₦airaland Forum

Remarks By Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN At The 19th Monthly Power Sector Operators Meeting Held In Akangba, Surulere On Monday The 11th Of September 2017

A few months ago, I had cause to respond to media reports suggesting that Nigeria was going to be plunged into darkness.

Those reports were credited to one Mr. Dallas Monroe Peavey, Jnr, an employee of Egbin Power Plc, they were based on Mr. Peavey’s views that debts owed to Power Generation and distribution companies would lead to a collapse of the power system.

In my response, at the time, I believe I mentioned what Government was doing about verifying MDA debts and how to deal with legacy debts which we inherited.

I also admonished all operators in the sector, to act in a manner consistent with their leadership role and the public expectation of all of us, to find solutions to problems, project hope, and not fear.

I advised that we should all be factual in our public comments and refrain from being bombastic.

We must promote hope and not project fear to people who entrust us with the responsibility to solve their problems.

It seems that Mr. Peavey did not hear me, or chose to ignore my admonition.

Recently, a group of United States senators visited Nigeria and Egbin Plc where Mr. Peavey is employed.

Media reports credited to Mr. Peavey on the back of this visit are to the effect that:

a. Mr. Peavey told the visiting senators that Government was owing them N125 Billion.

b. That Egbin Power Plant could not evacuate 700 MW of power because of TCN (Transmission Company of Nigeria) failure to provide the capacity to do so.

I am compelled to use this platform to respond to these allegations.

Let me start by saying that Mr. Peavey did not tell his visitors how that N125 Billion was made up.

He did not also tell them that MDA debts owed to Discos had been verified and instead of claims in excess of N90 Billion submitted as owed by the Federal Government, only about N27 Billion has been established by verification.

He did not tell his visitors that resolution of debts are topical views of our agenda at these monthly meetings and minutes of our discussions as recently as the last meeting in Kano on August 14th 2017 are kept.

He did not tell his visitors that Government has approved a payment assurance guarantee for all power produced to the grid and that some payments have been made and others are being processed as reported at the Kano meeting and the Abuja meeting in July 2017.

He did not tell his visitors that his company either knew of these debts when his employers bought the plant or failed to do the due diligence that will have disclosed it to them.

He also did not tell them that the Ministry of Finance has announced a programme to issue promissory notes for inherited debts subject to Parliamentary approval.

It is true that there was a time in our recent past that only Americans would know if there was a problem in Nigeria.

That time has passed.

So, we know that when Mr. Peavey told his visitors that his employers could not evacuate 700 MW from Egbin Power Plant, and blamed TCN he was lying at worst or at best was being bombastic.

We know because this Government is constantly working to maintain records, accurately and transparently in the power and other sectors.

Therefore, on the 2nd September 2017, around the time when the news was reported, Egbin’s peak power production was 344 MW (and the average power production was 336 MW). This is less than 50% of the 700 MW in the report credited to Mr. Peavey that his company could not evacuate.

We know that Egbin has 6 (SIX) turbines of 220 MW each, with an installed capacity of 1,320 MW.

It was the first power plant I visited when I was appointed Minister.

We know that 3 (THREE) turbines, ST 1, ST 5 and ST6 are not functional. ST 6 for undisclosed faults and ST 1 and ST 5 for maintenance. So Egbin Power Plc was not producing 700MW at the time.

What Mr Peavey should have told his visitors is that TCN’s wheeling capacity has exceeded over 6,500MW. These are also reported at our Monthly meetings.

As if these were not enough, my attention has been brought, to allegations to the effect that Mr. Peavey is inciting other GenCos to refuse to comply with grid codes and regulations made pursuant to the Electric Sector Power Reform Act of 2005 prescribing frequency levels of operation for power generating companies.

While we do not know why Mr. Peavey is acting contrary to our national interest, we also know that he has been in and out of Nigeria and came in on 17th August 2017 without a record of visa issuance on arrival.

I have directed that his matter be referred to the Immigration department for advice on his legal status vis-à-vis a valid visa and work permit. I expect that appropriate action will be taken.

Let me say to Mr. Peavey and other non-Nigerians that your partnership is welcome, your stay will be peaceful and your rights to free speech are guaranteed. But other laws must be respected because we will enforce them.

On another note, let me commend the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for the issuance of regulations issued at our last meeting in Kano.

It is beginning to bear the results of registration and licensing because the Vice-Chairman of NERC informed me that a solar-based mini grid facility will be commissioned in Kigbe community, Kwali Local Government, FCT Abuja today.

It is a 20 KW facility that will power 145 households and 5 businesses. The developer is Havenhill Synergy Ltd.

I am also aware that there is another one scheduled for completion and commissioning in Kano shortly.

I will only implore stakeholders to co-operate with NERC to fast-track the completion of the Regulations for metering service providers and eligible customers.

They will ultimately help us to distribute over 6,000 MW of Power that we now have available, out of which we are only able to distribute about 4,000 MW because of problems at the distribution end.

We also remain open to useful and practical suggestions from each DisCo about what we can do to help them overcome the distribution equipment deficit that now exists.

We commit to continue to support the entire value chain to deliver on the promise of privatization.

Welcome to the September monthly meeting.


Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing
Monday 11th September 2017

Maitama Sule’s Oratory Based On His Exceptional Character - Osinbajo

Remarks By His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, San, Gcon, The Vice President, Federal Republic Of Nigeria, At The Book Launch Of Late Maitama Sule Titled “ The Genius Orator” At International Conference Centre, Abuja On Thursday 9, 2017

Protocol
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An orator is a skilled public speaker, a master of words especially in the use of words to persuade, to exhort, to inspire, to set direction and possibly to create a vision.

Words are of course important, indeed they create or destroy, they edify or humiliate, and words well-spoken can uplift, encourage, and inspire.

But words are also the defining tool of nihilists, traitors, hate merchants, demagogues, and rascals of every kind. In the past few months, we have heard words intended to stoke conflict, to denigrate the ethnicities or faith of others, to divide a great people into several small and weaker parts.

So oratorical genius like all forms of genius, is not in and of itself a virtue, the character and motivations of the man or woman behind the orator is then what is crucial.

Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, Damasanin Kano, was an exceptionally gifted orator, but his greatness was not in the gift of oratory. It was in the exceptional character that undergirded that gift.

He understood the power of rhetoric and persuasion, drama and theatre and he translated the sometimes exasperating twists, and turns of the Nigerian socio-political drama into words of rebuke and exhortation but ultimately of hope.

In one of his often quoted statements he said: “symptoms of revolt loom large in the horizon, in short, there is meaninglessness in philosophy, insecurity in polity, chaos in politics, immorality in society, corruption in the economy, frustration in art, and lack of creativity in literature”.

But then he was ever hopeful and in 2012, at the award dinner of the Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies, he said: “as we overcame all the crisis in the First Republic, so shall we overcome the crisis in the present Nigeria. Therefore, I have a dream that Nigeria will soon be great; that Nigeria will be a united country, a prosperous country that will take her proper place in the comity of nations and will lead the rest of Africa, inspire Africans all over the world”.

He goes on: “that we will come to love one another because the problem in Nigeria is lack of love, our problem is tribalism and religion… Islam and Christian faiths teach the same moral values.”

Alhaji Maitama Sule was a truly great man and we can see that in the testimonials that followed his passing, in the calibre of the friendships and relationships that he built across Nigeria, in the quality of his thinking and writing, and especially in his simplicity and humility.

This was a man for whom material comforts were never a driving force. Public service to him was never about himself, it was never about the trappings of office, it was never about wealth or privilege; instead it was about serving humanity and living true to his beliefs and ideals.

I recall at a meeting that I had with him, he recounted the story of how he conceded the presidential nomination of the NPN political party then to Alhaji Shehu Shagari. I believe the story had been told again today by Elder Statesman, Chief Edwin Clark. But what struck me about that story is the fact, despite the fact that he could very easily have won that nomination especially in the run off, he chose to concede the nomination to somebody he considered older and more experienced.

Any man who can walk away from the presidential nomination of a major political party truly must be exceptional, there is something different about him and truly there was something exceedingly different about Maitama Sule.

He believed in Nigeria, and that was truly one of biggest ideals and he was a believer until the very end.

The authors of this book deserve our commendation, for documenting his life and views in great detail. The importance of the task of recording and documenting history can never be overemphasized.

In their Prologue, the authors make a somewhat depressing observation, which I shall quote and the author himself mentioned this: “as we traversed the country and encountered the surviving political gladiators of the First Republic, we came upon the reality of a generation that had virtually passed on. We met old persons in various stages of mental and physical fitness.”

This observation should alarm us. We must ask ourselves, who will document these important stories before the principal actors and characters pass on? I am reminded of the African proverb that tells us that when an old person dies, it is the equivalent of a library being consumed by fire. Where are the biographers and the film-makers who will record these things for posterity? Who will teach our children about the exploits of our Maitama Sules, and about the ideals of unity and integrity and service which they modelled for us? Thankfully, this book, ‘The Genius Orator’, will help ensure that one of our most important libraries is preserved for all time.

I talked about the first time I met Alhaji Sule when I was 15 years old and I spoke about that when I visited the family in Kano.

But let me close with a story about our last interaction. He visited my office, and I persuaded him that it would be too much trouble to walk upstairs and he kept insisting that he had all the strength and energy to do so. But anyway, that is another story.

So he came and we sat for as you can imagine, a very long time. Anyone who has interacted with Alhaji Maitama Sule knows that you cannot have a 10 minute meeting with him.

But I will forever cherish that interaction. There is a photograph from that day, which is included in the book in which he clasps my hand with both of his, and his head bowed respectfully. He didn’t need to do that and I told him so and he said to me, “age before beauty”. Just typical of his humour.

But that was the quintessential Maitama Sule, a great man who had no desire to demand deference, or to impress people with his greatness.

Nigeria is richer for his having lived and served among us, and the poorer for his passing. May his memory inspire greater greatness in those of us he has left behind.

I thank you for listening.


Released by
Laolu Akande
SSA, Media and Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
07 September, 2017

Osinbajo In Benue, Says Buhari Administration Committed To Permanently Addressing Challenges Of Flooding.

