NIGERIAN ARMY: DISCLAIMER ON SOLIDARITY RALLIES

The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a number of groups and individuals celebrating the routing out and decimation of Boko Haram terrorists on our soil. So much as we thank them for that, it is imperative to state that we do not begrudge such persons their desire to identify and associate themselves with this success.

However, the Nigerian Army wishes to disassociate itself from such celebrations and solidarity rallies.

We also would like to advice that they should tread with caution as this could be distractive to us. The public are please informed that the terrorists are surreptitiously fanning out of their last enclaves in Sambisa to cause havoc or seek refuge elsewhere.

Therefore, there is need for all to be more vigilant and security conscious to enable us clear the remnants of these terrorists wherever they might flee.

We would like to reassure the public that we will remain professional and focused in clearing the remnants of these criminals on the Nigerian soil.

Thank you for your usual and kind cooperation.

Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman
Acting Director Army Public Relations

FG to begin payment of salaries by 25th of every month – AGF

The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris, says the Federal Government plans to begins payment of staff salaries by the 25th of every month, as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Idris, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday, said “this is going to be given a test, I believe, by this month’’. The AGF also said that the government was working on a new arrangement, which, if approved, would ensure payment of the salaries before the monthly meeting of the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC). According to him, usually, salaries are paid after the FAAC meeting, where revenue accruing to the federation’s account are shared between the federal, state and local governments. “There is a standing instruction of Mr President to pay salary on or before 24 or 25 of every month and we will try as much as possible to comply and to abide by that. “We are taking a step further to make a provision whereby we can accommodate salary payments even before FAAC. “This is going to be given a test I believe by this month. “We will go to seek for necessary approval of our political masters to make sure that at least salary and other statutory payments are made even before FAAC. “Because we can project how much they are and therefore we can prepare and hit the ground running to make them realisable and actualised. “Even where we delay FAAC, we can still pay salary.’’ Idris dispelled the widely held belief that the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy is responsible for the delay in the payment of salaries and attributed the situation to the crash in global oil prices, which has affected the inflow of income to the country. “Nigeria is practically making about 30 to 40 per cent of what it used to make by way of revenue from oil and that has affected inflow generally. “These inflows are what the federal, state and local governments receive to service the economy. “It is when we receive these resources and sit at the end of the month for FAAC that the resources are shared among the three tiers of government.’’ Citing the benefits of TSA, Idris said that more than N2.7 trillion had been realised under a single account domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria. He also said that the cost of borrowing by government agencies had been reduced substantially and that the economy was already a beneficiary of the policy. “The monies are stimulating the economy in a way that delivery of social goods, services and efficiency in government expenditure are being achieved. “So I believe that they are already serving the purpose for which they are meant and they are within the economy.’’ He said he was optimistic having seen the benefits of the TSA policy to the Federal Government, states governments would key into it. Idris said that any insinuations that the policy would lead to laying off of staff by deposit money banks was unfounded as the policy was not intended to disrupt the operations of those banks. He, therefore, advised commercial banks to re-strategise on how to make profit without relying on government funds. “I think banks need to really focus themselves and re-direct themselves to face traditional banking business and not rely heavily on public resources. “They should be more strategic and focused and I believe that they will be better for it.’’ NAN reports that the TSA policy was introduced in Sept. 2015 to ensure that government resources are centralised in a single account. It was introduced to block leakages in the system to ensure transparency and efficiency in the management of government resources.

