee (NSWTP), with some ministers including the Minister of Finance, Industry, MDA heads, Customs & NPA.

The meeting was centered on reviewing the plan to have a Single Window platform for all importing & exporting processes in the country.

*24th June*
VP Osinbajo partook in the Virtual Federal Executive Council (vFEC) meeting, presided over by President Buhari, in which the Economic Sustainability Plan of the Economic Sustainability Committee chaired by the VP was approved.

*25th June*
VP Osinbajo attended the All Progressives Congress (APC) virtual National Executive Council (vNEC) meeting.

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STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE



WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NIGERIA ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY PLAN



The Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP), approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on June 24, 2020, was developed by the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC), established by President Muhammadu Buhari on March 30, 2020.

Chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the ESC comprised several Cabinet Ministers as well as the Group Managing Director of the NNPC and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Terms of Reference included:

- Development of a Plan that responds robustly and appropriately to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic

- Identification of fiscal measures to enhance oil and non-oil government revenues and reduce non-essential spending,

- Creation of a financial stimulus package for the Nigerian economy,

- Articulation of specific measures to support the 36 States and the FCT, and very importantly,

- Support for MSMEs and the creation of jobs.

The NESP was developed in consultation with Cabinet Ministers, Heads of Federal Agencies, the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), State Governors and the National Assembly.

The NESP has been developed as a 12-month, 2.3 Trillion Naira ‘Transit’ Plan between the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the successor plan to the ERGP, which is currently in development.

The NESP will be funded as follows:

• 500 billion Naira from Special FGN Accounts

• 1.1 trillion Naira from the CBN in the form of structured lending

• 334 billion Naira from external bilateral/multilateral sources

• 302.9 billion from other funding sources

The design and implementation of the NESP is driven by the following principles:

LOCAL CONTENT AND SELF RELIANCE: The plan promotes local production, local services, local innovation, and the use of local materials, in line with the Mandate of Presidential Executive Order 5 of 2017, on the Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts and Science, Engineering and Technology, and also based on President Buhari’s mantra to “produce what we eat and consume what we produce.”

ECONOMIC STIMULATION: Ensuring liquidity, preventing business collapse, and staving off the worst impact of a potential recession.

JOB PRESERVATION AND CREATION: The NESP recommends carrying labour intensive programmes in key areas like housing, roads, agriculture, facility maintenance, and direct labour interventions – all heavily utilising local materials.

PRO-POOR/VULNERABLE FOCUS: The NESP will extend protection to vulnerable groups, including women, and persons living with disabilities. It will also cater to the sectors of the economy that have been worst hit by the pandemic.

HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY INTERVENTIONS


1. MASS AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMME (MAP).


The Plan intends to ensure the cultivation of between 20,000 and 100,000 hectares of new farmland in every State, as well as support offtake and agro-processing, with low-interest credit. This will create millions of direct and indirect job opportunities.

2. INFRASTRUCTURE


a. EXTENSIVE PUBLIC WORKS AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME

A minimum of 1,000 young Nigerians will be recruited per local government into what will be the largest public works programme in the history of Nigeria, amounting to 774,000 direct jobs. There will also be extensive focus on the construction and repair of major and rural roads using locally available materials like limestone, cement and granite. The roads component will include the acceleration and expansion of scope of the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme (RITCS).

b. MASS HOUSING PROGRAMME (MHP)

MHP will deliver up to 300,000 homes every year. Young professionals and artisans will organise themselves into small and medium scale co-operative businesses within the construction industry to develop these houses, which will be based on a set of standardized designs. This programme will also prioritize the use of local labour and materials. Doors, windows and other materials will be produced, finished or assembled at mass housing construction sites.

c. INSTALLATION OF SOLAR HOME SYSTEM (SHS)

This targets 5 million households, serving about 25 million individual Nigerians who are currently not connected to the National Grid. Solar equipment manufacturers will be required to set up production facilities in Nigeria, to provide the materials required.

d. INVESTMENT IN HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE

This will be done through a special intervention fund, as well as by tapping into an existing World Bank facility (REDISSE Programme), to support COVID-19 interventions in the States.

3. INFORMAL SECTOR SUPPORT


This will take the form of low-interest loans, and the easing of procedures for registration, licensing, obtaining permits, etc. Mechanics, tailors, artisans, petty traders and all other informal business people will be supported to grow their businesses.

4. BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR MSMEs


This will take the form of payroll support to designated sectors so that they can keep their employees and help maintain jobs; and also loan restructuring and moratorium for existing debt. Also, low-interest loans to boost local manufacturing and production across critical sectors, including but not limited to the pharmaceutical, aviation, hotels and the hospitality industry, private schools, road transportation, technology companies, and the creative industry, amongst others. A Guaranteed Offtake Scheme for MSMEs will function by making government a key purchaser of specific priority products made by MSMEs, like PPE, face masks, face-shields, processed food, pharmaceuticals, etc.

5. TECHNOLOGY


Underpinning the implementation of the NESP will be a focus on digital identification of every Nigerian. It is imperative that every Nigerian has a unique digital identity. The Public Works Programmes for example will, apart from the focus on providing employment, also help advance the financial inclusion and digital identification agenda. Broadband connectivity will also receive a boost, helping to create jobs and opportunities especially for young people. Also, a national programme will be launched to identify and create job opportunities in digital outsourcing.

6. EXPANSION OF THE NATIONAL SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES


The implementation of the NESP will see an increase in the number of cash transfer beneficiaries, N-Power volunteers and sundry traders enjoying small and micro loans through the MarketMoni and TraderMoni schemes. The pre-existing conditional cash transfer will also be extended to cover a larger number of extremely poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

7. CUT NON-ESSENTIAL SPENDING


The President has approved the implementation of the Report on the Rationalization of government agencies. The NESP will also target a reduction in average production costs of crude oil. Also, the Integrated Personnel and Payment Information System (IPPIS) will be expanded to cover all Federal Government MDAs. Non-critical and administrative capital spending will be eliminated, including purchase of vehicles (except for ambulances, fire-fighting vehicles and other essentials).