*Says resources meant to address specific challenges must be properly managed

“We must ensure that funds that are meant to address issues like this are properly managed but we have to be consistent and cooperate with the state government and other authorities because the problem cannot be solved overnight.”

Remarks By His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, During a Courtesy Visit to the TOR TIV and other Members of the Benue State Traditional Council, at the TOR TIV’s Residence in Makurdi, on Wednesday, 6 September, 2017.

Protocol

Let me first say how deeply honoured I am for being here today. Of course as his royal highness will know, as a fellow professor, I have taken a very keen interest in your royal highness’ ascension to the throne and all of what you have done in the past.

I want to say that personally, I have been very impressed with what I have seen at every level with the kind of leadership that you have provided for your people. I think it is a good example of the kind of leadership that we will like for our country; one that is very noble, one that is able to bring people together rather than divide.

I think that it is also backed by your strong belief in faith and I am very pleased to see that you have demonstrated all of that and I thank you very much for it.

Being a state where agriculture is very important, and being a former Vice Chancellor of a university of Agriculture, there is a lot that this State will benefit from your experience.

My dear brother, His Excellency, the Governor of Benue State, I have felt so many times to visit you, whether or not you invite me, but here we are, we are forced, more or less, and circumstances made it inevitable that we must come here.

I bring you greetings from His Excellency, the President, who has been very concerned about this issue of flooding in Benue State and one of the reasons why he felt it is important that I come personally and come with the Ministers of Power, Works and Housing; Environment and, of course, the Minister of Agriculture and the DG, NEMA, is that we have to find a permanent solution to this issue of flooding in Benue State.

If you look at the issue, it does suggests that the flooding is not just now, it is a perennial thing and it will continue to be so, and we will continue to do damage if we don’t take permanent and direct steps to address the challenge that we are faced with here in Benue State.

So, this visit is important because I intend not just to look around because there is not much that we can see given the fact that we are just here for a couple of hours, but we will be discussing with His Excellency, the Governor and, of course, the Tor Tiv, to look carefully at what we need to do solve this problem.
I think that it is a problem that has been long-standing. Unfortunately, we have not necessarily seen the commitment that ought to have been shown to the problem.

Funds that ought to have been used to address this challenge just disappeared, especially during the previous government. I think that whatever initiative we choose to adopt, we must ensure that funds that are meant to address issues like this are properly managed, and I think the governor has shown the commitment to do the right thing. You have a great opportunity with the kind of leadership that you have in the State to turn things around.

But in all of these we have to be consistent and cooperate with the state government and other authorities in the state because the problem cannot be solved overnight. We must be faithful to the solutions proposed by the authorities and with patience these issues will be addressed.
Once again, I want to thank your Royal Highness for the honour of receiving us here today.

Thank you.


Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
Aso Rock, Abuja
4th Sept, 2017

The National Council on Privatisation (NCP), chaired by Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, met on August 22 and 23, 2017, and approved the following:

1. Commencement of privatisation of Afam Power plants 1-5 to inject additional power into the national grid & improve electricity nationwide.

2. Pursuit of an out-of-court settlement involving the privatisation of Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON).

3. The immediate revocation of the concession of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex.

4. Immediate commencement of a fresh privatisation of Yola Electricity Distribution Company.

5. Amendments to Work Plan for the conclusion of the transaction for the concessioning of Terminal “B” Warri Old Port.

6. The restructuring and recapitalisation of the Bank of Agriculture.

7. Immediate commencement of reform and commercialisation of the River Basin Development Authorities, to revitalise irrigation.

8. The partial commercialisation of Nigeria's National Parks using three key national parks as pilot projects.

The NCP is the highest decision-making body on the privatisation and commercialisation policies of the Federal Goverment of Nigeria.

#NCPBrief

VIDEO: Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, visits a Camp for persons displaced by flooding, in Makurdi, Benue State, Wed Sept 6, 2017.

Click link to watch video: https://web.facebook.com/TheAsoVilla/videos/683599491830783/

Office Of The Vice President Press Release

*Will Intensify ERGP Implementation

The Buhari administration welcomes news of Nigeria's exit from recession with cautious optimism and will continue to drive Nigeria's economic growth by vigorously implementing the Economic Recovery & Growth Plan launched earlier this year by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The overall economic plan and direction of the administration has resulted, among others, in sustained restoration of oil production levels, (occasioned by the enhanced security and stability in the Niger Delta) sustained growth in agriculture, mining and the first growth recorded in industry as a whole in the last nine quarters since Q4 2014.

Below Is A Statement By Special Adviser On Economic Adviser To The President, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu On The 2nd Quarter 2017 Figures Just Released By The National Bureau Of Statistics

"The figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics for the second quarter of this year (Q2 2017) show that the economy grew in Q2 2017 by 0.55% from -0.91% in Q1 2017 and -1.49% in Q2 2016. This in effect means that the Nigerian economy has exited recession after five successive quarters of contraction.

This positive growth is attributable to both the oil and non-oil sectors of the economy. Growth in the oil sector which has been negative since Q4 2015 was positive in Q2 2017. It rose by 1.64% as compared to -15.60 in Q1 2017, an increase of up to 17 percentage points. This improvement is partly due to the fact that oil prices which have improved slightly from the lows of last year have been relatively steady as well as the fact that production levels were being restored.

The non-oil sector grew by 0.45% in Q2 2017, a second successive quarterly growth after growing 0.72% in Q1 2017. This increase which was not quite as strong as it was in Q2 2016 reflects continuing fragility of economic conditions. However, given that nearly 60% of the non-oil sectors contribution to GDP is influenced by the oil sector, growth in the oil sector will help boost the rest of the economy.

The positive growth seen in agriculture when the rest of the economy was contracting was maintained at 3.01% which is encouraging especially if seasonal factors are taken into account. Manufacturing growth was also positive at 0.64% and although lower than the previous quarter’s growth of 1.36%, it was an a noticeable improvement over the -3.36% experienced in Q2 2016 and a continuation of the turnaround of the sector. Solid minerals which remain a priority of the Administration also continued to grow and in Q2 2016 by 2.24%.

Overall, industry as a whole grew by 1.45% in Q2 2017 after nine successive quarters of contraction starting in Q4 2014. This positive development was somewhat overshadowed by the continued decline in the services sector which accounts for 53.7% of GDP. Nevertheless, electricity and gas as well as financial institutions grew by 35.5% and 11.78% respectively in Q2 2017.

The GDP figures give grounds for cautious optimism especially as inflation has continued to fall from 18.72% in January 2017 to 16.05% in July 2017. Foreign exchange reserves have similarly improved from a low of $24.53 in September 2016 to about $31 billion in August 2017. In the same vein capital importation grew by 95% year-on-year driven by portfolio and other investments but also notably by foreign direct investment which increased by almost 30% over the previous quarter.

Foreign trade has also contributed to improving economic conditions with exports amounting to N3.1 trillion in Q2 2017 while imports which increased by 13.5% amounted to N2.5 trillion in the same period. The overall trade balance thus remained positive at N0.60 trillion.

Unemployment however remains relatively high but job creation is expected to improve as businesses and employers increasingly respond more positively to the significantly improving business environment and favorable economic outlook.

Besides, as key sectoral reforms in both oil and non-oil sectors gain traction, the successful implementation of ERGP initiatives such as N-Power and the social housing scheme will boost job creation.

Food inflation also bears watching as it has remained quite high and volatile due mostly to high transport costs and seasonal factors such as the planting season. Investments in road and rail infrastructures, increased supply and availability of fertilizers and improvements in the business environment should contribute to the easing of food prices.

Overall, the end of the recession is welcome but economic growth remains fragile and vulnerable to exogenous shocks or policy slippages. Accordingly, it remains essential to intensify efforts going forward on the implementation of the ERGP to achieve desired outcomes including sustained inclusive growth, further diversification of the economy, creation of jobs and improved business conditions."


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
5th September 2017

President Buhari Directs EmergencyY Response To Benue Flooding; Sympathises With Affected Communities

President Muhammadu Buhari has received with great concern reports of the flooding in Benue State, which, according to early estimates, has affected thousands of homes and displaced more than 100,000 persons in 12 local government areas.

Consequently, the President has directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately mobilize personnel and resources to come to the aid of the victims of the flooding. The President is closely monitoring the situation, and will be receiving regular updates on the scale of the disaster, as well as the Federal Government's humanitarian response.

The President extends his sympathies to the Government and people of Benue State, and assures that the Federal Government will make available any assistance needed to enable the State Government and the affected communities cope with and surmount the impact of the flooding.


Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media and Publicity)
August 31, 2017

Office Of The Vice President Press Release

News reports that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is now leading Federal Government negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU is inaccurate.

Media reports seemed to have misrepresented what Labor & Employment Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige meant when he spoke with reporters about the negotiations after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.

The Vice President had a discussion after FEC with both the Labour Minister and Education Minister Malam Adamu Adamu around the issues, but has not taken over the negotiations as widely reported. Both Ministers will continue to lead the FG- ASUU talks.

The Federal Government continues to diligently pursue a prompt resolution of this dispute and is confident the matter would be resolved.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
1st September 2017

Office Of The Vice President Press Release

*Alongside Clinics, initiative to support growth of small businesss

In fulfillment of its mandate to significantly spur Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Nigeria, the Federal Government will b launching one-stop shops across the country to facilitate smoother government regulation and interface between entrepreneurs and agencies like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and others.

Already, the first One-Stop Shop was launched recently in Jos, Plateau State. While the MSMEs clinics which has held in several States already provide at an event, the opportunity for entrepreneurs and local producers in the MSME level to interact with regulatory agencies, the One-Stop Shop creates an ongoing opportunity in a permanent location to achieve the same purpose.

The states that are next in line include Abia, Cross River, Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, Kano, Benue and the FCT. While these states are slated for September and October, more of the one-stop shops are expected to be launched in other states before the end of the year.

The One-Stop Shop programme is part of the on-going Nationwide Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Clinics for Viable Enterprises (MSME Clinics) initiated by the Presidency in January 2017, and is aimed at providing a platform for convenient, continuous and easy interactions between regulatory agencies and MSMEs doing business in Nigeria.

