President Buhari receives in Thank You Visit President of African Development Bank Dr Akinwunmi Adesina in State House on 10th Sep 2020
President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as his Supporter-in-Chief and his Defender-in-Chief.
He said Nigeria gave him air, “when I badly needed it in my lungs,” and pledged to always support the country in his private capacity, and as AfDB President.
President Buhari receives in Thank You Visit President of African Development Bank Dr Akinwunmi Adesina in State House on 10th Sep 2020
Adesina had to battle stiff opposition last month to win an unprecedented 100 per cent votes from the regionals and non-regionals that make up the bank, and was inaugurated for second term of five years as AfDB President on September 1.
He thanked Buhari and Nigerians for their support, saying he was proud to be a citizen of the country.
“Home is where dreams are born. Home is where nurturing is provided. It is where support is given for realisation of dreams. I am glad to belong here.
“When I came in June, you received me, and I shared my successes, and the difficulties facing me. You listened, and said you would stand by me. And you did. You not only stood behind me, but also beside me. No greater honour for a man than for his Commander-in-Chief to be his Supporter-in-Chief, and his Defender-in-Chief,” Adesina said, while paying courtesy visit to Buhari at State House in Abuja on Thursday.
President Buhari receives in Thank You Visit President of African Development Bank Dr Akinwunmi Adesina in State House on 10th Sep 2020
In his remarks, Buhari gave extensive reasons for supporting the newly re-elected President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina.
Buhari said: “I congratulate you on your second and final term in office. Congratulations on winning the election. Nothing succeeds like success.
“I have told so many people why I backed you.
“In 2015, at your first term, you were a Minister with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) government, and I was of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“But you are a good Nigerian. So I recommended you the first time. You proved to be competent, you made us proud, and I recommended you the second time.”
The President commended Adesina for his support for Africa in general, and Nigeria in particular, noting that the infrastructural deficits the country has in roads, rail, power, could not be overcome without support.
“There can’t be sustainable development without infrastructure. Our efforts should be seen in the context of lack of resources, but you do your best to support us. I wish you all the best in your final term,” Buhari said, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
Ogun State House of Assembly has acknowledged a correspondence from the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun proposing an amendment to the State Parks and Garages Development Agency Bill.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo who read the Governor’s letter dated 2nd September, 2020 before the lawmakers at the plenary held at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, forwarded the proposed amendment to the House Committee on Transportation for further legislative actions.
Also at the plenary, a member representing Abeokuta North State Constituency, Hon. Modupe Mujota submitted a petition from the residents of Ipaya/Akintunde Communities in Idi-Emi on the need for the reconstruction of the two access bridges linking the communities, which were washed away recently by flood.
Responding, Oluomo directed the petition to the Committees on Transportation and Environment to examine the petitions with a view to addressing all issues raised by the concerned residents.
In another development, the State House of Assembly played host to the National Executive members of the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria led by its National President, Comrade Augustine Agbo Apeh, with a task to them to engage the State Ministry of Transportation on how to carry out their operation in the State.
Oluomo who reiterated that the State remained open to synergy and working relationship with law abiding unions and associations in all sectors of the State’s economy, pointed out that the State already had two tricycle unions in operations.
In his remarks, Comrade Augustine Agbo Apeh noted that the visit was to partner with the Assembly with a view to adding more value to tricycle operations and its management in the State, assuring that the union was ready to work together with related unions in the State.
As part of ways to proffer long term solutions to Nigeria’s health care challenges, the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) on Wednesday engaged stakeholders in the Nigerian health sector on the topic Looking Beyond COVID-19 in Developing Nigeria’s Healthcare System.
The virtual web conferencing was organized by the Department of Economic Development and Social Studies of NILDS, and had in attendance, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe; Director, Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr Geoferry Okatubo; Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency; Dr. Faisal Shuaib; Vice President, Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Razaq Adebayo and Director General, NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman as Chief host among other eminent personalities.
The engagement appraised the critical aspects of the health sector under different health care categories such as primary, secondary and tertiary. Also, practical solutions to underlining problems in the Nigerian health sector formed part of the discourse.
At the end of the program, discussants and participants made recommendations to relevant policy makers, National and State Assemblies on how the nation can develop a resilient health sector that can withstand the present and future pandemic.