8. SUPPORT FOR STATE GOVERNMENTS


The NESP offers opportunities for State Governments to collaborate with the Federal Government on Affordable Mass Housing, Agriculture, Off-Grid Power Projects and other projects in the Plan. It also provides for the negotiation of suspension of ISPO payments by States, moratorium on deductions in respect of bailout loans, and encourages States to attain the conditions outlined by SIFTAS and other World Bank programmes, in order to access external support.

The ESC will also monitor implementation of the Plan while the Vice President will regularly brief the President on progress made.

Femi Adesina

Special Adviser to the President

(Media and Publicity)

June 25, 2020

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE

HOW BUHARI ADMINISTRATION’S SUSTAINABILITY PLAN WOULD REVIVE ECONOMY, BY OSINBAJO

*Healthcare funding increases with Stimulus package, VP adds

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic globally, the Buhari administration will not relent in its efforts towards improving the country’s healthcare infrastructure and economy, while creating more jobs for millions of Nigerians in different sectors, supporting small businesses, local production and manufacturing, as well as extending the social safety net for the most vulnerable in society, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Friday during his participation as a guest panelist in the Emmanuel Chapel's “Economic Sustainability Beyond COVID-19” webinar.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari last week Thursday at the Council Chambers received the Osinbajo-led Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) Plan entitled “Bouncing Back: The Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan.”

The President had earlier at the wake of the global pandemic late March directed the VP to chair the Committee to develop a clear and overall Economic Sustainability Plan in response to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

INCREASED HEALTH CARE FUNDING
Speaking on the Buhari administration’s efforts to cushion the effects of the pandemic on Nigerians, the Vice President stated that improving healthcare infrastructure remains a major objective of the administration.

With the introduction of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, which is one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the Vice President noted that perhaps for the first time, the kind of provision made for healthcare has increased significantly, especially in the period of a global pandemic.

He said, “Out of the N500bn initial stimulus fund that is factored into the current budget, N126bn of it is going into healthcare.

“We’ve all noted how states have risen up to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and how resuscitated healthcare facilities, new isolation centres, new ICUs are coming up. The number of testing centres has also increased. We are hopeful that we’ll be able to sustain that momentum.”

BACKGROUND
It would be recalled that the 2020 health budget recorded the highest budgetary allocation to the health sector over the last five years. In 2018, N356bn was allocated to healthcare out of the total budget of N9.1tn. In 2019, the figure was N372bn out of the total expenditure of N8.91tn. This is a 13.3% increase of N372bn that was budgeted in 2019.

Of the total N10.59tn budgeted for 2020 by the Federal Government, N427.3bn was allocated to health. The 2020 budget also made provision for N44.5bn for Basic Health Care Provision Fund, which is part of the Federal Government’s total expenditure on health.

INCOME TAX REDUCTION
The Vice President noted that one of the ways the administration is supporting small businesses is by reducing Company Income Tax.

“In our case, our Tax-to-GDP has been extremely low, VAT in particular. Nigeria’s 7.5% VAT rate is probably the lowest when compared with some other African countries. For example, Kenya has about 16%, South Africa is about 15%, Algeria has 19%. Besides, at the moment, domestic revenue mobilization is an issue.

“A major source of revenue for government is tax. But you must also take account of the fact that we’ve also reduced Company Income Taxes generally, especially for small businesses, which are the engines of growth for the country. So, there is a conscious effort to ensure that we don’t tax businesses out of business.”

SOLAR SYSTEMS MINI GRIDS IN POWER SECTOR
On the issue of improving the power sector, the VP stated that one of the proposals of the Economic Sustainability Plan was the adoption of renewable energy, especially solar, and working with the private sector to install mini grids and solar home systems across the country.

He said, “We’ve done quite a bit of that already. We have in places like Sabon Gari, Ariaria markets: a private sector deployed solar systems that is paid for by stall owners in those markets. We’ve done micro grid in Sokoto state. Interestingly, this is entirely private sector driven and the consumers are prepared to pay for service. You find that they pay even higher than the tariffs people pay for grid power.

“A private sector-driven solar power system, such as the one we are planning as part of the Economic Sustainability plan, is one that we think would work and stands a good chance of providing power to about 25 million (individual) Nigerian homes, places and homes where there has been no power previously.”

300,000 HOMES IN 12 MONTHS
On the Federal government’s plan to tackle unemployment, the VP stated that one of the proposals by the Economic Sustainability Committee, is to build 300,000 homes across the country within 12-months’ time frame, which he noted would provide more jobs for Nigerians.

Prof. Osinbajo added that small and medium scale local businesses and young professionals within the construction industry would benefit immensely from the policy.

Explaining, the VP said, “this is also an opportunity for us to develop the local industry, especially the construction industry. That is exactly the plan in developing the housing programme, because we thought it would generate the jobs that are required now, aside from the fact that we have a housing deficit.”

MASSIVE LOCAL PRODUCTION
He added, “The second point is that we intend to use local materials, locally produced, as much as is possible in construction. It is also a fantastic opportunity for the private sector to bring in equipment and set up factories that could be used to manufacture some of these things. It would be a massive game changer if we are able to deliver it in the way that we planned.”

Prof. Osinbajo noted that some of the reforms the administration is putting in place to improve the economy include massively improving local production, while reducing the country’s dependency on imports.

According to him, “this would be more crucial in the coming years and it is entirely possible. We preserve the value of our Naira if we are able to do more locally, and we have the capacity to do this. For example, we are now doing more in terms of local production of rice, and there is more value to the farmer, with increase in local production.”

EXPANSION OF SOCIAL INVESTMENTS, MICRO CREDITS
The Vice President further emphasized that the Buhari administration will expand its Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) to benefit more Nigerians. "We think this pandemic is also an opportunity for some kind of an enhanced welfare programme for Nigerians, so that they can at least live very decent lives,” he said.

He added, “One of the critical things that we suggested in the Economic Sustainability Plan is increasing or widening the safety net, the SIPs; and in many cases, we are increasing by almost a 100 per cent.

To further tackle the issue of unemployment among young Nigerians, the VP stated that the administration intends to increase the number of those that are being directly engaged through the N-Power scheme, which has so far engaged over 500,000 young Nigerians.

Besides, the VP noted that the "President recently asked that another million households of the extremely poor should benefit from the SIPs Conditional Cash Transfer, of which we are already doing about a million beneficiaries, which means they would get about N5,000 every month, which we are doing at the moment.

