₦airaland Forum

AfCFTA: Buhari reveals only condition to sign African free trade agreement



President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that Nigeria will be guided by ‘‘national interest’’ in taking any decision on the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He said this on Tuesday while receiving National Council of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) led by its president, Engr. Mansur Ahmed.


Buhari noted that he was ready to receive the report of a committee set up to assess the potential costs and impact of signing the agreement establishing the AfCFTA for Nigeria.

The President recalled that the Presidential Steering Committee on the AfCFTA Impact and Readiness Assessment Committee was inaugurated on October 22, 2018, with the mandate to assess the extent to which Nigeria was ready to join the agreement, and what the impact of doing so would be.

The committee was initially given 12 weeks to conclude its assignment, after holding wide consultations with industry groups and stakeholders, including the MAN.


The President told National Council of MAN the AfCFTA is on the agenda for the upcoming AU Summit in Niamey, Niger Republic, in July.

‘‘I don’t think Nigeria has the capacity to effectively supervise and to ensure that our colleagues in AU don’t allow their countries to be used to dump goods on us to the detriment of our young industries and our capacity to utilize foreign exchange for imported goods,’’ he said.

President Buhari also promised to look into the presentation by MAN highlighting issues of concern to the manufacturing sector, namely the AfCFTA, Export Expansion Grant and other incentives, challenges with the 2019 fiscal policy measures, recent increase in NAFDAC charges, the Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) (Amendment) Act, 2019, among others.


‘‘I assure you that I know the enormity of our problems in terms of population growth rate and teeming young people.

‘‘We need to move very fast, and the government will try and encourage you as very much as possible so that the problem of unemployment and the provision of other services relative to our population and state of development can be tolerated,’’ he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the MAN president outlined some credible policies that have driven the economy forward in the first term of President Buhari.



Commending the Buhari administration for consistent efforts to sustain the growth trajectory anchored on improving the business environment, Engr Ahmed recognised the government’s efforts at improving the Ease of Doing Business Project, fight against corruption, focus on poverty reduction, job creation and inclusive growth as well as the launch of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

He, however, noted that despite the significant progress recorded in the last 4 years, ‘‘it is clear that our economy is still fragile.’’

‘‘With the GDP at 2.0 per cent and below the population growth rate, the clouds are still threatening and the task of driving the economy upwards is still enormous.



‘‘But Your Excellency we are encouraged by the very strong commitment you expressed only last week in your Democracy Day address.

‘‘You did say that in your second term, your administration will do, even more, not only to continue to drive the economy on the path of sustained growth but indeed to create a more inclusive and sustainable economy,’’ the MAN president said.

Buhari inaugurates NEC, reveals how Nigeria can be peaceful, prosperous [Full text]

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated the National Economic Council, NEC, to oversee the economic plans of his administration for the next four years.

The inauguration was held at the council chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Speaking during the inauguration, Buhari urged NEC members to ensure that security, education, health and agriculture are actively implemented and closely monitored.

According to Buhari, the implementation of these programmes would ensure a more peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.

Read full text of Buhari’s speech below:

I am delighted to be with you this afternoon to inaugurate the National Economic Council (NEC).

2. NEC is established by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999), as amended. By virtue of Section 153 and paragraph 18 of the 3rd Schedule to the Constitution, NEC has the mandate to advise the President on economic policy of the country and in particular, co-ordination of the economic planning efforts, and programmes of the three- tiers of Government.

3. I am very happy to observe that during our first term of office, the Council made very significant progress, holding an unprecedented total of 38 meetings and setting up 10 Ad-Hoc Committees to address various issues of national concern. In the course of its deliberations, it came up with a total of 173 resolutions, cutting across eight areas, namely;

a. Agriculture and Solid Minerals;

b. Investments Promotion and Industrialization;

c. Monetary and fiscal stability;



d. Infrastructure;

e. Health and Education;

f. Revenue Generation;



g. Security and

h. Support for States.

4. The resolutions were designed to energize the various sectors of the Nigerian economy to which the eight areas relate. Initiatives brought about by the NEC resolutions are either implemented already or at different stages of implementation across the country. Together, they have proved to be of utmost importance in dictating the pace of national development.



