Aso Villa Reads for 26/08/2020
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday revealed to diplomats from eight countries what his administration will be doing before he exits from office in 2023. President Buhari, who made the disclosure when he received Letters of Credence from Ambassadors/High Commissioners of the eight countries at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, assured Nigerians and the international community that his administration will use the remaining years in office to improve access to quality education, health care and enhance productivity while listing nine priority areas. He said efforts were being made to sustain Nigeria’s position as a profitable investment destination with unequalled incentives in all sectors, especially large market and flexible tax system which investors from various countries can take advantage of. The Ambassadors/High Commissioners who presented their Letters of Credence are: Hocine Latil of Algeria; Luong Quoc Thinh of Vietnam; Dr Benson Alfred Bana of Tanzania; Traore Kalilou of Cote d’Ivoire; Abakar Saleh Chahaimi of Chad; Jamal Mohammed Barrow of Somalia; Brahim Salem El Mami Buseif of Sahrawi Arab Republic and Mohammed Alibak of Iran. According to him, “In our efforts to achieve a realistic domestic and foreign policy, as well as national development, we have identified the following nine priority areas to guide our policy directions over the next few years. Build a thriving and sustainable economy; Enhance social inclusion and reduce poverty; Enlarge agricultural output for food security and export; Attain energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products and expand transport and other infrastructural development. Expand business growth, entrepreneurship and industrialization; Expand access to quality education, affordable healthcare and productivity of Nigerians; Build a system to fight corruption, improve governance and create social cohesion; and improve security for all.’’ [Vanguard]
NTA reports that the Federal Government has approved N10 billion to cushion the sufferings encountered by road transport workers and operators as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. Saraki made this known when the President, Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association (PTONA), Isaac Uhunwagho, led the association’s National Executive Committee and Trustees to visit her in Abuja. She informed the delegation that the fund was domiciled at the Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment adding that the Ministry of Transportation was currently working on the modalities for its disbursement. While appreciating the fact that 90 per cent of Nigerians travelled by road, Saraki stated that the Federal government would soon initiate a master plan that would reform the sector. She therefore solicited the buy-in of all stakeholders in that regard. On challenges operators faced from State governments and other stakeholders, the Minister gave the assurance that she would discuss the issues through the National Transport Commissioners Forum. Saraki said she was also working with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on the concessionning of some routes which according to her was the best way to go to increase government revenue.
The decision by Federal Government to shut down the country’s land borders with its West Africa neighbours over a year ago has boosted agricultural productivity and spur investments in rice production. Since the border closure, Nigerians shifted their consumption preferences from foreign brands of par-boiled rice to locally produced varieties. The situation has also made farmers and millers ramp up their production to meet the ever-increasing demand for rice — key staple in the Nigerian diets. The country’s rice production has increased significantly as shelves of traders across the country are now dominated by local brands of par-boiled rice. “Since the border closure, lots of farmers who have abandoned growing rice have returned and even other farmers are shifting to rice cultivation because the market is there now and it is profitable,” Muhammed Augie, former chairman, Rice Farmers Association -Kebbi chapter said. “Nigerians are now changing their preference to local brands and consuming it more,” Augie said. According to Business Day, data from the Thai rice exporters association shows that Nigeria imported a total of 2,796 metric tons in the half-year 2019 and 1,192 metric tons in the corresponding period of 2020. This indicates a decline of 1,604 metric tons in 2020 when the policy became effective. The resilience that the country has built unwittingly against the COVID-19 pandemic in the area of rice production is a testament of the Anchor Borrowers Programme and border closure policy.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has reiterated its commitment to support the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistic Base (LADOL) to become more productive in its maritime, health, agriculture and logistics operations in Nigeria. Onari Brown, executive director, Marine and Operations of the NPA, made this promise during his familiarisation tour to the LADOL Free Zone together with Fumilayo Olotu, Port Manager of Lagos Port Complex, Apapa. Brown, who expressed satisfaction with the infrastructural development in LADOL, said the Free Zone’s heavy lift capacity makes it a destination of choice. “I am really impressed with what I have seen today, and I think we will be more supportive. Now that I have seen, I think we will engage more and also talk more,” Brown said. Brown, who was particularly happy with the investment in agriculture, noted that food insufficiency is one of the major things that can cause crisis in a country. In this time of COVID-19, he said, Nigerians have come to realise that the country cannot rely on crude oil, and there was need to grow the maritime sector. According to him, throughout the period of the COVID-19 lockdown, when airports were closing down, no country thought about shutting down their seaports and that was what sustained the fight against COVID-19. According to Business Day, Brown however stated that NPA will always be supportive to operators and all its partners to enable Nigeria’s maritime sector develop further.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday, decried what he described as the “terribly slow pace” of justice administration in the Nigerian courts, Punch reported. Buhari, who recalled how it took so long for the courts to decide and eventually dismiss the election petitions he filed to challenge his losses in the 2003, 2007, and 2011 presidential polls, declared that the Nigerian justice system needed an urgent reform. He suggested that the judiciary should put a 12-month time limit on the hearing of criminal cases from the high court to the Supreme Court, while all civil cases should be concluded within 15 months. Buhari spoke at the 60th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, with the theme, “Stepping Forward.” His speech was read at the virtual conference by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN). The president equally lamented the churning out of multiple and conflicting court orders by judges, noting that in the recent leadership crisis that rocked the ruling All Progressives Congress, no fewer than eight conflicting court orders were made by different judges in a space of six weeks. Buhari also proposed a reform of the process of judges’ appointment, recommending that aspiring judges should take tests.
