₦airaland Forum

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT PRESS STATEMENT

VICE PRESIDENT OSINBAJO TO SPEAK AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY'S 'NIGERIA IN THE WORLD SEMINAR,' TOWNHALL & INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, US

On the invitation of Harvard University, Boston, in the United States, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, would be delivering a lecture at the university's 'Nigeria in the World' seminar on Thursday October 27, 2016.

Professor Osinbajo will be talking on "Destroying Boko Haram and the Rebuilding of Nigeria's Northeast."

Besides highlighting the progress made by the Buhari presidency in degrading Boko Haram, resulting in the freedom of thousands of Nigerians previously held captive by the insurgents, including some of the abducted Chibok girls, Vice President Osinbajo's lecture would be a clarion call for a more concerted global action against terrorism and an increasingly effective international collaboration regarding the humanitarian crisis in the Northeast.

Harvard's 'Nigeria in the World' seminar, hosted by the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs "serves as a forum for scholars, researchers, policy makers, and professionals to reflect on critical issues pertaining to Nigeria's relations with the world by focusing on strategic issues of security, regional stability, economic development, interreligious relations, health policy, human rights, justice, and gender. Its overarching goal is to bring Nigeria into dialogue with world issues."

While in Harvard, the VP would be received by top officials of the university and will also visit the Divinity School and the African Studies Center

Later in Houston, Texas, Prof Osinbajo would participate on Friday in a townhall event, and also a business conference organised by US-based Nigerians on Infrastructural development issues. He would round up the visit in Houston by attending in the evening a gala to honor high flying US-based Nigerians.

The Vice President left Abuja on Wednesday after attending the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting and the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on the Northeast Initiative, PCNI. He is expected back on Sunday.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
October 26, 2016

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT


PRESS RELEASE


GOVERNORS ENDORSE FG’s PLAN TO SHORE UP REVENUE THROUGH SOLID MINERALS SECTOR

*MINISTRY OF MINES & STEEL TO APPOINT PROFESSIONAL REVENUE CONSULTANTS

*NEC OKAYS INCREMENTAL ELECTRIC POWER STRATEGY


In support of the Buhari administration’s effort to diversify and deepen the nation’s revenue profile, state governors as members of the National Economic Council, NEC, have endorsed the Federal Government's plan to increase the contribution of the solid minerals sector to the nation’s treasury.

Following a presentation to the Council today by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Governors also approved the appointment of professional revenue consultants to achieve this goal.

NEC also supported a presentation from the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola on the Ministry’s strategy to generate incremental power as a short term measure towards addressing current energy shortage in the country.


Other highlights of Council meeting today are as follows:

REPORT ON EXCESS CRUDE PROCEEDS

Minister of Finance reported that the balance of the ECA for the month of October 2016 stood at $2.4 billion.

UPDATE ON BUDGET SUPPORT LOAN FACILITY

The Honourable Minister of Finance also reported to Council that disbursement of the Budget Support facility is still ongoing to 35 States.

PRESENTATION: MEMORANDUM ON ALLOCATION OF LAND FOR THE NATIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMME

The Honourable Minister of Power, Works and Housing gave an update to the Council as follows:


• That House types are in the categories of 1 bedroom, 2 bedrooms and 3 bedrooms suitable for middle income families, unmarried workers, young graduates, young couples, officers living away from their families, vulnerable groups and lower middle income families.
• That the houses are designed to suit peculiarities of geographical zones, States Capitals, urban centers, major cities, local government areas and rural enterprise estates.
• In response to the discussion on the proposal, the Minister noted that the Ministry will collaborate with State Governments on the implementation and design of the Housing Programme

PRESENTATION: POLICY PAPER ON PLANS FOR EMERGENCY POWER SUPPLY BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF POWER, WORKS AND HOUSING

Highlights of Presentation:
• Government’s plan is to deliver incremental, stable, and then uninterrupted power to homes and businesses in stages
• One problem with the power sector is that, there is not enough power to go round. So government will systematically and decisively deal with the immediate task to harness incremental power from all available sources.
• DISCOS were authorised in February this year, to partner with private industry that had idle generation capacity from its captive power station, to add 400 MW of embedded generation that would otherwise have been unused or underutilized.
• DISCOS are encouraged to harness the estimated capacity of over 2,000 MW of unused/underutilized industrial/commercial generators fueled by gas, oil and diesel that can be harvested.
• Such initiatives of harnessing such capacity to serve working target consumers are now progressing towards conclusion in Port Harcourt, Benin, Kaduna, Yola, Jos, Enugu, Ibadan, Ikeja and Eko distribution franchises with active support of the Ministry.
• Locating generation capacity close to the consumers is an effective way to deliver incremental power to rural communities were most Nigerians live, many without any electricity supply
• President Buhari approved the rural electrification implementation strategy and plan prepared by the Ministry required for effective take-off of the rural electrification agency. Plan focuses on commercially sustainable rural electrification projects using a variety of energy sources (solar, wind, biomass, coal, LNG and natural gas liquid)
• The Ministry is encouraging, facilitating, enabling and directly investing in new power station on the grid and removal of important transmission constraints to deliver incremental power.
• Others are: Ministry driving Niger Delta Power Holding Company Ltd and TCN to complete all transmission projects around and connected to Ikot-Ekpene Switch Yard. The project will add 900 MW of incremental power from already built capacity at Alaoji, Calabar and Ibom power and Afam III power stations to the national grid.

• It was recommended that the Minister organise a forum where DISCOS, GENCOS, NERC and State Governments will interact to create common awareness of the challenges in the power sector.


PRESENTATION OF MEMORANDUM FOR APPROVAL FOR THE ENGAGEMENT OF INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS TO INCREASE THE CONTRIBUTION OF SOLID MINERALS SECTOR TO THE REVENUE OF THE FEDERATION.

• Minister of Mines and Steel Development presented a Memorandum to Council on the need to engage Independent Professional Revenue Consultants to increase the contribution of the Solid Minerals Sector to the revenue of the Government of the Federation
• The importance of the memo was to support the government’s diversification drive for the country’s economy and revenue base.
• NEC had also in May 2016 resolved on the need to forge a strong partnership between the States and the FG on the role of the mining sector in the diversification agenda.
• The imperative of the memo therefore arose after a comprehensive review of the revenue generation profile of the mining sector and the need to plug avoidable revenue leakages, which occur due to the inadequacies inherent in the existing revenue collection systems.
• NEITI estimated total revenue from the mining sector at N31.449 billion and N50.2 billion in 2012 and 2013 respectively out of which only N1.9 billion and N2.01 billion respectively were remitted as Royalties to the FG. In addition, there were no records of royalty payment of as much as estimated billions of Naira worth from Gold, Precious Stone, Barites and other exported solid minerals

• The memo therefore became necessary now considering the economy downturn in the oil and gas industry, which has hitherto been the nation’s main source of revenue.
• Council approved the engagement of Independent Professional Revenue Consultant to increase the contribution of Solid Minerals sector to the FG, but with the condition that the Ministry should negotiate a threshold with the Consultants on their professional consultation fees.


UPDATE ON GOVERNMENT’S FOOD SUFFICIENCY EFFORT BY HONOURABLE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

• Honourable Minister of Agriculture made a presentation to Council on what the FG is doing to achieve self-sufficiency in food production and exportation
• The presentation seeks the partnership of States with the Federal Government in the procurement of the fertilisers suitable for crops to farmers
• He told Council that Government is meeting targets in rice production, but that high importation is threatening production capacity of our famers
• Government plans to reform Bank of Agriculture so as to be able to give loans to farmers on single digit rates.
• There are plans to re-launch Cashew production and introduction of new variety of Shea butter that can mature in five years instead of 25 years.
• He explained the threat of importation of tomatoes and frozen chickens to the health of Nigerians.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS-AOB
During AOB, Council noted that today is Edo State Governor’s last attendance and therefore commended him for his service as a member in the last 8 years. He received a standing ovation from members. The Out-going Governor commended the leadership of the President, and also the Vice President as Chairman of the Council, especially for his commitment to the states.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant
In the Office of the Vice President
October 25, 2016

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS STATEMENT

WORLD BANK’S DOING BUSINESS 2017 REPORT:
GOVERNMENT’S REFORM INITIATIVES YIELDING POSITIVE RESULTS

The Buhari administration is gratified that the various reform initiatives put in place towards instituting a positive business environment is slowly but gradually yielding some dividends as Nigeria's ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business remains static, halting a falling trend in the past several years.