The MSMEs Clinics, one of the diversification initiatives of the Buhari administration was designed to give small businesses the opportunity to meet with the industry regulators, to talk to them and to hear their problems in an effort to spur local production and harness the nation’s export potential in the process.

Already, one such one-stop shop for MSMEs in Plateau State has officially been launched in Jos on Thursday, 24th of August 2017 and would be housed by the Plateau State Micro-Finance Development Agency (PLASMEDA).

The agencies to be housed in the One-Stop Shops include the Bank of Industry (BOI), Bank of Agriculture (BOA), CAC, FIRS, SON, NAFDAC, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), and Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

It will also be a one-stop destination housing representatives of key government agencies under one roof where members of the public, entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs, can visit to engage with these agencies, make enquiries, report complaints and receive information that can boost their business plans and ideas.

At the launch of the Katsina State's MSMEs Clinic in Katsina in May, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, noted that the MSMEs clinics were the Buhari administration’s effort to bridge the gap between MSMEs and relevant FG regulatory agencies, like NAFDAC, CAC, BOI, FIRS and others and ensure that those agencies become facilitators of businesses, not obstacles to business development.

“The evidence is that over the years government and its agencies are seen more as an obstacle, a hindrance rather than a facilitator, and this is across all arms of government; the executive, the judiciary and the legislature. We have talked extensively about the executive and about the problems that people have interacting with the executive agencies but so it is with the Judiciary as well,” he said.

Similarly, the Vice President had urged public servants to imbibe the administration’s culture of transparency and accountability in discharging their respective duties, especially regarding the creation of an enabling business environment.

“Every time that a public servant is an obstacle to anyone seeking approvals or licenses, he or she attacks the Nigerian economy and its future. Our individual and collective vision or objective as civil or public servants must be advancing the social and economic prosperity of Nigeria,’’ he added.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
Aso Rock, Abuja
4th September, 2017

AFAM Power Plants Privatisation: Federal Government Looks To Inject Additional Power To National Grid

* Overriding national interests key to privatisation approvals – NCP

The National Council on Privatisation (NCP), which is chaired by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has approved the commencement of the privatisation of Afam Power plants 1-5 to inject additional power into the national grid and improve electricity nationwide.

The Council also approved the pursuit of an out-of-court settlement involving the privatisation of Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON).

The move aims to resolve the lingering dispute between the Federal Government, BFIG and United Company RUSAL through the mediation of the Secretariat with the active collaboration of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

The council advised that “the mediation efforts should take a holistic view of the entire sector and the overriding national interests to jumpstart industrial development through the steel sector in arriving at a resolution on the matter.”

At the meeting, under the chairmanship of Prof. Osinbajo, SAN, the council reviewed the proposals presented by its Secretariat, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) for the reform and restructuring of various sectors of the economy.

Furthermore, the council approved the immediate revocation of the concession of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, and the immediate commencement of a fresh privatisation of Yola Electricity Distribution Company.

These approvals, the council noted, were aimed at giving traction to key infrastructure facilities in the country that are presently under concessions, but have been adjudged to be performing sub-optimally.

These decisions were taken during the meeting of the NCP, which is the highest decision making body on policies relating to the privatisation and commercialisation policies of the Federal Government, on August 22 and 23, 2017 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Other key decisions taken by the council include the approval of the amendments to the Work Plan for the conclusion of the transaction involving the concessioning of Terminal “B” Warri Old Port; the restructuring and recapitalisation of Bank of Agriculture.

“The restructuring of the BOA is in alignment with the Government’s desire to make financing options readily available to farmers for an aggressive diversification of the Nigerian economy,” the council stated.

It further stated that it approved the immediate commencement of the reform and commercialisation of the River Basins Development Authorities to revitalise the irrigation and river basin potentials for agricultural purposes.

Similarly, to harness the nation’s untapped tourism potential, the council approved the partial commercialisation of the National Parks using three key national parks as pilot projects.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
Aso Rock, Abuja
4th Sept, 2017

Highlights of #PODEMeets Facebook Live with Dr. Joe Abah, outgoing Director General, Bureau Of Public Service Reforms (BPSR)

So, on Thursday the 24th of August, 2017, we held the inaugural edition of our conversation series, #PODEMeets. Our Debut Special Guest was Dr. Joe Abah, at that time one day to the end of his four-year tenure as Director General, Bureau Of Public Service Reforms (BPSR). Yes, it was his final week as DG, and we had the opportunity to get him to reflect on the preceding four years, in this hour-long interview (full video above). Below are highlights of what he said:

ON HIS VISION/AMBITION AS DIRECTOR GENERAL, BPSR:

What I set out to achieve, I did 100%.

I set out to demonstrate that change is possible in Nigeria and that you can re-orientate the public service.

We successfully intervened in areas that affect the day- to-day lives of citizens through the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat, Visa on Arrival, making airport experiences better, getting passports easier, driving licenses, tax clearances, identity management numbers, and so on.

I aimed to show Nigerians that with skill, determination and courage, change could happen here.

This is what I set out to achieve and is by far, my greatest achievement.

2. ON PUBLIC SERVICE EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY:

There are some things I wish we were able to tackle such as the proliferation of agencies and parastatals. The more we spend on unnecessary options, the less there is to spend on more important things.

I am positive that we will still get to it in terms of making sure our (public) agencies are fit for purpose and can deliver better.

Cutting down on the number of agencies does not mean the other ones will perform better. The emphasis must be on delivery. It is important the agencies function because they are the ones that have the power, the law and the money. They need to be able to generate wealth for government, have the best staff because when agencies are working, the people on the street will say government is working. Also, I wish I had more time to work on policing but I am sure it will be worked on. I also wish I was able to work on the collective of revenue generating agencies such as the NNPC.

3. ON THE WORKINGS OF GOVERNMENT:

Detailed knowledge about the workings of government is not common. Even civil society organisations and NGOs who should know, don’t. I think government needs to do more to inform the government about how things are actually happening.

That is why I am pleased that Nigeria signed up for the Open Government Partnership (OGP) and the OGP includes a permanent dialogue mechanism with the civil society.

BPSR will shortly be releasing, ‘A Citizen’s Guide to Budgeting”. The guide will cover a wide range of basic issues about budgeting.

4. ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Social Media changed my work. When I first came into the bureau, there were a number if basics that had to be put in place. The reforms had no plan, no strategy and there was no co-ordinated mechanism of any sort so there were things that I had to put in place first — reforming the reforms. We produced basic guides that were not available, for example basic guide on running an agency. We also produced basic guides that were not available such as the basic guide on running an agency. We also produced a guide on how to cut down on agencies and parastatals as well as how to merge agencies. The first two years were used to put in place certain things and I did not become active on social media until late 2015. We had partnered with a lot of international bodies, done studies with Harvard, with other governments because the nature of our work can be intellectual.

I learnt that as a public servant, being able to instantly communicate information to millions of people directly without hoping the press man will not distort the information is a major plus.

Being able to explain things in your own words was great. The downside is that it takes a lot of time.

5. ON COPING WITH THE REALITY OF HIS IMPENDING DEPARTURE:

The work I do here is the work I have done all my life. So even before I got here, I knew the people involved and I expect that will continue.

The fact that I’m leaving as the Director General of BPSR does not mean I will no longer continue to be involved in the reforms.

In some way or the other, I will still be hopefully able to add value.

I will miss my staff and I will miss the power to intervene directly in issues but it is my life’s work and it continues, I never will retire because this is my life’s work.

This is why I do not feel that level of disengagement because I expect to continue to be involved. I never got used to the trappings of power so that makes it easier. I never demanded or enjoyed special privileges.

6. ON HAVING THE RIGHT ATTITUDE:

There is a low level of confidence that people have in themselves and so people did not believe me when I said I was appointed solely because of the strength of my CV. I had no godfather. It is important to believe that some things work and they can work for you. People will always tell you why it is not possible and why you should not try and that is the worst advice you can take for yourself.

My approach in BPSR was that I will keep going until somebody says stop and no one ever stopped me. We mostly feel that as public servants, someone will not like something but it is just that we do not push our agenda enough.

If you are also not hung up on taking the glory, you will go further. You cannot be focused on chasing the right objective and be stopped by anybody. I urge people not to be self-defeatist.

7. ON WHAT’S NEXT, POST-BPSR:

Over the next few years, I will try to earn a lot more money for my family; go back to being able to take scheduled holidays with the family a few times a year.

I will be available to all for hire although I do not expect to still be as active on social media. I will be focused on more intellectual and academic work.

We Are Judged By What We Start That Is Sustainable Years After, Says Osinbajo

"It is not how well we start, it’s more how well we finish and maintain what we have created for the benefits of our people in the years to come.’’

Remarks By The Vice President, Federal Republic Of Nigeria, His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, San, Gcon, At The Commissioning Of Bua Cement Factory In Okpella, Edo State, On August 29, 2017.
Protocol

It is my singular honour and pleasure today to visit, inspect and commission this 3 million tonne capacity, ultra-modern cement plant, right here in Okpella, Edo State.

I am extremely proud to be a Nigerian and I’m sure that several of us here are. This is a wholly Nigerian enterprise and we know that the planning, the execution and successful establishment of this industrial complex was done by a Nigerian and by a Nigerian team. It is really good to know.

The construction of this plant, is of course a big boost, to the Nigerian economy, it means thousands of direct jobs and indirect jobs, both for skilled and un-skilled workers, from the commencement of the works to the current smooth-running of the production process.

As a matter of fact, we are told that production is on now and there is no dust, no noise, it is all just working so very well. This, I think, is just an amazing thing indeed.

At the level of production already attained, it also means a consolidation of Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in cement and a big boost to our export capacity.

As noted by the chairman himself, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu BUA, during a visit to my office on July 7, 2017, he spoke about two factors which he thought would bring down the cost and availability of cement in Nigeria.

One of those was the currency exchange rate and, of course, it was completely correct to say that as our currency improves and stabilises and we see a reduction in the price of low pour fuel oil, it is inevitable that production cost and market price of cement will come down to a level that is within the reach of many more Nigerians.

I am also happy to note that in the construction of the power production facility for this plant, the BUA Group has used the most modern and efficient gas turbines which combines low and economical running cost with a very high degree of reliability. This enterprise typifies our expectations as a government.

