₦airaland Forum

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF POWER, WORKS AND HOUSING
Office of the Special Adviser on Communications
Headquarter, Mabushi P.M.B. 111, Garki - Abuja, Nigeria

PRESS RELEASE
FASHOLA LISTS NEW ECONOMY, INFRASTRUCTURE BUDGET FUNDS AS BENEFITS OF PROPOSED SOVEREIGN GREEN BONDS
· Solar Unit Distribution Programme (SUDIP) will provide up to 12MWs, 6,000 jobs and impact at least 60,000 persons, he says
· Advocates that programme be taken to the street level to make the people understand and connect with it
· A new economy is possible and people must understand that this is that new economy - Minister

As the nation plans to inaugurate the first African Sovereign Green Bond to address climate change and sustainable environment , the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN, has stated the benefits derivable from the project saying it would facilitate a new economy and help the government to source funds to implement its budget, especially in infrastructure development.

Fielding questions from newsmen after the Green Bonds Capital Market & Investors Conference organised by the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Debt Management Office (DMO) at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) House in Lagos, Fashola said the fund, which, according to him, would be directed to fighting climate change, would enable government realise its renewable energy projection.

Reiterating that Nigeria was working towards achieving 30 per cent in renewable energy by 2030, the Minister, who disclosed that the Solar Unit Distribution Programme (SUDIP) project was estimated to cost N1.3 billion, added that the units in aggregate from the project would provide up to 12MWs of power, creating 6,000 jobs and impacting at least 60,000 persons.

The Minister, who noted that one of the challenges that has stalled development in the country over the years was the lack of sufficient infrastructure spend added, however, that going forward the Green Bond would help government to source funding to implement its budget. “So, that is how it affects us; it is a source of funding for budget”, he said.

On what his Ministry expects from the Bond when issued, Fashola explained that the decision as to who gets what and what goes where would be the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance adding, however, that his Ministry needed as much money as it could get “to continue to upgrade and build new infrastructure in Power, in Works and in Housing”.

He explained further, “As you heard from the Acting President and the Hon. Minister of the Environment, the first launch of this Bond is only looking to a size of about N20Billion to test the Market; those are going to go ostensibly into some smaller spend size because there are so many things to do”.

“But the ultimate decision as to who gets what is the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance. But we need as much money as we can get to continue to upgrade and build new infrastructure in Power, in Works and in Housing”, he said.

According to the Minister, “N20Billion is the first issuance in Naira; but this is the first Sovereign Bond in the whole of this Continent, so I expect that they want to enter the Market very conservatively and see what the appetite is and from there ramp up”, adding that over the last one and a half decades, the entry threshold of government into Capital Market had been very modest but had grown severally.

Assuring that the proposal to achieve 30 per cent renewable energy by 2030 was realistic, Fashola declared, “It is extremely realistic; it is based on very extensive consultations, it is based on our current realities, it is based on what we expect is realistically achievable”.

“Yes, I said 30-30-30, it is 30 per cent in 2030 and these things are not unconnected with our current realities also and one of our realities is that we signed the Paris Agreement and the Paris Agreement has thresholds and nationally determined contributions that we have made as a country that we would achieve in terms of reducing Green House gases, Green House emissions and so on and so forth”, he said.

In his contribution at the Conference earlier, during the Ministers’ Dialogue with the theme, “Ensuring Sustainability of Green Bonds”, Fashola advocated that the concept of the Sovereign Green Bond and its components of Climate Change must be taken to the street level to enable Nigerians understand and connect with it adding that it would also make implementation of the environmental projects easy among the people.

“The first thing to do is to bring all that we do here to the street level. It must get to the street level otherwise it becomes a very esoteric discussion that people on the streets don’t understand and can’t connect to”, the Minister said, adding that the people should be made to understand why they should or should not take some actions.

He added, “I say this in the context of my own personal experience; each year we tell the people ‘don’t use firewood’, don’t do this, don’t do that and the question then is ‘what would they do to survive?’ So, in very simple terms, we must put this in the hands of the people”.

According to the Minister, “A new economy is, therefore, possible and they must understand that this is that new economy; an economy that allows them to do the same things differently, in a much better way and in a way that sustains the environment for the human civilization”.

Fashola said the proposed Renewable Energy micro utility in the 45 communities across the country would cost $10Billion while the Energizing Education Project would cost $213Million. Also, according to the Minister, out of the expected 119MW of Power, 60MW would be renewable adding that 37 universities and seven teaching hospitals have been audited as anchors to the programme.

On the Energy Mix programme which, he reiterated, is meant to achieve 30 per cent of renewable energy by 2030, the Minister said most of the renewable energy would come from Solar, Biomass and all other forms of sustainable energy sources adding that it would give the country an Energy Security.

When that is achieved, he said “No part of the country will be able to hold the nation to ransom in future”, adding “The first sign of that journey is the 1.2 MW of Power in Abuja to power the Water Works. “So that Water Works is now off-public power, it is Solar-driven”.

The Minister added, “You may wonder how much power is 1.2MW solar power; it is power for at least 200 families; that is how prolific it can be. The next one is 1125MW of solar power that we have issue Power Purchase Agreements to 14 Solar Energy Providers”.

He commended the Minister of the Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed and everybody else who had worked with her to put the programme together describing the subject of our Panel discussion, “Sustainability of Green Bonds”, as “a fitting place to kick off the brain box”.

The Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, in his address, described the initiative as a new addition to the market funding portfolio, stating that the proceeds would be used to fight climate change which, according to him, “had led to more natural disasters, thereby impacting negatively on food, water and energy supply”.
Osinbajo, who said the initiative would also provide an opportunity to deepen the capital market as well as tackle poverty, pointed out that the bond issuance would also support the Federal Government’s shift to non-oil base assets for project financing for economic growth and development.

He said that the proceeds of the bonds would be used for environmental projects such as renewable energy micro-utilities in three communities estimated at N10 billion adding that it would as well provide an average of 33KW of power through solar technology.

Also speaking, Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, said the project was in line with the Federal Government’s sustainable development initiative started in September 2016 adding that the government, under its recovery growth plan initiative, identified Green Bonds as a vehicle that could be used to drive the economy in terms of environmental projects funding.

She said the bonds if properly harnessed would create new jobs, open new investment avenues for the country as well as ensure creative thinking adding that the proceeds would be invested in critical social-economic and environmental sectors that would impact on the lives of common Nigerians even as she called on domestic investors to rally round the issuance to ensure its success in order to support government diversification agenda.

HAKEEM BELLO
SPECIAL ADVISER,
COMMUNICATIONS
TO THE HON. MINISTER
27TH FEBRUARY, 2017

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

OVERALL 2016 GDP FIGURES SHOW GROWTH IN AGRIC, AS FG EFFORTS SET ECONOMY ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY

There are now indications that the Nigerian economy is well on its way out of recession considering the 2016 overall and last quarter Gross Domestic Product reports.

A review of the recent GDP figures released today by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, show a contraction of -1.30% in the fourth quarter of 2016, translating into an estimated economic growth rate of -1.51% for the full year.

Besides, the Nigerian economy actually performed better overall last year as the growth rate was higher with a contraction at -1.5% than the -1.8% predicted by the IMF, raising the hope that the recession may have buttomed out with the improving trends in several key sectors of the economy including agriculture and mining.

The Buhari administration is also hopeful that with the ongoing series of engagement with the oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta, the increased oil production output would be sustained.

In a similar vein, the ongoing implementation of the Social Investment Programmes, the significant infrastructural spending of the Federal Government, and a possible early legislative passage of the 2017 budget are all expected to spur a positive multiplier effect on the Nigerian economy.

The Buhari administration will not relent in its determined effort and it's comprehensive approach to bring about the full recovery of the Nigerian economy and set it on a solid path of sustainable growth. Our work continues and we renew the pledge to do it with diligence, and the firm commitment it deserves.

*BELOW QUOTED IN FULL IS :
THE STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON ECONOMIC MATTERS, DR. ADEYEMI DIPEOLU, ON THE 4TH QUARTER 2016 NIGERIAN GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT REPORT ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS

"The recently released data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by -1.30% in the fourth quarter of 2016. This translated into an estimated growth rate of -1.51% for the full year 2016. These figures reflect the slow-down in the economy for most of 2016 but also show that the recession may have bottomed out because of an improving trend in several key sectors.

Although the oil sector declined by -12.38% on a year on year basis, this was a relative improvement compared to the third quarter when the decline amounted to -22.01%. This outcome was due mainly to increases in production such that the quarter on quarter growth for the oil sector between the third and fourth quarters was 8.07%. The non-oil sector however declined by 0.33% after showing some resilience in the third quarter when it grew by 0.03% at the height of the recession.

Agriculture grew at 4.03% in the fourth quarter of 2016 which was a marginal decrease from the 4.54% growth in the third quarter. This is mainly because agriculture (especially crop production, which accounts for the bulk of agricultural production) is highly seasonal, with growth in the third quarter of the year usually higher than the others. Nevertheless, the overall outcome for the year was that the agricultural sector grew by 4.11% for the whole of 2016 which was higher than the figure of 3.72% for 2015.

The manufacturing sector actually grew on a quarter on quarter basis by 1.89% but declined over the year by 4.32% reflecting the problems that the sector faced in the course of the year due to a combination of factors including the depreciation in the exchange rate and higher energy costs. The metal ores sub-sector grew by 7.03% in Q4 of 2016 as compared to 6.93% in the last quarter of 2015, thus justifying the priority that the Federal Government continues to give to solid minerals.

The services sector, which accounted for 53.55% of GDP in 2016, experienced a decline in growth by -0.82% over the year as compared to a growth of 4.78% in 2015. This slowdown in the services sector arose from generally fragile economic conditions. This is because its fortunes depend to a large extent on consumer spending and government expenditure which were both adversely affected by difficult economic conditions.

Nevertheless, the Social Investment Programme of the Federal Government and the relatively high level of infrastructural spending in late 2016 as well as 2017 capital spending plans should begin to have a multiplier effect on the economy.

The trend in nearly all the sectors showed a growth improvement in nominal terms although such effects were outweighed by inflationary factors. The expectation is that this trend and the slowing down of month-on-month inflation will enable an early return to positive growth in the economy. This positive trajectory will also receive a boost from the positive news emerging from other parts of the economy.

Notable in this regard is the release of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan by the Federal Executive Council which sets the stage for further fast-tracking of recovery and economic diversification.

In the same vein, the likely early passage of the 2017 budget estimates would also lend further momentum to economic growth. Similarly, the recent bond issue of US$1 billion which was subscribed by almost 8 times will reinforce the trend of increasing reserves. Indeed, foreign reserves rose from $23.9 billion in October 2016 to $27.8 billion in January 2017.

