Aso Villa Reads For Mon. April 4, 2022
Every day, we bring you the important stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the implementation of NIN-SIM Policy and directed Telephone companies (Telcos) to bar all outgoing calls on unlinked cell phone lines from April 4. Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Mr Kayode Adegoke, Head, Corporate Communications, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) said this in a joint statement on Monday in Abuja. [Guardian]
The Nigeria Navy on Friday launched a special operation to stop oil thieves from further sabotaging the nation’s oil and gas installations. Awwal Gambo, the chief of naval staff, spoke at the launch of the operation, codenamed “Dakatar Da Barawo” which means ‘stop the thief’ in the Hausa language in Onne, Rivers. He said about 40 warships, 200 gunboats, five helicopters and its Special Boat Service (Special Forces) and several other units would participate in the three months operation. [Business Day]
Emirates Airlines has made an offer to partner with Nigeria in its quest to establish a national carrier. Special Assistant to Senator Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation, Mr. James Odaudu, stated in Abuja on Monday that the President of Emirates Airlines, Mr. Tim Clark, made the offer during a panel discussion at Dubai Expo 2020. Clark said that Emirates Airlines would be happy to help if assistance was requested of it in starting Nigeria’s national carrier. [Punch]
The European Union has donated an array of security hardware including 30 rigid-hull inflatable boats and forensic equipment to the Economic Community of West African States to tackle maritime crime and other security challenges in West Africa. The equipment, estimated at €5 million, was expected to help security agencies in Nigeria and 11 other coastal ECOWAS states in combating crime and criminality. [Punch]
The Central Bank of Nigeria has said it had disbursed N1.452 trillion to 337 large real sector projects in agriculture, manufacturing, services, and mining under the Real Sector Support Facility as part of the effort to diversify the nation’s economic base. The CBN, Director, Corporate Communications Department, Osita Nwanisobi, who disclosed this on Sunday, during “CBN Special Day” at the ongoing 33rd Enugu International Trade Fair, also noted that N948 billion was disbursed to 4,478,381 smallholder farmers under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme. [Punch]
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said on Saturday that N157bn had so far been spent on the construction of the second Niger Bridge. Speaking at the site after a joint inspection with the Managing Director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Uche Orji, the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Gilbert Ibezim, and other top government officials, the minister said the project was dear to the President as it would be of great benefit to the people of the South-East and other parts of the country. [Punch]
The Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, on Saturday went on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna highway with some senior officers and others intending to ensure adequate security along the highway. Usman assured that there was an adequate deployment of men and assets to protect lives and property along the highway, adding that the route was now safe. [Punch]
The Federal Government says it has disbursed N1.3 billion to 100,000 less privileged and poor households under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme in Katsina State. CCT is a critical component of the FG’s National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) designed to support the poor and vulnerable families, eradicate poverty and enhance wealth creation in the society. [Vanguard]
Towards strengthening relations between the United States and Nigeria, American government has begun an ambitious $537 million consulate project in the Eko-Atlantic City, Lagos. The 10-floor project sited on 12.2 acres is expected to provide an estimated $95 million investment in the Lagos economy and employ approximately 2,500 Nigerians, including engineers, architects, artisans, construction workers and administrative staff, who will learn new technical skills and safety awareness that will boost their capacity in the local labour market. [Guardian]
A new international travel guideline has been issued by the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, removing mandatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing for fully vaccinated visitors and stiff penalties for unvaccinated travelers violating the new rules. According to the ‘Provisional Travel Protocol for Travelers Arriving Nigeria’, issued on Sunday morning by the Chairman of the PSC and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, the new guideline, which takes effect from Monday, April 4, 2022, also prescribes sanctions for airlines that bring violators of the new rules. [Guardian]
