The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, described as “absurd” the alleged conspiracy and rift in the presidency against Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s roles in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Lanre Issa-Onilu, APC National Publicity Secretary, in a statement, said the speculations started after the setting up of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) comprising some of Nigeria’s most independent-minded economists (some vocally critical of government’s fiscal policies) to advise the President on economic policy matters, including fiscal analysis, economic growth and a range of internal and global economic issues, working with the relevant cabinet members and heads of monetary and fiscal agencies.
It said constitutionally, while the power of the Vice President is derived from the President, critics ignore Section 141 of the Constitution, which spells out the Vice President’s statute membership in the National Security Council, the National Defence Council, Federal Executive Council, and the Chairman of National Economic Council.
“Then, sponsored hogwash reports emanated that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) gave the Vice President N90billion for the 2019 election — a rejected and disgraceful template of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which saw the party deploy public and counter insurgency funds to finance their political activities during their failed 16-year rule of the country”, Onilu said.
“The conspirators are desperately trying to link government decisions on the N-SIPs, which have been under the office of the Vice President since it started in 2016 to support the conspiracies, however mundane.
“In the same October 1 address, the President announced the recent redeployment of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). Was this also to ‘whittle down’ the powers of the OSGF?
“In our respective and collective efforts to support the development of our country, we cannot afford to fall into the superficial in assessing actions of government.
“Since implementation of the N-SIPs in 2016, the programme has impacted over 12 million direct beneficiaries and over 30 million indirect beneficiaries. The SIPs are already gaining global and local acclaims across the globe on account of its nationwide social impact, particularly from endorsement by the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), World Bank, World Economic Forum, Action Aid (Nigeria), Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) among others.
“A question we should ask the conspirators and their partisan sponsors is how did they miss the import of the President’s decision to create a whole ministry to superintend the social investment programmes and humanitarian issues?
“How did they not realise that the President’s action is an indication of the importance he attaches to policies that are targeted at the poor?
“Why does it appear that the so called analysts always do not see things from the point of view of the poor? When policies are targeted at the elites, analysts always seem to see those and understand them for what they are, but choose all the time to see the mundane when policies address issues that bother on the welfare of the masses.
“Warehousing all Social Investment Programmes, such as N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfers, National Home-Grown School Feeding and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programmes (GEEP) under a full Ministry and appointing a substantive Minister with the full complement of civil service structure is a statement of President Buhari’s renewed commitment to pulling millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
“We can understand PDP’s incurable shortsightedness and its leaders’ disdain for the good of the ordinary Nigerians, but we urge a more rigorous and educated critic of government actions from those who have taken on the noble responsibility of reviewing public policies. This is a duty Nigerians expect of the media and the critics.
“The Vice President played a frontline role in the conceptualisation of these policies and programmes and the President, in demonstration of his trust for him, charged him with the responsibility of nurturing the programmes to the current stage. Tremendous successes have been recorded under the guardianship of the Vice President. In demonstrating the administration’s commitment to the cause of the poor, these interventionist programmes have been elevated to the Next Level with the creation of the new ministry.
“The purveyors of the conspiracy theory about the imagined rift in the Presidency have missed the opportunity to see the commendable efforts of this government. Perhaps, if these policies were about the elites, they would have focussed on the positive imports rather than fishing for a crisis that only exists in their fatuous imagination.”
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday arrived Pretoria, South Africa, for a state visit and 9th meeting of the Bi-National Commission.
Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, who confirmed this development in a statement in Abuja on Thursday morning, said the 9th meeting of the commission would for the first time witness participation of the two Heads of State after an elevation.
The Bi-National Commission meeting was elevated to the level of Presidents’ participation, following the strategic position of the two economies in Africa and the need for stronger relations.
Shehu disclosed that Buhari and his host, President Cyril Ramophosa, would co-chair the meeting on Thursday.
NAN reports that the President’s plane arrived in the South African Air force Base, Waterkloof, at 9.10 p. m, and he was received by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor and Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu.
Before the meeting which would be held at the Union Building, both Presidents would discuss issues of mutual interests relating to the welfare of citizens, and expanding economic and cultural ties.
Shehu said the visit would enable more harmonious relations between the two largest economies in Africa, and open up more frontiers of opportunities for prosperity by encouraging more exchange and investments, especially for Nigerians.
