₦airaland Forum

As reactions continue to trail the reported Senate debate about the Azura-Edo Independent Power Project (IPP), management of Azura Power West Africa Ltd – the plant’s parent company, have said the contract for the project signed with the Federal Government between the periods of 2013 and 2014 was binding and in force at the time the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was signed in April 2013.

This clarification is coming against the backdrop of reports that an indemnity agreement signed in 2015 was what effected the PPA. Differing on that score Azura management said PPA signed in 2014 was legally enforceable then.

The company also stated that the terms of all the agreements signed for the project are not inimical to the development of the country, as erroneously alluded to in some media report.

The company’s position is contained a statement released on Monday July 27, 2020, ostensibly to properly situate the debate about the signing of the contract and the conditions therein.

According to the management, “in the preceding weeks, a number of media outlets have published articles mentioning the Azura-Edo IPP. As the facts and dates cited therein are occasionally incorrect or misleading, we thought it might be helpful to issue a brief guide to the project’s chronology.”

The company said what the Buhari administration did in 2015 was to execute the legal opinion but added that without it the PPA was already in force.

Re-emphasizing the company’s position on the matter in an interview on popular television station, the Managing Director of Azura Power West Africa, Mr Edu Okeke insisted that negotiations between government representatives and other parties in the contract started long ago and culminated in the signing of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in 2013 which was later amended and signed in 2014. He said by then the agreement had legal force and was already in effect in all considerations.

According to him, “the journey for Azura started a long time ago, this is something the founders and promoters started in 2009. After the feasibility study was completed, the negotiation with the Nigerian government started in 2010. That was a very long process because before then, Nigeria had not had an Independent Power Plant. It was always being built by the government.

“To get that process going, a lot of parties had to be involved, it was about the Nigerian government, it was about lenders – most of the lenders were development financial institutions from different parts of the world. That negotiation took quite a long time, also the World Bank was actively involved, and it culminated to the signing of the PPA in 2013 and this was later amended and signed in 2014.

“The process started after the signing of the contract in 2014 and it ended some time in December 2015. In the process also, part of the conditions precedent was, getting a legal opinion. So, government being a continuum, the Buhari administration continued with the process that started long before it came into office, they saw the merit of the project and executed the legal opinion and that led to the financial closing in 2015.”
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/our-agreement-with-fg-in-2013-was-already-binding-then-azura/

Documents available shows that the agreements were signed in 2013 and 2014. There is deliberate misinformation here.

A break down of the Economic Sustainability Plan for easy comprehension. The ESP has 3 pillars.
1. Real Sector Measures,
2. Fiscal and Monetary Measures and
3. Implementation

Re: Senate Targets Osinbajo, Fashola, Others Over Multimillion Dollar Power Deal

Dr. AHMED RAHMAN, ABUJA

On Tuesday July 21, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Gabriel Suswam, presented a report on ‘Addressing Nigeria’s Power Sector Problems’ for debate at Plenary. As may be expected, the report recounted many of the well-known woes and inadequacies of the Nigerian Power Sector. At the same time, it tried to ascribe reasons to them.

In the course of that, the Senator dwelled on the Azura Power Generating Company and what the transaction was costing the Federal Government.

As may be expected, most papers reported it the next day, but of all of them, the approach taken by the Daily Sun stood out.

Here, we shall take a look at the key contents of the Daily Sun report and place them side by side with the facts on record.

1. In its screaming headlines, the newspaper proclaimed that “Senate targets Osinbajo, Fashola, others over multimillion dollar power deal.”

Fact: Senate has not said or implied that it was targeting anybody. None of the Senators present at the session mentioned anything suggestive of such targeting. One cannot but wonder where the Sun got its conspiracy theory from.

2. The Daily Sun reports that “Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Babatunde Fashola and others who were part of the team are believed to have erroneously signed an agreement that was not in favour of Nigeria.”

Fact: Neither Vice President Osinbajo nor Mr. Fashola signed any such agreement. They were not even in office when the Azura agreements were signed. Records show that the Power Purchase Agreement or PPA for the transaction in question was signed on April 22, 2013, during the tenure of the then President Goodluck Jonathan (see below first page of agreement with date shown, as well as the signature page).

It must also be pointed out that the Take or Pay Clause in the Power Purchase Agreement, which obliges Government to pay for power declared available by the company, whether or not it is taken by the Government-owned Transmission Company, is fairly standard, especially where, as in this case, the plant is a huge one requiring enormous set up cost.

3. The Daily Sun went further to say, “The Presidential Power Reform Transaction, which was headed by Osinbajo when the deal was struck obligated Nigeria to pay between $30 million and $33 million monthly to Azura for power for powers generated, even if not “dispatched.”

Fact: Again, this is completely false. Osinbajo was not even in office when the agreement was signed, as far back as in April 2013. The clause which talks about monthly pay is called a ‘Take or Pay Clause’, and in fairness to the government that signed it, that clause is quite typical in Power Purchase transactions.

Nobody would build a power plant, which is a very costly and capital intensive venture, and no lender would put money in one, unless someone had committed to pay for the power. At any rate, much of that monthly payment goes straight to Nigeria Gas Company, Nigerian National Petroleum Company and other gas suppliers who make the power generation possible in the first place.

In Nigeria, the company that takes power from electricity Generating Companies is the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company or NBET for short, which happens to be 100% government owned, hence the commitment to pay for the power was made by the Nigerian Government. It is NBET that buys power from generating companies like Azura and sells to distribution companies. In 2013 when the deal was struck, it clearly appeared to be a good deal for Nigeria, which was desperate for power and feverishly seeking the establishment of power plants.

No one quite envisaged the current situation where electricity generating companies are kept idle because when power is produced, the Transmission Company may not be able to wheel the electricity fully for distribution to customers. It is no longer news that even when the electric power is made available for distribution, the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) at times reject it because they have failed to improve their networks and to meter their customers. The fear of the DISCOs is that they might be unable to deliver the power to customers or to collect tariff. On their part, Customers are reticent to pay because service is appalling and most of them feel cheated by estimated billing.

It should be noted also that payments made to Azura is by no means all for nothing. Azura’s over 80% of Azura’s power is currently being transmitted and distributed, while the rest is being used by the Transmission Company of Nigeria to stabilize the National grid.

4. “Part of the deal the Federal Government had during the power sector reforms was that the investors will have the legitimacy to pull about $1.2 billion from the country’s foreign reserve.”
Fact: No investor can just pull out $1.2 billion or any amount from Nigeria’s foreign reserve like that. There was a Put/Call Agreement signed with Azura as far back as October 22, 2014, whereby Nigeria reserved the option to buy over the assets or the company to give up the assets and seek payment, if Azura defaults (see below first page of agreement with date shown, as well as the signature page).

However, the amount to be paid can only be determined when the option is exercised and nobody can simply pull out money from our foreign reserves just like that.

With the agreement having been signed before the inception of this administration, the questions one may ask are “who profits from claiming that it was done by Osinbajo and Fashola? What is the motive behind this mischievous falsehood? And in their desperation to attack these gentlemen, why are they willing to rubbish a company that produces nearly a tenth of our nation’s power with such uncommon transparency and professionalism?

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

“WE WILL RISE FROM DESPAIR, PAIN OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC” – VP OSINBAJO

Though the Coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented hardship and disruptions to economies across the world, God willing, Nigerians and indeed all people around the world will survive the despair, pain and other consequences associated with the disease, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The Vice President gave the assurance in a message sent to the 11th Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Abuja Diocese, themed: Building a Sure Foundation. The Synod had started on Saturday, July 25 at St James' Church, Asokoro, Abuja.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “Everything around us has been shaken and is being shaken by the greatest global threat to mankind in a century. We are in the midst of the greatest economic slump in history, every region of the world is experiencing an unprecedented slowdown in growth. It is my firm belief that, by the grace of God, very soon, this pandemic will be defeated.”

Speaking further, he said Christians must, however, put their hopes in Christ Jesus, noting that only in God’s name, can the present situation be overturned.

Recalling the depth of the crisis on the Nigerian economy and society, the VP said "there was a day in April when oil, our precious oil was selling for less than the cost of production. No one was even willing to buy. Suddenly all we took for granted, from air travel to hugs and even handshakes, have become neither safe nor advisable.

"Our own economy faces its worst period in history. We are earning 40% less than we should because oil prices have fallen and few today can afford to pay taxes.

Continuing he said “the sum and substance of what I am saying is that these past few months have shown us that human ingenuity and planning cannot even assure us that we will live to see the next day. Any hopes built on the foundation of human understanding and effort is a shaky and unsure foundation and is bound to fail when the storms and the turbulence come.”

BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE OCCASION OF THE 11TH SYNOD OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION), ABUJA DIOCESE, ON SUNDAY JULY 26TH 2020

Let me say how very honored I am, to be invited to another Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Abuja Diocese. I am profoundly grateful to our new Primate, His Eminence, the Most Revd. Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, Archbishop Metropolitan, Primate of All Nigeria and Bishop of Abuja.

I say our Primate because I am one of your congregants having been born of Anglican parents and raised in the church. My father until his death served in various lay capacities in the Diocese of Lagos and Diocese of Remo and my mother remains a committed member of the St. Jude’s Church, Ebute Metta.

