Aso Villa Reads for Wed. 25/11/2020
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The Federal Government has disbursed N3.18 billion to 101,567 employees as payroll support. The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Mariam Yelwaji Katagum, said the payroll support was meant to cushion the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The minister revealed that N30,000 was paid to each of the 94,696 employees, amounting to N2.84bn while N50,000 was paid to each of 6,871 employees, amounting to N343.55mn. [Daily Trust]
A princely sum of N66,000,000 will be won by the best undergraduate teams, academic guides and higher institutions in the Nigerian Content Science and Technology Innovation Challenge (STIC), a competition launched on Thursday by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in partnership with Enactus Nigeria. The competition seeks to motivate and challenge Nigerian undergraduates to imbibe the culture of research and development and apply science, technology and innovation to create home-grown business solutions to everyday problems in the oil and gas industry and different sectors of the Nigerian economy. [NCDMB]
Three Nigerian entrepreneurs have emerged winners in the African Development Bank’s AgriPitch competition. They are Femi Aiki of Foodlocker, Ikenna Nzewi of Releaf and Oluwaseun Sangoleye of Baby Grubz. The competition, according to a statement by Aoudi Alkassoum from the Department of Communication and External Relations at AfDB, offered young entrepreneurs in Africa’s agricultural sector the opportunity to pitch their agribusiness proposals to a panel of experts and investors. Sangoleye was a runner-up in the women-empowered businesses category and went home with $10,000 cash prize; Ikenna was rewarded with $20,000 as a winner in the early start-up category while Aiki got $40,000 for emerging as winner in the mature start-up category. [NIPC]
The Federal Government has set 2022 deadline for the completion of the $1.56 billion (about N6 billion) Lekki Deep Seaport. Addressing newsmen, yesterday, when he inspected the facility, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, compelled the contractor of the project to ensure it comes on stream by September 2022. With Lekki, Bonny and Ibom deep seaport all expected to come on stream soon, the issue of too many river ports with shallow draft would become a thing of the past in Nigeria’s maritime sector. [NIPC]
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Process (NEPZA), Prof. Adesoji Adesugba disclosed on Tuesday, that his agency was planning to establish 15 Medical Free zones in at least 15 states of the federation. The MD according the Head, Corporate Affairs of NEPZA, Martins Odeh, made the pledge, while the President of the Health Care Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Dr Pamela Ajayi, paid him a courtesy call in Abuja. “This project is so dear to our hearts as it is aimed at ending the about USD 1 billion dollar expended on medical tourism annually by Nigerians. Our aim is to bring to Nigeria, some of the best hospitals in abroad that our people spend this huge amount of money to the zone. We are expecting a total of 15 world class foreign hospitals and a handful from within the country that could deliver impeccable services at take-off by 2021. Already we have captured the project in our 2021 budget,” he said. [NIPC]
President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration remains committed to eradicating poverty and enhancing growth and development for women and girls. Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said Buhari gave the assurance in a message to mark the 2020 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. He said his administration had initiated programmes such as: Tradermoni, Marketmoni and Farmersmoni under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme as part of measures to address gender-based poverty in the country. [Vanguard]
The Federal Government yesterday explained that Nigeria’s economic response to the Novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pandemic was largely targeted at saving jobs, protecting businesses, and attracting new investments. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo stated this during a webinar with some French business leaders under the auspices of the Franco-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Prof. Osinbajo noted that part of what the Buhari administration had done in its response to the pandemic was to “build a business environment that will be supportive of domestic and foreign investors.” [Vanguard]
The Federal Government on Monday explained some of the measures being adopted to help get the country out of its current economic recession. Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, outlined these measures while speaking at the 26th Nigerian Economic Summit. She said, “These include taking action to stimulate the economy by preventing business collapse through ensuring liquidity; retain and create jobs through support to labour intensive sectors such as agriculture and direct labour interventions. Undertake growth-enhancing and job creating infrastructural investments in roads, rails, bridges, solar power, and communications technologies.” [Punch]
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