5. I therefore urge the NEC Coordination Team to press forward with key initiatives that will strengthen the implementation mechanism, enhance cooperation across States and further promote joint deliberations, peer learning and experience sharing, under a very strong Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

6. Your Excellencies, I want you to pay special attention to the four major issues of security, education, health and agriculture in the coming years of this tenure. As you are no doubt aware, our successes in these four areas will go a long way in lifting our people out of poverty and secure our future for sustainable growth and development.

7. On Security, government will continue to rate security of lives and properties as top priority on our agenda. We are firmly committed to securing the territorial integrity of our nation, while confronting the remnants of terrorists, bandits and other criminals across the country. There must be collective and deliberate efforts by all to improve the security of lives and properties across the country. Security is a bottom to top operation. Everybody must be involved for total success.



8. On education, I want to stress in particular the need to take very seriously and enforce very rigorously the statutory provisions on free and compulsory basic education. Section 18(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended places on all of us here an obligation to eradicate illiteracy and provide free and compulsory education.

9. Section 2 of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act provides that every Government in Nigeria shall provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age. It is indeed a crime for any parent to keep his child out of school for this period. In my view, when a government fails to provide the schools, teachers and teaching materials necessary for basic education, it is actually aiding and abetting that crime.

10. This is therefore a call to action. I would like to see every Governor rise from this meeting and rally his local Government Chairmen towards ensuring that our schools offer the right opportunities and provide the needed materials and teachers for basic education, at the minimum. If we are able to do this, the benefits will surely manifest themselves.

11. Ensuring proper education during the first nine years of schooling means that our children start off their lives with some discipline and education. They will be safeguarded from roaming the streets, and protected from all the evil influences that assail idle hands and idle minds.

12. Whatever they choose to do thereafter, children with basic education will be better prepared to learn and to appreciate their own role in society. This will also go a long way in solving our security and other anti-social problems, which are often the manifestations of early delinquency. I therefore think every Governor here should make a firm commitment to be personally involved in ensuring that every child of school age actually goes to school throughout the crucial nine years of basic education.

13. On our own part, the Federal Government will strive to extend the school feeding programme which will not only encourage school enrolment but also enhance the health and learning capabilities of pupils. We will also assist States as much as possible to access the counterpart funding provided by UBEC for the development of basic education.

14. As I already indicated, public healthcare is also a major sector of concern where States and Local Governments have crucial roles to play. Health is an area where the neglect of one person quickly amounts to the neglect of many. It is in our collective interest that each and every citizen gets at least a minimal access to healthcare, including primary, preventive and emergency care.

15. Funding is again a major problem in this regard, so we must take more seriously the idea of universal health insurance and strive to make it work in our respective domains. We must also find ways of assisting the poorest and most vulnerable in our society, who cannot even afford to pay the premium. We must therefore resolve to increase budgetary allocation to health and ensure prompt fund releases to keep the hospitals and primary healthcare centres in operation at all times.

16. The Federal Government is now implementing the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund. By this, we hope to achieve at least 65 percent increase in the share of the population covered by primary healthcare by 2023, up from the 12.6 percent we cover at the moment.

17. Accordingly, it is imperative for us to do more on diversifying the economy, and this necessarily entails the sustenance and even acceleration of the agricultural revolution, which is already firmly rooted in some States. Of our nearly one million hectares of land, about 77% is confirmed suitable for agriculture.

18. The potentials are therefore huge, both for the domestic and international markets. Mechanisation and agro-allied industry are very big areas still largely untapped and awaiting investment, both by government and the private sector. I therefore urge you to take agriculture most seriously as a very viable developmental enterprise.

19. While the Federal Government has primary responsibility for security and will not shy away from it, the States also have a critical role to play; in particular Your Excellencies, as State Governors. You can definitely make a difference, not just by assisting the security agencies in your respective States, but also by keenly pursuing policies and programmes that forestall communal, tribal, religious and societal conflicts; policies and programs that promote education, information, dispute resolution, vocational training and youth employment.