The latest World Bank's Doing Business 2017 ranking report released on Tuesday, October 25th which ranked Nigeria 169 out of 189 countries in the overall Ease of Doing Business rank is a positive indication that the focus and tenacity of President Muhammadu Buhari to reposition the nation’s business and economic environment is working and on course.

While Nigeria's country’s position remain the same as last year on the index ranking, it is encouraging that Nigeria has recorded some positive outlooks in 4 critical areas of the ranking-namely:

Starting a Business,
Dealing with Construction Permits,
Registering Property and
Access to Credit,

The objectivity and reliability of this report coming from an international development institution lends weight to the milestone recorded in particular on the distance to frontier (DTF) metric, where the country’s score improved slightly from 44.02 in Doing Business 2016 to 44.63 in Doing Business 2017.

According to the World Bank report the improvements noted mean "that in the last year, Nigeria’s business regulatory environment as captured by the Doing Business indicators improved slightly in absolute terms - the country is decreasing the gap with the global regulatory frontier. This is a morale booster for stakeholders involved in the efforts aimed at removing existing bottlenecks in the business environment.

This observation by the World Bank is indeed a recognition of the bold initiatives and untiring work of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, particularly through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC, chaired by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

The President in August had set-up PEBEC, which has an active collaboration with the private sector, "to remove the bottlenecks that stifle businesses and create the right enabling environment and investment climate.”

PEBEC comprises 9 ministers, the Head of the Service and the CBN Governor as members and is mandated to give progress reports to the Federal Executive Council on a monthly basis. The Council's secretariat with a team comprising staff from both public and private sector, is supported by knowledge experts, and collaborates across ministries, departments & agencies as well as with other private sector stakeholders to achieve reform objectives.

President Muhammadu Buhari is absolutely committed to scaling up its reform activities so as to continue to arrest the past decline where the country fell from No 94 in 2006 to 169 in 2016, and positively project the business climate to an enviable position in the international business community.

With the reform efforts being put in place now, indications are that in subsequent years Nigeria will scale up significantly in the ranking.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity)
Office of the Vice President
26th October, 2016

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE

HOW FG IS PROMOTING MANUFACTURING AND LOCAL PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA, BY VP OSINBAJO

*Innoson, Shangdong firms of China to partner in $1B foreign investment plan within 12-24 months

In the next few years the Buhari administration would continue to actively pursue a plan for the massive manufacturing and production of goods in the country as much as possible, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

In that effort, the Federal Government will ally with business interests who can facilitate the plan, Prof. Osinbajo disclosed, adding that “manufacturing in Nigeria is a primary objective of this government, it is a work we intend to do in the next few years to manufacture and produce in Nigeria as much as we can.”

The Vice President was speaking today at a meeting in the Presidential Villa with a delegation from the Innoson Group and some Chinese business interests including Shangdong Broadcasting Group led by Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Group.

He explained that it is because of the administration’s commitment to spur manufacturing and local production in the country that the initiative of Innoson Group to work with Chinese partners is being addressed as a “strategic collaboration.”

Innoson Group is collaborating with three Chinese firms: Shangdong Broadcasting Group, and Shangdong Cable Interactive Services regarded as leading biggest TV operators, and Inspur Group, said to be China’s foremost leader in Cloud Computing solution suppliers and IT service provider.

According to Chief Chukwuma, the Chinese firms have decided to invest about $1B in the Nigerian economy within the next 12-24 months.


The initiative, the VP said “is bound to yield very good fruits and do very well,” adding also that the timing is right “as we are at a point that we must engage technological solutions in our development plans.”

Prof. Osinbajo then explained the importance of competition and competitive pricing in such an effort. “In all we try to do, we believe there must be competition, competitive prices and plans,” the Vice President noted, believing that the Chinese firms must have taken that into consideration as well.

Earlier, Chief Chukwuma detailed the investments intended by the Chinese firms to include:

*a credit facility of $300m for local production and supply of 5-8 million Set-Top Boxes for the Digital Switch-Over in broadcasting in the country to meet a target date of June 2017.

*an investment of $100m to establish technology-based Direct-To-Home Digital Bing Television Stations.

*a further investment of $600m for Smart City CCTV camera and IT solutions for taxation, both using Cloud Computing, and E-Education IT solutions with big data centers in all federal universities and polytechnics in the country.

According to the Chairman of Innoson Group, “every plan to make a success of all these projects have been concluded between our two parties.”

Responding the Vice President stated: “we are looking forward to working with you in the next few months to realize the plans that you have laid out.”

The Deputy Minister of the Communist Party in Shandong Province and Chairman of the Shandong Broadcasting Group, Mr Liu Baoju, and Mr. Huang Gang, Senior Vice President of Inspur Group were among dignitaries in the business delegation at the meeting.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant-Media & Publicity
In the Office of the Vice President
October 24, 2016

NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE (NCS) PRESS STATEMENT

NCS DISMISSES 29 SENIOR OFFICERS

Twenty-nine (29) Senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service have been dismissed for various acts of gross misconduct. The dismissed officers are among forty-four (44) Senior officers who were punished for actions capable of compromising national economy and security.

2. Ten (10) other officers were retired from Service, while the appointment of one (1) was terminated. Four (4) officers were given written warnings to be of better conduct while another 4 officers who were investigated and tried for some offences were exonerated. Four (4) of the officers who got the hammer were of the rank of Deputy-Comptroller of Customs, while five (5) were Assistant-Comptroller. Others were seven (7) Chief Superintendents of Customs and four (4) Superintendents, among others.

3. Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd) had made it clear upon his assumption of duties that the Service will not compromise on Corruption and Indiscipline among the officers corps. In line with this, the structure and process for investigation of offences was strengthened to handle cases reported promptly and professionally. “We will give all officers fair hearing in line with the principle of natural justice. We will however insist that sanctions be punitive, not only to match the offence committed, but to serve as deterrent to others”, the CGC remarked at Management meeting convened to consider the report of the Disciplinary Committee that investigated the cases.

4. The process leading to the actions taken on the officers was painstaking in line with the Public Service Rules (PSR). All the officers were served with Queries indicating offences committed, before they made appearances before the Special Investigation Committee. The Committee’s recommendation was discussed and approved by the Customs Management. The recommendation was thereafter referred to the Presidency for ratification, in the absence of a substantive Board for the Nigeria Customs Service. All the officers affected in the exercise have been communicated accordingly.

5. The Comptroller-General warned officers that punitive sanctions will continue to be used to discipline officers who refuse to embrace change.

6. Officers affected in this exercise were investigated for involvement in improper examination and release of containers without proper documentation and payment of duties, illegal release of goods in advance before the arrival of vessels, collection of bribe to release prohibited items, release of export prohibitions, fraudulent sale of seized items, use of fake certificates and bribery to secure auctioned goods.

7. Last week, seventeen (17) Junior officers were similarly dismissed from service for offences like bribery, drug addiction, use of fake certificates and absence from duty.

Signed
Wale Adeniyi
Deputy Comptroller/Public Relations Officer
For: Comptroller-General of Customs
20 October 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

UN HABITAT 111 CONFERENCE IN ECUADOR: NIGERIA CALLS FOR URGENT GLOBAL ACTION ON SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
· Says it is an increasing urgent necessity to provide secure and sustainable way of life for the 21stCentury population

· “We cannot afford to fail our Nations. We cannot afford to fail our peoples. We must not fail the future generation” - Fashola


The Federal Government has called for urgent global action on sustainable urban development as an imperative for a secured future for the growing world urban population at the Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in Quito, Ecuador.

In a Country Statement read on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari at the global event, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, said such global action had become an increasingly urgent necessity if the 21st Century was to provide a secure and sustainable way of life for the growing global population.

Fashola, told the gathering of world leaders, “The economic and health imperative to plan for people-centered societies and sustainable cities is no longer a luxury, but an increasing urgent necessity if the 21stCentury is to provide a secure and sustainable way of life for the growing global population”.