Shehu said, 32 agreements and Memoranda Of Understanding (MoU) had been signed at the Bi-National Commission, which would be mutually beneficial to both nations.
He added that the meeting would provide an opportunity to review progress.
“President Buhari is on a state visit to South Africa. While in South Africa, the two leaders will review a number of issues in our Bi-National Commission, including issues that affect citizens,’’ he said.
Buhari would also hold an interactive meeting with Nigerians in South Africa before returning to Abuja.
No fewer than 1,000 pupils of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, have been taken home by their parents after the outbreak of what is suspected to be an infection.
“It is over 1,000 (pupils) now as we speak. See, I cannot talk about what I don’t know. What you have in your palm, you don’t need a mirror to look at it,” the Chairman of the Parents Teacher Association, John Ofobike, told our correspondent on Monday.
The PUNCH learnt that the pupils started falling sick after resuming about two weeks ago.
The school’s sickbay was said to be crowded with pupils, as many were also laid on benches to create extensions.
About two years ago, three pupils of the school died from water-borne infections, which drew outrage from many Nigerians who called for investigation into the crisis.
A parent, who drew the attention of our correspondent to the current situation on Monday, said, “They resumed about two weeks ago. Since they returned to school, the children had been taking exit permit. As of this morning (Monday), 700 pupils have gone home on exit permit. Yesterday (Sunday), the school’s PTA executives went to meet the principal of the school and asked to see the sickbay.
“On getting there, they saw girls on beds; everybody was alarmed. They demanded to see the list of those who had taken permission to leave the school on health grounds. The principal refused to make the records available. Most of those going home were having what has been discovered to have typhoid symptoms. There is an epidemic, but the school is trying to cover it up.”
Another parent, who asked not to be identified, alleged that the school was not fumigated before the pupils resumed.
Our correspondent demanded to know the nature of her daughter’s illness after the victim was taken to the hospital and she said the girl was diagnosed with typhoid and high fever.
The girl, who also spoke to The PUNCH, said although she could not tell the number of her colleagues that had gone home, some of them were affected.
“But I am getting better now,” she said.
The PUNCH obtained screenshots from a forum of parents of the school, where they narrated their experiences after visiting to take their children home.
One of them, who confirmed the 700 figure, said the school principal denied the PTA access to the records.
“The ministry is already in the know of the situation and the figures, nothing to hide. The parents we met there narrated how they have spent their hard-earned money on what doctors described as bacterial infections from food and water,” she said.
Another parent, who claimed to be a public health specialist, said he was called to the sickbay that his daughter was not feeling well.
A parent said as she typed, there were over 40 students at the sickbay.
She said, “My daughter came home with high fever and difficulty in breathing since last week Tuesday as the 95th child. Now 700?”
A parent said if any of the pupils died, they would resort to litigation.
A man on the platform said the reason the parents were being asked to pick their children was because of acute shortage of medical personnel.
“Only one doctor and a nurse attending to over 200 pupils is not ideal. As of 4.30pm when I was there, the doctor, nurse and record woman have yet to have their breakfast due to the workload. They have seen more than 150 students today.”
A parent, who disagreed with the excuse that the rainfall on Saturday was responsible for the illness, pointed out that more of the junior pupils who checked in on Sunday were ill.
A woman shared a photo of the water tank of the school, which she said was just being washed.
The spokesperson for the Parent Teacher Association, Ify Obi-Nwoye, said the federal ministry and the Lagos State Ministry of Health had gone to the school and taken samples of the food in the school.
“A nurse in the school had told me when this thing started that it was better we close down so that students would go for comprehensive tests. I reported it on the platform and the principal immediately queried the nurse. She also threatened those on duty. Everywhere is tense,” Obi-Nwoye said.
The Chairman of the Parent Teacher Association, John Ofobike, said as of 7pm on Monday, 1,000 pupils had left on health grounds.
He said, “I went there yesterday (Sunday) and I saw the pupils that left were over 900 within the space of one week and the information is being hidden from me by the principal.
“I asked her and she said why should they show me the record of the pupils and I said I am the PTA chairman.
“If you go to the school, you will see students lying down. Some had no one to pick them. I saw a girl there; she had been there since Friday. I called her parents, but they could not be reached. I don’t know why people are playing politics with the lives of children. People are only interested in profits.”
