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"It's clear that the task of reconstruction goes beyond physical infrastructure or brick and mortar. There is a moral, social & ethical reconstruction to be undertaken as well." - VP Osinbajo

https://www.yemiosinbajo.ng/vp-osinbajo-attends-the-launch-of-rebuilding-lagos-trust-fund-on-16-11-2020/

One of Nigeria’s main priorities now is getting the COVID-19 vaccine and this is a matter of utmost concern to the Buhari administration, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
 
 
Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Thursday at the opening session of the virtual edition of the Paris Peace Forum which featured presentations by some Heads of State & government alongside international organizations, on a collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
 
Stating what Nigeria’s priorities in its COVID-19 response are, the Vice President said “the priorities of Nigeria in the post COVID-19 era include improved healthcare and the economy. First, we need to keep the virus under control. While our guards are still firmly in place, getting the COVID-19 vaccine is a matter of utmost concern.”
 
 
According to him, “On this, we are encouraged  by the efforts of WHO and other international agencies working to ensure that vaccine delivery will be equitable across all countries, regardless of the priority of orders and ability to pay.”
 
 
Underscoring the importance of prioritizing interventions and investments in the healthcare system, the Vice President said “we are encouraging private investment to upscale our health sector, with emphasis on improved facilities and affordable universal healthcare.”
 
 
While appreciating leaders across the world for their prompt response and cooperation in controlling the spread of the COVID-19, Prof. Osinbajo said “the sheer scale of disruptions to our lives and livelihoods caused by COVID-19 certainly caught us all by surprise.”
 

Restating the call for debt relief for developing countries, the Vice President said “the pandemic underscores the need for adequate financial buffers to cope with the ‘black swan’ events.  For many developing countries, the debt burden makes this all but impossible.”
 
 
Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo noted “we call for debt relief for these countries, and the extension of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) at least until the end of 2021 as well as commercial debt relief where needed.”
 
 
The Vice President had in previous international forums earlier in the year made a case for debt relief for developing countries, noting that “the Debt Servicing Support Initiative of the G20 is welcome and will no doubt bring some relief to relevant African countries.  However, it remains inadequate because it does not address the problem of commercial debt service obligations.”
 
 
He assured that Nigeria stands with all countries of the world, in the effort to eradicate the virus, and leverage experiences for a healthier and more prosperous world.


The Paris Peace Forum is an annual event that features leaders and actors from civil society around the world with a focus on challenges facing the world - climate change, terrorism, migration, cyber insecurity, and global governance issues among others.
 
 
 
Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President

12th November 2020

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Amina J Mohammed, Min of Finance Dr. Zainab Ahmed, Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, UNDP Resident Coordinator Mr. Edward Kallon launch The Nigeria UN Plus Offer for Socio- Economic Recovery 2020-2022 at the State House, Abuja. 9th Nov, 2020.

*VP cites FG, Germany, Siemens power initiative as model
In dealing with the disruptions caused by COVID-19 on economies and livelihoods, stronger international cooperation and collaboration among countries will be crucial in addressing the situation and expediting economic recovery, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Monday at the 8th German-Nigerian Business Forum which held virtually. The event featured presentations by representatives of the German and Nigerian business communities.

Emphasizing the importance of building stronger collaboration and cooperation post COVID-19, the Vice President said “as it turned out, the pandemic is no respecter of borders, and has forced us to ponder on the importance of collaboration and international cooperation in solving some of our most pressing problems”.

According to him, “2020 will probably go down as perhaps the most challenging year in recent global history. No one can be blamed for the circumstances that led to it. However, history will hold us responsible as individual nations and collectively if we do not see and seize the immense opportunities that the moment presents.

“Bilateral cooperation is a major plank of that effort. We must use the German Nigeria forum to snatch growth and prosperity for our countries from the jaws of the pandemic.”

Speaking specifically about the German-Nigerian business cooperation, the Vice President said “there are several reasons why Nigeria and Germany’s economic relationship is an important and natural one.”

“With its population of nearly 200 million people and as the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria is a natural partner of Germany, which is also the largest economy in the European Union and also its most populous country. Both countries have a shared experience of paving the way in their respective continents and serve as strategic entry points for investors across industries,” he added.

Prof. Osinbajo noted that “cooperation between our countries and between sectors, is now more important than ever and this forum is an essential platform for deliberating on the mutually beneficial ways that we can achieve our shared objectives as nations. And we already have an excellent example the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), a power infrastructure upgrade and modernisation programme, agreed to by the Nigerian government and Siemens AG of Germany, with the support of the German Government.”

“Under the initiative, the Nigerian government will on behalf of the other shareholders in the DisCos invest in infrastructure upgrades in the form of improved payment systems, distribution substations, transformers, protection devices, smart meters, transmission lines, etc.,” the Vice President added.

Stating the focus of government’s interventions aimed at addressing the fallouts of the pandemic, Prof. Osinbajo said the priorities we, as a government, have set for ourselves are centered around nine inter-related and inter-connected areas, which are”:
Stabilizing the economy

Achieving agriculture and food security

Attaining energy sufficiency especially in power and petroleum products

Improving transportation and other infrastructure

Driving industrialization with a special focus on SMEs;

Expanding access to quality education, affordable healthcare and productivity of Nigerians

Enhancing social inclusion by scaling up social investments

Building a system to fight corruption, improve governance

Strengthen national security.

Present at the event were Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar; Germany’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Birgitt Ory; the CEO of Afrika-Verein, Christoph Kannengiesser, among others.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
9th November 2020

When you understand the role of a vice president and what it means to be honourable.
You will appreciate the person of professor yemi osinbajo

The vice president Yemi Osinbajo is not just a leader, but a leader with passion and positive impacts. He is the first VP to give meaning to the office of the Vice president in the history of Nigeria.