“We’ve done several microcredit loans through the Tradermoni, Farmermoni and Marketmoni schemes. And we are thinking of increasing microcredits to petty traders, artisans, farmers etc.; we are looking at doing almost four million new microcredit loans.

"While we are waiting for all the initiatives around industries, creation of jobs to catch up, there is a need for us to answer the questions around, “how do poor people survive,’ while we are waiting for the trickle down of industries, and all of that. That’s why expanding the Social Investment Programmes the way we are doing is important for us,” he said.

MILLION JOBS IN AGRICULTURE
Speaking further, VP Osinbajo stated that the Economic Sustainability Plan also proposes to engage more Nigerians through farming, which he said could generate direct and indirect jobs for millions of Nigerians.

“Our Economic Sustainability proposal is that we are trying to bring in 20,000 and 100,000 hectares of land per State for agricultural use, and we are looking at how to work with the states to deliver that, which means we are going to bring in far more farmers into the net and this would mean more jobs for people in the rural areas. The same for the mass housing scheme. There are major opportunities here.”

The webinar which was moderated by Prof. Konyin Ajayi, SAN, and Dr. Chinny Ogunro, featured other panelists including, Board Chairperson of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; former president of the African Development Bank, Mr. Donald Kaberuka; and the immediate past Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
20th June, 2020

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

FG TO COLLABORATE WITH STATES TO DOMESTICATE CHILD RIGHTS, VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS PROHIBITION ACTS

*VP says rapes, sexual assaults are blemishes on our collective humanity as a people

Together with State governments across the county, and all other stakeholders, the Buhari administration is working harder to deal decisively with the problem of rape and gender-based violence in Nigeria, because every form of sexual assault "are blemishes on the collective humanity and dignity of Nigerians as a people and a Nation."

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, made this declaration today at a virtual meeting organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the Scourge of Rape, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria.

"We will work with all actors to detect and punish the perpetrators of these sickening acts and work even harder to prevent their occurrence”

Specifically, the Vice President further said the fight against rape and gender violence would be driven down to the States through the National Economic Council (NEC), which he chairs.

"We will continue to use the platform of the National Economic Council to encourage States yet to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act of 2015 and the Child Rights Act of 2003 to do so.

"Gender-based violence, rape and sexual assaults are a blemish on our collective humanity and dignity as a people and a Nation," he added.

"While violence against women has always been a challenge in Nigeria, the COVID-19 lockdown has occasioned a steep increase in sexual and gender-based violence across the country.

"I am told that between March 23, 2020 – May 29, 2020, the FCT Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Team received an overwhelming 105 incidents; an average of 13 incidents per week, up from the usual 5 to 6 incidents per week, pre-COVID-19.

"Also, a few days ago the Inspector-General of Police disclosed that the police had recorded about 717 rape incidents across the country between January and May 2020.

"And that 799 suspects had so far been arrested, 631 cases conclusively investigated and charged to court while 52 cases are still under investigation.

"What these figures show is an escalation of an already disgraceful trend of violence against women and girls in the country, " Prof. Osinbajo observed.

He referenced the rapes and murders of Mrs Queen Igbinevbo, a pregnant woman in her home in Edo State on May 20, 2020, and Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 22-year old student of University of Benin on May 27, 2020.

According to the VP, there is also the case of Barakat Bello, an 18-year old female student of Federal College of Animal Health and Production in Ibadan on June 1, 2020, among others, saying these assaults "should never have happened and must not be allowed to continue."

Prof. Osinbajo reassured that President Muhammadu Buhari and State Governors recently undertook to take drastic actions against gender-based violence.

"On June 11, State Governors, under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), agreed to declare a state of emergency on rape and gender-based violence against women and children, while renewing their commitment to ensuring that offenders face the full weight of the law.

"Similarly, the President, in his June 12 address to Nigerians, reiterated government’s determination to fight gender-based violence through the instrumentality of the law and awareness creation,’’ he said.

According to him, there is need to look beyond just legislation to fix the problem, but rather, interrogate the deeply dysfunctional cultures, the systemic flaws in our institutions and the perverse social norms which enable sexual and gender-based violence.

Prof. Osinbajo also acknowledged that the Women Affairs Ministry, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the International Community and several Civil Society Organizations had also been at the forefront of finding solutions and transformative strategies to address the root causes of gender-based violence.

Present at the virtual meeting was the Women Affairs Minister, Dame Paullen Tallen, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, representatives of the United Nations and Civil Society Organizations.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
19th June, 2020

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will on Thursday lead members of the Economic Sustainability Committee to submit the Sustainability Plan to President Muhammadu Buhari.

On 2 April, President Buhari set up an Economic Sustainability Committee chaired by Vice President Osinbajo, to develop a comprehensive economic plan to respond to the disruptions and dislocations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and crashing of oil prices in the global market.

President Buhari charged the Committee to amongst other things develop a clear economic sustainability plan from now till 2023, identify fiscal and monetary measures to enhance oil and non-oil revenues in order to fund the plan, develop a stimulus package and come up with other clear-cut measures to create more jobs while keeping existing ones.

Updating Nigerians on the activities of the Committee, Mr Laolu Akande, spokesperson to the Vice President said in a tweet that the Plan includes creating new jobs.

“Vice President is leading members of the ESC to submit to President, the Sustainability Plan, detailing policy options and programmes designed to proactively stimulate the Nigerian economy, retain and create jobs, turning COVID-19 to opportunity,” he said in the tweet.


Prof. Osinbajo had met with National Assembly, Presidential Economic Advisory Council, State Governors, International Monetary Fund and World Bank management, among others to arrive at a robust Plan for Nigeria.


While inaugurating the committee, the Vice President noted that “what Mr President has asked us to do is to devise a strategy in order to be able to keep the economy going and also make provisions to ensure that we are able to retain jobs and indeed create more.

“We also need to develop the Nigerian economy in a way that we will even take advantage of the challenges of these times and convert those challenges to opportunities,” Prof. Osinbajo added.

Speaking on the focus of the committee and what would be done to salvage the situation in the country, the Vice President said “what we will need to do is something that is bold, radical and one that our people can understand and buy into.