In the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan which was launched by Mr. President on the 5th of April, 2017, he made it clear that Nigeria’s economic emancipation and growth must be private sector led and driven. There is simply no public sector resource that can match the resources and commitment of the private sector.

For us as a government, doing all we can to encourage investment of this type is not just a good idea, it is the cornerstone of our economic policy. There is no other way to grow this country without the active management and participation of the private sector – it must be private sector led.

As a government, we are committed to creating an enabling environment and eliminating the bottlenecks that impede innovation and market-based solutions.

Another underlining discipline of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), and which is worthy of mention here, is our focus on combating the identified constraints to growth: factors like fuel shortages, inadequacy of power, access to foreign exchange, unfriendly business regulations, shortage of skilled manpower etc.

All of these are constraints we are determined to deal with, and I want to seize this opportunity to reassert the determination of the Buhari administration to continue with what I will describe as enabling business environment, while going the extra mile to directly assist the private sector in steadily growing our economy.

In this regard, we are working very hard with the Industrial Policy Council, of which the chairman of the BUA Group is a prominent member, to evolve and implement well considered solutions to business impediments and economic stagnation in Nigeria.

Again, I must commend the Edo State Government under His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki, and the former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole. Your business friendly policies and your preparedness to back private sector initiatives is an excellent demonstration of how to grow the economy and create worthwhile jobs in the process.

Your Excellency, Governor Obaseki, I must commend you for diligently building on the commendable work of Governor Oshiomole. This is how great societies are built.

Nation building is never judged by the number of new projects or fresh ideas that we begin, we are judged by what we complete and sustain well years after. So it is not how well we start, it’s more how well we finish and maintain what we have created for the benefits of our people in the years to come.

Last but not the least, I want to congratulate my brother and friend, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, as well as the management and staff of the BUA Group for this remarkable achievement. Abdulsamad, you are numbered amongst individuals in Nigeria who are properly described as entrepreneurs; men and women running value-adding, job-creating enterprises using local resources and talents to create value and wealth.

The world’s greatest economies attain significance by the contributions of major entrepreneurs such as yourself. It is not by those who describe themselves as businessmen, but are in fact just rent seekers.

This country will only grow on the talent and resourcefulness of people like yourself who are ready to put their resources out and invest anywhere in the country, employ the local people in that community and add real value to the lives of Nigerians.

It is my sincere hope and prayer that you will continue steadily on the path of growth knowing that on your success hangs the hopes of millions.

So it is now my very special pleasure and privilege to commission this plant (we are still going to go and take a look at it and do so formally) for the benefit of Edo State, the Nigerian people, and others all over the world who will benefit from its products, and to the glory of God.

Thank you very much.


Released by
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
29 August, 2017

We Are Working With The Us Government On Repatriation Of Corruption Proceeds – VP Osinbajo

The Buhari administration has reached out to the US government to step up its assistance in ensuring that corrupt officials don’t get a safe haven abroad for their loot, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The Vice President, who made the call today during the visit of a US Congressional Delegation to the Presidential Villa, said both countries were working on a prompt repatriation of the funds.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, "we have reached out to the US government with respect with helping with repatriation of proceeds of crime and proceeds of corruption.’’

Prof. Osinbajo, who was appreciative of the support given by the US so far said the Buhari administration regarded "corruption is an existential threat’’ that must be dealt with at its root.

"We have worked quite closely with the US government on repatriation of funds, we have seen some results’’, adding that the Federal Government is hoping for more improvement in the process.

"We think that this is very important because what tends to happen with corrupt public officials is that if they are able to find a safe haven for the proceeds of their criminality, not only are they encouraged as individuals but there is the general feeling that if I am able to get the proceeds out of the country I might just get away with it,’’ the Vice President said.

According to him, "this is one of the reasons why we have taken several actions to ensure that we are able to deal with it because some of the major dislocations in the economy are on account of the problems that we have seen with corruption.’’

He said the Buhari presidency’s strategy which is one of "the most effective ways of fighting corruption is ensuring that these proceeds are unsafe and for people to know that they would be found out and they would be punished for it and we would seize whatever profit they had gain.’’

On the return of the Chibok girls, the Vice President said, "it is a front burner issue for us all the time, there is no question of not continuing to negotiate and looking for the girls.’’

He expressed gratitude to God for the hope that the girls are still alive and would be released, noting that "negotiations were continuing and government would keep looking for the opportunity to bring them back.’’

The Vice President thanked the US government for its recent decision to sell Super Tucano aircrafts to Nigeria to aid its fight against insurgency in the North-East.

Sen. Christopher Coons who led the delegation said the visit was to reaffirm the relationship between Nigeria and the United States, noting that the US has "an enduring enthusiasm and partnership with Nigeria.’’

Other members of the Congressional delegation include, Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Michael Bennet, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Rep. Terri Sewell, Rep. Charlie Dent, Rep. Barbara Lee and Rep. Frederica Wilson. They were accompanied by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington.

Also in attendance were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffery Onyeama, Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babgana Monguno, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.


Released by
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
August 28, 2017

Q: ERGP and 2018 Budget?

Vice President: First, it is reflected in the budget. As a matter of fact it is the basis of the budget. The plan is the basis of the 2017 budget and the 2018 budget. As a matter of fact, it would be the basis for our budgets from 2017 to 2019. The plan itself is meant to go on to 2020. So, now every aspect of it is reflected in the plan. Our focus is on agriculture; our focus is on power, infrastructure, especially railways, roads, and all of that, and ensuring that we send more than ever before on capital. For instance, we spent about N1.3 trillion on capital, which is the largest ever spent on capital in this country, and we intend to increase the capital spent year on year. That’s part of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. Part of it is also is the power sector reform where we are hoping that we’ll be able to do both off grid and on grid power and improve power supply, because that obviously is one of the most basic needs for the infrastructure take-off and for the take-off of several sectors. So, the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan is really the basis of the budget, and we expect to see results going forward.

Q: Overall, do you think Nigeria has truly, and I want you to answer this from your heart, not as a politician, do you think Nigeria has actually learnt its lessons from the oil prices?

Vice President: Well, I think a lot has to do first with discipline and the way that government approaches its business. I think that we have shown that we can be disciplined and we’ve shown even in the execution of our plan that we are disciplined about it and that we are serious about it.
I think also the fact that this particular oil shock led to a recession and to grave economic consequences is a lesson that would be much more difficult to forget than in the past. I think also is the resurgence of the non-oil sector is several ways is also evident of the fact that we are not going to, we can’t go back the same way.
And there is also evidence all over the world that oil is gradually losing relevance. So we are not going to have much of a choice, if you see what I mean. In the next 10, 15 years or so, it is going to be extremely difficult to live on oil for any oil producing country.
Look at China, Japan, everybody is investing in electric cars. Japan has more charging stations for cars than petrol stations. China is subsidising electric cars. The UK, several European countries are setting deadlines for more energy-efficient cars, electric cars and those kinds of things. So, we really won’t have a choice, I don’t think that we are going to have the luxury of sliding back into some comfort that comes from just hydrocarbon resources. I don’t think we are going to have that luxury and I think it’s going to become evident in the next few years.

Q: But given that we’ve been through a recession, you are right in the sense that it is going to be very difficult to forget what we have experienced in this country. But I think a lot of Nigerians actually need to change their habits, especially when it comes to relying on imports.

Vice President: I think the way it works is that at the end of the day, it is an economic choice, a choice that you have to make. If imports are more expensive, as they are now, you are going to have to make a choice to buy local. I mean, government has a policy. As I said, we have an Executive Order which was issued, which insists that government itself must purchase locally, must give priority to local content goods, must give priority to goods that have local content in all our purchases, including military purchases.
So as a matter of policy, we are where we should be and we should see some results for that. But the other choices that have to be made are economic choices. If people see that imports are more expensive, they are more likely to look for local options, and already that is becoming the case. Local options are definitely becoming more popular.

Q: Would that still be the case when we are out of recession?

Vice President: I think so. I think we are going to have a situation where, because if you look at what we are seeing, I’ve seen that manufacturing in Nigeria, if you look at what we are seeing, I am seeing that food, beverages etc., is really ramping up, packaging is much better, quality is much better, even clothing, shoes, quality is much better. Things are improving. Many people are buying clothes that are made in Nigeria. More people are wearing Made-in-Nigeria clothing. Textiles are still manufactured, most of it is imported, but there is a value add because people are actually buying made in Nigeria clothing.
I think that we are in a place where that is going to become more popular as efficiency improve local industries. It is going to become, as I said, an economic choice, and I think that Nigerians are filling the gap, filling all of the spaces that are being created by more expensive imports.
And I think that we will find that Made-in-Nigeria becomes a reality. But it is not the sort of thing that you can enforce beyond controlling imports and those kinds of things. I think it will come down at the end of the day to how efficient and how the quality of local products become. I think that we are already seeing that. I think that in the next few years, you are going to see change in terms of patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products. I think that we are going to see a real change.

Q: Since your administration took office, how organized are the typical average entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

Vice President: Let me say that first, opportunities have arisen. What has happened for example is that imports are more expensive, so there are more opportunities for local production. I just gave you an example of agriculture. There are more opportunities in agriculture, more opportunities in agro-processing; more opportunities even in technology products for young people.
Now, that does not mean that you will find an immediate efficiency or immediate prosperity but the opportunities are there.

I think that what we have found and what someone would say to you that a recession or crisis really may sound bad but it really brings about significant opportunities and significant challenges, so what we are trying to do is to improve the business, improve the environment for doing business so that those opportunities become realities, so that they actually become something in the hands of young people and entrepreneurs who are taking those opportunities, and who are trying to profit from those opportunities. I think that the opportunities in recession are enormous and especially for local production, for local activity and we are seeing a lot of that taking place.

Q: I know you signed Executive Orders to try and cut down on red tape and bureaucracies to make it easier for businesses to start up in Nigeria right now. How do you monitor the implementation to make sure it has the desired effect especially for Executive Orders that have 30-day deadline?

Vice President: What we have tried to do is really engaging with the public service. For the first time, I met with permanent secretaries, met with staff; we held open meetings where we talked about the problems and what we need to do. But now we have broken that down to permanent secretaries meeting with their immediate staff and we are breaking that down further.