Vanguard

PMB’s Foreign Trips – My Takeaway

In making this public intervention, I seek to highlight the benefit of global relationships and cooperation in a world that is changing daily as a result of globalization and transborder economics, social and even criminal activities where no one is safe, except all are safe, and to leave the dispassionate observer his opinion after deep reflection on the value, or lack of it, of the President’s foreign trips. This way I hope every Nigerian who cares about our country will have some information about what their President is doing about the things that concern them. First I will start with context. Barely 2 decades ago (between 1994 and 1998) we would not have quarreled with the description that we were a pariah nation. We were ostracized from global events because of bad governance. We had lost the respect accorded Nations like ours were they well-led and well-run. I recall that not a few Nigerians complained that the green passport was becoming, if it had not already become, a burden. That was at the height of the dictatorial government that broke the rules of international relations. It was from there that we started to heal. Investors entered our country. Many brands that we sought after abroad started coming to set up shop in our country. The tourist footfalls in our country increased slowly but surely, but again we began to slide. Buhari and Venezulian President That was when Buhari declared at a meeting in Lagos during his campaign in 2015, that if elected, he would make us proud about our country again. Proud to be Nigerian again. That is the context in which I view his foreign trips and the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Foreign Relations which promised to: Make the Nigerian national interest the overriding factor in its foreign policy and international relations. Work to reform global governance in multilateral institutions and agencies. Work to strengthen the African Union to become a more effective organization on global affairs. Engage the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) on the basis of equality. Play a leadership role to develop a MINT (Mexico, India, Nigeria, and Turkey) as a counterforce to BRICS. I will limit my takeaways to 4 (Four) trips that I attended with the President namely: the G7 Summit in Germany, the Oil and Gas Summit in Iran, the Renewable Energy Conference in Abu Dhabi and the State visit and Business Forum in China; and 2  (Two) trips that I did not attend, but whose deliberations I followed, namely: Paris for the COP 21 and USA for the Nuclear Energy Summit. G7 in Germany This is a club of eight of the most industrialized, economic and technologically advanced nations. For the benefit of those who do not follow international politics it was originally the G8 comprising the USA, Britain, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, Italy, and Russia, who were later suspended and had sanctions imposed on them to make it G7 as a result. It was formed in 1975 as a club of 6 (Six) before Canada and Russia were admitted. They look after each other, and the rest of the world to put it simply. They have gone to war together if you remember Iraq and Libya in recent memory and they are all largely collaborating to fight terror. (Most recently the FBI was rendering assistance to Belgium in the aftermath of the terror attacks in that Country). Why G7 one might then ask?​ Answer: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as host, invited PMB on his inauguration to be their guest along with some three or four other African countries.​ Their agenda was global security, global economy and global health in the aftermath of Ebola, which was still raging in some African countries. Apart from the personal aides of the President, Governor Shettima of Borno, General Dambazau and myself were the only ones who accompanied PMB. I recall that upon our arrival in Germany they expressed surprise that our delegation was small and asked if others were still coming. In the pre-departure briefing, in addition to highlighting how the security and economic agenda of the G7 coincided with 2 (Two) of his campaign promises, security, (corruption) economy, PMB stated the reasons 3 of us were invited. Governor Shettima was in the front line of terrorists and criminal activities in the north east; General Abdulrahman Dambazau, was a former Chief of Army Staff, and also a faculty associate of Harvard University Weatherhead Center for International Affairs; I had run the single biggest economy of a state within Nigeria for eight years and was in the frontline of Ebola. Without ministers, one week after taking office, he felt we were the ones best suited to assist, if he needed it, on the issues of security, economy and health on the G7 agenda. In the event, he did not need us. He held his ground admirably. He was the first person called upon to speak at a Summit in which Nigeria was not a member. I was proud to be a Nigerian. At global summits we usually got to speak when others had spoken and the hall has emptied. President Obama was the first G7 member to speak after PMB and he said that Nigeria has elected a President that brings a reputation of scrupulous integrity to the table. I was proud to be a Nigerian. The opening session was robust and welcoming, we saw some of the world’s most powerful men and women take off their jackets, call each other by their first names in a club-like setting while addressing the world’s most serious problems. Problems  that affect you and I daily. I was proud that my President was in a room where decisions concerning my planet were being deliberated upon. Prime Minister Cameron, Chancellor Merkel and others also spoke in similar vein about our President’s reputation and our nation’s strategic position in Africa and the world. They pledged support for Nigeria on Terror and the Economy. Importantly, I learned that their scientists were worried about increasing resistance of strains of infections to antibiotics; and that they were committing enormous resources into finding out why and what to do. They highlighted the difficulty of time and resources that it will take to develop new antibiotics and the risk to global health. If we all appreciate how vulnerable we can be without effective antibiotics, especially our children, and if we remember how low life expectancy was and how poor global health was before the discovery of Penicillin after the World War, we will appreciate the seriousness of the platform to which Nigeria was invited. I was proud that our President was there. If the seven most powerful nations stand with you, who can stand against you? I need not say more except that I can attest that PMB has been following up on these matters, and the progress on security is visible, while results on the economic front will manifest soon enough. Iran Oil and Gas Summit For those who are not aware, one of the reasons why oil prices went up, and from which we benefited in the past, was that Iran, the world’s 7th largest producer of oil, was facing global sanctions from which she was due to emerge in 2016. Because Iran was soon to be selling oil, the likelihood of a further crash of oil prices that had drastically fallen was a threat to Nigeria’s economy if oil prices crashed further.​(Our 2016 budget proposals had just been formulated on a $38 per barrel assumption) I was witness to PMB’s persuasion to Iran to come to the market slowly instead of pushing out large volumes which will raise supply and crash prices, even though Iran also needed the cash. You can’t do that type of diplomacy by letter or by phone, in my view, not when the major players were all there in person. I witnessed the meeting with the Venezuelan prime minister, who was leading the South American producers to sell more and get cash even if the prices were lower. PMB’s logic was different. Hold your volumes, steady the price, and don’t let us hurt one another. Recorders of history will recall that the Venezuelan government suffered a major political defeat in Parliament, while PMB’s logic has at least steadied oil prices. It might interest you to know that all European nations sent their oil ministers, except Russia, where Vladimir Putin came in person, because having been suspended from the G8 and facing sanctions, this was the meeting where his country’s interests were best served. For the record, Russia pledged a $5 Billion state support to Iran, and if the purpose of this is lost on anyone, I interpret it to mean, “Take cash, don’t pump out your oil. It will hurt me.” This is the reality of international politics.​ Finally on Iran, PMB told us, how when he flew to Iran in his days as Petroleum Minister, he noticed how much gas they were flaring and now he returned as President, all the flares were gone. We found out that all the gas had been harvested and piped to every home for heating, cooking etc.​ His mandate: “If they can do it, we must do it.” I am proud to be led by a President who sees good things outside and seeks to bring them to his people. Abu Dhabi Renewable Energy This is reputed to be the richest of the Emirates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Apart from seeking cooperation to recover Nigeria’s stolen wealth stored in the UAE [His anti-corruption commitment pursued in person], PMB addressed a renewable energy summit where we learned about initiatives to bring solar power price down to 5 (Five) US cents per kilowatt hour, (approximately N10) as against the price of 17 (seventeen) US cents (N34) per KW/h tariff in Nigeria fixed at privatization by the last Government. PMB’s mandate was for us to explore collaboration for the manufacture of solar panels in Nigeria to bring down the price and deploy it to the sunlit areas of Nigeria, especially the North that is most prolific for irradiation. We are currently working on the Energy Mix for Nigeria which is the implementation process of the energy policy that will take us there. Hopefully we will soon be signing the first set of solar deployment agreements for Nigeria. In this way, more solar and hydro will be used in the North, more coal and hydro in the Middle Belt, and more gas in the South; so that we take power generation closest to the most prolific source of fuel to bring down the cost and make it more affordable. On the trip to China (which I will comment on) we met a few Chinese solar manufacturers (who recognized us from Abu Dhabi) who want to set up business of manufacturing solar panels in Nigeria. China Investment Forum and State Visit This is the visit that provoked this write up, because I had bottled what I knew. But it was time, I believe, to share some of it. China is the second largest economy in the world with a per capita income of $8,000 which they are planning to raise to $12,000 by 2020. By her own assessment, according to President Xi Jinping, they are still a developing nation seeking to achieve what he described as “initial prosperity” by 2020. If you look at the back of your phone, your TV, your watch, your I-Pad, your Mobile Charger, many other accessories that you use, you are likely to find these three words “Made in China” printed somewhere. For such a nation, (with trillions of dollars in reserves, that plans to spend $2 trillion on imports in the next five years and earn $100 billion annually) who still sees itself as a developing nation, such modesty in the face of success, assiduous hard work and productivity is a destination to seek cooperation in the pursuit of economic development. This is where PMB led an array of Nigerian investors including Erisco Foods, (who now makes our tomato paste at home and employs people locally including farmers who supply the tomatoes), Power operators (DisCos and GenCos), and the Dangote Group, to meet with and address their Chinese partners. During the meeting with the Chinese President, 6 (Six) collaboration agreements were signed including for agriculture and food production improvement techniques, rail and power infrastructure development,  for funding the Dangote group to continue to expand and create jobs at home and keeping some of our reserves in the currency of the richest nation in the world. This last mentioned agreement was a legitimate coup by PMB because the intelligence was that some West African countries were going to sign before us. PMB seized the moment. Of course he had to apologize for our previous failures on our agreement made to part-fund 4 airport projects in Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt and Abuja-Kaduna rail project. The Chinese had provided their agreed part of 85% but the remaining 15% Nigeria did not honour during the last administration. Some of the recent revelations about financial scandals estimated at $2.1 billion in the office of the National Security Adviser alone during the last administration suggest how impactful such funds would have been in delivering these critical infrastructure ; but we all know what happened.​ This is why PMB is traveling. To repair our reputation severely damaged by the last government, and to assure our partners that Nigeria has CHANGED. And from there to re-negotiate an existing funding agreement to complete critical Transport infrastructure. Because of his reputation, President Xi Jinping believed him, and to quote him, he said: “It is better late than never. ” Through him China literally opened the door to Nigeria in areas of infrastructure (power, railways and roads), agriculture, education and manufacturing especially in our Free Trade Zones. To paraphrase the Chinese President, “ask us for whatever support or partnership and we will be happy to respond.” “We wish to see you take your rightful place and we are happy that you are the first African president visiting China, after my visit to Africa last year to pledge a $60 billion support for the Development of the continent.” If this was not initiative I doubt what is?​ As for the trips to Paris, COP 21 and the USA, Nuclear Security Summit, I will only say this: a. The threat of climate change, global warming, desertification in the north of Nigeria and coastal erosion in the Atlantic (Bar beach in Lagos) and in the south, affecting Rivers, Bayelsa and other coastal states, the clear scientific evidence lays the blame at the door of the world’s most industrialized nation for their pollution. b. Since the Kyoto protocol they have paid lip service to remedying the situation, which unfortunately affects developing nations more adversely. c. COP 21 was the first serious commitment that these leaders made to ensure that global temperatures do not rise above 2°C and indeed are reduced to 1.5°C. I am proud that Nigeria was not missing at this historic moment. When the planet is saved, the next and future generations of Nigerians will recall that PMB was present, when all of the world leaders were present to save the planet. d. In the aftermath of COP 21, the commitment of these nations is to increase production and technology for renewable energy and to reduce the use of carbon fuels. One way they plan to achieve this is increased deployment of nuclear energy. e. These nations are at the cusp of sharing safe nuclear technology for peaceful uses with developing nations for power generation. This for me was reason enough and a good one at that for PMB to be in the USA because Nigeria has been pursuing a nuclear power program for about 17 years, not as an alternative to gas or Hydro, but as additions to them. The world leaders must trust you for you to partake. At that summit, in the group photograph, PMB stood on the second row along side Britain and Turkey. In the past, we used to be on the last row. This is CHANGE. As he meets with world leaders outside Africa, he has not forgotten the home front. He is regularly visiting and receiving his sister and brother presidents on the African continent. PMB has earned their trust for all of us and I am proud to carry my green passport. Yes, some results are not yet manifest, and may take a little while to do so, but a solid foundation for a sustainable, respectable and prosperous future is being laid, block  by block. This is how to build a solid “home” from whence we can project respect abroad with confidence. How many of us will do business with total strangers without a reference or a good reputation in this age of due diligence? PMB is building affiliations everywhere that if well-managed in future, will develop into a global network of friendships, trust and respect for Nigeria and Nigerians. I once heard that the role of a leader, like that of the head of a family, is that of an aggregator, opening doors and opportunities, breaking down barriers and  forging alliances. I agree. This is my Takeaway on these trips.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN 