“We must design a broad vision that takes into account how to implement a big plan inclusive of a focus on mass local productivity and mass employment.

“The big plan of government is to find a way for us to be able to do mass housing, increase agricultural production, ensure massive local productivity by among several other options, increasing support to MSMEs, and majorly improve avenues to put more cash in the hands of our people and also make them productive,” the VP noted.

Members of the Economic Sustainability Committee include Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed; Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige; Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola; the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq; and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Silva. Others include, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Mele Kyari; the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele and the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babatunde Lawal who is the secretary of the committee.

*OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT*

*PRESS STATEMENT*

*READOUT OF ESC INTERACTION WITH NASS LEADERS*

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, led the members of the Economic Sustainability Committee in an interaction this afternoon with the leadership of the National Assembly on the draft Sustainability Plan, ahead of the submission of the Plan to the President.

The virtual meeting, anchored from the Presidential Villa, was attended by the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and several other principal officers of the National Assembly including members of the opposition.

According to Prof Osinbajo, the ESC called the meeting to consult with the National Assembly before the Committee's report is submitted to Mr. President. Praising members of the National Assembly, the VP noted that the President had always commended the good working relationship between the Executive arm of the Federal Government and the current National Assembly.

He added that it is very clear that COVID-19 has presented the country with an enormous economic challenge and also an opportunity.

"This is why the Economic Sustainability Committee is interacting with the National Assembly," he noted.

Speaking at the virtual meeting both the Senate President and Speaker welcomed the plan and commended the President and the Vice President for calling the meeting to enable the Legislative arm of govt review the plan and make comments.

Besides other principal officers of the National Assembly, members of the ESC were also in attendance at the meeting which just ended.

*Laolu Akande,*
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,
Office of the Vice President.
04-06-2020

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

NIGERIANS IN DIASPORA CRITICAL IN DRIVING NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT – OSINBAJO
VP adds: FG’s Diaspora Commission established to further harness Diaspora contribution to economic growth


Nigerians in the Diaspora can contribute more to the growth of the nation’s economy and other sectors through the sharing of ideas and investment opportunities with relevant agencies of government, according to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Speaking during a meeting on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with a delegation from the Nigeria Diaspora Group for Good Governance led by Dr. James Fadel, Prof. Osinbajo further stated that harnessing the contributions of Nigerians in the Diaspora was a major reason why the Buhari administration established the Diaspora Commission.

According to him, the establishment of the Diaspora Commission is an important milestone for government where all the activities of Nigerians in the Diaspora could be well coordinated for national development.


The Vice President added that the Federal Government, through the Diaspora Commission, with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports alongside other relevant MDAs, will create platforms similar to Focus Labs, to further engage Diaspora investors and experts on very specific initiatives so as to take the ideas from the Diaspora to the next level.

The Focus Labs, organised by the Budget & National Planning Ministry, provided an avenue where investors and government agencies held detailed meetings over a few weeks to sort out issues mitigating effective investments.

According to the VP, such initiatives would help take some of the many ideas from the Diaspora community forward, noting that both the government and the people from the Diaspora have to move the ideas forward towards implementation.

He said, “I think one thing we have to do with the Diaspora Commission is to bring up these investors and the relevant agencies of government into the same room to share ideas. Some of these investors may be having difficulties in getting funds.

“What we need to do is to set up a structure to enable us meet with these investors so that we can take it step by step on how this (Diaspora) group can contribute more to the development of the country."

Continuing, the Vice President said the Federal Government has achieved significant milestones through its Social Investment Programmes, including the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme where almost 10 million school children are being fed a free, nutritious meal daily, and the N-Power Job scheme which has engaged over 500,000 young Nigerians nationwide.


In the agriculture sector and agricultural value chain, Prof. Osinbajo highlighted the growth of local rice production, noting that the country needs to consolidate on its gains in the agriculture sector for further development.


Speaking on technical education, the VP said the N-Power programme of the federal government is embraced by every state of the federation and what is needed now is the coordination of the activities in the states.


In his remarks, the leader of the delegation, James Fadel, said, “The Vice President has captured the admiration of Nigerians at home and abroad and we have come here to support you with the best, according to our capabilities as Nigerians in the Diaspora.”


Fadel added that the Diaspora group aims to invest in areas such as infrastructure, primary healthcare, skill acquisition in various sectors, so as to contribute to improving the living standard of Nigerians.


Also at the meeting were the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, and Dr. Sule Yakubu Bassi, who represented the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Bassi expressed delight that Nigerians in the Diaspora are willing to make various contributions in the areas of education, primary healthcare, etc, adding that the Commission is linking up with other groups and aims to provide vocational training for Nigerians nationwide.

Also, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, highlighted the needs for skills training for Nigerian youths.

‘Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity

Office of the Vice President.

6th December, 2019

*VICE PRESIDENT OSINBAJO PRIDE OF NIGERIA – NSCIA*

*Sultan of Sokoto says Osinbajo’s leadership from God

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been described as the pride of Nigeria by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on Friday.
Prof. Osinbajo who gave a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the General Assembly of NSCIA was praised for his commitment to the country.

Ishaq Oloyede, Secretary General of NSCIA said Prof. Osinbajo has successfully combined his religious commitments with public administration, something that is worth emulating.

“He is a model of a person combining religious commitment with public administration. He has done that creditably well. Mr. Vice President we want to thank you on behalf of the Muslim community of this country. You are a pride to this nation, we thank you and pray that God will continue to be with you,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, President-General of NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar, applauded the Vice President for his leadership, which he said was given to him by God.

“We have the privilege of having the Vice President here who is a pastor, and I am pleased that he is here to listen to the comments we will make and to listen to him giving the keynote speech, which I believe he will say a lot having known him for some time.

“He has leadership given to him by the lord God Almighty, it is a trust and responsibility and he is here in his capacity as VP and we invited him to give the keynote speech as VP of Nigeria and he accepted to be here,” the Sultan of Sokoto said.

Prof Salisu Shehu, Deputy Secretary General of NSCIA praised the Vice President for gracing the event. “I believe as you have graciously accepted to be here to honour this event by coming personally, I believe that when resolutions are presented to you, we are sure that you’d give the necessary executive support to those resolutions.”