Acknowledging that it would not be easy to embark on such development given the rapid growing urban population, Fashola, who noted that there were inherent opportunities in the challenges of urbanization, added that with political will and with the New Urban Agenda as blueprint, the world could secure a sustainable future.

The Minister declared, “It will not be an easy task, neither will the turn-around come quickly, but we strongly believe that through strengthened political will and intelligent planning, we can improve the lives of millions with the New Urban Agenda as our blueprint and road-map to a sustainable future”.

Calling for the strengthening of UN-Habitat “as the focal point for its effective implementation and review”, Fashola added, “We must collectively agree on the common principles that will guide our response to the challenges facing human settlements and ensure that we embark on a path of sustainable urbanization over the next two decades, as aptly captured in the New Urban Agenda”.

The Minister, who noted that the decisions arrived at the Ecuador Conference would have long-term consequences for cities, and their dwellers, as well as for the wider issues of human sustainability and the quality of life of future generations, added “Indeed, as the world waits in anticipation for the outcome of this landmark Conference, we cannot afford to fail our Nations. We cannot afford to fail our peoples. In fact, we must not fail the future generation”.


On the benefits and opportunities derivable from functional and sustainable urban centres, Fashola, who said they were already evident, pointed out that as crucial engines of growth for the economy and concentrations of activity and places of connectivity, creativity and innovation, “cities offer a multiplier effect for the development of their surrounding areas”.

“Urbanization can help to jump-start industrialization and manufacturing, which in turn can result in a host of other productive and economic development processes. The occurring rapid urbanization must therefore be exploited to unlock its economic potentials, and provide a solution for rapid transformation of our urban centres”, the Minister said.

According to him, “This Habitat lll Conference presents this precise opportunity. It is for us a reminder, and a call to action on our obligations if our cities are to be properly positioned to play a meaningful role in achieving the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and other internationally agreed instruments aimed at creating productive lives for the growing number of urban dwellers”.

“Certainly, we owe humanity a responsibility to significantly step-up political commitments globally if we are to ensure a better quality of life - one that is dignified and productive- not only for all our citizens today, but especially for the generations to come, for whom we are merely holding the earth in trust”, he said.

Fashola said nations must take bold and decisive measures to implement the provisions of the New Urban Agenda at all levels, and mobilize commitments for institutional and attitudinal changes backed by innovative funding arrangements adding that in order to record success the Private Sector and development assistance must be tapped into.

This, he said, was necessary in order to provide capacity, finance and technology to address in a comprehensive manner the critical challenges of homelessness, growing poverty, social exclusion, urban sprawl, lack of basic infrastructure and services, environmental degradation, increased vulnerability to disasters and the food and energy crises.

The Minister said in order to make the programme both inclusive and comprehensive, special provision must also be made for those with disabilities, women and youth in the human settlements policies through programmes and projects targeted at achieving equitable and efficient growth.


Nigeria, on her part, the Minister said, has demonstrated renewed political will to install a well-functioning urban system through the pursuance of efficient, transparent and accountable governance, including progressive economic reforms that were directed at creating jobs, reducing poverty and promoting stability - which are all essential elements to sustained growth and development.



Noting that the country is currently one of the largest economies in Africa, blessed with significant natural and human resources, and with growing democratic institutions, the Minister added that as a mark of her commitment to the global urban development agenda, the country has endorsed the provisions of the New Urban Agenda with its strategic interventions to reverse identified urban lapses and ills.



“The Administration, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, has demonstrated renewed political will to install a well-functioning urban system through the pursuance of efficient, transparent and accountable governance, including progressive economic reforms that are directed at creating jobs, reducing poverty and promoting stability - which are all essential elements to sustained growth and development”, the Minister said.



Pursuant to this commitment, he said, the country’s priority interventions have included among others, increased investments in affordable housing, modern road infrastructure, highways, bridges and robust, efficient transport networks adding, “The National Housing and Urban Development Policies have been reviewed, with the incorporation of new development strategies for dealing with the pertinent issues of housing finance, climate change, resettlement, participatory governance, and better land management and administration”.



Fashola said in order to remove the inhibitions and obstacles to the supply of affordable housing units and to bridge the huge housing gap, Nigeria recently embarked on developing a sustainable National Housing Programme, that would form the bedrock for aggressively reducing the housing deficit in the country.



According to the Minister, critical features of the programme include; “Responsiveness to the needs of the end users based on surveys, affordability analysis and income differences; Responsiveness to cultural and climatic diversity; Responsiveness to local economic needs and focus on SMEs and cottage industries as drivers of building inputs like doors, windows, plumbing and electrical fittings; and Piloting and validating the concept by starting small with a N35 billion ($115million) to prove the concept“.



Noting that the country has over the past six years contended with a violent insurgency in its North-East region, resulting in the dislocation of many communities, and extensive damage to public infrastructure and basic services, Fashola said, “Government’s strategic response has included a comprehensive humanitarian response actively supported by the United Nations System and International Non-Governmental Organizations, as well as our local Civil Society Organizations, to whom we remain deeply grateful”.

The Minister said Government has evolved an elaborate redevelopment plan which, according to him, would soon be launched by President Buhari through the intervention of the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative (PCNEI) towards the rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas affected by the insurgency and relocation of the displaced populations in their communities.

He said despite the difficulties associated with the prevailing economic challenges which include the slowing GDP growth, high poverty rate and infrastructure gap, the Government has recently been exploiting new sources of growth in agriculture, industrialization, telecommunications and services.

“Our economic diversification policies, coupled with improved fiscal management are translating into significant decline in poverty levels, and bringing strong growth”, Fashola said adding that the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) launched in 2012, provides a strategic and integrated Roadmap towards industrialization with an actionable plan across three sectors: agro-allied, solid minerals and oil and gas-related industries.

The Minister said stronger public-private partnerships for roads, agriculture, and power were also being developed to meet the overall national vision of promoting growth, creating jobs and generating wealth adding, “It is in furtherance of these, that Nigeria prepared its Habitat III National Report, and equally initiated and funded the development of a Common African Position for Habitat lll (CAPH3)under the auspices of the African Urban Agenda Project in full partnership with African Governments, UN-Habitat, the AU and UNECA, as a strategy to revitalize African cities.

He expressed delight that the essential elements of CAPH3 as endorsed by African Heads of States and Governments at the 27thOrdinary Assembly held in Kigali, Rwanda in May this year, were fully integrated in the New Urban Agenda, commending the support of his colleague African Ministers who worked diligently to bring it to fruition.

Congratulating President of the Bureau on his election, Fashola, who was also one of the three Vice Presidential nominees representing the Group of African States, expressed confidence that with the President’s wise guidance and support of members of the Bureau, the desired outcome at the Conference would be achieved



The Minister, who also conveyed President Buhari’s wishes of a successful Conference, expressed, on behalf of the Nigerian delegation, appreciation to the Government of Ecuador for the warm reception accorded them since the delegation’s arrival adding, “We appreciate the excellent work of the Preparatory Committee infinalizing the New Urban Agenda on schedule for adoption by this Session“.



HAKEEM BELLO
SPECIAL ADVISER,
COMMUNICATIONS
TO THE HON. MINISTER
20TH OCTOBER, 2016

President Buhari meets the freed Chibok Girls

Courtesy Visit By Students & Staff of Igbobi College Yaba (ICY) Lagos to the Office of the Vice President, State House Abuja.

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS RELEASE:

*FIGHTING CORRUPTION PROTECTS EVERYBODY FROM RESULTANT CHAOS, CONFLICT, SAYS VP OSINBAJO





REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, THE VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF THE LEGISLATURE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION ON TUESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2016



The National Assembly, the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption and the UNODC deserve to be commended for this far-sighted initiative.

Despite the widespread cynicism about the capacity of the political class to fight corruption and graft, we have found the will to open up a public discourse on this all important subject.

Let me also thank Prof. P.L.O Lumumba,(keynote speaker from Kenya) for what, for me, was the most insightful and most eloquent extemporaneous speech I have ever heard on the subject.

I have been involved in anti-corruption advocacy and research, and action since1990. In all of that, I have never heard anyone say with any seriousness that they support corruption. Indeed everyone agrees that corruption is ultimately a fatal scourge.

