Aso Villa Reads for 02/12/2019
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The federal government yesterday directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to immediately come up with fresh regulations that would promote local broadcast industry and protect it from monopolistic tendencies. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, gave the directive in Abuja when he received the report of the NBC Reform Implementation Committee chaired by Professor Armstrong Idachaba. The minister said the regulations should cover advertising tariffs and production, to ensure that all anti-competitive behaviours are deterred and sanctioned where they occur. He also directed the commission to come up with regulations for the broadcast of content on the internet. Mohammed said the regulations should ensure that those who provide broadcast services on the internet do so with responsibility. He, however, cautioned that the regulations must not in any way gag the press or hinder their universal role of providing valuable information to the citizenry. This Day reports.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of CRC Credit Bureau, Mr. Tunde Popoola, has said the firm has improved access to credit for consumers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Speaking ahead of the company’s 10th anniversary celebration slated for December 11, 2019, Popoola said CRC was licenced and commenced full live operations in 2009. CRC set for itself the vision, “to set standard for financial empowerment and informed decision making,” and a mission “to deliver innovative products and services that enable our stakeholders to make informed decisions and build credible profiles that enhance access to credit for strategic growth,” he said. According to him, the company set as its core objective to generate and supply reliable and accurate credit information on borrowers in the consumer and corporate sectors for permissible purposes only. This Day reports.
The Federal Government has inaugurated the newly-elected executive members of the National Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria (NFAN) urging them to double their efforts to meet production deficit. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, who spoke during the ceremony in Abuja, recently, said government would continue to support farmers to increase food sufficiency in the country. Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Sunday Edet Akpan, Adebayo encouraged them to remain committed as one body and to carry every member along. “The fact that they have gathered themselves and planned their association is great. And with this kind of association whose targets and objectives would increase the production of quality fish to boost export value very soon,” he said. Meanwhile, National President of NFAN, Gabriel Ogunsanya, disclosed that the association would introduce new species of fish, not only to feed the nation, but to create jobs for the youths. Sun News reports.
Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development has reaffirmed the commitment of the ministry to the success of the N-Power ( National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP). Farouq, in a press briefing on Monday in Abuja, said the N-power initiative is one of the four clusters of NSIP that were designed to stem the growing tide of poverty, unemployment and social insecurity in Nigeria. “I have received an initial briefing from Heads of Agencies and Programmes reports to the minister from October 2019. However, on account of technicalities involved, the handing over process is still ongoing. “With regards to recent agitation and outcry against the non-approval of payments of October and November stipends to N-Power beneficiaries, the ministry wishes to reaffirm its commitment to ensuring that beneficiaries have access to intervention. Tribune reports.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) weekend intervened in the retail Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) with $323.5million and CNY 17.9million in the spot and short tenored forwards segment of the inter-bank foreign market. The latest intervention is the bank’s last for the month of November, 2019. Director in charge of Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Isaac Okorafor who made this disclosure, said that the intervention was for requests in the agricultural and raw materials sectors. He also said the Chinese Yuan was for Renminbi denominated Letters of Credit. Mr. Okorafor expressed satisfaction over the stability of the foreign exchange, which, he said, was largely due to sustained intervention by the bank. He assured that the bank management would remain committed to ensuring that all the sectors of the forex market continue to enjoy access to the needed foreign exchange especially during the forthcoming yuletide season. Authority reports.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said N275.12 billion was generated as Value Added Tax (VAT) in the third quarter of 2019. The NBS made this known in its Sector Distribution of VAT for 2019 third-quarter report in Abuja on Monday. It explained that what was realised in the third quarter was less compared to N311.94 billion generated in the second quarter of 2019. The NBS report indicated that N273.50 billion was generated in the third quarter of 2018, representing 11.81 per cent decrease Quarter-on-Quarter and 0.59 per cent increase Year-on-Year. It further explained that professional services generated the highest amount of VAT with N32.09 billion. According to NBS, after professional services, manufacturing is next and generated N30.27 billion, followed by Commercial and Trading with N14.47 billion. Premium Times reports.