PMB’s Foreign Trips – My Takeaway

In making this public intervention, I seek to highlight the benefit of global relationships and cooperation in a world that is changing daily as a result of globalization and transborder economics, social and even criminal activities where no one is safe, except all are safe, and to leave the dispassionate observer his opinion after deep reflection on the value, or lack of it, of the President’s foreign trips. This way I hope every Nigerian who cares about our country will have some information about what their President is doing about the things that concern them. First I will start with context. Barely 2 decades ago (between 1994 and 1998) we would not have quarreled with the description that we were a pariah nation. We were ostracized from global events because of bad governance. We had lost the respect accorded Nations like ours were they well-led and well-run. I recall that not a few Nigerians complained that the green passport was becoming, if it had not already become, a burden. That was at the height of the dictatorial government that broke the rules of international relations. It was from there that we started to heal. Investors entered our country. Many brands that we sought after abroad started coming to set up shop in our country. The tourist footfalls in our country increased slowly but surely, but again we began to slide. Buhari and Venezulian President That was when Buhari declared at a meeting in Lagos during his campaign in 2015, that if elected, he would make us proud about our country again. Proud to be Nigerian again. That is the context in which I view his foreign trips and the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Foreign Relations which promised to: Make the Nigerian national interest the overriding factor in its foreign policy and international relations. Work to reform global governance in multilateral institutions and agencies. Work to strengthen the African Union to become a more effective organization on global affairs. Engage the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) on the basis of equality. Play a leadership role to develop a MINT (Mexico, India, Nigeria, and Turkey) as a counterforce to BRICS. I will limit my takeaways to 4 (Four) trips that I attended with the President namely: the G7 Summit in Germany, the Oil and Gas Summit in Iran, the Renewable Energy Conference in Abu Dhabi and the State visit and Business Forum in China; and 2  (Two) trips that I did not attend, but whose deliberations I followed, namely: Paris for the COP 21 and USA for the Nuclear Energy Summit. G7 in Germany This is a club of eight of the most industrialized, economic and technologically advanced nations. For the benefit of those who do not follow international politics it was originally the G8 comprising the USA, Britain, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, Italy, and Russia, who were later suspended and had sanctions imposed on them to make it G7 as a result. It was formed in 1975 as a club of 6 (Six) before Canada and Russia were admitted. They look after each other, and the rest of the world to put it simply. They have gone to war together if you remember Iraq and Libya in recent memory and they are all largely collaborating to fight terror. (Most recently the FBI was rendering assistance to Belgium in the aftermath of the terror attacks in that Country). Why G7 one might then ask?​ Answer: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as host, invited PMB on his inauguration to be their guest along with some three or four other African countries.​ Their agenda was global security, global economy and global health in the aftermath of Ebola, which was still raging in some African countries. Apart from the personal aides of the President, Governor Shettima of Borno, General Dambazau and myself were the only ones who accompanied PMB. I recall that upon our arrival in Germany they expressed surprise that our delegation was small and asked if others were still coming. In the pre-departure briefing, in addition to highlighting how the security and economic agenda of the G7 coincided with 2 (Two) of his campaign promises, security, (corruption) economy, PMB stated the reasons 3 of us were invited. Governor Shettima was in the front line of terrorists and criminal activities in the north east; General Abdulrahman Dambazau, was a former Chief of Army Staff, and also a faculty associate of Harvard University Weatherhead Center for International Affairs; I had run the single biggest economy of a state within Nigeria for eight years and was in the frontline of Ebola. Without ministers, one week after taking office, he felt we were the ones best suited to assist, if he needed it, on the issues of security, economy and health on the G7 agenda. In the event, he did not need us. He held his ground admirably. He was the first person called upon to speak at a Summit in which Nigeria was not a member. I was proud to be a Nigerian. At global summits we usually got to speak when others had spoken and the hall has emptied. President Obama was the first G7 member to speak after PMB and he said that Nigeria has elected a President that brings a reputation of scrupulous integrity to the table. I was proud to be a Nigerian. The opening session was robust and welcoming, we saw some of the world’s most powerful men and women take off their jackets, call each other by their first names in a club-like setting while addressing the world’s most serious problems. Problems  that affect you and I daily. I was proud that my President was in a room where decisions concerning my planet were being deliberated upon. Prime Minister Cameron, Chancellor Merkel and others also spoke in similar vein about our President’s reputation and our nation’s strategic position in Africa and the world. They pledged support for Nigeria on Terror and the Economy. Importantly, I learned that their scientists were worried about increasing resistance of strains of infections to antibiotics; and that they were committing enormous resources into finding out why and what to do. They highlighted the difficulty of time and resources that it will take to develop new antibiotics and the risk to global health. If we all appreciate how vulnerable we can be without effective antibiotics, especially our children, and if we remember how low life expectancy was and how poor global health was before the discovery of Penicillin after the World War, we will appreciate the seriousness of the platform to which Nigeria was invited. I was proud that our President was there. If the seven most powerful nations stand with you, who can stand against you? I need not say more except that I can attest that PMB has been following up on these matters, and the progress on security is visible, while results on the economic front will manifest soon enough. Iran Oil and Gas Summit For those who are not aware, one of the reasons why oil prices went up, and from which we benefited in the past, was that Iran, the world’s 7th largest producer of oil, was facing global sanctions from which she was due to emerge in 2016. Because Iran was soon to be selling oil, the likelihood of a further crash of oil prices that had drastically fallen was a threat to Nigeria’s economy if oil prices crashed further.​(Our 2016 budget proposals had just been formulated on a $38 per barrel assumption) I was witness to PMB’s persuasion to Iran to come to the market slowly instead of pushing out large volumes which will raise supply and crash prices, even though Iran also needed the cash. You can’t do that type of diplomacy by letter or by phone, in my view, not when the major players were all there in person. I witnessed the meeting with the Venezuelan prime minister, who was leading the South American producers to sell more and get cash even if the prices were lower. PMB’s logic was different. Hold your volumes, steady the price, and don’t let us hurt one another. Recorders of history will recall that the Venezuelan government suffered a major political defeat in Parliament, while PMB’s logic has at least steadied oil prices. It might interest you to know that all European nations sent their oil ministers, except Russia, where Vladimir Putin came in person, because having been suspended from the G8 and facing sanctions, this was the meeting where his country’s interests were best served. For the record, Russia pledged a $5 Billion state support to Iran, and if the purpose of this is lost on anyone, I interpret it to mean, “Take cash, don’t pump out your oil. It will hurt me.” This is the reality of international politics.​ Finally on Iran, PMB told us, how when he flew to Iran in his days as Petroleum Minister, he noticed how much gas they were flaring and now he returned as President, all the flares were gone. We found out that all the gas had been harvested and piped to every home for heating, cooking etc.​ His mandate: “If they can do it, we must do it.” I am proud to be led by a President who sees good things outside and seeks to bring them to his people. Abu Dhabi Renewable Energy This is reputed to be the richest of the Emirates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Apart from seeking cooperation to recover Nigeria’s stolen wealth stored in the UAE [His anti-corruption commitment pursued in person], PMB addressed a renewable energy summit where we learned about initiatives to bring solar power price down to 5 (Five) US cents per kilowatt hour, (approximately N10) as against the price of 17 (seventeen) US cents (N34) per KW/h tariff in Nigeria fixed at privatization by the last Government. PMB’s mandate was for us to explore collaboration for the manufacture of solar panels in Nigeria to bring down the price and deploy it to the sunlit areas of Nigeria, especially the North that is most prolific for irradiation. We are currently working on the Energy Mix for Nigeria which is the implementation process of the energy policy that will take us there. Hopefully we will soon be signing the first set of solar deployment agreements for Nigeria. In this way, more solar and hydro will be used in the North, more coal and hydro in the Middle Belt, and more gas in the South; so that we take power generation closest to the most prolific source of fuel to bring down the cost and make it more affordable. On the trip to China (which I will comment on) we met a few Chinese solar manufacturers (who recognized us from Abu Dhabi) who want to set up business of manufacturing solar panels in Nigeria. China Investment Forum and State Visit This is the visit that provoked this write up, because I had bottled what I knew. But it was time, I believe, to share some of it. China is the second largest economy in the world with a per capita income of $8,000 which they are planning to raise to $12,000 by 2020. By her own assessment, according to President Xi Jinping, they are still a developing nation seeking to achieve what he described as “initial prosperity” by 2020. If you look at the back of your phone, your TV, your watch, your I-Pad, your Mobile Charger, many other accessories that you use, you are likely to find these three words “Made in China” printed somewhere. For such a nation, (with trillions of dollars in reserves, that plans to spend $2 trillion on imports in the next five years and earn $100 billion annually) who still sees itself as a developing nation, such modesty in the face of success, assiduous hard work and productivity is a destination to seek cooperation in the pursuit of economic development. This is where PMB led an array of Nigerian investors including Erisco Foods, (who now makes our tomato paste at home and employs people locally including farmers who supply the tomatoes), Power operators (DisCos and GenCos), and the Dangote Group, to meet with and address their Chinese partners. During the meeting with the Chinese President, 6 (Six) collaboration agreements were signed including for agriculture and food production improvement techniques, rail and power infrastructure development,  for funding the Dangote group to continue to expand and create jobs at home and keeping some of our reserves in the currency of the richest nation in the world. This last mentioned agreement was a legitimate coup by PMB because the intelligence was that some West African countries were going to sign before us. PMB seized the moment. Of course he had to apologize for our previous failures on our agreement made to part-fund 4 airport projects in Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt and Abuja-Kaduna rail project. The Chinese had provided their agreed part of 85% but the remaining 15% Nigeria did not honour during the last administration. Some of the recent revelations about financial scandals estimated at $2.1 billion in the office of the National Security Adviser alone during the last administration suggest how impactful such funds would have been in delivering these critical infrastructure ; but we all know what happened.​ This is why PMB is traveling. To repair our reputation severely damaged by the last government, and to assure our partners that Nigeria has CHANGED. And from there to re-negotiate an existing funding agreement to complete critical Transport infrastructure. Because of his reputation, President Xi Jinping believed him, and to quote him, he said: “It is better late than never. ” Through him China literally opened the door to Nigeria in areas of infrastructure (power, railways and roads), agriculture, education and manufacturing especially in our Free Trade Zones. To paraphrase the Chinese President, “ask us for whatever support or partnership and we will be happy to respond.” “We wish to see you take your rightful place and we are happy that you are the first African president visiting China, after my visit to Africa last year to pledge a $60 billion support for the Development of the continent.” If this was not initiative I doubt what is?​ As for the trips to Paris, COP 21 and the USA, Nuclear Security Summit, I will only say this: a. The threat of climate change, global warming, desertification in the north of Nigeria and coastal erosion in the Atlantic (Bar beach in Lagos) and in the south, affecting Rivers, Bayelsa and other coastal states, the clear scientific evidence lays the blame at the door of the world’s most industrialized nation for their pollution. b. Since the Kyoto protocol they have paid lip service to remedying the situation, which unfortunately affects developing nations more adversely. c. COP 21 was the first serious commitment that these leaders made to ensure that global temperatures do not rise above 2°C and indeed are reduced to 1.5°C. I am proud that Nigeria was not missing at this historic moment. When the planet is saved, the next and future generations of Nigerians will recall that PMB was present, when all of the world leaders were present to save the planet. d. In the aftermath of COP 21, the commitment of these nations is to increase production and technology for renewable energy and to reduce the use of carbon fuels. One way they plan to achieve this is increased deployment of nuclear energy. e. These nations are at the cusp of sharing safe nuclear technology for peaceful uses with developing nations for power generation. This for me was reason enough and a good one at that for PMB to be in the USA because Nigeria has been pursuing a nuclear power program for about 17 years, not as an alternative to gas or Hydro, but as additions to them. The world leaders must trust you for you to partake. At that summit, in the group photograph, PMB stood on the second row along side Britain and Turkey. In the past, we used to be on the last row. This is CHANGE. As he meets with world leaders outside Africa, he has not forgotten the home front. He is regularly visiting and receiving his sister and brother presidents on the African continent. PMB has earned their trust for all of us and I am proud to carry my green passport. Yes, some results are not yet manifest, and may take a little while to do so, but a solid foundation for a sustainable, respectable and prosperous future is being laid, block  by block. This is how to build a solid “home” from whence we can project respect abroad with confidence. How many of us will do business with total strangers without a reference or a good reputation in this age of due diligence? PMB is building affiliations everywhere that if well-managed in future, will develop into a global network of friendships, trust and respect for Nigeria and Nigerians. I once heard that the role of a leader, like that of the head of a family, is that of an aggregator, opening doors and opportunities, breaking down barriers and  forging alliances. I agree. This is my Takeaway on these trips.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN 