In his keynote address, Osinbajo commended the NSCIA for bridging the religious gap in Nigeria. “This Council is of particular importance to us as a nation because it not only promotes solidarity among Nigeria’s Muslims but also serves as an important intermediary between the government and the Muslim community and between Muslims and persons of other faiths.

“As the highest decision-making body of the Council, I offer to you this morning, both a commendation and a challenge.


“First, the commendation to you for the great leadership you have shown in galvanizing the Muslim community in Nigeria despite denominational differences. But also, for making the Council available for the promotion of interfaith peace, and religious tolerance in Nigeria.

“The challenge stems from the theme of this meeting which is “Islam and National Development.” Permit me to put the topic in context so that we do not miss the essence of the topic. So, I recast the theme to read as follows quote, “The Role of Islam in the Development of a Multi-religious and Multi-ethnic Nation.” This is the gravamen of the matter and I believe my brother, Isa Pantami (Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy who delivered the keynote address) did an excellent job.

“Decades ago in this same country, it would not have been a major topic. Leaders in the first republic did not consider religious intolerance as a major national issue, they were more concerned about the issues that touched everyone regardless of religion or ethnicity; they were concerned about providing food, shelter, education and decent livelihoods. But today, no true leader can ignore the threat that religious bigotry and intolerance poses for the development of our nation. That is just the way it is.

“But it is my respectful view that the burden of ensuring that faith promotes national development as opposed to impeding it is on leaders. This is the challenge I pose to you today.

“A few months ago, at an interfaith gathering, I told the story of an occurrence on the 20th of June 2018. Christians in their village Nshar Yelwa, Plateau State were attacked by a horde of persons who were said to be Muslims, who had attacked other villages and had killed several Berom farmers who were mainly Christians.

“As Imam Abdullahi was finishing mid-day prayers, he and his congregation heard gunshots and went outside to see members of the village’s Christian community running helter-skelter. Instinctively, the Imam ushered 262 Christians into the mosque and some into his home next to the mosque.

“The Imam then went outside to confront the gunmen. He refused to allow them to enter, pleading with them to spare the Christians inside the mosque and his home. When the assailants were adamant, he told them that they would have to kill him first if they were going to kill the Christians, he had given refuge. They eventually left without killing any of the Christians in the mosque or in his home. Imam Abdullahi’s selflessness and sacrifice saved the lives of hundreds of people of a faith different from his own.

“Imam Abdullahi not only refused to give up the Christians he had given refuge; he even offered his life in exchange for theirs. His moral courage is rooted in a profound recognition of our common humanity. His compassion, empathy and selflessness are an example to us as people of faith.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has explained that 35 aides were not sacked from the Office of the Vice President instead they were redeployed to a new ministry.

The President who fielded questions from NTA State House Correspondent at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, upon his return from a private visit from the United Kingdom described the interpretations of his directives as a sack as ‘unfortunate’.

The President described what happened as a re-organisation and not a sacking, stressing that, a new ministry has recently been created, that is, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

“They said 35 people were sacked in the Vice President’s office but we just created a ministry and we reorganized but people are giving it an ethnic and political dimension. It is unfortunate,” the President said.

It would be recalled that while media report had widely reported the sack of 35 aides including the circulation of a list of those sacked, informed sources insisted that what the President directed was a redeployment and not a sack.

The President’s comment in the NTA interview last night on arrival from his UK private trip indicated that although some Presidential aides had confirmed the sacking of 35 aides, the President only gave express instructions for redeployment to ministries not sacking.

Meanwhile, President Buhari assured Nigerians that he was more energized and ready for work. “We are going to work harder to be accountable and try to make Nigerians see why we do certain things. Accountability from bottom to top is absolutely necessary,” he said.

It would be recalled that some people had reported and claimed that President Buhari had sacked 35 aides in the Office of the Vice President to whittle down the powers and influence of the Vice President.

Some also claimed that the sacking of the 35 aides were to reduce the influence of the Vice President ahead of 2023 elections and were masterminded by a certain cabal with the Presidency.

The Presidency has however always maintained that the President and his deputy, Prof Osinbajo enjoy a very good relationship.

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE OFFICIAL GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY OF THE RAIL WAGON ASSEMBLY PLANT AT KAJOLA, OGUN STATE ON SATURDAY, 9TH OF NOVEMBER, 2019


It is my special pleasure this afternoon to perform the official ground-breaking ceremony of the Wagon Assembly Plant here in Kajola. The plant which is a private investment undertaken by Messrs CCECC. It is an important project for so many reasons. It is central in the production of rolling stock spare parts and maintenance equipment needed for the railway modernization programme being implemented by the administration of Muhammadu Buhari.


This ceremony is not just another event, it is a historic turning point, for us, the railway is not just an alternative and comfortable mode of travel, it holds the master key to transforming commerce in Nigeria and across the continent.


By linking our ports to rail lines and now, building the rolling stock locally, import and export business within and out of Africa’s largest market will be completely transformed. When completed, it is expected that the plant would produce some parts of the wagons for the Lagos – Ibadan and Abuja – Kaduna rail lines, but also for the central rail lines and to satisfy the needs of other rail operators within the West-African sub-region.


Secondly the citing of the plant here in Nigeria and the commitment to hiring Nigerians and Nigerian businesses affirms the Presidents directives in Executive Order 5 on prioritizing Nigerians and Nigerian businesses in the innovation, production and procurement of engineering projects and services.


The plant would offer an important platform for engineers, technicians, artisans and other professionals to gain the specialized skills required for the production and maintenance of rolling stock. This will invariably conduce to spin-off businesses in the region of operation in particular and across the country wherever rail networks are in existence. The plant is expected to generate about five thousand (5,000) direct and indirect jobs.


I have a message also for you from the President and this is to CCECC which is that we expect that you move on very quickly to the next phase of this project which is the assembly and construction of coaches and locomotives.


This for us will be a significant breakthrough and we look forward to hearing from you as quickly as possible when this will come into operation.


After completing the Abuja – Kaduna Railway project in July 2016, this administration commenced construction works on the Lagos – Ibadan Railway modernization project in March 2017, following which we initiated the rehabilitation and completion of the abandoned Itakpe – Ajaokuta – Warri rail line which was started over three decades ago.


