₦airaland Forum

Presidential Engagement With Northern and Southeastern Leaders
The recent heightening of ethnic agitations in the country has necessitated the convening of a series of dialogues with political, religious and traditional leaders from across Northern and Southeastern Nigeria.

On the one hand there is the agitation (sometimes accompanied by violent rhetoric) for secession by the Southeast. On the other hand there is the recent ‘ultimatum’ by a group of Northern youths for Southeasterners to leave the North by October 1.

On account of these Acting President Osinbajo has in the last one week been meeting with leaders from these regions: With Political and Religious leaders from the North on Wednesday 14 June; with Political and Religious leaders from the Southeast on Thursday 15 June; with Traditional Rulers from the Southeast on Sunday 18 June; and with Traditional Rulers from the North on Monday 19 June.

After this the Acting President will meet with all these stakeholders and leaders in a joint session. There will also be a meeting with State Governors to discuss these agitations and work out lasting solutions.

The message of the Acting President, on behalf of President Buhari and the Federal Government, and regarding all expressions of hate/divisive speech, is clear and unambiguous:

“The manner of those agitations, the method and objectives are wrong, unlawful and the violation of the laws of Nigeria and the constitution of Nigeria. I want to repeat that both the agitations for secession and the ultimatum to leave the Northern states are wrong and a violation of our constitution. Our constitution says in Section 2 that Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the name the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that is the law of our country. Let us not be in any doubt about the fact that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that our country remains united. And that anyone who violates the law in the manner such as we are seeing all over the place will be met with the full force of the law.”

Budget 2017
On December 14, 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2017 Budget Proposal to a Joint Session of the National Assembly. Five months later, on May 11, 2017, the National Assembly passed the Budget (or Appropriation Bill), as it is formally known, into law, with changes.

Some of those changes were not acceptable to the Executive. For example the decision of the National Assembly to cut down the funding for a number of critical infrastructure projects, and to allocate that money to new projects introduced by the Assembly. What followed the passage were therefore four weeks of negotiations, regarding the restoration of full funding for those projects.

It took four weeks to come to an agreement, and, finally, on Monday June 12, 2017, six months after the President submitted the Budget, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo assented to it. The Appropriation Bill is now an Act of Parliament.

The good news is that the National Assembly has agreed to restore all of the affected funding, upon the submission of a request by the Executive, in a process known as 'Virement'.

The 2017 budget is the first budget in Nigeria's history prepared using a custom-developed software application for uploading and collating, instead of the conventional paper method that is prone to error and manipulation. The new application allows users to track versions, and to see who is altering what. To support this the Budget Office established a special HelpDesk to help guide Ministries, Departments and Agencies through the e-submission process.

We also continued with the Zero-Based Budgeting system we adopted and trialled for the first time with the 2016 budget.

Budget Highlights


The passed budget is 7.44 trillion Naira, an increase of about 140 billion naira over the 7.298 trillion Naira proposed by the Executive

The infrastructure component is 2.18 trillion Naira, which is about 30 percent of the total budget. (1.2 trillion Naira was spent on infrastructure in the 2016 budget -- a record sum -- of the roughly 1.8 trillion Naira budgeted for that purpose)

The 2017 budget signed into law by Acting President Osinbajo is based on the following assumptions: an oil price benchmark of US$44.50 per barrel (Executive originally proposed US$42.50), average crude oil production of 2.2 million barrels per day, and an exchange rate of N305/dollar

The 2017 budget prioritizes Roads and Railway Projects, Social Housing, Special Economic Zones, Social Investment Programmes, River Basin Development, Presidential Amnesty Programme, and development in the Niger Delta and North East.

Priority Road Projects in the budget include the following: The Second Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja Road, Kano-Maiduguri Road, Enugu-Port Harcourt Road, Benin-Sagamu Road, and the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road.

Priority Rail Projects in the budget include the Lagos-Kano Rail and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Rail.

Opening Note: Light At Tunnel's End
"Our path to progress and abundance is clear. The tools are in place and the resilient, resourceful and hardworking Nigerian people are set to go. I have no doubt that by the grace of God, the bleakness of recession is about to witness the uplifting dawn of abundance."
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, June 12, 2017.

1/ On May 23, the National Bureau of Statistics published Q1 2017 GDP figures. The economy shrank by 0.52%. While this means Nigeria continues to be in a recession, it is also clear that we are on the way out. In Q3 2016, the economy shrank by 2.34%. This fell to -1.3% in Q4 2016, and has further fallen to -0.52% in Q1 2017. Also, the number of sub-sectors of the economy that experienced negative growth has almost halved falling from 29 for the whole of 2016 to 16 sub-sectors in Q1 2017.

2/ Agriculture and Solid Minerals, two of our priority sectors, continue to record solid growth, in spite of the recession. And manufacturing grew by 1.36% in Q1 2017, compared to a decline of 2.5% in Q4 2016. (and a decline of 7% in Q1 2016)

3/ Headline inflation has dropped for the fourth consecutive month, to 16.25%. (The CBN target for 2017 is 11%)

4/ Inflows of $2.2 billion through the CBN's Special Forex Window for Investors and Exporters (NAFEX) since it was launched in April 2017. (Note that the CBN's supply accounted for roughly 30 percent of that value)

5/ The Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index and Market Capitalisation have each risen by roughly 25% since the beginning of 2017. The ASI hit a 24-month high in the 2nd week of June 2017. Much of that bounce is on account of the inflows into the new CBN Forex window. Foreign Portfolio Investors are showing renewed interest in Nigeria.

6/ Rising crude oil production levels -- now at the highest levels in 12 months, on account of resumption of operations at Forcados Terminal.

7/ Foreign exchange reserves are now in excess of US$30 billion, compared to US$24 billion in October 2016.

8/ Increased capital spending by the Federal Government: 1.2 Trillion Naira in the 2016 budget. (The 2017 Budget will double that amount).

The Only Way To Make Things Right Is To Do Things Right, Says Acting President Osinbajo

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Meets traditional rulers from South-East, as consultations continue over agitations
Says manner of agitations, unlawful and violation of Nigerian constitution
Remarks By The Acting President Federal Republic Of Nigeria, His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON At a Meeting With Traditional Rulers From The South-East At The Old Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja On June 18, 2017.
"It will be wrong of us to approach even our grievances by threatening to disobey the laws or by threatening the integrity of our nation."

Protocol

Let me begin by thanking all of our royal fathers who have taken the time to come today. I know the notice has been extremely short but the reason why you have nevertheless honoured our invitation is because of the importance that you have attached to the consultations that we are holding and the reasons for those consultations.

So, I welcome you our royal fathers, distinguished elders and leaders to this important meeting.

Also, today our country joins other nations in the celebration of Fathers’ Day and who better to celebrate Fathers’ Day with than our royal fathers, so I wish all happy fathers’ day.

Last week, I met on different dates with leaders of thought from the North and leaders of thought also from the South-East.

But in planning these meetings, I was conscious that we should have a separate set of meetings with our traditional rulers because of the peculiar and unique positions that they hold especially in their relationships with those who live in their kingdom and this is the reason we chose to have two separate meetings – One with the South-East traditional rulers and tomorrow evening, I will be meeting with traditional rulers from the North.

I want to emphasize that it is the peculiar, unique position that traditional rulers occupy that makes this separate consultation important and deserving and I really would want us to take advantage of this opportunity.

Most of us are aware especially for those who have been following the consultations, we have worked very hard to ensure that the representations across the two zones that we are interested in consulting with initially is as wide as possible and we have tried to inculcate that even in our traditional rulers today.

As you are aware there has been agitation from some of our youths in the South-East urging secession, the creation of Biafra. In apparent response, young people in the North, under the aegis of Arewa youths have purportedly issued an ultimatum where they have set a date for the eviction of persons from South-East region who live in the Northern states.

The manner of those agitations, the method and objectives are wrong, unlawful and the violation of the laws of Nigeria and the constitution of Nigeria. I want to repeat that both the agitations for secession and the ultimatum to leave the Northern states are wrong and a violation of our constitution.

Our constitution says in Section 2 that Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign state to be known by the name the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that is the law of our country.

Let us not be in any doubt about the fact that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that our country remains united.

And that anyone who violates the law in the manner such as we are seeing all over the place will be met with the full force of the law.

And the reason why it is so, is because Nigeria's unity is one for which enough blood has been spilled and many hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost. Many have paid for the unity of this country with their lives and it will be wrong of us as men and women of goodwill in this generation to toy with those sacrifices that have been made.

This is the reason why men and women of goodwill in our generation must not tolerate any tendency that drags us in the direction of yet another civil conflict.

But we must be sensitive to the reasons why there are agitations by the various young men and in fact several others across the various zones of this country. Many have to do with perceived marginalization, some have argued, safety in the different zones have been compromised in various ways.