Motorist burnt to death after cigarette allegedly touched keg of fuel stored in car

An unidentified man at the weekend, was reportedly burnt to death in Lagos state after a keg of fuel in his car, reportedly caught fire.

The motorist, believed to be in his mid 40’s, had bought fuel from a filling station at about 3am on Saturday and had safely driven his Peugeot 307 car home at C Close, FESTAC Town area of the state.

The Punch reports that the fire was as a result of the cigarette he lit.

Meanwhile, efforts by firefighters from the Lagos State Fire Service to put out the fire were abortive, as he was reportedly burnt to death.

Speaking on the incident, an official of the fire service, Amodu Shakiru, said no one knew the victim was in the car until his relatives came.

The official who reportedly spoke for the Director of the service, Rasak Fadipe, said, “We met the fire raging and we were able to stop the spread.

“It was after we put out the fire that his family members showed up and we all started looking for him.

“When he could not be found, we searched the car and found his charred remains in the vehicle.

“Although investigations are ongoing, the agency suspects that the victim had a lighter or cigarette in the car,” the official 
Daily Trust

Political Parties Are Devoid of Democratic Practice – Femi Falana

A Nigerian lawyer, Femi Falana, has criticised the structure of Nigerian political parties, saying it is devoid of internal democratic practice.

Mr Falana said political parties do not come back to the electorate after they had won an election.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria was speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics

“Members read about development in the parties like you and I.

“Since the election was concluded, which of the parties have drawn the people together to explain their policies and ideas to the electorates.

“Until four years’ time, you will see them again. If you are talking about a political party that has an organic link with the people – policies of government are explained to the people and they are mobilised to take their destinies in the hands.

“But this top bottom approach to politics and development cannot move any nation forward,” he said.

He expressed the view that Nigerian political parties run a system whereby politicians do not place a premium on the interest of the people. This, he believes, explains the disagreements in the ruling party, APC.

Mr Falana also spoke about the controversy surrounding the 2016 budget and the purported omission of the Lagos-Calabar rail project.

He stressed that the controversy was totally unnecessary, urging the executive to come up with the budget if it was sure that the controversial Calabar-Lagos Rail Project was in the budget.

“Both arms of government should close the gaps and stop embarrassing the nation. If we cannot write a budget, if it takes you six months to write a budget, when are you going to implement it?”

He said it was okay for the President to scrutinise the budget returned to him, but pointed out that it showed that the executive do not trust the legislature.

“Cut off genitals of men who rape kids” – Ita-Giwa

Senator Florence Ita-Giwa has advocated the cutting off of genitals of child-rapists.
The former Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters to former President Goodluck Jonathan, spoke as a special guest at ‘Magnenta and Black Art & Fashion for Charity’, a fund raising exhibition for Mirabel Centre, held at the British Council, Lagos.

Reacting to accounts of rape by two survivors at the event, the senator said: “The lady said she was happy that she got justice for her four-year-old daughter who was raped by two men but, in my mind, if I were a judge and a man is brought to court for raping a child, he will receive capital punishment. But I will say, `don’t kill him, rather let him live his life in pain, let his organ be cut off’.

“He should not be allowed the pleasure of using that organ anymore. If the organ is not cut off, at the end of his term in prison, he will use it on other children. Fortunately for them, I’m no longer in the Senate but I will find a way to get it into the chamber. This is the proper way to end the evil of rape in the society”.

Also speaking, the Managing Partner at Partnership for Justice and Founder Mirabel Centre, Mrs Itoro Eze-Anaba, said that the situation had reached a stage that girls are no longer safe in their homes since fathers and uncles rape them.

“Rape is not a girls’ or women’s issue, it is a community issue because boys are also being raped daily. The implication is that if we do not end it, the abused may end up as an abuser and a time will come when the society will be filled with abusers”, she said.

[Daily Trust]

How Buhari plans to restructure Nigeria’s economy – Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has pointed out how the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government plans to restructure the Nigerian economy through borrowing, targeted investment and diversified growth.

Adeosun outlined the current government’s economic blue print while addressing captains of industries at the Lagos Business School breakfast meeting in Lagos State.

She said: “We must collectively adopt a blueprint that equips the future generations to be creative and dynamic, that allows us to articulate a vision of a Nigeria, with a strong educational foundation; rich in depth of knowledge with a breadth of skills, an expansive infrastructure capable of servicing the needs of a nation of 150 million Nigerians.”

Detailing what she described as an “expansionary budget for investment and growth,” the Minister said, “We must find the money, and create a system that enables targeted expenditure, based on the nation’s priorities. This expenditure will be efficient and impactful, focused on creating wealth for the majority.”

Adeosun pointed out that the N1.8 trillion in borrowing was meant to invest in areas of priorities like, transport, roads, housing, power and health.

She said, “We are committed to a countercyclical budget expenditure model. This has been a success in other nations, offsetting the risk of recession and creating an economy which is not based on either fragile consumer spending or over-reliance on oil.”

Adeosun also identified the four economic pillars of Buhari’s administration to include; Stimulating economic growth to achieve a real GDP growth of 4.2% in 2017; Reduce the cost of governance and strengthen institutions to combat corruption extract inefficiencies in public service; increase government expenditure on infrastructure and fund the budget deficit and negative trade balance cost effectively.

Warning those that think the current borrowing would open the door to renewed fiscal indiscipline, the Minister stressed that she plans to continue her “aggressive programme of fiscal housekeeping.”

