Aso Villa Reads for 11/6/2019
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
Vanguard reports that the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said that the nation’s marine resources are rich enough to sustain Nigeria’s economy just like in most countries with maritime resources. Speaking at the commemoration of the World Ocean Day held in Lagos, Peterside charged Nigerian maritime stakeholders on the need to celebrate the ocean, its importance in the life of the nation, and how economic diversification can be achieved for sustainable growth and development through the maritime sector. He noted that, “like the cyber world which has reduced the real world to a global village, the ocean is global and connects people worldwide, thus inspiring continuing action year-round to protect and restore this amazing resource that we all depend on.” He stated: “Time has come for all hands to be on deck and support the Federal Government’s efforts in taping into the blue economy and develop it to such a level that it can contribute far more greatly as projected”.
The National Consultant, Food and Agriculture Orgnanisation (FAO) of the UN, Dr. Emmanuel Odunze, says Nigeria has huge potential in food security and has enough to export. Odunze said this at the opening of a two-day Step-Down workshop on the Revised and Harmonised Characterisation, Inventory and Monitoring of Animal Genetic Resources tools for Africa in Abuja on Friday. The workshop is organised by the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA). He said that Nigeria had huge potential in food security, all the country needed to do was to harness these potential. He added that “you can see the fertile lands, the genetic breeds, Nigeria has the potential in food security and can even export; government should try more in allocating resources and deploying the right manpower to the food and agriculture sector. Daily Times reported.
According to Vanguard, the Statistician-General of the Federation, SGF, Dr Yemi Kale, yesterday said the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS was collaborating with international partners to conduct a national survey on how corruption was affecting the average Nigerian. Their findings will be published in September. The SGF disclosed at a briefing on the Survey in Abuja. Dr Kale who was represented at the event by the Project Director of the Survey, Dr Isiaka Olarewaju, said the collaboration would be with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the Department for International Development to arrive at the real impact of corruption on Nigerians. According to him, the survey was expected to cover all the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory and would also examine the quality and integrity of public services in the country. The survey which he said was the second National Household Survey on Quality and Integrity of Public Services in Nigeria in 2019, would also involve the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Nigerian Police Force to conduct the survey across the federation.
The general consensus is that in broad terms, transparency leads to greater accountability and often reduces corruption. According to the World Bank, transparency is about publishing information, but it’s also about inviting people in, to use the information in creative ways. Indeed, transparency is a fundamental requirement for the reliability and integrity of public institutions and it helps in promoting public trust and public support. It also guarantees legal assurance and increases the level of legitimacy in decision-making process in public sector. Similarly, transparency in public administration has a great impact in the process of public administration reform and promotes efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness. That is why the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has continued to receive commendation as it continues to take steps in promoting transparency. This clearly manifested in the corporation’s recent recruitment process. This Day reports that the computer-based test (CBT) was the first time such an exercise would take place at the corporation — through advertisement and invitation for written test before oral interview- all being conducted in-house without the use of consultants.
According to This Day, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday at the Presidential Villa, signed the Public Holidays Act Amendment Bill into law. This is as the chieftains of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) urged the president to convene an ethnic nationalities conference on the way forward for Nigeria. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, disclosed this to State House correspondents in Abuja. Enang said that the Act declared June 12 of every year as public holiday and Democracy Day in Nigeria. “It amends the Public Holidays Act which now removes May 29 of every year as a public holiday and now makes it June 12, democracy as a public holiday in Nigeria henceforth. “By this Act, May 29 is no more a Public Holiday,’’ he said. Buhari had on June 6, 2018, declared June 12 to be the new Democracy Day in commemoration of the democratic election of MKO Abiola on June 12, 1993. The Federal Government had earlier on Monday declared June 12, as a public holiday, to commemorate the nation’s National Democracy Day. Meanwhile, NADECO yesterday urged President Buhari to convene an ethnic nationalities conference on the way forward for Nigeria. The chieftains, including former Governor of Lagos State, Chief Ndubuisi Kanu, Chief Amos Akingba and Chief Ayo Opadokun, made the call while addressing journalists in Lagos.
The Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has approved a 10 per cent discount on harbour dues in all concessioned terminals at the Eastern ports, Vanguard reports. Mr Jatto Adams, the NPA General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos said that the discount was part of efforts to increase patronage of the Eastern ports. According to him, ports that will be affected by this initiative are Calabar, Rivers and Delta Ports. “The Authority, however, wishes to clarify that this discount will only apply to harbour dues payable by the following types of vessels/cargoes. “Container vessels with at least 250 TEUs; General cargo vessels with at least 16,000 tonnes; combo vessels with at least 16,000 tonnes; and RORO vessels with at least 250 units of vehicles. “These discounts shall not apply to vessels coming INBALLAST (empty); vessels calling at private jetties; and vessels calling carrying liquid bulk,” Adams said.
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has offered for subscription two-year and three-year Savings Bonds for the month of June, creating an additional investment opportunity for low-income earners in the country. FGN Savings Bond is a fixed-income instrument issued monthly to deepen savings and investment opportunities for the Nigerian populace and diversify funding sources for the government. The bond is also targeted to enhance financial inclusion in the country as income earned from it is exempted from taxes. The Debt Management Office (DMO), which is offering the debt instruments on behalf of the Federal Government, said the two-year tenor would be offered at 11.418 percent per annum, while the three-year tenor would be offered at 12.418 percent per annum. The debt office noted that the two-year savings bond would be due on June 19, 2021, while the three-year savings bond would mature on June 19, 2022. Although the interest rates on the bonds are lower when compared with 11.745 percent and 12.745 percent issued on both tenors in May, they still remain higher than the national inflation rate which rebounded by 11.37 percent in April. Business Day reported.
According to Pulse, President Buhari spoke when he received a delegation from the Italian Parliament led by Sen. Vito Petrocelli, Chairman Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs at State House, Abuja. The Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Stefano Pontesilli, who accompanied the delegation, while conveying the message of the Italian Government had told the Nigerian leader: ‘‘We are willing to cooperate with your administration 100 per cent on illicit assets repatriation.’’ Responding, President Buhari commended the Italian government for demonstrating ‘‘open-mindedness’’ and willingness to cooperate with Nigeria on the issue of repatriation of stolen funds. While acknowledging the good wishes of the Italian government in the aftermath of the Feb. 23 presidential election, Buhari told the delegation that his second term in office would consolidate on the progress recorded in the last four years in the country.