Osinbajo in 2020 brings Joy
Osinbajo in 2020 brings Love
Osinbajo in 2020 brings Favor
Osinbajo in 2020 brings Riches
Osinbajo in 2020 brings Miracles
Osinbajo in 2020 brings Success
Osinbajo in 2020 brings Blessing
Osinbajo in 2020 brings Greatness

Osinbajo will go down in history as one of the Greatest Vice President ever.
Osinbajo will be known as:
The VP who cared
The VP who fought for all
The VP who united millions
The VP who Made Promises & Kept promises. Osinbajo is a Fixer

There are 10 personality traits a great leader should possess.

God truly Blessed us with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who possesses all 10

1 Kindness
2 Intelligence
3 Integrity
4 Compassion
5 Empathy
6 Honesty
7 Humility
8 Strength
9 Courage
10 Loyalty

Why Omojuwa apologised, deletes tweet against Osinbajo

*Found out VP fighting to end police brutality & enforce rule of law

Social Media Influencer Japhet Omojuwa deleted his tweet attacking the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo because he found out that the VP has been an active advocate within government against police brutality and an inside force pushing for the rule of law even in dealing with the fallouts of the EndSARS protests, including the reported seizure of a passport belonging to Nigerian Lawyer and #EndSARS campaigner, Modupe Odele.


In the wake of the protest against police brutality, Osinbajo had met with the Inspector General of Police and immediately, a ban on the activities of Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The VP also met with journalists where he clearly spoke against police brutality and harassment of youths, after which he met again with the Police Chief, Director General of State Security Services among others to review further steps to take on conclusively addressing concerns of Nigerians on excesses of SARS.

Taking a bolder step, a meeting was facilitated with President Buhari, where the VP and the IGP gave reports on their findings and two days after that SARS was eventually dissolved.

The Osinbajo led National Economic Council, also directed governors to set up judicial panels of inquiry to interphase with protesters, investigate erring officers and provide compensation when and where necessary.

Just recently, NEC has also immediately started engaging Youths in all the 36 states and the FCT.

Meanwhile, Prof. Osinbajo has been attacked on various occasions for unverified news and his accusers have often returned apologizing for the false accusations made against him.

It could be recalled that Vanguard Newspaper, who published false news against the VP, apologized through its publication titled; “Retraction/Apology to VP Yemi Osinbajo” on September 25, 2019. Business day also issued an apology to Osinbajo over allegations of withdrawal of N10billion from TSA on 13th August, 2020, likewise WAZOBIA Radio management who also tendered an apology to Osinbajo and retracted a false story on N90b FIRS fraud, dated 15th October, 2020.

Omojuwa, in a series of tweets, explained that there was no malice in his earlier tweets which he has now deleted.

“I’d love to withdraw this tweet about the VP Osinbajo and also apologize for it. I have a better understanding of what happened and his effort to ensure the right thing is being done. My tweet was posted because of my own commitment towards respect for the rule of law.

Omojuwa, however, admitted that he has realized that the VP has continuously championed an end to police brutality.

Why Omojuwa apologised, deletes tweet against Osinbajo

*Found out VP fighting to end police brutality & enforce rule of law

Social Media Influencer Japhet Omojuwa deleted his tweet attacking the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo because he found out that the VP has been an active advocate within government against police brutality and an inside force pushing for the rule of law even in dealing with the fallouts of the EndSARS protests, including the reported seizure of a passport belonging to Nigerian Lawyer and #EndSARS campaigner, Modupe Odele.


In the wake of the protest against police brutality, Osinbajo had met with the Inspector General of Police and immediately, a ban on the activities of Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The VP also met with journalists where he clearly spoke against police brutality and harassment of youths, after which he met again with the Police Chief, Director General of State Security Services among others to review further steps to take on conclusively addressing concerns of Nigerians on excesses of SARS.

Taking a bolder step, a meeting was facilitated with President Buhari, where the VP and the IGP gave reports on their findings and two days after that SARS was eventually dissolved.

The Osinbajo led National Economic Council, also directed governors to set up judicial panels of inquiry to interphase with protesters, investigate erring officers and provide compensation when and where necessary.

Just recently, NEC has also immediately started engaging Youths in all the 36 states and the FCT.

Meanwhile, Prof. Osinbajo has been attacked on various occasions for unverified news and his accusers have often returned apologizing for the false accusations made against him.

It could be recalled that Vanguard Newspaper, who published false news against the VP, apologized through its publication titled; “Retraction/Apology to VP Yemi Osinbajo” on September 25, 2019. Business day also issued an apology to Osinbajo over allegations of withdrawal of N10billion from TSA on 13th August, 2020, likewise WAZOBIA Radio management who also tendered an apology to Osinbajo and retracted a false story on N90b FIRS fraud, dated 15th October, 2020.

Omojuwa, in a series of tweets, explained that there was no malice in his earlier tweets which he has now deleted.

“I’d love to withdraw this tweet about the VP Osinbajo and also apologize for it. I have a better understanding of what happened and his effort to ensure the right thing is being done. My tweet was posted because of my own commitment towards respect for the rule of law.

Omojuwa, however, admitted that he has realized that the VP has continuously championed an end to police brutality.

Found out VP fighting to end police brutality & enforce rule of law

Social Media Influencer Japhet Omojuwa deleted his tweet attacking the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo because he found out that the VP has been an active advocate within government against police brutality and an inside force pushing for the rule of law even in dealing with the fallouts of the EndSARS protests, including the reported seizure of a passport belonging to Nigerian Lawyer and #EndSARS campaigner, Modupe Odele.