Furthermore, there is a better outlook for revenues from the petroleum sector with revenues set to increase with oil production now over 2m barrels per day while oil prices holding relatively steady at an average of about $55 per barrel.

This improved outlook for the oil and gas sector is closely linked to the on-going engagement and dialogue between the Federal Government and various communities in the Niger Delta.

Overall, the Nigerian economy performed better than expected even though we are still in the early stages of recovery. It is indeed noteworthy
that overall 2016 growth was higher with a contraction at -1.5% than the -1.8% predicted by the IMF."

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
February 28, 2016

BUHARI ADMINISTRATION TO ENGAGE ADDITIONAL 350,000 UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES UNDER 2017 BUDGET

*SIPs will deliver to a greater, bigger number of Nigerians this year-Presidency

As different sections of the executive arm of the Federal Government are now defending the 2017 budget proposals before the National Assembly, new details are emerging on the continuation of the Social Investment Programmes, (SIP)of the Buhari presidency, including a plan to hire 350,000 more unemployed graduates under the N-Power Volunteer Corps.

According to the Senior Special Assiatant on Media & Publicity to the President, Office of the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande, President Buhari has requested appropriation of N157.75B in the 2017 budget estimates for the N-Power scheme.

The N-Power is just one of the many SIPs that has so far drawn the interest and praise of Nigerians across board, Akande observed adding that a lot more is to come, especially this year, urging Nigerians to actively come out and take advantage of the different schemes this year.


Out of the N-Power 2017 N157B 2017 budget " 350,000 unemployed graduates more would be hired and trained, alongside 50,000 non-graduates youths to be engaged as artisans and in other creative ventures," Akande disclosed in his weekly update on the Social Investment Programmes on Sunday.

Under the N157.75B also, a sum of N4.5B has been earmarked for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, STEM program to support young Nigerians in building skills in those disciplines.

Akande who welcomed the great public enthusiasm the programmes have so far generated, noted that the SIP budget proposals for 2017 are currently being discussed this week at the National Assembly, and urged Nigerians to expect more this year especially in the area of implementation as virtually all of the SIPs are now undergoing different stages of implementation.

"While we were able to engage 200,000 unemployed graduates last year, we will do 350,000 more this year," he assured, adding that some of the teething problems are giving way to lessons that would smoothen implementation under the 2017 budget.

Equally, under the 2017 budget proposals now before the National Assembly, Akande disclosed that about N75B has been allocated for the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme, which will provide one hot meal a day to 5 million primary school pupils. He explained again, that this would certainly be an improvement on how far the feeding programme has been implemented so far under the 2016 budget which has so far attained the feeding of about one million pupils.

The Spokesperson to the Acting President also stated that under the 2017 budget a sum of N112.2B has been allocated for the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme aimed at providing interest-free loans to up to 1.2million market men and women, traders, artisans, youths and farmers.

Under the GEEP, he explained that beneficiaries will receive between N10,000 and N100,000 loans with a one-time 5% administrative fee. Already under the 2016 budget, over 20,000 Nigerians in about 14 states and counting, have been benefiting from GEEP.

Similarly, the Conditional Cash Transfer which has kicked off in 9 states would be further expanded under the 2016 budget and will reach more states and much more Nigerians. The plan in 2016 budget targets one million poorest and vulnerable Nigerians. And in the 2017 budget an additional N54.98B has been allocated for the continuation of the N5000 monthly social safety net payments to the poorest Nigerians.

Akande further clarified that while President Muhammadu Buhari has further approved another N500B this year for all the social intervention programmes, N100B out of it has been allocated for the Family Homes Fund as already announced by the Ministry of Finance.

"2017 implementation of the SIP is going to be far more impactful than what we were able to do under the 2016 budget, so Nigerians should expect more this year, the resolve of the Buhari presidency is firm that more lives must be touched positively under this programmes which Nigerians have come to appreciate," Akande concluded.

RELEASED BY:

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
February 26, 2017

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

TIME FOR NIGERIA, US TO DEEPEN RELATIONSHIP BASED ON TRUST, SAYS AG. PRESIDENT OSINBAJO

*Receives Commander of US-Africa Command
*US Ambassador says Nigeria can change the world

The time has come for both Nigeria and the United States to deepen the long-standing relationship between the countries based on mutual trust, according to Nigeria’s Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo spoke earlier today at the Presidential Villa while receiving the Commander of the US-Africa Command, General Thomas D. Waldhauser and the American Ambassador in Nigeria, Honorable W. Stuart Symington.

“We will be very open and willing to build a relationship based on trust, so that we would benefit from it and of course our relationship as nations would benefit tremendously from it,” the Acting President stated.

Nigeria’s relationship with the US, he observed, is a very important one “and has been so for many years, even so now at a time like this for us,” adding that the Federal Government is appreciative of US support over the last few years.

According to him, it is the belief of the Buhari presidency that the United States is committed to helping us with some of our challenges especially in the Northeast, explaining also that issues around human rights concerns in the country should be viewed against the context of an unusual kind of warfare with terrorists and insurgents.

“The kind of warfare we are engaged with in many ways are unprecedented for our military,” the Ag. President said while noting the sheer brutality and mindlessness of terrorists who are “prepared to kill children in their sleep, abduct girls and prepared to die, even using teenage girls as suicide bombers.”

He restated the readiness of the Buhari administration to conclusively end the problem “as quickly as possible.” He referred to attacks by remnants and splinter groups from the terrorists, and added that nonetheless they can no longer launch military attacks.

While emphasising on the support of the US so far, he stated that the Federal Government will welcome more US military cooperation and also assistance in dealing with the consequent humanitarian situation in the NorthEast.

“The US has been a reliable partner we can trust, especially from what the US has done in the past, we want to see how much more you can do for us and the region,” Prof. Osinbajo stated.

In his remarks, the head of the US Africa Command, General Waldhauser expressed the readiness of the US government to “accelerate” its contributions, adding that there is a sense that “we want to get on and solve the problem.”

He noted that his visit to Nigeria at this time is about developing further “the friendship and trust that we have in common,” while also agreeing with the Ag. President that the brutality shown by the terrorists is “what we have never seen before.”

Also speaking, Ambassador Symington said he had just concluded a visit to all the geo-political zones of the country and has concluded that “Nigeria is one of the greatest countries in the world with the potential to change the world.”

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
February 22, 2017

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE


FG BUDGET SUPPORT FACILITY:
ACCOUNTING FIRMS BEGIN VERIFICATION PROCESS IN STATES


As the Federal Government continues its monthly Budget Support Facility to the States, a verification process to ensure that benefiting State governments comply with the mutually agreed Fiscal Sustainability Plan prescribed by the National Economic Council, NEC, has started.

This disclosure emerged at the first NEC meeting this year, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. NEC is composed by all the 36 State Governors, the FCT Minister and the Central Bank Governor.

According to the Finance Minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun,who briefed the Council today, eight accounting firms have been appointed and have already begun the audit process.

Below are highlights of the NEC meeting.


NEC (1ST in 2017) 74TH NEC MEETING – THURSDAY,
16TH FEBRUARY, 2016


A. INAUGURATION OF THE NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY ADVISORY COUNCIL BY HIS EXCELLENCY ACTING PRESIDENT

• Budget and National Planning Minister made a presentation to the Council on the National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) 2014 – 2018 document before the inauguration.

• He said the NRSS document was approved by FEC and has provided for the establishment of the Advisory Council, as a demonstration of Government’s commitment to address the challenges of road safety in the country in line with UN Agenda to reduce road accident related deaths.

• Members of the 24-man Advisory Council include the following:

• Six Governors representing each geopolitical zone as follows:
• South-West - Governor of Lagos State
• South-East - Governor of Anambra State
• South-South - Governor of Delta State
• North-West - Governor of Kaduna
• North East - Governor of Gombe
• North-Central - Governor of Kwara State

Others include:
• Honourable Minister of Transport
• Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing
• Honourable Minister of Education
• Honourable Minister of Health
• Honourable Minister of Environment
• Honourable Minister of Finance
• Honourable Minister of Justice
• Honourable Minister of Labour and Productivity
• Honourable Minister of Interior
• Honourable Minister FCT
• Honourable Minister of Information and Culture
• Honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning
• National Security Adviser (NSA)
• Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)
• President NACCIMA
• President Nigeria Society of Engineering (NSE)
• FRSC Corp Marshall



B. PRESENTATION BY MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE
• Council was informed of the massive wheat production in the States of Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi and Zamfara among others.
• The States however appealed to the Federal Government to make plans for the purchase of excess wheat to ensure price stability and sustainable production.
• Council agreed to discuss and make adequate buy-back arrangements in order to support price stability.



C. REPORT ON EXCESS CRUDE PROCEEDS BY THE FINANCE MINISTER
• Minister of Finance reported to the Council that the balance in Excess Crude Account (ECA) stood at USD 2,458,382,844.03 as at February 15, 2017

D. UPDATE ON BUDGET SUPPORT LOAN FACILITY
• Minister of Finance also reported that Eight Accounting Firms have been appointed to start the verification process of the monthly Budget Support Loan Facility to States, based on the approved Fiscal Sustainability Plan of NEC.


E. ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN
• Minister of Budget and National Planning assured the Council members that Federal Government has a recovery plan that will take Nigeria out of the woods.
• Consultations on the plan are ongoing to firm-up the plan with clear roles for all the stakeholders and the States.
• He told the Council that the plan addresses the following:
◦ Agriculture and food security
◦ Energy sufficiency-power and petroleum availability
◦ Improving transportation infrastructure
◦ Industrialization, SMEs, and manufacturing
◦ Stabilization of the macro-economic environment

F. ON THE EXCHANGE RATE
• After a brief presentation on Forex Policy options by the CBN Governor, Council members generally expressed concern over the current situation of the exchange rate and called for an urgent review of the current Forex Policy, especially the gap between interbank and the parallel market rates. The CBN Governor sued for patience and understanding, assuring that the situation is being closely managed.


G. UPDATE ON THE BOARD APPOINTMENTS INTO THE NIGERIA SOVEREIGN INVESTMENT AUTHORITY (NSIA)
• Minister of Finance reported that a member each from the six geo-political zone has been nominated as follows:
i North-East - Mrs. Halima Buba -
ii North West – Mr. Bello Maccido –
iii North Central - Ms. Lois Laraba Machunga-Disu –
iv South West – Mr. Babajide Zetilin –
v South East – Mr. Urum Kalu Eze –
vi South-South – Mr. Abue Ighodalo –

• Council members unanimously adopted the nominations and forwarded them to the President for his final approval.

H. ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS OF THE NIGERIA SOVEREIGN INVESTMENT AUTHORITY (NSIA) BY THE MD/CEO OF NSIA

• Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Uche Orji presented a report to Council on the NSIA annual reports and accounts for the year ended 2015 and update on 2016 activities.
• In its report to NEC, Council members were informed that Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Fund (NSWF) has the highest ranking in Africa in terms of performance and capitalization.

• The report highlights, among others, the following:

• Financial performance 2014 to Q3 2016
• Update and investment strategy on the NSIA Future Generation Fund (FGF)
• NSIA Infrastructure strategy and Agriculture Fund
• NSIA – Old Mutual Real Estate Co-Investment Vehicle, among others.

• NSIA outlook, among others, are as follows:

• NSIA plans to increase domestic infrastructure investment in 2017 as there are compelling opportunities in the environment.
• NSIA will also focus on “Social Infrastructure” including investments in the form of affordable housing, and healthcare through the development of specialist hospitals.
• Council, while adopting the report of the NSIA, decided to inject a fresh $250 million into the SWF sourced from the ECA.



I. VALEDICTORY SESSION FOR ONDO STATE GOVERNOR
• Council held a valedictory session for the Ondo State Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko who was attending the meeting for the last time as his tenure expires this month.
• Council members commended Dr. Mimiko’s contributions to the Council and commended him for facilitating a smooth transition in the State. In his response, the out-going Governor praised President Muhammadu Buhari for his leadership of the nation, the Vice President as chairman of the Council for his “productive leadership and personal commitment,” and the Council members for an enjoyable relationship and quality of debate.
• Both Mimiko and the Ondo State Governor-elect who was also in attendance today in observer status hugged each other to the delight of the Council, attracting a huge round of applause.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant Media & Publicity to the
President
Office of the Vice President
February 16, 2017

Last night, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan visited President Buhari in London.

EFCC Press Release
Court Orders Forfeiture of Yakubu’s $9.8m to FG
A Federal High Court sitting in Kano presided over by Justice Zainab B. Abubakar today ordered the forfeiture of the sum of $9,772,00 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand United States Dollars ) and £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling) recovered from a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu to the Federal Government.
The order was sequel to an ex parte application by the EFCC seeking an interim forfeiture of the recovered money to the Federal Government.
The ex parte application was moved by Salihu Sani, counsel for the applicant.
In her ruling, Justice Zainab held “That the sum of $9,772,000 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand United States Dollars) and £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling) which are now in the custody of the applicant (EFCC) are in the interim forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria”
It would be recalled that, on the 3rd day of February, 2017, operatives of the Commission had stormed a building belonging to the former NNPC boss and recovered a staggering sum of $9,772,000 (Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand United States Dollars) and £74,000 (Seventy Four Thousand Pound Sterling) stashed in a huge fire proof safe. On February 8, 2017, Yakubu reported to the Commission’s Kano Zonal Office where he admitted being the owner of both the house and the money recovered.
Yakubu is still in custody assisting the investigation.

President Muhammadu Buhari currently receiving party leaders, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, in Abuja House, London.

"WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR PEOPLE, & FIXING THE ECONOMY"

I commend the IG and his officers for handling the protests with professionalism and respect for the rights of citizens.

We are committed to a continuous engagement with our people to explain government policies, receive advice and criticism.

Cabinet Ministers have gone round 8 States so far holding town hall meetings, the most recent was yesterday in Ilorin. There will be more of such meetings in the other States that are yet to be visited.

With complete focus on improving the economy every day, the recession will soon be history.


Prof. Yemi Osinbajo
Acting President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Presidential Villa, Abuja
February 7, 2017

STATEMENT FROM THE ACTING PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

MY PHONE CHAT WITH THE PRESIDENT TODAY, BY ACTING PRESIDENT

*Discussion on budget, protests and other issues

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has assured the nation that President Muhammadu Buhari is hale and hearty and would return home as soon as he completes the necessary tests recommended by his doctors in the United Kingdom.

Prof. Osinbajo gave the assurance on Monday when State House correspondents approached him for a chat shortly after his telephone conversation with the president.

``Let me first say the President is hale and hearty. I spoke to him just this afternoon and we had a fairly long conversation, he is in good shape and very chatty,” the Acting President said.

He disclosed that the conversation was focused on the economy, the budget and goings on in the country.

The President was ``interested in knowing about the budget process and how far we had gone’’, especially with efforts aimed at taking the country out of recession.

``As you know we had a meeting today with the private sector on the economic recovery and growth plan and he was interested in knowing what was happening with that, with the economic recovery and growth plan and what we are doing with the private sector.”

``And of course I informed him of what we are seeing, the protest matches and some of what the feedback is, what people are saying about the economy and all of that,’’ Osinbajo added.

On when the President would return to Nigeria and his present health status, Osinbajo said ``just as he has said in his letter to the National Assembly, he needs to go through a cycle of tests and once the test results are seen, he will receive medical advice. We should expect him very soon.’’

On the health status of the President, the Acting President noted that at the appropriate time the President will be able to discuss it, especially as he is currently running tests.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, “before you determine your health status, you must be able to run the necessary tests, and do what doctors have asked to be done, and await the outcome of that before one can talk about any kind of health status.’’

The Acting President also dismissed insinuations that he was under pressure to resign.

``I was voted for by the people of this nation, myself and Mr President, and the people of this nation have never asked us to resign.

``So, I am absolutely under no pressure, and the truth is that there has been absolutely no pressure from any source.’’

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
February 6, 2017

FACTS: THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON FOOD SECURITY

1. Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday February 1, 2017 constituted a Presidential Task Force on Food Security.

2. Contrary to circulating reports, the work of the Task Force is NOT to fix the prices of food items.

3. Instead, the Task Force has been mandated to explore and recommend means of urgently resolving some of the bottlenecks and challenges contributing to the increase in food prices across the country.

4. Some of these bottlenecks revolve around transportation and preservation processes. Even with credible reports of bumper harvests in parts of the country, transportation and preservation issues have combined to ensure that surpluses are stranded away from where they are needed, and lost to spoilage. These scenarios ensure that the price of produce remains high in many parts of the country.

5. The Task Force has seven days to report back to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) with recommendations and a Plan of Action.

6. The overall goal of this intervention is to ensure smooth and steady flow of produce from farms to markets, and bring down the added costs responsible for escalating food prices, ultimately bringing needed relief to Nigerians.

7. The Members of the Task Force are:
a. Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh
b. Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun
c. Minister of Industry, Trade & Development, Dr. Okey Enelamah
d. Minister of Transportation, Honorable Rotimi Amaechi
e. Minister for Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu
f. Minister of Labour & Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige
g. Representative from Office of the Chief of Staff to the President
h. Representative from Office of Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS STATEMENT ON MEETING OF THE ACTING PRESIDENT AND TASK FORCE ON FOOD SECURITY TODAY AT ASO ROCK

The Task Force on Food Security constituted by the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 had its inaugural meeting this morning.

At the meeting presided over by the Ag. President, the Task Force focused on gaining a full understanding of all factors that contribute to unduly high food prices, especially at urban markets throughout the country. It also considered the ways and means of urgently ameliorating the situation, particularly by addressing issues of affordability and availability.

In particular, it identified some key staple foods and the factors that were most likely driving high food prices in some parts of the country, despite bumper harvests at many farms.

Some of the factors identified in this regard include: the poor state of rural infrastructure like roads; multiple revenue collecting points on the highways; and inadequacy of distribution networks-all of which contribute, among other things to high transportation costs.

Against this background, the Task Force felt that government could most usefully intervene by resolving such bottlenecks. It also felt it important to clarify that the assignment of the Task Force is not about government intervening directly in the market for staple foods either though purchases or price fixing.

The Task Force will be coordinating various MDAs and working closely with the private sector to explore ways and means of overcoming some of the supply bottlenecks in the short term, while also reinforcing on-going medium and long-term solutions including improving supplies and providing better storage.

A more technical sub-group of the Task Force is now drawing up a draft plan of action for further consideration.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
February 3, 2017

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE


ACTING PRESIDENT SETS UP TASK FORCE TO BEAT DOWN FOOD PRICES

Moved by the need to enhance affordability of food prices across country, the Buhari administration has constituted a Presidential Task Force to urgently consider measures that would ensure a steady flow of produce to the market and reverse recent price increases.

Giving the directive today at the Federal Executive Council meeting, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, expressed concern at some of the inflationary rates of food prices, noting that the Task Force will explore options to promote availability and affordability of food items to Nigerians.

According to him, the Task Force, which has seven days from today to report back to the Council will consider how to remove some of the cost-raising factors that come into play between the farms and the markets and therefore "bring relief to our people."

While there have been reports of bumper harvests in parts of the country, the prices of food stuff still end up rather high, while some of the produce even end up wasted due to a number of reasons preventing effective transportation delivery to the markets.

One of the focus areas of the Task Force, the Ag. President noted, would be to review the transportation and preservation processes, and see how government can intervene in those aspects to bring down food prices.

The Task Force, which would be meeting with the Ag. President in the discharge of its urgent assignment, will therefore draw out a practical plan and present same to the Council next week.

Members of the Task Force include the following:

Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh
Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun
Minister of Industry, Trade & Development, Dr. Okey Enelamah
Minister of Transportation, Honorable Rotimi Amaechi
Minister for Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu
Minister of Labour & Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige

The Offices of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, would also be on the Task Force.


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

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN TO SUPPORT LOCAL PRODUCERS & MANUFACTURERS— AG. PRESIDENT OSINBAJO

*Takes MSMES Clinic to Aba

Determined to ensure that Federal Government’s business oriented regulatory agencies become facilitators for Micro, Small, & Medium Scale Enterprises, MSMES, the Buhari presidency would do all within its ability to support them and ensure they become thriving businesses.

This assurance was given earlier today by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, during a visit to Aba, Abia State, where he participated in the First MSMES Clinics after the media launch in Abuja on Tuesday.

Using as an analogy, the story President Muhammadu Buhari once told him about the importance of taking care of people “who do the things that make us comfortable, the Vice President observed “it is important to pay attention to MSMES.

“We will spend time to ensure that we give those who produce locally all the support that we can give, and that is why we are doing this clinics.”

The Office of the Special Adviser on Economic Matters in the Presidency devised the idea of a Clinic to bridge the gap between medium and small scale businesses and government agencies such as Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC; Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON; National Agency for Food & Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC; Bank of Industry, BOI; Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS; Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC; and others.

