Aso Villa Reads for 12/3/18
Every day, we bring you the best stories the media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria.
According to a report by This Day, “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved an amendment to the excise duty on alcoholic beverages and tobacco with effect from June 4, 2018. In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, said the new excise duty rates were spread over a three-year period from 2018 to 2020 in order to moderate the impact on prices of the products. According to her, the upward review of the excise duty rates for alcoholic beverages and tobacco was to achieve a dual benefit of raising the government’s fiscal revenues and reducing the health hazards associated with tobacco-related diseases and alcohol abuse.”
“The Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State, is set to commence the admission of students into the university for the 2017/2018 academic year. This was one of the highlights of the meeting of the Niger Delta Inter-Ministerial Committee on Friday, which was called to assess progress on the implementation of the Buhari administration’s New Vision for Niger Delta. A statement by Laolu Akande, spokesman to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said a total of 196 students have so far been accepted into the university to commence their academic programmes, while 76 applications are still pending. Lectures are expected to fully commence later in April. President Muhammadu Buhari has also approved an increase in the take-off grant allocated to the university from the N2bn earlier announced to N5bn.” Daily Post reported.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Sunday disclosed that the nation’s external reserves currently stand at $46 billion, saying the figures are steadily heading towards the $50 billion mark.” According to Daily Sun, “figures obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the weekend indicate that the reserves grew by about $3.2 billion between February and March 2018. The reserves at the beginning of 2018 stood at $39.3 billion, then rose to $42.8 in February before hitting the new high of $46 billion as at the close of work on Friday, March 9, 2018.”
According to Business Day Newspaper (Monday 12th March 2018, Page 8), “the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing says it has achieved 100 per cent compliance in the implementation of local content policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the housing sector. Daminabo Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, the Zonal Director, South-South, National Housing Programme, made the disclosure during a guided tour of 24 housing units of 12 blocks of two and three bedroom flats under the National Housing Programme located at Idumwuehigie, Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State. Oko-Jaja stated that the programme is a Federal Government initiative, and the idea is geared towards the achievement of 100 per cent local content policy of the Federal Government, which means the design is done in-house by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing staff.”
“The Federal Government has commenced a nationwide rehabilitation of hydrological platforms in order to ensure effective disaster risk reduction as part of flood management once the raining season sets in. According to the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, the government is also rehabilitating existing and newly installed gauge stations across the country. NIHSA disclosed this in a document detailing its activities in preparation for the 2018 raining season. It stated that the government, through the hydrological agency, had embarked on the discharge measurements of the country’s trans-boundary waters in Rivers Niger and Benue.” Punch reported.
According to Business Day Newspaper (Monday 12th March 2018, Page 43), “the Consumer Protection Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with the Life Skill Experts are educating school children on financial literacy. Omagbitse Barrow, Project Director, Life Skill Experts at the process briefing held in Abuja recently, emphasised the need for children to receive financial education as early as possible as it is important to their survival in the real world. Francis Okafor, Assistant Director, Investment Education Division of Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), explained that the program aims at tackling financial illiteracy from childhood, to further increase and appreciate the value of money.”
“In a bid to win the war against insurgency in the North-East and other security challenges across the country, the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has solicited for the support of the media. The Director Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, gave the charge during an enlightenment workshop organised for Defence Correspondents in Abuja. He stated that the military and the media can be described as two sides of the same coin as he argued that proper information management was needed to enhance national security, troops’ moral, as well as build public confidence.” So writes Business Day Newspaper (Monday 12th March 2018, Page 43).