We are looking at how we can maintain that communication because that is the only way to continuously check what is going on, and we are also doing a lot of training, we are trying to get people to understand that this is really the way to go. Not just because it is good practice but because it is also the way to sustain the resources that pay for the public service, and the resources that will get this nation going forward.
I think that there is a need to change the orientation which is what we are doing through training and engaging and then monitoring, and we have also set clear deadlines, we have said, if you don’t perform, these are the consequences. So, I think that we will get efficiency as we go on, the important thing is to keep our eyes on the ball and we are doing so.

Q: How much do you think Nigeria’s reputation for weakness when it comes to the rule of law; the way the rule of law specifically has hampered foreign direct investment?

Vice President: Let me say first that there are many factors that an investor will always be looking at, rule of law being one but not all of it. And what you find is that private sector is usually factoring all of this into its costing, into just making the decisions.
Many times you find that, and this is what we are saying, you would find that investors are coming and they are investing in various sectors of the economy and some are increasing investments and all of that.

But there is a significant drawback if people feel that disputes cannot be resolved quickly and efficiently. That is a significant drawback. There are many who are squeamish about those kinds of things and who will not invest on account of the fact that there are fearful that it may well be that if there is a dispute, it may not be resolved on time and that is just a fact of life. And that is one of the reasons why we are trying to improve the delivery and administration of justice and we really can’t avoid that, it is so fundamental.

And for me it is the sort of commitment that we can’t take lightly. Whether it is for investment or just doing justice for the ordinary citizen, or the person who just wants a simple matter resolved, it is really our duty to ensure that we provide a system of justice that delivers on that, and so working on it on a day by day basis is always the task for us.

Q: So what changes have your administration made to make sure that the rule of law is no longer as much of a problem for foreign investors?

Vice President: Well, that is the point that I was making earlier, that it depends, and there are three arms of government that have to work together and it is difficult especially because there have been a bit of rocks over the years.
One of the things we tried to do is to ensure that we interact with the judiciary in order to bring about a system that works. For example with respect to special offences and all that, we are trying to designate courts; we are speaking with the Chief Justice to designate special courts that will be able to deal with these issues. We are also talking about more efficiency in commercial law and these are interactions that are going on with the judiciary.

So, I think that what we need to do is to engage the judiciary sufficiently, let the judiciary understand the importance of what they do to the economy. Sometimes that isn’t necessarily always well appreciated, and I think that that is a point we need to make.
And it really comes down to government working as efficiently as they can with the judiciary, again government, by that I mean the executive, cannot by any kind of fear get the administration of justice working efficiently. We simply have to collaborate and cooperate with the judiciary and of course with the legislature as well.
In a democracy, these are not necessarily straightforward, not necessarily easy, and people don’t necessarily work or sing from the same song book all the time. This is an engagement that is important and I think that we have taken the first step by actually sitting down with the judiciary to raise those issues at the highest levels and to see what it is that we need to do to get things going forward

Q: Where will this be in 2019?

Vice President: Let me just say that our commitment is to leave this country with all of the resources that we can bring to the table. To live it honestly, with transparency and efficiently, in every aspect. In other words, the economy, security, fight against corruption which are the three main issues we think are on the table.

We want to see an improved power infrastructure, especially power and transportation, we are working hard on that, and we want to be able to deliver on aspects of our rail system; we want to improve power supply by the end of our administration. We are definitely going to be self-sufficient in rice production by the end of this administration and several other agricultural produce.
We think that in several areas of the economy, manufacturing we expect that it is going to improve; we are going to significantly improve the business environment and the ease of doing business. I think that there are so many areas where there is going to greater efficiency and delivery.
But I think the most important thing is that we are committed to running a government that is transparent, a government that is efficient, a government that serves the people, and that responds to the concerns and problems of the Nigerian people. That I think is all that I can say.

Q: I understand that you can’t any promises because obviously you can’t see the future, but a lot of Nigerians have had promises before under many administrations for many years and they really want to see results. Can you make any assurances beyond just “we would like” and “we want to”?

Vice President: All I can say to you now is that these are the projections that we have made, and I have spoken about the concrete things and I have spoken about agriculture, what you are going to see in agriculture; we have started our rail, we are doing the Lagos-Kano rail; the contract is already out, the concession for the Lagos-Kano to the narrow gauge, General Electric has already taken that. We are going to be moving over a million tons of goods on that rail by October; we are doing the standard gauge for Lagos, we are doing Lagos-Calabar which is also a standard gauge rail.

We are going to come out more efficiently in mining. Mining productivity has improved significantly today. In fact, that is one of the sectors aside from agriculture that is also making significant improvement. We are opening up technology. Many young people are getting involved in technology and all of that.

So, people will see more improvement in technology, power, we are working day and day on power. We expect that we are going to see much greater improvement on power because we are using both off-grid and on-grid initiatives now.
Of course we are involving the private sector a great deal. The private sector is already investing considerably more, and we are want to open up the power sector for more private sector investment. And then there are many more private sector opportunities that are game changing. For example the oil refinery that is being built in Lagos, 650,000 barrels a day. It is the largest single-line refinery in the world. That will be opened early in 2019. The fertilizer plants are two; Indorama and the one Dangote is opening which is also the largest single line fertilizer plant in the world.
So, the future is certainly very bright and I think we are going to do great things.


Released by Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
August 22, 2017

Expect Double Efforts In Driving Economic Growth Now That President Is Back - Vice President Osinbajo.

Transcript Of Conversation With The Vice President Conducted By Zain Asher (Cnn International Correspondent) At The Nigerian Bar Association 2017 Annual General Conference At The Landmark Event Centre, Lagos On August 21, 2017.

Q: Achievements of this Administration?

Vice President: I think the single greatest achievement of the administration so far is really setting the foundations for the economic recovery of the country. I think those foundations are important because first, we were dealing with a mono-economy, mono-export, mono everything practically. But more importantly we were also dealing with a system of public finance that was essentially opaque and if you like, a fair amount of corruption. Not even so much corruption in some cases, that it was difficult in some cases to even discover how it was the economy survived the extent of that corruption. So I think maybe the point is that we are rebuilding that economy and we have laid what I believe is a very solid foundation in the rebuilding of the economy, especially the public finance system beginning of course with ensuring that we block all of the loopholes.

We have continuous audits now, we have an efficiency unit that ensures there is efficiency in government expenditure, we have the TSA – the Treasury Single Account that ensures that we are able to monitor government spending and revenue closely, and we have modified the tax system so that it is more efficient.
We also have the Executive Orders, one looking at we are looking at transparency in government business, we are looking at annual budgets of small agencies, and another is Voluntary Assets Declaration and one on local content encouraging local content. I think really where we are is a situation where we have cleared the mess, cleared the debris and we are laying solid foundation for modernizing the economy.

Q: Average Nigerians feeling the results?

Vice President: Let me give you an example of what is going on. For example, look at agriculture. I mean, it is very clear that agriculture has taken a quantum leap and we are producing far in excess of where we were even just a year ago.
Referring to the Northern states, in most of the Northern states, agriculture has become a significant economic contributor, and what we are experiencing, for example, take rice production, we are experiencing, in this season, we are going to find almost a tripling of actual harvest in rice and you’re going to see that replicating itself.

In a lot of communities where agriculture has taken root, take Kebbi state, take Zamfara state, take Jigawa and several of the other states, you will find that prosperity is returning to those places. We recently opened the largest rice milling plant in Kebbi state a couple of weeks ago. Now that milling plant needs 50,000 farmers to satisfy it.
Already Kebbi state is struggling to be able to produce that number of farmers and there are several other areas where we are getting those kind of significant results. The rural areas, where you have the poorest communities. But what we are experiencing today is that those rural areas are coming up and they are doing so much better. As a matter of fact, this year, the vast majority of those who went on Hajj were farmers because they are earning significantly more.
So I think the common man would begin to see, because we are talking about real growth, we are talking about growth in jobs, and a lot of that is going to start with actual production dealing with agriculture first. We are hoping that the agro-processing would catch up. We’re hoping that resource manufacturing also would catch up, all of the resource manufacturing. We are hoping that even the innovation and technology-led manufacturing will also catch up. But all of these are, you know, we are at a point where I think we are taking off quite well and we will soon see significant improvement in the lives of people.

Q: Getting Nigerian to export?

Vice President: Well, let me say for agriculture, you know, and it is interesting that a lot of export is taking place in agriculture already. You’ll find that a lot of Nigerian grain moves to the North, out of the Niger, Mali, and those places, there is a lot of export going on, especially grain, loads and loads of trucks are moving on to the markets in those neighbourhoods. We are also experiencing a lot of exports into West Africa. What we need to do is more value added exports, which is really where a lot of the profit is going to lie and we are working on that. And part of what we are doing for the NEPC, that is the Export Promotion Council, and the NIPC, and several other of our agencies, is standardizing those products.
We’ve got quite a few investors, for instance, there are investors in vegetable and fruits, bananas, pineapples and all of that, who are already doing excellent packaging for export. But what you find, one of the things that you will discover is that, a Mexican investor in bananas and pineapples and he is in 11 states already. But what he was saying to us is, look, the local market is so large, so huge, that I don’t need to export at this point. Just satisfy the local market, it’s huge.

So I think we have a situation here where even our domestic market is large enough to create the kind of opportunities that other countries will salivate about. So, I think we are in a good place. We’re certainly behind the curve in terms of realising the potential in agriculture, the potential in agro-processing. But in the past year and a half, I think that more and more innovation and opportunities are arising, and more people are going into farming, and more and more investors are coming into farming. So we think we are in a very good place.

Q: Mending the corruption reputation?

Vice President: Absolutely. And I think you are right, especially the reputational issue of corruption. But there are quite a few things that we are trying to do. One of the critical things, and I think Mr. Nika Gilauri mentioned that, which is that, government ownership of business almost always encourages rent-seeking. So we need to get out of government ownership of most businesses, and that is one of the key things for us, that you need to do certainly much more private sector involvement. The more private sector involvement, the more efficient the system is, the more transparent the system becomes.