The Clinic is meant to bring together all those agencies in one spot and at appointed times across the country to attend to the needs, questions and requests of people doing business. It was launched on Tuesday by Prof. Osinbajo and the first Clinic outside Abuja was today in Aba.

Subsequently, such clinics would be held in two different cities every month and those government agencies would be on hand to solve problems of business enterprises, take enquiries, explain government initiatives and educate the public about regulatory issues regarding MSMES in Nigeria.

Having launched in Abuja, the Vice President decided to personally attend the Clinic in Aba, today noting that “you can’t do much for manufacturing without coming to Aba,” and adding that Aba traders, artisans, tailors, shoemakers and others “are the bedrock of our economy.”

He urged those relevant FG agencies to see themselves as facilitators of the businesses and remove bottlenecks that are often reported when enterprises have something to do with the agencies.

The Vice President went round the stands of all the agencies at the Aba MSMES Clinic and also those of several businesses and local manufacturers, all of whom were obviously elated at the Federal Government’s gesture to re-orient the relationship between them and the agencies.

Commenting at the Clinic, the Abia State Governor, Dr. Okpezie Ikpeazu, who accompanied the Vice President said “with the visit of the Acting President to Abia today, the story of Aba traders will change. The visit of the Acting President is a testimony that something new is happening here.”

Prof. Osinbajo who has since returned to Abuja, was also accompanied by the Industry, Trade and Investment Minister, Dr. Okey Enelamah, among several other senior government officials.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President
Office of the Vice President
January 26, 2017

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

WE HAVE TO COMPLETELY DELEGITIMISE CORRUPTION, VP OSINBAJO SAYS

Anti-Corruption agencies in the country have been urged to step up their engagement with the Nigerian public especially because there are still those who think when a politician who is their kinfolk steals, it is permissible.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, made the observation earlier today while meeting with a delegation of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC led by its Chairman, Prof. Itse Sagay at the Presidential Villa.

“How we communicate what is going on regarding corruption is important. There are still those who think a politician who steals, is some kind of Robin Hood, instead of being vilified,” Prof Osinbajo noted.

He added that “some people believe that if ‘my kinsman’ steals it is ok,” stressing that it is important to completely delegitimise corruption especially through the way it is communicated.

He praised the work of PACAC. “I commend the excellent work you have done so far from the beginning,” he told the PACAC delegation, adding that the Committee has done very well removing skepticism as to whether an anti-corruption initiative can work well in the country.

“This has been very good,” the Vice President declared, explaining that the Committee has given credibility to the anti-corruption war.

While expressing satisfaction that the anti-corruption war has been going on very well, especially with the role of PACAC, the Vice President also noted that it is important that corruption trials once commenced should be concluded promptly.

In his comments at the meeting, Prof. Sagay said PACAC has engaged with all anti-corruption agencies in the country, including the police and the judiciary. “We are cooperating effectively well with them,” he disclosed.

Sagay who was accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the Committee, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye and members including Hadiza Bala-Usman, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, called for an harmonized National Anti-Corruption Strategy for the Federal Government.

Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity

In the Office of the Vice President

January 10, 2017

TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING BY MAJOR GENERAL LEO IRABOR THEATRE COMMANDER OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE ON WEDNESDAY 4TH JANUARY 2017

1. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am most delighted to welcome and to wish you a very Happy Year 2017. It is, no doubt, going to be a good year for us as individuals and as a Nation. On behalf of troops of Op LAFIYA DOLE, I wish all of you happiness, success and prosperity all through the year.

2. The troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE have continued exploitation and mop-up operations against fleeing Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) with attendant successes. This Brief is thus an update as usual.

a. Update on Operation RESCUE FINALE. The operation in Sambisa Forest and environ is continuing. Our troops are conducting various exploitation and mop-up operations against fleeing BHTs who are in complete disarray. In that regards, some clearance operations were conducted during the period under review:

(1) On 29 Dec 16 at about 0647hrs, own troops embarked on clearance operation to Dumur Forest in continuation with Operation RESCUE FINALE. The troops cleared DUMUR and BULA JULTA villages and carried out bombardment of ADZUNGE, GOMBOLE, MALABI, SOWOLOWO, IZUWE, NGWALIMIRI and LATAN villages.

(2) On 31 Dec 16 at about 0945hrs, own troops conducted clearance operation to AIWA village about 25km from MAIDUGURI. Troops cleared several villages namely: TAULA, MAJAJA, MAFAIDE, JAAJA, MASU KURA and AIWA. No contact was made. However, a mini BHT camp was discovered and destroyed. At AIWA village, villagers were assembled and thoroughly screened which led to the arrest of a suspect named Modu Babagana Goni. The locals informed the troops that the suspect sometimes assists BHT in getting food items. He has been arrested and currently undergoing investigation.

b. Arrests. Our troops have arrested some suspected BHT/other criminal elements as follows:

(1) On 25 Dec 16 at about 1000hrs, own troops deployed at FOB POTISKUM apprehended a suspected BHT member Musa Abdullahi at FIKA. The suspect is in custody undergoing interrogation.

(2) On 30 Dec 16 at about 1520hrs, own troops in conjunction with NSCDC arrested a suspected BHT suspect Rabiu Ibrahim at BAJOGA in FUNAKAYE LGA of Gombe State. The suspect fled to GOMBE as a result of the recent attacks on BHT by troops. During preliminary interrogation, the suspect confessed that he joined the sect about 4 years ago and took part in the attack of troops along DAMATURU - MAIDUGURI road. The suspect is in custody for further interrogation.

(3) On 30 Dec 16 at about 1330hrs, our troops arrested a confirmed BHT member at GONI KALLA. While the suspect was being moved from GONI KALLA to DAMATURU, the BHT member attempted to escape by jumping out of the vehicle. He was therefore shot and killed. His corpse has been deposited at General Hospital DAMATURU.

(4) On 25 Dec 16 at about 1330hrs, our troops and DSS personnel trailed 2 suspected high profile kidnappers (Mohammed Ali and Sani Digaru), for an alleged plan to carry out an operation in GOMBE and possibly escape to their camp at Yuga Forest in Bauchi State. The 2 kidnappers were tracked and arrested by DSS in conjunction with troops at SILAS area along Gombe-Dukku road. During the operation, one of the suspects (Sani Digaru) attempted to escape and was shot on the leg and later died in DSS custody. However, the other suspect Mohammed Ali was taken into DSS custody. Items recovered from the suspects include the sum of N28,800.00 only, 3 mobile phones, 2 rings, tobacco, one eye glass, wrist watch and a lighter.

(5) On 2 Jan 17 at about 1920hrs, own troops deployed in NUMAN arrested one Dahiru Saidu who was on transit from LAFIYA – LAMURDE to JADA in Adamawa State. He is suspected to be among the BHT members declared wanted in Serial 164 of Wanted Insurgents Poster circulated in the Theatre. He is in custody undergoing investigation.

c. Interception of Suspected BHT Cattle. On 29 Dec 16 at about 1030hrs, own troops deployed at Cashew Plantation while on patrol around BALE SHUARI intercepted 30 cows. The cows were suspected to have been rustled and separated from BHT due to current military operations at TASUMGANDU. The BHT abandoned the cows and fled on approach of our troops to TASUMGANDU.

d. Ambush Operation. On 30 Dec 16 at about 0630hrs, own troops deployed at RANN sprung an ambush operation on some fleeing BHT members where a fire fight ensued. Fifteen BHT members were killed while 4 soldiers were wounded in action. Some of the items recovered from the BHT include 2 AK47 rifles, 4 FN rifles, an M21 rifle, quantity 110 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 40 pieces of M21 rounds, 4 FN extra magazines and 2 locally made explosives. Also, on 2 Jan 17, at about 0110hrs, some fleeing BHT members attacked own troops at blocking position in LOGOMANI. The attack was successfully repelled by the gallant troops after a firefight. Several BHT members escaped with gunshot wounds as manifested by several blood stains observed during exploitation during the day.

e. Return of DAMASAK Residents. The residents of DAMASAK have started returning to the town following the re-opening of MAIDUGURI-GUBIO-DAMASAK road on 25 Dec 16. Most of the returnees who were earlier displaced by BHT attacks on the community are returning from either MAIDUGURI or Niger Republic where they had taken refuge. Clearing and sanitation of DAMASAK town has been taking place while troops in conjunction with CJTF continued to dominate general area of the town with aggressive patrol and screening of locals coming into DAMASAK.

f. Person Borne Improvised Explosive Device Explosion. On 31 Dec 16 at bout 2135hrs, a female suicide bomber detonated her explosive device strapped on her at Customs Area in Maiduguri. She was the only casualty. Also, on 1 Jan 17, at about 0930hrs, own troops in conjunction with CJTF discovered an IED suicide vest that had been dropped by a suicide bomber around GOMARI low cost area. The Nigeria Police EOD Team was contacted and they recovered and detonated the IED vest safely. Again, early this morning at about 0615hrs, 3 female suicide bombers enroute BANKI DUTSE village were gunned down by own troops deployed for an ambush operations. The 3 female suicide bombers were killed in action and no other casualty recorded.

g. Operation THUNDER. Recall that I hinted earlier that the Cameroonian troops are conducting operations around Ngoshe. On 27 Dec 16, own troops linked up with elements of Cameroonian Forces. The Cameroonian recovered several items from the BHT, which include several weapons of different calibres and their associated ammunition, a Hilux vehicle and motorcycles. Others are generators, batteries, gas cylinders, bomb making materials and building implements. The operation is still ongoing.

h. Air Operations. The clips of Air ops conducted during the period is as shown.

i. Update on some Surrendered BHT.

Summary of Arrested BHT Suspects/Rescued Persons. A total of 1,400 civilians were arrested by our troops during all our operations conducted between 28 Dec 16 – 4 Jan 17.

3. Ladies and Gentlemen, as we start a New Year, I urge all to contribute selflessly to building on the peace process, which we have fought tirelessly to achieve. Please report any suspicious movement of persons and objects to the military or to the nearest security agencies. We shall not rest on our oars until we totally execute the mandate of Op LAFIYA DOLE.

4. Meanwhile, we in Op LAFIYA DOLE remain grateful to the Commander-in-Chief for all the support and encouragement. Equally, the Chief of Defence Staff, the COAS as well other Service Chiefs are well appreciated for all their leadership and support. To the Media and other Stakeholders, especially the Governments and the good people of the North Eastern States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States, I say that your contributions and support are most valued. Remember, ‘We have won the war. We need to win the peace’. Thank you and God bless.

