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Tag: Buhari

  • N/Assembly approves Buhari’s N2.3tr loan

    The National Assembly has passed the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) for 2017 – 2019 and approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s borrowing plan of N2.3 trillion.

    The passage of the fiscal document came three months after President Buhari’s letter on it was read on the floor. The letter was read on October 4 last year.

    The document was passed following approval of the report of the joint committees on Finance, Appropriations and National Planning.

    The report was presented by the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Senator John Enoh (PDP, Cross River).

    Approving the domestic and foreign debts of N2.321trillion (domestic, N1.253trillion and foreign N1.067trillion) proposal of the executive, the lawmakers insisted that the borrowings should be on project-tied basis.

    “In borrowing more, government must remain focused and ensure it is used to fund critical projects that will increase productivity and also contribute to financing such debt,” the Senate said.

    Both chambers of the National Assembly also raised the $42.5 crude oil benchmark proposed by the executive to $44.5 dollars per barrel.

    Of all the projections for the 2017 budget, only the crude oil benchmark was adjusted by the Legislature. The remaining projections were approved without alterations.

    In raising the crude oil benchmark, the Senate said the benchmark was increased in view of the present price of the commodity at international market.

    On oil production, the Senate approved the 2.2 million barrels per day proposal of the executive.

    The Senate said though the oil production target of 2.2 mbpd was achievable, it is dependent on the ability of the Federal government to curtail the Niger-Delta militant activities.

    For exchange rate, the National Assembly approved the N305 as against the N290 earlier submitted in the document by the executive, noting that the fixed exchange rate regime as implemented in Nigeria was no longer useful.

    The Senate while commending the adoption of flexible exchange regime by the executive, urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to initiate measures that would close the gap between the parallel market and the official exchange rate.

    On non-oil revenue projection, the Upper Chamber approved the N5.122trillion proposal of the executive in 2017.

    “In addition, revenue generating agencies should intensify their revenue collections drive in order to boost the non- oil component of the revenue,” it said.

    The Senate also approved the N807.57 billion for Federal government independent revenue for 2017 and recommended the review of the legal framework of relevant MDAs and government owned enterprises.

    In his remark, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the plenary said the passage of the document would enable them commence the consideration of the 2017 budget next week.

    He urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to devise means to address the huge gap in exchange rate between the parallel and official markets.

    The House of Representatives, while adopting the report of joint committee led by the finance committee chairman, Rep Ibrahim Babangida Mahuta (APC, Katsina), approved a similar report with the Senate.

    On its part, the House said government should implement self-sufficiency and become an exporter of certain agricultural and mining products as well as increase local production of maize, soya, poultry and livestock.

    The House also resolved to constantly oversee relevant agencies on the implementation of all government programmes to ensure effective and result-oriented targets.

     

  • You have failed Nigerians, Ezekwesili tears Buhari apart on Twitter

    You have failed Nigerians, Ezekwesili tears Buhari apart on Twitter

    The convener of the Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG group, Oby Ezekwesili, has lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari over his response to the accidental bombing of an Internally Displaced Person’s, IDP camp in Ranna, Borno State by Air Force officials.

    The accidental bombing led to the loss of lives, during a final phase of mop up operation in the state.

    Following the incident, President Buhari on Wednesday cancelled the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting and sent a high-profile delegation to the scene of the accidental bombing in Rann to commiserate with the victims and also sympathized with the Borno State government.

    But the Former Minister of Education says Buhari’s response was insensitive.

    According to her, Buhari has failed as a leader to show sensitivity to the plight of citizens who are suffering greatly.

    In a series of tweets ‏@obyezeks in which she tagged the president’s personal handle, @MBuhari, Ezekwesili tweeted:

    “@MBuhari: You have failed to demonstrate sensitivity to the grief of your Citizens. VISIT THE IDP CAMPS AND SEE.

    “You have failed to demonstrate sensitivity to the grief of your Citizens. VISIT THE VICTIMS OF RANN NOW.

    “You have failed to demonstrate sensitivity to the grief of your Citizens. VISIT SOUTHERN KADUNA NOW.

    “You have failed to demonstrate sensitivity to the grief of your Citizens. VISIT SOUTHERN KADUNA NOW.

    “You have failed to demonstrate sensitivity to the grief of your Citizens.VISIT ENUGU, ONITSHA, ABA NOW.

    “You have failed to demonstrate sensitivity to the grief of your Citizens.VISIT ENUGU, ONITSHA, ABA NOW.

    “You have failed to demonstrate sensitivity to the grief of your Citizens.We EXPECT MORE from our C-in-C.