I think that is one of the critical issues that we are trying to deal with. I was saying that we have signed a few executive orders; the first is the Executive Order 001, which is really on transparency in government business.
Now, transparency in government business, we insist that there are timelines for delivery of government business. We are at the moment training a lot of our public servants in delivering efficiency in that respect and ensuring that timelines are better.
There is also what we call the one-government system, namely that if you need five different approvals from government and you get one of those approvals, it is up to the government to ensure that government agencies talk to each other rather than have you go from point to point to get those approvals.

That is the one-government system which we are working on now. Now that way, you’re able to reduce the interaction with agents, and agencies and all that, and you’re able to do almost a one self-centre for collecting all of the different investment approvals that you need.
Technology is also helping with respect to registration of companies. We now have an electronic platform in the Corporate Affairs Commission for the registration of companies. And we think that introduces less discretion, so the public servant does not have any discretion with business online there is less interaction with any human agent and all that.

That is also speeding up the entire process of registration of companies. But we think that the most important thing is that the more you introduce technology, you reduce the opportunities for rent-seeking, we privatize as much as possible, I think that that will help efficiency.
But the other thing also is that we must punish offenders. There must be consequences and this is really the point. Sometimes, you find yourself in a situation where, we are saying, look, we are charging so many people to court. The court system is relatively slow, so we need to build that institution, we need to build our court system, we need to build our trial process so that it is much faster.

I mean, fighting corruption is a multi-sectoral thing, you need the law enforcement institutions, you need the justice system, you need the prosecution, that is the executive, but we have to work. It is not one trying to just push. So we’ve got quite a few cases of people who are in court already; we’ve got quite a few public officers who have been put on trial.

Q: Corruption convictions and the slow pace of it?

Vice President: Convictions have been slow, very slow.
The institutional process is extremely slow. I was a prosecutor in Lagos and we have a situation where even the process of getting a case to court, investigative process, can be quite slow. Sometimes you find that policemen are transferred, those who are IPOs, Investigating Police Officers are sometimes transferred. Sometimes because the system allows appeals on a wide variety of issues, there are then challenges of various kinds that are dilatory delaying and all of that. So you find out that the system allows a lot of inefficiency and we really need to reform that system so that it will be efficient enough to try cases promptly and so that people see the consequences of corruption or consequences of wrongdoing.

Q: Speeding up the judicial process?

Vice President: Well, first, that whole process of reforming the system involves essentially three separate arms of government, which must come together, that is the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, the judiciary in particularly. Of course, you know also that the judiciary is independent. But what we try to do is to work with the judiciary.

I’ve had a series of conversation with the Chief Justice of Nigeria. As a matter of fact, just in the past few days, we also had a couple of conversation around establishing special offences courts, around trying to improve the performance of the judiciary and all of that. I think those conversations are important because that is one way of ensuring that we are all on the same page about improving efficiency. But it is also important that there is commitment on the part of our profession, the legal profession, to reform. These are some of the issues that we are trying to contend with, but certainly and the government is committed to it, we are doing our part and we think that it is important to work with the other arms of government, the legislature and the judiciary, and we are doing that.

Q: Issue of better pay for workers?

Vice President: It is a fantastic suggestion. But let me just say that we are in a bind of sorts, you know, because at the moment, we are spending 70 percent of revenues on remunerations essentially, by public sector remunerations and overheads, which leaves a paltry, less than 30 percent for our capital expenditure. So already we are spending a huge amount of money. What we need is a much more efficient civil service that is paid more. But in order to do such, we certainly need to increase revenue. Sometimes it is a chicken and egg situation because in order to increase revenues, we need to increase you know.

I think that what we are probably going to end up doing is what we have done with some of the parastatals; in other words, identifying certain government services that must be remunerated differently in order to be able to increase efficiency. One of those are some of the revenue generating agencies, for instance, the FIRS, Federal Inland Revenue Service. Improving remuneration, especially bonuses, would do a lot of good. That we saw happen in Lagos, with the Lagos Inland Revenue Service, where because there were bonuses, there was improvement in revenue and reform, people were able to do better, even in our judicial system. Because we paid better, we remunerated better, people were able to improve. But some of it has to be targeted, because you can’t have an overall increase in expenditure today of government expenditure, especially on remuneration, because that’s already skewed somewhat in favour of recurrent expenditure, which is the problem.

Q: Getting Nigerians to pay their taxes?

Vice President: What it is, is this. We have what we call the Voluntary Assets Declaration Scheme and what that says is in 90 days you come up with a self-assessment that tells us where all of these is at. How much are you earning, how much are you paying in taxes? Pay the difference.
We’ll forgive the penalties; we’ll forgive the past so long as you come up with this within the 90-day period.
Now, of course as you know, many countries, the UK is opening up a beneficial ownership scheme so that we will know in another few months what you own abroad, especially what you own in the UK and countries like that. So if you don’t do this within 90 days, then we will go ahead with criminal prosecution where necessary, because there are already criminal prosecution provisions in the tax laws. So the whole idea is that you have a 90-day amnesty, you have a 90-day period of grace. After that period, we are going to just go ahead and enforce the law.

Q: Enforcing the new tax drive?

Vice President: It is very straightforward. If we discover after the 90-day period that you’re hiding away some money or you have not declared those assets that you ought to have declared in order for us to know what your revenue is and all of that, then it’s simple, it is very straightforward. Evasion of tax under our law is criminal. There is civil liability and criminal liability. It is very straightforward. The only thing that can prevent possible prosecution is if we don’t discover it. The moment we discover it.

Okay, if you have assets in the United Kingdom, for instance, under the Beneficial Ownership Scheme in the UK now, we are going to know who owns what in the UK. So that is going to be made public; that will become public. Now, many wealthy Nigerians own assets in the UK and several other countries in the OECD are also opening up. So we are bound to know very soon what people own abroad in particular. What you own here is probably easier to discover. We will find out in due course. I think the most important thing is that we’ve set the framework and we’ve given a sensible period of grace. And already quite a few Nigerians are coming up and discussing the terms of their payment of whatever.

Q: So already, you’re saying that wealthy Nigerians have come forward voluntarily to say that this is what I own?

Vice President: Yes, we’ve got quite a few, we are expecting very many more, some of who are here in this audience.

Q: So, while President Buhari has been away, you obviously have been praised a lot because you’ve implemented a lot of reforms. Now that the President is back, can we expect the same pace of those reforms to continue?

Vice President: Yes. The President, of course as you know, is very committed to everything we’ve done. I mean, as much as it was possible, we worked together on most of these issues. And what we are doing essentially was executing a plan, the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, and we intend to continue to execute it as efficiently as possible. So, I think we should expect double efforts as opposed to single effort now that the President is back. And I’m sure that you’re going to see very strong leadership.


So, the future is certainly very bright and I think we are going to do great things.
Released by Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
August 22, 2017

"We Are Fair- Minded And Will Ensure Justice" – Vice President Osinbajo After Submitting Investigative Reports On SGF/NIA-DG To President Buhari

Below Is The Transcript:

Transcript Of Vice President’s Remarks After Submitting A Report From The Investigation Committee On The Allegations Against The Suspended Secretary To The Government Of The Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, And The Director-General Of The National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayodele Oke At The Presidential Villa, On August 23, 2017.

Q: Your Excellency, you have just submitted a report Nigerians have been eagerly waiting for, to know the details, can you give us a brief of what is contained in your report?

Vice President: No of course not. This is a report which contains recommendations to the President. The fact finding committee as you know and what our terms of reference were, were to find out based on the facts available to us and to find out based on interview of witnesses and what transpired in both cases that were before us. The one involving the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the one involving the DG NIA. And we have now concluded that and we submitted a full report with recommendations to Mr President. Of course I cannot give you any kind of details because the President has to look at, study the report and then make his own decisions based on that report.

Q: Sir, one thing Nigerians would also want to know is if we are going to get something fair coming out since he is one of you, are you going to look at it from the angle of justice or from the angle of a close friend?

Vice President: Well I think that as you can imagine that we are always fair minded and the whole approach is to ensure that justice is done in all cases. It is in the interest of the government and also in the interest of the nation that things are done properly, that there is due process in anyway.
That’s is the proper thing to do and you can be sure that we will do the right thing.

Q: How soon are we going to get the President’s report because Nigerians have waited so long for your report? Are we going to wait for another 3 months or can Nigerians expect it soon?

Vice President: All I can say is that we have now submitted a report to Mr President. It is a detailed report, two reports as a matter of fact and Mr President has to study the report and then make decisions.

Q: Sir please give us details?

Vice President: Oh I cannot tell the recommendations. How can I? This is a document which we have just presented to Mr President. He is the one who will read the recommendations, read the facts in the recommendations and then make a judgement. But I cannot, but I said that we cannot do that. That would be pre-emptive of me.

Q: What did Mr. President say to you after you gave him the report?

Vice President: He said thank you very much well done.

Q: Are heads going to roll from your report?
Vice President: How can I tell you what is in the report. You really want to know what is in the report! You really have to wait.


Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
August 23, 2017
Boost post

President Buhari Returns on the 19th August, 2017

President Muhammadu Buhari returns to the country later today, after receiving medical attention in London.

The President had left the country on May 7, this year, after handing over power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who has functioned as Acting President since then.

President Buhari is expected to speak to Nigerians in a broadcast by 7 a.m on Monday, August 21, 2017.

He thanks all Nigerians who have prayed ceaselessly for his recovery and well-being since the beginning of the health challenge.


Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
August 19, 2017

Broadcast By President Muhammad Buhari, August 21, 2017

My dear citizens,
I am very grateful to God and to all Nigerians for their prayers. I am pleased to be back on home soil among my brothers and sisters.

2. In the course of my stay in the United Kingdom, I have been kept in daily touch with events at home. Nigerians are robust and lively in discussing their affairs, but I was distressed to notice that some of the comments, especially in the social media have crossed our national red lines by daring to question our collective existence as a nation. This is a step too far.

3. In 2003 after I joined partisan politics, the late Chief Emeka Ojukwu came and stayed as my guest in my hometown Daura. Over two days we discussed in great depth till late into the night and analyzed the problems of Nigeria. We both came to the conclusion that the country must remain one and united.

4. Nigeria's unity is settled and not negotiable. We shall not allow irresponsible elements to start trouble and when things get bad they run away and saddle others with the responsibility of bringing back order, if necessary with their blood.