A photo collage of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) logo and Nigeria's Minister of Labour and Productivity, Sen. Chris Ngige. Photo - Channels Television.
The Federal Government has approved additional N8.9 billion to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 COVID-19 allowance to all Medical Health Workers in the country.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, during the meeting between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by both parties on Wednesday in Abuja.
NARD, which had embarked on a total and an indefinite strike in all Federal and State hospitals in the country demands payment of Medical Residency Training funding to all members as approved in the revised 2020 Budget, provision of genuine Group Life Insurance and Death in Service Benefits for all health workers.
The demands by the association also include payment of outstanding April/May and June COVID-19 inducement allowance, determination of revised hazard allowance for all health workers as agreed in previous meetings with relevant stakeholders, immediate payment of salary shortfall of 2014, 2015 and 2016, among others.
According to the Minister of Labour, payment of Special Hazard and Inducement Allowance has been concluded.
Ngige stated that the meeting was satisfied that the N20 billion already appropriated in 2020 COVID-19 budget has been exhausted.
He said the meeting, therefore, commended the Federal Government and Mr President for approving additional N8.9bn to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 COVID-19 allowance to all Medical Health Workers.
He explained that the approval has been cash backed and the mandate sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria for payments to start with effect from Sept. 9, bringing the total disbursement to about N288 billion.
For the review of a Permanent Hazard Allowance for Health Workers, Ngige noted that discussion would commence after consultation with all stakeholders in the health sector.
Based on the principles of ability to pay, this would cover all health workers in a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and that the meeting would be convened as soon as possible in that regards, Ngige said.
Speaking on the Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Ngige said NARD had agreed that the Hospitals and Isolation Centres, have sufficient PPE.
He noted that government had paid the total sum of N9.3 billion (Nine billion, Three Hundred Million Naira) to Insurance Companies for Life Group Insurance and payment of death benefits for Health Workers and for the payment of death-in-service benefit to next of kin/beneficiaries.
Ngige added that the enrollment for the Group Life Insurance would be by the submission of nominal rolls by the various Health Institutions, which NARD had been mandated at previous meeting to accomplish.
Also decided at the meeting was that NARD should submit copies of claims already made to the Insurance Companies through the hospitals to the Ministry of Health for onward transmission to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation that would ensure that the Insurance Companies pay the claims, adding that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment should also be copied in that regards.
Pertaining to the Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all Federal and State Hospitals, the Minister said the 2020 Appropriation Act was revised due to COVID-19 pandemic.
He explained further that the N4 billion appropriated for Residency Training under a wrong heading for Medical Residency Training was to be vired before expenditure.
He said the process of amendment is therefore ongoing and is expected that this process and cash backing would be through in two weeks.
For the payment of outstanding 2014, 2015, and 2016 arrears, the meeting recalled that it had been agreed that the issue will be further discussed post COVID-19 and therefore, no agreement was breached.
The issue of Consequential Adjustment of the National Minimum Wage was also discussed as government promised to pay all owed arrears to members of the association including those in States Tertiary Health Institutions.
“It was noted that those affected were the Youth Corps Members and House Officers, who are regarded as ad hoc staff and for State Hospitals, the Federal Government can only be persuasive.
“It was recalled that NARD had been assigned the responsibility to submit a list from the defaulting hospitals to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward transmission to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, ” Ngige said.
However, the minister noted that parties agreed to the autonomy of states within the Federation, and as such, the issue of domestication of the Residency Training Act will be at the prerogative of State Governments.
According to him, the meeting agreed that the issue would be tabled at the National Economic Council and National Council of Health to persuade the states to domesticate the Act.
He also noted that on the issue Health Workers in the Medical Centres attached to Universities that the meeting agreed that workers had been tied with the ongoing strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and negotiations concerning them would be on a different platform involving Federal Ministry of Education.
“In view of these Understandings, NARD will consult with her Executive Council within the next 24hours with a view to calling off the strike by September 10, 2020.
“Nobody will be victimized for any activity connected with or for participating in the industrial action,” Ngige said.
While giving his view of the meeting, NARD National President
Dr Sokomba Aliyu, said that the meeting was successful as a lot of pledges and agreements were reached with timeline.
“Following the outcome of this meeting, we are hoping that all of that will address the concerns of our members, so we shall be convoking a meeting immediate with our members on the way forward,” he said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that government agencies present at the meeting were representatives from Ministry of Health, Finance, Budget and National Planning and National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.