20. I have no doubt that if these four areas – security, education, health and agriculture – are actively implemented and closely monitored by NEC and the Governors’ Forum, we shall in the near future see a more peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.

21. Your Excellencies, the Federal Government in the last four years has demonstrated unwavering inclusiveness in dealing with every State, notwithstanding the political leaning of the Governor or the predominant party in power at the State level. I want this to be your model at the State level. No matter which party we belong to, let us shun divisive policies and join hands together for the upliftment of our people.

22. Going forward, States must in the next four years find ways to increase internally generated revenues, improve VAT collection and increase agricultural output without disrupting business activities. I also want you to work with the Federal Agencies and the service providers in ensuring that broadband infrastructure is made available all over the country. Information and Communication Technology is the future of work and we must not allow ourselves to be left behind.

23. Let me restate the high expectations on NEC as a veritable source of articulating policies and programmes that are expected to drive growth and development, secure our environment and take the country to the next level. Your Excellencies, the challenges that confront us in the next few years, especially in the areas of security, human capital development and employment for our youths are monumental and historic. But we are more than equal to the task.

24. I have the honour and privilege to formally inaugurate the National Economic Council today, and to wish you all a very successful tenure.

Rashduct4luv:
Today's ladies that goes about nude without Hijab. What is there to look again?

Nowadays, ladies have no shame and men have no protective jealousy.

So many pious people has gone by. May Allah count us among the people of the right.

Aameen

RobbStark:
As it stand now in Naija, the only thing that is important to talk about is how to stop the increasing killings and banditry in our country.

He shud make security his one point agenda for the next level.

That security for now is the most important, because it's too pathetic to be seeing killings headlines everyday.

But, it's also good for education is the key substainable society.

How Aisha Buhari kicked against Lawan’s appointments



Aisha Buhari, first lady, on Thursday threw her weight behind some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who opposed Senate President Ahmad Lawan’s appointments.

The senate president had appointed Festus Adedayo, a columnist, as his spokesman, and also retained some aides of Bukola Saraki, his predecessor.

But some members of the APC kicked, saying especially Adedayo had been too critical of the ruling party and President Muhammadu Buhari.

On Thursday morning, a group known as APC stakeholders, had accused the senate president of rewarding enemies of Buhari’s government.

Ayo Oyalowo, a social media influencer who tweets @Ayorub, was among those members of the group who spoke against Lawan’s appointment at a press conference in Abuja.

In a move suggesting that she is in support of the position of the group, Aisha tweeted a quote of Oyalowo at the press conference.

“You cannot drive an agenda with people who don’t believe in that agenda…how will you achieve your purpose If you bring in people who fought against your agenda. – @Ayourb. #APCYouths #MissionandVision #BelieveinBuharisIdeology,” she tweeted.



Oyalowo had earlier told journalists: “It is not about appointments as it were, it is about the fact that there is an agenda called – initially the change agenda now the next level agenda.”

Lawan has since withdrawn the appointment of Adedayo.

festacman:
This is not about creating a Ministry for Fulani dialogue. It is about upgrading livestock production in Nigeria. As opportunity opens up, don't be alarmed if Igbo investors take advantage if they consider it profitable.

Yes, they're going to be the first to take advantage and invent let them just take the adivce and implement it.

festacman:
I totally agree with this suggestion. I think it is a brilliant one. It sounds forward-looking and developmental enough for both Federal and state governments to adopt and implement. First, it will solve security problems as extension officers will hear herdmen complaints first-hand and timely to initiate immediate resolution. Second, it will increase livestock production, create employment, expand meat production and boost foreign exchange earnings.

However, the only problem is that it is coming from a Fulani group that is more sensible than Miyetti Allah, which is actually the troublesome group. Will adopting this idea restore corporate sanity and remove bloodletting tendency from Miyetti Allah? If the answer is positive then we can shout "Eureka!", knowing we will soon sleep with two eyes closed.

Brilliant comment

sulymanadamopeyemi232@gmail.com

Obainoneandonly:
buhari dat can't read or write

But can deliver speech for public

A Nigerian man recently recounted how a guy surprised everyone by transferring money to a lady just because she was 'too beautiful'.