The Minister of Power, Mr Sale Mamman says the 6.15 billion dollars (about N2.373 trillion) recently secured by the Federal Government for the power sector will improve electricity supply in the country. Mamman said this in a statement issued by Mr Aaron Artimas, his Special Adviser on Media and Communications in Abuja on Tuesday. The minister who assumed office on Aug. 21, 2019, was speaking on the occasion to mark his one year in office. Mamman said that he was grateful to the President who had continued to discover and inject new talents into the country’s leadership. According to him, to date, 6.150 billion dollars have been secured for infrastructural development and earmarked for critical projects. Giving a breakdown of the fund, the minister said 3.2 billion dollars was secured from Siemens and 1.6 billion dollars from donor agencies for the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme (TREP). The minister said 1.7 billion dollars was secured from the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Giving a further breakdown of the fund, he said that 550 million dollars were earmarked for the Nigerian Electricity Project (NEP), a rural electrification project being funded by the World Bank and AfDB. Mamman said with the fund, the ministry has begun implementing critical infrastructure to transform a generation, transmission, and distribution of 25,000 Mega Watts (MW) of electricity by 2025. Vanguard reports.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has cautioned Nigerians to stop the consumption of an organic apple and black currant originating from Australia. Prof. Moji Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, who disclosed this, said the products had been certified harmful for human consumption. Adeyeye pointed out that the level of patulin content in the affected fruit juice can induce liver, spleen, and kidney damage. As reported by Vanguard, she added that the toxic level would affect the immune system and causes nausea, gastrointestinal disturbance, and vomiting. She said that the name of the is Pure Tassie, an organic apple and blackcurrant juice from Australia. The D-G implored importers, distributors, retailers, and consumers to immediately stop the importation, distribution, sale, and consumption of the affected fruit juice. She urged members of the public in possession of the affected fruit juice to submit stock to the nearest NAFDAC office. She also called on healthcare professionals and consumers to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of this product to the nearest NAFDAC office through NAFDAC PRASCOR (20543 TOLL-FREE from all networks).
President Muhammadu Buhari expressed optimism that African countries can defeat the coronavirus pandemic, in the same manner, it eradicated the Wild Polio Virus on the continent. President Buhari stated at the formal certification of the Wild Polio Virus eradication in the African region during the virtual session of the 70th World Health Organisation (WHO) regional committee for Africa, at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday. The President in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina said, ‘‘I recall that shortly after assuming office in May 2015, I made a pledge to Nigerians that I would not bequeath a polio-endemic country to my successor. ‘‘This certification is, therefore, personal fulfillment of that pledge to not only Nigerians but to all Africans.” The president further commended the decades of hard work and resilience of health workers and volunteers across the region, Ministers of Health and other stakeholders such as political, traditional, religious, and community leaders who provided the required support and leadership.[Vanguard]
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, yesterday, disclosed that the Federal Government is currently working with critical stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to convert the massive amount of gas being flared in the country to electricity for Nigerians at a cheaper rate. The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, had in its gas flare tracker declared that oil and gas firms flared 475.6 billion standard cubic feet, BCF, of gas in 2019, an equivalent of 47,600 gigawatts of electricity hour. Speaking in Abuja, at the on-going Society of Petroleum Engineers’, SPE, Nigeria Energy Industry Transformation Summit, NEITS, Sylva insisted that the growth of the Nigerian economy is hinged on the constant power supply. According to him, Nigeria has favourable conditions to bring electricity to its citizens at modest costs compared to many other nations, adding that the development of an optimal framework for electricity generation based on natural gas, would create a strong basis for providing electricity to all Nigerians.[Vanguard]
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has said that the various projects being executed by the commission and other agencies under the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMoCDE) have been adding significant value to the digital transformation journey of Nigeria. Danbatta stated this during the fourth phase of the virtual inuaguration of 12 additional digital economy projects implemented by agencies under the Ministry by the Minister, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, which also coincided with the Minister’s first anniversary in office. He commended the Minister for creating a platform for the launch of the various projects executed by the agencies under the Ministry, which has helped to showcase the President’s achievements in leveraging Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to propel the economic development of the country.[The Sun]
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