The school principal, Dr Yakubu Oyinloye, could not be reached on the telephone and she had yet to respond to a text message from our correspondent as of press time.
However, a former President of the Old Girls Association of the school, Prof. Frances Ajose, said a group in the PTA was ganging up against the principal, adding that some of the parents also had personal interest.
The current president was said to be out of the country.
Ajose explained that there was no typhoid infection in the school.
“A group in the PTA is only tormenting the principal for personal gain. The principal is a very hard-working and efficient person. She has been running the school well.
“What is happening in Queen’s College is an upper respiratory tract infection, which is raging right now all over Lagos due to the weather. It is not peculiar to Queen’s College. The infection arose from the overcrowding in the dormitory, a problem we have been crying about as old girls,” she said.
Ajose said the incident could not be compared to what took the lives of three pupils two years ago.
The Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Ben Goong, did not take his calls and had yet to respond to a text message seeking his reaction to the incident.
FULL TEXT OF THE REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE 59TH INDEPENDENCE DAY INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH SERVICE, AT THE NATIONAL CHRISTIAN CENTRE, ON THE 29TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2019.
PROTOCOLS
God had promised, through the mouths of His trusted prophets, that He is giving us a New Nigeria! May I announce to you today that God is ready to take us into the Promised Land, the new Nigeria.
And we must remember that God, the Almighty God is the builder of nations, that God controls the destinies of nations and its people. Psalms 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness. The world and those who dwell therein.”
God promised the children of Israel that He would take them from bondage, suffering and slavery into the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
By the hand of Joshua, God brought His promise to pass. They got to the Jordan and as their feet touched the water, the Jordan was separated and they walked on dry land all across the Jordan.
They got to Jericho, a well-fortified city and they did not fire a shot, they brought down the walls of Jericho by a shout. Thereafter, when they were about to take the Promised Land, after Moses had asked that some go and spy out the land, some of those who went to spy said that it would be impossible to take the city, impossible to enter the Promised Land. However, Caleb and Joshua had a different spirit, and they said that because God had promised and because He could do it, all the problems were just bread, mere bread to be eaten by the children of Israel.
God has promised us a new Nigeria, a peaceful Nigeria, a prosperous Nigeria, a Nigeria where justice and equity shall prevail, a united Nigeria, where the different tribes and tongues are not wedges of separation, but the joyful textures of our togetherness. God is ready to fulfill His promise.
We stand outside the new city, the Promised Land, the new Nigeria; like the spies sent by Moses to spy out the Promised Land, some are saying, “Ha! It is impossible, Nigeria cannot change, the ethnic and religious divisions are too deep, corruption cannot end, politicians are too selfish and mischievous.”
Yet, like Caleb and Joshua, we declare that these problems are merely bread for us, we will enter the Promised Land!
The new Nigeria is here, and each and every one of us, our families, our friends, all of us, will eat the pleasant fruits of this land.
God Almighty has taken away the protection of the enemies of this nation. He has taken away their powers, the noise we hear, the turbulence we experience, are the last gasps of a defeated foe. The day of freedom is at the door.
As with Abraham, we in the words of Hebrews 11:10 wait for the new Nigeria, which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
As we wait, we declare in the words of Psalms 46:8-11 -“Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still and know that I am God! I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”
FULL TRANSCRIPT OF PRESIDENT BUHARI’S INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH TO NIGERIANS
Dear Compatriots,
1st October each year is an opportunity for us to reflect and thank God for his endless blessings on our country.
2. It is also a time for us, collectively, to:
3. Remember the sacrifices made by our Founders and great leaders past; by soldiers, by distinguished public servants; by traditional leaders, by our workers —- sacrifices on which Nigeria has been built over the 59 years since Independence in 1960; and
4. Rededicate ourselves to attaining the goals which we have set for ourselves: a united, prosperous and purposeful nation in the face of 21st century opportunities and challenges.
5. In the past four years, the majority of Nigerians have committed to Change for the Better. Indeed, this Administration was re-elected by Nigerians on a mandate to deliver positive and enduring Change – through maintaining our National Security; restoring sustainable and inclusive Economic Growth and Development; and fighting Corruption against all internal and external threats.
6. This Change can only be delivered if we are united in purpose, as individuals and as a nation. We must all remain committed to achieving this positive and enduring Change. As I stated four years ago, “Change does not just happen… We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust… simply put, to bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens.”