Furthermore, last month, we signed an agreement with Messrs China Railway Construction Company International to construct the Itakpe – Ajaokuta rail line which will be extended from Itakpe to Abuja through Baro Inland Water Port in Niger State with a branch line to Lokoja in Kogi State. This rail line will link into the new Warri sea port being constructed under the agreement.

Also, we are optimizing the Lagos-Ibadan rail modernization project by extending it to the Apapa Port, the nation’s busiest port for the efficient movement of cargo from the port to various destinations. This will expedite import/export flows, decongest the ports, and depressurize our roads in the process.


Also, we are putting all mechanisms in place to achieve the swift completion of the Ibadan Inland Dry port which will off-take containers and cargoes from Apapa port through the Lagos – Ibadan rail line.


Let me take this opportunity to appreciate the support shown by the leadership of the host communities here in Kajola and around this environment, for this project and other relevant Federal and State government projects. The implementation of these projects is important. It is imperative that our host communities continue to support government’s efforts by effectively cooperating with the contractors in safeguarding and protecting these lasting investments so that we can ensure that all intended objectives and mutual benefits are attained.


Let me also commend the Federal Ministry of Transportation led by the very able and dynamic Hon. Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi or Chibuike Amaechi, (today he is Rotimi since we are in the South West) for the very hard work and commitment he has demonstrated from the inception of our rail modernization project. And also, to the Chinese government, particularly the investor, CCECC Nigeria Limited for this significant and strategic investment.


The vision you have shown and the initiative you have taken in the larger development journey of this great country will reap unparalleled rewards for you and great opportunity for our people.


In a few minutes, I will have the special privilege of performing the official ground-breaking ceremony for the establishment of this Wagon Assembly Plant here in Kajola Ogun State, and I hope that this will be only be the beginning of the development of the railway infrastructure, not only here in Ogun State, but across the country.

Thank you all and God bless.


Released by:

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
9th November 2019

Following report that a photojournalist with Vanguard, Abayomi Adeshida, was beaten up by security aides of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, an eyewitness who also double as a security guard at the scene has described the report as “untrue” and “malicious”.

The security source who pleaded anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter disclosed to this reporter that the journalist was not beaten as claimed.

In an exclusive chat with the security source, he revealed that Mr. Adeshida breached the protocol that was being followed by participants and dignatories and was duly asked to go behind the cover set by the personnel of the Department of State Security (DSS) and continue his job like every other photo journalists at the event.

“Mr. Adeshida reacted and acted aggressively after being told to perform his duty behind the cover. Efforts by the officials of the DSS to appeal and calm him down was rebuffed.

“He wasn’t even rough-handled. That they pulled him off to leave that spot does not amount to being manhandled. Adeshida still came back shortly to take photos and continue his duties at the event. So his side of the story is pure sensationalism,” the security source said.

Recall that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the Nigeria Diaspora Investment Summit which held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF WESTERN NIGERIA TELEVISION, IBADAN, ON THE 31ST OF OCTOBER, 2019.

PROTOCOLS

It is a special honour to be here today, to celebrate the pioneers of the first television in Africa. Exactly 60 years ago today, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Premier of the Western Region, then flanked by Governor General, Sir John Rankine, Chief Anthony Enahoro, the region’s Minister of Information, and Chief T.T Solaru, first Board Chair of Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, formally entered the history books by commissioning the Western Nigeria Television, the first in Africa; and ahead of China in 1962, Canada in 1967, New Zealand in 1960, and several European countries, including the Netherlands in 1960, Ireland in 1961, Greece in 1966 and Malta in 1962.


It was not just first in Africa, but first in many parts of Asia and, as you can imagine, even in Europe without even talking about Eastern Europe.


The event was historic for three reasons. Firstly, it demonstrated the capacity of the Nigerian mind to conceive and achieve anything no matter how complex or difficult. Secondly, it demonstrates how visionary leadership can inspire and lead people from the lowest levels to the high points of human imagination.


Thirdly, it exemplifies the use of public resources for the public good. WNTV was built to inform, to educate and entertain. As Papa Awolowo himself said on that day sixty years ago, television is a powerful influence for good.


It would ordinarily have been unimaginable that somehow in a part of the yet to be independent Nigeria, a man and his team would build a television station in three months, the first as we have seen, in many parts of the world. But for the man, it was not so surprising because Papa (Awolowo) had laid out a plan for the rapid development of the Western Region. It included physical infrastructure and human capacity development.


The plan included free and compulsory education. As of the date of the inauguration of WNTV, almost a million children were in school in the Western Region. Forty-one per cent (41%) of the Western Region’s budget was spent on education, the highest proportion anywhere in the free world, the highest proportion at that time anywhere in the world.


In the free world in particular, it was obvious that those who understood the value of education used it as a powerful proponent for the advancement of their people. Papa Awolowo clearly understood that so long ago.


Today, as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of WNTV, we also celebrate what is possible in our nation and states, what vision, hardwork and a commitment to the public good can do.


As Ambassador Yemi Faronmbi said, the celebration of the phenomenal achievement in 1959 would be wasted unless we recognize that the achievement represents sturdy shoulders for us to stand on. Today we can do more and the vision of Awolowo was to build a people capable of excelling beyond even his own achievements.


Every generation has a historic responsibility to reach for the highest peaks that human capacity can achieve. Today we are at the most advanced moment in science, technology and innovation in human history.


The smartphones you have in your hands have more computing power than all the computing power that the Apollo spaceship that took men to the moon in 1969 had. All things are possible and we are able! Let us be inspired by Papa’s words, that our only limit is our imagination.


Congratulations to the Foundation for Ibadan Television and to all of us friends, families and admirers of the pioneers.


Thank you very much and God bless you!

Released by:

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
31st October, 2019

Progress is not an illusion, it happens - George Orwell

The World Bank’s 2020 Doing Business Index (DBI) which has ranked Nigeria 131 out of 190 countries, up 15 places from 146 positions last year, up from 170 since 2014 is a testament to the progress of our nation. For those wondering, the Doing Business Index is an annual ranking that objectively assesses prevailing business climate conditions across 190 countries based on 10 ease of doing business indicators.