Let me even argue that it is a crime against humanity, given the fact that in many countries including ours, it is largely responsible for the abject poverty of the majority and the massive fatalities of the most vulnerable in our society.

For the majority of our citizens, the greed and mindless selfishness that portends corruption is bewildering. How do you explain how anyone can embezzle funds meant to equip soldiers for a war that could consume thousands and eventually all of us?

Or how in the midst of so much want, how can some seize the treasury for themselves, their families and friends? And how can anyone argue after all of that, that all that is required and all that we need to pay attention to is the technicality of how such people are possibly arrested?

As the Senate President just pointed out, a few subsidy scams consumed almost N5 Trillion. When you consider that the budget is N6 Trillion, the size, the scale of the damage is clear. So I am sure that we all agree that there is no point bringing together this most distinguished, erudite and knowledgeable group for an intellectual exigencies on the consequences of corruption.

Indeed, a conference on corruption in which the arms of government are invited can, in my view, have one objective, and one objective alone, which is: what is the way out of this existential evil?

So, a gathering like this presents a unique opportunity to explore a consensus on how to free our nation and its most crucial institutions from the ravages of corruption or as the President said famously, how to kill it before it kills us.

Indeed we have a chance to develop a uniquely Nigerian approach to deal with this problem. I think it is important for us to be humble and clear headed enough to understand that the coalition that should emerge from such a consensus is not a coalition of saints, neither can it be a conclave of only righteous men and women bound by holier-than-thou creed and a crusading view. No, that will fail.

What we need is a coalition of reasonable men and women of the Nigerian bureaucratic, political, business and religious elite. Men and women who believe that the proposition that corruption does not pay is not merely a moral injunction, that it is an admission of a grave reality in commerce, in governance or whatever other field of human endeavor.

That a corrupt executive, for example, will destroy all plans of development, that a corrupt legislature will use its legislative and oversight functions to enrich itself and compromise its roles of checks and balances, and the corrupt judiciary will sell its powers over life and death to the highest bidder and will turn society to the anarchical notion that self-help is best. That corruption in the capital market or banking system means that we cannot be sure that our investments will ever be safe. We may wake up one day to find that the banks or stocks that we put our resources in have failed because of the dishonest acts of a few. It means that the corrupt law enforcement officer will settle personal scores with its exclusive rights to use the force of state power. So, the proposition that corruption does not pay is simply one that captures the self-destructive nature of corruption.

The reason why we elect men and women as leaders in the executive, judiciary and legislature, and why we appoint men and women in the judiciary is that we desire an orderly society where we entrust the power to make decisions about how to spend our collective resources for the common good to a few. This is because reasonable men and women discovered long ago that if we allow everyone to take care of themselves, we will remain in the state of nature fighting like savages for our own portion of the meat.

We give power to adjudicate on our lives and livelihood to the fairest and most honest amongst us who is called a judge, otherwise law and justice will serve only the strongest and the richest. So the reason why the elite in different countries of the world decide to fight corruption is quite straightforward, it is not necessarily altruistic, it is not necessarily a moral issue. But that first, it protects even the elites itself from being consumed from the chaos and the conflict that the corruption may cause. And more importantly if public officials and private sector persons generally observe a code of integrity, the society itself is saved from a breakdown of law and order.

Your excellency, the Senate President, Honorable Speaker, we have an opportunity today to begin an important national project and I wish to emphasize that this should not be a finger-pointing exercise. What is required is a consensus of reasonable men and women who realize that the current path will destroy us all, that such a consensus will produce a coalition of the like-minded from the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, united by a common cause and proposition namely; that this Republic will fall and consume us all if we do not put in place a practical plan to clean up our crucial public and private institutions.

Thank you all.



RELEASED BY:

Laolu Akande

Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity

In the Office of the Vice President

October 18, 2016

CHIBOK GIRLS: PRESIDENT BUHARI COMMENDS RED CROSS

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the role played by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the release of the 21 abducted Chibok schoolgirls, urging it to sustain humanitarian interest in Nigeria.

Meeting with Mr. Peter Maurer, ICRC President, at State House, Abuja, Monday, President Buhari said his administration is prepared to continue talks with the Boko Haram insurgent group, "as long as they agree to involve international agencies like ICRC.

“We've seen the result of recent talks, 21 of the Chibok girls are back," the President said, referring to the role played by ICRC in providing immediate humanitarian assistance to the girls, who had spent over 900 days in the hands of their abductors.

President Buhari said Nigeria's biggest problem was perhaps the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs), noting that there were over 2 million of them, "made up of over 60% women and children. About 60% of the children don't know their parents, or where they come from. It is weighing heavily on government."

On rebuilding of destroyed infrastructure, President Buhari said it was a priority of government, noting that the G7 had equally indicated support, which Nigeria heartily welcomed.

"We appreciate all your efforts. I am pleased you recognized that our military is cooperating with civil authorities, and respecting humanitarian issues. It is a difficult time for Nigeria. About 27 of our 36 states couldn't pay salaries when we came last year, and we are still struggling with that. But we will get out of it," the President said.
Maurer, the ICRC President, said their operation in the Lake Chad region is the second largest in the world, after Syria, adding that there are nutritional, health, water and sanitation issues in the North-east, in addition to rebuilding of infrastructure.

"We are ready to engage and play supportive role in responding to crisis in Nigeria. Security is a lot better than it was a year ago, but humanitarian problems are serious, and don't disappear so quickly," Maurer said.

The ICRC President also commended Nigeria for granting increased access to detainees, and exchanges with the Armed Forces. He added: "Detention facilities have improved, there are fewer deaths, and things are better health-wise."

FEMI ADESINA
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
October 17, 2016

MORE CHIBOK GIRLS WILL REGAIN FREEDOM, PRESIDENT BUHARI ASSURES AS NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed optimism on the release of more of the kidnapped Chibok girls, after 21 of them were freed by Boko Haram, following more than two years of captivity.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday in Berlin, President Buhari said negotiations will continue until all the girls secure their freedom.

"On the Chibok girls, we have been able to secure the release of 21 of them, so over 100 more are still in the hands of the terrorists somewhere in the Lake Chad Basin area which include Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria.

“In getting this 21 out, we hope we will get enough intelligence to go about securing the rest of them.

"We are very grateful to the UN for their participation in trying to secure the release of these girls.

"Please don't forget that as a result of terrorism in Nigeria, no fewer than 37,000 Nigerians were killed by Boko Haram.

“Right now we have about two million people in IDP camps, 60 per cent of them are women and children and 60 per cent of those children are orphaned.

“This is a major challenge for government; we have to provide face infrastructure especially for education and health, take them back to their villages and towns and reintegrate them so that they can have normal life,’’ he said.

The President thanked the German government for their humanitarian assistance and support for Nigeria in dealing with the effects of terrorism.

Responding to a question on the BBC interview with his wife, Mrs Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, the President said his wife and the opposition needed to appreciate the depth of the problems he met on the ground.

He caused laughter at the press conference when he jokingly said: "I claim superior knowledge compared to her and the opposition,’’ referring to his three attempts at the polls to become President of Nigeria over a 12-year period, succeeding in the fourth attempt.

Garba Shehu
SSA to the President (Media and Publicity)
October 14, 2016

STATEMENT ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE SPOKESMAN OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON THE RELEASE OF 21 ABDUCTED CHIBOK SCHOOLGIRLS

The Secretary-General welcomes the reported release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls, following more than two years of captivity. He remains deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of the remaining schoolgirls and other victims of abduction by Boko Haram, who are still in captivity.
The Secretary-General urges the international community to continue supporting the government of Nigeria in its efforts to secure their release, rehabilitation and reintegration. He calls for increased efforts to ensure additional humanitarian access in the north-east of Nigeria, and reiterates the continued commitment of the United Nations in this regard.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, in his capacity as High Representative for Nigeria, continues to engage with the Nigerian authorities and international partners on this matter.

New York, 14 October 2016

NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE PRESS RELEASE
RICE IMPORTS REMAIN BANNED THROUGH THE LAND BORDERS

Our attention has been drawn to publications on various online platforms indicating that the Nigeria Customs Service has reversed the ban on Rice importation through the land borders. These reports were attributed to a press interview purportedly granted by the Service Public Relations Officer, Deputy-Comptroller Wale Adeniyi.

