Aso Villa Reads for 4/4/18
Every day, we bring you the best stories the media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria.
Business Day (4 April 2018, page 7) reports that the Federal Government has said that with sustained implementation of the Anchors Borrowers Programme launched on November 17, 2015, Nigeria will achieve self-sufficiency in rice production by 2020. Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, gave the assurance at a media briefing in Lagos on Monday. “The country has never been closer to self-sufficiency in rice, a national staple, than now.” He recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had launched the Anchors Borrowers’ Programme to provide farm inputs in cash and kind to smallholder farmers to boost local production of commodities, including rice.
Deputy High Commissioner of India and Head of Chancery in Nigeria, Shri Subash Chand, has said imports from Nigeria to India increased in 2016 and 2017. As a result, companies in India have promised increased investment into Nigeria. He said that the bilateral trade between india and Nigeria in both years, favoured Nigeria. This indicates that India is interested in the economic growth of Nigeria. Business Day (4 April 2018, page 15) reported this.
The first quarter of 2018 recorded a number of improvements in the economy, over the previous quarter of 2017. Helped by recovering crude oil prices and higher oil production, the economy is seen on a positive path. This is following the return of the economy to positive Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth trajectory after the country exited the worst recession that spanned for five consecutive quarters in the second quarter of 2017. According to Business Day (4 April 2018, page 37), MD of Cowry Asset, Johnson Chukwu, said “Macroeconomic indicators recorded progress in the quarter, as inflation rate moderated, exchange rate was stable, Purchasing Managers Index expanded well above 50 percent and when the expected GDP figures are released, there will be an increase”
The Sun reports that Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, has said that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria. Oduwole said this on Tuesday, during a stakeholder’s sensitisation workshop held in Kano. The presidential aide, who is also the Coordinator of the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat, said government was taking measures to reduce the duration of doing business. She said that the secretariat had made tremendous progress in that regard. According to her, the main focus of the Federal Government is on Small and Medium Scale businesses, as they are the major drivers of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Oduwole said that the secretariat had been able to achieve many things within a short period. “We have been able to achieve some things on starting a business, things such as uploading of forms and just simplifying the process.
Vanguard reports that the Presidential Committee for North-East Initiative (PCNI) and Yobe Government on Wednesday commenced a five-day training of 372 primary school teachers in Damaturu. The PCNI Programme Officer, Mrs Faith Anifowoshe, said that the committee was in Yobe to build the capacity of primary school teachers following the aftermath of insurgency in the state. “We are actually in Yobe State to commence a capacity building of 372 primary school teachers who were disintegrated by insurgency in the North-East. “This will enable children in this part of the country to get the required knowledge after lots of them were forced to abandon their education. “At the end of this programme, we hope the teachers will be better equipped to handle the challenging situation at hand.
Mr Audu Zamuawosayi, the Village Head of Kugbaru, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, says President Muhammadu Buhari deserves an award for improving the country’s agricultural production. Zamuawosayi said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday. He said that Buhari deserved an award for using agriculture as a tool for the nation’s economic development. According to Vanguard, he said that “President Buhari should be given an award for encouraging Nigerians to go back to the farm, where the strength of the nation lies. “Before now, we use to depend totally on crude oil as the source of income for the nation but since President Buhari came on board, he has been able to achieve a lot in efforts to diversify the nation’s economy through agriculture. “If I am given the opportunity, I wound present an award to President Buhari as the `Best Agriculture-friendly President’ our country ever had because he has really galvanised the citizens into going into farming.
The Nigerian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Dr Habbis Ugbada, said on Wednesday that the Nigerian Government had deployed more than 500 Technical Aid Corps (TAC) volunteers in Sierra Leone. Ugbada who stated this in Freetown on Wednesday added that discussions for more volunteers to be deployed in the country were on going. “On the Sept. 10, 2009, Nigeria signed bilateral a agreement with the government of Sierra Leone for the second phase of the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) programme, spanning over an eight-year period. “Nigeria has sent more than 500 volunteers to Sierra Leone in various capacities, thus contributing in no small measure to the development of the host country. “Currently, there are 15 TAC volunteers in the country, serving as doctors and nurses. “Talks are on-going to bring in more volunteers, as teachers, lawyers and engineers for human capacity building.’’ TAC is a Nigerian international cooperation organisation through which Nigeria has been providing expertise support to many African and Caribbean countries for many years. Voice of Nigeria reported this.
In a news report by Tribune, the Federal Government has warned members of the Special Mines Surveillance Task Force (SMSTF) on Illegal Mining against the temptation of compromising the objectives of the assignment given to them by conniving with illegal miners. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Abdulkadir Mu’azu, gave this warning at the opening session of the second phase training of members of the Task force organised by the Ministry held in Jos, Plateau State.
