19082019 - Nigeria to spend N2.53bn on 43 ministers

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2019—5
POCKET CARTOON
the Federal Government
condemned the attack,
describing it as an
embarrassment <strong>to</strong> the
country.
ELUMELU IN RWANDA— Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and
Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr. Tony Elumelu and President of
Rwanda, Mr. Paul Kagame (Right), during a courtesy visit by Elumelu <strong>to</strong>
President Kagame at the Presidential Palace in Kigali on Friday. President
Kagame was in Abuja during the just held Tony Elumelu Foundation Forum.
IPOB's attack on Ekweremadu,
warning <strong>to</strong> Igbo leaders —KANU
By Henry Umoru,
Vincent Ujumadu,
Levinus
Nwabughiogu &
Dirisu Yakubu
A BUJA—Nnamdi
Kanu, Leader of
the Indigenous People of
Biafra, IPOB, insisted,
yesterday, that the attack
on the former Deputy
Senate President,
Sena<strong>to</strong>r
Ike
Ekweremadu, in
Nuremberg, Germany,
was a ‘courageous act’
and ‘polite warning.’
Reacting in his official
Twitter handle, Kanu
said: “The courageous
act by IPOB at Nürnberg,
Germany, is a polite
warning <strong>to</strong> those
engaged in selling our
collective interest <strong>to</strong>
Fulani caliphate. Nwodo
(Ohanaeze Ndigbo
president, Nnia Nwodo),
Igbo governors are
warned.”
Meanwhile, strong
reactions, yesterday, trailed
the attack on the former
Deputy Senate President,
with the Federal
Government and House of
Representatives describing
the development as an
embarrassment <strong>to</strong> <strong>Nigeria</strong>.
The House went further
<strong>to</strong> say it was contemplating
a legislation <strong>to</strong> protect
politically exposed
<strong>Nigeria</strong>ns abroad.
Similarly, the Senate
President, Ahmad Lawan;
his deputy, Ovie Omo-
Agege; Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, South East
Professionals Forum of All
Progressives Congress,
APC; Senate Chief Whip,
Orji Uzor Kalu, and Senate
Minority Leader,
Enyinnaya Abaribe, also
described the attack on
Ekweremadu as not only
shameful but also
unedifying of the Igbo race.
Reacting through the
<strong>Nigeria</strong>ns In Diaspora
Commission, NIDCOM,
It’s shameful — FG
In a statement in Abuja,
the Chairman of
NIDCOM, Mrs AbiKe
Dabiri-Erewa, said: “It is
also shamefully pathetic
that an event, which was
nobly put <strong>to</strong>gether by the
Ndi-Igbo community whose
members make up the
majority of <strong>Nigeria</strong>ns living
in Germany, ended up in
such a disgraceful
manner.”
She noted that the event
was <strong>to</strong> provide a forum for
the ‘Diasporans’ and
various stakeholders <strong>to</strong>
network and facilitate a
better cooperation between
German and <strong>Nigeria</strong>n
businesses, disclosing that
some of the culprits who
perpetrated the act had
been apprehended.
Dabiri-Erewa called on
the German government
and law enforcement
agencies <strong>to</strong> ensure that
there were consequences
for the actions of the
culprits.
She also appealed <strong>to</strong>
<strong>Nigeria</strong>ns <strong>to</strong> be of good
behavior wherever they
found themselves, saying
such unruly incidents
tarnish the image of the
country.
House of Reps
Committee reacts
In its reaction, the House
of Representatives said it
was contemplating a
legislation <strong>to</strong> protect
politically exposed people
abroad.
Chairman of the House
Committee on Foreign
Affairs, Yusuf Buba Yakub,
who made the disclosure in
a statement he personally
signed yesterday, hinted
that the House upon
resumption in September,
would thoroughly
investigate the matter.
He urged the <strong>Nigeria</strong>n
Ambassador <strong>to</strong> Germany,
Yusuf Maitama Tugger, <strong>to</strong>
immediately probe the
issue, with a view <strong>to</strong>
bringing the perpetra<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong>
book.