2. It has become necessary to re-state the true position in view of the confusion which these online publications may create in the industry. It is even more expedient to provide this clarification given that the fact that the Service has taken a firm position earlier in the week through a joint press conference with Stakeholders.

3. First, we would like to reiterate the position that importation of Rice remains banned through our Land Borders, and we have the commitment of Partner Government Agencies and Stakeholders to enforce this restriction. While this restriction is in force, Rice imports through the Ports are still allowed subject to payment of extant charges.

4. It is equally important to restate the confidence of the Nigeria Customs Service in the ability of Nigerian Rice Producers to fill the existing sufficiency gaps in the supply of the product. The Service has noted with satisfaction the ongoing Rice Revolution undertaken by many State Governments, and Strategic Interventions by Federal Government Agencies. The Service is convinced that the bumper harvests expected from these efforts will address the supply gap in 2017. It is our belief that continuous waste of scarce forex on a commodity that can be produced locally makes no economic sense, most especially at a period of recession. The Service will therefore advocate a total Ban on Rice Importation into Nigeria with effect from 2017.

5. It is worrisome that the publications that resurfaced this weekend were being attributed to a Press interview granted in October 2015. We strongly suspect that some powerful forces behind Rice Smuggling are at work, recycling an old report under a different circumstance to create confusion. We urge Nigerians to watch out for similar antics as the firm stand on Rice smuggling will pitch their selfish interest against our national interest.

Wale Adeniyi
Public Relations Officer
For: Comptroller-General of Customs
08 October 2016

PRESS RELEASE

NIGERIA, AU NATIONS WILL SECURE GULF OF GUINEA, OTHERS TO SPUR 'BLUE ECONOMY'

*NEW AFRICAN MARITIME CHARTER SIGNED IN LOME

*VP OSINBAJO EXPLAINS WHY FG IS FOCUSSED ON OCEANIC AREAS OF THE CONTINENT


Nigeria and other member-states of the African Union yesterday signed an African Charter on Maritime Security, Safety and Development in Lome, Togo where the Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN says without securing the Seas and Oceans, the continental 'blue economy,' would be jeopardised.

After signing for Nigeria, Prof. Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari at the well-attended summit noted that "the blue economy is one of the major areas of focus of the charter," adding that without security, the blue economy-reference for the huge economic activities and benefits derivable from around the waters-is jeopardized especially by such maritime crimes like piracy and smuggling.

"All of the economic activities that take place around the Seas and Oceans are jeopardized, if security is not assured. And that is one of the reasons that this Charter is devoted to ensuring security," Osinbajo noted over the weekend in Lome, where about 35 African leaders gathered in a one-day summit.

Speaking with reporters at the end of the summit, the Vice President noted for instance that the Gulf of Guinea and the Horn of Africa in particular "are areas where there had been a lot of piracy and in our case the Delta."

He explained that this is why Nigeria and other AU nations are devoted to the question of security of the oceans.

"The most important thing for us is that we are working with other members-states of the AU to ensure we are able to police the seas and our waters. To ensure that we are able to yield the maximum benefits from the blue economy and that is really why we are here, and so focused on this," according Vice President Osinbajo.


Continuing, he said the focus on the maritime issue is because "as we know 90% of African trade is by the Seas, so no matter how we slice it, this is absolutely important to us."


By signing the charter, African leaders intend to improve security off the coasts, and hope to inspire greater, coordinated economic activities and development.

The Charter is meant to ensure improved information-sharing between coastal countries and others in Africa, a gap pirates and smugglers have taken advantage of in their movements and operations on the African waters. Out of the 54 AU countries, 38 are coastal.


Observers say Africa could have lost as much as hundreds of billion in dollars due to unbriddled activities of piracy and smuggling on the African waters in the past few decades.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
In the Office of the Vice President
October 16, 2016

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the 21 Chibok Girls
By the Presidency Office of Digital Engagement (PODE)

1. Was it a release or a rescue?

The girls were released by Boko Haram to the Department of State Services (DSS) following negotiations brokered by the Swiss Government. Kindly note that the Red Cross was not involved in the negotiations; their role was limited to providing medical care at some point during the handover of the girls.

2. How many girls were released, and when?

21 of the girls were released, safely, to the Department of State Services (DSS) at 5.30 this morning, Thursday October 13, 2016, and they were flown to Kaduna from the location of their release.

3. Where are the girls currently?

The 21 girls are being held in a secure medical facility in Abuja, with access to a team of medical doctors, psychologists, social workers and trauma experts. Their physical and psychological wellbeing is and continues to be the utmost priority of the Federal Government.

4. There are reports that several of the girls are nursing mothers. Is this true?

Those reports are false. Only ONE (1) of the 21 girls is a nursing mother, with a child under the age of 2.

5. Was any ransom paid for the girls?

No ransom was paid. All reports suggesting that a ransom was paid in exchange for the girls are false and should be disregarded.

6. Were the girls swapped for Boko Haram fighters?

No. No Boko Haram fighters were swapped or released for the girls. All reports suggesting that a swap took place are false and should be disregarded.
Please note that the Government has no reason to conceal a swap, if indeed it took place, considering that the President has repeatedly stated his readiness to swap fighters for the girls, if necessary.
But no swap took place. The release is the product of painstaking negotiations and the building of trust on both sides.

7. So how did the release happen?

The Federal Government has, since the Buhari administration took office, been working on the safe release of the girls and following all the leads available. In this instance, as soon as we had a credible lead, Mr. President gave the green-light to the DSS to pursue it. We can confirm that the DSS pursued the lead in collaboration with the Government of Switzerland. The DSS was supported by the military. As soon as the necessary confidence was built on both sides, the parties agreed on the date and the location of the release of the 21 girls.

8. Have the girls’ families been contacted?

Yes, the parents and families of all the girls have been contacted, and arrangements are already being made to reunite them with the girls.

9. What’s the next step regarding the released girls?

They will be given appropriate and comprehensive medical and psychological care and support. The Federal Government will underwrite all of the care they will receive, as well as their educational ambitions. The ultimate goal is to reunite them with their families, reintegrate them into the society, and support them to achieve their personal, educational, and professional goals and ambitions.

10. What about the close to 200 Chibok girls still being held by Boko Haram?

We see this as a credible first step in the eventual release of all the Chibok Girls in captivity. It is also a major step in confidence-building between us as a government and the Boko Haram leadership, on the issue of the release of the Chibok Girls.

11. What message does the Federal Government have for Nigerians?

We want to thank all Nigerians for their support and for never losing confidence in the ability and assurances of Mr. President to secure the safe release of our Chibok Girls. This is the most glaring manifestation to date of the unwavering commitment of Mr. President to secure the safe release of the girls and reunite them with their families. It is also a result of the round-the-clock efforts by the Administration to bring closure to the issue of the kidnap of the girls.

October 13, 2016

TEXT OF A WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE MINISTER OF
INFORMATION AND CULTURE, ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED, ON THE RELEASE OF 21
CHIBOK GIRLS, ON THURSDAY, OCT. 13TH 2016, AT THE OBASANJO HALL,
FEDERAL SECRETARIAT, ABUJA.

Gentlemen of the press, good afternoon. We have called this press conference at a very short notice to brief you on the latest
development in the saga of our Chibok Girls.

2. We can confirm that 21 of the girls were released, safely, to us by 5.30 this Thursday morning and they were flown to Kaduna from the location of their release. This is the most glaring manifestation to date of the unwavering commitment of Mr. President to secure the safe release of the girls and reunite them with their families. It is also a result of the round-the-clock efforts by the Administration to put a closure to the sad issue of the kidnap of the girls.

3. We expect the released girls to land in Abuja shortly. Ahead of their arrival, we have assembled a team of medical doctors, psychologists, social workers, trauma experts, etc to properly examine the girls, especially because they have been in captivity forso long. They will also be adequately debriefed. We have the list of the 21 girls but we are now contacting their parents as part of the necessary verification exercise. As soon as that is concluded, we will release the names to the public.

4. Gentlemen, as we have always said, we have been working on the safe release of the girls and following all the leads available. In
this instance, the moment we had a credible lead, Mr President gave the green-light to the DSS to pursue it. We can confirm that the DSS
pursued the lead in collaboration with a friendly European country and a renowned international humanitarian organization. The DSS was supported by the military.