    “You have failed to demonstrate sensitivity to the grief of your Citizens. You need to CHANGE this NOW.

    “You have failed to demonstrate sensitivity to the grief of your Citizens. You need to CHANGE this NOW.

    “It’s time to start being emotionally present when your citizens grieve. SPEAK UP. VISIT. You are C-in-C.

    “It’s time to start being emotionally present when your citizens grieve. SPEAK UP. VISIT. You are C-in-C.

    “Leaders soon discover that the happier their Citizens are, the greater their respect abroad, vice versa.

    “Your Citizens are in deep grief. Yesterday’s tragedy was devastating. Make it a turning point moment.”

  • Nigerians ride on Falz #Wehdonesir to slam President Buhari

    Falz recently released a socially conscious song titled #Wehdonesir which is a satire condemning social ills in Nigeria. However, Nigerians are leveraging on this #Wehdonesir trend, using it to ask President Buhari to fulfill his campaign promises.

    Read some of the notable memes below

    1. “Your wife was on the campaigning for you, but you din remember that time that she belongs in the kitchen and other room”

    2.You said you’ll create 3 million jobs every year, but even 200,000 jobs never balance.

    1. You said you’ll give school children one meal per day, you now kuku decided to put the full country on one meal per day.

    1. They even said you’ll reduce fuel to less than N45 per litre. But izz now 145. Ah,

    5. They said we’ll have four fully functioning refineries, but fuel price is fully functioning at N145/litre

    1. One of your progressive Governors said a school being closed for 8 months is alright. And you just kept quiet there. Muzzbe body language.

    7. You said you will pay stipends, but instead you now start collecting stipend from us.

    8. Even corpers that you said you’ll pay stipend after service, they’ve nor collected Allowee.

    9.You said naira will be stable, but naira is just doing like this,

    10.You were making promises you cannor keep, because you belong to everybody and nobody.

    11.Your citizens successfully escaped Boko Haram, but somehow, your Airforce managed to catch .No investigations. No arrest. Nobody taking responsibility. Nothing. Wehdone sir. Enjoy yourself, we shall see in 2019.

     

  • Recession: Buhari to unveil economic plan in February – Osinbajo

    Recession: Buhari to unveil economic plan in February – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has revealed that plans had been concluded to launch the economic recovery plan of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration in February.

    He also stated that the federal government was critically considering the option of tapping into the Pension Funds for massive investments in infrastructures.

    Osinbajo spoke while fielding questions at two separate panels tagged “panel of Building Africa” and “International Business Interaction Group of investors” focused exclusively on Nigeria on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday.

    He said that massive investments in the people and their skills would bring about economic prosperity. Osinbajo’s presentations were encapsulated in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Laolu Akande.

    “The Vice President noted that the Buhari administration is “committed to investing more in infrastructure,” than in previous times by ensuring that 30% of the budget goes into capital expenditure.

    Vice President Osinbajo “Besides, he disclosed that the government is working on how to tap into Nigeria’s huge Pension Fund to finance infrastructure in the country.

    “To do this he stated that “we have to first derisk” such financing models for infrastructure.

    “An active engagement with, and encouraging the private sector, he said, is also of a great deal, referring to the example of the 650,000bpd refinery project of the Dangote Group, which is going to be the largest single-line refinery in the world.

    “Assuring that the Buhari administration is very confident about the recovery of the Nigerian economy, Prof. Osinbajo said “it is not difficult to get out of where we are if we understand why we are where we are.”

    “He reminded his audience that the Nigerian economy remains indisputably the biggest in terms of size of the economy.

    “Speaking at the Business Interaction Group attended by several international and local investors and business interests, and hosted by the Nigerian delegation, the Vice President assured that the newly developed Economic Recovery Growth Plan of the Buhari administration has been specifically designed to take the country out of recession and in the long term continue to grow the economy.

    “He said the planning of the 2017 was based on the ERGP, which he said would be formally launched next month. “Prof. Osinbajo gave the example of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme where for the first time half a Trillion Naira is being budgeted by the Federal Government for Social Investment Programmes.

    “It is about investment in people, in their skills, in youths, that we have a N500B allocation in our budget last year and proposed for this year also.

    “It is an investment in education and educating large numbers of people in a short time, it’s a radical thing to make that kind of serious investment in education.

    “He also referred to the planned N100,000 supporting grants to students of higher institutions in Science, Technology, Enginerring & Maths, STEM”, the statement stated.

     

  • Jammeh’s defiance, ECOWAS mistake and Buhari’s bad example

    By Jude Ndukwe

    As it is now, The Gambia is under emergency rule as declared by its president of 22 years, Yahya Jammeh.