Your Eminence, I have earnestly looked forward to meeting you personally since your investiture in March. Certainly, this Synod would have afforded me that special opportunity, but the realities of the "new normal" in the Covid-19 pandemic, dictate the maintaining of some form of social distance.

It is my firm belief that, by the grace of God, very soon, this pandemic will be defeated, and I would have the privilege of that personal meeting with you.

The selection of the theme of this 11th Synod, "Building a Sure Foundation", is certainly divinely inspired. Everything around us has been shaken and is being shaken by the greatest global threat to mankind in a century.

We are in the midst of the greatest economic slump in history, every region of the world is experiencing an unprecedented slowdown in growth.

There was a day in April when oil, our precious oil was selling for less than the cost of production. No one was even willing to buy. Suddenly all we took for granted, from air travel to hugs and even handshakes, have become neither safe nor advisable. Our own economy faces its worst period in history. We are earning 40% less than we should because oil prices have fallen and few today can afford to pay taxes.

The sum and substance of what I am saying is that these past few months have shown us that human ingenuity and planning cannot even assure us that we will live to see the next day. Any hopes built on the foundation of human understanding and effort is a shaky and an unsure foundation and is bound to fail when the storms and the turbulence come.

But there is a sure foundation, one that never fails. One that cannot fail because the cornerstone and the rock on which it stands is the creator of life itself, the one who made all things on earth, beneath the earth and in the heavens - Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Indeed scripture reminds us of the futility of trying to lay any other foundation. 1Cor 3:11, reminds us “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” That foundation; because it is based on the righteousness of the son of God and not our own righteousness or effort; because it is based on His grace, his love for us; because it is given to us as a gift from the owner of life, cannot fail us.

So, in these uncertain times those who know Him, those who know the Lord Jesus Christ, will do great exploits. We will rise above every challenge because we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, and his promise to us is contained in the words of the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 3:10 where it says, “Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them…"

So, I say to you it shall be well with you. And for your sakes, it shall be well with our nation and the world. We will rise from the despair and pain of this pandemic, from the tragedies of insecurity and the deprivations of our economic circumstances to a bright new day of abundance, prosperity and joy in the mighty name of Jesus.

Once more I congratulate your Eminence, our Primate, and their Lordships, Archbishops and Bishops present, all members of the clergy of the Anglican Communion, and friends from other denominations on this auspicious occasion of the 11th Synod and I pray that the almighty God will bless and prosper the Church of Nigeria Anglican communion and you all in Jesus mighty name, Amen.

Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
26th July, 2020

https://www.yemiosinbajo.ng/11th-synod-of-church-of-nigeria-anglican-communion-abuja-diocese/

Fresh facts emerged on Saturday that the suspended Secretary to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ola Oluyede, has never worked in the law firm of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo called SimmonCoopers.
He had also worked for several years prior to the establishment of SimmonCoopers, according to a document sighted yesterday by The Nation.

It was gathered that Oluyede had worked as a consultant and managed corporate intelligence portfolio before joining EFCC.
Social media reports had claimed that the EFCC Secretary was unduly favoured by Osinbajo to be appointed to the position.
But the document seen by The Nation showed that the claim was “not only false but also discreditable to the person of Ola Olukoyede.”
The document said: “Oluyede has never stepped or walked into the office of SimmonCoopers all his life, not to talk of working for the law firm.

“In his career profile and curriculum vitae, which he submitted to the Senate during his confirmation hearing in November 2018, Olukoyede worked for a finance and investment company Ecodev Investment as an investment officer for about five years before he started his law career with Legal Research and Corporate Development Projects (LRCDP Consulting)  as a research partner.
“At LRCD, he acted as a consultant and managed corporate intelligence portfolio with a number of high profile organisations in clientele, including financial institutions and law enforcement agencies from 2002.”
The document gave more insight into the antecedents of Oluyede as an expert on anti-corruption strategies.
It added: “In 2008, he established Global Compliance (GRC) a governance, risk and legal consulting outfit as a managing partner where he led and managed as an attorney, Investigation and Civil Litigation of fraud and corruption on international aid projects.
“He has also been involved for several years even preceding the establishment of SimmonCoopers partners, in the development and implementation of strategic policy documents for operations, legal and administrative units of various anti-corruption agencies, including EFCC, as a trainer and consultant.
“Also in the same year 2008, he established his Law practice, Ola Olukoyede & CO, from where he joined EFCC.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/efcc-secretary-never-worked-in-osinbajos-law-firm-investigation/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT PRESS RELEASE*
 
*OSINBAJO TO YOUNG NIGERIANS: COVID-19 PANDEMIC OFFERS YOU OPPORTUNITY TO PROFFER SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS NOW AND COMING YEARS*

As the world grapples with the fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic, young Nigerians should seize opportunities of the moment to change the course of human history, do things never done before and become problem solvers, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
 
The Vice President stated this on Saturday at the virtual valedictory service for graduating students of Edgewood College, Lagos.
 
According to Prof. Osinbajo, “No matter how you look at it, you are unique. The game changed in your generation, you are certainly a class of game changers. The point with any opportunity is that it must be seized if you are to benefit from it, which is why you must never take your place in history for granted. There is always a divine reason for it.”

Historically, he said “circumstances have moved you ahead. No one has been here before. None of your parents or mine can tell you how life would be in or after a global pandemic. We know some but not nearly all of the challenges and all of the opportunities that will come with it. And if you tell me that you would have to wait until you get into University and even graduate before you start to answer those questions then you are missing the opportunity that history is offering you.”
 
He further explained that when an opportunity to make history comes, it is often disguised as a challenge, a draw back or even a tragedy, adding that an opportunity often “hardly ever looks like the next great leap of mankind.”
 
The VP said young age is a profound advantage in a time of uncertainty such as now and that such times also offer opportunity. In his words, “there is no qualifying age to be a problem solver, an entrepreneur, a great poet, an inventor, or an author. Age doesn’t matter. You must from now begin to examine the solutions to the problems that we face and will face now and in the coming years.”
 
*BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT’S REMARKS:*
 
*REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE VIRTUAL VALEDICTORY SERVICE FOR GRADUATING STUDENTS OF EDGEWOOD COLLEGE, LEKKI, LAGOS, ON SATURDAY JULY 25, 2020*
 
First, let me commend the vision and dedication of the founder of Edgewood College, for conceiving of and delivering this unique centre of education which combines a strong commitment to developing God fearing and selfless leaders with a dedication to offering the best in the sixth form education blending both local and the UK curricula.

To the staff of the College, it is to your knowledge, and expertise and your experience that our most important national resources, these young people are committed year in, year out. And you must be doing many things right to have received the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards, top in 2017 and the awardee of the high achievement in Cambridge A level Law in 2018. Congratulations and very well done.
 
For parents and guardians of the members of the graduating class, we all join you in rejoicing today and in thanking God for this great gifts of success and accomplishments.

And to the graduating class of 2020, my very special and warm congratulations. I have a short message for you, it is tilted “The Class of Game Changers”.
 
Every generation is gifted by God with a unique set of circumstances that give them an opportunity to distinguish themselves, to make history, to do something never done before, to positively alter the trajectory of the story of mankind. That opportunity usually comes disguised as a challenge, a drawback, even a tragedy; it hardly ever looks like the next great leap of mankind that it really is.
 
The generation that should take advantage may sometimes even miss the opportunity, because as human beings our inclination is to look back rather than ahead. We seek comfort in the familiar things, the known course of events, we want progress but we still want things to be the way they were.
 
But worse, we miss the moment because the opportunities no longer knocks, it sounds more like a whisper, barely audible because there is so much noise all around us, which is why I have named your class, the class of 2020, the class of game-changers.
 
You are the first set of students of this college to graduate in the midst of a global pandemic. You are also the first in the history of this school and in many parts of the world to have a virtual graduation. One thing I can say is that you are certainly the first school in Nigeria to have a serving Vice President keynote your graduation and certainly the first to have that done virtually.

So, no matter how you look at it, you are unique. The game changed in your generation, you are certainly a class of game changers. The point with any opportunity is that it must be seized if you are to benefit from it, which is why you must never take your place in history for granted. There is always a divine reason for it.

So, what should you do as a game changer? I think one of the critical things to recognize is that you cannot stand on the queue anymore.

Historically, circumstances have moved you ahead. No one has been here before. None of your parents or mine can tell you, how life would be in or after a global pandemic. We know some but not nearly all of the challenges and all of the opportunities that will come with it. And if you tell me that you would have to wait until you get into University and even graduate before you start to answer those questions then you are missing the opportunity that history is offering you. Age, your very young age is a profound advantage in a time of uncertainty and opportunity. There is no qualifying age to be a problem solver, an entrepreneur, a great poet, an inventor, or an author. Age doesn’t matter.
 
You must from now begin to examine the solutions to the problems that we face and will face now and in the coming years. Meeting virtually such as we are doing now was made possible by the inventors of Zoom a virtual meeting application, many more such applications, even better ones are waiting to be developed. You don’t have to be a technology geek to be an innovator, you can identify the problem, write up the solution and someone else develops the app. Some of the greatest and most useful inventions were made by young men and women before they even left high school.
 