But I want to say the only way to make things right is to do things right. And it will be wrong of us to approach even our grievances by threatening to disobey the laws or by threatening the integrity of our nation.

What the Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to do is ensuring we listen to all the reasons, the various suggestions, the various agitations, and the reasons for those agitations and to ensure that we do justice by all persons regardless of where you are from in this country. That is the commitment of Federal Government which I am able to make to you today.

I recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had said once that as a person who served in the Nigeria Army, he committed his life to the service of this country and that he did so not alone but with others from the North, South, West and East of Nigeria.

And that he fought side by side from the Congo to some many related places where he has served the country, and they served side by side protecting each other’s lives and ensuring that all of them were safe. That they were in that Nigerian Army, men and women from all parts of Nigeria and that is the reason according to him why he is so committed in ensuring that Nigeria remains one united country.

Our greatness lies in our being together and I believe very strongly that as our royal fathers, you will ensure the message is clear to all, that the greatness of any people lies in their ability to work together despite our differences, despite the types of offence that have been caused between each other, the greatness of any community lies in unity.

I trust that you, our royal fathers, will give us the right directional advice to ensure that our country remains together.

Thank you very much and God bless you.


Released by
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity)
Office of the Vice President
June 18, 2017

Attention Smokers & Non-Smokers in Nigeria: 8 Things You Need To Know Right Now

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1. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that worldwide, second-hand tobacco smoke is currently responsible for the deaths of about 600,000 people yearly, 80% of which occur in low-income and middle-income countries like Nigeria.

2. Smoking in public places is now banned in Nigeria. Section 9 of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Act 2015 stipulates that offenders, once convicted, are liable to a fine of not less than N50,000 or not less than six months’ imprisonment, or both.

3. Public places where smoking is prohibited by law in Nigeria include: Child Care Facilities, Educational Facilities, Health care Facilities, Playgrounds/Amusement Parks, Public Parks (Gardens), Stadia, Restaurants/ Bars, Public Transportation and Plazas.

4. The Federal Ministry of Health is committed to the fight to ensure a Tobacco-Free Nigeria, and will in the weeks and months ahead actively collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure enforcement of the Act, and with the National Assembly to ensure that necessary supporting regulation is passed.

5. Apart from the ban on smoking in public places, the Federal Ministry of Health will also be enforcing the following bans:
a) Prohibition of the sale of tobacco products to and by anyone below the age of 18.
b) Ban of sale of cigarettes in single sticks. Cigarettes must be sold in packs of a minimum of 20 sticks only.
c) Smokeless tobacco shall be sold in a minimum of 30 grams.
d) Ban of sale or offer for sale or distribution of tobacco/ tobacco products through mail, internet or other online devices.
e) Prohibition of interference of tobacco industry in public health and related issues.
f) Prosecution of owners or managers who permit, encourage or fail to stop smoking in public gathering places.
g) Prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship of any kind in Nigeria.
h) Compliance with specified standards for content.

6. The Federal Ministry of Health has launched a Tobacco-Free Nigeria campaign to protect and promote Nigerian citizens’ right to health, life, physical integrity and safety by raising awareness on the dangers and burdens of second- hand tobacco usage.
The Campaign is supported by Cancer Society of Nigeria, World Health Organization (WHO), ONE Campaign, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Tobacco Free Kids Washington DC.

7. The Tobacco-Free Nigeria Campaign is being promoted on social media with #ClearTheAir, a play-on-words that includes both educating, advocating for fresher air and eliminating indifference towards the dangers of second-hand smoke. Join the conversation today!

8. Watch a Livestream of the #ClearTheAir Campaign launch by the Minister of Health Professor Isaac Adewole, in Abuja on Thursday June 15, 2017 facebook.com/TheAsoVilla/
Be part of the movement, follow @tobaccofreeNG (Twitter), @tobaccofreeNG (Instagram), @FmohNigeria (Facebook), FmohNigeria (YouTube), @TheAsoVilla (Facebook) and @DigiCommsNG (Twitter)

Update On Our Homegrown School Feeding Programme:
- 3.7 billion Naira
- 1.28m schoolchildren; 3m by end of 2017
- 14,000 cooks
#SIPNGR

Text Of Opening Remarks Made By The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, At The Meeting Of The Acting President With Leaders Of Thought From The Southern States Held At The Old Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja On Wednesday June 14, 2017

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On June 13, 2017 I kicked off a series of consultations and engagements with Leaders of Thought from Northern Nigeria. It was a useful meeting
Today’s meeting, the second in the series, is with you, Leaders of Thought from the Southeast.

After this, I will meet with Religious and Traditional Leaders from the North and from the Southeast, on Friday and Monday respectively. And then, in the final consultation, next week Thursday, all of us, from North and South, will come together in the same room, for further engagement and consultation.

I also plan at some time in between to meet with the Nigerian Governors Forum.

These consultations are necessary, and important, because of recent events in the country. You are all aware that there have been loud and sometimes hostile agitations by youth in the southeast, calling for secession of the region from Nigeria. Then there was the recent ultimatum issued by a group of youth from the North, asking all south-easterners living in the North to leave by October 1 this year.

Both of these expressions and agitations from both sides, have been attended with some controversial and hateful vituperations including patently illegal and violence-inducing remarks.

I firmly believe that we ought to address these agitations and proclamations urgently and decisively. Burying our heads in the sand and expecting the storm to blow over of their own accord is not an option.

But equally not reasonable is falling for the temptation for tit-for-tat. It has never worked or moved us closer to a solution or resolution.

And so it is in our bid, as government, to deal with these pressing issues and grievances, that we have convened this series of consultations, with various groups. We will never shy away from the responsibility to ensure and uphold the peace and security of Nigeria.

It is in my view the role and responsibility of those privileged in society to be leaders to chart a progressive and lofty course for the ordinary people. As leaders, we carry the burden to secure the peace, progress and prosperity of our people, and that is why our voices ought to be heard and heard loud and clear at moments like this in the defense and articulation of what is truly beneficial to the nation and the people, and what is right and patriotic.

Our dear nation has gone through some really difficult times. We have survived bloody coups, several rounds of ethno-religious violence, and emerged from a long and bloody Civil War. All of us here have seen close-up what violence can do to a country, and I believe I speak for us all when I say that no one here is keen to see Nigeria embroiled in violence or bloodshed of any kind.

Especially not when we are only just emerging from a brutal insurgency that has consumed more than 20,000 of our brothers and sisters and children, as well as the better part of a decade.

One thing is clear – violence and war are terrible things. They are easy to start but near impossible to end. Indeed you’re all aware of the Igbo proverb that says that “A man who rushes into battle does not realize that battle entails death.” We are witnesses to the unspeakable devastation that war continues to inflict across the world. No one who has seen the horrors of war – even just on television – would wish it on their worst enemy.

It is also clear that wars sometimes start, not with bullets, but with words. Hateful, incendiary speech, opening floodgates of blood. The tongue, like the pen, is often mightier than the sword – because it is what pushes the sword into action. When we throw words like stones in a marketplace we do not know who or what it will hit.

Knowing this, under no conditions whatsoever should we tolerate or excuse or justify hate speech or hateful conduct of any kind, especially where such is illegal. Let me of course acknowledge that as part of living together in this space called Nigeria, misunderstandings and frustrations are inevitable. Because resources are limited there will always be a striving to get what is perceived as the best seat at the table.

All of that is normal and to be expected, especially in a democracy, like ours. A healthy democracy ought to be a theatre of energetic striving by all parties and stakeholders. But things should never descend to a level where mutual suspicions override the desire to live together in peace and harmony.

On 13th June 2017, I made it very clear that hate or divisive speech, or divisive behaviour, where it is illegal, will be met with the full force of the law. I will say it again today: Let there be no doubt whatsoever of the resolve of government to ensure that no one will be allowed to get away with making speeches that can cause division or violence. We will take very seriously any attempts to cause violence or to disrupt the peace of Nigeria. And we will not tolerate such.

We are also resolute in our determination to protect every Nigerian, everywhere in the country.

We will do everything within our power to defend and uphold the terms of our constitution, which declares that we are one nation under God.

It also guarantees the free mobility of people, goods and services throughout the country, as well as full residence rights for every citizen in all and any parts of the land of their choice. It is also the aspiration of the Constitution to ensure a country in which, and I quote, “loyalty to the nation shall override sectional loyalties.”

And it is the responsibility of the Government to create the conditions for the attainment of these ideals. There is something that President Buhari is fond of saying: that without peace and security there can be no development. We cannot develop a country that is not in the first place safe and secure for all its people. For this reason we take extremely seriously our constitutional responsibilities as your government.

Those responsibilities also include listening to, consulting, and engaging with you; giving every citizen and every part of the Federation a sense of belonging and significance. And that is why we are here today.

I expect that we will be frank and constructive in all our deliberation and discussion. This is an important moment for all of us, and I hope that at the end of it we will all be satisfied that we have accomplished something significant.

