Aso Villa Reads For Wed. Oct. 05, 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 appointment of a new Postmaster General/Chief Executive Officer for the Nigerian Postal Service, Adepoju Sunday. This was according to a statement on Wednesday by the spokesperson to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Uwa Suleiman.In the statement, it was noted that the appointment was based on the recommendation of the minister, Prof Isa Pantami.[Punch]
The Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, on Tuesday, announced that the NNPC as a corporation grew its profit after tax and assets from N287bn and N15.86tn in 2020, to N674bn and N16.3tn in 2021, respectively. Kyari, who disclosed this, said the 2021 profit was contained in the Group Audited Financial Statement of the oil firm for the year ended December 31, 2021.[Punch]
The federal government has presented a certificate of registration to the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA). Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, presented the certificate to CONUA on Tuesday. CONUA is a breakaway faction of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Ngige also presented a certificate of registration to the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA). The development comes amid a strike by ASUU over the demand for increased funding for public universities, a review of lecturers’ salaries and allowances, among other issues. [Cable News]
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Aminu Umar-Sadiq as the new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), operators of the nation’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). Also approved, is the appointment of two new executive directors, Mr. Kolawole Owodunni, and Mrs. Bisi Makoju. The appointment of Umar-Sadiq followed the expiration of the tenure of Mr. Uche Orji, whose tenure expired on September 30, 2022 after serving two terms of five years each.[This Day]
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will headline the national dialogue on energy transition convened by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the organisation said yesterday. NEITI is hosting the event in collaboration with the Natural Resource Governance (NRGI) and BudgIt Foundation, according to a statement signed by the Head, Communications and Advocacy, Obiageli Onuorah. The event expected to hold in Abuja will discuss the Nigeria energy transition plan, explore the global challenges associated with energy transition and seek ideas from industry experts on managing the risks and opportunities for Nigeria. [This Day]
As part of measures to improve energy access, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has unveiled plans to leverage the Africa Minigrids Programme and also complete part of the 1,994 abandoned rural electrification projects scattered across the country. Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of REA, Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, disclosed this. Indeed, the REA officially launched the Africa Minigrids Program (AMP), a four-year project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria. [Guardian]
The newly established Federal College of Education Technical, located in Isu community in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, will fully commence academic activities for 2022/2023 academic year, by October 2022. Federal College of Education is one of the six newly established Federal Colleges of Education in Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR in 2021. The Provost of the College, Professor Okey Reuben Okechukwu, who announced this, called on prospective students to apply for admission in the college. [Vanguard]
President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration is planning to ensure that at least 10 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have access to soft credit at a single digit interest rate in a proposed small scale empowerment scheme. President Buhari also said the federal government is keen to help MSMEs achieve their full potential and has developed strategic policy interventions, enshrined laws and established institutions to create a supportive business environment for entrepreneurs and MSMEs. Mr Buhari made the remarks yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 17th Abuja International Trade Fair. Represented at the event by the minister of industry, trade and investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.[Leadership]
The Federal Government has taken significant steps to improve Nigeria’s global competitiveness status through the use of Science Technology and Innovation (STI) in order to attract foreign exchange earnings. Indications to this development emerged on Tuesday during the flag of the National Dialogue on the Establishment and Implementation of Technology and Innovation centres for Global Competitiveness and Productivity in Abuja. Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora, who declared the dialogue open, said that STI is key to economic recovery and growth. He added that the economic transformation of the country should be a measure of readiness to move the nation to greater heights. [Leadership]
President Muhammadu Buhari will on Friday, present the N19.76 trillion 2023 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly. Buhari in a letter which was read by the Senate President Ahmad Lawan at plenary, said the budget stands at N19.76 trillion. It will be the last budget to be presented by Buhari as his tenure elapses. Lawan also announced that Buhari will appear personally to address the joint session of the parliamentarians. [Leadership]
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, received recommendations from the leadership of the House of Representatives on the way out of the prolonged strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, led them to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, saying afterwards that another meeting has been scheduled with the president for Thursday. He said the House leadership was in the Villa after a series of engagements with ASUU and having submitted the recommendations to him, which he said the president had accepted its details, he would now be allowed to think things over before taking a final decision. [Tribune]
The Federal Government says it is establishing education quality assurance service units in the 109 senatorial districts of the country to ensure quality education at the basic level. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education David Adejo stated this on Monday in Keffi, Nasarawa state at a 2-Day Conference of Directors, Co-ordinating evaluators of the 36 states and the FCT. Adejo explained that State offices would be dis-articulated into three Senatorial Districts in each state and would be referred to as Education districts with each district to be headed by a director or co-ordinating Evaluator. [Radionigeria.gov.ng]
The Federal Government has launched a CLEEN Foundation’s website to ensure transparency and accountability towards a Tripartite Agreement reached in 2020. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, launched the website in Abuja. Mr Malami, who was represented by the Director, Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, disclosed that the Website was undertaken in collaboration with CLEEN Foundation, a Civil Society Organization, which was responsible for the monitoring of the implementation of a Tripartite Agreement signed two years ago between the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the United States of America and the Bailiwick of Jersey. According to the minister, the clarion call by President Muhammadu Buhari and the global engagement by the Federal Ministry of Justice led to the signing of an Asset Return Agreement with Switzerland and the World Bank, enabling the return of $322 Million in 2017. [radionigeria.gov.ng]