5. As soon as the necessary confidence was built on both sides, the parties agreed on the date and the location of the release of the 21
girls. Please note that this is not a swap. It is a release, the product of painstaking negotiations and trust on both sides.

6. We see this as a credible first step in the eventual release of all the Chibok Girls in captivity. It is also a major step in
confidence-building between us as a government and the Boko Haram leadership on the issue of the Chibok Girls.

7. We want to thank all Nigerians for their support and for never losing confidence in the ability of Mr. President to secure the safe
release of our Chibok Girls.

8. Gentlemen of the press, I thank you all for your kind attention

Segun Adeyemi
SA to Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
Oct. 13th 2016

Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo & wife visited the 21 Released Chibok Girls

STATE HOUSE STATEMENT ON THE RELEASE OF 21 CHIBOK GIRLS

It is confirmed that 21 of the missing Chibok Girls have been released and are in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS. The Director-General of the DSS, Malam Lawal Daura has just briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter. The release of the girls, in a limited number, is the outcome of negotiations between the administration and Boko Haram, brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government. The negotiations will continue.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President - Media and Publicity
13 October 2016

PRESIDENT BUHARI TO CONFER WITH GERMAN CHANCELLOR, PRESIDENT ON SECURITY, HUMANITARIAN ISSUES

President Muhammadu Buhari will embark on an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany from October 13 to 15, 2016.

In Berlin, President Buhari, will confer with Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel on issues of shared interests between Nigeria and Germany, including further cooperation on security, the humanitarian situation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and rehabilitation of the North-East, as well as trade and economic relations between both countries.

Thereafter, the President, who will be accompanied by Governors Kashim Shettima of Borno State and Rochas Okorocha of Imo respectively and representatives of the National Assembly, will meet with Federal President Joachim Gauck.

In furtherance of the administration’s objective to attract more foreign investment and create economic opportunities in the country, President Buhari will participate in a Business Forum in Berlin with leading German companies already active in Nigeria and other prospective investors.
Before returning to Abuja, the President is expected to meet with representatives of the Nigerian community in Germany.

President Buhari is committed to deepening relations with Germany and building on the very cordial relations both countries enjoy in several areas of bilateral cooperation including the fight against terrorism, economic relations, rebuilding of the North east, support for IDPs, vocational training, energy partnership and cultural relations.

Shortly after his inauguration on May 29, 2015, President Buhari, on the invitation of Chancellor Merkel, attended the G7 summit in Elmau, Germany - the trip was his first to a non-African country after his assumption of office.

From February 8 to 12 this year, President Gauck, accompanied by a delegation of German business community, was on an official visit to Nigeria, where they had fruitful discussions on trade and investments with representatives of government and the private sector in Abuja and Lagos.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 12, 2016

FG ASSURES INVESTORS ON IMPROVEMENT OF BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT IN NIGERIA

*We are talking to everyone, there is great enthusiasm, VP says

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has assured local manufacturers, business owners and foreign investors that the present administration remains focused on improving the business environment necessary to accelerate Nigeria’s economic growth and job creation through active private sector participation in the economy.

Speaking at a forum on job creation, skills and employment at the ongoing 22nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Prof. Osinbajo said the present administration was seriously tackling issues relating to local production, employment generation and all that would be needed to re-energize the economy.

According to the Vice President, ``we are talking practically to everyone, talking to big investors, talking to big businesses, small businesses, to youth groups that are interested in technology, taking to farmers, talking to market women and men, there is a great deal of enthusiasm, everybody knows that this country has tremendous potential and there is so much that can be done.’’

He said: ``we are engaging every one of our agencies that are responsible for facilitating trade, facilitating business, they have to be up to scratch, they’ve got to encourage business. It is our business to make sure that we promote enterprise because the way to create employment is not by direct employment by government, it is by private sector being encouraged to create these opportunities, so that is our focus.

``I want to assure everyone that the government is very focused on improving the environment for doing business, increase the opportunities so that we can employ the vast majority of our young people who need employment, encourage big businesses, encourage small businesses, encourage cottage industries, that is our focus and it will remain our focus.’’

Prof. Osinbajo said that though there might be challenges with the present duty waivers and tax regimes, the Federal Government is working hard to correct the wrongs with the view to encouraging the growth of small businesses and attracting foreign investments.

The Vice President said government’s emphasis on agriculture and agro-businesses was premised on its agenda on diversification and self-reliance in food production for domestic consumption.

Prof. Osinbajo said the enormity of the challenge with tax holidays and waivers could not be addressed by a 'one size, fits-all' tax holidays initiative, stressing that there were areas that the government would revisit and revise.

He said the Presidential Enabling Business Council, PEBEC, a special initiative of the Federal Government established by the President, in collaboration with the private sector, was looking at incentives and issues related to waivers.

The Vice President, who had spoken extensively on the administration’s economic policies on Day 1 of the summit, also emphasized what government was doing to support funding of small businesses in the country.

According to him, ``there are complications around funding and that is why in the short term, intervention funds are what we think might work.

He said: ``we are looking at intervention funds in agriculture, we have the anchor borrowers’ programme, we are resuscitating the Bank of Agriculture, and recapitalizing it.

``We expect that the Bank of Agriculture and a few other banks will be able to provide some cheap funds for agriculture, we are already seeing that in the anchor borrowers’ programme.

``We also think that intervention fund in setting up areas like health, before we are able to get the overall monetary environment right, is necessary.’’

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant-Media & Publicity
In the Office of the Vice President
October 11, 2016

IMPLEMENTATION OF SCHOOL FEEDING, MICRO-CREDIT, UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES JOB SCHEMES’ REACH ADVANCED STAGES

*Programmes set to impact millions starting this month
*Pipeline Vandalism immediate cause of recession-VP

Implementation plans for the effective commencement of a number of the Social Investment programmes of the Buhari presidency has reached advanced stages as the selection of the first 200,000 unemployed graduates to get jobs is now being completed.

Speaking with a small group of Radio journalists and producers at the Presidential Villa, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN disclosed that “we expect that before the end of the month, we will engage 200,000,” out of the 500,000 unemployed graduates the Buhari administration plans to hire in the N-Power jobs programme.

According to him, the direct government jobs is meant “to keep this young people occupied, pay them some amount of money and also give them a device, which will also help them to learn several skills that they can develop as time goes on.”

Prof. Osinbajo added that “we expect that before the end of this month, we should have engaged 200,000 of them and we are hoping that before the end of the year we should have engaged more.”

Similarly, Prof. Osinbajo disclosed that the Home-Grown School Feeding programme is set to kick off in several states this month.

“Definitely before the end of this month, we expect that several states would have come on stream with their Home-grown School Feeding Programmes,” the Vice President noted.

He added that the Home-Grown School Feeding programme “will energise agriculture in the different states because it is what you plant that you feed the children with, we will be hiring caterers, cooks, etc in each state because it will be Federal Government funded from Primaries 1-3 and the state governments hopefully would be able to cater for the other classes.”

According to the Vice President, the Home-Grown School Feeding programme is another section of the Social Investment programmes that impact directly on the lives of Nigerian children and families. He said several states will start implementing the Home-grown School Feeding Programme before the end of October.


Equally he stated that the Micro-Credit scheme for which the Buhari administration will give very low-cost loans to more than one million Nigerian artisans, traders, market women and other ranging from N60,000 to N100,000 would also be kicking off this month.

According to him, “for women across the country, we are giving loans, micro credit loans to about 1.5 million women. We are focusing on market women and artisans, loans between N60,000 and 100,000 each. We are working through the Bank of Industry, BOI. They are going to be giving out these loans, we‘ve already identified the banks and everybody who is involved in this. We should be flagging-off hopefully before the end of this month”

Such soft loans to the artisans, traders and market women, according to him, is meant “to boost their businesses.”

The Vice President reassured Nigerians that the current Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari is well focused on ameliorating the plight of the citizens of the country, observing that the administration feels the pains of the citizens and is committed to assuaging them.

