Aso Villa Reads for 27/08/2020
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the commencement of a nationwide mass-metering programme as part efforts to put an end to estimated and arbitrary billing for electricity, The Sun reports. Prof. James Momoh, Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said the president’s directive was in response to yearnings of Nigerians. According to him, the president also approved a waiver of the import levy on meters, so that those that do not have meters can be supplied as early as possible at reasonable costs. Momoh urged the public and all stakeholders in the power sector to disregard any reports of an arbitrary tariff increase affecting Nigerians. He said that measures had been put in place to protect the poor and vulnerable in cases of tariff reviews. The chairman explained that tariff reviews would only follow service-based principles.
President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has committed a whopping sum of $1million to the renovation of Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja. This is contained in a statement by the media office of the Sports Minister yesterday. According to the statement, the Minister thanked Alhaji Aliko Dangote for responding to the call to restore the edifice. After months of discussions, planning and processing, that promise has come to fulfillment today with the kick –off of the project… the football pitch will be getting the long overdue face- lift it deserves.’’ Dare commended Alhaji Dangote and his group for believing in the vision of the Ministry by agreeing to partner with it to restore the fading glory of the edifice. The Minister further asserted: ‘This landmark event reinforces my faith in the public-private sector partnership in line with Government’s efforts at delivering on our mandate. Government alone cannot fund sports and maintain facilities we need more private corporations to take a cue from what Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chief Adebutu Kessington have done in supporting our drive to renovate and maintain our facilities for use by our athletes and to play host to international events. While urging Messrs. Aron Nig. Ltd, the Contractor to move with the speed of light, Mr. Dare said government had imbibed a proper maintenance culture to guarantee that the huge sum spent on these projects are not wasted.[The Sun]
Punch reported that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday, rejoiced with Nigerian-born Kaycee Madu who was reappointed Minister of Justice and Solicitor General for the Government of Alberta in Canada. Buhari’s congratulatory message was contained in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina. The statement was titled “President Buhari congratulates Nigerian born Kaycee Madu appointed Minister of Justice in Alberta, Canada.” Adesina quoted the President as describing the development as “landmark and historic”. The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari rejoices with Nigerian born Kaycee Madu, appointed Minister of Justice and Solicitor General for the Government of Alberta, in Canada. “Madu makes history as the first African born provincial Minister in Canadian history and is also the Provincial Secretary and Keeper of the Great Seal of the Province of Alberta. President Buhari describes the honour as ‘landmark and historic,’ saying it once again pedestals people of Nigerian descent as go-getters, who distinguish themselves in different walks of life. The President says as the first Black Justice Minister and Solicitor-General in Canada, Madu has written himself into history books, and urges Nigerians, both at home and abroad, to remain good ambassadors of their country.”
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has approved the appointments of chief executive officers for nine government agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Information and Culture. The appointments include those of Mr Buki Ponle as the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria; Prof. Sunday Ododo as General Manager/CEO, National Theatre; and Mr Francis Nwosu as the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Press Council. Mr Segun Adeyemi, spokesman for the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this in a statement on Monday. The statement was titled, “President Buhari appoints CEOs for Federal Ministry of Information and Culture’s agencies.” It added that the appointments would effect from September 1, 2020.[Punch]
The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the payment of N722.3m to eight field forensic auditors engaged to audit 12,000 projects embarked upon by the Niger Delta Development Commission in states. While the names of the remaining auditors were not given, Ernst and Young was named as the firm that would be in charge of programmes and activities at the headquarters of the commission in Port Harcourt and help set up modalities to avoid future fraud. Punch reported that the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, disclosed these to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting of the council presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). Akpabio was joined at the post-FEC meeting press conference by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed; and the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu. Activities of the NDDC have been subjects of investigation by the National Assembly lately, especially as they concerned payments for projects that were abandoned by contractors. Akpabio said the auditors, to be paid directly from the Presidency, would examine 12,000 abandoned projects scattered across all the Niger Delta states. He said the eight auditors would be joining the lead forensic auditor appointed in March.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is weighing the option of creating a special Open Market Operation (OMO) auction for foreign investors with the hope that it lures in badly-needed foreign exchange, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The plan was discussed during the weekly committee meeting between the CBN governor and senior bankers on Tuesday. The special one-year OMO, which is essentially a debt instrument issued by the CBN, will yield between 4–5% and will be settled in dollars at the delivery date rather that the usual practice of settling in naira through Non-deliverable forwards, the sources, who do not want to be name, as the discussions have not been made public yet, said. “It was initially proposed by one of the banks and the CBN is currently weighing the option as a way to attract dollar inflows,” one of the sources said.[Business Day]
The federal government on Tuesday said it is now pursuing a full private-sector-driven Digital Switch Over (DSO), a transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting, to ensure it’s sustainability as it re-starts the process after its last roll out in 2018. Lai Mohammed, minister of information and Culture said there will be no more subsidies, either of Set Top Boxes or of Signal carriage, while disclosing that government is looking for funds to settle outstanding debts. The Minister, who stated this in Abuja at a meeting with stakeholders in the DSO Project, stressed that the process must be self sustaining. Mohammed said he is working with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning as well as the Federal Executive Council as part of efforts to secure the funds to re-start the process, which has been stalled since the last rollout in Osogbo, Osun State, in February 2018. The Minister further informed that the ministry has started the process of implementing Audience Measurement, which will go a long way in driving advertising spend to the DSO platform, thus helping the channels to fulfill their obligations to the Signal Distributors.[Business Day]
In an effort aimed towards ensuring the safety of the aviation industry in Nigeria, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have formed partnership to further increase the air record. The two agencies in Abuja on Wednesday jointly inaugurated an 11-man committee that would review the NCAA’s response to safety recommendations issued by AIB on accidents, serious incidents and continuous operation of the State Safety Programmes (SSP) and ensured that the agency’s recommendations are implemented. A statement by Mr. Tunji Oketunbi, the General Manager, Public Affairs, AIB, quoted Engr. Akin Olateru, the Commissioner of the bureau as saying that the committee would also consider any other areas of cooperation that would improve safety of aircraft operations in Nigeria. He emphasised that the committee would also coordinate activities with regards to aviation occurrences, respect for the mandate and responsibilities of each organisation, effective and efficient exchange of information and data amongst others. Olateru explained that both government agencies nominated five representatives each to the committee, while one representative was nominated by the Federal Ministry of Aviation. The AIB helmsman stated that the two agencies had worked together to ensure effective discharge of their duties in establishing and promoting higher levels of safety.[Blueprint]
To sign up for our Newsletter, click HERE.