By the grace of God we will leave to coming generations a peaceful, secure and prosperous nation; a nation in whom all citizens, regardless of age, gender, and ethnic/religious affiliations, will feel deep and enduring pride.

I now would like to listen to your views and interact with you on these issues as we together consider the future of our great country.

Thank you very much. May God continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo declared open a 2-Day National Mining Summit at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo flagged off the preparation of the 2018 Budget, directed Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to ensure that the submission deadline of October 2017, is met.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo met with Northern leaders ahead of a joint meeting with Eastern leaders.

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) released its Weekly Epidemiological Report.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola inaugurated the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN) at the
Ministry Headquarters, Abuja.

Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril departed Nigeria for the 16thSession of African Ministerial Conference on Environment in Libreville, Gabon.

INFORMATION: The N-Power application portal reopens for registration at 11.30 pm June 13, 2017. Registration will close on July 13, 2017.

INFORMATION: Ministry of Health will launch Tobacco-Free Campaign on Thursday June 15 in Abuja.

Those Promoting Hate Speeches, Violence Will Face Full Wrath Of The Law – Acting President Osinbajo

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Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has warned those persons promoting hate speeches or making pronouncements that can cause violence or disruption of lives and property in the country, to desist from such divisive behaviour or face the full wrath of the law
The Acting President gave the warning today in Abuja at the beginning of a series of consultative meetings he is holding this week with Leaders of Thought from the North and South-East parts of the country.

Today's meeting being the first in the series was with a cross section of leaders from Northern states at the Old Banquet Hall in the State House.

Below is the full text of the Acting President’s remarks at the meeting:

Being Text Of Opening Remarks Made By The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, At The Meeting Of The Acting President With Leaders Of Thought From The Northern States Held At The Old Banquet Hall, State House , Abuja On Tuesday, 13th June, 2017

First let me say how honoured I am, by your response to my invitation to attend this special consultation.

I’m pleased to welcome all who are here today, cross-section of elders from the Northern states of Nigeria. It is also important to point out that there are, of course people who would qualify for the same description, the description of very respected thought leaders, but certainly, we cannot have everyone.

Some we could not even reach but, more importantly we wanted to have a small number of people for this first consultation, so that we will not have an unwieldy number.

Besides, I will also be meeting with traditional leaders from the North and I will be meeting with respected thought leaders and religious leaders from the South-East.

So this will be very broad series of consultations but, let me say again that I am extremely grateful that you responded to this meeting at very short notice.

Living in a diverse country such as ours of course as most of us who are here know, is one that will give rise to unique challenges, several challenges and several issues. Most, who are here today have been witnesses to practically all phases of Nigerian History which, is one of the reasons we have asked that you come today. There is hardly anyone here who has not witnessed the most important landmarks in our history, some tragic, some joyful and, many times unable to put together.

This is one of the reasons why I thought that, this particular group of people are important to be here today.

In the past few weeks, I’m sure many of us have noticed that there have been louder noises of hate, of division, especially from the younger persons in our society. Much louder noises than perhaps had been the case in the past.

Recently of course there was the loud agitations about secession from some of the groups of some young people in the South-East, IPOB and groups that are affiliated with them but also and perhaps more recently, the call by a group of young persons from the North, who claim to have given an ultimatum to all of those who are from the South-East who live in the North to vacate the North by October 1st, 2017.

Now, there are those who may deride these sort of statements that these hate speeches that may show intolerance and promote divisions are not important, that they should be ignored.

However, I believe that we should address them quickly and that especially leaders of thoughts and elders, persons with experience, persons who have been through several phases of Nigeria's history should be able to advice and should be able to give some directions as to how many of those in our midst, especially younger people in our midst who may believe that perhaps the way and means they are going about their frustrations or their personal grievances is the right way to go.

I want to say that our defining strength is what our constitution calls the sovereign "nation under God." There are multitudes of people from the North and multitudes of the people from the South who live in either the South or the North. There is no homogenous society in Nigeria; the North has several people living there from different parts of the country.
Every form of violence, every form of hate speech, every stone that is thrown in the market place will hit targets that are not even intended. And I believe that the Nigerian people must be made very conscious of that, so that we do not create a crisis that is un-intended.

As part of the reasons of living together, we must know that misunderstandings and frustrations would always arise and that people would always complain that they are not getting the best part of the deal. But we must be careful to recognize that we can only even begin to talk about getting any part of anything (only) if we are together in peace.
These days, wars do not end and I am sure that all of those who have seen or experienced war in any form would not wish it on their worst enemies. This is not the time to retreat behind ethnic lines. Moments like this are not for isolating ourselves and I want to urge all of us who are here, and of cause the entire Nigerian populace, that it is a time for us to come together and to work together.

As a government, we are of cause determined to ensure the unity of the country along the lines of our constitution.
I want to say that hate or divisive speech, or divisive behaviour, where it is illegal, will be met with the full force of the law. And I want to ensure that there is no doubt of the resolve of government to ensure that no one will be allowed to get away with making speeches that can cause division, or that can cause violence. Especially because when we make these kinds of pronouncements and we do things that can cause violence or disruption of lives and property, those who make those speeches are no longer in control.
So, I want to just emphasise that government will take very seriously any attempts to cause violence or to disrupt the peace of this country. That,
I think is very important because we cannot control violence once it begins.
So today I am extremely grateful that you have responded to this meeting and I know that those who are around this table will be frank and constructive in all of our engagements. It is a very important engagement and I hope we will be able to get the kinds of fruit that we desire from it.

God helping us, our country will always be a place where we can always be proud of, where we can always live peacefully. And we always owe it as a duty to the next generation to hand over to them a peaceful and prosperous nation.

Thank you very much.


Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity)
Office of the Acting President
13th June, 2017

Speech By Acting President Yemi Osinbajo At The Signing Of The 2017 Appropriation Bill Into law on Monday June 12, 2017, At The Presidential Villa, Abuja

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A few minutes ago, I signed the 2017 Appropriations Bill into law. This is an important milestone in our economic recovery and Growth plan laid in April by President Muhammadu Buhari.

I would like to express my appreciation to the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as well as the entire leadership and members of the National Assembly for completing work on the 2017 Appropriation Bill. And. I will return to this point presently.

The process of preparing and processing this Bill was much smoother than the 2016 Appropriations Bill. On the executive side, there were no allegations of errors, or mistakes, and there was a significant improvement in the quality of the preparation, as well as the presentation.

I wish to commend the Ministry of Budget and Planning for such a remarkable improvement over a single budget cycle.

On the side of the National Assembly, I wish to commend the collaborative spirit of the engagements our MDAs had with their various committees, and with the leadership, during the budget defence sessions. There were far fewer reported cases of acrimony, or hostile wrangling this year, than in the past.

From the reports we received, the sessions were generally conducted in a friendly atmosphere. There is no doubt that our democracy is maturing.

However, the final presentation and the signing of the budget has been considerably delayed. This was largely due to disagreements we had about the changes introduced to our 2017 Budget proposals by the National Assembly.

The executive took the view that the changes fundamentally affected some of our. priority programmes and would make implementation extremely difficult and in some cases impossible.

I must say that the entire leadership of the National Assembly led by the Senate President and the Speaker, adopted a commendably patriotic and statesmanlike approach to our engagements on resolving these critical issues.

In sum, the engagements yielded acceptable results . The most important being that the leadership of the National Assembly has given us a commitment that the National Assembly will re-instate the budgetary allocations for all the important executive projects, such as the railway standard gauge projects, the Mambilla Power Project, the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos — Ibadan Expressway etc. which they had reduced to fund some of the new projects they introduced.

This re-instatement will be by way of an application for virement by the Executive which they have agreed will be expeditiously considered and approved by the National Assembly.

It is as a result of that understanding and the outcome of our detailed engagements that we feel able to sign the 2017 Appropriations Bill into law today.

I am also pleased to mention that, in our discussions with the leadership of the National Assembly, we have jointly resolved to return to a predictable January to December fiscal year.

It is a particularly important development because this accords with the financial year of most private sector companies, underscoring the crucial relationship between government and the private sector.

Therefore, on the understanding that we will be submitting the 2018 Budget to the National Assembly by October 2017, the leadership of the National Assembly has committed to working towards the passage of the 2018 Budget into law before the end of 2017. I must, once more, express my appreciation to the leadership of the National Assembly, for the collaborative spirit in which these discussions were conducted.

The 2017 Budget, which I have signed into law today, is christened “Budget of Economic Recovery and Growth” and reflects our commitment to ensure strong linkage between the medium-term Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) recently launched by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari and the annual budgets.

It is designed to bring the Nigerian economy out of recession unto a path of sustainable and inclusive growth. The budget has a revenue projection of N5.08 trillion and an aggregate expenditure of N7.44 trillion. The projected fiscal deficit of N2.36 trillion is to be financed largely by borrowing.