He then went on to enjoin other men to practice what this dude did. Many reacted to his story in several ways. This man whose name on Twitter is Uchay said that the very 'generous' guy who doled out money to a pretty lady did not know her before the encounter.

He merely met her on the road, asked for her account number and transferred money to her with an explanation that she was way too beautiful to be ignored. This fellow did not ask for her phone number. But despite this, she gave it to him without thinking twice. Uchay used this story as a point of reference to encourage men to up their games.

Read more: https://www.legit.ng/1243210-nigerian-guy-transfers-money-lady-account-beautiful.html?fbclid=IwAR3BLj5UAjjWGkcrPbfiyQgRRAdhBFUoIYZCLmitVti73jwfaerxeYVH6DE

The ex-minister of aviation Femi-Fani Kayode has Commended Buhari act for naming the national Stadium after Late M.K.O Abiola.

What is the ruling on woman who put ring in their nose?

KWARA GOVERNOR, ABDULRAZAQ ANNOUNCES ANOTHER APPOINTMENT

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq today announced the appointment of popular historian and community leader Alhaji L'Aziz Kolawole (LAK) Jimoh as the leader of the state's delegation to Hajj for 2019.

"I have the honour to announce Alhaji LAK Jimoh, elder statesman and a Muslim figure, as the Ameerul-Hajj for Kwara State for the 1440 AH (2019) Hajj," AbdulRazaq said in a statement by his spokesman Rafiu Ajakaye.

"We believe that Alhaji LAK Jimoh will deploy his rich backgrounds as a Muslim leader, community elder and a custodian of the history of our people in the discharge of this important state duty."

The Governor said the government would offer necessary support for the state's contingent to the Holy Land. He called on all the intending pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the state and Nigeria as a whole.

zeusdgrt:
Only foolish people support the foolish,so I understand just that urs is worst cz in addition to ur foolishness u are poor that's why yours is a disease

I don't know why some people talk out of sense.
What's the reason why you called him foolish that's it?

I don't know why all this is happen in front of my face, but maybe to learn more about deen.

Just now after while observing salat Zuhr, it was not the initial Jammah I meant but their still this man hold another Jammah so I joined. While observing the last Rakah of the Salat some people enter and stay behind without joining after the sallam they form their own Jammah. Please what's the ruling this?

zeusdgrt:
Foolish man

Some people are just too sadistic hearing this man doing anything they will be like....
What is foolish about recognizing and naming of a stadium after the man who help in actualizing democracy in Nigeria?

slowpoke!

Abdulrazaq vows to restore KWASU's lost glory

The Kwara State Government has affirmed its determination to make the State University (KWASU) the silicon's valley of the country.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, who gave the assurance yesterday at the seventh convocation and 10th anniversary of KWASU, said all the public resources would be deployed to ensure that the university and state reclaim their lost glory.
Represented by his Deputy, Mr. Kayode Alabi, the governor said the state used to be the reference point for excellence in the defunct Northern Nigeria where the state paraded the best of all fronts in education, healthcare, law, agro-processing and entrepreneurship, among others.
Abdulrazaq noted that his government is also determined to build a state with food security and zero hunger with the capacity to feed the whole of the country.

He therefore challenged the university to join his administration in the plan to make the state the agric hub of West Africa by coming up with cutting edge-technology and ideas to realise the vision.

Abdulrazaq congratulated the Governing Council of the institution, the outgoing vice chancellor and his team, parents and the graduated students for their contributions to the growth and development of the institution.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Abdulrosheed Na'Allah, said there are identifiable areas of challenges that confronted the university, pointing out that for the past five years, the institution has not received subvention from the government.
According to him, it is an enormous challenge facing the university currently and it is lamentable that it has gotten to a point where staff salary has become something of a luxury rather than right, adding that the university developed partnership with a bank that houses the Treasury Single Account and borrows from it whenever IGR is exhausted.
Lamenting that the stoppage of subvention had adversely affected the finances of the institution where some critical teaching and research facilities could not be provided, Na'Allah called for adequate funding of the university to compete favourably with contemporaries within and outside the country.