In the wake of the protest against police brutality, Osinbajo had met with the Inspector General of Police and immediately, a ban on the activities of Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The VP also met with journalists where he clearly spoke against police brutality and harassment of youths, after which he met again with the Police Chief, Director General of State Security Services among others to review further steps to take on conclusively addressing concerns of Nigerians on excesses of SARS.

Taking a bolder step, a meeting was facilitated with President Buhari, where the VP and the IGP gave reports on their findings and two days after that SARS was eventually dissolved.

The Osinbajo led National Economic Council, also directed governors to set up judicial panels of inquiry to interphase with protesters, investigate erring officers and provide compensation when and where necessary.

Just recently, NEC has also immediately started engaging Youths in all the 36 states and the FCT.

Meanwhile, Prof. Osinbajo has been attacked on various occasions for unverified news and his accusers have often returned apologizing for the false accusations made against him.

It could be recalled that Vanguard Newspaper, who published false news against the VP, apologized through its publication titled; “Retraction/Apology to VP Yemi Osinbajo” on September 25, 2019. Business day also issued an apology to Osinbajo over allegations of withdrawal of N10billion from TSA on 13th August, 2020, likewise WAZOBIA Radio management who also tendered an apology to Osinbajo and retracted a false story on N90b FIRS fraud, dated 15th October, 2020.

Omojuwa, in a series of tweets, explained that there was no malice in his earlier tweets which he has now deleted.

“I’d love to withdraw this tweet about the VP Osinbajo and also apologize for it. I have a better understanding of what happened and his effort to ensure the right thing is being done. My tweet was posted because of my own commitment towards respect for the rule of law.

Omojuwa, however, admitted that he has realized that the VP has continuously championed an end to police brutality.

The development and sustenance of viable enterprises is no longer dependent on the size of the corporation and related factors but sound ethical practices imbibed by all stakeholders, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Tuesday at the virtual 2020 Conference of the Institute of Directors.

According to him, “The frequent clashes between conscience and wrongful behavior will eventually create a toxic work environment and destroy corporate objectives and visions. There is also enough history of how cutting corners and dishonesty ultimately bring down the whole enterprise.

This we have seen in the facts behind the collapse of many Nigerian financial institutions from the nineties to the more recent occurrences in 2009. Yes, it took a while for the institutions to unravel but the point is made that on the long run, unethical practices are unsustainable.

“Besides for quoted companies, the dangers of unethical behavior are much graver. Local and international investors have greater access to information and more options than ever before, the slightest whiff of scandal or malfeasance can destroy value built up over the years.

The local and especially the international examples of the collapse of companies thought to be too big to fail and brand names that had even once been associated with integrity and strong business ethics is a strong reminder of just how brittle edifices built on weak business ethics are.

“Today, every company’s stakeholders are far more than investors, management, or employees. They now include customers, clients, trade partners, suppliers, media, the general public, government and now, the environment.”

The event featured presentations personalities including Prof. Marc Le Menestrel, a professor of Decision Sciences; Chairman of Governing Council, Institute of Directors, Chief Chris Okunowo; and Dele Alimi, DG/CEO, Institute of Directors.

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

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE 2020 CONFERENCE OF THE INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS, ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2020

I am honoured by your kind invitation to join you this morning at the 2020 Annual Directors’ Conference of the Institute. The Institute takes the credit for the development of Nigeria’s finest breed of business executives and directors in the fulfilment of their legal and personal responsibilities to the corporate entities they serve and of course, to Nigeria as a whole.

I am particularly excited about the recent efforts of the Institute to standardize the practice of sound ethical values and lead by example with the introduction in August this year, of the IoD Code of Ethics 2020 for members and staff of the Institute.

I, therefore, congratulate the President, Chief Chris Okunowo, who many of you know, is from the best schools in the World, Igbobi College, and the Faculty of Law University of Lagos, for steering the course of the institute towards global best practices. (I am offering no prizes for guessing that the two schools I mentioned are also the schools that I attended).

My brief remarks will centre around a question that has occupied my mind for many years and led to my co-founding the Convention on Business Integrity with my friend and brother Soji Apampa in 1997.

How do you most effectively convey the truth to corporate entities, to companies, that integrity pays, that business ethics is as crucial to the bottom line and to everything else, as the other more obvious factors in delivering profitability and recognition of success for a company?

The question is complicated by the notion that business ethics is itself an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms how can you survive in the cut-throat survival of the fittest environment of business with any kind of concern for morality?

Besides, in countries where regulatory oversight and law enforcement is weak and or slow, there would seem to be, at least, in the short term, no particular advantage in choosing ethical behavior over profit.

But the arguments in favour of business ethics are much stronger. Aside from the more obvious connection between respect for obligations, sanctity of contracts, and reliability or trustworthiness and business success, clearly unethical accounting practices, false communication to shareholders or the public, (where it is sanctioned by the leadership) results in employee cynicism and defeats the commitment to corporate visions and objectives.

If the employees believes that the bosses are crooks or prepared to bend the rules, they also will seek ways of short-circuiting the rules for personal benefit.

Besides, the frequent clashes between conscience and wrongful behavior will eventually create a toxic work environment and destroy corporate objectives and visions. There is also enough history of how cutting corners and dishonesty ultimately bring down the whole enterprise.

This we have seen in the facts behind the collapse of many Nigerian financial institutions from the nineties to the more recent occurrences in 2009. Yes, it took a while for the institutions to unravel but the point is made that on the long run, unethical practices are unsustainable.