Major General LEO IRABOR
Theatre Commander, Operation LAFIYA DOLE
Maiduguri
January 04 2017

PRESS RELEASE

INTERIOR MINISTER ADMONISHED OPINION AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO REFRAIN FROM COMMENTS CAPABLE OF HEIGHTENING SOUTHERN KADUNA CRISIS.

The Honourable Minister of the Interior, Lt Gen (Rtd) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau has called on all well-meaning Nigerians not to allow themselves to be dragged into religious conflicts. He observed this has become necessary following insinuations that the criminal violence in Southern has some religious interpretation.

He said there are people who are always looking for ways to further create division along religious or ethnic fault lines for their selfish interest, with the aim of creating instability in our internal security. Accordingly, the Minister posited that true religious leaders do not fan the embers of hate, but ensure that communities live in peace and harmony. In this connection, he maintained that economic growth and development will remain a mirage for Nigeria; with over 500 ethnic groups and multiple religions, unless we resolve to live amicably as a people with common destiny.


Speaking further, Dambazau said criminals who perpetrate violence against innocent, law-abiding citizens do not discriminate along religious and ethnic lines, citing examples of how Communities in Zamfara, Katsina, Taraba, Enugu, Lagos and Niger were victimized by those violent criminals. He noted that a criminal should be treated as such, whether he is involved in armed robbery, drug trafficking, homicides or Cattle rustling, and that people should avoid honoring criminals with religious or ethnic attachment. He advised opinion and religious leaders to refrain from giving the crisis between herdsmen and sedentary farmers in Southern Kaduna a religious connotation, rather attention should be focused on the real enemies of our Society, who illegally acquire weapons to terrorize Christians and Muslims Communities alike.

Consequently, the Police have been tasked to ensure the sustenance of law and order, and to arrest and prosecute anyone involved in criminal activities. He therefore urged citizens to cooperate with the Police by providing actionable intelligence/information in it quest to restore normalcy to the troubled Communities. He reassured citizens of government commitment to tackling the root causes of similar crisis in all parts of the Country, while paying special attention to measures aimed at eradicating Poverty, Climate change, Population explosion and the issues of youth bulge which have been identified as some of the causative factors of these conflicts.



Ehisienmen Osaigbovo
Press Secretary to the Honourable Minister of Interior

NEWS UPDATE:

NPOWER VERIFICATION OF 200,000 GRADUATES COMPLETED IN 13 STATES, MORE FORTHCOMING
‎
As the Federal Government prepares to commence the payment of monthly stipends to the 200,000 graduates engaged under the N-Power job creation programme of the Buhari administration, 13 states of the federation have now submitted verified lists of the graduates and more expected later this week.

Disclosing this on Sunday while giving a news update on the programme, Mr. Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity in the Office of the Vice President stated that also in some states the graduates have also been deployed to their primary places of assignment, noting that payment of the N30,000 stipends for the graduates will commence this month once verification and deployment have been done.

Under the N-Power Volunteer Scheme, the Federal Government announced the selection and engagement of 200,000 unemployed graduates as the first batch of the half a million the Buhari administration plans to hire for the 2-year paid volunteer job programme.

In his budget speech Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari announced that the Social Investment Programmes would be continuing in 2017 with another allocation of N500,000.

According to him, "the 2017 Budget estimates retains the allocation of N500 billion to the Special Intervention programme consisting of the Home-grown School Feeding Programme, Government Economic Empowerment programme, N-Power Job Creation Programme to provide loans for traders and artisans, Conditional Cash Transfers to the poorest families and the new Family Homes Fund (social housing scheme).

He added that the "N-Power Programme has recently taken off with the employment of 200,000 graduates across the country, while the School Feeding Programme has commenced in a few States, where the verification of caterers has been completed."


While the Federal Government is responsible for their monthly stipends, it is in partnership with state governments to verify the selected unemployed graduates and deploy them to their primary places of assignment since each of the volunteer graduates would be serving in their communities where they are resident, Akande explained.

He disclosed that the states that have completed the verification by weekend are Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross Rivers, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina and Kogi states. Others are Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara States, while verification and deployment have already been completed in Benue, Cross Rivers and Kogi.

According to the SSA, in virtually all the states of the federation, the verification has commenced and there are indications that much progress would be made this week in order to enable the Federal Government process the monthly payments of the already verified graduates before Christmas.

The Buhari administration is keen on ensuring that the selected 200,000 graduates are able to draw their stipends starting this month, as plans have been concluded to release the funds once verification is completed. States have been very cooperative in working with the Federal Government so much that even in states that have not completed verification by weekend, much activities are going on towards attaining that goal.

The FG will pay the graduates their monthly stipends directly into their own bank accounts and 93% of the selected 200,000 graduate volunteers have already been verified based on the Bank Verification Number, BVN


Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
December 18, 2016

MINISTRY OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING PRESS RELEASE

December 9, 2016

FG not turning to IMF for loan

The Ministry of Budget and National Planning has explained that the Federal Government is not looking to source any loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as reported by a national newspaper on Friday.

While briefing a French delegation that visited him in Abuja on Thursday, on what the Federal Government was doing to drive revenue for its activities, the Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, explained generally that government was exploring both internal and external sources, but emphasized that in the case of external sources, government would only be looking at institutions that can give concessionary terms.

Throughout the statement issued by the Ministry on the visit, which was not covered by any media organization, no mention was made of any specific loan from any institution.
The Federal Government does not have need to go to the IMF for any loan at this time.

Signed
Akpandem James
Media Adviser to the Hon. Minister

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

BUHARI’S HOMEGROWN SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME KICKS OFF IN ANAMBRA

*FG releases over N53m for 1050 primary schools to serve meals to 76, 690 pupils in the State

*More than 3.4m pupils to be fed across total 17 states under 2016 budget

*No fees required to benefit in the Social Investment schemes

In another rollout of one of the Social Investment Programmes of the Buhari administration, the National Homegrown School Feeding scheme has entered implementation stage with the feeding of primary school pupils in Anambra State today.

Last month, the N-Power scheme kicked off with the selection of the first batch of 200,000 unemployed graduates, many of whom are now being deployed in the 36 states/FCT in the first batch of the planned half a million graduates to be engaged in the N-Power Volunteer Corps, NPVC.

Meanwhile, no one should have to pay any fees to benefit in the N-Power or the Homegrown School Feeding programmes, and any such imposition or request for fees is uncalled for and illegal.

Reports of such acts of extortion in some states where beneficiaries are being asked to pay a ‘fee for registration’ have reached the Presidency, and firm instructions have been given that such acts should stop.

Speaking from Awka, Anambra State capital earlier today, the Special Assistant on Homegrown School Feeding Programme in the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Dotun Adebayo said primary school pupils in Anambra were excited as the feeding started in their schools.

Adebayo who led a team of federal and state officials to some of the schools on day one of the Homegrown School Feeding Programme implementation said they witnessed the feeding in three schools in Akwa: Community Primary School, Awka South, Central School Ameobi, and Central School in Nibo.

“The pupils were excited and enjoyed the meals,” he stated, adding that the cooks in those three schools, among the total 774 already recruited and trained for the feeding programme, served ‘Okpa’ a.k.a Moin-moin garnished with vegetables to the delight of the pupils who took the meals during their break time about noonday.

All together in Anambra State, an estimated 76, 690 pupils in 1050 schools would be served every day of school. The feeding programme caters to pupils from primary 1-3.

Having met the stated requirements for Federal Government funding for the Homegrown School Feeding, a sum of N53, 687, 900 had been released directly to cooks for the kick-off of the school feeding programme in Anambra, to last till the end of the current school term.

All the cooks were recruited from communities around the primary schools for the program, verified and trained to provide the catering service in the 21 LGAs in the State.

Generally, the Homegrown School Feeding programme, which is one of the Social Investment plans of the Buhari presidency, is driven through community participation where residents in the community are engaged as cooks to provide feeding services. Also the programme leverages on the agricultural produce available within the communities.

The Homegrown School Feeding programme of the Buhari administration will not only boost school enrollment and improve the nutritional status of the pupils, it would also stimulate local farming, while equally creating jobs including the 774 cooks now in gainful employment in Anambra State.

While the 2016 Budget of Change made provision for funding of the feeding programme in 18 states, a total of 17 States have concluded the designing of the School feeding models through state-level multi-sectorial capacity building workshops, based on FG’s stipulated requirements. Those states will proceed in the planning and would soon get to the implementation stage.

The 17 states are Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Enugu, Sokoto, Kaduna, Borno, Zamfara, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Delta, Abia and Bauchi. Estimated figures from 15 of these states put the numbers of pupils to be feed at over 3.4 million.

Also the Federal Government has successfully conducted food safety and hygiene training for over 25,000 cooks in 9 states (out of the 17).
According to the 2016 budget, provision was made for the feeding programme in 18 states of the federation.

It is the plan of the Buhari administration to implement the feeding programme all across the country, where states meet the federal requirements for such engagement. Under the school feeding programme, there are no pre-selections, but states/FCT have to meet the stipulated requirements.

While the 2016 Budget planned for 18 states, all 36 states and FCT are eligible to participate as budgetary provisions even in the new year are being considered.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office of the Federal Government
December 8, 2016

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

18 FINALISTS EMERGE IN FG-SPONSORED EDUCATION ADVOCACY PROGRAMME FOR DISPLACED CHILDREN IN 3 NORTHEAST STATES

*Winners to present advocacy campaign video at Grand Finale Thursday, in competition where children become advocates against terrorism

*Over 3000 entries from Borno, Adamawa & Yobe

After rigorous essay writing sessions and validation of submitted entries, eighteen finalists have emerged winners of the Essay Writing Competition in the recently announced Federal Government’s education advocacy programme for displaced children in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

The Grand Finale holds Thursday in Maiduguri, Borno State where the finalists will present their education advocacy videos at an event to be attended by dignataries and functionaries from across the three states.

The Protecting Education Advocacy Challenge to reorient children affected by insurgency in the 3 Northeast states was announced November 20 and kicked off soon after garnering 3,079 of such children showing keen interest in the competition by turning in their entries.
“The enthusiasm and active participation of these children in the Essay Competition is indicative of their willingness to be the voices raised so that education is protected for them,” according to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, Dr Mariam Masha.

The eighteen finalists, six from each state were the lucky winners out of 3,079 entries received from the three states, with Borno having 1,337, closely followed by Adamawa with 1,230 while Yobe had a total of 512 entries.

The winners from Borno are Aisha Musty and Bukar Abdulrahman in the 8-11 years category; Abubakar Musa and Zulai Mikaila in the 12-14 Years Category and Hauwa Bulus and Kaka Emmnauel in the 15-18 years category.