Let me assure those who have expressed concern about the growing public debt that we are taking several actions to grow government revenues as well as plug revenue leakages. This is because, notwithstanding the fact that our borrowings are still within sustainability limits, we are determined, in the medium term, to reduce our reliance on borrowings to finance our expenditures.

Details of the budget, as approved by the National Assembly, will be made available by the Honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning.

As you are all aware, our economy is already signaling a gradual recovery as growth is headed towards positive territory. First quarter GDP, at -0.52% compares favourably with -2.06% in the first quarter of 2016.

Inflation is declining — down to 17.24% from 18.74% as at May 2016. Our external reserves are now US$30.28 billion as at June 8, 2017 up from US$26.59 billion as at May 31, 2016.

We are also gradually instilling confidence in our exchange rate regime. This improvement in GDP growth and other macro-economic indicators is largely attributable to our strategic implementation of the 2016 Budget as well as stronger macroeconomic management and policy coordination.

I am confident that the 2017 Budget will deliver positive economic growth and prosperity — one that is self-sustaining and inclusive. In this regard, the 2017 budget will be implemented in line with our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

Over the 2017–2020 plan period, we are focusing on five (5) key execution priorities, namely:
*Stabilizing the macroeconomic environment;
*Agriculture and Food security;
*Energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products;
*Improved transportation infrastructure; and.
*Industrialization through support for micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs).

The 2017 budget includes provisions that reflect these priorities.

To demonstrate our commitment to following through our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, the 2017 budget allocates over N2 trillion to capital expenditure, principally infrastructure.

For instance, we are committing over N200 billion to improve transport infrastructure such as roads and rail; over N500 billion for investments in works, power, and housing; and N46 billion for Special Economic Zone Projects to be set up in each geopolitical zone.

The signing of the budget today will trigger activities in the domestic economy which will lead to job creation and more opportunities for employment, especially for our youth. And, as I indicated earlier, we will be returning to the National Assembly to seek upward adjustments by way of virements in relation to a number of critical projects which have received inadequate provision in the budget just passed by the National Assembly.

We acknowledge that government alone cannot achieve the overarching goal of delivering inclusive growth; that is why the 2017 budget provides a lot of opportunities for partnerships with the private sector.

To help the private sector thrive, we are determined to create an enabling business environment. We are already recording verifiable progress across several areas ranging from a new Visa-on-Arrival scheme to reforms at our ports and regulatory agencies.

The Online business registration process has reduced time required for business registration from 10 to 2 days. It is expected that the Executive Order on transparency and efficiency in the business environment will make it even easier for investors to get the permits and licenses they require for their businesses.

Pursuant to our commitments to the Open Government Partnership, we recently issued an Executive Order that will promote budget transparency, accountability and efficiency. We want to make the Federal budget work more efficiently for the people.

Thus, beyond the huge provisions for investments in critical infrastructure, we have mandated Government agencies to spend more of their budgets on locally produced goods. This will open more opportunities for job creation with benefits for government in form of tax revenues.

We are also working hard to improve our revenue collection efficiency so that we can achieve our revenue projections. While we are deploying technological tools to enhance collections, the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) will continue to contribute significantly to improving transparency and accountability over government revenues.

Our fight against corruption is yielding positive results. Some of the recoveries are included in the 2017 Budget which will be expended on identifiable capital projects.

Already, we are beginning to see some improvement in the quality of public expenditure. This is great motivation for us to remain resolute in our fight against corruption so that economic prosperity is enjoyed by all Nigerians.

Let me reiterate that the implementation of our 2017 Budget will bring added impetus to our ongoing economic recovery. We will intensify our economic diversification efforts in our bid to expand opportunities for wealth creation and employment, thereby creating inclusive and sustainable growth.

Our path to progress and abundance is clear. The tools are in place and the resilient, resourceful and hardworking Nigerian people are set to go. I have no doubt that by the grace of God, the bleakness of recession is about to witness the uplifting dawn of abundance.

God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria.

10 Things You Should Know About The 2017 Budget Signed By Acting President Osinbajo on Monday, June 12, 2017

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1. The 2017 Budget Preparation process was a much more efficient process than the 2016 process. There was also less acrimony regarding it, between the Executive and Legislature.

2. The 2017 Budget was collated using — for the first time ever — a web-based application developed by the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF). Instead of the traditional method of hard copy submissions of budget proposals, Ministries, Departments and Agencies were asked to upload their proposals to the new budget preparation portal, resulting in a more efficient and transparent preparation process.

3. More than 4,000 staff of the MDAs were specially trained to use the new application, across multiple locations nationwide. To support the deployment of the budget portal, the Budget Office set up a Helpdesk, accessible by telephone and email, for authorised users.

4. President Buhari presented the 2017 Budget Speech to a Joint Session of the National Assembly on December 14, 2016.

5. The National Assembly passed the Budget on May 11, 2017, five months after it was submitted by President Buhari.

6. The next step, which should have been the signing of the Budget by the Executive, was delayed because of disagreements regarding some alterations the National Assembly made to the submitted document — for example the National Assembly reduced proposed budgets for a number of critical infrastructure projects (the standard gauge railway projects, the Mambilla Power Project, the Second Niger Bridge, the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway etc), and applied the difference to fund some new projects introduced by the legislators.

7. What followed were four weeks of painstaking engagement between Executive and Legislature, to resolve the differences.

8. The conclusion of the matter is that the funding deductions on those critical projects will all be restored during the course of the budget year. The leadership of the National Assembly has assured the Executive that this will be done.

9. The Executive and the National Assembly have reached an agreement to return the Federal Government to a January–December budget calendar, starting from the 2018 budget. To ensure this happens the Executive has committed to submitting the 2018 budget to the National Assembly by October 2017, and on its part the Assembly has committed to passing the budget into law before the end of 2017.

10. Budget Highlights:
a. Total expenditure of N7.44 trillion, comprising N5.08 trillion in revenues and a projected deficit of N2.36 trillion which will largely be financed by borrowing.
b. N2 trillion for capital expenditure (principally infrastructure).
c. More than N500 billion for investments in roads, and power and housing projects
d. N46 billion for Special Economic Zone Projects to be set up in each geopolitical zone.

Federal Government's Homegrown School Feeding Now In 9 States, With Total Payments Of N3.7 Billion So Far
More than 1.2 million pupils benefiting & over 14, 000 cooks hired
Over 3 million pupils projected to be fed this year
A total of N3, 770, 688, 144 have been released for the feeding of 1, 287, 270 school children in nine states under the HomeGrown School Feeding Programme (a Social Investment Programme) of the Buhari presidency.

The benefiting states comprising Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta and Abia at the last count have received various sums in tranches while 14, 574 cooks have been engaged in the communities were the schools are located.

(The money is paid directly from the FG's coffers to the cooks, with a slight variation in Osun State where some of the food items like eggs are bought centrally by an aggregator.)

The overall payments to each of the nine states and the breakdown figures of how many children are being fed so far are as follows:

1. Anambra state got a total of N693,013,300, in eight tranches of N53,684,400, N67,462,500, N68,570,600, N70,387,100, N70,950,600,
N71,480,500, N145, 238, 800 and N145, 238, 800, respectively while a total of 103, 742 children have been fed so far.

2. The total release for Enugu state is N419,427,200 in six tranches of N67,244,800, N67,244,800, N69,570,900, N69,570,900, N69,570,700 and
N76,225,100 respectively while 108,898 school children have so far been fed.

3. For Oyo state, a total of N414, 708, 700 have been released for the feeding of 107,983 in six tranches of N72, 288,300, N66, 622, 500,
N66,736,600, N66,736,600, N66,736,600 and N 75,588,100 respectively.

4. In Osun state, N767,483,244 was released in eight tranches of N58,299,130, N62,089,580, N49,671,664, N62,089,580, N62,089,580,
N49,217,310, N212,013,200 and N212,013,200 respectively for the feeding of 151,438 pupils.

5. In the same vein, Ogun state has been paid a total of N880,055,400 in seven tranches comprising N119,648,900, N119,648,900,
N119,648,900, N119,648,900, N 119,648,900, N119,648,900 and N162,162,000 respectively while a total of 231,660 school children have
been fed.

6. Ebonyi state received N 344,633,100 in three tranches of N115,218,600, N115,218,600 and N114,195,900 respectively for the feeding of
163,137 school children

7,8 & 9. Zamfara, Delta and Abia states got a total of N188,001,100, N63,366,100, N42,921,200, and for the feeding of 268,573, 90,523 and
61,316 pupils respectively. The last three states are the latest to join the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme which is
projected to feed over Three million pupils this year.

The total number of cooks that have been hired in Anambra, Enugu and Oyo states are 1009, 1, 276, and 1, 372 respectively while 2, 863, 2, 205 and 1, 453 cooks were hired in Osun, Ogun and Ebonyi states.