At 15, Bill Gates had gone into partnership with his friend Allen, to develop Traf-O-Data, a computer program that monitored traffic patterns in Seattle, Washington State in the US. George Westinghouse invented the Rotary Steam engine at 19, the television was first conceived by Philo Fansworth, he was 14.
 
Timilehin Daomi, before he was 16 living in Ikorodu, there in Lagos State, had made prototypes of a vacuum cleaner, a pumping machine, a digital microscope and last year or about two years ago, a prototype of hydraulic-powered collapsible 4th Mainland Bridge for Lagos State.

Aghogho Ajiyen, a young man in Oghara, in Delta State and Ayoola Olaolu in Ikorodu, have been making prototypes of airplanes, drones and flying cars. Emeka Nelson in Anambra State developed a water-powered generator.

Sooner or later, these innovators will define enterprise, our economy, digital technology, in our country and perhaps around the world.
 
But those gifted in the arts and humanities must also take advantage of these times. Pablo Picasso, the legendary artist, had painted the La premiere communion’ when he was 15.
 
Amanda Gorman is the first youth poet laureate in the US. She took the hopelessness of the pandemic and the black-lives-matter protest to write a poetic masterpiece titled ‘Fury and Faith’. She wrote these words that must now be etched in our hearts as we face these uncertain times, and I quote the words that she wrote in that poem: “…whether we prevail in these times is not determined by all the challenges present but by the change that is possible...”

Arinze Ifeakandu was shortlisted for The Caine Prize for his book ‘God’s Children Are Little Broken Things’. At 22, he is the Caine Prize’s second youngest ever person to be shortlisted. And the list of these young achievers goes on.

The sum and substance of what I am saying is that, you leave high school at a phenomenal moment in global history, nothing will ever be the same again. Believe it or not you have spent the last one or two years here at Edgewood College, being prepared for this moment and for this season.
 
You have all that it takes to create a new narrative in the arts, in entertainment, in science, in innovation, in medicine, in business or the digital economy. Yes, you are still headed for University but whoever told you that you can’t distinguish yourself even as an undergraduate?
 
One last word that I must leave with you is that, never be foolish enough to imagine that anything happens without the Almighty God, all good and perfect gifts come from Him. Some of the smartest people that you will come across in the best universities in the world, will tell you that there is no God. Remember the words of scripture, “the fool says in his heart that there is no God.”
 
Some will say but life itself is about luck, chance, they might even refer you to the scripture that says, in Ecclesiastes 9:11, “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.” But the question that you must always ask is, who controls time and chance? They are controlled by the Almighty God.
 
So, I pray for you, that you will excel in all you, do, that you will be a source of pride and joy to your families and this nation, and that God will help you always in Jesus name. All will be well with you in Jesus mighty name.

Congratulations again, and God Bless you.

*Laolu Akande*
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
25th July 2020

STOP THE SOUR GRAPES!

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

Osinbajo for President... And so what?
“Gbogbo iwa aisododo, ese ni." (All unrighteousness is sin).

This biblical quote came to my mind while reviewing the level of our hypocrisy in Nigeria few hours ago.

At every forum, we complain as if we are not comfortable with recycling leaders. We advocate for young leaders but our advocacy is just a lip service.

In the last few months, my feeling towards the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has moved from ADMIRATION to SYMPATHY.

Though I admire him for his brilliance and humble disposition, I don’t envy him as the current Vice-President. I tell anybody who cares to listen that he’s the most vilified Vice-President Nigeria has ever had.

At least, we still remember how powerful Atiku was as Number Two and I remember, though faintly, how colourful Alex Ekwueme was as deputy to Shehu Shagari.

In a terse statement issued few days ago, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo's spokesperson stated in clear terms that Osinbajo’s focus is currently on building the economy and enhancing the welfare of the people and not by the distractions surrounding running for 2023 presidency. For me, I ask, why not? Honestly, I don't see any reason why he shouldn't run but even before he has made up his mind, some people are bent on blackmailing him into submission or tarnishing his image beforehand.

Unfortunately, they appear to be winning.

What exactly do we want?

We dont want Tinubu because he has advanced in age.

We don't want Osinbajo because of what again?

We dont want Kinsley Mogalu because of what?

This is the same way we killed Awo's Ambition, We frustrated Zik, We betrayed Abiola, Okadigbo died an angry man. Let's stop deceiving ourself jare we know who we want.

Osinbajo’s challenge can be linked to two things: he's not a professional politician like many of his traducers and some people still believe he came from nowhere; probably to 'reap' where he did not sow.

Some people just don’t like the man’s face; they can’t explain why. Some pass comment as if he’s not qualified for the position he occupies. It’s nothing but jealousy.

When Jonathan was there, some people just didn’t want him because of his background. Oga Jona was neither a son of a first republic minister nor related to any of the Generals.

Now, because it's believed that Osinbajo has no political structure and as a result, he could be tossed here and there.

To me, this is most unfortunate and reason professionals will always run away from seeking political office.

To them, it is for those who can survive nights of long knives...

For those who really understand the tea leaves, those who are trying to smear the VP here and there may be self-subverting because indirectly they are making 2023 to be about Osinbajo and lifting his profile even though it's the opposite they desire. We shall see.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE

OSINBAJO WELCOMES INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S SUPPORT FOR ESP, COVID-19 RESPONSE

As the Federal Government kick starts the implementation of the National Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP), a move from the international community to support the successful execution of programmes encapsulated in the plan is welcomed and appreciated, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The Vice President stated this at a virtual meeting held earlier today with representatives of the international community from the United States (US), the European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK), agencies of the United Nations, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Industry, Trade and Investment Minister, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, a member of the Economic Sustainability Committee was also in attendance.

Prof. Osinbajo who applauded the commitment of the international community to support Nigeria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic also noted that the country will take advantage of the crisis to effect significant changes in the critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.

According to him, “I thank you for your generous comments about the Economic Sustainability Plan. We intend to implement that as closely as possible. We hope that when we get to some of the more technical aspects and full implementation, we will then be able to work with you and see in what areas you will be in the position to assist.

“We also look at the pandemic and post-pandemic period as a time when we can make some useful changes. We really are working towards ensuring that we take full advantage of the crisis. There is no question at all as to our determination to ensure that we are able to quickly surmount the challenges.

The Vice President also restated the government’s condolences on the recent killing of five aid workers on Wednesday in Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents.

Earlier in his remarks, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the United Nations System in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon who led the delegation said Nigeria’s response to the pandemic is well planned and articulated, noting that interactions between with the Federal government and stakeholders would aid a smooth implementation of the plan.

Kallon and other members of the delegation commended the development and approval of the Economic Sustainability Plan, offering to assist in its implementation.

According to Kallon “we want to support the vision of (Nigerian) government in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Economic Sustainability Plan gives us the opportunity.”

“He added that members of the delegation will see how the international community can support the Nigerian government “with what you are doing.”

He disclosed that the delegation want to ensure there is an international alignment in support of the Nigerian government’s response.

Aside Mr Edward Kallon, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the United Nations System in Nigeria, other representatives of foreign governments and international agencies at the meeting include, Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria; Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS; Ambassador Catriona Laing, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria represented by Mr John Primrose, the Acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria; Mr Chris Pycroft, Head of the Department for International Development (DFID) in Nigeria; and Mr Mohamed Yahya, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria.

Others include, Mr Kurt Cornelis, Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS; Mr Shubham Chaudhuri, the Country Director of the World Bank in Nigeria; Ms Jesmin Rahman, Resident Representative and Chief of Mission, International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Nigeria, among others.



Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
23rd July 2020

President Muhammadu Buhari will Thursday depart for Bamako, Republic of Mali on a one-day visit, following the briefing by the ECOWAS Special Envoy to the country, former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Nigerian President and some ECOWAS leaders led by the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the sub-regional organisation, President Issoufou Mahamadou of Niger Republic, agreed to meet in Mali to engage in further consultations towards finding a political solution to the crisis in the country.
Host President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Presidents Machy Sall of Senegal, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Alassane Ouattara of Cote d'Ivoire are expected to participate in the Bamako meeting.
Former President Jonathan was at the State House in company of President of ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, on Tuesday to brief President Buhari on the unfolding situation in Mali, necessitating the visit of ECOWAS leaders to consolidate on the agreements reached by various parties.
“We will ask the President of Niger, who is the Chairman of ECOWAS to brief us as a group, and we will then know the way forward,” President Buhari had said.
He thanked Dr Jonathan for his comprehensive brief on the situation in Mali, “which you had been abreast with since when you were the sitting Nigerian President.”
The former President had filled in President Buhari on his activities as Special Envoy to restore amity to Mali, rocked by protests against President Keita, who has spent two out of the five years second term in office.
A resistance group, M5, is insisting that the Constitutional Court must be dissolved, and the President resign, before peace can return to the country.
Crisis had erupted after the court nullified results of 31 parliamentary seats in the polls held recently, awarding victory to some other contenders, which the resistance group said was at the instigation of President Keita.
Riots on July 10 had led to the killing of some protesters by security agents, causing the crisis to spiral out of control, hence the intervention by ECOWAS.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
July 22, 2020

Op is bringing this as if it’s recent. The reply was issued over a year ago. I can see some ulterior motives here.