“We must safeguard this borrowing, ensuring that the wastage within the existing systems are firmly addressed. We cannot mortgage our future based on a system that has failed us for generations. We must be careful in our borrowing and prudent in utilization,” she said.

Daily Trust

FG defends Amaechi says project captured in Budget

ABUJA — In what appears to be a rebuttal to the National Assembly’s submission, Monday, that the N60 billion Calabar-Lagos railway project was not captured in the 2016 budget, the Federal Government has insisted that the project was duly submitted and accepted by the lawmakers for approval.

Amaechi
This came on a day the Senate said the protest of the executive would not make it revisit the budget passed two weeks ago, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to submit a supplementary budget.

Members of the House of Representatives, however, kept sealed lips on the matter, yesterday,

But in a statement by the Media Adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. James Akpandem, yesterday, the federal government insisted that the relevant committees of the parliament received the document.

The statement read in full: “In view of the recent controversies surrounding the 2016 budget, it has become necessary to state the following to set the facts straight: The details of the 2016 budget were received by the President on Thursday, April 7, 2016.

“Immediately this was received, the President, desirous of signing the document into law as soon as possible, directed that copies should be made available to heads of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, of the Federal Government.

“Ministers were asked to go through the details and give their reactions as it affects their respective Ministries to guide the President and enable him sign the Appropriation Bill into law.

“That process is still on-going and no statement has been issued by the Executive on the matter, apart from the one by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohamnmed, to confirm that details of the budget are being examined. No final decision has been taken by the President and no other statement whatsoever has been issued on the matter.

“With reference to the specific issue of the Calabar – Lagos rail project, we will like to state that the two railway projects, Lagos-Kano and the Calabar-Lagos, are very important projects of the present administration; and it was always the intention of the Executive to have both projects reflected in the budget submitted to the National Assembly.

“However, it will be recalled that the Budget Office made a number of errors in the initial proposals of a number of ministries. These errors were all corrected by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the corrected versions were submitted to the relevant committees of the National Assembly. This included that of the Ministry of Transportation.

“The amended Ministry of Transportation budget was accepted by the relevant committees and that was the version defended by the Minister of Transportation and his team.

“It must be emphasized that the two rail projects are part of those for which the President is currently negotiating funding with the Chinese government.

“The N60bn provided in the budget for the Lagos-Kano and Calabar-Lagos rail lines, respectively, is counterpart funding to support the Chinese financing for the projects.

“These projects are part of the Strategic Implementation Plan of the government which was disclosed by the Minister of Budget and National Planning at the National Economic Council Retreat in March 2016, in the presence of state governors.

“They were also mentioned by the Vice President last week in Lagos at The Nation Newspaper’s First National Economic Forum.

“It is hoped that with this clarification, the raging controversy over the Calabar-Lagos rail project will be put to rest.”

No going back — Senate

Meanwhile, the Senate,yesterday,said that in spite of protest by the executive over alleged non-inclusion of the N60 billion Lagos-Calabar coastal rail project in the 2016 budget, it would not revisit the budget.

Instead, the Red Chamber asked President Muhammadu Buhari to prepare a detailed supplementary budget capturing the project and submit before it for consideration.

The Senate, which took the decision during its closed-door session, shortly after resumption of plenary, insisted that the President must sign the budget as passed, thus giving indication that the legislature might override the President if he vetoed the bill as passed by NASS.

The closed-door session where the resolution was taken, was clouded in heated arguments as some senators of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, insisted on capturing the Lagos-Calabar rail project in the budget, while those from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stood firm that the President must assent the budget and later submit the project in a supplementary budget.

Vanguard gathered that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who presided over the one-hour long session, upheld the latter due to overwhelming support for it.

Addressing newsmen later, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdullahi Sabi, said senators during the closed session resolved that the President should assent to the budget as passed and include things left out in the main budget in a supplementary budget.

He insisted that the project, contrary to the position of the executive that it was captured in the budget, was not included and asked the executive to stop instigating Nigerians against the legislature which, according to him, has done so much in the budget to ensure dividends of democracy were speedily delivered to them.

He said: “I know very well that the last one week has been full of the language you guys have already crafted ‘controversy’, even though for us, there is no controversy.

“Like you will recall, I issued a press statement yesterday (Monday), on behalf of the Senate to make our position very clear with respect to the issue of the budget. And let me make it very clear that we issued that statement simply to clarify the situation and not to confront any authority or threaten anybody.

“We are a democratic institution and whatever we do, we remain guided by the grund norm of the country which is the constitution.

“Today, we have resumed plenary, having come back from our recess and, of course, we went into executive session, which is the normal practice, to welcome one another and discuss issues that we believe pertain to the burning issues on ground, in this case, the issue of the 2016 budget and the smooth workings of the Senate and the National Assembly.

“Now, what we issued yesterday (Monday) remained our position. Today, all we did was to confirm what exactly are the true pictures of these situations and in my capacity as spokesman of the Senate, I did not go to press with falsehood.

“I have to verify my facts. I have to get my facts and to speak on this facts; and I think we have made that point very clear and we would definitely remain guided by the tenets of the Nigerian Constitution as we did whatever we were supposed to do.

“Now, one thing that is obvious is that yes, we have passed the budget, Nigerians are asking what next for us? What is important now is for the budget to be signed.

“The constitution has taken note of this kind of scenario where you may have omissions or shortfalls of allocations and Section 81 of the Constitution is very clear on what you need to do, which is to sign the budget and then submit a supplementary appropriation.

“I want to assure you that the Senate is not unmindful of the cries of Nigerians. That we said, for example, that the Lagos-Calabar rail project was not in the budget does not in any way undermine the fact that it is a very, very important project for this nation to embark on.

“So, the National Assembly, the Senate is open if the executive brings a supplementary appropriation with respect to these and any other issue that they feel very strongly about. We are ready and willing to consider such.

“But the most important point to note is that we want to remain guided by the provisions of the constitution.

“I think if we do that, all these raging controversies will be off our back and we can all concentrate and begin the process of implementing the 2016 budget so that those dividends of democracy – youth unemployment issue, the empowerment of women, the social intervention programme, the infrastructure programmes, the agricultural programmes – are treated.

“The rains are already here and all the other projects that we know will kick-start the Nigerian economy can begin to be implemented.”

He said having passed the budget, “we are moving into the second phase of our responsibility, which is oversight.

“So we want to appeal to Nigerians that the Senate is committed to doing its work diligently. It is committed to listening to the yearning of Nigerians and to do what is right.”

However, members of the House of Representatives kept sealed lips on the controversy yesterday.

It was expected that the matter would have been discussed at plenary, especially as it concerned the bashing the National Assembly has received since the information of alleged “removal” of the project was made public, but non of the lawmakers raised the issue.

Even when the chairman of Appropriation Committee, Abdulmunin Jibrin, on two occasions approached the speaker, Yakabu Dogara, on the need for the issue to be raised, nothing was said about it.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/fg-defends-amaechi-says-project-captured-in-budget/

Dangote Should Be Lauded For Creating Jobs For Nigerians – Oshiomhole

Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole has lauded the aggressive investment drive of the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, noting that without his resolve to build industries and employ Nigerians, so many youths would have been jobless.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of six million metric tonnes Dangote Cement’s new plant in Okpella, Edo State, Oshiomhole said Nigerians would be forever grateful to the industrialists for helping to reduce the unemployment rate in the country.

Dangote Industries Limited is the largest employer of labour in the country outside the federal government.

The new plant in Okpella, Edo State is also expected to employ over 50,000 youths, both directly and indirectly in the next 18 months.

Oshiomole said: “Dangote is a special breed. He is an enigma that has done so much for the youth of this country. He should be lauded for doing so much to develop our youth and put food on the table of thousands of Nigerians. For us in Edo State, we are grateful and will continue to be grateful for this huge investment”  Noting that the investment was equivalent to the total capitalexpenditure deployed in the state since he assumed office over seven years ago, he urged other businessmen and women to emulate the investment drive of Dangote, saying that this was the only way the country would grow from strength to strength and create job opportunities for the nation’s teeming unemployed youths.

“Over the next 26 months, cement will be rolling out of the facility and I want to say that this investment would not have been possible without peace and confidence in the state,” Oshiomhole said.

The new 6 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity cement plant is coming on the heels of similar arrangement for another 6 million metric tonnes per annum capacity cement plant in Itori, in Ogun State where the company is currently running a 12million MTPA cement plants at Ibese, in Yewa division of the state.

