25112020 - Selfish Northerners opposing restructuring, says el-Rufai

More documents

Recommendations

Info

12 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020 :Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 KICKSTART—From left: PS, Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Boladele Dapo- Thomas; MD, International Breweries, Hugo Rochas; Representative of the Vice President, Minister of State for Labour and Employment; Festus Keyamo, SAN, represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Osagie Nurudeen; Chairman, Advisory Board, International Breweries Plc., Peter Bankole, and Legal & Corporate Affairs Director, International Breweries Plc., Mrs. Temitope Oguntokun, during the 5th International Breweries Plc. Kickstart Entrepreneurship Summit, held in Lagos. NAIRA: Basing devaluation on parallel market rate wrong —CBN •Says parallel used for corruption purposes •Retains MPR at 11.5 % •Gives N1 trn to corporate orgasnisations over COVID-19 •N149 b to targeted households, SMEs Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief ABUJA—THOSE using parallel market rate to put pressure on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to devalue the Naira won't have their way. The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele gave this indication at the end of the last 2020 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, in Abuja, yesterday. He said "It is unfair that even analysts who should know are using parallel market rate to say that our currency is overvalued and therefore calling for devaluation. This is very unfortunate. "The parallel market is a shallow market of only about 5 per cent of the foreign exchange market which is patronized by people who go there for cash to offer bribes and corruption. Parallel market is the place where people who don't want to provide documents go. "I don't see why those who should know are asking for devaluation. We don't agree that the determination of the foreign exchange should be based on a market that is tainted. We will not use this as our benchmark to determine the value of our currency. "At the E& I (Import& Export) Window, the rate is about N386 or N387 / $1. We don't control the I & E window. Why will anyone use the parallel market to say that the exchange rate is over N480/$1?" According to the governor, the Naira had already been devalued by about 28 per cent this year, just like many other currencies of the world. COVID-19: 149bn to 317 beneficiaries Governor Emefiele disclosed that about N149 billion had been given to 317 beneficiaries of the COVID- 19 Fund, consisting of Targeted Households, as well as, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). He said that the organization was encouraged to increase funding beyond the initial N50 billion due to the positive impact it had on the Nigerian economy by boosting outputs and consumption. According to him, another N92 billion was given to operators under the Agri-business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) and another N60 billion to healthcare sector players, in the battle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and improve the nation's health sector. Similarly, Mr. Emediele disclosed that about N2. 9 billion of the Creative Industry Initiative Fund has been disbursed among operators in the fashion, music and Information, Communication Technology and the movie industries. According to the CBN boss, "the various funds have been "quite impactful" adding, these have been helpful in moderating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country." An elated Mr. Emefiele said that the various funds disbursements would be done in such a way that all regions of the country would benefit from the interventions. "We have insisted that it should be done in such a way that it will go round all the zones. This will boost consumption and ensure output is impacted for the good of our people." On the current recession, the governor said, "We are somewhat cautiously optimistic that with the record of performance of various sectors, in the first quarter of 2021, we will exit the recession." According to the CBN By Davies Iheamnachor PORT HARCOURT— GOVERNORS and people of the South-South Geopolitical zone have demanded for restructuring in line with the principle of true federalism, to guarantee peace, security and stability of the nation. The leaders and governors of the region during a meeting with FG in Port Harcourt yesterday, noted that the country is not at peace with itself and not working as it should, stating that the people of South-South region are not attended to. Speaking, Chairman of the South-South Governors Forum and Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa while disclosing the position of the zone during the regional stakeholders meeting with presidential delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari, at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday, called for restructuring of the nation and true federalism. Okowa said: "True federalism guided by the principle of derivation, revenue sharing and control of resources by each State of the federation as it was the case in the boss, the external reserves position, stood at US$35.18 billion as at November 19, 2020 compared with US$35.95 billion at end of September 2020, as crude oil prices continue to fluctuate with downward pressure. The CBN retained Monetary policy Rate (MPR) at 11.5% It also retained all other parameters with Cash Reserve Ratio and Liquidity Ratio at 27.5 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. Consequently, the MPC retained the asymmetric corridor of +100/-700 basis points around the MPR. Dikio vows to stop corruption in PAP, assures contractors of payment By Davies Iheamnachor PORT HARCOURT— THE Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (retd) has vowed to stamp out corruption in the Presidential Amnesty Programme. The amnesty coordinator also clarified that the scheme owed contractors about N71.4 billion, noting that the office would