In Zamfara state 2,738 cooks were engaged under the programme while 908 and 750 were hired in Delta and Abia states respectively.



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

Full Text of Acting President Osinbajo’s Speech at Flag-Off of the Federal Government’s Food Distribution Programme — 08 June, 2017

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I am extremely pleased to be with you all here in Maiduguri today to commence a new chapter of our journey back to peace and prosperity in this very important region.
This journey has been long and hard, many who are here, especially those in this camp, have lost family members, property and livelihoods, but you did not lose faith, you continued to believe in peace, you remained focused, and most importantly you did not give up.
To this end, we must all salute the people of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe states who have borne such difficulties and seen much hardship. Those people who opened their doors to friends and strangers alike, those who provided shelter and protection to displaced people, without prejudice to tribe or religion; your behavior and your journey inspires us.

On behalf of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari and our entire government, I salute your steadfastness, your sacrifices and fortitude in the most challenging circumstances.
In the last two years, the courage of our Military men and women is evident for the whole world to see, their bravery and their can-do attitude has broken the back of this vicious insurgency, and by the grace of God in the near future we shall eliminate this menace once and for all.
As we restore and maintain security in the region, we must not lose sight of the need to provide social service, food, education, healthcare, shelter as well as resettlement and livelihood support.

Today, the Federal Government flags off what will be a quarterly grain distribution programme for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and by this, we are saying to our brothers and sisters in the Northeast that our country does not take their burdens lightly and we are not blind to their difficulties.
I am particularly pleased to say that the grains that we’ll be distributing, which comprise of Sorghum, Maize, Soya Beans, and Rice, are produced locally; they are produced here in Nigeria by our own farmers.
This has always been the vision of Mr. President for our country, to grow what we eat, and to eat what we grow and to use what we make. These grains have traveled from various locations across the country, from as far afield as Ibadan, and as close as Gombe; escorted and protected by the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Military and in some cases will be airlifted by the Nigeria Air Force.
The food will be distributed by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in partnership with State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and our friends from the international humanitarian agencies.
We will depart from the undignified practice of forcing people to queue up for food but rather we will be distributing using a door-to-door method. We are also incorporating a voucher system which will not only make the process of relief distribution transparent, it will improve our own data collection and our national capacity to plan for what will now be a quarterly exercise.

While we are providing food assistance today, we will work with the state government to provide other forms of assistance, including health services, education, resettlement and livelihood support.
We know that the task ahead is great, but we are inspired by your courage and we will look around this camp and see the men and women and children who have to live away from their homes, who have to live away from their relations and are separated.
We can only say that they demonstrate the true spirit of our country, the true Nigerian spirit, a resilient spirit, a hardworking, deliberate and resourceful people, who are determined to conquer all sorts of challenges and who eventually will build this country up, to be the greatest country, not just in Africa but everywhere in the world.
We will get all the work that we need to do, done. In the coming weeks, we will announce a comprehensive livelihood and resettlement support program that will complement the military efforts in this region.

We are committed to moving our people forward, to helping them return to communities that have been made safe, and to return to their farms, so that they can participate in the next farming seasons.
Progress for us will be to see reduced numbers of people receiving direct assistance, and being in the position to earn a living, be self-sufficient and even enjoy prosperity; that is our goal. I must express our sincere appreciation to our international partners who have supported our agencies and indeed our people thus far.
While we hope to continue to count on their support in more technical areas, we very much look forward to taking a leading role in providing for our people, especially in these difficult circumstances.

I must also thank the state governments in the Northeast region for their untiring commitment to the upliftment of our people; in particular I commend the excellent and exemplary leadership of the Governor of the State, Gov. Kashim Shettima who has demonstrated that real leadership must show respect, love and compassion for the people.

I must also commend the service chiefs and the men and women of our Armed Forces who have worked tirelessly on this massive food distribution assignment. I must not forget the special presidential task force comprising the Armed Forces and ministers, the chief of staff and several volunteers, and of course our donors who are leading this effort.

I also thank our neighbours in Cameroon, Chad, Niger for their fraternal support in our joint fight against terrorism. While great progress has been made, there is still a great deal more to do. The reward for hard work as they say is more hard work and we have shown that as a people, we are up to the task.

I want to just commend all of us who are here, all of those who stand up every day to try and help their neighbours to survive and to do well in these very difficult circumstances.

God bless you for the work you are doing. God Bless Nigeria!

Nigerians Are Free To Live And Exercise Their Inalienable Rights In Any Part Of The Country – Interior Minister

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The Honourable Minister of Interior, Lt Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Rtd), has reacted to the recent call by youth organizations requesting Igbo people residing in the North to vacate, and for Northerners in Igbo land to return to the North.

The Minister lamented the spate of such spurious and unwarranted calls for separation. He therefore called on all well meaning Nigerians to go about their normal activities as Government would bring to bear the full weight of the Law on any individual or group violating the rights of citizens of the Country. He added that citizens were free to go about their normal businesses and would not be harassed or deterred by any group or persons.

The Honourable further advised the various ethnic groups to desist from flaming the embers of hate, animosity, discord and disharmony and adhere strictly to the teachings of our good values of religions and cultures that encourages good neighborliness, national unity and Integration, and love for one another.

He also advised youth to avoid being instrument of violence, animosity and disharmony among our citizens. And that they should rather focus their attention and energies on actions, that would engender national unity, integration and cohesion.

EHISIENMEN OSAIGBOVO
Press Secretary, to the Honourable Minister of Interior
June 7, 2017

Ag. President Osinbajo Receives New ECOWAS Chairman In Aso Rock

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Says Nigeria welcomes election of Togolese President to lead regional body
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, received the Togolese President and newly elected Chairman of ECOWAS, Mr. Faure Gnassingbe at the Presidential Villa on 7th June 2017, assuring him of Nigeria’s support to him and the regional body.
“Nigeria will support you in every way and we are very happy with your election,” Prof. Osinbajo told the visiting leader.
“I know that our President, President Buhari will give every measure of support required because he would want you to succeed very much," Osinbajo said.

The Acting President added that the Buhari administration was pleased that President Gnassingbe visited Nigeria almost immediately after his election to lead the regional body, assuring him that Nigeria will continue to play an active role in ECOWAS.
He assured the Togolese President that President Buhari holds him in high regard as a person and considers him a friend.
Osinbajo congratulated Gnassingbe on his election as the Chairman of ECOWAS and assured him that Nigeria was fully engaged and concerned about regional issues and would continue to explore resolutions in partnership with other member-states.

The Acting President also welcomed continued consultations on the issue of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between ECOWAS and the European Union (EU) while observing also that each country had peculiar challenges.
The Acting President expressed the hope that the spirit of ECOWAS, which is the spirit of brotherhood would be helpful in addressing some of the issues confronting the regional body.
Earlier, the new ECOWAS leader said he came to hold consultations with Nigeria because he and the body considers Nigeria a very important player in the region.
According to him, Nigeria is an important player and "Nigeria has to be fully engaged" in ECOWAS.
During the visit, President Gnassingbe highlighted a number of ECOWAS issues and challenges, including the European Partnership Agreement, being discussed by the regional body.
He said that as the ECOWAS chairman, he would be involved in frequent exchanges and consultations with Nigeria considering Nigeria’s role in the region.

The Togolese President also said he wanted the relationship between his country and Nigeria to remain very close.
In a related development, Acting President Osinbajo earlier today received a Special Envoy of the Nigerien President, Mr Issoufou Mohamadou, Mr Foumakoye Gado. Prof. Osinbajo assured the envoy of Nigeria’s continued support and cooperation with Niger. Gado is the Petroleum Minister of Niger.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
June 7, 2017

FAQs: Federal Government Grain Distribution Programme in the North East

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What is the Federal Government Grain Distribution Programme?
This is a new initiative of the Federal Government that aims to distribute food to 1.8m persons affected by insurgency in the North East.
Who’ll be involved in the distribution?
The distribution will be carried out on behalf of the Federal Government by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in partnership with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and International Humanitarian Agencies.
NEMA has assured that it is taking all the measures necessary to ensure transparent and equitable distribution of the grain.
How much food will be distributed?
The total amount of food to be distributed in the first phase being flagged off by Acting President Osinbajo on June 8, 2017 is 30,000 metric tonnes — comprising Maize, Sorghum and Soyabeans, grown locally by Nigerian farmers and purchased from Nigerian companies.
Where will the food come from?
The Federal Government will buy the grain to be distributed from local farmers and suppliers. The grains will be sourced from Ibadan, Funtua, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe and will be conveyed — mainly by road— to IDPs (in camps and host communities) in Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe, Bauchi and Gombe. A total of 1,032 trucks were involved in the first phase of the Distribution, which will be flagged off by Acting President on Thursday June 8, 2017, in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Why is the Federal Government distributing 30,000 metric tonnes?
The volume of grain is based on a computation arrived at by NEMA which translates to giving each household 50kg of grain a month.
How will the consignments of grain be secured, to avoid diversion or theft as in the past?
The Nigeria Police Force and Armed Forces (Joint Task Force — Army, Navy and Air Force) will provide security and logistical support.
Each convoy of 10 trucks will be accompanied by two police escorts, travelling between cities. For locations that are difficult to reach, the Nigeria Air Force will airlift the food.
How will the food get to the people in need of it?
The Programme will use a voucher-based system to ensure that the food is distributed door-to-door — guaranteeing orderliness and transparency — instead of having the beneficiaries queue in long and unwieldy lines.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA): “Each household beneficiary would be issued with a voucher, which will be redeemed at the receipt of the household allocation of the food basket.”
This voucher system will ensure that all the food gets to intended beneficiaries, and that all those who receive assistance are accounted for.