    The emergency rule has become necessary in the estimation of Jammeh, following his decision to challenge the outcome of the country’s December 1, 2016 election in which Adama Barrow was declared winner.

    The impasse has been largely fuelled by the haste with which the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has not only intervened but also interfered in what should, at this stage, be a purely internal matter of a sovereign nation.

    Jammeh’s decision to challenge the outcome of the election result is very well within his constitutional rights. By this, the man who is said to have ruled his country with an iron fist, is still within his constitutional rights to test the validity of the election result in the law court.

    Obviously, it is this right that the ECOWAS nations and indeed a good part of the world has misinterpreted to mean that Jammeh has refused to step down, and this is part of what has heightened the impasse.

    Just like in Nigeria, the declaration of results by the electoral body does not mark the end of an electoral process in The Gambia.

    The political actors are still constitutionally permitted to challenge such results in the law court. Such electoral matters can only be said to have been fully dispensed with after the highest court constitutionally empowered to deal with such matters have done so.

    ECOWAS will be making a grave mistake if they send in troops to The Gambia at this stage. What the regional body should be concerned with now is to send in fearless and impartial judges to that country from Nigeria as requested to dispense with the matter speedily and judiciously.

    It is only after the country’s highest courts have affirmed Barrow as winner and Jammeh refuse to step down and handover to Barrow that a military action would be justified.

    Another mistake ECOWAS made was their choice of delegation as led by President Muhammadu Buhari to The Gambia as emissaries of peace and democracy to persuade Jammeh to hand over power peacefully and as scheduled.

    Although Jammeh had earlier accepted defeat and promised to leave the stage on the set date of January 19, 2017, he immediately did an about-turn the moment Barrow made the hasty and politically disingenuous statement of probing Jammeh’s administration.

    Jammeh, who from his earlier posture, wanted to play the Goodluck Jonathan card of handing over power to the opposition after an election must have quickly remembered the Nigerian situation where persecution, injustice, oppression, deprivation and gross abuse of the rights of officials of the immediate past administration in particular and the citizens in general have been the order of the day, and recanted his earlier stance immediately.

    The appointment of Buhari as leader of ECOWAS delegation to The Gambia is a monumental error. How can a man with no democratic credentials lead a mission of democracy?

    How can a man who hardly obeys court orders as in the case of Sheikh El Zakzaky, Nnamdi Kanu et al be the one appointed to mediate in a constitutional process?

    Not even the orders of the same ECOWAS court on Sambo Dasuki has been obeyed by Buhari months after they were given, yet, it is the same man ECOWAS gave the enviable responsibility to convince Jammeh about the need to leave the stage a democrat!
    Buhari should not have been on that delegation not to talk of leading it.

    With the continued denial of campaign promises and policy somersaults, no leader would take Buhari’s word for whatever it is worth.

    With the rascally behavior of some of our security agencies under Buhari’s watch leading to many innocent citizens being killed just for exercising their rights to assemble and protest, among others, in Jammeh’s mind, Buhari’s discussion with him might just seem like a dictator talking to a dictator about the need for a peaceful transition.

    In fact, during those dialogues with Buhari, Jammeh might just be saying in his mind, “with your antecedents and current style of leadership, how am I sure that you would hand over power to your opponent if you were defeated in 2019?”

    No doubt, Buhari is not the ideal example of a democratic leader. Such a leader like him needs the intervention of proven democrats to guide him on the inalienable ingredients of democracy.

    So for The Gambia to pass through this phase peacefully and speedily, ECOWAS should facilitate the immediate transfer of judges from Nigeria to that country as requested and allow all parties exhaust all their constitutional rights and provisions made available to them.

    While that is going on, democrats with proven track record of not being power-drunk and who also have themselves handed power over to members of the opposition including well respected figures like Nigeria’s Goodluck Jonathan, Ghana’s John Mahama, Kofi Annan, Emeka Anyaoku etc should have been in the delegation to the exclusion of the likes of our own Buhari.

    It is only after the courts might have ruled against him and such entreaties have failed that a military action becomes desirable.

    For now, let the delegation be reshuffled and let The Gambia run the full course of its own constitutional provisions. That way we do not attempt to right a wrong with another wrong.

    —jrndukwe@yahoo.co.uk; Twitter: @stjudendukwe

  • Buhari regrets accidental bombing in Borno, wishes victims divine succour

    President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep sadness and regret over the accidental bombing of a civilian community in Rann, Borno, by the Nigerian Air Force engaged in fighting Boko Haram insurgency in the area.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Tuesday, the president condoled with families of the dead.

    The president, who expressed sympathy to the Borno Government, also wished those wounded during the incident divine succour, leading to full recovery.