This celebrated feat would not have been possible without the much needed reforms implemented by this Administration over the past four years through the establishment of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

PEBEC has the aim of minimizing the constraints that come with running businesses in the country works towards the fulfillment of the projections of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017-2020), which strives to deliver sustainable economic growth in Nigeria by investing in our people, and building a competitive economy. Some of the strategies that brought about this feat include cutting down the time it takes to register a business through the use of the electronic platform, new grid connections for electricity, upgrading election systems for imports and exports and also educating business owners on vital business strategies.

Since 1995, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission Act has taken steps to dismantle years of controls and limits on foreign direct investment (FDI), opening nearly all sectors to foreign investment, allowing for 100 percent foreign ownership in all sectors (with the exception of the petroleum sector, where FDI is limited to joint ventures or production sharing contracts), and creating the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) with a mandate to encourage and assist investment in Nigeria. The Government has introduced several programmes to boost FDI, notably in agriculture, exploitation and mining, oil and gas extraction, as well as in the export sectors. Tax incentives are granted to pioneering industries deemed beneficial for the economic development of the country and employment of its workforce (such as clothing); allowances facilitating capital investments and the deduction of interest on loans for gas companies are few reforms aimed at promoting public-private partnerships and strategic alliances with foreign companies.

The implementation of various strategies in pursuit of increasing the ease of doing business has had and continues to impacts on entrepreneurs in Nigeria. One of whom is Ola Brown, founder of Flying Doctors Nigeria, a medical emergency services company, whose business has been transformed by the review of the requirements for Nigerian visas in order to make it more assessable and customer-friendly to improve the country's business climate by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS). She disclosed during her interview with CNN how a simple policy change has transformed her business, allowing her the comfort to bring patients to Nigeria without having to get a visa in advance.

Speaking in detail at the Lit Subnational Tour organized by The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council and the Lagos State Government, Dr. Brown spoke about how the Visa on arrival policy has enhanced her business and ensure better and faster healthcare delivery. “For me, visa on arrival has changed the way my business runs forever. Flying Doctors like every air ambulance service in the world is focused on moving patients from an area where there is an overwhelmed level of care to a more suitable level of care.”

She went further to illustrate the numerous economic opportunities for not just her business but several others catering to the value chain: “imagine trying to move an American or a European that’s had an accident in Chad into a Nigerian hospital, you have to move them to the center of Chad first and wait two days for a visa there while the patient is critical before you can get them into Nigeria. However, now we can fly directly there and bring them straight into Lagos, they get their visa on arrival when they get to Lagos and we can take them to hospital and I will tell you what that does, each of these patients are intensive care patients, they spend around $50, 000 each. So you can imagine if we are bringing one thousand to five thousand of those patients every year into Lagos, It just props up my business. The business services are making money because now they are making money from their charges when they issue visa. The hospitals are making money; the doctors can be paid better salaries. Even sometimes the relatives have to fly in to stay in hotels in Lagos. So it is a really huge boost to the economy.”

Founder of Farmcrowdy, Onyeka Akumah, remarked about his firm’s progress operating from Lagos under a better business environment brought about by the Ease of Doing Business Reforms Policy. He spoke about the strides of the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, under the new policy. He said: “When investors are coming into the country, it’s a lot easier for them to locate on their phone where the organization is across the country. So CAC registration is not just allowing people to register online easily but it also makes customers discover you online and that has been beneficial to us.”

The Ease of doing business policy of the federal government in collaboration with the state governments is aimed at ensuring that investors and entrepreneurs are able to carry out their business activities with little or no impediments or obstacles.
The policy is hinged on implementing enabling business environment interventions across the country with Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies working to ensure that processes and regulations are simplified and automated to ensure easier, faster and stress free business environment. Key features of this initiative include ease of business incorporation, trade across borders, prevention of double taxation, faster registration of property, introduction of visa on arrival, and successful legislation of a new Company and Allied Matters Bill 2018, among many others.

Subsequently, another vital reform that resulted in Nigeria’s progress as seen in the World Bank’s 2020 Doing Business Index (DBI) is the integration of more agencies into customs electronic data interchange system, and the introduction of an e-payment system for port authorities, thus speeding up both exports and imports.
Over the past 3 years, Nigeria has implemented more than 140 reforms all aimed at improving how business is done in the country. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has consequently recognized Nigeria’s business environment as one of the most entrepreneurial in the world, and highlighted Nigeria’s improved competitiveness in Enabling Business Environment.

Bernard Okri is the President of the Global Economic Policy Initiative.

President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday in Abuja administered oaths of office on members of the newly constituted Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), and also set an agenda of what they should accomplish in the shortest possible time.

Speaking at a meeting with the 8-man Council chaired by Prof. Doyin Salami, President Buhari charged them to focus on developing reliable data that will properly reflect what is happening in the country.

The President who called the task before the PEAC ‘‘most important national assignment’’, said:

”As you develop your baseline study, I would like you to focus on primary data collection.

” Today, most of the statistics quoted about Nigeria are developed abroad by the World Bank, IMF and other foreign bodies.

” Some of the statistics we get relating to Nigeria are wild estimates and bear little relation to the facts on the ground.



” This is disturbing as it implies we are not fully aware of what is happening in our own country.

” We can only plan realistically when we have reliable data. As you are aware, as a government, we prioritised agriculture as a critical sector to create jobs and bring prosperity to our rural communities.

”Our programs covered the entire agricultural value chain from seed to fertiliser to grains and ultimately, our dishes.

”As you travel in some rural communities, you can clearly see the impact. However, the absence of reliable data is hindering our ability to upgrade these programmes and assure their sustainability. ”

The President also used the occasion to set agenda and expectations from the Council, constituted on September 16, 2019, to replace the Economic Management Team (EMT).

On the Social Investment Programmes (SIPs), the President told members that his administration was working to measure the impact of the programme targeted at improving the well-being of millions of poor and vulnerable citizens.

As such, the President said he had directed the new Minister for Humanitarian Affairs to commence a comprehensive data-gathering exercise in all Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the North East.

” Today, we hear international organisations claiming to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on IDPs in the North East. But when you visit the camps, you rarely see the impact.

” In 2017, when the National Emergency Management Agency took over the feeding of some IDPs in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, the amount we spent was significantly lower than the claims made by these international organisations.

” Therefore, actionable data is critical to implement effective strategies to address pressing problems such as these humanitarian issues.