Democracy Day Speech By Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Acting President, On May 29,2017

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"Nigeria belongs to all of us. No one person or group of persons is more important or more entitled than the other in this space that we all call home. And we have a responsibility to live in peace and harmony with one another, to seek peaceful and constitutional means of expressing our wishes and desires, and to resist all who might seek to sow confusion and hatred for their own selfish interests."

https://web.facebook.com/TheAsoVilla/videos/643989715791761/

Democracy Day Speech By Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the Acting President, On May 29,2017

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"Nigeria belongs to all of us. No one person or group of persons is more important or more entitled than the other in this space that we all call home. And we have a responsibility to live in peace and harmony with one another, to seek peaceful and constitutional means of expressing our wishes and desires, and to resist all who might seek to sow confusion and hatred for their own selfish interests."

https://web.facebook.com/TheAsoVilla/videos/643989715791761/

FGN Savings Bond
Another offer period for FGN Savings Bond is here- from June 5- 9, 2017.
Subscription starts from #5,000.
Contact your stockbroker.

Dear Nigerians, I bring you good wishes from President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, who as we all know is away from the country on medical vacation.

Today marks the second anniversary of our assumption of office. We must thank the Almighty God not only for preserving our lives to celebrate this second anniversary, but for giving us hope, strength and confidence as we faced the challenges of the past two years.
Our administration outlined three specific areas for our immediate intervention on assumption of office: these were Security, Corruption and the Economy.

In the Northeast of our country, the terrorist group Boko Haram openly challenged the sovereignty and continued existence of the state, killing, maiming, and abducting, causing the displacement of the largest number of our citizens in recent history. Beyond the North East they extended their mindless killings, as far away as Abuja, Kano And Kaduna.

But with new leadership and renewed confidence our gallant military immediately began to put Boko Haram on the back foot. We have restored broken-down relations with our neighbours, Chad, Cameroon and Niger – allies without whom the war against terror would have been extremely difficult to win.

We have re-organized and equipped our Armed Forces, and inspired them to heroic feats; we have also revitalized the regional Multinational Joint Task Force, by providing the required funding and leadership.

The positive results are clear for all to see. In the last two years close to one million displaced persons have returned home. 106 of our daughters from Chibok have regained their freedom, after more than two years in captivity, in addition to the thousands of other captives who have since tasted freedom.

Schools, hospitals and businesses are springing back to life across the Northeast, especially in Borno State, the epicentre of the crisis. Farmers are returning to the farms from which they fled in the wake of Boko Haram. Finally, our people are getting a chance to begin the urgent task of rebuilding their lives.

Across the country, in the Niger Delta, and in parts of the North Central region, we are engaging with local communities, to understand their grievances, and to create solutions that respond to these grievances adequately and enduringly.
President Buhari’s New Vision for the Niger Delta is a comprehensive peace, security and development plan that will ensure that the people benefit fully from the wealth of the region, and we have seen to it that it is the product of deep and extensive consultations, and that it has now moved from idea to execution.

Included in that New Vision is the long-overdue environmental clean-up of the Niger Delta beginning with Ogoni-land, which we launched last year.

More recent threats to security such as the herdsmen clashes with farmers in many parts of the country sometimes leading to fatalities and loss of livelihoods and property have also preoccupied our security structures. We are working with State governments, and tasking our security agencies with designing effective strategies and interventions that will bring this menace to an end. We are determined to ensure that anyone who uses violence, or carries arms without legal authority is apprehended and sanctioned.

In the fight against corruption, we have focused on bringing persons accused of corruption to justice. We believe that the looting of public resources that took place in the past few years has to be accounted for. Funds appropriated to build roads, railway lines, and power plants, and to equip the military, that had been stolen or diverted into private pockets, must be retrieved and the culprits brought to justice.

Many have said that the process is slow, and that is true, corruption has fought back with tremendous resources and our system of administration of justice has been quite slow. But the good news for justice is that our law does not recognize a time bar for the prosecution of corruption and other crimes, and we will not relent in our efforts to apprehend and bring corruption suspects to justice.
We are also re-equipping our prosecution teams, and part of the expected judicial reforms is to dedicate some specific courts to the trial of corruption cases.

We are also institutionalizing safeguards and deterrents. We have expanded the coverage of the Treasury Single Account (TSA). We have introduced more efficient accounting and budgeting systems across the Federal Government. We have also launched an extremely successful Whistleblower Policy.

The Efficiency Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance has succeeded in plugging leakages amounting to billions of naira, over the last two years. We have ended expensive and much-abused fertilizer and petrol subsidy regimes.

We have taken very seriously our promise to save and invest for the future, even against the backdrop of our revenue challenges, and we have in the last two years added US$500m to our Sovereign Wealth Fund and US$87m to the Excess Crude Account. This is the very opposite of the situation before now, when rising oil prices failed to translate to rising levels of savings and investment.

Admittedly, the economy has proven to be the biggest challenge of all. Let me first express just how concerned we have been, since this administration took office, about the impact of the economic difficulties on our citizens.

Through no fault of theirs, some companies shut down their operations, others downsized; people lost jobs, had to endure rising food prices. In some States civil servants worked months on end without the guarantee of a salary, even as rents and school fees and other expenses continued to show up like clockwork.

We have been extremely mindful of the many sacrifices that you have had to make over the last few years. And for this reason this administration’s work on the economic front has been targeted at a combination of short-term interventions to cushion the pain, as well as medium to long term efforts aimed at rebuilding an economy that is no longer helplessly dependent on the price of crude oil.
Those short-term interventions include putting together a series of bailout packages for our State Governments, to enable them bridge their salary shortfalls – an issue the President has consistently expressed his concerns about. We also began the hard work of laying out a framework for our Social Intervention Programme, the most ambitious in the history of the country.

One of the first tasks of the Cabinet and the Economic Management Team was to put together a Strategic Implementation Plan for the 2016 budget, targeting initiatives that would create speedy yet lasting impact on the lives of Nigerians.
Indeed, much of 2016 was spent clearing the mess we inherited and putting the building blocks together for the future of our dreams; laying a solid foundation for the kind of future that you deserve as citizens of Nigeria.

In his Budget Presentation Speech to the National Assembly last December, President Buhari outlined our Economic Agenda in detail, and assured that 2017 -would be the year in which you would begin to see tangible benefits of all the planning and preparation work. It is my pleasure to note that in the five months since he delivered that speech, we have seen tremendous progress, as promised.
Take the example of our Social Investment Programme, which kicked off at the end of 2016. Its Home Grown School Feeding component is now feeding more than 1 million primary school children across seven states and would be feeding three million by the end of the year. N-Power, another component has engaged 200,000 unemployed graduates – none of whom needed any ‘connections’ to be selected.

Beneficiaries are already telling the stories of how these initiatives have given them a fresh start in their lives.

Micro credit to a million artisans, traders and market men and women has begun. While conditional cash transfers to eventually reach a million of the poorest and most vulnerable households has also begun.

Road and power projects are ongoing in every part of the country. In rail, we are making progress with our plans to attract hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to upgrade the existing 3,500km narrow-gauge network. We have also in 2017 flagged-off construction work on the Lagos-Ibadan leg of our standard-gauge network, and are close to completing the first phase of Abuja’s Mass Transit Rail System.

In that Budget speech in December, the President announced the take-off of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative. Today, five months on, that Initiative – the product of an unprecedented bilateral cooperation with the Government of Morocco – has resulted in the revitalisation of 11 blending plants across the country, the creation of 50,000 direct and indirect jobs so far, and in the production of 300,000 metric tonnes of NPK fertilizer, which is being sold to farmers at prices significantly lower than what they paid last year. By the end of 2017, that Fertilizer Initiative would have led to foreign exchange savings of US$200 million; and subsidy savings of 60 billion naira.

The Initiative is building on the solid gains of the Anchor Borrowers Programme, launched in 2015 to support our rice and wheat farmers, as part of our move towards guaranteeing food security for Nigeria.