Nigeriabiafra80:
If you ever quote me again
Na e slap u go receive
I will send all the dead in southern kaduna to ya domain

stay away from cheap drugs

Nigeriabiafra80:
Silly
People are being killed in southern kaduna
While you busy talking trash about business
What business have you ever engage in your life ?

You can take your silliness elsewhere without displaying your idiocy here.

Last week, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN headlined the Virtual Edition of the Annual MSMEs Awards and few days after, all the winners have now taken delivery of their cars, cheques and award plaques.

A total of 12 winners emerged at 3rd edition of the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Awards held virtually last Thursday.

Four brand new cars were won by awardees in four categories namely; MSME of the Year, Best MSME Clinics participant – Female; Best MSME Clinics participant – Male; and the Award of Excellence in Manufacturing. Winners in the other categories went home with N1 million each.

MSME of the Year - Adejoke Lasisi of Planet 3R from Oyo State
Best MSME in Manufacturing - Hyelni Hassan of SHEELDA Limited from the FCT
Best MSME Clinic participant - Female - Sa’adatu Haruna Illo, of S&M Spices from Kebbi State
Best MSME Clinic participant - Male - Orioye Benedict Gbayisemore of First Morey Foods from Ondo State

But beyond the cash and car gifts, referred to above, other incentives to be enjoyed by the winners and other finalists include a 3-month spotlight on their businesses aimed at boosting patronage for their products and services.

Winners emerged in 12 categories namely:
Award of Excellence in Agriculture
Award of Excellence in Beauty, Wellness and Cosmetics
Award of Excellence in Creative Art
Award of Excellence in Fashion & Style
Award of Excellence in Leather works
Award of Excellence in Manufacturing
Award of Excellence in Technology innovation
Award of Excellence in Furniture & Woodworks
MSME of the Year
MSME Clinics participant – Female
MSME Clinics participant – Male
Best MSME Clinic Support State.

In the BOA Award of Excellence in Agriculture category, JOSULT Oil Processing Company (JOPC), an oil palm processing business run by Mr Joshua Joseph and based in Akwa Ibom State was the winner. Products of the company are sold in Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta and FCT.

In the category of the SON & NAFDAC Award of Excellence in Beauty, Wellness and Cosmetics, Ladi Mairo Shambo, founder of DIJMEDS Limited from Niger State, won the award. The company specializes in making of beauty soap and sells its products in Niger and neighbouring States.

For the CAC Award of Excellence in Creative Art, Mr Olalekan Lashekan of Lordebukks Arts from Lagos went home with the prize in the category. Olalekan is a graduate of Industrial and Design Arts from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Lordebukks is into recycling of waste materials like woods and cans to make sculptures and other artworks.

In the NEPC Award of Excellence in Fashion & Style, Orjinta Clement of Klemzy Designers Concept Workshop from Abia State in the production of Nigerian male garments or various kinds and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), amongst others.

In the category for the RMRDC Award of Excellence in Leather Works, Proach Shoes, founded by Erem Prosper from Abia State won the prize. Proach Shoes is into making of corporate, ladies, casual shoes and military boots.

For the Best MSME in Manufacturing sponsored by BOI, SHEELDA Limited, founded by Hyelni Hassan from the FCT, won the award for Excellence in Manufacturing. The company specializes in processing of groundnut into cakes and biscuits, and also in training and empowerment of rural women in the processing of groundnut.

In the category of the NITDA Award of Excellence in Technology Innovation, Kombak Ventures a company founded by Mr Israel Terwase won the award in the category. The Benue-based company specializes in the fabrication of machines for sanitation, water supply and related purposes.

From Jos, Plateau State, Mafeng Woodcraft, founded by Mafeng Iliya Yohanna won the ITF Award of Excellence in Furniture & Woodworks. The company is into woodworks and furniture. The outfit makes furniture for home use, school, office, public arena and other purpose-built furniture.

For the NEXIM Bank MSME Clinic participant – Female category, Sa’adatu Haruna Illo, founder of S & M Spices from Kebbi State won the award while Orioye Benedict Gbayisemore of First Morey Foods from Ondo State won the prize in the DBN MSME Clinic participant.

Sa’adatu’s S & M Spices specializes in the production of food spices. After featuring in the 2019 Clinics, the company has expanded the scope of its production and currently distributes its products to states in the northwestern part of the country.

First Morey Foods is into processing and packaging of sea foods for distribution across the country. The founder of the company, Orioye Benedict Gbayisemore was an N-Power Beneficiary that was enlisted for the scheme in 2018 and was also participant at the MSME clinic held in Ondo State in 2018.

For the Access Bank MSME of the Year category, Adejoke Lasisi of Planet 3R from Oyo State, won the award. The company recycles textile and plastic products into various products like paper bags, gift boxes, designs on clothes and slippers, amongst others.

In the category of the SMEDAN Best MSME Clinic Support State, Kaduna State won the award. The State was selected ahead of Ebonyi and Nasarawa states which were also finalists. Kaduna State won for its exemplary support to MSMEs in the areas of training, financing and other assistance given to MSMEs operating in the state. The state has in place the Kaduna Startup and Entrepreneurship Programme for the training of prospective business owners and provision of support for MSMEs startups.

All the award recipients have been very active participants in the different editions of the National MSMEs Clinics held across the country in the past three years.

In his speech, it will be recalled the Vice President specially commended all those who have started businesses in Nigeria, no matter how small, describing them as champions and heroes.

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

More pictures

Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo welcomes members of the National Council on Privatization to the virtual meeting this morning. Besides his regular duties, VP has been spending good chunk of his time setting the stage for effective implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan. WORK in Progress

VP Osinbajo welcomes members of the National Council on Privatization to the virtual meeting this morning. Besides his regular duties, VP has been spending good chunk of his time setting the stage for effective implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan. WORK in Progress pic.twitter.com/AZj5GWIqMT

— Laolu Akande (@akandeoj) July 21, 2020

According to Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the Federal Government, through the National Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP), is set to implement a number of schemes to keep Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) afloat.

The Survival Fund is one of the schemes designed to relieve MSMEs from the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Survival Fund includes payroll support for three months, along with a guaranteed off-take scheme among others; courtesy of the Economic Sustainability Plan recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Executive Council.

The plan allocates an overall N2.3 trillion stimulus package, with extensive provision for financial support to MSMEs. This support ranges from a guaranteed off-take scheme to a survival fund that includes a payroll support programme for qualifying businesses.

The guaranteed take-off scheme will support MSMEs, which are manufacturing local products by guaranteeing the purchase from them of qualifying products such as face masks, hand sanitisers, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for medical workers among others.

These products will be evenly distributed to Nigerians, Nigerian institutions and entities that would require them.

The survival fund will help provide payroll support to MSMEs with a minimum of 10 and maximum of 50 staff.

The MSMEs that qualify will make available their payroll for verification by government. After meeting necessary requirements, companies will then be eligible to have the salaries of their verified staff paid directly from the fund for a period of three months.

According to the vice president, the target beneficiaries of this scheme will include private schools, hotels, road transport workers, creative industries and others. He also warned that the verification process would be very rigorous and painstaking. Furthermore, N200 billion would be made available to MSMEs in the priority sectors such as healthcare, agro processing, creative industries, local oil and gas, aviation among others.