The statement read: “I, as
most concerned <strong>Nigeria</strong>ns
and others across the globe,
have followed with utmost
concern and worry the
treatment meted out on
Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ike Ekweremadu
in far away Nuremberg,
Germany, where he had,
on the invitation of his
people, gone <strong>to</strong> attend the
Second Igbo Cultural
Festival of Iri Ji (New Yam
festival) in that part of
Europe as a distinguished
guest of honour.
“Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ekweremadu,
an accomplished scholar in
the legal profession and
political leader of high
standing in society, is one
of our longest serving
sena<strong>to</strong>rs, who had also in
the last 12 years until June
this year, held sway as the
Deputy President of the
Senate.
‘’Before joining the
Senate, he was also
Secretary <strong>to</strong> Enugu State
Government and had
before then served in
various capacities in that
state.
“Given the high
personality profile and the
public service record which
Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ekweremadu
parades, it is unthinkable
that any individual or
group anywhere in the
world, let alone his very
own people in the
Diaspora, who ought <strong>to</strong>
know better, should
contemplate and carry out
the despicable public act
of shame that was brought
upon a well-respected
national leader of
Sen.Ekweremadu’s stature
before the glare of the entire
global community in
Germany.
“I, therefore, in very
strong terms, condemn in
its entirety the action of the
group of Igbo people,
alleged <strong>to</strong> be members of
the outlawed IPOB, that
had attacked Sena<strong>to</strong>r Ike
Ekweremadu in
Nuremberg, Germany on
Saturday, August 17.
‘’I also wish <strong>to</strong> join other
<strong>Nigeria</strong>ns and leaders <strong>to</strong>
call on the <strong>Nigeria</strong>n
Ambassador <strong>to</strong> Germany,
Amb.Yusuf Maitama
Tugger, <strong>to</strong> make good his
Continues on page 41
By Bose Adelaja, Olayinka La<strong>to</strong>na,
Chiamaka Uba
Restriction of forex for food importation (3)
It’s really important <strong>to</strong>
promote locally made
commodities and as well
provide sustainable markets
for <strong>Nigeria</strong>n goods via
genuine govt intervention.
It would encourage local
production and boost
economy but there should be
home grown solution tailored
<strong>to</strong>wards promoting locally
made goods.
Hopefully, the action would
be accompanied by genuine
development and not mere
cosmetic and populist policy.
- Ayuba Quadri
Public Affairs analyst
I
thinks it’s a good
m o v e
by Mr. President, but
there is the need for
more investments in the
agricultural sec<strong>to</strong>r <strong>to</strong>
boost local food
production. There
should be structure in
place <strong>to</strong> support 'made in
<strong>Nigeria</strong>', they should
also set up a policy that
would be favorable for
manufacturing industries
in the country <strong>to</strong> thrive.
-Jimmy Shola
Mediaprenuer.
The ban on forex for
importing food stuff is
shortsighted. It is
obvious that this will
encourage black market.
Imported foodstuff is a
necessity, therefore
policies that make supply
of these goods difficult
will only increase the
cost of goods for the
common man.
-Showole Tolulope
Content Developer
While this is a good
initiative as
regards the effect it
would have on local food
production and sales, I
also believe things like
this should be gradual
as local producers might
not be able <strong>to</strong> meet up
with demand as opposed
<strong>to</strong> if it had been gradual
where they would have
time <strong>to</strong> prepare and be
able <strong>to</strong> meet demands.
-Olusanya Orewa
Corps member
I
strongly support Mr.
President on this bold
step. This will improve
local food production.
Why import food that can
be produced locally?
Government should
support farmers <strong>to</strong>
produce more food.
If the Agric sec<strong>to</strong>r is
considered, the economy
will be a little bit stable.
-Jayeoba Blessing Funmilayo
Entrepreneur
The idea will help <strong>to</strong>
grow locally made food
by reducing importation,
hence growing the
economy which is one of
the things <strong>Nigeria</strong> needs
now. On the other hand, it
is disturbing because it
leaves us with the question
of how independent the
Central Bank of <strong>Nigeria</strong> is?
That bank is supposed <strong>to</strong> be
run without interference.
-Philomena Ogburie
Analyst