pay based on their contractual agreement. Dikio, yesterday said the figure was based on the report of an investigative committee set up by the Presidency to probe the past activities of the programme. He said that the office was resolved to digitalise the operations of the amnesty programme, adding that such would make it more transparent to reduce incidences of corruption. Dikio noted that in line with the standard set by the United Nations, that the amnesty office must be reorganised for optimum performance, adding that he would restructure the office to run on a lean and efficient workforce in line with international standard recommended for such programmes. The amnesty boss said: "There are many complaints that I think are process-driven. For instance we want to digitalise our operations and create a system in which there will be transparent transactions. If we do that very well it will first republic." He said the kind of federation the South-South geopolitical desires, is one where federating units are constitutionally empowered to create their own structures like Local Government Areas, manage their elections and control their judiciary. He said: "We are all aware of the huge endowment of this country. As such, it is imperative to stress that with a little bit of efforts, imagination, hard work, sacrifice and leadership, every state of the Federation as of today, has the ability and capability to contribute to the national purse. This should be encouraged rather than the whole country depending substantially on a region of the country. "What is worse and even more painful in this ugly situation is the deliberate lack of understanding, empathy and the uncompromising attitudes of some Nigerians, who have refused to understand the challenges of the South-South region of the country especially, the degradation of the environment and our waters. As a result, most of the demands of the region have remained unattended to while the resources of the region have been used continually to develop other parts of the country." The governors reiterated the call for the relocation of the headquarters of major oil companies, NNPC subsidiaries from Lagos and Abuja to the South-South region, requesting immediate implementation of the consent judgment entered in the Supreme Court Suit No: SC/964/2016 to enable the South-South region get its share of $55billion shortfall of collection on deep offshore and inland basin production sharing contracts. The governors further called for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the region's major seaports in Port Harcourt, Calabar, Warri in order to enhance the economic development of the South- South region, regretting that they demanded that the two refineries in Port Harcourt and one in Warri which have continued to bleed the country's resources in the name of turn around maintenance, should be privatised. On the issues of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Okowa observed that one of the major failures of the intervention agency was its refusal to forge and foster synergy, consultation and cooperation with the state governments especially, on project location, development and execution. He said: "We have resolved and we, as the State governments will no longer allow NDDC to execute any project (s) in any state of the region without it consulting State governments. Frankly, enough is enough and we reduce the incidences of corruption". "I am very conversant with how the UN runs its DDR programme. The amnesty office has become a place for tenured appointment. That is far from how to operate a programme like this. "I intend to reorganise the place with the blessings of my superiors to create lean and efficient machinery so that we can drive each phase of the programme with the requisite qualified staff, so that we can deliver set targets on time. He noted that the office owed N71.4bn to contractors, saying: "The investigation committee established that contractors were owed about N71.4bn and that is way above our yearly budget of N65bn. On our part what we are committed in doing is to ensure prudent allocation of funds in need-driven line of expenditure. "I want to also say that apart from the verification done by the investigation committee, we had also completed a reconciliation of those figures before I went on tour, so when I come back we are going to start payment after a review of our records. We want to assure our contractors that their payment will be based soly on their terms of contract." He further said the office could only pay for benefits captured in the books, stating that the school fees and other allowances of most of the scholarship beneficiaries under the scheme had been paid.‘‘ N-Delta leaders demand restructuring as panacea for peace have a court judgment to back our position." However, the Chief of Staff to the President, Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari, said the stakeholders meeting was at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari, to the presidential delegation comprising of all the Ministers from the region to visit and consult with representatives of the people regarding the recent EndSARS protest. Gambari, noted that reports indicated that there were instances where breakdown of law and order was reported across various locations in the South-South states, commending, the governors of the South-South States for their quick response and actions in addressing the EndSARS crisis Ġambari said the President acknowledged that citizens have also been dealing with other concerns that are particular to the region such as the degradation of environment due to decades of mishandling and adherence to environmental standards, promising to convey the demands of the region to the President Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, urged the leaders of the region to avail themselves of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution by the National Assembly since most of the issues contained in their demands are constitutional matters.