By this investment, Dangote’s production capacity will go up further to 41million MTPA, in Nigeria alone. In his remark, Aliko Dangote said he would never shy away from investing in Nigeria saying Nigeria still remained the best place to invest in the world.

According to him, “a key factor that drives investments in an economy is the presence of an investor-friendly business climate. Indeed, Edo State today, is one of the most attractive investment destinations in Nigeria.

“The economic reforms in Edo State especially in the area of tax, innovations in rural finance and investment on infrastructure, have produced an enabling environment that has further provided a platform for future growth. All these factors made us consider investing in the state.

[Leadership]

DG NYSC on Delayed Corp Members Allowance.

My dear Corps members,

l sincerely regret the late payment of your March allowance. For avoidance of doubt, your allowances do not come to the NYSC as the scheme has no account.

Once it is approved by the Federal Ministry of Finance, it goes to the Central Bank account from where it is disbursed directly to Corps members account.

It is the beauty of the Treasury Single Account and that explains why you get the whole allowance in full without any charges.

As at now, we are liaising vigorously with the Ministry so that fund is released to the CBN GIFMIS account and once it is done, it takes us just minutes through the online platform to remit straight to all the 244,532 Corps members in service. We are equally mounting pressure on the Ministry to ensure that the April allowance for 2015 Batch A and the outstanding one month allowance for Stream 2, Batch A 2015 is also paid as quickly as possible. It has become necessary to explain this so as to clear the erroneous believe that the Scheme is holding Corps members allowance.

Please just exercise patience as this will be resolved in a couple of days.

God bless you!

Brig Gen Olawumi, DG NYSC.

Senate to Presidency: Enough is Enough, Stop Setting the People Against Us!

Press Release
April 11, 2016

The Senate today (Monday, April 11) advised the Presidency to come clean with Nigerians on the 2016 Budget and stop engaging in surreptitious campaigns of calumny against the Senate in order to cover up its serial errors.

Reacting to claims in the media credited to the Executive arm of government on the 2016 budget,  Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, in a statement in Abuja, said the National Assembly had bent backwards to wring a coherent document out of the excessively flawed and chaotic versions of the budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly.

He said : "while the executive is mandated to prepare and lay before the National Assembly a proposed budget detailing projects to be executed, it should be made clear that the responsibility and power of appropriation lies with the National Assembly. If the presidency expects us to return the budget proposal to them without any adjustments, then some people must be living in a different era and probably have not come to terms with democracy."

"We make bold to say however, that the said Lagos-Calabar rail project was not included in the budget proposal presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari and we challenge anyone who has any evidence to the contrary to present such to Nigerians."

Since the beginning of the 2016 budget process, it is clear that the National Assembly has suffered all manners of falsehood, deliberate distortion of facts, and outright blackmail, deliberately aimed at poisoning the minds of the people against the institution of the National Assembly. We have endured this with equanimity in the overall interest of Nigerians. Even when the original submission was surreptitiously swapped and we ended up having two versions of the budget, which was almost incomprehensible and heavily padded in a manner that betrays lack of coordination and gross incompetence, we refused to play to the gallery and instead helped the Executive to manage the hugely embarrassing situation it has brought upon itself; but enough is enough."

"This latest antics of this particular minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is reckless, uncalled for and dangerously divisive. Apart from setting the people of the southern part of the country against their northern compatriots, it potentially sets the people against their lawmakers from the concerned constituencies and sets the lawmakers against themselves. This manner of reprehensible Mischief has no place in a democracy. We hereby demand from Mr. Amaechi a publicly tendered apology if he is not able to show evidence that the Lagos-Calabar road project was included in the budget. Otherwise, he should resign forthwith.

"Finally, by the provision of Section 81 (4) (a) and (b) of the constitution, the President is allowed to sign the budget and kick-start the implementation of the other areas that constitute over 90 percent of the budget where there is agreement between both arms, even as we engage ourselves to resolve the contentious areas, if there were any. We therefore maintain that even this contrived discrepancies are not sufficient excuse not to sign the budget into law."

"We therefore urge President Buhari to sign the 2016 budget without any further delay. For every additional day that the president withholds his assent from the bill, the hardship in the land, which is already becoming intolerable for the masses of our people gets even more complicated. Certainly, as primary representatives of the people we shall not vacate our responsibility and watch the people continue to suffer unduly."

Signed

Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi

Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs

#PanamaPapers: Head of Transparency International in Chile resigns

The president of the Chilean chapter of Transparency International has resigned after he was alleged to be involved with secret offshore companies exposed in the #PanamaPapers.
Though Gonzalo Delaveau was not accused of any wrongdoing, the leaks throw some doubts into his role as the head of an organization that spearheads openness in government and highlights corporate corruption.

Suspected Fulani herdsmen attack Olu Falae again, kill security guard

There is disquiet in the Obaile residence of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olu Falae, following a second attack on his farm by a group of 10 men, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen last Sunday.

PREMIUM TIMES  gathered that during the attack, the hoodlums went away with one of the security guards at the farm.

It was learnt that men of the Ondo State police command later found the guard dead on Thursday in a pool of water a few kilometers from the farm after several days of search through the forest.

Although the police was immediately alerted on the development, the matter was handled discretely by both the police command and the Falae family.

A source told our correspondent that members of Mr. Falae’s family deserted their homes at Obaile for fear of an attempt on their lives.

Mr. Falae was first attacked  and kidnapped by the herdsmen in October last year, and was only released after his family paid N5million to his abductors.

Those involved were later arrested and are facing trial at the High Court in Akure.

The identity of the dead security guard, who is said to be a member of the O’odua Peoples Congress, is yet to be ascertained.









Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Joseph, when contacted Friday, would not confirm the incident, saying the Commissioner of Police, Hilda Harrison, would brief journalists on the matter “very soon.”

He said he could not speak on the matter as the police was yet to put together all the details regarding it.

The Police Commissioner actually called a press conference earlier on Friday but had to call it off for reasons yet unknown.

PREMIUM TIMES further learnt that immediately after the press conference was called off, the police boss went into a crucial meeting with the state governor, Olusegun Mimiko, at the government house.

The Personal. Assistant to Mr. Falae, Moshood Raji, when contacted, would not give details, saying it was a criminal matter being handled by the state Police Command .

Mr. Raji said he could not comment on the development because the police were still investigating the matter.

Our correspondent made several calls to Mr. Falae’s telephone but he did not answer or return the calls.

He also would not respond to a text message sent to him on the matter.

#PanamaPapers: I won’t resign, Senate President, Bukola Saraki says

Embattled Senate President Bukola Saraki on Friday said he would not yield to growing calls from Nigerians that he should step down amid growing corruption scandals.
Mr. Saraki said those calling for his resignation were being sponsored by politicians who had always opposed his leadership since he emerged Senate President last June,
He added that his detractors were trying to circumvent the country’s judicial system.

THE STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE 2016 BUDGET ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA

We acknowledge the pains you face and are concerned about them.

There are a multitude of things that require decisive action. We are taking action and in due course they will produce satisfying outcomes. Our determination is firm and unrelenting.

Consequently, I am pleased to share President Muhammadu Buhari's strategic implementation plan for the 2016 budget.

This Strategic Implementation Plan articulates 6 thematic Strategies and 33 priority actions which will constitute the short-term priority of the Federal Government over the next 12 months.

1. Lasting Changes in the Policies, National Security and Governance.

● Achieve an Appropriate Foreign Exchange Regime

● Increase low interest lending to the Real Sector. We will need to move toward a single digit interest rate.

● Maintain Capital Spending in the Budget at a minimum of 30%. Complement this with funds from the Infrastructure Fund for commercial projects

● Intensify the Implementation of Public Financial Management Reforms to Grow Revenues and Cut Costs.

● Maintain Sustainable Debt Management Strategy.

● Introduce Fiscal Incentives to Improve Collections

● Intensify the Fight Against Corruption by increasing Transparency, Accountability and Compliance with Law and Order

● Intensify Public Procurement Reforms in Projects to obtain Value for Money and cut costs.

● Sustain the Fight Against Insurgency, Kidnapping and Other Violent Crimes, Terrorism, Cyber-Crimes, Piracy, Oil Theft and Illegal Mining Activities.
Intensify the reorientation of the populace through Integrity Campaigns

2. Diversify the Economy by Fast-tracking Industrialization, Agriculture and Agro-Allied Processing, as well as attracting investment into the Solid Minerals, Tourism and Entertainment Sectors

● Implement Measures to Achieve Self-Sufficiency & Become Net Exporters of certain agricultural Items:
Rice-2018,
Tomato Paste-2016,
Wheat-2019.
Increase local production of maize, soya, poultry & livestock, so as to achieve self-sufficiency: deadlines to be announced in due course.

