Aso Villa Reads for 03/07/2020
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday, inaugurated chairmen and members of the Federal Character Commission, Federal Civil Service Commission, and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation And Fiscal Commission. The inauguration, which was witnessed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Kwara State Governor, Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari; and some ministers among others, took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Mustapha later told State House correspondents that it is the government’s expectation that RMAFC addresses the shortfall being recorded in the nation’s earnings by mobilising funds from the non-oil sector. On the FCC, he urged the chairman and members to ensure equitable distribution of not only offices but also of amenities as required by law. He said, “The commissions have some constitutional responsibilities because all of them are mentioned in the constitution. That presupposes that the constitution has already provided for them a mandate, especially as we are notching towards the end of the President’s tenure. “We have just spent a year and we have three years to go, but there are many things that we want them to begin to do in terms of re-energising the system. The Federal Character Commission particularly has the responsibility in the constitution which is very fundamental to ensure equitable distribution of not only offices but even of amenities, benefits and welfare to the people of the country.” Punch reported.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammad Nanono, has flagged off the distribution of wet season farming support for improved rice production technologies among rice farmers at Tofai community in Gabasawa Local Government Area of Kano State. A statement by the ministry said the programme was part of the interventions being implemented under the Agro Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support Project. Speaking at the event, Nanono said the initiative would support farmers to achieve improved productivity, enhance self-sufficiency and food security in the country. “We have commenced farmer registration exercise to capture their information, number of farmlands and locations. Also, the beneficiaries will be monitored to ensure effective utilisation of the facility, and mobilise participation in subsequent programmes,” he said. Nanono commended the APPEALS Project for supporting rice farmers in the state, noting that the gesture would go a long way to encourage agricultural activities in the country. As reported by Punch, the minister urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the of fertiliser, seeds and inputs given to them to boost their production capacity.
The Federal Government on Thursday announced that it handed over 19,108 bags of fertilisers to farmers in Kogi State, while 62,129 beneficiaries received money under the Conditional Cash Transfer programme. It was gathered that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, checked the disbursement of the CCT cash, which was for two months. The CCT was approved by the Federal Government under the Emergency Agricultural Intervention Programme for farmers affected by conflicts and flood in 2018 and the National Social Investment Programme. According to Punch, the minister said 19,803 bags of fertilisers would be distributed to farmers in Ofu and Lokoja Local Government Areas of the state. She was quoted in a statement by her ministry as saying, “The total quantity of NPK fertilisers required after verification of the farmers is 114,315 bags of 50kg; 54,900 bags were delivered to the state. “From the quantity delivered, 35,097 bags were distributed to farmers in five Local Government Areas including Kogi (Koton Karfe), Ajaokuta, Igalamela-Odolu, Omala and Ibaji.” She said the fertiliser distribution was the final phase of the Federal Government’s assistance to the farmers to enable them recover from the losses suffered.
The federal government spent a total of N609,134,926,039.42 in debt service between January and March 2020. The data obtained from the website of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Thursday evening, indicated interest on NTBs stood at N111.605 billion; interest on FGN Bonds, N488.935 billion; FGN Savings Bonds debt servicing took N392.794 billion while; Rentals amounted to N 8.201 billion. On a month-by-month basis, January debt servicing was N251. 352 billion; February interests stood at N 158.123 billion; while March debt servicing figure was N 199.658 billion. The DMO had earlier released the nation’s total public debt stock of N 28. 628 trillion, as of March 31, 2020. It consisted of a domestic debt of N18. 641 trillion ($51.637 billion) and external debt of N9.987 trillion ($27.665 billion) The 36 and the Federal Capital Territory owed a total of N4. 106 trillion, as of March 31, 2020. Vanguard reported.
The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has facilitated well over $8billion worth of private investments for infrastructure development across the country. The Director-General, ICRC, Chidi Izuwah disclosed this Thursday in Abuja as he held talks with Indonesian authorities led by Usra Hendra Harahap, the country’s Ambassador to Nigeria on possible partnerships. The courtesy visit was specifically to explore various areas of collaboration between the ICRC and Indonesian private entities on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects. Izuwa told his visitors that Nigeria has, over the last one and a half decade, successfully implemented PPP projects in seaport terminals, silo complexes, hydropower plants and is “currently in the process of procuring private sector partners for 10 selected roads for Tolling, Inland Container Depots/Dry Ports, Truck Transit Parks and hosts of other projects.” He said the Federal Government, through the respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), has opened windows of opportunities for any genuine local and foreign companies interested to deliver public infrastructure and services through PPP arrangements. Business Day reports.
