Aso Villa Reads for Thursday, April. 15th, 2020
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The Federal Government is currently supporting private developers to provide electricity through solar energy, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said. He disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja by the Head, Communications and Public Relations, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Olufunke Nwankwo. The NDPHC said Osinbajo spoke at the recent inauguration of the 100,000 Solar Home System in Jangefe community, Kazuare Emirate, Jigawa State. The vice president said government was determined to bring power to un-served communities as part of the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan. [Punch]
The Debt Management Office on Wednesday disclosed that the Federal Government would offer N150bn bonds for subscription in April. A circular by the DMO showed that the breakdown of bonds comprised of three bonds worth N50bn each. They are 10-year reopening bond to be offered at the rate of 16.2884 per cent and to mature in March 2027; a 15- year reopening bond to be offered at 12.5 per cent and mature in March 2035; and the third and longest bond which is a 25-year reopening bond to be offered at 9.8 per cent and mature in July 2045.[Punch]
The Federal Government on Wednesday approved the purchase of 427 operational vehicles worth N14.55bn for the Nigerian Customs Service. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the meeting. Ahmed said the council also approved the purchase of patrol boats worth N5.56bn for the service.[Punch]
The Federal Government has reinforced the level of security at the Abuja, Lagos, Kano and other selected airports across the country. Officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria confirmed on Wednesday that the reinforcement was part of measures deployed to tackle any form of attack by criminals. Following the ministry’s directive, additional security operatives from the military were seen at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Wednesday, as our correspondent observed their presence at strategic locations in the facility. [Punch]
The federal government has explained that its National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) was envisioned to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. This is done through the establishment of gas-related outlets that would serve the public when fully realised. NGEP he said was designed to reinforce and to expand gas supply as well as to stimulate demand to Nigeria, adding that the programme had already taken place in Ekiti and Anambra states.In realisation of this objective, the minister said 2020 was declared the year of gas with a subsequent inauguration of a committee on Natural Gas Expansion Programme on January 16th, 2020. [This Day]
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has offered to collaborate with stakeholders in the healthcare delivery sector in the country to enhance quality equipment, machinery and services available in the sector. Ugochukwu Nwachukwu, who represented the SON chief executive said the offshore conformity assessment programme for SON regulated imports (SONCAP) provides a window of import permit for raw materials, equipment and machinery while asking stakeholders to take optimum advantage of it to improve the quality of products offered to Nigerians. [Sun News]
Federal Ministry Of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has inaugurated a 33-man Technical Working Group (TWG) to ensure the effective planning and implementation of the Alternate School Programme (ASP). At the inauguration held in Abuja, the minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, Sadiya Umar Farouq charged the new members to be mindful of the numerous benefits of the Alternate School Programme to the children, their households, their communities and the Nigerian economy. [Leadership]
According to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Federal government has finalized plans to unveil an emergency medical service and ambulance system to provide timely and effective emergency medical service to the citizens. Ehanire made the remarks during a press conference in Abuja. He claims that by reducing delays in physical and financial access, particularly at night, an effective emergency medical treatment service may reduce mortality by nearly half. [Daily Times]
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is optimistic about higher crude oil production following a reduction in oil pipeline vandalism in the country. A report contained in the January edition of the NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR) showed that a total of 27 pipeline points were vandalised in January 2021 down from the 43 points recorded in December 2020. According to Kennie Obateru, group general manager, group public affairs division of the NNPC, the figure indicated a 37.21 percent decrease in cases of pipeline vandalism across the country in the month of January 2021.[Business Day]
The federal government said it made unprecedented reforms in the broadcasting industry because it understands that there is a nexus between the reforms and the success of the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project. The minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this during the Ministerial Taskforce Engagement with Stakeholders in Lagos, said the DSO project would stimulate local content and empower platform owners as well as create jobs for teeming populations, especially the very creative youth population. Alhaji Mohammed restated that DSO is capable of generating one million jobs in three years.[Leadership]
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointments of some prominent Nigerians into key establishments in the education sector. The Director of Media and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Bem Goong made this known on Wednesday in Abuja. Some on the appointment list are; Prof. John Enaohwo as Chairman, governing council of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and Prof. Abdullahi Abba as the Chairman, Governing Council, Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue. [Voice Of Nigeria]
The federal government yesterday faulted a claim by Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, that it printed N60 billion to augment funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) distributed to states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in March.Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, at the end of a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in Abuja, described the claim as not only untrue but unfortunate.[This Day]
As the Federal Government plans to reintroduce tollgates on highways in Nigeria, expectation is high among the citizens that road infrastructure will come back to life for safety and good driving experience. Recently, the government launched what it called Highways Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) whose objective is to attract significant and sustainable investment and funding in the development of road infrastructure in Nigeria. [Business Day Pg 30]