A Nigeria’s leading entertainment television station, Silverbird Television, has signed on to broadcast one live English Premier League match per week over the course of the 2020/2021 season.
The deal was signed with Integral, current free-to-air rights holder for the Premier League matches in Nigeria.
Integral secured its rights in a sub-licence deal from Infront Sports & Media agency, substantive rights holder for free-to-air distribution rights in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Integral currently has a similar deal with national broadcaster, NTA, and would now be adding Silverbird TV as an additional broadcaster partner.
Silverbird would air one of the 3pm fixtures each Saturday on its free-to-air channel, while it would also show a handful of Premier League produced magazine programmes weekly.
Commenting on the deal, the Managing Director of Integral, Abimbola Ilo, said: “We are once again pleased to be bringing the excitement of the English Premier League closer to its fans in Nigeria.
“Silverbird is an entertaining television station watched by millions of Nigerians and it’s only right that the most entertaining football league in the world is added to its roster.
“With the Premier League’s popularity in Nigeria, this is yet another opportunity for its passionate fans to get exciting up to date content on free-to-air TV”
Also speaking, the Chief Operating Officer of Silverbird Communications, Bola Salako, explained: “We at Silverbird are excited at the opportunity to avail our numerous viewers across Nigeria with select premium football matches from the most exciting league in the world – The English Premier League.
“Silverbird Television is primarily a family entertainment-oriented channel, and it is quintessential for us to ensure that our viewers get the best of every appropriate programming genre.
“Sports is a major part of our content offering and football in particular as the acclaimed ‘king of sports’ holds particular appeal to a large section of our target demographic.
“And with the new Premier League season on the horizon, we are looking forward to team up with Integral on this exciting new project of bringing premium sporting content to mass numbers of Nigerian viewers.”
African Development Bank Headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
In order to complement various national and sub-regional operations, African Development Bank’s Board of Directors Wednesday approved $27.33 million in grants to boost the efforts of the African Union (AU) to mobilise a continental response to curb the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The approval followed a meeting of the extended Bureau of the Conference of Heads of State and Government with Africa’s private sector on April 22 was chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and AU chairperson.
The bank’s President, Akinwumi Adesina, had pledged strong support for AU’s COVID-19 initiative.
President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina
Speaking after the board’s approval, Adesina said: “With this financing package, we are reaffirming our strong commitment to a coordinated African response in the face of COVID-19.
“Most importantly, we are sending a strong signal that collectively, the continent can address the pandemic, which is straining health systems and causing unprecedented socio-economic impacts on the continent.”
Also speaking on the approval, the bank’s Acting Vice President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Wambui Gichuri, said: “Our response today and support to the African Union is timely and will play a crucial role in helping Africa look inward for solutions to build resilience to this pandemic and future outbreaks.”
AU Bureau meeting had called for contributions to the African Union’s COVID-19 Response Fund established by the AU Commission chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, in March 2020.
The bank’s grant financing would support the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in providing technical assistance and building capacity for 37 African Development Fund (ADF) eligible countries, particularly the Transition States, to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its impact.
ADF is the bank’s concessional window.
Sourced from ADF’s Regional Operations/Regional Public Goods envelope and the Transition Support Facility, these two grants would support the implementation of Africa CDC’s COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan through strengthening surveillance at various points of entry (air, sea, and land) in African countries; building sub-regional and national capacity for epidemiological surveillance; and ensuring the availability of testing materials and personal protective equipment for frontline workers deployed in hotspots.
The operation would also facilitate collection of gender-disaggregated data and adequate staffing for Africa CDC’s emergency operations centre.
At the beginning of February 2020, only two reference laboratories – in Senegal and in South Africa – could run tests for COVID-19 on the continent.
Africa CDC, working with governments, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and several development partners and public health institutes, have increased this capacity to 44 countries currently.
Despite this progress, Africa’s testing capacity remains low, with the 37 ADF-eligible countries accounting for only 40 per cent of completed COVID-19 tests to date.