From Adamawa State, the winners are Emmanuel Andrawus and Faith Mathew in the 8-11 Years Category; Prince Midenda Napatali and Abba Gana-Bundi in the 12-14 years while in the 15- 18 years category are Grace Markus and Ali Bulama.

Modu Aisami and Adamu Ibrahim emerged in the 8-11 years category in Yobe State. Other winners in the state are Fatima Lawan Jinbam and Mustapha Abdullahi in the 12- 14 years Category and Sadiq Abubakar and Abubakar Baba Adam were winners in the 15-18 years category.

This education advocacy which raises the voices of the children as advocates is a model that directly engages the children in conversations concerning their educational visions and helps to to create a sense of involvement and enhance the success and sustainability of their education.

It is targeted at school-aged children displaced in the North East States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe and the competition commenced simultaneously in the three states witnessing unprecedented acceptance as thousands of enthusiastic school aged-children obtained their entry packs in the Primary, Junior and Senior secondary schools categories.

In Borno State, a total of ten IDP Camps participated including Dalori 1 and 2, Bakassi A & B, Teachers Training College, EYN, Farm Centre, Gubio, NYSC, and Bokolis, all spread across the state.

In Damaturu, the Pompomari IDPs Camp, host communities and schools such as Government Secondary School in Gulani,Goniri,Bularafa and Government Day Secondary School in Buni-Yadi, Bukar Ali,Bindigari and Nayi-nawa submitted entries while their counterparts in NYSC , Makoyi and Fufore IDP Camps in Adamawa State also participated in the Essay writing competition.

The programme is an integral component of counter- radicalization project of the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Disaster Risk Reduction project of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). It is coordinated in the Presidency by the Office of the Vice President.
Its cardinal objectives include the adoption of children as main advocates of education and voices countering every form of extreme violence in order to break the radicalization process of insurgency and other violent acts.
With the essay writing over, the expected eighteen winners, six from each of the three states are to develop an advocacy campaign video which will be presented by the children themselves before a live audience at the finals in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital on December 8th.
Also, as parts of the advocacy, series of drama presentations, community events and focused mentorship are being staged in the camps, to provide an uncommon window to take the counter-terrorism fight from the battlefield right into the minds of these children.
This advocacy programme will complement the Federal Government’s ongoing recovery efforts in the North-East by using education as a tactical tool to return dignity and normalcy to the affected children and to actively engage these children in advocacy to counter violent extremism.

Other partners and supporters of the programme include the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Medview Airline, Softcom, Venture Garden Group, Academy Press and UACN Property Development Company - UPDC.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
December 6, 2016

GOWON, OBASANJO, SHONEKAN, OTHERS JOIN OSINBAJO AT ASO VILLA CHAPEL'S ANNUAL THANKSGIVING SERVICE

Three former heads of states/presidents and three former number twos joined Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, today to show gratitude to God, offering thanksgiving for his goodness over Nigeria.

Prayers were also offered by the leaders and the Aso Villa Chapel congregation for the continued success of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the progress of the entire nation.

The leaders who converged at the Aso Villa Chapel for the Annual Thanksgiving Service were former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of the Interim Government Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, and former Chiefs of General Staff Ebitu Ukiwe and Oladipo Diya.

Wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo and Mrs Margaret Shonekan were also in attendance at the service.

Speaking during the service as he welcomed the leaders, Prof Osinbajo noted that the nation is grateful to God, adding that the Lord has upheld Nigeria even this year which is rounding up.

Later while speaking with reporters at the end of the service, the Vice President added that "the former presidents and vice presidents are here for the thanksgiving service, they’ve been invited specially to come.

``We were also expecting President Jonathan but unfortunately he had to cancel at the last moment. So we are all extremely excited that we are able to bring everyone together to thank God for our nation and to give him thanks for the great future ahead of us.

``We are thanking God, it is a wonderful occasion to thank God and that is what we have done here today.’’

Earlier at the service, former Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon prayed over the thanksgiving offering at the service.

Gowon urged all Nigerians to support the present administration’s efforts towards revamping the economy and restoring Nigeria’s dignity in the comity of nations.

He also offered special prayers for the leadership of the nation to overcome the numerous challenges and return Nigeria to the path of prosperity, peace and progress.

In his sermon the chaplain of the Aso Villa Chapel, Pastor Sheyi Malomo emphasized the importance of thanksgiving in every human endeavor. Citing the scriptures, the clergyman said God was expectant of gratitude for his good deeds to man.

According to him, ``it is the will of God that whatever situation you are in, you should always give thanks to God because he expects thanksgiving every time."


The high-point of the occasion was during the thanksgiving proper when the former leaders joined the Vice President and his wife to dance forward towards the altar in praise and adoration of God. Every one in the congregation also followed suit in thanksgiving and prayers.

A number of cabinet ministers, several top government functionaries and Christian leaders were also in attendance.

After the service, the leaders joined the Vice President at his residence for breakfast.



Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
December 4, 2016

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF POWER, WORKS AND HOUSING
Office of the Special Adviser on Communications
Headquarter, Mabushi P.M.B. 111, Garki - Abuja, Nigeria

PRESS RELEASE

NATIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMME: FG TO EMBRACE MORTGAGE SYSTEM TO ENSURE AFFORDABILITY , SAYS FASHOLA
· Government would inject fund into the Federal Mortgage Bank to enable it recapitalize, as it returns to surplus for the first in 6 years from deficit in billions


· Ministry of Power, Works and Housing currently at the stage of issuing letters of awards for housing construction across the country

· Minister tour sites, production facilities of Private Sector building development partners, expresses delight that that many more people are getting back to work with fewer people fighting

· Instead of fighting, let’s come together and build this country, we can do it , he says

The Federal Government plans to embrace the mortgage system to drive the on-going National Housing Programme when it finally comes on stream, Minister of Power Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, said in Abuja at the weekend.

Fashola, who spoke after the inspection of sites and building materials production facilities of some of the Private Sector partners in Housing Development in the Federal Capital Territory, assured that when the scheme takes off, government would issue mortgages which would be tied to the incomes of prospective beneficiaries.

Fielding questions from newsmen after the exercise which took the inspection team to the sites of Brains and Hammer Limited in Gwarimpa, Life Camp and Galadimawa; Citec International Estates Limited’s sites and building material component manufacturing facilities in Gwarimpa; and Le Chase Morgan/ Net Construct’s Sunny Vale in Apo, the Minister said government was already putting measures in place to strengthen the Federal Mortgage Bank to be able to handle the programme.

Fashola, who expressed delight that the bank was already on a recovery trend after six year of loss balance sheet, hinted that government would inject fund into it to enable it recapitalize as soon as it returned to clean books and could expand the Housing Fund under its management.

According to the Minister, “The new management of the Federal Mortgage Bank, still in an acting capacity, has reversed the loss balance sheet of the company and for the first time in about six years, they are returning surplus from deficit in billions; they have a surplus of about N472million as at Q3 from N3-4-5 billion negative position”.

“So once the bank goes back to clean books and expanding the housing fund which it is managing, government can say, as a matter of national policy, ‘look, capitalize, we will inject fund just as we have done with Bank of Industry and we are planning to do with Bank of Agriculture, we can do the same thing”, he said adding, however, that although the possibility was there, there must be a market in which to spend the money.

The Minister said embracing the mortgage system in the Housing Programme would also bring relief to the ordinary Nigerian worker as it would move the society away from the system whereby landlords demand rent in advance from tenants who receive their salaries in arrears.

Fashola told the newsmen, in response to a related question on why people who collect salaries in arrears would be expected to pay rent in advance as currently prevalent, “In our own scheme when it starts, we hope we will be in a position to issue mortgages and if you have a mortgage, clearly it can only be tied to your income which is in arrears”, adding, however, that how much progress the country could make as a nation would depend on how much love Nigerians would want to show to themselves.

He declared, “So, if I build a house and I know you are going to be paid at the end of December and I tell you to go and bring a rent up to 2017 that you haven’t worked for, do I really love you? So let us show the kind of nation that we want”.

“What does a landlord lose if he tells the employer of his prospective tenant to guarantee deduction of the money from the man’s salary at the end of the month? If we can reach that kind of arrangements it will give a lot of people relief because that is the kind of thing that causes inflation, hiked prices”, the Minister said adding that in many parts of the world people pay their house rents when they collect their salaries.

Noting that the advance payment of house rents fuel inflation, the Minister cited the example of a worker who has to pay N17,000 in advance to rent a room, adding, “He must be looking for all sorts of ways to make it. Anybody he too has to render service, he just gives a cut throat price and the person then passes it on”.

He urged landlords and home owners to reflect the fact that by doing so they inflict pains on fellow Nigerians adding, however, that to the extent that there are also bad tenants who would rent a house and the landlord would have to be in court for 10 years just to get him out as a result of rent default, government would find a balance.

On the readiness of the local housing materials manufacturing and building partners to meet the nation’s housing demands, Fashola, who said government was now at the stage where letters of awards were being issued, said since there was already a design, the builders would be told that once the design was validated then they would embark on mass production using polystyrene and other locally manufactured components.

Pointing out, however, that the typical concrete block models was being used to start with, the Minister reiterated, “Once we validate the designs then we do mass production”, adding that polystyrene models were not being used at this stage until when production was ready for industrialization. “That is what polystyrene brings, we industrialize construction”, he said.

The Minister, who also stressed the importance of the cost and the delivery time of the houses, said the partners were being given the government designs to ascertain how fast and at what cost they could build and sell the houses with the designs adding that government could then ask them to build for it to buy on behalf of the people.

He noted that Citech, one of the building component production partners, promised to bring their cost down by 10 per cent, a reduction he described as significant for residential housing. He added, however, “But it is not only cost of building but also delivery time; because that is when the deficit then comes under threat; we can now assault it vigorously with industrialized capacity”.

Fashola, who said there was need to develop a system, noted that the models by some of the partners doing industrialized capacity would bring down the construction time and also reduce some of the costs, adding, “So we are giving out that design now of our own housing to them to say go and look at these designs, can you build it better and cheaper than us?”

“As soon as they can show us that they can do that, we are going to the stage where we would say to them, ‘build, we would buy’. So if they have government as a ready buyer, it then becomes easier to contemplate a situation where they will finance because there is a guaranteed market”, the Minister said adding that the Federal Mortgage Bank would then do its core job of funding demand.

According to the Minister, there was need to address the supply side first before the Mortgage Bank would be asked to come in and do its part. He declared, “Thought out differently, if the Federal Mortgage Bank issues 100,000 mortgages to workers today, there are no 100,000 houses waiting to be bought; so we must address the supply side first”.