All of this is evidence that we are taking very seriously our ambition of agricultural self-sufficiency. I am delighted to note that since 2015 our imports of rice have dropped by 90 percent, while domestic production has almost tripled. Our goal is to produce enough rice to meet local demand by 2019.

In April, the President launched our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan which built on the foundations laid by the Strategic implementation Plan of 2016. The plan has set forth a clear vision for the economic development of Nigeria. I will come back to this point presently.

Another highlight of the President’s Budget Speech was our work around the Ease of Doing Business reforms. As promised we have since followed up with implementation and execution. I am pleased to note that we are now seeing verifiable progress across several areas, ranging from new Visa on Arrival scheme, to reforms at our ports and regulatory agencies.

The President also promised that 2017 would see the rollout of Executive Orders to facilitate government approvals, support procurement of locally made goods, and improve fiscal responsibility. We have kept that promise. This month we issued three Executive Orders to make it easier for citizens to get the permits and licenses they require for their businesses, to mandate Government agencies to spend more of their budgets on locally produced goods, and to promote budget transparency and efficiency. The overarching idea is to make Government Agencies and Government budgets work more efficiently for the people.

The impact of our Ease of Doing Business work is gradually being felt by businesses small and large; its successful take-off has allowed us to follow up with the MSME Clinics - our Small Business support programme, which has taken us so far to Aba, Sokoto, Jos, Katsina, and we expect to be in all other states in due course.

Let me note, at this point, that several of our Initiatives are targeted at our young people, who make up most of our population. From N-Power, to the Technology Hubs being developed nationwide, to innovation competitions such as the Aso Villa Demo Day, and our various MSME support schemes, we will do everything to nurture the immense innovative and entrepreneurial potential of our young people. We are a nation of young people, and we will ensure that our policies and programmes reflect this.

One of the highlights of our Power Sector Recovery Programme, which we launched in March, is a N701 billion Naira Payment Assurance Scheme that will resolve the financing bottlenecks that have until now constrained the operations of our gas suppliers and generation companies. Let me assure that you will soon begin to see the positive impact of these steps.

Our Solid Minerals Development Fund has also now taken off, in line with our commitment to developing the sector. Because of our unerring focus on Solid Minerals development over the last two years, the sector has, alongside Agriculture, seen impressive levels of growth – in spite of the recession.

On the whole, just as the President promised in the Budget Speech, these early months of 2017 have seen the flowering of the early fruit of all the hard work of our first eighteen months.

We opened the year with an overwhelmingly successful Eurobond Offer – evidence of continuing investor interest in Nigeria. We have also launched the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017-2020, to build on the gains of last year’s Strategic Implementation Plan. And the implementation of our 2017 Budget, which will soon be signed into law, will bring added impetus to our ongoing economic recovery. In the 2016 Budget we spent 1.2 Trillion Naira on infrastructure projects, another milestone in the history of this country. Our 2017 Budget will double that investment.

That budget also provides for substantial investment to implement the rollout of Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones (SEZs), as well as our Social Housing Programme. The Industrial Parks and Economic Zones will fulfill our ambition of making Nigeria a manufacturing hub, while the Family Home Fund of our Social Housing Programme will provide inexpensive mortgages for low-income individuals and families across the country.

These plans offer yet more evidence that we are ramping up the pace of work; the work of fulfilling all that we promised. In the next two years we will build on the successes of the last two. We have demonstrated a willingness to learn from our mistakes and to improve on our successes.

The critical points that we must address fully in the next two years are : Agriculture and food security, Energy, (power and Petroleum,) Industrialization and Transport infrastructure. Every step of the way we will be working with the private sector, giving them the necessary incentives and creating an environment to invest and do business.

Our vision is for a country that grows what it eats and produces what it consumes. It is for a country that no longer has to import petroleum products, and develops a lucrative petrochemical industry. Very importantly it is for a country whose fortunes are no longer tied to the price of a barrel of crude, but instead to the boundless talent and energy of its people, young and old, male and female as they invest in diverse areas of the economy.

And that vision is also for a country where the wealth of the many will no longer be stolen by or reserved for a few; and where the impunity of corruption – whether in the public or private sectors – will no longer be standard operating practice; a land rid of bandits and terrorists.

As citizens you all deserve a country that works, not merely for the rich or connected, but for everyone. And our promise to you is that we will, with your support and cooperation, take every step needed to create that country of our dreams.

We also know that this journey will of necessity take time. But we will not succumb to the temptation to take short-cuts that ultimately complicate the journey. We did not find ourselves in crises overnight, and we simply do not expect overnight solutions to our challenges.
The most important thing is that we are on the right path, and we will not deviate from it, even in the face of strong temptation to choose temporary gain over long-term benefit. As the President has summed it up: “The old Nigeria is slowly but surely disappearing, and a new era is rising.”

And so we commemorate this second anniversary of our administration with confidence and optimism. I firmly believe that we have put the most difficult phase behind us; and we are witnesses to the ever-increasing intensity of the light at the end of the tunnel.

We ask for your continued cooperation and support, to enable us realise all our best intentions and ambitions for Nigeria. On our part We will continue to carry you along on this journey, speak to you, explain the challenges, and share our Vision.

And while we all daily pre-occupy ourselves with pursuing the Nigerian Dream – which is the desire to better our lives and circumstances vigorously and honestly – it is inevitable that grievances and frustrations will arise from time to time.

This is normal. What is not normal, or acceptable, is employing these frustrations as justification for indulging in discrimination or hate speech or hateful conduct of any kind, or for seeking to undermine by violent or other illegal means the very existence of the sovereign entity that has brought us all together as brothers and sisters and citizens.

Nigeria belongs to all of us. No one person or group of persons is more important or more entitled than the other in this space that we all call home. And we have a responsibility to live in peace and harmony with one another, to seek peaceful and constitutional means of expressing our wishes and desires, and to resist all who might seek to sow confusion and hatred for their own selfish interests.

Before I end this speech, let me ask for your continued prayers for the restoration to full health and strength and the safe return of our President.

I congratulate all of you on today’s commemoration of this important day in the democratic calendar our country. Nigeria is on a journey of greatness, and together we shall arrive at the destination of our dreams.

May God bless you all, and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

1. On May 31st 2017, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved an investment case made by the Federal Ministry of Health for vaccines production in Nigeria.

2. The vaccines, which will be manufactured in Joint Venture collaboration between the Federal Government of Nigeria and May & Baker Nigeria PLC, will see a 49% and 51% ownership, with a 3:4 board membership composition respectively.

3. The Joint Venture will facilitate production of basic vaccines that Nigeria needs between 2017 and 2021; and more advanced vaccines from 2021.

4. The company will have an initial capital of N100m (about $328,515).

5. Final agreements between the Federal Government and May & Baker Nigeria PLC will be signed within the next two weeks.

6. This initiative is not Nigeria’s first attempt at local vaccines production. Between 1940 and 1991, Nigeria not only produced vaccines for local use, but also exported to neighboring countries like Cameroon and Central Africa Republic (CAR).

7. The Federal Government aims to protect citizens, especially children; and increase revenue through this investment in local vaccines production.

Presidential Aide Dismisses Faceless Nepotism Charges Against Osinbajo

---

Describes comments as unfair, untrue and laughable
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Legal Matters, Dr Bilkisu Saidu, has dismissed recent comments credited to a faceless Social Media contributor using the name Ismaila Farouk from Zamfara State about appointments made by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, into some Federal agencies and the ones done in the office of the Vice President.

Dr Saidu, regarded as one of the foremost aides to the Acting President, spoke on "Shirin Safe", an interview programme on BBC Hausa Radio on Sunday. She was a law teacher from the Usmanu Dan Fodiyo University Sokoto before she was named an SSA in the Office of the Vice President last year.
She described the nepotism charges as simply laughable, untrue, unfair and should not be taken seriously.

According to her contrary to Mr Farouk’s conclusions, most senior positions on the Vice President’s office are held by Muslims including by individuals who are from the north.

Said she, "If you are talking about religion, the most senior official or position in the Office of the Vice President apart from the Vice President himself, is the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President and the name of the person occupying that office is Abdulrahman Ipaye and he is a Muslim."

"The positions following the Chief of Staff’s in the order of hierarchy are the Special Advisers in the office of the Vice President. Here there are three Special Advisers and two out of the three Special Advisers are Muslims, Senator Babafemi Ojudu and Barrister Mariam Uwais from Kano State," she added.

Dr Saidu said that a cursory look at the other senior positions in the Vice President’s office indicate that religious consideration was never a factor in the appointment of the officers, noting that "If you look at the remaining senior positions in that office, most of them are in the hands of Muslims from the north."

She said: "For instance the person in charge of Protocol (i.e. the Director of Protocol) is Ambassador Abdullahi Gwary from Yobe State; those in charge of welfare and health in the office of the Vice President are mostly Muslims and from the north."

