Aso Villa Reads for 05/02/2020
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The United States has announced an additional 40-million-dollar (N14 billion) aid to Nigeria to address the humanitarian crisis arising from decades of the Boko Haram insurgency. The Secretary of State, Mr Mike Pompeo, who made the announcement in Washington DC on Tuesday, said this was in addition to nearly 350 million dollars (N122.5 billion) provided in assistance by the US last year. Pompeo spoke during a joint media briefing with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, after the US-Nigeria Binational Commission meeting hosted by the Department of State. “The foreign minister (Onyeama) and I also discussed today the massive humanitarian crisis that the conflict with Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa and other religious and ethnic violence. Punch reports.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, says following Federal Government’s effort to encourage local production, Nigeria may stop fish importation in 2020. According to Punch, the minister made this known while receiving a delegation from the National Fish Association of Nigeria led by its National President, Dr Gabriel Ogunsanya in Abuja on Tuesday. Nanono said the time had come for Nigeria to look inward to tap into the huge potential in fisheries and aquaculture for local consumption and export. He noted that measures were already been put in place by the government to actualise the plan.
According to Vanguard, the Federal government has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to immediately revise the Policy on SIM Card registration and usage. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami gave the directive through a statement signed by his Technical Assistant, Information Technology, Dr. Femi Adeluyi on Wednesday. With this directive, the updated Policy from NCC is expected to include the following provisions, amongst others: ensure that the National Identity Number (NIN) becomes a prerequisite for Nigerians registering new SIM cards (while for foreigners, their passports and visas should be used), while already registered SIM cards are to be updated with National Identity Number (NIN) before 1st December, 2020; ensure that only fully accredited agents support the SIM card registration process without pre-registering SIM cards themselves, while the eventual registration should be done by the operators; there should be a maximum number of SIM cards that can be tied to a single individual, possibly a maximum of 3; ensure that no unregistered SIMs are ever allowed on mobile networks; ensure that subscribers can easily check the number of SIM cards registered to their name, along with the associated phone numbers and networks.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said on Wednesday that its Air Task Force (ATF), Operation Lafiya Dole, has launched Operation Rattle Snake 3 against terrorists’ elements in the Northeast of the Country. The Air Interdiction Operation, which commenced Tuesday, 4 February 2020, will target selected locations within the Northeast in order to further degrade the remnants of the terrorists as well as deny them freedom of action. Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, Director of NAF Public Relations and Information said, “On Day One of the Operation, air strikes by NAF attack aircraft resulted in the destruction of an Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) hideout as well as the neutralization of some of their fighters at Tongule in the Lake Chad area of Northern Borno State. “The air strikes were executed following series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, indicating that ISWAP fighters were harboured in some buildings at the southern edge of the settlement. “Accordingly, the ATF dispatched its fighter jets to engage the location, scoring accurate hits on the designated target leading to the destruction of the structures and the neutralization of some of the terrorists. Vanguard reported.
Nigeria has commenced the implementation of 79 classes of visas under the new Visa Policy, aimed at attracting innovation, specialised skills and knowledge from abroad to complement local capacity, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday. As reported by Business Day, the policy will enhance Nigeria’s visa on arrival which came into effect in January this year to pave the way for realizing gains from the recently signed African Continental Free Trade Area deal. “The implementation of the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 will support the attainment of a globally competitive economy for Nigeria by building on the efforts of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council,” Buhari said.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has given indications that the United States Government may lift its visa ban on Nigeria in about a month’s time. Onyeama made the disclosure on the sidelines of the 5th Nigeria-United States Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Washington DC, United States. Following the ban, President Muhammadu Buhari immediately set up a committee to look into the issues that led to the issuance of the ban on immigrant visas to Nigerians. In line with the presidential directive, Onyeama said that the Nigerian Government has taken serious steps to address issues raised by the United States in issuing the visa restrictions. Onyeama stated that after productive deliberations on the visa ban, the United States Government assured Nigeria that it was possible to lift the ban if the Federal Government resolved the issues in one month. Sun News reported.