7. Good Governance and Economic Development cannot be sustained without an enabling environment of peace and security. In the last four years, we have combatted the terrorist scourge of Boko Haram. We owe a debt of gratitude to our gallant men and women in arms, through whose efforts we have been able to achieve the present results. We are also grateful to our neighbours and allies – within the region and across the world – who have supported us on this front.
8. The capacity of our armed forces to defend our territorial integrity continues to be enhanced by the acquisition of military hardware as well as continued improvements in the working conditions of our service men and women.
9. The Ministry of Police Affairs has been resuscitated to oversee the development and implementation of strategies to enhance internal security. My recent assent to the Nigerian Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act has created a legal framework to support our Police with increased fiscal resources to enhance their law enforcement capabilities.
10. These initiatives are being complemented by the ongoing recruitment of 10,000 constables into the Nigeria Police Force. This clearly demonstrates our commitment to arrest the incidence of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes across our nation.
11. We remain equally resolute in our efforts to combat militant attacks on our oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta and accelerate the Ogoni Clean-up to address long-standing environmental challenges in that region.
12. The recent redeployment of the Niger Delta Development Commission from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs underscores our commitment to enhance the living standards of our communities in the Niger Delta, through coordinated and appropriate programmes.
13. Our attention is increasingly being focused on cyber-crimes and the abuse of technology through hate speech and other divisive material being propagated on social media. Whilst we uphold the Constitutional rights of our people to freedom of expression and association, where the purported exercise of these rights infringes on the rights of other citizens or threatens to undermine our National Security, we will take firm and decisive action.
14. In this regard, I reiterate my call for all to exercise restraint, tolerance and mutual respect in airing their grievances and frustrations. Whilst the ongoing national discourse on various political and religious issues is healthy and welcome, we must not forget the lessons of our past – lessons that are most relevant on a day such as this.
15. The path of hatred and distrust only leads to hostility and destruction. I believe that the vast majority of Nigerians would rather tread the path of peace and prosperity, as we continue to uphold and cherish our unity.
ACCELERATING SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMY GROWTH
16. This Administration inherited a skewed economy, where the Oil Sector comprised only 8% of Gross Domestic Product but contributed 70% of government revenue and 90% foreign exchange earnings over the years. Past periods of relatively high economic growth were driven by our reliance on Oil Sector revenues to finance our demand for imported goods and services. Regrettably, previous governments abandoned the residual Investment-driven Non-Oil Sector, which constituted 40% of Gross Domestic Product and comprised agriculture, livestock, agro-processing, arts, entertainment, mining and manufacturing activities that provide millions of jobs for able-bodied Nigerians and utilize locally available raw materials and labour for production.
17. To address this imbalance, our commitment to achieving economic diversification has been at the heart of our economic strategies under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which I launched on the 5th of April, 2017.
18. This medium-term development plan charted the trajectory for our economy to exit from recession and return to the path of sustainable, diversified and inclusive growth for Nigerians. Pursuant to these reforms, the economy has recovered and we have had 9 successive quarters of growth since our exit from recession. The exchange rate in the last 3 years has remained stable, with robust reserves of US$42.5 billion, up from US$23 billion in October 2016.
19. Learning from the mistakes of the past, this Administration is committed to responsibly managing our oil wealth endowments. We will continue to prudently save our oil income and invest more in the non-oil job-creating sectors.
20. In this regard, we are significantly increasing investments in critical infrastructure. Last year, capital releases only commenced with the approval of the Budget in June 2018. However, as at 20th June this year, up to N1.74 trillion had been released for capital projects in the 2018 fiscal year.
21. Implementation of the 2019 Capital Budget, which was only approved in June 2019, will be accelerated to ensure that critical priority projects are completed or substantially addressed. The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has been directed to release N600 billion for Capital Expenditure in the next 3 months.
22. To maximise impact, we shall continue to increasingly welcome and encourage private capital for infrastructural development through Public Private Partnerships. Through the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, which I initiated in January this year, we are giving incentives to private sector inflow of over N205 billion in 19 Nigerian roads and bridges of 794.4km across in 11 States of the Federation.
23. As we push to diversify the economy, we still remain focused on optimizing the revenues generated from the oil and gas sector. We will, working with the Legislature, soon pass the Petroleum Industry Bill and amendments to the Deep Offshore Act and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act into law, to ensure Government obtains a fair share of oil revenues, whilst encouraging private sector investment.