These are unusual times for the Nigerian common man. With every sphere of our existence already being threatened under the current Covid-19 realities, escalated hardships from the pandemic by any stretch, only increases the vulnerability of the poor in particular. It is disturbing that, for this group, access to ordinary benefits is being truncated or entirely dislodged. Railway services offer ordinary opportunities for ordinary people, for societies desirous of advancing their welfare and wellbeing. In his foreword to Francis Jaekel’s book, ‘The History of Nigerian Railway’, former Head of state and statesman, Gen.  Yakubu Gowon had written that, “It was railways that made it possible for people to move at relatively no cost over long distances for trade and other occupational pursuits”.
The world over, railways have remained the critical driver of development for ease in the movement of a large number people and in conveying bulky items between and across locations. Importantly, access to railway services has been greatly encouraged by its relatively low cost, compared to other means of transportation, particularly, air and road. It is in this light that, the launch of the Abuja-Kaduna rail line, Nigeria’s first ever standard gauge Rail track may have been framed by the average Nigerian. The Abuja-Kaduna segment, funded partly by China’s EXIM Bank, was commissioned in July, 2016 as a partial fulfillment of the long awaited railway modernization of the 1,124km narrow-gauge from Lagos to Kano. The concessionary deal, estimated at $8.3bn was awarded to the Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) in 2006. The project, among other benefits, secures a one hour travel time between the two cities for about 5,000 commuters, while 800 tons of goods will travel the same route for an hour and half for cargo. The CCECC is not new around here. Its current engagement is the second coming after a botched interest in the Nigerian Railways in 1996 under the then General Sani Abacha regime. Before it, the Rail Indian Technical Expert Services (RITES), contracted decades earlier in an equally short-lived partnership with Nigerian government was not as lucky on a second voyage on Nigeria’s tortuous railway journey. For too long it had seemed that, modern, effective and affordable railways was not realizable in Nigeria, following several policy reviews piling dust, including the famous ambitious Ojo Maduekwe’s 25 years Strategic Vision; until President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled the Abuja-Kaduna tracks to signal a new dawn.  
At the epoch flag off, President Buhari assured us that, “the train service will provide the much needed alternative transport link between the Federal Capital Territory and Kaduna State, a corridor which has a huge potential for industries, agricultural activities and a growing labour force” in his hope that, “those good old days will soon be back with us and indeed in a more prosperous way”. The historic event may not have been as remarkable as the President’s speech would, for a project we clearly understand that, he inherited for completion from previous administrations. The marker, for Nigerians is clearly not the railways being launched but for whose benefit? Incidentally, four years after, an upward review of fares for the Abuja-Kaduna railway service is being contemplated across all passenger categories by 100%. The Nigerian commoner will now pay between N2, 600 and N3, 000. The same review may apply to rail services in other parts of the country, particularly Lagos-Ibadan. The move, we hear, is to complement the cut in passenger capacity by nearly half, in observance of COVID-19 protocols, as the services resume following gradual ease of restrictions from lockdown. The proposed increase sadly follows an avalanche of misfortunes trailing the common man beyond Kaduna and Abuja. It is complementing the recent hike in fuel prices among other general rising costs of living. Yet again, it reinforces Nigeria’s contradictions in the habitual stripping of the little left for the benefit of the critical mass. Rail services subscribers are mainly ordinary workers and indigent citizens. Not in Nigeria. Even before COVID-19, the raging spate of banditry along Abuja-Kaduna road returned the elite class to dispossessing the critical masses who do not have capacity to compete for ticket hoarding and racketeering, as widely reported from the failure of the operators to automate their services after three years. China already evolved a rail network of 10, 000km exceeding the entire European Union by 2013 modeling it after Japan’s Shinkansen high-speed system in a gradual 15-year rolling plan, without hurting the poor. India, even in the face of an inevitable fare increase in rail services from January, 2020, articulated an incentive-driven peak and lean periods costing, and designed segregated fare components which offer concession for elder citizens and children, including Leave fares concession for public workers.
Evidently, it is not in our governance character to complement a policy review with relief for the poor. This, too, as pronounced by Transportation minister, Rotimi Amaechi, might not be any different. Long before public airlines met their inevitable death in Nigeria, the systematic withdrawal of government from road transportation had been initiated. Today, we are all at the mercies of a profit-driven private sector. It is hoped that, this new burden on the Abuja-Kaduna rail traveler will challenge the morality of the Buhari administration and should provoke the President’s conscience, by that token. Thankfully, the Honorable Minister declared while hinting of the review that, “we will need to talk to Mr. President before moving ahead”. When the talk meets the President, his response, we pray, should reflect a relief for the poor, before railways, too, will alienate us.
Sa’id writes from Hayin Danmani, Kaduna, Kaduna state.
https://leadership.ng/2020/07/21/before-railways-alienate-us/

Here is a recap of some of the things Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was up to last week.

Please follow the journey ������

https://twitter.com/profosinbajo/status/1285263809612058624?s=21

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.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT BUHARI’S FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR MSMES IN ESP VERY ROBUST - OSINBAJO

*Survival Fund including payroll support for three months, guaranteed off-take scheme and many others

As part of efforts to support small businesses in Nigeria to survive the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government as planned in the Economic Sustainability Plan is now set to implement a number of schemes to keep MSMEs afloat, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The Vice President stated this on Thursday at the 2020 edition of the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Awards which held via video conference.

According to Prof. Osinbajo “I am glad to note that this year has been an exception despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Locally, businesses are facing their most challenging time and the impact is particularly severe on MSMEs

“The central plank of our response as a government to the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic has been the Economic Sustainability Plan recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Executive Council.

“In that plan which essentially envisages an overall N2.3 trillion stimulus package, we made extensive provision for financial support to MSMEs, ranging from a guaranteed off-take scheme to a survival fund that includes a payroll support programme for qualifying businesses.

“The guaranteed off-take scheme seeks to provide support for MSMEs, manufacturing local products by guaranteeing the purchase from them of qualifying products such as face masks, hand sanitisers, PPE for medical workers, etc.

“These products will be distributed to Nigerians, Nigerian institutions and entities that would require them.

“The survival fund will help provide payroll support to MSMEs with a minimum of 10 and maximum of 50 staff. The MSMEs that qualify for these will make available their payroll for verification by government.

“Companies that meet the requirements will then be eligible to have the salaries of their verified staff paid directly from the fund for a period of three months.”

Continuing on the MSMEs support scheme, Prof. Osinbajo said: “the target beneficiaries of this scheme will include private schools, hotels, road transport workers, creative industries and others.

“The verification process will be very rigorous and painstaking.

“In addition we have a N200 billion fund which will be made available to MSMEs in the priority sectors such as healthcare, agro processing, creative industries, local oil and gas, aviation etc.

“This will be granted through a scheme jointly run by the Bank of Industry and Nigerian Export Import (NEXIM) Bank especially for export expansion.

“The CBN is also committed to creating a N100 billion target credit facility for MSMEs. Already the recently signed Finance Act already made provision for graduated company income tax rates with zero rates for small companies and a rate reduction for medium sized companies.”

The Vice President added that the Federal Government will continue to implement similar focused MSME interventions around the country.

“Kaduna state for example is working on a tomato paste production plant, Lagos is putting together a fashion hub, the FCT is equally set to launch a carpentry cluster while Anambra state is almost ready to commission its leather works cluster.

“All of these are scheduled for 2020.

“In 2021, Edo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Bauchi and Enugu States would commission shared facilities that will bring MSMEs together by cluster and provide shared equipment and resources and business support hub,” the Vice President added.

He commended the participants at the awards for their ingenuity in starting up and sustaining their businesses, urging those who were not shortlisted not to relent in what they are doing.

He specially commended all those who have started businesses in Nigeria, no matter how small, describing them as champions.

“Every person who has taken it upon themselves to start a business in Nigeria no matter how small is a champion and we as a government owe it to you to create an enabling environment for you to thrive.


“This is President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to MSMEs in Nigeria, that we will continue to stand by you and to support you and to create opportunities for you to grow and prosper,” the Vice President said.

Adejoke Lasisi of Planet 3R Limited won the MSME of the Year Award while Kaduna State was awarded the Best MSME Clinic Support State. The winners got cash and car prizes.

The event was attended by several State Governors and their representatives, the FCT Minister Mallam Muhammed Bello, the Industry, Trade and Investment Minister of State Ambassador Mariam Katagum and various heads of MDAS and captains of industry.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
16th July 2020

When a pilot dies, the colleagues say he or she has gone to the hangar in the sky. Hangar is a place where aircraft are housed, but it was way, way too early for Nigeria’s first female helicopter fighter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, to go there. Not a time for parking yet. Not at 23, not when her life and career were just starting.

Tolulope died on Tuesday, curiously not in terra incognita, which the sky is. But rather on terra firma, solid ground. She was involved in an auto crash at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna, suffered head injuries, from which she never recovered.

What a grief, what a tragedy. I saw Tolulope in February, when the Nigerian Air Force was presenting its newly acquired hardware to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Eagle Square, Abuja. So young, so tender, almost too innocent to be a fighter pilot. Deftly, she explained the features of the new attack helicopter to President Buhari, and that was just about five months after she was winged as the first helicopter fighter pilot in the history of the Air Force.

Too early to house your chopper in the hangar, Tolulope. Why was Heaven so much in a hurry to have you? You were serving nation and humanity, flying several combat missions for Operation GAMA AIKI in the North Central area of the country, particularly Niger State, infested with bandits from the pit of hell. You did your bit in enforcing peace in that area, giving those fiends a black eye. Now, no more. No more thrills, no more rush of adrenaline, as you soar into the azure sky in your nimble machine, a wonder of technology in warfare.

Tolulope lived and died for the sky. Primary education at Air Force school. Secondary, too. Then, enlistment into the Air Force, commissioned an officer, and further training abroad to hone her skills. She was decorated in October last year, with Women Affairs Minister, Dame Pauline Tallen assisting the Chief of Air Staff. It made a lot of Nigerians proud, particularly her parents, Engineer Akin and Mrs Arotile, from Iffe, in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

After the decoration exercise, a delighted Mrs Arotile (which parent won’t be over the moon, despite the risky nature of the career) took to her Facebook wall, and posted: “On behalf of my entire family, Engr. Akin and Mrs Arotile, I will like to sincerely appreciate everyone for honoring the invitation to celebrate with Pilot Officer T. Arotile. I am indeed grateful and pray that God will reward you all exceedingly and abundantly above all you would think or ask of Him. Once again, thank you and God bless.”

Most parents would be proud to produce a pilot. I can tell, because I have one. That day, in 2017, when my pilot son flew me in a Boeing 737 from Lagos to Abuja, with me sitting with him in the cockpit, is one one my happiest. Forget the knot of fear and anxiety in the bottom of my belly, as he manipulated the winged bird through the sky, pointing out landmarks to me, and touching down gingerly at our destination about 50 minutes later. It was the experience of a lifetime.

My son first indicated his desire to be a pilot at just four years old. I thought he would outgrow it. But the older he got, the more resolute he became. He went to flying school, got his private pilot’s license, then the commercial license, and then type rated on Boeing 737.