Fashola also emphasized the need to “re-sensitize” and “re-dimension” Nigerians in terms of what should be their legitimate expectations concerning what government could do and what it should do by way of the provision of infrastructure pointing out that it would be impossible for any government to provide the entire infrastructure needed by the people.

According to the Minister while responding to a question on how far the government in providing infrastructure support to private developers, “In cities, for example, part of the responsibilities for infrastructure like roads belong to the state governments, some belong to the local governments; and so long as we have those clearly defined responsibilities for provision of infrastructure, you can’t, in good faith, begin to encroach any body’s jurisdiction”.

“So we have to understand this. What we must do is to continue to manage this kind of communication with members of the public”, he said adding that in his recent meeting with members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, he urged them to start the process of re-sensitization of ordinary Nigerian’s “so that we redimension their legitimate expectations; what they should legitimately expect in terms of what government can do and what it should do”.

The Minister reiterated that as much as nations try to increase the number of house ownership and reduce the number of rentals, not everybody could be a house owner in terms of affordability, adding, “Nations try to improve employment and therefore provide shelter by ownership and by rental; but some people may have to rent for life and we must find a system that responds to that market need”.

Urging the Private Sector to also look at that as an investment opportunity, Fashola said it might also be a very useful area for very sensitive funding like the Pension Fund that requires quick returns so that it could pay pensioners adding that it may be useful to invest some of the fund in build-and-rent-to-own so that payments would be made monthly.

The Minister, who recalled the recently concluded Habitat 111 Conference in Ecuador where, “we articulated that in the National Housing Policy, affordable housing was the way to go”, said what was missing was the programme that could deliver Affordable Housing adding that government was now developing that programme, including design, building types, cost and supply.

Asked why he was visiting the sites and facilities of building development companies from time to time, Fashola said he was at the sites to keep his own side of the bargain to ascertain the authenticity of the claims of many of the sponsors, during the Ministry’s Affordable Housing Summit, who had said they had the capacity to build. “I said I would come and see what they are doing; I am keeping my own side of the bargain today. So I will be taking it in bits and pieces now we are here”, he told the media team.

Reiterating that “no government in the world has ever been able to unilaterally supply the needs of the people”, Fashola cited transport where there is both public and private transport, Health, where there are government hospitals and private hospitals and the Oil Sector where the NNPC has said it could not supply everybody’s fuel and so must have independent marketers to fill the gap.

The Minister declared, “The same thing has to happen here if we really want to solve the problem. So we are going to need the Private Sector to build. What is missing is how we will converge this Private Sector with the market so that what they build is affordable to all the people”.

“We see five bedroom houses; majority of the people who need houses are not look for five-bedrooms, they cannot afford it. Majority of those people are workers like you. How can we fit their incomes into a programme that attracts these people to want to supply them?” he said adding that those were the issues being addressed in the Ministry.

Explaining that Acceptability and Affordability were at the core of the Housing Development, Fashola declared, “So we can bring our cost; we can meet the market; because when we do that the Federal Mortgage Bank will do its work. Our work will now be more of research, assisting to improve design qualities that reduce cost”.

He recalled the Citech industrialized construction sites, where, “end to end, from iron mongery to cement, to interlocking blocks, to furnishings, to roofing” the company has everything in one place including patching plants for its roads and concrete rings for waste treatment, among other building accessories, adding, “So it is ready to go”.

“We saw doors, we saw windows too and we saw window nettings too. So that is more of what we want to see. Not just buildings but now also supplying demands for all those people who do not want to get involved in manufacturing of construction materials. They may also choose to industrialize but we want to see more of the Citechs using polystyrene”, he said.

Fashola expressed delight over the existence of local capacity development programme in the housing sector like young people engaging in apprenticeship in the factories of some of the companies adding that focus should be more on those kinds of stories “because, whether you like it or not, in spite of the depression, people like these are investing, they are moving on, they are committed”.

The Minister again declared, “Instead of fighting, let’s come together and build this country; we can do it. In all of those sites we saw people at work; that is what interests me, that is what we should do, that is what interests our team; many more people getting back to work and fewer people fighting”.

Noting that of the three sites visited, two were being dominated by women, Fashola expressed joy that more women were now getting involved directly in what traditionally was men’s job adding, “Again people are getting on with their lives; it’s tough but those who are trying to distract and just complain, should learn one thing or the other from these people”.

The Minister recalled what is now going on in the Agriculture Sector especially concerning rice production adding, “So it is not a lost cause. Go and ask the farmers now, they are getting more money in their pockets. So perhaps those of us who are still here who don’t want to get their hands dirty, if you don’t want to get your hands dirty you won’t get rich”.

“So you have to be ready with your jeans, with your hard hats and with your hands because it is a lot of work to do. Mining, you have to get your hands dirty; oil exploration, we have to take it over, slowly and gradually we have to go and get back nature’s gift for our own use”, he said.

HAKEEM BELLO
SPECIAL ADVISER,
COMMUNICATIONS
TO THE HON. MINISTER
3RD DECEMBER, 2016

FRI 02 DEC: #GovtAtWorkNG

President Buhari receives King Mohammed VI of Morocco, who is on a State Visit, at the State House in Abuja.

Nigeria-Morocco sign seven (7) Bilateral Agreements during meetings between President Buhari and visiting King Mohammed VI.

Agreements are as follows:

1. Agreement between OCP Group and Dangote Group to develop the fertilizer business in Nigeria.

2. Cooperation Agreement between Dangote Group and OCP Group in strengthening the local blending capabilities and Agricultural Ecosystem.

3. Agreement on the Exemption of Visas for Diplomatic and Official/Service Passports.

4. Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Morocco.

5. Agreement on Marine Fisheries Cooperation.

6. Agreement in the field of Agriculture.

7. Agreement between Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy and its Nigerian Counterpart.

President Buhari approves the reimbursement of N522.74 billion to State Governments, as part of FG's Fiscal Support Programmes. Read more https://free.facebook.com/TheAsoVilla/

President Buhari hosts a State Banquet in honour of the Visiting King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

President Buhari meets with Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State today at the Presidential Villa Abuja.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama speaks on King Mohammed VI's State Visit, the Economic and Diplomatic importance. See video https://free.facebook.com/TheAsoVilla/

Vice President Osinbajo received by Oyo State Governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi for the Funeral Ceremony of Prophetess Christiana Aduke Abiara in Ibadan, Oyo State.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE:

BUHARI PRESIDENCY KEEN ON SUPPORTING GAME-CHANGING PRIVATE SECTOR PROJECTS-VP

*Osinbajo in Sagamu, on second visit to industrial hubs in a week

In a consistent demonstration of the administration's determination to press the diversification agenda and promote private sector partnership with the Federal Government, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, continued his tour of industries in the country today visiting two Agric-based factories in Sagamu.

Only last week Thursday, the Vice President visited about six industrial firms in Anambra State delivering messages of encouragement and partnership by the Federal Government.

According to Prof. Osinbajo, while speaking at a tour of a N64B food processing industrial complex earlier today, the Federal Government is looking at some game-changing projects "such as we have here" that requires serious investment and significant investment.

He stated that the Buhari administration would support such game-changing projects such as the multi-billion Naira food processing industrial complex underway in Sagamu by the Honeywell group and the Shea-Butter Factory owned by the Lad Group in the same town.

The Vice President who took along other top government officials including top officials from the Ministry of Industry Trade & Investment, Bank of Industry, and the NEXIM Bank.

Below is the verbatim remarks by the Vice President at his first stop today in Sagamu:


"Let me first say how pleased I am to be here today, as a guest of the Honeywell Group.

More importantly to perform what I think is a very important assignment. The president as you know has talked very much about diversifying the economy as our way out of the recession. It is the right and proper thing to do for the country, that seeks to be, at some point, to be properly independent economically, and that's the primary reason why I'm here. It’s because we are definitely trying to identify those industries and those enterprises that can really help in bringing that to pass.

Anyone who knows the pedigree of the chairman of Honeywell will agree that he is one of those who has contributed to the indigenous growth of the Nigerian economy very seriously over the years. So when he spoke to me about this project, I was quite certain that it will be a worth while project; a serious enough project for the Federal Government to be interested in and to at least want to partner with him, one way or the other, and that is the primary reason why I am here today.

The Federal Government very strongly believes that there is no way of delivering on our economic agenda without a serious partnership with the private sector.

Our entire budget size for 2016 is something in the order of just over six trillion Naira, and we will probably be moving to about seven trillion in the 2017 budget. But seven trillion is certainly not the kind of money, it does sound like a fair amount of money, but certainly, its not the kind of size that can really make a huge difference in a ninety trillion Naira economy such as we have.

So the real issue is that, the contribution of the Federal Government, is catalytic, the Federal Government can only make some catalytic contributions in terms of infrastructure, and some incentives for the private sector.

The real contribution is going to come from the private sector and that's why these partnerships are absolutely important to us, and what we are looking at is some game-changing type of projects, such as we have here. The types of projects that can make a real difference, because when we are talking about backward integration, the whole rural value chain. When we are saying agriculture is the way to go, from agriculture, we can employ a lot of people and then the whole value chain, from farm to table; we can do so much.

That requires serious investment, it requires the types of enterprises where significant amounts of resources will have to come, in order to make that difference.

And so we are trying to partner with the kinds of serious investors, serious businesses that can really make a difference. And I think that this project is one such investment that i believe will make a significant difference. From listening here today (to what has been said) especially all about the local products, the crops and grains that are going to be used in this factory; Sourgum, the feed mill factory, wheat; all these are for us right on point.

With some of what we are getting, the better yields coming from the wheat that we see today, we think that what you're doing is going to be really tied to that, because we must be self-sufficient, even in wheat production.

We thought that was impossible a few years ago, but what we are seeing now is that there are actually better yielding seeds that we can lay our hands upon, that can increase the yield, especially in wheat, and I think that this tied very well with that.

At the moment there is a shortage of animal feed everywhere, especially because of the shortage of maize. So the feed mill is going to be absolutely important in achieving some of our objectives. The sorghum mill is really a big attraction, so we think that what you are doing is really spot on, it’s really the right way to go and we certainly are committed to supporting the Honeywell Group in ensuring that this happens and we 'll do all that is required to make sure that this projects succeeds.

We think that there are very very important synergies with other areas of the economy as well and we naturally expect that lots of jobs will come from this, as that is important to us here will be plenty of industrial opportunities, quality jobs that will mean more taxes as well.

I want to say how excited I am to be here and to see the really interesting things that are going on here and also to assure you all the support of the Federal Government. We certainly will be looking at all of the various ways that we can assist with ensuring that this project comes to conclusion in very reasonable time, and that we are able to take advantage of the benefits as quickly as possible.