    He pledged the Federal Government help for the state government in attending to “this regrettable operational mistake”.

    Buhari, who pleaded for calm, prayed God to grant repose to the souls of the dead.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria Army has said that a fighter jet misfired and shot some humanitarian aid workers of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), recording casualties.

    The Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, said the victims were possibly aid workers and civilians.

    Irabor said that the accident happened at Kala Balge Area of Borno.

    “So far, it is a little bit disturbing; death has occurred. There are casualties; there are deaths and injuries”, Irabor said.

    “But on the actual number of casualties, we will get back to you later. I am yet to get the number of casualties of civilians killed, but two soldiers were also affected,’’ he added.

    The shots reportedly hit the Medicines Sans Frontiers and some civilians.

    “This morning, we received a report about the gathering of Boko Haram terrorists around Kala Balge area of Maiduguri.

    “I coordinated and I directed that the air component of the operation should go and address the problem.

    “Unfortunately, the strike was conducted but it turned out that other civilians were somewhere around the area and they were affected.’’

    He said some humanitarian staff of Medicines Sans Frontiers and some staff of International Committee of Red Cross(ICRC) were also affected.

    “We are sending helicopters to evacuate those that were critically wounded, including our wounded soldiers,” Irabor said.

  • Buhari mourns with victims UNIMAID blast

    President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with victims of today’s early morning bomb blast at the University of Maiduguri, Borno state.

    The President in a message via his official Twitter handle @MBuhari expressed sadness over the news of the blast in the university community.

    See Buhari’s message below:

    My heartfelt condolences go to the University Community, the families of the victims, and the Govt and people of Borno State.

    — Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) January 16, 2017

    Once again, my condolences to the families of the victims. And I wish the injured speedy & full recovery. Nigeria will triumph over terror!

    — Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) January 16, 2017

  • You have made us proud, Buhari tells Nigerian troops in Sambisa, Liberia

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Nigerian troops presently battling Boko Haram sect in Sambisa forest as well as some troops on peacekeeping in Liberia for displaying unalloyed patriotism in the fight against terrorism in their duty posts.

    Buhari, who addressed the officers via separate video conferences on Sunday to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, enjoined the Nigerian troops to maintain the standard of discipline and efficiency.

    The President spoke to the Commanders in the three locations namely: Major General Victor Ezugwu, Acting GOC, 7 Division, Nigerian Army ( Sambisa Forest); Major General Salihu Uba, Force Commander for the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and Air Commodore Charles Owoh, Air Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Air Force Base Yola.

    Addressing the soldiers in Sambisa forest, Buhadi said, “Goodmorning officers and men of the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army. You have done Nigeria a great pride. Your success was received spontaneously by all Nigerians. I congratulate you and thank you very much for the honour done to the country and to us. Well done! I wish you and your families well and I hope that you are in touch with your families. I wish you more success and please maintain the standard of discipline and efficiency. Thank you very much indeed.” ‎

    In another video chat with the special forces in Liberia, Buhari said, “Good morning General [Salihu Uba, Force Commander for the United Nations Mission in Liberia]. We thank God and we thank technology. I can see you and I can hear you. I am impressed with the turnout of your men and I thank you for keeping the flag flying on the performance of Nigerian military in the United Nations peacekeeping operations. God willing as you briefed us, in 2018, the last contingent of Nigeria troops in Liberia will come back. I sincerely wish them a successful operation and I wish the General the best of luck.”

    The President also paid special tributes to the air forces personel in Yole.

    He said, “That was a good presentation. I get regular briefing from your Chief of Air Staff. Your performance speaks for itself and you have raised the morale of your colleagues in the military especially the army. With your hi-tech performance and platforms, we have been able to restore the sanity and the territorial integrity of Nigeria; I congratulate you. For the officers and men, you know you cannot be over-trained. With your hi-tech outfit, training has to be continuous and I am very pleased with the initiative that you have taken in maintenance of equipment. It is very encouraging and a boost to our morale here. I congratulate you and please pass my message to your families that we are very mindful of their patience and anxiety whenever you are in the field. Thank you very much indeed.”

    Earlier at the National Arcade in Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari accompanied by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police performed the Wreath Laying Ceremony for the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

     

  • Buhari congratulates APC stalwart, Akande at 78

    Buhari congratulates APC stalwart, Akande at 78

    President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated elder statesman and founding Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Abdukareem Adebisi Akande, as he turns 78 years on Jan. 16.

    This congratulatory message is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president.

    Adesina said Buhari joined all members of the APC, friends and immediate family of the eminent leader in celebrating the birthday of Akande.