PHOTOS: President Buhari inaugurates National Steering Committee (NSC) for the preparation of medium term National Development Plan 2021-2025 & Nigeria Agenda 2050 at The Council Chambers, State House. 9th September, 2020. Photos; Tolani Alli
Inaugurates National Steering Committee
Agenda 2050 Succeeds Vision 20:2020
Says New Development Plan Will Lift 100 Million Nigerians Out Poverty By 2030
President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday in Abuja inaugurated the National Steering Committee to oversee the development of the Nigeria Agenda 2050 and Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) to succeed Vision 20:2020 and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017 – 2020.
According to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the National Steering Committee for the development of Successor Plans to Vision 20:2020 and ERGP will be jointly chaired by Mr Atedo Peterside and Dr (Mrs) Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
Speaking at the inauguration, President Buhari said: ”The main objectives of these Successor Plans are to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within the next 10 years, particularly given the World Bank’s projection that Nigeria will become the world’s third most populous country by 2050 with over 400 million people.”
The President noted that it had become necessary to develop Successor Plans to the Nigeria Vision 20:2020 and the ERGP, which both lapse in December this year, in order to ensure continuity and efficiency in the country’s development planning.
On the mandate of the National Steering Committee, President Buhari said it would oversee governance structure comprising the Central Working Group and 26 Technical Working Groups for the important national assignment.
”It is my expectation that the Steering Committee will oversee the execution of key deliverables, including recommending measures to ensure the continuous implementation of the Plans even after the expiration of the tenure of successive Administrations – including legislation, if required.
”Such legislation may introduce much-needed rigour and discipline to the nation’s development planning as well as institutionalise planned outcomes for the future. I trust that our partners in the National Assembly will support us in exploring these reforms, ” he said.
President Buhari urged the National Steering Committee not to lose sight of the important role Nigeria plays on the continent as well as in the global community.
He said the Successor Plans must, therefore, be designed to sustain national development, as well as support regional and global strategic interests, as outlined in the African Union Agenda 2063, the ECOWAS Integration Agenda 2050 and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
Underscoring the importance of national development planning, the President said if carefully conceived and diligently implemented, it can transform the economic fortunes of a nation.
”The Chinese experience is an example. It has resulted in lifting over 700 million people out of poverty over the last four decades.
”Indeed, China’s track record of positive economic growth, since 1992, was only halted in the first quarter of 2020, due to onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
”COVID-19 presents the world – and Nigeria – with a crisis as well as an opportunity. The current global health and economic crises give us an opportunity to think afresh and chart an optimal path forward, ” he said.
The President recalled that in February 2017 when he launched the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, its objectives included, restoring and sustaining growth, investing in people and building a globally competitive economy.
On the other hand, he said Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020 was an articulation of the long-term intent to launch Nigeria onto a path of sustained socio-economic development.
”The ERGP shared this vision, which ensured that the country exited recession in 2017 and sustained growth in Gross Domestic Product until the recent global economic challenges occasioned by COVID-19.
”Over the decades, successive planning and visioning exercises have guided investment in human capital development, the implementation of our infrastructural roadmap, and supported social investment in our people’s lives and livelihoods, ” he said.
The President wished the committee success in its assignment, adding that he looked forward to receiving regular reports of deliberations.
On the composition of the committee, the President said in order to ensure a truly consultative, participatory and inclusive planning process, the membership will comprise representatives of one State governor from each of the six geopolitical zones, the Senate and House of Representatives, ministers and representatives of key agencies.
Other members of the National Steering Committee are major political parties, ALGON, captains of industries, Labour Organizations, youth organizations and women’s societies, farmers’ associations, traditional and religious leaders, people with special needs and members of the press.
”At the heart of the Successor Plans is the partnership between the public and private sectors, with Government as the enabler of private sector investment and industry,” the President said.
In her remarks, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Ahmed noted that lately, various zones of the country have been pursuing different economic cooperation within their areas.
She, therefore, urged that the new Plans consider the comparative advantages available in these regional blocs to build a virile Nigeria.
”Although the two National Plans are on their way out, the question that will remain on the lips of Nigerians and which we must be ready to provide an answer with little or no prompting as we progress with the preparation of the successor Plans, is how much the Plans have transformed Nigerian economy.
”As the National Steering Committee for the preparation of the new Plans, we must therefore strive to give hope to the great citizens of this country with the quality of Plans that we are coming up with, ” she said.
Also speaking, the co-chair Mr Peterside pledged to work as a team, commending the President for making the Committee very inclusive.