Tolulope must have known no other world, except flying. Like the parents of every pilot, the Arotiles must have had their times of anxiety, but also trusted firmly in God. What can we do without faith in God? Nothing. I say again; nothing.

God, what then happened? How did an auto crash at NAF Base claim such a tender soul, turning her family, the Air Force, the nation, into mourning. President Buhari recalled the young lady that took him round, explaining the features of the fighter helicopters at the Air Show held in Eagle Square. He mourned her deeply, condoling with her family, the Air Force, and the nation at large. God, we should not question you, but what really happened? As mere mortals, we don’t know. But we will surely understand it better by and by.

I recall a story told us in church long ago by my then pastor, Rev Felix Meduoye (now retired General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria). He said his young daughter used to pray: God don’t let us die in our sleep. Don’t let us die when we are awake. Don’t let us die when we are on the road. Don’t let us die when we are flying in a plane. Don’t let us die when we are in our car. Don’t let us die...

My pastor laughed, and said we at least have to die somehow. True. But not like Tolulope did. Too sad.

“There is no armour against Fate;
Death lays its icy hands on kings;
Sceptre and Crown
Must tumble down
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.”

So wrote James Shirley in his poem, The Glories of Our Blood and State. And death has no shame. It takes the young and the old. The firm and the infirm. The poor and the rich. But I am glad that death itself shall die one day.

John Donne, in his poem titled Death Be Not Proud, declared:

“Death, Be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so...
One short sleep past, we wake eternally
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.”

Yes, death shall die. The Holy Bible reinforces it for me. Revelation 20, verses 13 and 14.

“And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works.
“And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire.”

Death has denied the nation a potential wife, mother, grandmother, accomplished fighter pilot. Her body will soon be interred, and like John Brown’s body, it will “lie a-mouldering in the grave.” But her soul will go marching on.

For now, we mourn with the Arotiles. We weep, we sorrow, but not like those without hope. Our hope is that one day, Tolulope will rise to life eternal. And Death, the enemy of man, shall die.

Death, thou shalt die. It’s not a curse. It’s just your inevitable end.

*Adesina is Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity

President Muhammadu Buhari has given directives for better coordination among security and investigating agencies with the National Assembly to ensure that the administration’s effort to bring sanity, transparency and accountability to the management of the large amount of resources dedicated to development of the Niger Delta sub-region is not derailed.

In his reaction to the unfolding drama, which include attacks and counter attacks between and around persons, institutions, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), President Buhari expressed his strong determination to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta and its peoples in spite of enormous national resources voted year after year for this singular purpose.

According to the directive, auditing firms and investigative agencies working in collaboration with National Assembly Committees to resolve the challenges in the NDDC must initiate actions in a time-bound manner and duly inform the Presidency of the actions being taken.

The President also directed timely sharing of information and knowledge in a way to speedily assist the administration to diagnose what had gone wrong in the past and what needs to be done to make corrections in order to return the NDDC to its original mandate of making life better for people in Niger Delta.

President Buhari said the administration wants to bring about “rapid, even and sustainable development to the region.”

The President gave firm assurance that his administration would put in place a transparent and accountable governance framework, not only in the NDDC but in all other institutions of government.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)

More photos

President Buhari presides over Virtual Launch of Gold Purchase Programme in State House.

https://mobile.twitter.com/BashirAhmaad/status/1283725212723421186

So one renegade reporter began spewing some lies about the Vice President last week but what Nigerians know about the impeccable integrity and unquestionable character of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is not a new subject of public discourse.

On July 3, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari said some flattering words about his deputy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. It is not the first time he has showered praises on Prof. Osinbajo or lauded him for his integrity on the job.
The latest offering of commendation came following the declaration of Nigeria as polio-free by the World Health Organisation. “This is to express our profound appreciation for your leadership of the Presidential Taskforce on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization. The declaration of Nigeria as a Wild Polio free country is the result of your effective coordination of the Nigerian Polio eradication program through the Presidential Taskforce on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization, Federal Ministry of Health and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency”.

While some might argue that it is commonplace for a boss to shower praises on his deputy, others will tell you that it has to be earned and I think the latter is true. But Osinbajo’s long history of integrity was not built overnight.
In 1999, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had just been elected Lagos governor and he needed a man with a stellar, impeccable record to lead the legal reforms in Lagos. At the time, he did not know Prof. Osinbajo and had never met him but the recommendations from neutrals to pick the Vice President as attorney general was overwhelming. It was not just his unmatchable brilliance that caught the eye but his integrity.

He was subsequently appointed Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General. During his time as attorney general many reforms where undertaken including the establishment of the Office of the Public Defender, fiscal and legal restructuring among other notable things but something else also happened. This encounter was recounted by Richard Akinnola, renowned lawyer and journalist.

According to him, many years ago, when Osinbajo was the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos state, he revolutionised the infrastructures of the Lagos judiciary with new modern buildings. So one day, the main contractor, a foreign one very popular in Nigeria (name withheld), came to meet Yemi Osinbajo to show appreciation.

The officials of the contractor gave him an offer as they normally do to Nigerian government officials as a show of “appreciation” after a lucrative contract. They asked him to give them a location where they could put up a structure for him as personal house, to show appreciation. Osinbajo didn’t say anything.
He dialled the intercom and invited his Solicitor-General, Fola Arthur-Worrey. As soon as Fola came, he asked him to show the contractor the site of the new court library the ministry had wanted to build but put in abeyance due to paucity of funds.

He asked the contractors to follow Arthur-Worrey to show them the site. The officials of the contractor were shocked. They apparently were encountering such a government official with such integrity for the first time.

But Osinbajo’s integrity has swelled since then. As Vice President and acting President, he has rejected uncountable amount of offers from oil companies, multinationals, etc that many stand in awe of him, often describing his actions as ‘rare’.

Politicians, religious and traditional leaders have at different times offered their thoughts on the personality of Prof. Osinbajo. Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, once described him as a man of integrity, praying that he continued to grow in wisdom, when Prof Osinbajo celebrated his 60th birthday in 2017.
Speaker of the House of Representatives also described him as a honest person. “Apart from being a reliable human being, the VP is one of the most honest people I have come across in my life. I make bold to say that the VP has qualities worthy of emulation by other Nigerians.”

Osinbajo’s integrity has also endeared him to traditional rulers. Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, paid a glowing tribute to Prof. Osinbajo at the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in 2019.

“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 said.


Former Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II once told Prof. Osinbajo to consider Kano his ‘second home’, this is similar to what many other monarchs have said to him across the country.
The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Farouk Umar who holds him in high esteem described him as the most honest Nigerian leader. “I want to specifically commend the Vice President for his loyalty, his commitment and dedication towards the transformation of Nigeria to its present state. We are fully aware of the situation President Buhari and his deputy, Osinbajo, met the country but today, things are changing for the better because of their efforts.

“This is attributable to the excellent working relationship between President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo. Prof. Osinbajo is the most honest person and leader Nigeria has produced in recent times.
“His relationship has remained cordial with Buhari largely because of his honesty, I commend you, Vice President. I am particularly happy with the Vice President for the way he has shown loyalty to President Buhari, Daura Emirate is extremely grateful, for your commitment and confidence transforming Nigeria despite the challenges.”

The respect Prof Osinbajo commands has resonated among the Christian community especially with regards to politics. Ask Pastor Sunday Adelaja, founder and senior pastor of the Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for All Nations, a megachurch based in Ukraine and he will tell you that, “I dare say that I personally do not know any other Christian leader in Nigeria with the kind of impeccable reputation, character and integrity as that of Professor Osinbajo.”
Revered Bishop Francis Wale Oke shares a similar sentiment. The president and founder of Sword of The Spirit Ministries International says Prof Osinbajo is incorruptible. “The VP is always reaching out to Christians leaders on the need to support President Buhari; he is too loyal to a fault. So, those plotting his downfall through orchestrated campaigns should fear God. This man is not corrupt,” he said.

Renowned professor of law, Itse Sagay said this of Prof. Osinbajo. “The Vice President is an incorruptible man of God, a man of high moral standing who is as clean as a whistle. He will not appropriate any money that doesn’t belong to him to himself.
What about internationally? How do people view the Vice President? Joel Rainey, a US-based pastor who has never met urged Nigeria to lend United States the services of Prof Osinbajo for four years.
Prof. Osinbajo is indeed a man who places his good name above silver or gold. I will leave you with this quote from his opinion orginally published in The Guardian-while an employee of the then Federal Military Government-on Tuesday, November 4, 1992 titled ‘A Matter Of Honour’ in which he brought his courage to bear by urging former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida to keep to his word and handover government as promised.
Then a Special Adviser to former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bola Ajibola, Osinbajo wrote, “It is for this reason, that those who say that government should extend the transition programme or refuse to handover in a chaotic situation, must stop this call to denigrate a solemn vow of the rule to the ruled. That unscrupulous politicians could frustrate a carefully-planned six-year transition must mean that an additional few months of planning cannot be failsafe. It follows therefore that government must select the option that make its exit possible on the agreed date. This is the way of honour.”