Thank you very much."

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
November 27, 2015

THUR 1 DEC: #GovtAtWorkNG

President Buhari receives Letters of Credence from new United States of America and Kingdom of Morocco Ambassadors to Nigeria, Mr. MAOHA Ouali Tagma and Mr W. Stuart Symington, respectively at the State House.

President Buhari meets Senate President Bukola Saraki in his office, at the State House in Abuja

President Buhari receives South East Traditional Rulers at the State House in Abuja

Vice President Osinbajo visits Honeywell Flour Mill in Sagamu, Ogun State.

Environment Minister, Amina Mohammed chairs meeting on Low Sulphur Fuel in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Member Countries in Abuja

Minister of Power, Works, and Housing, Fashola inspects sites of ongoing Housing Development Projects in Abuja.

Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Foreign Affairs, Abike Dabiri speaks on the importance of the Federal Government’s Nigerian Diaspora Policy. See video: https:///ljBAwalXuU https://www.facebook.com/TheAsoVilla/videos/556693487854718/

Executive Secretary, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Prof Bolaji Owasanoye evaluates the successes, challenges and roles of PACAC. See video: https:///rY9Ss24DiH https://www.facebook.com/TheAsoVilla/videos/556695604521173/

Federal Government to partner United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in the development of small dams to boost power generation. Read more: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1711805672483452&id=1553897228274298

National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) receives Senate Committee on Ecology and Climate Change led by the Chairman, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, on oversight visit.

Environment Minister, Amina Mohammed meets with Senate Committee on Ecology and Climate Change led by the Chairman, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, at the Ministry Head Office in Abuja

Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources releases a statement on the outcome of the 171st Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting in Vienna

President Buhari receives Letter of Credence from new Ambassador of USA and Morocco to Nigeria at the State House. Photo; Sunday Aghaeze.

TUE 29 NOV: #GovtAtWorkNG

President Buhari decorated as Grand Patron of the Nigerian Academy of Engineers

President Buhari receives Sharif Muhammad Kabir Ibn Muhammad of Morocco, the Grand Khalifa of Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani at the State House

Vice President Osinbajo launches campaign to end Child Marriage organised by Ministry of Women Affairs in Abuja.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola receives House of Representatives Committee on Power on Oversight Visit

Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing releases photos showing ongoing work on the rehabilitation of the scarification and pavement of Zaria - Gusau - Sokoto -Birnin Kebbi Road, (Funtua -Gusau Section) in Kastina State

Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) holds a Consultative Forum on Spectrum Trading in Nigeria in Lagos

Day 2 of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Social Media Workshop

Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) interacts with the media and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Lagos

Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says it will shut down the activities of illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas Plants that do not have Standard Operating Procedures, starting from December

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
NIGERIAN ENGINEERS CRITICAL TO RESTORATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE-- PRESIDENT BUHARI
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja said his administration will heavily utilize talents and skills of local engineers to rebuild ailing infrastructure across the country, describing the engineers as ‘‘competent and cost effective.’’
Speaking at an investiture ceremony by the Nigerian Academy of Engineers (NAE) at the State House, President Buhari said the well-trained and highly experienced engineers had contributed immensely to the infrastructural development of the country, and they remain indispensable.
The President, who was decorated as the Grand Patron of the NAE at the ceremony, said both military and civilian administrations over the years depended on Nigerian engineers for designs and constructions across the country.
‘‘By insisting that we must be cost effective in building infrastructure, we will utilize Nigerian engineers. I respect them a lot, and I know it takes time to be trained as an engineer,’’ he said.
The President noted that local engineers contributed more than 90 percent to the design and realization of two refineries, 2,500 pipelines and 20 depots in the country during his tenure as Minister of Petroleum in the mid-1970s, adding that the success of the Petroleum Trust Fund was largely hinged on their skills.
‘‘Somehow, everytime and anywhere I have served in this country, we found it cost effective to use Nigerian engineers, and we relied on their capacity to understudy, learn and deliver.
‘‘It will be wrong to fault Nigerian engineers for the failure of refineries. You should blame the political leadership. How can you build and not know how to maintain an asset,’’ the President said.
President Buhari said individual political leaders should be blamed for Nigeria’s ailing infrastructure, not the engineers who had always been willing to contribute to national development.
In her remarks, the President of the NAE, Mrs. Joanna Maduka, said science, technology and innovation were the key drivers of growth across the globe, urging the Federal Government to explore and engage the multiple engineering talents in the country for more purposeful results.
‘‘For the country to attain sustainable growth status, the Nigerian engineers need to be adequately engaged in planning, policy formulation, consultancy and construction, as well as industrial process of production and manufacturing,’’ she noted.
Maduka commended the anti-corruption fight of the Federal Government, saying it would turn around the fortunes of the economy.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media& Publicity)
November 29, 2016

PHOTOS: President decorated today as grand Patron of the Nigerian Academy of Engineers at the State House in Abuja.
captured by Bayo Omoboriowo

OVER 90% OF 200,000 FIRST BATCH N-POWER BENEFICIARIES HAVE BVN CLEARANCE

*PHYSICAL VERIFICATION WILL TAKE PLACE BEFORE FINAL DEPLOYMENT OF GRADUATES, PROCESS FRAUD-FREE, PRESIDENCY ASSURES

Over 90% of the 200,000 unemployed Nigerian graduates selected in the first batch of the N-Power Volunteer Corps, NPVC, have been verified using the Bank Verification Number, and any untrue information submitted in the process of application is a ground for disqualification.

This clarification was given today by the Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande, while giving an update on the N-Power Volunteer Corps which is now advancing with assignment of beneficiaries to their places of deployments in their states of residence.

Akande who referred to a BBC report last week regarding the testimonials of some of the selected Nigerian graduates noted that “it is most gladdening that those who were selected are now telling the stories of how they have not been employed for years, but now grateful to the President for this initiative.”

Some of them, he added, express satisfaction, according to the BBC report now online, that even though they knew no one in government, they were selected for the paid volunteer job program, attesting to the transparency of the selection process.

The Senior Special Assistant stated that all the states and the FCT through the focal persons they appointed have since received the list of the 200,000, and now working on deploying the beneficiaries to their places of assignment.

He also explained that by using the BVN which is one of the most viable means of identification in the country today, there is hardly any way anything fraudulent can sail through in the process.

“We are confident that the selection process, all the way through with BVN, and physical verification at the points of deployment in the states and the local government areas, are both transparent and impossible to abhor ghost beneficiaries, or any kind of fraud,” he asserted.

Already, Akande disclosed that 93% of those selected have been screened through the BVN, with the commendable assistance of the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc, NIBSS, and only authentic and verifiable beneficiaries will be paid the N30,000 monthly stipends starting December.

Responding to some allusions made in sections of the media about random searches conducted on social media platforms, the SSA dismissed them stating that such cannot be better than “biometric identification we have secured through the BVN.”

In any case he continued, “besides the BVN, there is going to be physical verification, through an in-built component in our selection system that requires that information submitted online during the application would have to be authenticated at the point of deployment across the country, including verification of academic credentials and residence status.”

According to him, just as is normal when someone gets a job or even admission to school, he or she would proceed to present papers that have been submitted during application for verification. “This is also going to be like that, so claims about some applicants claiming to be residents of states would be dealt with if it turns out such claims are false. If an applicant cannot supply proof of residence, the selection is terminated.”

Besides, he explained that in a local government such as Abadam in Borno State, where there have been claims that non residents applied and were selected, Akande assured that there is no cause for alarm because such people would have to show up for verification on the spot.

He added that there was also a likelihood that a number of applicants may have inputted Abadam inadvertently considering that Abadam LGA is number one on the list of LGAs under the list as posted on the N-Power portal. “There is a good chance,” he continued, “that some applicants may have failed to complete the forms online accurately.”

Such errors are being reviewed and anyone found not to be resident in the LGA would be removed and replaced using the waiting list of applicants.

Said he: “an important aspect of the application was that applicants were told in clear terms that any false information would be grounds for disqualification.”

On how the 200,000 first batch of the N-Power was selected, the SSA Media explained that the selection was not only fair and done transparently, but also with adequate care.

Firstly, 40% of those who applied for the N-Power Teach and Agric were selected, and 50% of those who applied for the Health category, all based on an assessment test.

Then to mitigate the adverse socio-economic circumstances in the North- East an additional 4800 applicants from the region were selected with Borno State getting 1200 and Adamawa, Yobe, Taraba 800 each and Bauchi and Gombe 600 each.

Also to bolster states with low application numbers, an additional 4208 was selected and shared between Bayelsa, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States. The Federal Ministry of Agric also additionally allocated 6799 applicants in the Agric category to all states across specific crop, fish and livestock targets in order to support government’s self-sufficiency target in Agric produce.

Gender and disability factor were also key in the selection. 46% of those selected, Akande disclosed, are females, while a total of 1126 were successful applicants with disabilities.

Akande then assured that those not selected in the first batch are now in the waiting list until the subsequent batches when they would be considered again, since there are still 300,000 to be selected under this budget cycle.

On why the selection process was based on states of residence rather than states of origin, Akande simply noted that for example, over 42,000 Nigerians applied for the N-Power from Lagos but only 3568 of them originate from Lagos. “Would it then be tenable to say almost 40,000 Bona fide Nigerians who are applicants resident in Lagos should just forget it since they are resident but not origins of the Lagos State?

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
November 27, 2015

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

NIGERIA HONORS SPECIAL INVITATION FROM CROWN PRINCE OF ABU DHABI

*VP represents President Buhari on visit to UAE

President Muhammadu Buhari is being represented this weekend in Abu Dhabi by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, as Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates seek to build closer relationship and economic ties.

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, who is also the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces, His Highness, Sheik Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, extended an invitation to President Buhari as Special Guest at the Eight Race of the Grand Prize of Union Airways for Formula 1, organised by Abu Dhabi holding this weekend.

Considered as the biggest international sporting event in the Middle East, the race attracts wide global attention, and the presence of several heads of states and governments from across the world.

President Buhari held bilateral discussions with the Crown Prince during his visit to UAE earlier this year, securing a number of agreements and offers of assistance from the Emirate including helping in the North East with the re-establishment of livelihood for IDPs. While in Abu Dhabi, Vice President Osinbajo will hold follow-up bilateral discussions on this offer, and other issues of mutual economic and diplomatic concerns.

Prof. Osinbajo, who is accompanied on the weekend trip by his wife, Her Excellency, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo and the Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mrs. Khadija Bukar A. Ibrahim left Abuja this afternoon and is expected back on Sunday.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
November 25, 2015