Said he: “We fully understand and appreciate the situation of things in the country and we are committed to ensuring that that pain is assuaged. The President stated that clearly in his October 1st broadcast to the nation. All his life, he has been a salary earner, he has never been a businessman, so he understands why someone who earns a salary and even those who do not, are severely challenged at this time of economic recession such as we are experiencing.”

On the economy, Vice President Osinbajo said government is committed to developing it, to enable citizens find opportunities within the country.

“I want to assure Nigerians that the government of President Buhari is a very focused and determined government. We are committed to ensuring that we are able to develop the Nigerian economy in such a way that Nigerians are able to find opportunities in their own country, “he said.

He listed the ‘Made in Nigeria’ project, moving away from import dependence, boosting agriculture, and encouraging manufacturing as some of the urgent actions being pursued by government in order to move the country forward.

The Vice President also emphasized the Buhari administration’s zero tolerance for corruption, as corruption is “the major drain on the country’s resources” adding that “no one would be spared in the fight against corruption because, even the close friends of the President know that they will not be spared, he will not cover for them. Fighting corruption is a priority,” he stressed.

On the current recession, the Vice President said the fall in oil prices and pipeline vandalism were the immediate causes of the recession, thus reducing drastically, the country’s revenue. But he assured that government will adequately manage the little being realised now.

“We were producing up to 2.2 million barrels a day but all of a sudden, the vandalization of our terminals caused us to loose up to a million barrels a day.

“So when you loose up to 60% of your revenue or even more, there must be a shock because you are really earning very little and we will ensure that that very little that we are earning is as well managed as possible,” he said.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant-Media & Publicity
In the Office of the Vice President
October 11, 2016

Day-2 of the 22nd Nigerian Economic Summit held today at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

FGN DONATES TWO PRESIDENTIAL HELICOPTERS: Two Presidential Helicopters been handed over to the Nigerian Airforce at the Presidential wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE.

PRESIDENT BUHARI DECLEARED OPEN 22nd NESG AT TRANSCORP.

Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola,SAN(left) and Governor of Sokoto State, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal(right) congratulate the Personnel of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company at the launching of the Mass Meter Deployment of the Kaduna DisCo in Sokoto held at the premises of the Sokoto Independent Power Plant, Sokoto State on Monday 10th October 2016.

NO VENDETTA AGAINST PAST LEADERS – PRESIDENCY

The allegation by demonstrators in Bayelsa State last Thursday that allowances due to a former President have been stopped and his bank accounts were frozen is patently untrue.

We have confirmed with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) that the former President and the other past leaders were paid their allowances up to the second quarter.

The past leaders have not been paid third quarter allowances but will get their dues when remittances are received by the SGF from the Ministry of Finance.

Also, the story of account closure is false. It is not known to the investigation agencies.

The National Security Adviser to the President is not aware of this bank account closure; the DG SSS is unaware of it, the EFCC is unaware and the IG of Police is not in the know.

With all of these agencies not being involved, how then could a thing like that happen? In a dream perhaps!
To put it starkly, we believe there is a clear motive for the demonstration that is different from that which was being canvassed.
This is a premeditated attempt to blame President Muhammadu Buhari for something he knows nothing about.

These claims are false and poorly sourced to present a picture of vendetta; and they should be disregarded by well-meaning members of the public.

President Buhari remains committed to the ideals of justice and fairness to all irrespective of creed, religion and political leanings. His administration will not engage in vendetta.

Garba Shehu
SSAP (Media and Publicity)
October 7, 2016

ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON THE OCCASION OF THE PASSING OUT PARADE OF OFFICER CADETS OF THE 63 REGULAR COURSE AT THE NIGERIAN DEFENCE ACADEMY KADUNA ON SATURDAY 8 OCTOBER 2016
I am delighted to be in the Nigerian Defence Academy again this time to review the Passing Out Parade of Cadets of the 63 Regular Course. Since I came here a year ago to review the Parade of 62 Regular Course, I am pleased to note that the Academy has made tremendous progress in terms of both physical infrastructure and quality of teaching and training.
I always look forward to coming here to perform this duty as it reminds me of my cadet days as well as the opportunity it gives me to appreciate the tremendous progress and achievements of the Nigerian Defence Academy and the Armed Forces since independence.
The excellent parade we have just witnessed is a testimony to the high standard of training and discipline the Academy has set. I, therefore, commend the Commandant, instructors and gentlemen officer cadets for this outstanding parade. Today’s Passing Out Parade has an added significance because, for the first time in 52 years, this Academy is graduating female cadets who will be commissioned as regular officers into the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
While congratulating these soon-to-be pioneer female Regular Combatant officers for their courage and resilience in the past 5 years, I advise the Services to put in place adequate institutional mechanisms to evaluate the deployment or otherwise of our female officers in active combat roles. But we must be careful to carry public opinion with us and respect cultural sensitivities.
I am delighted to note the series of transformations that have taken place in this great institution within the past one year which includes:
· The Indoor Gallery Shooting Range which is the best in the sub-region;
· An enhanced obstacle course and
· A standard armoury.
Additionally, recent improvements in physical and human resources have led to the accreditation of 5 academic programmes by the National Universities Commission. I commend the Commandant and staff of the Academy for these outstanding achievements within the last one year.
This Administration will continue to support the Ministry of Defence especially in capacity building and improving the welfare of its personnel in the Armed Forces. Only recently, the Federal Executive Council approved the treasury funding of the Defined Benefits (Non-Contributory Pension Scheme) for NDA civilian retirees. The Academy will continue to be assisted in terms of budgetary provision to sustain the high standard of excellence already attained.
To the passing out cadets, I want to observe that you are graduating into the Armed Forces at a very auspicious time when the gains of several years of sacrifice by our troops are being consolidated. You are indeed moving into a path of honour, sacrifice and responsibility. You are also moving to the next level having been found worthy in learning and character to move from being Cadets to officers.
Therefore, as you step out of this noble institution, your character will determine how far you can go. Endeavour to be patriotic and exhibit the highest level of discipline and loyalty to one Nigeria. Above all you must strive to keep to the tenets of the profession by remaining apolitical. You are also required to exhibit the highest sense of integrity, patriotism and exemplary service to the nation and its people.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, you will all recall that this Administration inherited a badly managed Boko Haram insurgency in the North East. The violence even spread beyond North Eastern states. But the capacity of the insurgents to launch attacks has now been significantly curtailed. Boko Haram’s capacity to hold territories has been obliterated. What is on-going now are mop up operations to clear the remnants of the insurgents from their numerous hideouts.
All these successes are largely the efforts of our gallant troops of the Nigerian Military. I therefore commend our men and women in uniform and the intelligence community for their roles in dealing with the emerging threats. Terrorism and insurgency are new global phenomena that require concerted international cooperation to be defeated. We have, therefore, strengthened our participation in the Multi-National Joint Task Force.
We expect that other countries in the sub-region will continue to give the MNJTF and our efforts maximum cooperation. Some of our diplomatic shuttles to Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Benin have significantly contributed to defeating Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the sub-region.
Terrorism has a global reach: during my trips to the United States, Europe and China, we discussed strategies to strengthen cooperation towards tackling insurgency and global terrorism. These diplomatic shuttles have contributed towards strengthening our battle against the insurgents. But we must sustain our momentum.
Today’s challenges, however, go beyond Boko Haram. We have seen the negative impacts of kidnapping, cattle rustling and renewed militancy in the Niger Delta on our economy. The repeated attacks in the Niger Delta have been impacting negatively on oil revenues. The scourge of illegal Small Arms and Light Weapons, and the drugs war among others remain issues which we are tackling seriously. I would like to reiterate my call on all Nigerians to give peace a chance and jettison negative tendencies on our land and join government efforts at addressing the numerous challenges in the path of building a better Nigeria.
Recently, we flagged off the Clean-up of Ogoniland as part of the programmes to salvage the ravaged environment. We are convinced that undertaking such a monumental project will contribute to addressing the root causes of militancy in some parts of the Niger Delta region. However, for the avoidance of doubt let me state that other options are still open including decisive military action, if necessary, to deal with the criminal elements disguised in ethnic regalia to sabotage the country largely for their selfish and parochial interests. However, our priority, still remains constructive engagement of the stakeholders for peace.
As we tackle the challenges of nation building and sustainable development, I urge the military to continue to operate within the rules of engagement. The military needs to constantly abide by the laws which guide armed conflicts as you carry out your constitutional roles. Without this, you will be doing a lot of damage to the institution and the Constitution as a whole. It is the extent to which you respect the laws of armed conflicts that success in the real context of global best practices will be measured.
On military-civilian relationships, I acknowledge the openness with which information flows to the public these days. In addition, we have facilitated engagement between local and global stakeholders in the civil society. I note with delight the conscious effort of the armed forces to safeguard human rights of citizens but which the insurgents violate at will.
May I at this juncture congratulate the parents, guardians and instructors of the passing out cadets whose commitment helped to achieve this important milestone in their lives. Gentlemen and Lady officer cadets, today you have entered a new chapter in your life. I can assure you that it is going to be adventurous, turbulent but interesting.
Your survival as an officer in the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be dependent on the extent to which you are able to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during your academic and military training in this Academy.
Your parents, guardians and the nation in general have invested in you and it is payback time now. You are expected to serve this country selflessly with loyalty and integrity and set new records of gallantry in the defence of our dear nation as former cadets from this Academy have done and are still doing in various military campaigns within and outside our dear country.
Our nation puts its trust in you and looks up to you with a lot of expectations which you must never betray. You no longer belong to your parents or your family alone. You no longer belong to your village, town or state. You now belong to the Nigerian nation and you will serve it selflessly and be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice if the need arises.
Finally, I congratulate the leadership of NDA and express my appreciation to members of the NDA Governing Council for providing a well focused and transparent strategic direction to the Academy. To all the cadets on parade, I say well done once again for an excellent parade.
Thank you all. God bless Nigeria.