C M Y K Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020 — 13 :Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 METING: From left— Chief of Staff to the President, Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari; Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege and Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, at the meeting of South- South stakeholders with the presidential team at Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday. Igbo’ll resist any attempt to arrest Abaribe over Kanu's bail —MASSOB By Vincent Ujumadu AWKA—THE Move ment for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, warned yesterday that the Igbo nation would resist any attempt to arrest Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who stood as a surety for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. MASSOB leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, in a statement, faulted the call by the Alhaji Yerima Shettima - led Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF) for the arrest of Abaribe, regretting that the northern youths were always willing tools of destruction in the hands of their leaders. According to Madu, Senator Abaribe's surety for Nnamdi Kanu was totally different from the one Senator Ali Ndume stood for Maina Abdulrasheed. He said: “Maina was being charged over allegation of corruption and looting of public funds when he was the chairman of the defunct National Pension Task Team. He was also accused of laundering money meant for aged pensioners. He can therefore never be compared with Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB. “Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe's surety for Nnamdi Kanu was a unanimous decision of Ndigbo; it was not a personal venture. “The treasonable and felonious court case against Nnamdi Kanu is closed because Nigerian government knows it has no evidence against him. Therefore, any attempt to arrest Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe will be resisted by Ndigbo.” He warned the Arewa Furniture dealers commend FG on MSME By Onozure Dania PRESIDENT OF United Furniture Dealer’s Association of Nigeria, Prince Emeka Egwuekwe has commended the Federal Government over the inclusion of members of the association in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSEME, scheme. This came as he renewed his call for the association to be included in the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, N50billion COVID-19 stimulus package for households and small businesses in the country. The Federal Government recently released the guidelines to access the N75 billion MSME Survival Fund and Support Initiatives which took effect from September 21, 2020. • Says Nigeria 'll soon start exporting fuel The scheme, which is the core of the N2.3 trillion stimulus package of the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan includes the N60 billion MSMEs Survival Fund and the N15 billion Guaranteed Offtake Schemes. Egwuekwe said the furniture manufacturing industry has lost over N600million during the COVID-19 lockdown, noting that if care is not taken, a lot of companies will be shut down after the pandemic. According to Egwuekwe, “The government should look into the furniture industry because if care is not taken, a lot of furniture dealers would go out of business after this COVID-19 pandemic. As the President of the United Furniture Association Of Nigeria, I want the government to look at ways of including members in the CBN N50billion COVID-19 intervention loan. Our members need this bailout loan as the furniture industry provides over 6,000 jobs. If you go to Kugbo furniture market, you will discover over 6,000 Nigerians making their living from the market. “I tell you that after this COVID-19, a lot of companies will go extinct as most of our raw materials are imported from China and we have not been able to import for sometime and the companies are not working. So, I am pleading with the Federal Government to include us in the bailout funds. We have lost over N600million not only in revenue but because of the pandemic.‘‘ Youths Consultative Forum to stop the systematic and calculated plan to blackmail the personality of Senator Abaribe who he described as one of Nigeria’s most distinguished Senators in the red chamber. “MASSOB will never allow people to play the hypocritical game of pulling down the best leaders of Ndigbo in the name of politics,” he said. Buhari commissions new refinery in Imo By Chinonso Alozie ODENT WERRI—PRESI Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, assured Nigerians that his administration would soon start exporting petroleum products within and outside the African countries. Buhari gave this assurance while commissioning virtually, the 5000 barrels, per day, capacity modular refinery built in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State by Walter Smith. The President said that it was for this reason among others that his administration has been fast tracking his agenda for the petroleum sector by encouraging the construction of modular refineries. “Development of modular refineries is one of my administration’s four key road maps to tap into the potentials of the petroleum sector and very soon, Nigeria will start exporting petroleum products to other countries of the world,” Buhari said. The President was excited that the Modular refinery built by Walter Smith had shown his commitment towards the actualization of his agenda in the petroleum sector and that it came after successive administrations could not do it. Speaking also, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said: “We are looking forward to a day in the near future when Nigeria will regain its position as a net exporter of refined petroleum products. President