● Revitalize and Expand Agro-Allied Processing to intensify local production and processing of cassava, cocoa, cashew, fruits and sesame seed

● Utilize 5,000 hectares of Irrigable Land in the 12 River Basin Development Authorities and utilize 22 Dams for Commercial Farming activities by prospective investors

● Develop Dadinkowa, Gurara and Oyan  dams with 82.5 MW capacity contribution to the National Grid.

● Adopt and Implement a Roadmap to Stimulate Investment into the Solid Minerals sector, and plug Revenue Leakages in the Sector

● Implement the National Industrial Revolution Plan and Launch the ‘Made in Nigeria’ Campaign

● Increase Manufacturing Capacity through the operationalization of Industrial Parks, Free and Export Processing Zones, etc.

● Enhance support facilities to provide increased financial, technical assistance, networking and information to new investors and existing enterprises.

● Implement the Roadmap to Increase Private Sector Investment in Culture, Tourism, Entertainment and Sports

● Create high-technology innovation hubs to support growth in the Digital and Technology Sectors

3. Priortize critical Infrastructure, focused on increasing investment in Power, Rail and Roads, etc.

● Optimize the 7,000MW installed capacity and ensure associated infrastructure to Fuel, Transmit and Distribute this capacity.

● Ensure Tariff includes all costs of Transmission, Generation and Gas at new price, and Distribution Company costs required to operate, maintain and upgrade distribution networks.

● Resolve all Issues on Gas Pricing, Tariffs and Payment Assurance. Conclude Roadmap on Gas Development.

● Complete the Kaduna-Abuja and Ajaokuta-Warri Rail Lines scheduled for 2016; commence the construction of the Lagos-Kano standard gauge Line; and finalize negotiations for the Calabar-Lagos Rail Project.

● Undertake the rehabilitation and construction of 31 major Road Projects scheduled for 2016 to restore degraded sections of the Federal Highways network and to Establish Connectivity over a distance of 2,193km (through public works projects, maintenance works, PPP and other interventions)

● Complete the Rehabilitation of 4 Airports (i.e. Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt..

4. Oil and Gas Reforms

● Adopt & Execute a Comprehensive National Oil & Gas Master-Plan (‘NOGM’) as the roadmap for the Petroleum Industry’s Development, Diversification, Privatization & Governance. Adopt & Execute a Roadmap of Gas Development & Flare Elimination

● Set a deadline to be Self-Sufficient in Refined Petroleum Products & become a Net Exporter

● Work with the National Assembly on the passage of a Revised Petroleum Industry Bill (‘PIB’) or Bills to give effect to the NOGM & to resolve Fiscal & Governance Issues of the Sector, & Eliminate Gas Flaring.

● Conclude negotiations to deal with all funding gap issues in the Upstream Sector

5.  Ease of Doing Business

● Move 20 places up global Ease of Doing Business Rankings, by implementing fast track measures for business approvals, acquisition of land titles, etc. (Nigeria is currently ranked 169 out of 189 countries by the World Bank – 2015 Survey)

● Fast-track visa application and issuance processes

6. Social Investment

● Implement Social Intervention Programme and specific Health / Education projects included in 2016 Budget

● Health Sector Interventions including Flagging off the Revitalization of 1 Primary Health Centre per Ward (a total of 10,000 nationwide)

The Social Investment plans include the following:

● Train and deploy 500,000 unemployed graduates as volunteer teachers who would be paid on the job while they seek jobs in their chosen careers.

● Homegrown School Feeding for primary school pupils across the country paid for by the government

● Micro-credit scheme that provides very soft loans to a million market women, artisans, traders

● Creating innovation and technology hubs/ parks on a large scale and skills acquisition & vocational training for over 300,000 non-graduate youths

● Conditional Cash Transfer where one million poor and vulnerable Nigerians would receive N5000 monthly

● Bursary awards for tertiary education students of Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths, STEM.

President Muhammadu Buhari's administration remains committed to economic diversification through import substitution and export promotion.

In addition to this, we will continue to engage the Nigerian people. We will resume Town-hall meetings to explain the progress and address the challenges.

Together, Nigeria will prevail.

--------
Signed by:
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,
Vice President, Nigeria
April 7, 2016

THE STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE 2016 BUDGET ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA

We acknowledge the pains you face and are concerned about them.

There are a multitude of things that require decisive action. We are taking action and in due course they will produce satisfying outcomes. Our determination is firm and unrelenting.

Consequently, I am pleased to share President Muhammadu Buhari's strategic implementation plan for the 2016 budget.

This Strategic Implementation Plan articulates 6 thematic Strategies and 33 priority actions which will constitute the short-term priority of the Federal Government over the next 12 months.

1. Lasting Changes in the Policies, National Security and Governance.

● Achieve an Appropriate Foreign Exchange Regime

● Increase low interest lending to the Real Sector. We will need to move toward a single digit interest rate.

● Maintain Capital Spending in the Budget at a minimum of 30%. Complement this with funds from the Infrastructure Fund for commercial projects

● Intensify the Implementation of Public Financial Management Reforms to Grow Revenues and Cut Costs.

● Maintain Sustainable Debt Management Strategy.

● Introduce Fiscal Incentives to Improve Collections

● Intensify the Fight Against Corruption by increasing Transparency, Accountability and Compliance with Law and Order

● Intensify Public Procurement Reforms in Projects to obtain Value for Money and cut costs.

● Sustain the Fight Against Insurgency, Kidnapping and Other Violent Crimes, Terrorism, Cyber-Crimes, Piracy, Oil Theft and Illegal Mining Activities.
Intensify the reorientation of the populace through Integrity Campaigns

2. Diversify the Economy by Fast-tracking Industrialization, Agriculture and Agro-Allied Processing, as well as attracting investment into the Solid Minerals, Tourism and Entertainment Sectors

● Implement Measures to Achieve Self-Sufficiency & Become Net Exporters of certain agricultural Items:
Rice-2018,
Tomato Paste-2016,
Wheat-2019.
Increase local production of maize, soya, poultry & livestock, so as to achieve self-sufficiency: deadlines to be announced in due course.

● Revitalize and Expand Agro-Allied Processing to intensify local production and processing of cassava, cocoa, cashew, fruits and sesame seed

● Utilize 5,000 hectares of Irrigable Land in the 12 River Basin Development Authorities and utilize 22 Dams for Commercial Farming activities by prospective investors

● Develop Dadinkowa, Gurara and Oyan  dams with 82.5 MW capacity contribution to the National Grid.

● Adopt and Implement a Roadmap to Stimulate Investment into the Solid Minerals sector, and plug Revenue Leakages in the Sector

● Implement the National Industrial Revolution Plan and Launch the ‘Made in Nigeria’ Campaign

● Increase Manufacturing Capacity through the operationalization of Industrial Parks, Free and Export Processing Zones, etc.

● Enhance support facilities to provide increased financial, technical assistance, networking and information to new investors and existing enterprises.

● Implement the Roadmap to Increase Private Sector Investment in Culture, Tourism, Entertainment and Sports

● Create high-technology innovation hubs to support growth in the Digital and Technology Sectors

3. Priortize critical Infrastructure, focused on increasing investment in Power, Rail and Roads, etc.

● Optimize the 7,000MW installed capacity and ensure associated infrastructure to Fuel, Transmit and Distribute this capacity.

● Ensure Tariff includes all costs of Transmission, Generation and Gas at new price, and Distribution Company costs required to operate, maintain and upgrade distribution networks.

● Resolve all Issues on Gas Pricing, Tariffs and Payment Assurance. Conclude Roadmap on Gas Development.

● Complete the Kaduna-Abuja and Ajaokuta-Warri Rail Lines scheduled for 2016; commence the construction of the Lagos-Kano standard gauge Line; and finalize negotiations for the Calabar-Lagos Rail Project.

● Undertake the rehabilitation and construction of 31 major Road Projects scheduled for 2016 to restore degraded sections of the Federal Highways network and to Establish Connectivity over a distance of 2,193km (through public works projects, maintenance works, PPP and other interventions)

● Complete the Rehabilitation of 4 Airports (i.e. Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt..

4. Oil and Gas Reforms

● Adopt & Execute a Comprehensive National Oil & Gas Master-Plan (‘NOGM’) as the roadmap for the Petroleum Industry’s Development, Diversification, Privatization & Governance. Adopt & Execute a Roadmap of Gas Development & Flare Elimination

● Set a deadline to be Self-Sufficient in Refined Petroleum Products & become a Net Exporter

● Work with the National Assembly on the passage of a Revised Petroleum Industry Bill (‘PIB’) or Bills to give effect to the NOGM & to resolve Fiscal & Governance Issues of the Sector, & Eliminate Gas Flaring.