” I, therefore, look forward to receiving your baseline study as this will help us shape ideas for a sustainable and prosperous future, ” the President said.

On his expectations from the council, the President urged them to proffer solutions on how to move the country and economy forward.

The President directed the Council to coordinate and synthesize ideas and efforts on how to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years, working in collaboration with various employment generating agencies of government.

”I am told you worked throughout last weekend in preparation for this meeting.

”I have listened attentively to findings and ideas on how to move the country and the economy forward.

”Yes, Nigeria has exited the recession. But our reported growth rate is still not fast enough to create the jobs we need to meet our national ambition of collective prosperity.

”Reason being we had to tread carefully in view of the mess we inherited.

”Many of the ideas we developed in the last four years were targeted at returning Nigeria back to the path of growth.

”I am sure you will also appreciate that during that time, our country was also facing serious challenges especially in the areas of insecurity and massive corruption.

”Therefore, I will be the first to admit that our plans were conservative. We had to avoid reckless and not well thought out policies.

”However, it was very clear to me after we exited the recession that we needed to re-energise our economic growth plans. This is what I expect from you, ” he said.

President Buhari also assured the Council that the Federal Government will ensure that all their needs and requests were met before the next technical sessions in November.

He said all key ministries, departments and agencies will be available to meet and discuss with them on how to collectively build a new Nigeria that caters for all.

”Now, no one person or a group of persons has a monopoly of knowledge or wisdom or patriotism.

”In the circumstances, you may feel free to co-opt, consult and defer to any knowledgeable person if in your opinion such a move enriches your deliberations and add to the quality of your decisions, ” he said.

Chairman of Council, Professor Salami, said the mandate was about ”Nigeria first, Nigeria second, and Nigeria always, ” adding that it was about Nigerians, not as numbers, but as people.



He added: ”Our goal is that the economy grows in a manner that is rapid, inclusive, sustained and sustainable so that Nigerians will feel the impact. ”

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE

WHY STATES MUST HAVE MORE POWERS – OSINBAJO
*Adds: We must strengthen states for a more productive nation

*Says devolution of more power to States enables them to control more of their resources

*VP advocates for States & community police forces, correctional facilities, special courts


NIGERIA can become a stronger and more prosperous nation if states have more powers, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this while speaking at the 59th Independence Anniversary Lecture at the Island Club, Lagos, on Friday.

The Vice President, who titled his lecture “the whole is only as great as the sum of its parts,” said Nigeria’s population and diverse ethnic groups has necessitated that states in the country be strengthened to enable them contribute more to national productivity and development.

Prof. Osinbajo stated that this can be achieved with “stronger, more autonomous States that are able to generate and control more of their resources.”

According to the Vice President, the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is ensuring that states collaborate more with the Federal Government on different initiatives to improve visionary governance in the country.

“The most important transformative change we can make in Nigeria is to lift the majority of our people out of deprivation by speedily creating wealth and opportunity leading to the eradication of poverty,” he said.

He further said that “The nation cannot be wealthy when its component parts – the states – are poor. The standard of living of the federation depends on the standard of living of people who live in the states. In other words, the federation can only be as rich as its richest state and as strong as its strongest state. Our national indices merely aggregate the realities of our weaknesses and strengths as present in all our constituent units. Consequently, we can only build a stronger and more prosperous nation by building stronger and more prosperous states.”

He said, “Building stronger states means ensuring the devolution of more power to the states, enabling them to control more of their resources and make more of their own administrative decisions such as the creation of Local Governments, the establishment of state and community police forces as well as state correctional facilities; creation of special courts and tribunals of equivalent jurisdiction to high courts. The point I am making is that states must have more powers and more rights.”

The Vice President stated that, “The challenges confronting us now are about strengthening internal coherence and cohesion. It is about moving from affirmations of unity to the achievement of synergy in which the sum of our strengths exceeds the totality of our constituent parts.”

He noted that, “Opportunities for smart and visionary governance abound. So, for example, while states may not be able to right now establish their police forces, they can collaborate with the federal government on initiatives such as community policing which also revolves around the idea of localized law enforcement. Our administration is currently pursuing this option. When we set our minds to solving problems, we will find that what is truly possible is not as distant from the ideal that we seek.”

The Vice President further noted that Nigerians, despite differences, must draw inspiration from its history of a common shared belief, in order to attain the quest for collective progress and continued unity.

He said, “In order to do so, we must draw inspiration from the deep wells of our history. The founding fathers of our republic – Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello. These three differed on many things but shared a clear belief in the Nigeria’s boundless capacity as a united country. Regardless of their keen rivalry, they agreed on the crucial necessity of Nigeria staying united despite the many centrifugal pressures that buffeted the young nation. On this matter of unity, their differences were those of degree rather than category.

“Each of them occupied different niches on the spectrum of national integration but they all shared the view that the ideal situation was one in which a united and prosperous Nigeria took its rightful place in the world as the most populous black nation on Earth and as the foremost black power.

“From the foregoing, it is clear that the founding fathers were of one mind as far as Nigeria’s world historic significance was concerned. They also recognized that her ability to fulfil her destiny was dependent on her continued unity.”

The Vice President added that, “The point of this excursion into history is to show that strong sub nationals led by visionary leadership is what it takes to develop the Nation. What we require today is stronger, more autonomous States able to generate and control more of their resources and visionary leadership.”

Speaking during a Q&A session, Prof. Osinbajo added that the Buhari administration will continue its fight against corruption.

“Two governors have been convicted for corruption, and they are in jail today. It took almost 10 years because our legal system is extremely slow, but we achieved it,” he said.

“The other thing I think we have to take note of is the fact that corruption fights back, and we also as citizens have to much more up and doing, because corruption fights back. They throw mud at everybody, give the impression that, “everybody is corrupt.”

“If we don’t control corruption, it’s the worst possible cancer that any nation can have, and as we can see from anything else, it just destroys a country by installments.”

Prof. Osinbajo stated that he will continue to give his best in service to the country under the Buhari administration.

“I intend to do everything that is necessary, everything that I can to ensure that we achieve the promises that we made and to ensure that we achieve the kind of country that we want to achieve. And I will do that every day, every minute, for as long and God gives me life and opportunity,” he said.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
05th October, 2019