The vice chancellor who listed some of his achievements in office as the longest serving vice chancellor in Nigeria, said the institution has grown with the establishment of a microfinance bank, FM Radio station while its television station is in the process of completion, establishment of solar farm and commencement of foreign courses including Japanese, among others.
Earlier in his convocation lecture, the lecturer, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) had called for adequate funding to tackle the rot in the education sector.

The university graduated a total of 1,196 students in the 2018/2019 academic session.
Out of this number, 25 students were awarded with First Class degrees, 592 Second Class Upper and 533 got Second Class Lower, and forty six third class.
The university also produced five PhD holders and 159 Masters students.

Though I don't think this is mutiple but I wanted to make sure is not mutiple.

I was observing salat Azir this afternoon after the initial jammah has finished. While I was on the second Rakah some group of people entered and form a new jammah should I join them or continue praying my own since they did not known it was Azir am observing ( I think)

AlBaqir:
One per day.

Oksy, with what I can eat abi

That's a new face of politics in Nigerian

34-year-old legislator, Yakubu Saliu Danladi was on Tuesday elected as the speaker of the ninth Kwara state House of Assembly.

Danladi, who is a first timer in the Assembly is representing Ilesha/Gwanara constituency in the state House of Assembly.

Soon after the inauguration, Saheed Popoola, the only returning member in the Assembly nominated Danladi as the Speaker and was seconded by Haliru Danbaba and thereafter adopted by all the members of the Assembly.

Details later.

quickberry:
He changed it just now, he typed June 12 before

Ok

quickberry:
Today is June 11 @OP

That what he wrote sir

s/he will have to feed the poor daily for that 30 days.

Is the person going to feed one poor for thirty days or how many poor?

33-year-old undergraduate emerges speaker of Plateau assembly



Abok Ayuba, a 33-year-old final year student of the University of Jos, on Monday emerged as speaker of the Plateau state house of assembly.

Ayuba, a law student, was elected unopposed at the assembly’s inaugural sitting.

His emergence followed the passage of the “Not Too Young To Run” bill which reduced the age limit for members of state house of assembly from 30 years down to 25 years.

A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Jos-east, Ayuba was nominated by Ibrahim Baba-Hassan, Jos North-north/APC and the nomination was seconded by Simi Dusu, Jos North-west/PDP

In his acceptance speech, Ayuba thanked his colleagues for the support and promised not to fail them.

He assured them that his leadership would not discriminate against anyone either on the basis of tribe, religion, gender or political difference.

“As speaker of this noble assembly, I promise to serve with the fear of God, high sense of responsibility and humility,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ayuba is not the only one in his early 30s who emerged house speaker.

Debo Ogundoyin, 32-year-old lawmaker from Ibarapa east constituency, has also been elected speaker of the Oyo state house of assembly.

Ogundoyin is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He contested the position unopposed.

Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, governor of Kwara state, says his administration is committed to fulfilling its campaign promises.

He said this during a meeting with top officials of the Kwara State Road Maintenance Agency (KWARTMA), in Ilorin, the state capital, on Sunday.

The governor listed road construction and social infrastructure among his targets.

Abdulrazaq expressed concern over the poor state of roads, saying the contractors employed by the previous administration will not be sacked but told to quickly complete ongoing projects.

“I have resolved to work for the people, especially in road construction and other social infrastructure,” he said.

“The state works ministry will compile the list of roads that are in bad shape so that the government can work out funding options for their rehabilitation.

“The state of our roads (in Kwara) is disappointing. This is particularly true of Kwara north. There is no road, for instance, to Gwanara especially now that it is raining and yet the contractor handling it is collecting money.

“That was why the previous administration was stoned (in Gwanara), we don’t want to be stoned.

“Kwara people have woken up and if I don’t fix the roads, they will protest, so we will sit down with the contractors, we are not sacking them, we want to be proactive so they can do their jobs.”

https://www.thecable.ng/kwara-gov-we-must-fulfill-our-promises-we-dont-want-to-be-stoned/amp

falcon01:
why will you like a clone while you can have the original?

Rhe original is aggressive