24. We will also continue our fight against illegal bunkering of crude oil and the smuggling of refined petroleum products across our borders, including the diligent prosecution and conviction of offenders found guilty of these acts. Whilst Nigeria remains committed to free and fair continental and international trade, we will not hesitate to take all necessary steps to tackle illegal smuggling, transshipment and other predatory trade practices that destroy jobs in our country.
25. We are resolute in reforming the power sector. In August this year, we launched the Presidential Power Initiative to modernize the National Grid in 3 phases: starting from 5 Gigawatts to 7 Gigawatts, then to 11 Gigawatts by 2023, and finally 25 Gigawatts afterwards. This programme, in partnership with the German Government and Siemens, will provide end-to-end electrification solutions that will resolve our transmission and distribution challenges.
26. The programme will also look to localize the development and assembly of smart meters as well as the operations and maintenance capabilities of transmission and distribution infrastructure.
27. I am pleased with the improved inter-agency collaboration between the Ministry of Power and the regulators in the banking and power sectors to ensure that electricity sales, billings and collections are automated and become cashless.
28. These initiatives are important to ensure that the technical and collection losses in the sector are substantially reduced. I remain confident that Nigerians will have affordable and uninterrupted electricity supply in the not too distant future.
29. Our efforts to improve the power sector will complement other infrastructure investments projects under the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund, which is investing in the Mambilla Power Plant project, as well as key economic road infrastructure such as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Second Niger Bridge and Abuja-Kano Expressway. The first set of these projects remain on track to be completed by 2022.
30. Our journey to food security and self-sufficiency is well underway. We have made remarkable progress in almost all segments of the agriculture value chain, from fertilizers to rice, to animal feed production. We shall sustain these policies to ensure additional investments are channeled, thereby creating more jobs in the sector. We must not go back to the days of importing food and thereby exporting jobs.
31. Our commitment to achieving macroeconomic stability and economic diversification, has been underscored by the merger of the Ministry of Finance with the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
32. This combined Ministry has the important mandate to enhance the management of domestic and global fiscal risks; coordinate policies with the trade and monetary authorities; raise and deploy revenues to fund budgeted expenditure; and integrate annual budgets and medium-term fiscal strategies.
33. With this, our revenue-generating and reporting agencies will come under much greater scrutiny, going forward, as the new performance management framework will reward exceptional revenue performance, while severe consequences will attend failures to achieve agreed revenue targets.
34. I recently constituted an Economic Advisory Council to advise me on inclusive and sustainable macroeconomic, fiscal and monetary policies. This independent body will work with relevant Cabinet members and the heads of key monetary, fiscal and trade agencies to ensure we remain on track as we strive for collective prosperity. However, we are also committed to ensure that the inconvenience associated with any painful policy adjustments, is moderated, such that the poor and the vulnerable, who are most at risk, do not bear the brunt.
35. Our ongoing N500 billion Special Intervention Programme continues to target these vulnerable groups, through the Home-grown School Feeding Programme, Government Economic Empowerment Programme, N-Power Job Creation Programme, loans for traders and artisans, Conditional Cash Transfers to the poorest families and social housing scheme.
36. To institutionalize these impactful programmes, we created the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development which shall consolidate and build on our achievements to date. To the beneficiaries of these programmes, I want to reassure you that our commitment to social inclusion will only increase.
37. Our population growth rate remains amongst the highest in the world, presenting both challenges as well as opportunities. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that we provide adequate resources to meet the basic needs of our teeming youth.
38. Accordingly, we shall continue to invest in education, health, water and sanitation, as well as food security, to ensure that their basic needs are met, while providing them with every opportunity to live peaceful, prosperous and productive lives.
FIGHTING CORRUPTION AND RESTORING GOOD GOVERNANCE:
39. On fighting corruption, our institutional reforms to enforce the Treasury Single Account policy, introduce the Whistle-blowers’ Initiative, expand the coverage of the Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System as well as the Government Integrated Management Information System have saved billions of Naira over the last four years, and deterred the rampant theft and mismanagement of public funds that have plagued our public service.
40. The Ministry of Justice, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will continue to address this menace. We are determined to ensure that transparency and good governance are institutionalized in public service.