Osinbajo said that even though he was a Special Adviser in that same government. Eventually, he had to resign soon after as the powers that be were uncomfortable with such courage and moral clarity.
This is why Nigerians, by and large, understand that when fake news merchants and political schemes concoct lies designed to tarnish Osinbajo’s sterling reputation, it’s all a futile attempt. The Vice President is known by his good fruits already, his image will survive the ongoing 2023 murky permutations and schemes.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/osinbajos-long-standing-integrity-and-why-you-should-ignore-the-lies/

Happy birthday Dolly

HOW WE ARE CONVERTING COVID-19 PANDEMIC TO OPPORTUNITY TO RESET THE ECONOMY - OSINBAJO

In spite of the despair that came with the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant consequences, Nigeria decided to seize the opportunity to reset the economy amidst worldwide economic challenges, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this in Abuja on Tuesday at a Webinar organised by the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, CWEIC, with its focus on Nigeria.

According to the Vice President, “it seemed the sun was beginning to shine quite brightly after the years of recession and its immediate aftermath. Then came COVID-19 possibly the worst economic crisis the world has seen. For us in Nigeria, it was a perfect storm for oil prices, Russia and Saudi Arabia choosing that very moment for a price war. Then the inevitable lockdowns resulting in closure of businesses, our huge informal economy all but crashed and Government revenues fell too by over 40%.

“But the silver linings were perhaps bolder in the dark clouds.

The President decided that we could seize the opportunity to reset our economy in a way that may have been impossible had there not been a worldwide economic crash.

"I was asked to chair an inter-ministerial team to develop our Economic Sustainability Plan. A plan which we hope will, in the next 12 months or so, avoid a deep and prolonged recession by supporting businesses and households, but perhaps more importantly, addressing long-term structural vulnerabilities

“Taking into account our economic size and fiscal limitations, we have put together a stimulus package of N2.3trillion, which is just over 1.5% of national income. If other factors like the price of oil and length of the COVID-19 pandemic do not worsen further, these interventions should ameliorate the situation with a mild recession expected of minus 0.59%.”

Other speakers at the international webinar include Lord Marland of Odstock, the Chairman of the CWEIC, Sir Lynton Crosby, Chief Executive Officer C|T Group and the Industry, Trade & Investment Minister, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo.

REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE COMMONWEALTH ENTERPRISE AND INVESTMENT COUNCIL FOCUS ON NIGERIA WEBINAR ON THE 14TH OF JULY, 2020

Protocols

Thank you for that kind introduction. I am pleased to be participating in this special session focused on Nigeria. There is never a good time for a pandemic, but there can be a terribly wrong time.

That’s how it seemed three months ago as COVID - 19 began to ravage. January 2020, oil prices approached $70 a barrel for the first time since the crash of 2015/2016 which saw prices crash to sub $30 a barrel, Q3 2019 growth was 2.55%, modest but clearly on the upward trajectory, 3% growth was well in sight.

Our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan was beginning to make sense. Work was on-going in major rail, road and bridge projects along the main national trade corridors. The Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) arrangements on our Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Train 7 which will unlock an additional 30% more LNG output had commenced.

It seemed the sun was beginning to shine quite brightly after the years of recession and its immediate aftermath. Then came COVID-19, possibly the worst economic crisis the world has seen. For us in Nigeria, it was a perfect storm for oil prices, Russia and Saudi Arabia choosing that very moment for a price war. Then the inevitable lockdowns resulting in closure of businesses, our huge informal economy all but crashed and Government revenues fell too by over 40%.

But the silver linings were perhaps bolder in the dark clouds. The President decided that we could seize the opportunity to reset our economy in a way that may have been impossible had there not been a worldwide economic crash.

I was asked to chair an inter-ministerial team to develop our Economic Sustainability Plan. A plan which we hope will in the next 12 months or so, avoid a deep and prolonged recession by supporting businesses and households, but perhaps more importantly, addressing long-term structural vulnerabilities.

Taking into account our economic size and fiscal limitations, we have put together a stimulus package of N2.3trillion, which is just over 1.5% of national income. If other factors like the price of oil and length of the COVID-19 pandemic do not worsen further, these interventions should ameliorate the situation with a mild recession expected of minus 0.59%.

We have taken the opportunity to remove petrol subsidies and to insist that power distribution companies must engage with customers to ensure that new tariffs are based only on improved power supply. We are talking of service reflective tariffs.

The Central Bank of Nigeria is also committing to moving to a unified exchange rate, to improve certainty in trade and investment. In addition to using fiscal and monetary measures to stimulate the economy, our main objectives are to retain and create jobs, to assist vulnerable people, support businesses and undertake infrastructural investments. I am happy to see from the research that jobs, retaining jobs and creating more opportunities tops Nigerians’ priorities when it comes to what they believe the COVID-19 response should be like.

Some key interventions include: Jobs for Food which is an agricultural programme aimed at expanding the acreage under cultivation across the country, to create, we hope, hundreds of thousands of jobs and we also intend to guarantee uptake processors, aggregators and to some extent, by government.

We also have a Jobs through Homes programme which is a programme to provide jobs and increase our national housing stock, at the same time by a massive social housing programme where we intend to engage young professionals and artisans who are involved at the moment, in small businesses, building and using local products such as cements, doors, tiles, windows and paint.

We also have a Solar Homes Systems Programme where we intend to engage private solar power companies who will be able to access cheap loans to provide modular solar-powered units to about 5 million households which will roughly translate to serve 25 million people in rural or under-served areas. At the moment, we have about 40million homes without power. So, we expect that this will be a major dent in that deficit.

The scale required means we will be encouraging suppliers to establish production facilities in the country. We expect to be able to attract solar companies to establish manufacturing and assembly plants in Nigeria.

Supporting small businesses is also a priority and I am sure the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment will talk more about it.

We are also looking at the Future of Jobs programme in technology taking into account the ‘new normalʼ, our creative and significant youth population and the need to prepare our economy to be an outsourcing hub, providing services across the whole gamut of possible technology engagements, including animation, software engineering and data analysis.

These are areas where we have invested considerably already and we intend to do a bit more and we hope that some of the efforts we put into the response will address these areas even more pointedly.

To be sure, improving health outcomes is very much part of the package. To meet the immediate challenge, we have dug deep to find resources to respond to the pandemic. We have more built isolation centres and laboratories, incentivizing medical personnel, buying test kits and personal protective equipment, as well as several other medical equipment.

We have increased the number of modular laboratories that can handle COVID-19 samples from 5 at the onset of the pandemic to 39 today.

The crisis has also revealed significantly, the vulnerability of our health sector. So, as part of the Economic Sustainability Plan, we are also looking at the universal health coverage, about improving the work we are doing in universal health insurance with a view to universal health coverage by a combination of public finance and mandatory social insurance.

While we are bullish on promoting local production, we remain committed to engaging with our traditional trading partners. This is in recognition of the potential contribution of trade to growth.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is pertinent in this regard, but so certainly is also trade with our Commonwealth partners, including the United Kingdom. This was indeed evident from Nigeria’s participation in the UK-Africa Investment Forum held earlier this year. It is particularly noteworthy that intra-Commonwealth trade is projected to rise from an estimated $1trillion this year to $2.75trillion by 2030 and we intend to be a major part of this growth.

It is not news of course that the COVID-19 pandemic has distorted international trade with disruption of global value chains, export bans, and protectionist policies. On our part, Nigeria remains committed to the multilateral trade system but we will ensure that our economy is not subjected to unfair trade practices.

Ultimately, we see Nigeria as ‘Africa's Gateway Economy’. As the continent’s most populous nation and its largest economy, we think that we can leverage our geographical location, which is right in the middle of far-flung Commonwealth countries, we are poised to catalyze intra-Commonwealth trade. Our investments in fast-growing sectors and infrastructure, power, rail, roads and several other areas especially technology where we think we can benefit from other Commonwealth countries.

Once again, I thank the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council for convening this important discussion especially now, when we certainly see a greater need for socio-economic engagements with our Commonwealth partners and we are set and ready to continue these engagements and we look forward to not just what this particular session will bring but to all our future cooperation.

Thank you very much indeed.


Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
14th July 2020

*Secrecy provides cover for criminality, VP adds, noting that some countries still resist stemming IFF

The devastating effects of secret and beneficial ownership on economies across Africa require that stakeholders on the continent including governments must collaborate to stem the tide of the phenomenon, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

“One more matter of concern that the international community must work together to solve is the matter of secret corporate ownership and the whole issue of beneficial ownership.

“For us in the developing world and especially in Africa, breaking the wall of secret corporate ownership is crucial because secrecy around corporate ownership is implicated in our underdevelopment. Although anonymous companies are not always illegal, nevertheless secrecy provides a convenient cover for criminality and corruption.

“Our experience in Nigeria as in other developing countries is that anonymous corporate ownership covers a multitude of sins including conflict of interests, corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, and even terrorism financing.”


BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE VICE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS:

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO SAN, VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY AFRICA REGIONAL WEBINAR OF THE ICPC THEMED COMBATING CORRUPTION AND ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS: NEW MEASURES AND STRATEGIES

Let me say first, how very pleased I am to be a part of this celebration, joining the ICPC Board, Management and staff to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this important national and regional institution.