5. Every Nigerian has the right to live and pursue his business anywhere in Nigeria without let or hindrance.

6. I believe the very vast majority of Nigerians share this view.

7. This is not to deny that there are legitimate concerns. Every group has a grievance. But the beauty and attraction of a federation is that it allows different groups to air their grievances and work out a mode of co-existence.

8. The National Assembly and the National Council of State are the legitimate and appropriate bodies for national discourse.

9. The national consensus is that, it is better to live together than to live apart.

10. Furthermore, I am charging the Security Agencies not to let the successes achieved in the last 18 months be a sign to relax.

11. Terrorists and criminals must be fought and destroyed relentlessly so that the majority of us can live in peace and safety.

12. Therefore we are going to reinforce and reinvigorate the fight not only against;
· elements of Boko Haram which are attempting a new series of attacks on soft targets
· kidnappings, farmers versus herdsmen clashes,
· in addition to ethnic violence fuelled by political mischief makers. We shall tackle them all.

13. Finally, dear Nigerians, our collective interest now is to eschew petty differences and come together to face common challenges of;
· economic security,
· political evolution and integration
· as well as lasting peace among all Nigerians.

14. I remain resolutely committed to ensuring that these goals are achieved and maintained. I am so glad to be home.

15. Thank you and may God bless our dear Nation.

Today We Draw Line, Hate Speech Will No Longer Be Tolerated - Acting President Osinbajo

*It’s An Act Of Terrorism, He Warns

Opening Remarks By His Excellency The Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, San, Gcon, At The National Economic Council, Nec, National Security Retreat, At The Banquet Hall Of The State House, Abuja, 17 August 2017.

Protocol.

I am delighted to welcome you to this special session of the National Economic Council, focusing on Security. As you’re all aware, the Buhari administration came into office on a vision that covered three key areas: Security, the Economy and the fight against Corruption.

All three issues are closely linked, of course. Without guaranteeing security, we will struggle to attract the kind of investments, domestic or foreign, needed to create jobs and prosperity for our people. And when those jobs are hard to find and keep, our people will naturally be more susceptible to the lure of criminal activity. Which means that governments that are serious about fighting crime ought to be extremely serious about fighting poverty.

And I take the point that the Chairman of the Governors’ forum made about investments in agriculture, although the N23 billion investment is one aspect of agriculture which is the Anchor Borrower’s Programme. Our total investment is well over five times that. If you look at all the other areas in which we are investing in agriculture, and that excludes what the States are also investing in agriculture. So I think that substantial effort is being made, still not enough but certainly more than N23 billion.

Corruption and Security are also interconnected. We are all witnesses to how, only a few years ago, much of North Eastern Nigeria was at risk to falling completely into the hands of Boko Haram, largely because widespread corruption in the military had robbed our troops of the resources and morale needed to fight and defeat the terrorists.

Regarding this all-important issue of security in Nigeria, we all know what the issues are. In our lives as politicians and as elites; in our security meetings and confidential briefings, in news reports and editorials in the media, we are all daily confronted by the disturbing reality of Nigeria’s security situation.

Now I think is the time to implement our thinking and our talking; to add action to our analysis. And this action must be bold, ambitious, urgent – and, and very importantly – innovative. It was Albert Einstein who said, and I quote, that “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems in the first place.”

This is a challenge to all of us, to confront these matters with utmost seriousness. Because the problems we face as a nation are not static, but instead continue to evolve, our thinking and our solutions for them must also be equally dynamic, to take into account the peculiar realities of the 21st century. I have spoken at a number of recent fora about how technology and the internet have altered the nature of conflict and war in contemporary times, enabling and amplifying the efforts and impact of terrorists, insurgents, warmongers, secessionists, and peddlers of hate speech.

Against this backdrop, the question we should be asking ourselves, as Governments, especially as Chief Security Officers in our States, as Law Enforcement Agents, is: how can we take advantage of these same tools and technology to stay permanently ahead of those who seek to wield them to create mischief, and cause terror, fear and bloodshed?

These are the conversations that we should be having, and at the highest levels of government no less. My expectation is that we will, at this forum, focus on solutions, instead of rehashing the problems.

But let me just reiterate an important fact, one of the reasons why the National Economic Council is so important is because the framers of our Constitution recognise that that the Federal Government alone cannot solve Nigeria's security or economic challenges. Security is a collective enterprise, requiring the harmonization of efforts from all three tiers and branches of Government, and from the private sector, civil society and indeed the general public as well.

Yesterday, we took an important step in incorporating all of our society into this security issue and into the fight against insecurity in our country. Pursuant to our Constitution, I issued a directive to the Inspector General of Police to constitute the Community Policing Programme. As you know the Community Policing Programme is one that the Police itself had developed over the years.

But by this directive, we expect that the community Policing Programme will take root and take effect and all of our Police formations across the country will engage their communities in the very creative ways the Police themselves have prescribed in the Community Policing programme.

We expect that this will be a fundamental change in the way that policing is carried out in our country and that it will yield the kinds of results that we expect.

The Buhari administration has already set a pattern of engagement and collaboration with Governors, and we are committed to maintaining this atmosphere of frank engagement.

You are aware that this was not always the case; and prior to this administration, the National Economic Council had not exactly fulfilled its obligations as an economic council because of the unending series of conflicts between the Federal and State Governments over very many issues.

But we are determined to do things the right way, to be transparent in our dealings with you, to respect your views, regardless of partisan or ideological affiliations, and to join hands with you to create positive change in the lives of all our people.

Please permit me a comment on hate speech. The Federal Government has today drawn the line on hate speech. Hate speech is a specie of terrorism. Terrorism as it is defined popularly is the unlawful use of violence or intimidation against individuals or groups especially for political ends. The law, that is the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (as amended), defines terrorism as inter Alia, an act which deliberately done with malice which may seriously harm or damage a country or seriously intimidate a population.

The intimidation of a population by words, by speech is an act of terrorism and this government intends to take this matter very seriously. As I have said, we’ve drawn a line against hate speech, it will not be tolerated, it will be taken as an act of terrorism and all of the consequences will follow it.

I call on all business, religious and political leaders, whatever your political leaning, your religion or tribe or faith to condemn in the strongest possible terms at all times, hate speech.

Speech that promotes violence against an individual or group, especially when such comes from people of your own faith, tribe or group, your silence in such situations can only be seen as an endorsement.

Hate speech, and the promotion of the same throughout history from Nazi Germany and the extermination of Jews to the Rwandan genocide succeeded in achieving their barbarous ends by the silence of influential, voices from the aggressor communities.

When leaders in communities that speak in such a manner as to create dissension or to intimidate a population are quiet, they do a great disservice to our unity and nation.

This is why I urge all of our political leaders, religious leaders, business leaders and all of those who truly want a united country and a country where there will be peace and security, to ensure that we do not tolerate by our silence the hate speech that we hear every day in our community.

In closing, let me remind you that our Constitution states that the primary purpose of government shall be the security and welfare of the people. And as President Buhari likes to say: “you cannot administer a country you have not secured.”

We will not relent in our vision to ensure a secure country, in which all citizens can confidently aspire to achieve their dreams and ambitions. I am confident that today will mark an important milestone in the achieving that vision.

I thank you very much for listening.


Released By:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President
Office of the Acting President
17 August 2017

Ongoing at the State House: Monthly National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo. Today's Meeting is focused on Security.

Department Of Civil Military Affairs Holds Human Rights Workshop In Monguno

In an effort to deepen troops understanding and appreciation of Human Rights issues and their impact on military operations, the Army Headquarters Department of Civil Military Affairs have organised Human Rights Sensitization Workshop for officers and soldiers of 8 Task Force Division in Monguno.

Declaring the workshop open, the Chief of Civil Military Affairs, Major General Nuhu Angbazo noted that the Nigerian Army is currently experiencing fourth dimension warfare; where the assymetric nature of the enemy has demanded that the army must work more closely with the civil populace, in order to understand, identify, engage and defeat the enemy. To achieve this strategic objective, Major General Angbazo added that "the Nigerian Army has embarked on this sensitization workshop so that our troops can become knowledgeable in the Laws of Armed Conflicts and therefore avoid those unprofessional conducts that could destroy their career and tarnish the good image of the Nigerian Army ".

Earlier, the acting General Officer Commanding, 8 Task Force Division, Brigadier General Stevenson Olabanji commended Major General Angbazo for the timely initiative and assured him that commanders would use the knowledge acquired to fashion out professional approaches to their military duties, in conformity with the vision with the Chief of Army Staff which is to ''Have a Professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of it's constitutional roles".


Col Timothy Antigha
Deputy Director
Public Relations
8 Task Force Division
August 16, 2017

We Are At The Cusp Of A Radical Economic Growth, Says Acting President Osinbajo

*New Permanent Secretaries Picked On Merit

Remarks By His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, San, Gcon, Acting President, Federal Republic Of Nigeria At The Swearing-In Ceremony Of Newly Appointed Federal Permanent Secretaries, At The State House Council Chambers On Wednesday August 16, 2017.

Protocols

May I congratulate you on your appointments as Federal Permanent Secretaries and may I also extend the warm felicitations of the President, Commander-In-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari to you on this very auspicious occasion.

You are here today after a rigorous selection process undertaken by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and her team of retired Heads of Service, Permanent Secretaries, seasoned technocrats and members of the organized private sector.

In other words your appointment, on a state by state basis is on merit, and you are here today being presented to this nation as the best that our civil service can offer.

You come into office at a crucial moment in our national history. First we are at the cusp of a radical economic recovery and growth effort that has as its core the implementation of a comprehensive diversification of the Nigerian economy.

We are also implementing a major reform of our public finance system, emphasizing integrity and fiscal prudence. These reforms are being effected in the context of our determined anti-corruption programme and these efforts cannot succeed without a competent and committed civil service corps led by your good selves.

As part of that reform effort four executive orders have been signed and I will just quickly summarize them.

Executive Order 001 is on the promotion of transparency and efficiency in the Business Environment - to ensure that public servants offer prompt service in a predictable and transparent manner, and sanction undue delays.