Besides for quoted companies, the dangers of unethical behavior are much graver. Local and international investors have greater access to information and more options than ever before, the slightest whiff of scandal or malfeasance can destroy value built up over the years.

The local and especially the international examples of the collapse of companies thought to be too big to fail and brand names that had even once been associated with integrity and strong business ethics is a strong reminder of just how brittle edifices built on weak business ethics are.

Today, every company stakeholders are far more than investors, management, or employees. They now include customers, clients, trade partners, suppliers, media, the general public, government and now, the environment.

These additional relationships have become, especially in an age of clearly excessive information flows, as important in the accountability matrix of companies as their traditional stakeholders.

This probably explains the new place of open corporate social responsibility efforts, and the strong environmental stewardship initiatives that many countries are adopting around the world. Companies must show that they are not only profitable but that they are good by measures of character and concern for the environment and society.

According to a study which I came across, by Nielsen, 55% of online shoppers in 60 countries would accept paying more for goods or services from companies that are focused on having a positive impact on society and the environment. And it is becoming more so. People are paying more attention to good corporate citizenship.

The empirical evidence is beginning to match our intuition more forcefully daily. However the key is leadership. Leadership that believes the evidence and realizes that business ethics are not just moral preachments but important foundations for profitable and sustainable businesses in the 21st Century.

Indeed, for Nigerian Business Leaders, the theme of this conference is a challenge to conquer in our own interest the new frontier in business ethics, ethical leadership and sustainability.

Let me thank the executives and members of the Institute of Directors for this opportunity. I wish you excellent deliberations and look forward to receiving your conclusions at the end of the conference.

Released by:

*Laolu Akande,*
*Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,*
*Office of the Vice President.*
3rd November 2020

*Young federal parliamentarians commend VP’s interaction with youths in wake of protests

Engagement with the Nigerian youths has to be transparent and honest in order to build a progressive society and nation, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

This, according to him, was why the implementation of the Buhari administration’s Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) was not done on the basis of sharing slots between public officials or political chieftains, but in a manner whereby Nigerians who knew no one could benefit and did benefit.

The Vice President stated this on Tuesday when he received, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, the executive committee of the Young Parliamentarians Forum led by its Chairman, Hon. Representative Karu Simon Elisha from Kebbi State.

According to Prof. Osinbajo who was asked by the President to coordinate the SIPs at its commencement in 2016, “the first problem was everybody wanted a slot. I resisted it. Why? If I do that, we will destroy the programmes because the majority of Nigerians don’t know people who will take the slots.”

He continued: “It was not that one was being purist, but if young people can’t get the benefit except they know someone then we have failed the young people.”

Recalling how the President responded to the implementation of the SIPs, which was done openly giving everyone an equal opportunity to benefit, the Vice President said “one day the President called me that he was listening to BBC Hausa Service and he heard two young men-beneficiaries of N-Power – saying they didn’t know anybody but were being paid the N30, 000 monthly stipends. The President said that is what shows we are making a difference.

“And everywhere we went during the 2019 campaigns, we had these young people organizing themselves coming out supporting us,” the Vice President recalled.

“If people know they count, then they can trust us and they won’t destroy because they have a stake. Otherwise, people will never trust us,” he submitted, insisting that political leaders must make sacrifices in order to win the trust of the people.

Acknowledging that there are indeed important issues to be addressed while noting the crucial place of youths in building a successful nation, Prof. Osinbajo said the youths are not just a demography but they are in the majority, stating that “what we need to do for that vast majority is what we must do for our country. We must find a way so they are represented as effectively as possible.”

He welcomed the support of the House of Representatives members for the newly formed National Economic Council (NEC) committee set up yesterday to interface with youths, and other stakeholders on issues of employment, social safety-nets and national unity.

On his part, the leader of the delegation, Hon. Elisha, commended the Vice President’s sincere interaction with the youths over the years and especially in the wake of the #EndSARS protests across the country and called for improved interaction between youths and leaders at all levels.

In his contribution at the meeting, Hon. Luke Onofiok, from Akwa Ibom State, also commended the courage exhibited by the Vice President in honestly addressing issues in the wake of the nationwide protests.

He said “we appreciate the messages you sent to the youth during the protests. It doused tensions. You did the job of John the Baptist for the President ahead of his speech to the nation.”

The Federal legislator, a PDP member, added that “we want to thank you for the sincere and transparent communication.” He then called for a bipartisan approach to address the fallouts of the youth protests.

Other members of the forum at the meeting include Hon. Hafiz Ibrahim Kawu, Tarauni Federal Constituency (Kano State); Hon. Kabiru Tukura, Zuru/Fakai/Sakaba/D/Wasagu Federal Constituency (Kebbi State); Hon. Saidu Musa Abdullahi, Bida/Gbako/Katcha Federal Constituency (Niger State); Hon. Taiwo Oluga, Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency (Osun State); Hon. Shina Abiola-Peller, Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency (Oyo State).

Elisha represents Kaltungo/Shongom Federal Constituency in Gombe State while Onofiak is from Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom State.

https://www.yemiosinbajo.ng/why-engagement-with-youths-has-to-be-transparent-honest-by-osinbajo/

Beneficiaries nationwide to receive one-time grant, with Lagos, Kano, FCT & nine more States in first batch

*Enumeration, verification still ongoing for Payroll Support Scheme

*Free CAC Business Names’ Registration for 250,000 MSMEs also commences

As the implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan progresses, the payment of N30,000 one-time grant to 333,000 artisans across the country is now in progress.