● Conclude negotiations to deal with all funding gap issues in the Upstream Sector

5.  Ease of Doing Business

● Move 20 places up global Ease of Doing Business Rankings, by implementing fast track measures for business approvals, acquisition of land titles, etc. (Nigeria is currently ranked 169 out of 189 countries by the World Bank – 2015 Survey)

● Fast-track visa application and issuance processes

6. Social Investment

● Implement Social Intervention Programme and specific Health / Education projects included in 2016 Budget

● Health Sector Interventions including Flagging off the Revitalization of 1 Primary Health Centre per Ward (a total of 10,000 nationwide)

The Social Investment plans include the following:

● Train and deploy 500,000 unemployed graduates as volunteer teachers who would be paid on the job while they seek jobs in their chosen careers.

● Homegrown School Feeding for primary school pupils across the country paid for by the government

● Micro-credit scheme that provides very soft loans to a million market women, artisans, traders

● Creating innovation and technology hubs/ parks on a large scale and skills acquisition & vocational training for over 300,000 non-graduate youths

● Conditional Cash Transfer where one million poor and vulnerable Nigerians would receive N5000 monthly

● Bursary awards for tertiary education students of Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths, STEM.

President Muhammadu Buhari's administration remains committed to economic diversification through import substitution and export promotion.

In addition to this, we will continue to engage the Nigerian people. We will resume Town-hall meetings to explain the progress and address the challenges.

Together, Nigeria will prevail.

--------
Signed by:
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,
Vice President, Nigeria
April 7, 2016

Thinking of Tomorrow Today By Okey Ndibe

Nigeria political discourse is stuck, rather tragically, in a familiar binary pattern. On one side, there are the bashers of President Muhammadu Buhari; on the other, those who feel duty bound to defend the man at all cost. Between the two groups there’s not so much a debate as a shouting match, a verbal slugfest in which all kinds of indignities and epithets are hurled across a hard, sharply drawn line. The one side mocks the promise of Change that’s all but become a mirage. The other side dismisses the president’s critics as the tribe of the wailing wailers.

The exchange of brickbats has obscured rather than illuminated the true quality of Nigeria’s crisis. In their I-told-you-so posture, some of Mr. Buhari’s critics imply – or even stipulate – that Nigerians should have hired former President Goodluck Jonathan to do a second term. They point to the crippling fuel shortage, the dramatic drop in the value of the naira, the worsening state of electric power supply, and the scandal that was Buhari’s inaugural budget as proof that Mr. Jonathan was – and would have been – better. There’s no question that President Buhari’s administration has been, so far, awful. But nothing in former President Jonathan’s antecedents encourages the conclusion that he would have handled the economic challenges significantly better.

In fact, Nigerians rejected Jonathan for the simple reason that he showed himself hardly capable of handling the country’s crises. Some of Jonathanianapologists insist that he failed because some powerful interests ambushed his presidency. Even if one conceded the validity of that theory, a case can – should – be made that a man who could not marshal the considerable assets of his office to neutralise his sworn enemies had no business seeking to run a country.

The mistake Nigerians made, I insist, was not in handing a resounding defeat to Mr. Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It was in replacing Jonathan and his party with Mr. Buhari and his All Progressives Congress – a patchwork of conflicting interests. As I warned in several speeches and columns before last year’s elections, the APC is ideologically indistinguishable from the PDP. Indeed, a major faction within what coalesced as the current ruling party came from the erstwhile dominant party.

The evidence is that, for all the years he spent running for the office of Nigerian president, Mr. Buhari had little or no vision of the direction in which he intended to move the country. He took more than four months to produce a list of his ministers, and it turned out to be a rather predictable and tepid cabinet. That timetable said something profound about the man and his statecraft. It revealed that here was an analogic president, presiding over a country that should be in digital mode.

President Buhari’s mantra of Change has fizzled, post-election, into effete rhetoric. I doubt that he would sign off on the kind of crude disbursement of public funds that President Jonathan either authorised or seemed helpless to halt. Yet, there is little evidence that Buhari has any inclination to push structural reforms that would lend an impetus to the ideals of transparency and accountability. He seems content to use the same mechanism, as his predecessors to wage war on corruption.

Anybody with a sense of history should already see the hopelessness of that approach. Given the scale of corruption, the ongoing prosecution of a few officials is terribly tokenist. And we have already seen that the accused don’t mind the playing the labyrinthine legal game of interminable motions, counter-motions and adjournments. Buhari would have helped the cause far more profoundly by prescribing a set of proposals: To reform financial transactions, document the ownership of assets, strengthen the judiciary and ensure transparency in the award of contracts.

Last week, Femi Falana gave a poor grade to the Buhari administration in the fight against corruption. The government was far from winning the war, declared Mr. Falana in a keynote lecture he gave in Lagos. He accused the administration of not realising that the anti-corruption battle was not to be won through regular courts. He argued: “Apart from the class solidarity usually extended to politically exposed persons by judges in all capitalist societies, the situation is compounded in Nigeria by judicial corruption and professional misconduct on the part of senior lawyers involved in the defence of corruption cases.” He continued: “Owing to lack of coordination in the trial of politically exposed persons, corruption is fighting back. Painfully, the federal government is on the defensive, as it has failed to counter the deliberate manipulation of the criminal justice system by the indicted looters of the public treasury.”

Mr. Falana was on firm grounds when he speculated that some of the ongoing corruption cases would not be resolved before 2019. According to him: “Even if the defendants are convicted, the cases will be pursued up to the Supreme Court…If the current trend continues, some of the cases will not be concluded in the next 10 years.”

He suggested that the government pursue the establishment of special anti-corruption courts to try all economic and financial crimes. “If the status quo remains unchanged, the Nigerian people and the international community will blame the administration for its inability to secure the conviction of corrupt politically exposed persons with all the evidence at its disposal.”

The absence of new thinking in the campaign against corruption is matched by the Buhari administration’s adherence to ineffectual or failed policies in other areas. The government has yet to outline its programme for the country’s  electric power woes. Nigeria’s educational system is on life support, a machine that continues to churn out many young men and women who, often, are often ill suited for the modernising challenges of the 21st century. Yet, Buhari has yet to articulate a policy that would revamp the educational sector. Mr. Buhari has inherited a country that has no healthcare plan to speak. He has shown no evidence of understanding what must be done to change that dispiriting situation. He has yet to offer a blueprint for the country’s antiquated transportation grid. Nor is there a master plan for the management of waste in urban centers. How about a strategy for turning the Nigeria Police into an effective, technologically savvy crime-fighting outfit? Zilch!

Buhari is trapped in an old, severely limited, aggrandising conception of what it means to be a president. He seizes every opportunity to fly out of his country, even when there are fires to be put out. He sleeps soundly even as Fulani herdsmen turn parts of Nigeria into a killing field. The president and his aides pretend that time is on his side, but the reality is that he is in danger of losing a grip on the political and economic situation.

But what’s even more troubling than the administration’s snooze-mode is that there is little sign that progressive-minded or enlightened Nigerians are thinking seriously about organising themselves into a viable political force in 2019. On social media and elsewhere, those who should be banding together to define a different path for Nigeria are all too busy trading disparaging terms. More disaster lies in wait for all of us if Nigeria’s best and brightest shirk the task of thinking about tomorrow today.

• Please follow me on twitter @ okeyndibe

Bank customers lost N2.25bn to fraudsters in 2015 – CBN

“This resonates firmly with one of the bank’s core mandates, which is, ‘To promote a sound financial system in Nigeria’. This we have achieved with the Nigeria electronic Fraud Forum,” he said.

An assistant director at the CBN, Mr. Sola Agboola, represented Fatokun.

He said that NeFF had also continued in its collaborative efforts aimed at cementing its relationship with law enforcement agencies through a visit to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase.

Fatokun said, “The visit received a huge boost when the Inspector General of Police ordered the immediate establishment of dedicated e-Payment and Card Crime Unit in the Nigeria Police at the request of the bank.

“In the same vein, the Chief Justice of Nigeria was visited by the forum in 2015. This visit also strengthened the forum’s relationship with the judiciary. At the meeting, the chief justice affirmed his commitment to the objectives of the forum.”

The CBN director noted that the proposed Nigerian Risk Information Centre, aimed at reducing bank-related frauds through effective public-private partnerships, was first mooted at NeFF.

“This proposal is currently receiving management’s attention to come to life,” he added.

 

[Punch]