Executive Order 002 is on prompt submission of annual budgetary estimates by all statutory and non-statutory agencies of the Federal Government including incorporated companies wholly owned by FG. The deadline for this is on or before end of July.

Executive Order 003 on support for local content in public procurement by Ministries, Departments & Agencies of the Federal Government to promote patronage for Made-in-Nigeria goods and services.

Executive Order 004 is on the Voluntary Assets & Income Declaration Scheme to provide an opportunity for taxpayers who are in default under all relevant statutes to voluntarily declare their assets and income and pay taxes on them while avoiding payments of interests and penalties.

These Executive Orders and several other government directives are meant to ensure that the reform programme of the Federal Government succeeds. Your role in it cannot be overemphasized.

Your role is not just in providing direction, and providing leadership but also in the training of the core of the civil service that is under your care and charge. We expect that Permanent Secretaries will be the drivers of the implementation of the Executive Orders. And this is why a training programme has been undertaken in order to do so and it is a continuous programme of training.

Your coming into office at this particular time is a good signal and I believe very strongly that it will be an opportunity for a reset in some cases of projects and programmes that up till now may not have been fully completed.

It is also important to emphasize that this government is committed to an anti-corruption programme. It is easy to speak about corruption and to speak about anti-corruption programmes. But we want to emphasize that we do not believe that any nation can survive at the levels of corruption that we have witnessed in our country in the past years.

It is completely impossible to implement government policies or programmes or to ensure that the benefits of economic programmes, the benefits even of democracy, ever reach the ordinary man if corruption remains at the levels that it has been in the previous years.

This is why our commitment to corruption is not just a glib reference, it is not just glib talk; it is important, it is crucial, as a matter of fact, as the President has said - “if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us”. It is your responsibility as Federal Permanent Secretaries especially this new corps of Federal Permanent Secretaries, chosen and selected on merit to ensure that you carry out in the fullest measure all of the anti-corruption programmes of this government, and to ensure also that by your practice and in your conduct you are also above board.

Before I go on to announce the postings of the Federal Permanent Secretaries, let me again emphasize that the process of the appointment of Permanent Secretaries is one that was conducted in the fairest possible way and I hope that this is the way that we will continue to conduct these processes by rigorous process of examination and test that will bring up the very best that this country can offer. I want to again congratulate you and congratulate members of your families for this great attainment and I hope and pray that your tenure will be extremely successful.

We also have with us in the cabinet two ministers who were sworn-in a couple of weeks ago and I have the pleasure to announce that the two ministers will be posted to two critical ministries which require their expertise.

Prof. Steven Ocheni will be assigned the portfolio of Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, and Mr Suleiman Hassan will be assigned the Portfolio of the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing.

The posting of the Permanent Secretaries, Mrs. Anagbogu Ifeoma Nkiruka, Women Affairs; Mrs. Walson-Jack Didi Esther, Service Welfare Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Gekpe Grace Isu, Information and Culture; Aliboh Leon Lawrence, Budget and National Planning; Uwaifo Osarenoma Clement, Ministry of Health; Afolayan Ayodele Olaniyi, Common Services, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Abdullahi Abdulazeez Mashi, Ministry of Communications; Adebiyi Bolaji Adekunle, Labour and Employment; Ibrahim Musa Wen, Water Resources; Odewale Samson Olajide, Special Duties, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Adesola Olusade, Youth and Sports Development; Umar Mohammed Bello, Special Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Aduda Gabriel Tanimu, Politcal Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; and Akpan Edet Sunday is to resume duty in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment on October 1. Ehuria Georgina Ekeoma, Cabinet Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.


Released by
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
16th August, 2017

Nigerian States Are Undiscovered Jewels, With Huge Local & International Economic Potentials, Says Ag President Osinbajo

*Challenges Niger State to envision possibility of feeding half of Africa

In a speech that highlighted the tremendous local and international economic potentials of States of the Nigerian Federation, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, says just one State in the country, Niger State, with its rich agricultural potentials and resources should develop the capacity to feed both the country and about half of the African continent.

"Indeed, this State like most of Nigeria is largely an undiscovered jewel; a real treasure hiding in plain sight. The vision is to position Niger State to feed at least 50% of Africa. This may sound like a tall order given today’s level of production. But we should always set our sights high."

The Acting President made the statement today in Minna at the Investment Summit organised by Niger State tagged "Truly Niger" to showcase the rich potentials of the State to investors.

Delivering the keynote address as Special Guest of Honour at the ceremony chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Acting President spoke on the theme Impacting Investment For Advancing Agricultural Economy and Innovation stating that "even in the best days of oil dominance in Nigeria, agriculture provided jobs for 30 percent of our population, and about the same percentage in contribution to GDP."

Continuing, he noted that Agriculture is clearly the surest pathway to diversifying the economy, ensuring food security and improving foreign exchange earnings.

Speaking to industry chieftains, bankers, financial experts and senior government officials at the Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, in Minna, Prof Osinbajo noted that Niger State "boasts of size, occupying 10% of Nigeria’s land area, this is perhaps the largest tracts of arable land in the sub-region, the largest number of hydro-power assets, a hardworking, resourceful, youthful population and an experienced and purposeful leadership."

He noted that the State "is rightly proactively seeking sustainable, long-term investments that will support the inclusive, sustainable and resilient growth and development that the State needs. I expect that the summit will deliver the connections, the networks and investment collaboration that it was designed for."

Before declaring the investment summit open, Prof. Osinbajo recalled the efforts of the Niger State government to make the State more business-friendly, and implored the State government to leverage on existing measures such as the creation of the Niger State Geographic Information System (NIGIS); the streamlined issuance of certificates of occupancy within 72 hours; and the reduction in the cost of getting a Certificate of Occupancy by 90% (from between N150,000 – N180,000) to only N15,000 to achieve its investment objectives.

Prof Osinbajo noted that the State must utilize "its advantage of being close to New York, a model which Ogun State is also successfully implementing in relation to Lagos State, " adding that the State must take advantage of its location close to the Federal Capital Territory to become a manufacturing hub.

"This is especially the case for Small and Medium enterprises that can produce light manufacturers to serve the rapidly growing population of Abuja," the Acting President stated.
During his remarks at the occasion, the Governor of the State, Alhaji Sani Bello said the summit was conceived to showcase the rich agricultural potentials of the State to investors, promising that the outcome of the summit would be implemented by his government.

Dignitaries at the event include besides, former President Obasanjo included the former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar; Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Ahmed Kesto; Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audi Ogbeh; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan; Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika; Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Alh Bawa Bwari; Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa'ad Abubabkar and several other top government officials.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
14th August, 2017.

Buhari Administration's One Free Meal A Day School Feeding Now In 14 States, Serving Almost Three Million Pupils

*Over 33,000 cooks hired across the States

IN fulfillment of it's plan to ramp up the Social Investment Programmes, SIP, this year, the Buhari administration is now close to its target of feeding three million primary school children this year under the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme, one of its four ongoing SIP schemes.

Specifically, at the last count, a total of N6,204,912,889 has been paid out to 14 states during the school year ending August 2017.

The 14 states that have been covered under the School Feeding programme are Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta, Abia, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba and Kaduna.

So far, a total of 2,827,501 school children are currently benefiting from the School Feeding Programme, which is well on course to achieve the Federal Government’s projection to feed over three million pupils this year.

In total, 33,895 cooks have been engaged in the communities where the schools are located across the 14 states.

Below is a breakdown of the payment to each state and the number of school children being fed under the programme.

Anambra state received a total of N693,013,300, while a total of 103,742 children have been fed thus far, with 1,009 cooks paid.

Enugu state got a total of N 571,877,400 and 108,898 children have been fed so far, with 1,276 cooks paid.

In Oyo state, a total of N490,296,800 was released by the FG for the feeding of 107,983 children, with 1.372 cooks engaged.

Osun state received a total of N1,000,394,888 for the feeding of 151,438 children. A total of 2,863 cooks were engaged in the state.

Similarly, Ogun state received a total of and N1,042,217,400 for the feeding of 231,660 schoolchildren, while a total of 2,205 cooks were paid.

For Ebonyi state, a total of N344,633,100 has been released for the feeding of 163,137 pupils so far, with a total of 1,453 cooks paid.

In the same vein, Zamfara state received a total of N402,295,600 for the feeding of 107,347 schoolchildren, while 1,127 cooks were engaged.

Delta state received a total of N225,896,300 for the feeding of 141,663 pupils. A total of 1,364 cooks were engaged in the state.

Abia and Benue states received a total of N128,763,600 and N337,157,800 respectively to feed a total of 61,316 and 240,827 pupils respectively. In Abia state, a total of 750 cooks were engaged, while 3,344 cooks were paid in Benue state.

Similarly, Plateau and Bauchi states received a total of N133,187,600 and N214,909,101 for the feeding of a total of 95,134 and 307,013 pupils respectively in the states. Also, 1,418 cooks have so far been engaged in Plateau state, with 3,261 in Bauchi state.

For Taraba state, a total of N120,284,500 was paid and 171,835 pupils have thus far been fed, with a total of 2,596 cooks paid.

Kaduna state received a total of N499,985,500 while 835,508 pupils have been fed so far. Also, a total of 9,857 cooks were paid under the programme in the state.

More States and primary school pupils across the country are expected to benefit from the feeding programme by the time schools reopen next month for a new session.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
13 August 2017

Acting President Osinbajo Congratulates President Kenyatta On His Re-Election

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, congratulates President Uhuru Kenyatta on his re-election as President of the Republic of Kenya.

In a letter signed by the Acting President after the formal announcement of the election results over the weekend, and addressed to the Kenyan leader, he states "I have the honour on behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to congratulate you on your successful re-election as the President of the Republic of Kenya."

Prof. Osinbajo notes that President Kenyatta's re-election bears testimony to his selfless service to Kenya and to the giant strides he has taken in the transformation of the country in the last few years.

"Permit me therefore to use this momentous occasion to reiterate Nigeria's support and cooperation with Kenya in our collective determination to advance the development of Africa and its people," the Acting President notes.

Prof. Osinbajo extends his best wishes to the people of Kenya on the successful conclusion of the August 8 general elections in the country and wishes President Kenyatta a very successful new term in office.


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
13 August 2017