Aso Villa Reads for Thursday, Mar. 4, 2021
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The Federal Government has approved the sum of 6 billion for the provision of potable water for Gokana, Khana, Eleme and Tai local governments of Ogoniland in Rivers State. Minister of environment, Mohammed Mahmoud disclosed this to State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa. [Leadership]
The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja extended working from home directive for civil servants from GL 12 and below until the end of March. Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), made the announcement in a statement issued by Mr Abdulganiyu Aminu, Director Press and Public Relations, office of the HOCSF. Yemi-Esan said the latest directive was in adherence to the advice of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19. [Leadership]
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has said that 3,000 rural women selected from all the local government areas of Kogi States are to benefit from the federal government’s Special Grant for Rural Women Project. The grant is expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries. [Leadership]
The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the complete reconstruction of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway. With the approval, the government changed the scope of work on the highway from the ongoing renovation to complete reconstruction. It therefore increased the project cost from N155bn, earlier approved for renovation, to N797.2bn reconstruction cost. [Punch]
The Central Bank of Nigeria has given another 12-month extension on the discounted interest rate for its intervention facilities. It said that the role-over of the moratorium on the facilities would be considered on a case by case basis. It disclosed this in a circular on Wednesday to all banks and other financial institutions titled ‘Re: Regulatory forbearance for the restructuring of credit facilities of other financial institutions impacted by COVID-19’. [Punch]
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, will receive shots of AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccines on Saturday. Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this at a State House briefing in Abuja on Thursday. The time scheduled for that launch is 10am. The launch will be conducted by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha. [Punch]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has made good its word, as it has released 50,000 metric tonnes of Maize into the Nigerian market. The Bank’s February 2021 release of Maize in fulfilment of its pledge to reduce the price of the commodity, was done through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) to major poultry feed producers and poultry producers in the country. The CBN facilitated release of the 50,000 metric tonnes of Maize has made an impact as the Maize Market has recorded a reduction in price from N200,000.00 per metric tonnes to about N180,000.00 per metric tonnes. [Vanguard]
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has signed an agreement with OCP of Morocco, for the development of a $1.4 billion plant to produce Ammonia and Diammonium Phosphate, under its Gas Industrialization Strategy. According to the NSIA, “The project is structured to commercialize Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources and satisfy Morocco’s demand for cost-competitive Ammonia.” [Vanguard]
The Federal Government has approved the establishment of dedicated Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) swap centres by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) across all states and local government areas (LGAs) in the country. A statement jointly signed by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), also said, “Approval was given for the extension of the tenure of NIN enrolment agent licenses for MNOs from one to five years in consideration of their satisfactory performance, subject to continuous monitoring.” [Sun News]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), through its anchor borrowers’ programme (ABP), has released 50,000 metric tonnes of maize to major players in the poultry value chain across the country. The apex bank said the release is to forestall the pressure and reduce the activities of intermediaries (middlemen) in the Nigerian Maize market. The beneficiaries of the maize release are Premier Flour Mills, Crown-Olam, Grand Cereals, Animal Care, Amobyn and Hybrid Feeds. Others include Zartech, Wacot, Sayeed Farms, Pandagri Novum, Premium Farms, the south west, south-south, north west and north central chapters of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN). [Cable]
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