The payments are being made to sets of verified beneficiaries of the Artisan Support Scheme, a track under the MSMEs Survival Fund.

In the first stream of payments starting today, beneficiaries are being drawn from the FCT, Lagos, Ondo, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Bauchi, Anambra, Abia, Rivers, Plateau and Delta States. They form the first batch of applications for the scheme submitted between October 1 and October 10.

The MSMEs Survival Fund scheme is a component of the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan, NESP, which was developed by an Economic Sustainability Committee established by President Muhammadu Buhari in March 2020. The President asked his deputy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to head the committee which produced and is overseeing the implementation of the plan.

Under the ESP, the Survival Fund is generally designed to among other things, support vulnerable MSMEs in meeting their different obligations and safeguard jobs in the sector.

It would be recalled that applications for the Artisans’ Support Scheme under the MSMEs Survival Fund opened on October 1.

Meanwhile, the enumeration for the second stream of States under the Artisan Support Scheme has also commenced with enumerators in various States compiling the lists of artisans through their association leaders. All artisans are expected to liaise with their association leaders to document their details.

The registration of applicants for Stream 2 began on the 19th October 2020. States under Stream 2 are: Edo, Ogun, Ekiti, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Enugu, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Taraba, Bayelsa

In the same vein, enumeration and verification of the documents of applicants under the Survival Fund Payroll Support scheme is still ongoing. Dates for the commencement of payment would be announced in due course.

The application process for the payroll support scheme, which began on September 21, had ended on the 15th of October 2020. Accepted applications are categorized by industry sectors, including Education and Hospitality, among other sectors.

However, there may be an extension for applications for some States that have not met their quota on beneficiaries. The Artisan Support Scheme is to benefit about 9,000 Nigerians per State and FCT.

In addition, the formalization support under the MSME Survival Fund will also commence today. This involves free business names’ registration for 250,000 MSMEs nationwide by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

According to the CAC, 6,606 business names in each of the 34 states will be registered for free. In Abuja, there would be 7,906 free registrations, 9,084 in Lagos and 8,406 free business names from Kano.

Also, a date for the commencement of the Guaranteed Offtake Scheme under the Survival Fund will be announced soon. This scheme is designed to safeguard existing small businesses and save jobs while ensuring continued local production by guaranteeing off-take of priority products

The Offtake Scheme is a track specifically for MSMEs that are into production of items approved by the Steering Committee of the Survival Fund coordinated under the leadership of the Industry, Trade and Investment Minister of State Ambassador Mariam Katagum. The basic requirements include CAC certificate, valid BVN, SON or NAFDAC certification.

The N2.3 Trillion Economic Sustainability Plan consists of fiscal, monetary and sectoral measures to enhance local production, support businesses, retain, create jobs and provide succour to Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable.

*Laolu Akande,*
*Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity,*
*Office of the Vice President.*
27th October, 2020

“There is no revolution: There are only revolutionary moments. These, we have to perpetuate”- Horst Bienek.
The avid Nigeria observer would have been overwhelmed, if not confused by the conflicting narratives in the pushbacks by parties identified as trustees to what has now become the palliative patrimony. From a statement credited to the Chief Executive of First Bank, to the recent one issued on behalf of the Northern Governors Forum and the others by some state governors in between, there is yet to be enough coherence to rid ambiguity and affirm credibility in the fiery eyes of the hesitant, highly agitated Nigerian public. The separate statements have attempted to absolve the parties concerned for the mysterious unravelling of stored food items among other essentials, long after they were expected or assumed to have been distributed to beneficiaries.
For more days now counting, warehouses and other storage facilities are being profiled for onslaught in more states, with the tailback consequence of shutdown from imposed curfews to avert a breakdown of law and order, in others. Concerns are already rife that, in the days ahead, a new shift to gradual anarchy may follow the current wave of ‘revolution’ triggered originally by the EndSARS campaigns, weeks ago, if not adequately contained. After the initial movement transformed into a hunt for items meant for official distribution to less privileged persons, the appropriated ‘entitlement’ of forceful evacuation and sharing of COVID-19 relief items, from their storage locations across the country has opened up widespread looting of unrelated government entities and private investments of innocent persons including top politicians who have been targeted. A particular report of a rice miller in Adamawa, whose 10,615 bags of rice worth N188 million was lost to vandals, among many such occurrences throwing up victims in other parts of Nigeria, portend severe implications, including anarchy.
This ignominious shift, like the originally initiated movement from which it was inspired, does not represent the trappings of the much touted revolution. The notion of a mercantilist, greedy elite force being decimated or dislodged by a retributive force of reactionary ‘proletarian’ elements will still remain a myth for some time to come. Yet, the unfolding rogue model is diabolic in intent, evil in its purpose and clearly departed from any known ideals or doctrines of popular struggle. Robbing persons of their hard earnings or investments is not a radical tackling of class exploitation. Even in the ancient dialectical materialist conception of class struggle, social revolution is founded in productive social activity, not opportunistic, entitled stealing. So, the current wave of looting by so called deprived persons is only consistent with (and complements) the primitive accumulation from the larger, sustained and more entrenched plundering by the elite political class. While animals feeling the lack of food may instinctively seek it, we are clearly seeing man’s artificial desire to callously appropriate what is neither socially owned nor directly related to his immediate survival. Incidentally, this entitled theft is rationalized by a class of people once described by Spanish philosopher and author, Jose Ortega Gasset as ‘new barbarians’- “men, ever more and more learned, but less and less cultured”.
So, the entitled stealing or its rationalization by any means is neither the revolution nor the road to it. There will, in actual fact, be no revolution in the sense of the many erroneous meanings (Arab Spring or many like it) being generated regarding it; but revolutionary moments- depending on what we make of them, as German novelist and poet, Horst Bienek once asserted. Interestingly, even as the post-EndSARS wave has further exposed the weakening credibility of some of our political leaders in the perception gap imposed by the mysterious discovery of relief items; our elites may learn little or nothing ahead of this, and may only return to focus on their primordial priorities when the dust settles. To complement their nuances, the amnesia of the current army of reactionaries will also permit the sustenance of the sphere of influence of the political class over our lives, as we approach the next elections. The truth is, many young persons of self-entitled influence cannot draw their legitimacy from their local communities or sustain same, due to the greed or opportunism which may encourage ‘conspiratorial’ relationship with the same political elite group they claim to be currently up in arms against. At the heart of the consequent hopelessness is the critical question of culture, or in specific terms, value, for which a systemic revolution can be appropriately contextualized and advanced. In other words, we will have to begin to see revolution differently, away from the utopian ideas of armed or violent revolt against a particular class of society, to “a process of transformation of social beliefs by another, in which the former social values no longer have meaning” for us all, because we are almost all clearly the same. For, our culture influences our environment, even as our environment is influenced by it. The product of this interaction is what renowned political scientist, C.C Onu once acknowledged as “national character”, which is synonymous with political culture. Sadly, our profane lack of genuine patriotism is a major hindrance to obtaining a national character or evolving a goal oriented political culture. Beginning from when we entrenched a regionalization of nationalism, we have gradually declined in developing objective national feelings, opinions or judgments in our individual consciences and collective consciousness regarding issues that affect us all. Even more unfortunately, we have significantly declined in humanity.
Ahmed BS teaches at the Department of Mass Communication, Kaduna Polytechnic, and writes from Hayin Danmani, Kaduna.