    The president noted with delight that Akande was one of the pillars of the opposition party that had successfully ensured a round victory and smooth transition to unseat an incumbent president in 2015.

    According to him, Akande’s wisdom, sacrifices, patriotism and commitment to the unity and development of Nigeria will always be remembered by posterity.

    Buhari affirmed that Akande’s present role in the APC as a strong, visionary leader, a reconciling voice, strategist and stabiliser had paid up substantially in the enormous challenge of healing the ruling party, and the country.

    The president extolled the passionate and relentless efforts of the statesman in ensuring the entrenchment democracy in Nigeria, and sustenance of the rule of law.

    He prayed that the almighty God would grant “Chief Akande longer life, more strength and wisdom to continue serving the country he loves, and humanity’’.

    Akande was former governor of Osun between 1999 and 2003, and had meritoriously served as deputy governor of old Oyo State from 1979 to 1983.

     

     

    NAN

  • We have restored Nigeria’s territorial integrity – Buhari

    Muhammadu Buhari, Sunday, boasted that his administration has been able to restore Nigeria’s hitherto lost sanity and territorial integrity, hailing the country’s Armed Forces for making his dream possible.

    He asked the nation’s security outfits not to rest in their oars, saying they must keep the pace of actions they undertook in seeing the total defeat of insurgence in the country,noting that the country was proud of them.

    President Muhammadu Buhari speaks with Military men in Operation base via NigComSat. With him are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of Defence, Bgrig General Mansur Dan Ali, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki and other Service Chiefs during the Wreath Laying ceremony of 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the Arcade in Abuja.

    Speaking, Sunday, in Abuja, at a live video call to Nigeria’s troops battling insurgency in the North East as well as international peace troops in Liberia, during the occasion of the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration, the president, who expressed satisfaction with the successes recorded so far by the troops not only in restoring peace in the country but African sub-region, asked the Armed Forces to maintain the tempo in its operations whenever in need.

    “With your performances, we have been able to restore the sanity and territorial integrity of Nigeria. I congratulate you, “he said.

    The president insisted that he was impressed with Armed Forces performance just as he said the rest of the nation was concerned about their welfare.

    He assured the troops that government was with them in what they were doing, adding that his administration would always respond to their operational needs so as to achieve their set goals.

    Earlier, Presi­dent Buha­ri led senior government officials to lay wreaths at the National Military Cenotaph in Abuja. The ceremony is held every January 15 in honor and mem­ory of Nigerian military per­sonnel who died in active ser­vice to the nation.

    The president arrived at the occasion, and after the national anthem, reviewed the guard of honour mounted by the Nige­rian Army, Navy, Airforce and the Nigerian Legion.

    He thereafter proceeded to lay a wreath at the foot of the tomb of the ‘Unknown Sol­dier’ at the Military Cenotaph, oppo­site the Eagles Square, after Chris­tian and Muslim prayers as well as observance of a-min­ute silence and one-round of gun salute were made.

    Thereafter, Vice-President Yemi Osinba­jo laid the wreath at the Ceno­taph, followed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki; House of Rep­resentatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara; and the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen in that order.

    Minister of Defence, Man­sur Dan-Ali; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mo­hammed Bello; Chief of De­fence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Ol­onishakin; the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok Eket-Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, also laid their wreaths.

    Not left out of the wreath-laying were the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotum ; the Doyen of the Diplo­matic Corps and Cameroo­nian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Salahudeen; represent­ative of widows of deceased soldiers, Mrs. Veronica Aluko as well as the Chairman of the Ni­gerian Legion, retired Colonel Micah Gaya.

    The wreath-laying ceremo­ny was followed by a thunder­ous 21-gun salute to the fall­en heroes, as all officers and guests present remained standing.

    The commander of the Brigade of Guards, Brig. Gen Sani, guided the President to sign the Armed Forces Re­membrance Day Register and the release of white pigeons to signify peace.

    An unprecedented highlight of the event was when the president got a firsthand expe­rience in a theatre command control vehicle from where he spoke to the officers and men of the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 7 Division of the Nigerian Army as well as the troops fighting insurgency in Maiduguri, Borno state.

    “Good morning officers and men of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, you have done Nigeria proud. I congratulate you and I thank you very much for the honour you have done to the country and to us. I wish you more success. Please, maintain the standard of efficiency. Thank you very much indeed, “he said.

    On their part, the troops on ground in Maiduguri ap­preciated the president with three hearty cheers, as their commander promised to dis­charge their duties to the na­tion faithfully.

    The president was also able to speak with the Nigerian Peace Mission troops in Liberia as well as view satellite images of the Nigerian Air Force surveillance over Maidu­guri and nearby towns.