41. We must commit to installing a culture of Good Governance in all we do. This Administration has fought against corruption, by investigating and prosecuting those accused of embezzlement and the misuse of public resources. We have empowered teams of prosecutors, assembled detailed databases of evidence, traced the proceeds of crimes and accelerated the recovery of stolen funds.
42. Furthermore, we partnered with our friends abroad to combat tax evasion, smuggling, terrorism and illicit financial flows. In June 2018, I assented to the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act, to provide a domestic legal framework for obtaining international assistance in criminal matters.
43. This measure has already strengthened our law enforcement agencies in obtaining evidence, investigating suspects and facilitating the recovery, forfeiture and confiscation of property implicated as proceeds of crime.
44. An example is the US$300 million recently identified as part of the Abacha money laundering case, working closely with the Government of the United States of America. The Federal Ministry of Justice is working with the US Department of Justice to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding to expedite the repatriation of these funds.
45. The P & ID Arbitral Award has underscored the manner in which significant economic damage has been caused by the past activities of a few corrupt and unpatriotic Nigerians.
46. The policies that we are putting in place today are to ensure such criminal and unpatriotic acts do not go without consequences. Our renewed partnership with the 9th National Assembly will facilitate the swift passage of enabling laws that will institutionalize these anti-corruption efforts in our criminal justice system.
47. In this connection, I call upon our States to intensify their own efforts to instill greater fiscal transparency and accountability. And to ensure greater fiscal efficiency and optimum use of our very scarce resources.
48. The blight of Corruption is fighting back. Nevertheless, this is a battle that we shall see through and this is a war, which we shall win by the Grace of God.
49. I will also call upon all Nigerians, from every walk of life, to combat Corruption at every turn. By choosing to question and confront corrupt practices, by reporting unethical practices or through whistleblowing. Together, we can overcome corruption and will no longer be a country defined by corruption.
50. Fellow Nigerians, let me reiterate my call for unity across our dear nation.
51. Nigeria will emerge from our present challenges stronger and more resilient than ever – but only if all of us join hands to entrench Good Governance, foster Inclusive Economic Development, and defend and protect our Nation from all those who would wish us ill.
52. I thank you most sincerely and wish you a Happy Independence Anniversary.
53. May God bless you all, and may He continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
President Muhammadu Buhari today hinted that the newly created Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development would oversee the administration’s Special Intervention Programme.
President directs release of N600bn for 2019 capital projects
Buhari, who said this in his broadcast to the nation to mark the country’s 59th independence anniversary, also stated that he had directed the release of N600bn for capital project implementation from the 2019 budget in the next three months.
Speaking on the Special Intervention Programme, which is under the supervision of the office of the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the President stated, “Our ongoing N500bn Special Intervention Programme continues to target vulnerable groups, through the home-grown School Feeding Programme, Government Economic Empowerment Programme, N-Power, Job Creation Programme, loans for traders and artisans, Conditional Cash Transfers to the poorest families and social housing scheme.
“To institutionalise these impactful programmes, we created the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development which shall consolidate and build on our achievements to date. To the beneficiaries of these programmes, I want to reassure you that our commitment to social inclusion will only increase.”
He also said the newly set up Economic Advisory Council would advise him on inclusive and sustainable macroeconomic, fiscal and monetary policies.
He also said that as of June this year, total capital releases from the 2018 budget, stood at N1.74trn to underscore the commitment of his administration to build infrastructure and take Nigerians out of poverty.
The President noted that for change to happen, all Nigerians must support him and think like him to get the country from the old ways of doing things.
On security, he said, “In the last four years, we have combated the terrorist scourge of Boko Haram. We owe a debt of gratitude to our gallant men and women in arms, through whose efforts we have been able to achieve the present results. We are also grateful to our neighbours and allies – within the region and across the world – who have supported us on this front.
“The capacity of our armed forces to defend our territorial integrity continues to be enhanced by the acquisition of military hardware as well as continued improvements in the working conditions of our service men and women.
“The Ministry of Police Affairs has been resuscitated to oversee the development and implementation of strategies to enhance internal security. My recent assent to the Nigerian Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act has created a legal framework to support our Police with increased fiscal resources to enhance their law enforcement capabilities.
“We remain equally resolute in our efforts to combat militant attacks on our oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta and accelerate the Ogoni Clean-up to address long-standing environmental challenges in that region.