This is very commendable.
I love the way Osinbajo is handling this matter.
Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo is doing a superb job in leading our nation through this trying time. There is no one else in Nigeria I would rather have doing so. He is the greatest Vice President of all time

There are obvious reasons why the #Endsars movement may not be the long awaited revolution, if any would ever happen in my generation.
Beyond the spontaneity that trailed its awakening, it suffered a larger deficit in conception, structure, strategy and tactics, and events of the last few days have proven so. The grounds have now shifted to arson, jailbreak, looting and other forms of criminality, including agony and death for innocent persons whose causes were thought as being advanced by the agitators.
With the 5 for 5 demands rising to seven and more, subsequently opening a floodgate for a disingenious call for regime change, there was no better way to predict a self-destruct, as the movement failed to critically situate the cause within a clearly predefined, identifiable and realistic mission.

So, this wasn't going to be easy on both sides. Dealing with a generation whose ideas of "constituted authority"is since liberated from the compelling mysteries we once knew; government's bigger challenge from the onset, was innovation and strategy. So, like the protesters, whose leadership remain inorganic and their model weakened by inadequate or poorly articulated strategy; the authorities they are standing up against have proven to be complementary to them in mutual failures, from the pictures emerging from Lekki in Lagos.
Why was it so clearly predictable that, the authorities, just as the protesters, will not end any differently from how events have finally unfolded?
How is it that, before the onslaught, there were heads up signalling it: allegations of transmitters being turned off and CCTV devices being dislodged at the Lekki Toll gate. Then a curfew, and then soldiers on a shooting spree, after. The morning after, even an enforced curfew has not tamed anarchy. NPA, TVC, BRT garage, among other vital assets have been targetted.
Some of us knew well enough, ahead of time that, the protests, however well intended, will be hijacked by hoodlums, rebranded by ulterior elements, appropriated by anarchists, and then fizzle out from the aftermath of the full weight of sustained lethal force by the machinery of state authority. We knew the last part well enough, because our authorities do not know or have a better approach to response over civil disobedience with lesser consequence. Sadly, our tradition of "popular" mass agitation overtime suffers poor conception in planning, consensus building and exit strategy. NLC, the Nigerian umbrella labour body has painfully been identified with this weakness.

The tough lessons to be learnt stare us all. I fear that, the protesters, for all the good intentions that may define their original engagement, may have lost a golden opportunity in the pursuance of this noble cause on our behalf. I fear that, government may have lost a unique opportunity to affirm its civility by its failure to bring novelty and innovation to bear on civic engagement, particularly in crisis response. It is preposterous to solve this with avoidable deaths.

Protesters under any guise, including the shielding by criminals, cannot carry on with unbridled violence, breakdown of law and order and threat to life. Even where proven to be genuine agitators, there is no wisdom in crossing the red line to test the will of government. More importantly, there is more wisdom in restraint on both sides, where threat to life is prevalent.

The failure on both sides affirm us. We pray more than we act, and whereas acting from a knowledge base will yeild more wins, we appear to be condemned to base, wilful indiscretion, made complicated by our many contending faultlines.

It will be noteworthy to hear from the Lagos state Governor how his proper handling of this issue from the onset suddenly took a new turn. It will also be assuring to evolve proper status briefing by the military over yesterday's incidents. Influencers and arrowheads of the #Endsars also need to do an immediate reevaluation of the eroding credibility of the struggle, including immediate debriefing of frontline agitators for strategy overhaul.

No life is too cheap to waste.

We have started seeing positive results but those irate protesters needs to be dealt with

Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo is doing a superb job in leading our nation through this pandemic. There is no one else in Nigeria I would rather have doing so. He is the greatest Vice President of all time

In the whole brouhaha, when last did you hear Pence name trending in America? He's the VP, his job will always be as directed by Trump! But here in Nigeria... Nigerians want it otherwise. Hypocrisy

The op is not knowledgeable. It is permissible to prostrate when greeting.

