Aso Villa Reads for Tues. April 13, 2021
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The Federal Government on Monday boasted that criminals were now feeling the heat following its directive on the verification of National Identity Numbers with Subscriber Identification Module cards. In a series of tweets via his official Twitter handle, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, said “On the issue of NIN-SIM verification to fight insecurity, there is no going back. Our priority as a government based on the provision of our constitution 1999 (as amended) Section 14(2)b is security, not just economy. For sure, no going back at all.[Punch]
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has assured engineers in the country that its ministries and agencies will engage indigenous professionals in the country. The President, who was represented by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, commended Nigerian engineers for the diversity of their experience and competence. The President recalled his “Executive Order Nos 5 which directs all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to engage indigenous professionals in the planning, design, and execution of national security projects and maximize in-country capacity in all contracts and transactions with science, engineering and technology components.” [Punch]
The federal government has highlighted some of the secondary benefits of the N140 billion solar power programme that is aimed at providing electricity to 25 million Nigerians through off-grid connections to five million homes. The Minister of Power, Mr. Saleh Mamman, who joined the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the launch of the programme in Jigawa State, recently, said the programme when fully implemented will generate additional N7 billion in tax revenue per annum and $10 million in annual import substitutions.[This Day]
The Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba has revealed plans by the federal government to launch a web application to be christened ‘Eye-Mark’, aimed at empowering Nigerians to report any poorly executed government projects to the government. According to him, the federal government was planning on using technology, So an ordinary Nigerian that sees a road being constructed, but the quality is not good, will take a picture of it, and send it to us, so we know exactly where it is. “Having received this, we will go to the responsible Ministry or Agency and take it up with them. With this, we are no longer relying on just the Monitoring and Evaluation team from the MDA’s, because when you are monitoring yourself, of course you will say you are doing well. [This Day]
The federal government has received the report of the compensatory contracts and other incentives committee on the abandoned $1 billion Kaztec Engineering Limited (KEL) fabrication yard, located in Ilase village, Snake Island, Amuwo-Odofin Council, Lagos State. Submitting the report to the Minister of State, Petroleum, Mr. Timipre Sylva, in Abuja, Chairman of the Committee and Member of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Senator Magnus Abe, described the assignment as sensitive. Members of the inter-ministerial committee were drawn from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), federal ministry of defence, ministry of finance, ministry of justice and the NNPC.[This Day]
The federal government has given reasons the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) is rated by the Presidency as the foremost agency of government at the forefront of government’s job and wealth creation. It said the Fund has done well in assisting government’s efforts to lift the country out of poverty and unemployment. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo, who disclosed this, therefore urged the ITF management not to relent in empowering Nigerians with technical skills, but to train more Nigerians and by so doing etch the name of the ITF in gold.[This Day]
The Bank of Industry (BoI) says it recorded a profit after tax of N35.54 billion for the financial year that ended by Dec. ember 31, 2020, as its total assets hit N1.86 trillion. Its Managing Director, Mr Olukayode Pitan, said in a statement yesterday that the performance demonstrated resilience and strength, and also indicated synergy with the various interventions developed by both the Federal Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as well as other strategic partners. The group’s total assets grew from N1.04 trillion to N1.86 trillion between 2019 and 2020, driven by the successful debt syndication of €1 billion and $1 billion that were concluded in March and December 2020 respectively. [Sun News]
As part of its efforts to promote a safe and sound financial system in the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has ordered all Development Financial Institutions (DEIs), Microfinance Banks (MfBs), Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) and Finance Companies(FCs) to enrol on its Credit Risk Management System (CRMS). This is contained in a circular to Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) by its Director of Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Dr Kevin Amugo, obtained from the apex bank’s website on Monday. According to Amugo, the OFIs are to provide information on all credit facilities, including principal and interest, on the CRMS. He explains that CBN decides to include other financial institutions on the system after recording success with deposit money banks.[Sun News]
Federal Government, on Monday, inaugurated the visitation panels of 25 Federal Polytechnics and 21 Colleges of Education in the country to ascertain the extent to which the institutions have fulfilled their mandate during the period under review. The panels are expected to review the performance of the institutions assigned, in the areas of governance, academic standards, quality assurance, management of finances, and relationship between management, staff and students, and assessment of the condition of physical infrastructures, as well as instructional facilities. Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who inaugurated the panel in Abuja, explained that the Visitation Exercise was not a witch-hunt nor a jamboree for unnecessary and wasteful expenditure, neither is it a law court. [Sun News]
THE Federal Government Monday appealed to the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, to suspend their nationwide industrial action, which has paralysed court activities the country. Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige made this appeal in his office at a conciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of JUSUN.[Vanguard]
Federal Government has reiterated its resolve to prioritize social protection across the country, with the training of over 54 Government functionaries drawn from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Speaking at the 3-day training the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq underscored the importance of capacity building in order to effectively manage, propagate and implement the mandate of the Ministry and various government policies. The Minister who was represented by her Special Assistant (Administration), Mr Kingsley Ngene, explained that the objective was to improve knowledge and provide a deeper understanding of issues regarding social protection to support the strategic position of the Ministry in coordinating social protection programme implementation in Nigeria.[Tribune]
The Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Zacch Adedeji, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in sugar production through the implementation of the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP). Represented by Director Policy Planning Research and Statistics, Hezekiah Kolawole, Adedeji gave the commitment . Adedeji also pledged the council’s readiness to provide policy and technical supports to the new operators by ensuring the immediate take off of the company.[The Nation]
The Federal Government would soon unveil an enhanced salary package and conditions of service for judges in the country, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, disclosed. This, he said, was part of government’s efforts to support the Judiciary to enable it effectively discharge its constitutional duties and sustain the nation’s democracy. Malami noted the Judiciary remains a strong catalyst for sustaining democracy, through its “protection of our democratic principles, such as the enforcement of rules of law, promotion of checks-and-balances, preservation of the principles of separation of powers, and proactive judicial activism become the bedrocks for sustainable democracy.”[The Nation]
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