Buhari is ready to provide an enabling environment and the necessary support to encourage local refineries." Utazi's community, Nkpologu, visits Ugwuanyi ENUGU—THE people of Nkpologu in Uzo- Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, yesterday, paid a Thank-you visit to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, at the Government House, Enugu, for his special love and attention to the community especially in the areas of security, infrastructural development and appointments. The people who were led by their son and the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, expressed their joy and deep appreciation to Gov. Ugwuanyi for bringing uncommon infrastructural and human capital development to their community after decades of neglect by past administrations. Harmattan season: EEDC warns S'East residents against fire outbreak By Chinedu Adonu ENUGU ELECTRICITY Distribution Company, EEDC, has cautioned her customers as well as the general public against indiscriminate bush burning and acts capable of causing fire outbreak, as the harmattan season sets in. The Head of Corporate Commission, EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, made this call during a chat with newsmen in Enugu yesterday. Fire outbreaks have been identified as one of the common risks facing EEDC, especially during the harmattan season. As a result of this, EEDC is reminding her customers of the need to be cautious during this period. Ezeh disclosed that EEDC has commenced public sensitization of her customers across its network, using the electronic mass media and digital platforms. "The harmattan season is synonymous with dry wind which makes it very easy for fire to spread, thereby causing destruction of lives and FUTO renews commitment to transform Nigeria's economy By Chidi Nkwopara OWERRI—THE man agement of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, yesterday, renewed its "commitment to practical training geared towards transforming the nation's economy from consumer-oriented to production-oriented, with a sound technological base." On security, they said that the purchase and donation of patrol vehicles with communication gadgets to the security agencies by Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration and the prompt drafting of the Army and Police to Nkpologu to complement the efforts of their Neighbourhood Watch group and Forest Guards, among others, have reduced crimes and insecurity in their community in particular and Uzo- Uwani in general. “Notwithstanding the security measures in place, you also ordered the clearing of over 300 meters on both sides of Nkpologu-Adani road in order to expose and eliminate any possible hide-out for kidnappers and criminals along the highway”, they added. property. “Our major concern is those in the rural communities that engage in hunting activities, who usually set the bush on fire. We appeal that even if they must engage in such, that they should exercise caution and do so in a wellcoordinated manner to avoid causing damage." The distribution company used the opportunity to encourage customers not to take any electrical spark in their homes lightly as they could lead to fire outbreak. They are advised to always engage the services of competent and qualified electricians in carrying out electrical repairs. “Overloading of electrical sockets is also identified as a potential cause of fire outbreak and customers are advised to desist from such act”. "EEDC is working assiduously to ensure that safe environment is maintained across its network and that the already improving service quality is sustained." The Vice Chancellor, VC, Professor Francis Eze, stated this while flagging off the three-day, 9th International Conference on Gender, Empowerment and Sustainable Development, in FUTO. "In line with our mantra, Driving the Culture of Excellence, we will continue to uphold best practices, and provide the enabling environment for the generation and dissemination of cutting-edge knowledge that solves practical problems for humanity", the VC said. According to Professor Eze, FUTO is currently home to two World Bank Centres of Excellence. "There are the Africa Centre of Excellence in Future Energies and Electrochemical Systems, ACE-FUELS, and the Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement, CE-SPESSE", Professor Eze said. Continuing, the VC said that the theme for this year's conference could not have been more apt and timely, especially as the world grapples with the impact of Covid-19 pandemic. "As gender remains the critical variable in measuring the impact of pandemics and crisis, empowerment and entrepreneurship, becomes imperative in finding a lasting solution to Covid-19 and other diseases, restoring livelihoods and rebuilding ravaged communities and economies", Eze said.
Page 1 and 2: Nigeria's poverty capital status: S
Page 3 and 4: Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2
Page 5 and 6: vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguar
Page 7 and 8: C M Y K Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMB
Page 11: Vanguard, , WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25,
Page 15 and 16: Y K Vanguard,WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Page 17 and 18: C M Y K Nigeria's poverty capital s
Page 21 and 22: C M Y K Gamblers and journeymen Pol
Page 25 and 26: C M Y K Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMB
Page 27 and 28: Catholic priest celebrates 50th bir
Page 29 and 30: C M Y K Vanguard, , WEDNESDAY, NOVE
Page 31 and 32: vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguar
Page 37 and 38: YOUR LUCK TODAY By Joshua Adeyemo P

25112020 - Selfish Northerners opposing restructuring, says el-Rufai

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?