President Muhammadu Buhari Monday in Abuja declared that disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is the first step to extensive police reforms by his administration.



Speaking at the launch of the Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme (P-YES), aimed at creating 774,000 jobs across the Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country, President Buhari also directed that all those responsible for misconduct or wrongful acts be brought to justice.



''I will like to use this opportunity to say a word on the recent genuine concerns and agitations by Nigerians about the excessive use of force and in some cases extra-judicial killings and wrongful conduct of the men of the Nigerian Police Force,’’ President Buhari said during the launch of the P-YES programme, attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and Engineer Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State.



He continued: ''The disbanding of SARS is only the first step in our commitment to extensive police reforms in order to ensure that the primary duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies remains the protection of lives and livelihood of our people.



''We will also ensure that all those responsible for misconduct or wrongful acts are brought to justice.



''We deeply regret the loss of life of the young man in Oyo State during the recent demonstrations.



''I have directed that the circumstances of his death should be thoroughly investigated.



''Meanwhile, it is important to recognise that the vast majority of men and women of the police force are hardworking and diligent in performing their duties.



''The few bad eggs should not be allowed to tarnish the image and reputation of the force.''



On the empowerment programme, the President while restating his administration’s commitment to youth development and poverty alleviation pledged that the Federal Government policies of social protection and people empowerment would continue on track, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic.



The President, who described P-YES as a cornerstone of his administration’s social and economic development strategies, said it was part of the overall policy of ensuring that 100 million Nigerians were lifted out of poverty in ten years.



''The P-YES is also part of the plan that we adopted in 2016 in which we empowered One hundred youths from each of the 774 Local Government Areas with the necessary tools to acquire skills and establish small businesses.



''Given the success of that initiative, we are now committed to creating 774,000 jobs across all the LGAs, through the P-YES programme,'' he said.



President Buhari, who took a tour of P-YES tools and equipment displayed at the forecourt of Presidential Villa, expressed delight that the materials showcased represent the fruits of the initiatives embarked upon by his administration in 2016.



''All the tools, machines and equipment that are exhibited here, are products of the efforts of these empowered youth entrepreneurs.



''I note with particular pleasure that they were all fabricated in Nigeria by Nigerian youths using locally sourced materials. This is a wonderful and uplifting achievement.



''As an entrepreneurship empowerment project, the P-YES programme aims to address the needs of unskilled and less educated youth.



''It targets key areas of activities that are of practical importance and are essential to every aspect of our economy.



''These include areas such as agriculture and food processing, restaurant and catering, tailoring and fashion design, technical skills such as in the Information and Communications Technology sector, artisanship, welding, carpentry and joinery, other small businesses and activities associated with the micro-economic sector of this economy,'' he said.



The President used the occasion to call on State Governments, Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to factor the P-YES into their programmes to assist the youth realise their potentials in their chosen fields.



He urged local and foreign private sector operators in Nigeria to also contribute their share to the expansion of this programme through channelling their corporate social responsibility efforts towards skills acquisition, creation of start-ups, and other intervention measures.



President Buhari declared that the expansion of the P-YES would now be vigorously pursued, adding that more resources will be committed to the achievement of its goals and objectives towards youth empowerment and entrepreneurship development.



The President commended the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Youth and Students Affairs, under Hon. Nasiru Saidu Adhama, for driving the P-YES programme in accordance with the mandates prescribed for the office and the programme.



He expressed confidence that the programme being supervised by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation would make significant difference.



In his remarks, Hon Adhama assured the President that as achieved in the pilot phase of the programme the selection of beneficiaries in the full-scale P-YES scheme would be done with the utmost transparency and credibility, adding that equal opportunities will be observed in the delivery of equipment, tools and machines to all States and LGAs.



Femi Adesina

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

October 12, 2020

The disbanding of SARS is only the first step in our commitment to extensive police reforms in order to ensure that the primary duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies remains the protection of lives and livelihood of our people. pic.twitter.com/XjQMSr3jlm

— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 12, 2020

1. The Nigeria Police Force is accountable to citizens and the FG is determined to reform the Police and end menace of police brutality and excesses against citizens.

2. On the President’s directive, the IGP will ensure that erring officers are brought to justice, even as the concerns over excesses of SARS is wholly addressed:

3. Democracy ensures the right to peaceful protest, but the President appealed to Nigerians for calm and patience as concerns are being addressed.

4. Despite the bad eggs among them, the Nigeria Police Force have many good & patriotic officers protecting the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians, and the FG will ensure the police is well equipped to do their job.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has applauded the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu for banning the routine patrol of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other Tactical Squads of the Nigeria Police Force.
Speaking to State House reporters at his residence in Abuja on Sunday, Professor Osinbajo described the routine attacks on young people as infuriating.
While condemning the actions of some officers he called bad “eggs of the Force”, the Vice President asked the police to stick to their mandates.
He also commended Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for speaking up against injustices meted out by some security operatives on young Nigerians.

Osinbajo’s remarks come shortly after IGP Adamu warned FSARS and other Tactical Squads of the Force against carrying out stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc with immediate effect.


https://www.chronicle.ng/2020/10/osinbajo-commends-ban-on-fsars/

Prof. Wumi Iledare, Professor of Petroleum Economics, says comparing the prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, with other countries will help to educate Nigerians on deregulation of the sector.

Iledare made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria( NAN) while reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence day speech in Abuja on Thursday.
Buhari in his speech explained why petroleum prices in the country needed to be adjusted for economic development.

