ABUJA (National Conference Report) – The consideration of the Report of the Committee on Energy was completed with a resolution by the Conference that the powers of the Minister to grant exemption to gas flaring should be abolished under Nigerian law. The Conference adopted the recommendation on a total ban on the flaring of associated gas, noting that any oil field that does not have infrastructure to capture associated gas should be shut down by the end of 2014. The delegates agreed that communities in the Niger Delta region should be paid adequate compensation for the gas flaring which has affected…
Author: FRN News
ABUJA (National Conference Report) – Commendations and criticisms have trailed the report of the National Conference Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources on Tuesday June 17, 2014 as the Conference commenced debate on the 44-paged report earlier presented by the Committee Chairman, Umaru Muhammad Hadeija. Sources from the Conference Secretariat said that the report was an assessment of Nigeria’s agricultural and water resources policies, especially as they relate to food security and refocusing of agriculture as a business to create jobs and wealth. “It is also the most viable way to stem the current large scale rural-urban youth migration and thus…
Bauchi (SURE-P Report) – The Convener on SURE-P Road and Bridges, Kassim Bataiya has mandated the contactors handling the dualisation and rehabilitation of Kano – Maiduguri Road, Kano – Yobe and Abuja – Lokoja Road to ensure that they finish their work as stipulated in the contract awards. He made the statement while inspecting the construction work on the Ningi – Yadagungume Fuskar Mata Road in Bauchi, saying SURE-P has made available the sum of 1.5bln for the construction of four bridges and further extension of the construction work on the road. He also mandated the contractor handling the rehabilitation…
ABUJA (National Conference Report) – “Except otherwise decided, henceforth, legislators at national and state levels would operate on part-time basis.” This was the decision of the on-going National Conference based on a recommendation by the Committee on Public Service headed by Ebele Okeke (Engineer) with Adamu Aliyu as Deputy Chairman. Sources from the Conference Secretariat recently noted that the Conference decided that former State Governors and their deputies be exempted from the payment of severance allowances, life insurance and pension. It further agreed that every State of the federation should have its own State Character Commission to protect the interests of…
ABUJA (Water Resources Ministry News) – The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council through the Global Sanitation Fund has provided the sum of five million Us Dollars ($5,000,000) to implement rural sanitation and hygiene promotion in Nigeria. The Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Reng Ochekpe disclosed this on Monday 16th June, 2014 while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and two benefiting States – Cross River and Benue State Governments. The Minister said that the signing of the MoU signifies a take – off…
ABUJA (Water Resources Ministry Report) – The Nigerian Government in partnership with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the World Bank (WB) has reaffirmed its commitment to completing the rehabilitation of the Jebba and Kainji dams to improve the availability of power and boost economic activities in the country. The Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Reng Ochekpe made this declaration lately while meeting with representatives of the team handling the project as well as the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the World Bank. She recalled that in 2011, the Nigerian Government…
ABUJA (National Conference News) – The National Conference sitting in Abuja has recently resolved that henceforth, where the President or National Assembly fails to meet the timelines for passage of the Appropriation Bill, government will have to shut down operations. The conference also agreed that Section 82 of the 1999 Constitution which deals with authorization of expenditure in default of appropriation is to be amended to stop any expenditure by government in the event of delay in the passage of the budget with established timeline. The delegates also completed debate and adopted the resolutions on the Report of the Committee on…
ABUJA (National Conference Report) – The controversy surrounding the recommendation by the Public Finance and Revenue Committee at the on-going National Conference demanding complete removal of the subsidy on petroleum products has been resolved. A report from the conference Secretariat in Abuja lately has revealed that the Conference unanimously resolved that private sector investors granted licenses to build new refineries shall within a period of three years, build such refineries or automatically forfeit the licenses to enable other participants who are ready and willing to build them do so. ‘The Conference, the report said also observed that the issue of total…