CORRUPTION, NOT JUDICIARY, UNDER ATTACK

The Presidency assures that the President reserves his highest respect for the institution of the judiciary as the third arm of government.
To this end, the President will not do anything to undermine its independence.

President Buhari remains a committed democrat, in words and in his action, and will not take any action in violation of the constitution.
The recent surgical operation against some judicial officers is specifically targeted at corruption and not at the judiciary as an institution.
In a robust democracy such as ours, there is bound to be a plurality of opinions on any given issue, but there is a convergence of views that the country has a corruption problem that needs to be corrected.

But reports by a section of the media are giving us cause for concern.

In undertaking the task of reporting, the media should be careful about the fault lines they open. It is wrong to present this incident as a confrontation between the executive and judicial arms of government.

The Presidency has received assurances from the DSS that all due processes of the law, including the possession of search and arrest warrants were obtained before the searches.

To suggest that the government is acting outside the law in a dictatorial manner is to breach the interest of the state.

GARBA SHEHU
SSAP (Media and Publicity)
Abuja
09 October

WE ‘LL WORK CLOSELY WITH NIGERIAN SMES TO RAISE EXPORTATION LEVELS-VP OSINBAJO

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo restated the readiness of the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to partner with SMEs and local exporters to address some of the bottlenecks and obstacles in their business, particularly access to finance.

He spoke with reporters today after going round various exhibition stands at the on-going SME Conference 2016 in Abuja.

The Vice President stressed that “one of the things we’ve assured a lot of those exhibiting today is that we’re going to be working with them day by day to see that they achieve all of their objectives.”

Prof. Osinbajo went round the exhibition stands in the company of the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Aisha Abubakar.

The SME Conference 2016 holding at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja is themed “Businesses and Franchises,” and jointly hosted by the Nigerian-American Chambers of Commerce, Kaduna State government, and the Embassy of the United States of America.

Below are the verbatim comments the Vice President made while speaking with journalists after going round the exhibition stands:

“As far as I am concerned, this is very exciting. It is very good see so many Nigerian entrepreneurs in agro-business and the sheer creativity and all of what you are seeing here, the great enthusiasm. It is so interesting to see so many people who are investing in agro-business, working hard every day.

I have seen an incredible variety of agro- business entrepreneurship here today and I am really excited about all these.
I think that one of the key things that we have seen are some of the bottlenecks especially in financing some of these products and some of what these people are doing.

And so we are looking at how to remove the bottlenecks in many of the situations that we see, so certainly we are going to be working on this.

Myself and the Hon. Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, we’ve been round and we’ve seen for ourselves some of what needs to be done and one thing that we have assured a lot of those who are exhibiting here today is that we are going to be working with them day-by-day to see that they achieve all of their objectives.

One of the main objectives of course is that they will be able to export, they will be able to export in large quantities and we have an advantage now with the Naira situation, as a major export advantage.

So I think that we must take advantage of that and several of these local producers are taking advantage (of the situation of the Naira) and they are able to export at very competitive prices, so we are looking forward to even bigger export levels … so I think what has happened here is just incredible.”

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant-Media & Publicity
In the Office of the Vice President
October 7, 2016

Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo GCON at the 27th Convocation Ceremony of the Nigerian Defense Academy handling the passing out certificate to one of the graduating cadets today, 6th October 2016 Kaduna.

President Buhari receives the Leadership Person of the Year (2015) Awards

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE PRESS RELEASE

PARTNERSHIP WITH TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION WILL LIFT CREATIVE INDUSTRIES – MINISTER

The partnership between the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture and the Tony Elumelu Foundation will help to re-position the Creative Industries in Nigeria, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said.

Speaking at a ceremony for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry and the Foundation in Lagos on Tuesday, the Minister expressed the strong belief that the collaboration will be the much-needed catalyst to transform the country's Creative Industries to a Creative Economy.

''The MoU contained details of how we will work together to execute our partnership. More specifically, the areas of collaboration will include the creation of an enabling business environment for the creative industries with such incentives as easy access to finance; the structuring of the Creative Industries to enable it generate independent revenues locally and also boost exports to increase Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings; and comprehensive statistics about the Creative Industries, including its size and projections, to guide potential local and foreign investors,'' he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said an innovative part of the collaboration ''is the plan to convene a Creative Economy Task Force to map the Creative Industries to provide a better picture of what is happening on the ground and help inform policy development'', adding: ''We also plan to measure the economic contribution of these industries to the Nigerian economy and provide a blueprint for action.''

He explained that the agreement was part of efforts by the Federal Government to ensure that the Creative Industries become a major factor in the ongoing diversification of the country's economy.

''To reap the full potentials of the Creative Industries, we realised early on that we will need to reach out to organizations that have the capacity and the drive to assist us in achieving our goals, organizations that can utilize their business knowledge, network and technical expertise to assist the Ministry in the development of Nigeria’s Creative Industries.

''This explains why we entered into discussions with the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the British Council. The discussions have now yielded fruits. On Aug. 24th 2016 in Edinburgh, Scotland, we signed an MoU with the British Council. And today, we are signing another MoU with the Tony Elumelu Foundation. Together, we will work to re-position the Creative Industries in Nigeria,'' the Minister said.

He said provision must be made for concrete benchmarks ''to measure our progress in the implementation of this MoU'' to ensure that ''by the time we conclude the initial two-year period of this historic collaboration, no one will need to strain his eyes to see the achievements''.

Alhaji Mohammed said efforts to lift the Creative Industries have received support at the highest level of the Administration, adding: ''Last week, at an evening of conversation with the youth, President Muhammadu Buhari not only rallied support for the sector, he also directed that such support must reflect in the budget of the Ministry of Information and Culture in 2017.''

He commended the Chairman of the Foundation, Mr Tony Elumelu, for throwing his full weight, and that of his Foundation, behind the idea of a partnership between the Ministry and the Foundation to rejuvenate the Creative Industries, which range from advertising, architecture, the art and antiques market, crafts, design, fashion, film, interactive leisure and software, music, the performing arts and publishing to Radio and Television.

For his part, Mr. Elumelu hailed the Minister for the partnership initiative, and assured that even more of his colleagues in the private sector would support the Creative Industries once they are properly structured.

The ceremony for the signing of the MoU by the Minister and Mr. Elumelu, which was held at the National Theatre, was attended by major industry players, including Nollywood and music stars and Comedians, as well as beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme, which aims to identify, over 10 years, a total of 10,000 African start-ups and entrepreneurs with ideas that can generate at least 1,000,000 new jobs and contribute at least 10 billion dollars in new annual revenues across Africa.

Segun Adeyemi
SA to Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Lagos
Oct. 4th 2016