“The recent redeployment of the Niger Delta Development Commission from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs underscores our commitment to enhance the living standards of our communities in the Niger Delta, through coordinated and appropriate programmes.
Speaking further, he said, “This administration inherited a skewed economy, where the oil sector comprised only 8 per cent of Gross Domestic Product but contributed 70 per cent of government revenue and 90 per cent foreign exchange earnings over the years. Past periods of relatively high economic growth were driven by our reliance on oil sector revenues to finance our demand for imported goods and services.
“Regrettably, previous governments abandoned the residual investment-driven non-oil sector, which constituted 40 per cent of Gross Domestic Product and comprised agriculture, livestock, agro-processing, arts, entertainment, mining and manufacturing activities that provide millions of jobs for able-bodied Nigerians and utilise locally available raw materials and labour for production.
“To address this imbalance, our commitment to achieving economic diversification has been at the heart of our economic strategies under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which I launched on the 5th of April, 2017.
Coordinator of a youth group that organised a political rally for Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, last week in Akure, Bamise Akintomide, has been arrested by the police in Ondo State, SaharaReporters has learnt.
It was learnt that he is currently being detained at the Criminal and Investigation Bureau Department of the Ondo State Police Command headquarters in Akure, the capital.
A source, who confirmed Akintomide’s arrest to our correspondent on Monday, said he must have been picked up for organising a rally in support of the Vice President.
The source said, “He (Akintomide) was arrested by the police. I cannot really say if he was directly picked up or invited for questioning.
“But I can confirm to you that he has been at the police headquarters in Akure since weekend and has been detained over there.
“I know his arrest must be connected with the rally he organised last week for Vice President, Osinbajo, at the APC secretariat.
“A day after he organised the rally, he received lots of strange calls asking him irrelevant questions.”
Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Undie Adie, denied the arrest of Akintomide when contacted on Monday.
However, a police source told SaharaReporters on Monday that, “He is in our detention although his people are trying to ensure his bail.
“His arrest was an instruction from above and that is all I can tell you for now.”
Akintomide had on Thursday organised a rally for Osinbajo’s candidacy by unveiling his 2023 presidential campaign poster and banner on the streets of Akure.
Spokesperson for the APC in Ondo, Alex Kalejaye, said that the party had no link whatsoever to the group.
Mr Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), says the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) generates an average of N100 million monthly.
Okhiria disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
According to him, it is quiet impressive. I can tell you as we speak we have over N100million a month on the Kaduna-Abuja.
“I don’t have the figure off head but all I know is that we are averaging over hundred million,” Okhiria said.
The NRC boss expressed satisfaction with the increased turnout of passenger at the AKTS, adding that government was making efforts to address the passenger surge on the train line.
He said:” We are happy with the turnout of people and as I said earlier, once we have the coaches and we start rolling a train every hour, the pressure will come down.
“Like I told the Minister, it is not just the number of coaches but the trips we run that will reduce the pressure because different people will have different times to board the train.
“For now, let’s just bear it till November when the new coaches will be available.
“And as I tell people, now we are getting the attention and it’s another milestone.
“Four years back nobody was talking about railway; but now every body, the big, mighty and small are now talking about using the train.
“It is getting popular, people are paying attention and the management, board and staff are gearing up to make sure that we meet the needs and demands of Nigerians. ”
On the e-ticketing, Okhiria said measures were also in place to ensure the e-ticketing for the country’s train line met international standard.
He said the e-ticketing platform would not only guarantee orderliness in purchasing of ticket but would address some major security challenges.
He said the e-ticketing would ensure the data base of all passengers boarding the train was captured in case of emergencies.
According to the NRC boss, the procurement process for the platform would soon be concluded and in a matter of weeks the contract for the project would be awarded.
On security, the NRC boss said the corporation had introduced more security personnel and measures that would ensure safety of persons and the trains.
He explained that the management was also trying to introduce some technology into the train operation to ensure proper monitoring of the trains with the signalling solution.
The rot in the Nigeria Police Force has stayed too long. In a group of ten, more than seven usually have one tale or the other to tell about the Nigeria Police Force for the wrong reasons. It’s high time we began to hold them by The Law. But at what cost? They are the ones with guns and threats aren’t far from them. I’ll share my story.