"Worthy of note are the stewards, those who serve the Vice President’s meals, they are mostly Muslims, so what do the critics mean when they talk about religion."

Dr Saidu concluded that when non-progressive minded people fail to win public support on their personal agenda they often resort to the use of religion given its sensitivity among Nigerians.

According to her, "when people lack what to use or have exhausted all avenues to speak evil against perceived opponents or ridicule the good works that they are doing, they resort to use of religion or other means possible to damage the image and reputation of that opponent."

The faceless Ismaila Farouk from Zamfara State recently criticized Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s recent outings and appointments made in his office describing them as sectional and not in the interest of the north.

OFFICE OF THE ACTING PRESIDENT


PRESS RELEASE



AG. PRESIDENT OSINBAJO RESTATES FG’s COMMITMENT TO ADDRESS PLIGHT OF THE DISPLACED IN BAKASSI


*Says President Buhari personally negotiated the loan for the Lagos-Calabar rail



Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has assured the people of Bakassi and government of Cross River that the Federal Government remains committed to addressing the plight of the displaced in Bakassi, in line with the Buhari presidency’s policy on serving the interest of all Nigerians regardless of their affiliations.



Prof. Osinbajo stated this while responding to issues raised by stakeholders at the town hall meeting in Calabar, organized in continuation of the series of engagements with leaders in the Niger Delta region.



Expressing sympathy with the indigenes of Bakassi, the Acting President said, ``the ceding of Bakassi as a result of the judgement of the ICJ is a development that we all consider a loss.’’



``But the President strongly believes that while we ruminate over the legal issues we must not allow Nigerian citizens in Ikang and elsewhere to suffer.



``The Federal Government will certainly do more and engage more with the displaced in Bakassi. This is our duty and our commitment,’’ he added.



Speaking on the relationship between soldiers and some residents of Bakassi, Prof.Osinbajo assured that the Federal Government ``will also thoroughly investigate the issues raised on the relationship between the military, the militants and the people of Bakassi’’, with a view to find a lasting solution to the problem.



He said the Buhari administration would not hesitate to support viable programmes and initiatives that would make living better for Nigerians, adding that ``the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari for Nigeria is one where the Federal Government partners with the States to create industrial, commercial and professional opportunities for all our citizens.


Prof. Osinbajo further explained that ``the Federal Government is certainly interested in Cross River, the President himself re-negotiated the China-EXIM loan for the Lagos-Calabar rail line and in the 2017 budget have provided for the Udokpani/Ikot Ekpene road.’’



He mentioned other projects at different stages of execution in the state to include, the Calabar-Ogoja road, Adiabo-Okurikang Erosion Control, Eastern Naval Command Erosion Control Project Phase 1 and NewMap Erosion Control Project at Ikot Nkebre mass slide Erosion site.


Prof. Osinbajo also urged the people of the state not to relent in ensuring the unity of the state and country as they continue to set the pace in the tourism and hospitality sector in Nigeria.



Before going in for the town hall meeting, Prof. Osinbajo met with owners of small businesses at the ongoing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Clinic after seeing an exhibition of made-in-Nigeria products.



The Acting President was accompanied to the forum by Ministers of Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachukwu, Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Ughuru, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winiefred Oyo-Ita, the Coordinator of the Amnesty Office, Paul Boroh, Chairman of the NDDC Board, Sen. Ndoma Egba, among other dignitaries.



Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
June 2, 2017

OFFICE OF THE ACTING PRESIDENT


PRESS RELEASE

HOW PRESIDENT BUHARI PERSONALLY NEGOTIATED LAGOS-CALABAR RAIL PROJECT FUNDING---OSINBAJO

"The vision of our President for our Nation is one where the Federal Government partners with the States to create industrial, commercial and professional opportunities for all our citizens."



SPEECH DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY ACTING PRESIDENT YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, AT THE TOWN HALL MEETING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS IN CROSS RIVERS STATE IN CONTINUATION OF THE NIGER DELTA INTERACTIVE ENGAGEMENTS ON THURSDAY JUNE 1, 2017

PROTOCOLS:

I am extremely pleased to be in Cross Rivers State, this state of peace, beauty and hospitality.

I am here as an emissary of our President, President Muhammadu Buhari, and I bring you his warm and heartfelt greetings. He asked me to conduct these visits to oil producing communities and he has taken keen interest in all that we have been doing on the visits to the Niger Delta and he took particular note of my visit to Cross Rivers State.

This is a great State, world famous as Nigeria's first capital, home of the first international carnival in sub- Saharan Africa, home of Tinapa and the first monorail in Nigeria, and now the first solar-powered Industrial park in Nigeria.

Besides, this State is Nigeria’s green state, perhaps the most climate friendly state in Nigeria. The governor’s tree planting effort, planting millions of trees in the state is unprecedented in the Federation.

Today at our MSME clinic, I also saw the great entrepreneurs of this State, especially from young people doing Agro- allied, food processing, to those involved arts, crafts and technology.

Also, great sons and daughters of this State are doing excellently in the Federal Government. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita is performing very well, and Pastor Usani Ughuru Usani has also done well. I am sure you have heard of the ginat strides of Gen. Moses Bisong Obi (Rtd), as the UN advisor on the Northeast Humanitarian initiative.

This is no ordinary state; you are rich in history and richer in promise. The young and vibrant Cross Riverians are doing great things at home and abroad. Who has not heard of the exploits Ekpo Mbang in the National football team?...and many others. You are no ordinary people and it is impossible to ignore you.

The ceding of Bakkasi as a result of the judgement of the ICJ is a development that we all consider a loss. But the President strongly believes that while we ruminate over the legal issues we just not allow Nigerian citizens in Ikang and elsewhere to suffer.

The Federal Government will certainly do more and engage more with the displaced in Bakassi. This is our duty and our commitment. We will also thoroughly investigate the issues you have raised on the relationship between the military, the militants and the people of Bakassi.

The Federal Government is certainly interested in Cross Rivers; the President himself re-negotiated the China-Exim loan for the Lagos-Calabar rail.

In our budget this year, we have provided for the Udokpani/Ikot-Ekpene road and I also know that the Hon. Minister of Niger Delta Affiars, Usani Ughuru has been negotiating for the Calabar/Ogoja road.

There are other environmental projects that this government is working on, am sure you must have heard of the work we are doing in Adiabo-Okurikang Erosion Control, Eastern Naval Command Erosion Control Project Phase 1 and New Map Erosion Control Project at Ikot Nkebre mass slide Erosion site.

We are also excited about what Governor Ayade is doing here, the solar powered Industrial park, pharmaceutical manufacturing factory, Garment factory and others. We will support the Super-highway and deep sea port. A lot of progress has been made on the EIA issue, and I believe that will be resolved very soon.

The vision of our President for our Nation is one where the Federal Government partners with the States to create industrial, commercial and professional opportunities for all our citizens.

The business of government is to ensure that we facilitate trade, facilitate commerce, facilitate the professions and that is exactly what we are going to do and what we are doing in the next few months and in the next few years to ensure that we are able to provide all of the opportunities that are necessary.

And that is why I commend the state government on the garment factory; that factory is an outstanding example of how to provide jobs very quickly to a large number of people and I hope that will be replicated in different states of the federation.

Ultimately, we know this country can do so much better and we are determined to ensure that we maximize the potential of this country, we have the smartest people; there is no question at all that Nigerians are the best educated you find anywhere in the world. They are the best educated professionals, they are the best educated businessmen, commercial people, we have the acumen; we have everything that it takes.

Everything that we require as a nation, we have it, we have the land, we have the resources, and that is why we believe that in this country we can grow what we eat and produce what we use.

There is no reason at all why we cannot be self-sufficient in practically everything. I want to just say that it is the determination of this government to ensure that anybody who is willing to push their potentials to whatever extent, the government of Nigeria will be behind him/her to do so.

That is why I was so excited today to see so much that young people are doing all over the State .

I want to congratulate you all for the great strides that you are making as a people and as a State and also to wish you a very happy 50th anniversary.

Thank you!

Released by:

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

June 2, 2017

Newsletter: Buhari Administration Mid-Term Factsheet (May 2017) #PMBMidTerm.
Visit our /PMBMidTerm page, an ongoing compilation of achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari- administration so far.
As promised, we will be updating this page with visuals and graphics and more videos in the days ahead.

1. We'll be updating this page with visuals and graphics and more videos in the days ahead.

2. The Factsheet has been organized primarily into three categories: Economy; Transparency and Anti-Corruption; and Security — along the lines of the priority areas highlighted by President Buhari during the presidential campaign. He was elected on the strength of his Promise to revive and restore the economy; fight corruption; and secure Nigeria from terrorism and other forms of insecurity.

3. We have also included a section on Foreign Relations and Diplomacy, inextricably linked with the 3 priority areas outlined above.

4. Join the conversation on Social Media using the hashtag #PMBMidTerm.