”For a development plan to be successful, it has to be inclusive, people should be consulted, own it and believe it is working for them,” he said.
Debt Management Office (DMO) Wednesday put Nigeria’s Total Public Debt Stock at N31.009 trillion or USD85.897 billion as at June 30, 2020.
Releasing information on the Public Debt Stock, DMO said the data comprised the debt stock of the Federal Government, the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It would be recalled that the corresponding figures for March 31, according to DMO, were N28.628 trillion or USD79.303 billion.
“The increase in the debt stock by N2.381 trillion or USD6.593 billion was accounted for by the USD3.36 billion Budget Support Loan from the International Monetary Fund, New Domestic Borrowing to finance the Revised 2020 Appropriation Act including the issuance of the N162.557 Billion Sukuk, and Promissory Notes issued to settle Claims of Exporters.
“DMO expects the Public Debt Stock to grow as the balance of the New Domestic Borrowing is raised and expected disbursements are made by the World Bank, African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank which were arranged to finance the 2020 Budget,” read a statement by DMO.
The agency explained that the 2020 Appropriation Act had to be revised in the face of the adverse and severe impact of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on government’s revenues and increased expenditure needs on health and economic stimulus amongst others.
“Additional Promissory Notes are expected to be issued in the course of the year, this, and new borrowings by state governments are also expected to increase the Public Debt Stock,” the statement projected.
L-r: Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.
Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Wednesday said he would be glad to testify before the Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential panel if he’s summoned.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, Malami said he has nothing to hide, thus he would not hesitate to appear before the panel to answer relevant questions.
“So, if indeed the Ayo Salami panel invites Abubakar Malami as a person or the AGF in the person of Abubakar Malami for any testimony, for any clarification, for examination or cross-examination for that matter, Abubakar Malami will wholeheartedly, gladly within the spirit and context of the rule of law be there to testify, be there to be cross-examined, be there to be examined within the context of the rule of law.
“Our position as a government is to be submissive to the rule of law and the rule of law component requires that when we are called upon to clarify issues, when we are called upon to be examined, when we are called upon to be cross-examined, Abubakar Malami will be there and will gladly cooperate with the inquiry institution and that indeed was an attribute of the government that translated to the victory we are seeing today arising from P&ID.
“Abubakar Malami has along the line, within the chain of the arbitral process, submitted to uncountable invitations, responded to uncountable requests for clarification of issues and indeed executed uncountable witness statements for the purpose of putting the record straight and the case of Salami will certainly not be an exception,” Malami said.
Malami was reacting to a letter by the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, through his lawyer, Wahab Shittu, calling on Salami to summon the minister.
Shittu had cited Section 36(a), (b), (c) and (d) of the Nigerian Constitution, saying: “Based on the foregoing, we humbly request that the Honourable Attorney General, who is the main accuser in these proceedings, be graciously invited to give evidence in connection with the subject matter of this inquiry with specific reference to our client in the interest of fair hearing.
“We believe this request ought to be resolved before our client is called upon to enter his defence in these proceedings.”
The Salami panel is expected to determine the next step whether Malami and Magu would be invited together to confront one another or individually to answer various questions.
Four Nigerian students have been arrested by the Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in the nation’s Municipal City for allegedly hacking bank systems and stealing of funds.
The NBI Cybercrime Division Chief Vic Lorenzo said the Nigerians were part of an international syndicate who hack banking systems, taking advantage of the flaws in their systems.
NBI said the Nigerians violated the Access Device Law, Anti-Cyber-crime law and falsification of public documents.
Philippines-based ABS-CBN News reported that fraudulent transactions were traced after they hacked a system of one Philippine bank, where at least P100 million were transferred and diverted into a different account.
“The international syndicate is complicated.. to the point that they study the system’s flaws. Once they see a weakness, they will take advantage of that,” Lorenzo said.
One of the suspects’ Filipino girlfriend, NBI said, admitted to having used her account to deposit and withdraw money amounting to at least P2 million, which was supposedly for tuition.
Blank ATM cards and bank receipts were confiscated from the suspects after their arrest.
The Nigerians, however, denied the fraudulent allegations, claiming that they were in the Philippines to study and that they know nothing about the hacking incident.
One of the suspects said the funds withdrawn were donations from a Nigerian student community for their education.
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