Buhari said: “Our government is grappling with the dual challenge of saving lives and livelihoods in face of drastically reduced resources.

” In this regard, sustaining the level of petroleum prices is no longer possible.
” In the circumstances, a responsible government must face realities and take tough decisions.
” Petroleum prices in Nigeria are to be adjusted. We sell now at N161 per litre. A comparison with our neighbours will illustrate the point, Chad which is an oil-producing country charges N362 per litre Niger, also sells 1 litre at N346.

” In Ghana, another oil-producing country, the petroleum pump price is N326 per litre. Egypt charges N211 per litre. Saudi Arabia charges N168 per litre.
“It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia, Buhari says.
Iledare said that the president had stated the obvious, adding that people should not bring up sentiment about it.
“I disagree with any sentiment. We cannot pick and chose even as we adopt global best practice keeping local context in view.

“Don’t we live American life in Nigeria and invoke such expectations in our demands, yet the governance structure to meet the living standard demanded are frustrated.
“Let us for example look at the price of PMS of the same grade in ECOWAS. Nigeria is the cheapest and the second cheapest is 100 Naira equivalent more than Nigeria.”
He said that experts in 2015 advised the government on deregulation of the downstream sector but it did not heed to it, noting that it was better now than never.

“Oil is a global commodity that connects and affects the global economy and we must ensure global best practices in Nigeria.”

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/10/independence-buharis-comparism-of-petrol-prices-will-educate-nigerians-expert/amp/

VP to Nigerian Youths: We have a future worth fighting for


*Adds: “… because of you, a united, peaceful & prosperous Nigeria is possible

As NigeriaNews ns, including public commentators reflect on the country’s journey to nationhood over the past 60 years, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has called on the youth not succumb to the challenges confronting the nation, noting that young Nigerians hold the key to a more united, peaceful and prosperous nation.
 
Prof. Osinbajo also expressed disagreement on comments reflective of a bleak view of Nigeria’s history noting that “despite the onerous challenges we face, we have endured as a people and there is still so much that I believe should give us reason to face the future with hope.”
 
The Vice President made the remarks Thursday at the virtual edition of the NASFAT Global Youth Seminar themed: “A Unified, Peaceful and Prosperous Nigeria”.
 
According to him, “I urge you to guard your hearts and protect your capacity for idealism and creative optimism. These are the tools with which you will build the Nigeria of our dreams. We have a future worth fighting for.

“Your generation has what it takes to move us away from the destructive and unproductive rent-seeking attitudes that engender conflict and on to the terrain of enhanced productivity.
 
“Your generation has the tools to usher in a new age of abundance and wealth creation that will lift our society beyond the hunger-induced and poverty-inducing squabbles over a national cake that has ceased to exist. As Nigeria seeks to find her proper place in the world in the 21st century, you are our nation’s most important resource. It is because of you that a united, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria is very possible.”
 
Speaking about overcoming the challenges confronting the nation, Prof. Osinbajo said the youth’s capacity for innovation would come handy in an era of scarcity and unequal distribution of resources.
 
He said “Much of the discontent and tensions that we have are distributional conflicts ignited by the struggle for access to tangible and intangible resources. As resources become scarcer, identity-based claims to a share of the national patrimony become more aggressive and lead increasingly to conflict. Under these circumstances, we are liable to see each other as competitors and rivals instead of compatriots and eventually we begin to demonize each other as “enemies.
 
“With a population of about 200 million, and with our country on track to be the third most populous nation on earth in a few decades, the challenge for us is creating opportunity for the huge number of people that increasingly need education, food, healthcare, and employment. This is where your capacity to innovate comes in.”
 
Recalling efforts made in the past to promote unity among Nigerians and progress across different sectors of the economy, Prof. Osinbajo said Nigerians must not relent in striving for a progressive and united country.
 
“Inspired by constitutional imperatives, we created institutions such as Federal Government Colleges otherwise known as Unity Schools and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to foster cohesion and solidarity amongst our diverse people. And we instituted the Federal Character principle to govern the democratization of opportunity, participation, and representation in our public institutions.
 
“We are therefore alive and here at a time in history when our society must complete the unfinished tasks of resolving issues of structural poverty, entrenched inequality, disparities in access to social and economic opportunities, fractured access to justice, and the diminishing faith in governing institutions – all of which create profound radical discontent with the social order,” the Vice President added.
 
Osinbajo then noted that “those of us who desire a united peaceful and prosperous Nigeria must confront the everyday injustices that mock our aspirations and erode our confidence in a shared future.”
 
His words: “It is important that we do not raise our voices only when we perceive the rights of our own group to have been violated. We must make common cause with other groups when they are injured because our rights are rooted in universal principles that cannot be selectively applied.
 
“We must also reject the idea that some Nigerians have to lose in order for other Nigerians to win, and that some Nigerians have to be deprived in order for some Nigerians to prosper. We can all win and we can all live in prosperity. Nigeria will work for each of us only when it works for all of us.” 
 
Continuing, the Vice President said “we must resist the temptation to demonize whole groups by judging them by their most extreme fringes. We must resist the urge to portray communities in caricatures.
 
“As citizens, there are moral choices upon us. Are we using our influence to promote measured voices of reason or are we amplifying the voices of divisive hate-mongers? The choice before us is clear.”
 
The event featured presentations by Islamic scholars including Sheik Nurudeen Lemu, Mufti Ismail, Imam Abdul Azeez Morufu Onike, among others.
 
 
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
1st October 2020

https://www.yemiosinbajo.ng/nigeria-at-60-i-disagree-with-a-bleak-view-of-our-history-says-osinbajo/