20 years have passed since we passed the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and set up the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission as the first anti-corruption agency, in Nigeria and possibly in the region. This was three years before the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) was adopted, and five years before UNCAC came into effect. So, in many ways, you are pioneers of the anti-corruption struggle in our region and indeed in very many parts of the world.

The three-fold mandate of ICPC remains relevant today as it was 20 years ago namely:
*enforcement of laws against corruption,
*prevention of acts of corruption and
*public education and enlightenment against corruption.

Our government has supported the fulfillment of this statutory mandate first by demonstrating the political will and support for anti-corruption measures from the Number one citizen of Nigeria, the President himself. We have seen that demonstrable political will and that political will has afforded all our anti-corruption agencies the latitude to do their work without interference.

Secondly, by taking measures that reinforce the prevention mandate of ICPC: For example the enforcement of the TSA policy; strict application of BVN which is the biometric information required for opening of bank accounts and fro maintaining bank accounts; strengthening of the e-government system comprising GIFMIS and IPPIS which are electronic platforms for managing human resource material in the public service and also for budgeting purposes; the launching late last year of the open treasury portal through which payments for works, goods, and services may be monitored globally, and by encouraging the use of the Freedom of Information Act by civil society to elicit information from government agencies.

The public education and citizen engagement mandate is supported by government’s encouragement of a vibrant role for citizens, the media and civil society in the anti-corruption crusade.

Besides, both the ICPC, & the EFCC have held several public participation campaigns to encourage civic participation in the anti-corruption struggle.

The theme of this webinar COMBATING CORRUPTION AND ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS: NEW MEASURES AND STRATEGIES, I think, again just reminds us that corruption remains a scourge to our development aspirations and has become for us in the developing world, an existential issue.

Over the years, massive public resources and assets have been directly stolen, diverted, deliberately misapplied to gratify corrupt tendencies, stashed in foreign jurisdictions or mired in and susceptible to pilferage by the inequitable and unjust international economic system that continues to undermine the social and economic development aspirations of poor countries especially from Africa.

Without effectively combating corruption and IFFs and promoting international cooperation for asset recovery and asset return, Africa cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Goal 16 of the SDGs is devoted to corruption. Specifically, Target 16.4 commits that: “By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial flows and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime.”

Both the UN General Assembly and the African Union have committed to measures to fight corruption and stem IFFs. UNCAC and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption have remained the touchstone of the fight against corruption and IFFs. Other initiatives include the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the AU Assembly Special Declaration on Illicit Financial Flows. More recently, the UN General Assembly Resolution 74/206 of 19 December 2019 commits to the promotion of international cooperation to combat Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) and strengthen good practices on asset return to foster sustainable development.

Nigeria has demonstrated leadership in the advocacy for collective efforts to stem IFFs from Africa and has also been at the forefront of advocacy for stemming IFF and promoting international cooperation for asset recovery and asset return at the UN General Assembly. As the AU Champion on Anti-Corruption, President Buhari in his report to the ASSEMBLY OF THE UNION, Thirty-Second Ordinary Session and at the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly, affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to continue to “advocate for the facilitation of recovery of illicit financial assets.”

Towards this end, Nigeria proposed the Draft Common African Position on Asset Return (CAPAR) at the 36th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU in February 2020 at which the CAPAR was adopted. I am aware that Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, Chairman ICPC was a member of the Working Group that produced the CAPAR.

One more matter of concern that the international community must work together to solve is the matter of secret corporate ownership and the whole issue of beneficial ownership.

For us in the developing world and especially in Africa, breaking the wall of secret corporate ownership is crucial because secrecy around corporate ownership is implicated in our underdevelopment. Although anonymous companies are not always illegal, nevertheless secrecy provides a convenient cover for criminality and corruption.

Our experience in Nigeria as in other developing countries is that anonymous corporate ownership covers a multitude of sins including conflict of interests, corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, and even terrorism financing.

At the May 2016 London Anti-Corruption Summit, President Muhammadu Buhari made a commitment to establish a public register of the beneficial owners of all companies operating in Nigeria. Following that commitment, Nigeria joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in December 2016 and subsequently submitted a National Action Plan prioritizing the establishment of an all-encompassing and publicly accessible register.

Nigeria is in the process of amending its corporate law to implement these measures and mandate the disclosure of beneficial interest in a company’s shares and prescribe punitive measures for failure to disclose.

We are mindful of the challenges dogging advocacy for stemming IFFs, promotion of asset recovery and return to victim countries, and enforcement of beneficial ownership disclosure not just in our country but globally.

We note for example, the resistance of some countries to stemming illicit financial flows, curbing tax evasion, support asset return to countries of origin and we note that laws passed in some developed countries to mandate beneficial ownership disclosure do not set examples for best practice as they do not cover territories and dependencies where most of the stolen assets from developed countries end up.

I sincerely hope this regional webinar will advance the advocacy further and bring up innovative solutions to these internationally shared concerns.

Let me conclude by saying there is no magic bullet to ending corruption, stemming IFFs or promoting asset recovery and return. We simply must work hard at it and be determined to succeed. We must make corruption expensive for those who engage in it and send the unequivocal message that corruption simply does not pay.

We must also make all members of the international community see the benefit of shared prosperity and inclusive growth and development. It is the unenviable but noble task of ICPC and other anti-corruption agencies to make corruption unattractive to its disciples and facilitate new approaches to stemming IFFS and promoting asset recovery and return.

As you ruminate on the key issues to dominate the UN General Assembly Special Session on Corruption in 2021, I urge you to come up with concrete proposals for Nigeria to take to the UN and also for all of our colleagues in the region, to take to the United Nations in order to begin to positively shape policy in a way and manner that best promotes the interest of our country and region.

Domestically we must also be prepared to change, to some extent, our tactics in the fight against corruption. Listening to Edward Kallon (The UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria who spoke earlier), I am convinced that there are many practical steps that can be taken.

We must democratize the fight against corruption. Many of our citizens are interested in the fight against grand corruption. Grand corruption as you know cripples the economy. But they also want to see action in what would be regarded as petty corruption – in their interfaces with government officials either in the search for certifications, approvals of any kind, licenses, and all of that. Many want to see that corruption at that level is tackled effectively. And I think that we must begin to look at innovative ways of doing so.

Secondly, we must protect, even more, whistle-blowers – persons who come forward with information against corruption. We must protect those who are ready to fight against corruption and who are prepared to do so without necessarily disclosing their identities and even those who are ready to disclose their identities.

The thing that we must take note of is that corruption fights back. And it is fighting back and it has the resources to do so. In recent times, one of the chief ways that we are seeing more frequently is the use of unscrupulous individuals who are paid to use social media platforms to make outrageous allegations against persons perceived to be fighting corruption. The technique is not new, the idea is to tie everybody with the same tar so that you cannot recognize the truly corrupt or the truly corrupt activity, and the genuine whistle-blowing is discredited as a result. And because our court system is slow, they count on the possibility that these victims may not pursue litigation or prosecution: you must devise a new legal strategy to ensure that this dirty trick not only fail but are penalized.

The fight against corruption is nuanced and hydra-headed, it is not going to get easier by the day, as a matter of fact, it will get more difficult by the day and many will become discouraged in standing up against corruption. But it is our duty both as individuals and institutions especially in developing countries where corruption has such a devastating effect, to ensure that we prioritize the fight against corruption and continually device new ways and new approaches even as the hydra-headed problem itself continue to manifest in different ways.

I am happy to note that the ICPC has creditably discharged itself of its mandate in the past twenty years. This is no doubt due to the solid leadership it has enjoyed from inception through the first Board led by the late Hon Justice Mustapha Akanbi, then Hon. Justice Olayinka Ayoola, and then Mr. Expo Nta and the current 4th Board led by Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, and the tireless effort of its management and staff.

I wish you all a happy 20th anniversary celebration. Government looks forward to the recommendations of your conference towards improving the fight against and ultimately defeating corruption.

Thank you very much God bless you all


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
14th July 2020

Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, has said the Economic Sustainability Committee chaired by his principal is working hard to deliver the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan which a lot of Nigerians will benefit from.

Akande, who spoke in an Instagram live session with Dele Momodu of Ovation Magazine on Monday night, noted that the Vice-President will not be distracted by recent campaign of calumny by some faceless persons who use some unknown bloggers to spread false reports about his person.

“The goal is to distract him but the vice-president will not be distracted. He will continue to remain focus and to do his job.

"He has said to me several times that this is not a monarchy and he just wants to do his job so that history will remember him when he leaves the office,” he said during the interview.

The VP's spokesperson also added that work is in top gear to deliver the implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan.

“The good thing is that the President likes this plan and the Federal Executive Council has approved it and we are going to be pushing as hard as we can to bring this plan to reality.

"The President and the Vice-President take the mandate of the Nigerian people very seriously and we are going to get the job done,” he said.

Amongst other things, the Plan targets the provision of improved housing schemes to over 300,000 Nigerian families every year.

The Plan which covers a 12-month period aims to respond robustly and appropriately to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It will also see the creation of a financial stimulus package for the Nigerian economy as well as 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 design and implementation of the Osinbajo-led NESP is driven by the promotion of local contents, preventing business collapse, and staving off the worst impact of a potential recession, job preservation and creation and a special focus on assistance for vulnerable and displaced persons.