Early this year, (January 30, to be precise), I followed my friend to unblock his Taxify driver’s account on the Island. Going back to Ogba, while gisting with my friend faintly and chatting with my babe, my phone was snatched.
I had wound-down the glass to help him adjust the side-mirror on my side of the car. Being me, I made an attempt to give the snatcher a chase. We were stuck in traffic and the car was moving very slowly, which gave him the opportunity to observe us from a distance and pick out my most vulnerable time to attack. Before I could loose the seatbelt and step out, there was already much distance between us. I am tall and it gave me an advantage to see him afar off as he maneuvered his way to escape. I followed him.
I watched him disappear into the dark as it was late and time was about 8-9 pm. Getting to the end of my view of the snatcher, I met a guy who directed me to another path completely different from the one I saw the snatcher run into. I immediately knew they were together. I held him by his belt and demanded he produce the guy with my phone. By this time, people were already gathering to ‘deal’ with him; you know how Lagos can be when a thief is caught. The fact that they found a phone on him that had a woman as the wallpaper didn’t help his case as he claimed the phone was his yet, he couldn’t unlock the phone.
My friend and myself practically had to beg those ‘beating this thief’ and edging towards jungle justice before he was released to us. They locked him in our car boot and we decided to drive him to Area G at Ogba. I was inconvenient with him in the boot. I asked my friend to stop the car and have him seat at the back while I hold on to him. He stopped at the next bus stop. I asked ‘the thief’ to come out of the boot, unaware that police officers were somewhere at the roundabout close by.
They ‘acted’ like policemen and demanded to know why we had a man in the boot. They were almost trying to rope us in by pointing out ‘our error’, but for the intervention of a couple who saw what happened earlier and knew how he got into the boot.
Long story short, the police officers entered our car and asked we all go to the station. En route to the station, the phone on him rang and the officers asked him to answer his call. It was there he confessed he snatched the phone.
The officers were men from the Isheri Police Station. We got to the station and they took my statement and the guy’s, after he confessed to the crime. Then began my issue with the Police.
The guy told them he could take them to the place where the snatcher would be found. The officer on duty, a woman, almost slapped him. She told us how regular police officers weren’t trained to arrest criminals and that only SARS officers could arrest ‘boys’ from the area ‘the suspect’ mentioned. That was the beginning of my knowledge of the Nigeria Police officers’ many ill-workings.
It took them 3 days to process his transfer to the Force Headquarters at Ikeja, where he was subsequently transferred to the FSARS Annex at Mushin. I had to pay for the Uber they ordered to transport the guy because, according to them, they had no car/van to transport him. My experience with the FSARS, I’d rather not dwell on. I spent almost N20K transporting myself from Ogba to and fro for the most of 3 weeks, aside calls and all.
Believe me when I tell you this; the IPO in charge of the case knew everyone the guy mentioned. He made it so glaring for the blind to see and so loud for the deaf to hear that he couldn’t arrest them for whatever reason(s).
My friends had told me before to just forget the phone, telling me somehow the Police will try to exploit me and end up not doing any real thing about it. I chose to ignore their advice and chose to believe in the system for justice, or at least prove the rot in the system. True, they proved the rot.
From asking me to buy case files to constantly complaining to me about how I need to pay for this and that; I started to lose interest.
Not for the money. It isn’t that I have more than enough, but it was saddening to see what has become of a group meant to protect the common man. I had stuffs I was working-on on the phone. Somethings are priceless.
The owner of the phone on the guy I arrested called on the day my phone was snatched. From the way the officers spoke to him, I knew he wasn’t getting that phone free. At least, not from the Isheri Police officers. The policewoman in charge of the case had him follow us all through to FSARS Annex at Mushin; the man knew his right and wasn’t ready to party with a dime, not with the way the officers were conducting themselves. Well, he was given his phone at the FSARS Annex after he was called out, away from me. He later told me he gave them ‘something for recharge card’.
They arrested no one. The guy with them confessed to a crime and was willing to take them where the guy with my phone was, but they wouldn’t go. They did nothing other than detaining the guy. It was saddening to discover the common man can’t get justice and protection from the system.
All of these and many more ills I hear about the Nigeria Police make me wonder if this is the law enforcement body we’d bequeath to coming generations. We can’t! We must make it better. The Nigeria Police Force needs reformation, if not a total overhaul.