ABUJA (National Conference Report) – The on-going National Conference in Abuja witnessed a heated session on Monday as delegates spoke either in support of or against the complete removal of fuel subsidy as recommended by the Committee on Public Finance and Revenue. The Committee which is headed by Adamu Aliero (Senator) did state in its report submitted earlier that the subsidy on petroleum products was an avoidable major financial burden that the nation has been made to bear. It said that between 2006 and 2007, subsidy accounted for 30% of government expenditure which translated to 118% of capital budget and 4.18%…
Abuja (National Conference News) – The National Conference in Abuja has tasked states and local governments across the country to revitalize the already existing skills acquisition and agricultural training centres in each senatorial district as initiative for agricultural transformation. In a bid to make farming attractive to the younger generation, the Conference demanded a policy prohibiting educational institution (primary to secondary) from using farm work as a form of punishment for students’ misbehaviour. On the loss of soil fertility, the Conference urged government to in formulating its policies, take cognizance of climate change and desertification by introducing species of trees and…
As the National Conference deliberation progresses, delegates have decided to amend the 1999 Constitution by overwhelmingly voting for the removal of immunity clause as enshrined in the Constitution. They observed that the clause, which has attracted unfavourable comments at every National or Constitutional Conferences, currently protects the President, Vice President and State Governors and their Deputies from prosecution as long as they remain in office. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, they said should be made to pay prevalent interest rates on duly delayed remittances to the federation account. Sources from the Conference Secretariat have indicated that in a bid to…
ABUJA (Ministry of Health News) – The Minister of Health, C.O.Onyebuchi Chukwu in the wake of the current security challenges in the country and the existence of emotional and psychological trauma to its victims has constituted a Ministerial Committee for the emotional and psychological management of victims of all recent hazards, bombings and kidnappings, particularly those likely to occur to the young girls abducted from the Chibok secondary school. According to the report from the Public Relations Department of the Ministry recently, the Committee which made up of Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists from forty Federal Tertiary Health Institutions, traditional leaders, faith-based organisations,…
ABUJA (Power Ministry Report) – The Minister of State for Power, Muhammad Wakil has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a five-man partner of American Investors led by Roy Yeferez in Abuja to fast track the realization of gas-fired power plant project. Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of State described the event as a happy moment since coming on board as a member of the Federal Executive Council. He said that he has been able to accomplish President Jonathan’s directive on Ministers to serve as ambassadors for investment. He also commended the determination and doggedness of Team…
Abuja (Women Affairs Ministry Report) The Nigerian Government has reiterated its commitment to the provision of child-friendly, qualitative, free and compulsory education for the Nigerian child. The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zainab Maina stated this on Monday June 17, 2014 at the commemoration of the 2014 Day of the African Child in Abuja, organized by the ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the ‘Save our Children International’ on the theme: “A Child Friendly, Quality, Free and Compulsory Education For all Children in Africa.” According to Maina who was represented…
Abuja (Office of the Vice President Report) – The Vice President of Nigeria, Mohammed Namadi Sambo has commended the renowned Islamic scholar, Dahiru Usman Bauchi (Sheikh), the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Sa’ad and other Muslim faithful for the launch of the appeal fund for the construction of an international Islamic Centre in Abuja.The Vice President made this commendation lately at the International Conference Centre, Abuja during the launch of the N1.9 billion appeal fund for the construction of an International Islamic Centre to reffered to as the “Sheikh Tahir Usman Bauchi Institute for Islamic and Science Education.” He also said…
The management of the Federal Ministry of Information has paid a condolence visit to the family of Dr. Akunyili in Abuja over the demise of the former Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili. The Ministry had earlier held a special valedictory session in honour of Prof. Akunyili, where the management and staff who worked with her paid tributes and eulogised the deceased as an outstanding public servant.While speaking during the visit, Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku commiserated with the children of the deceased and said though the death of their mother was painful, they should take solace in…
GUSAU (Environment Ministry Report) – The Governors of the North – East geo-political zone, including that of Zamfara State, Abdulazez Yari Abubakar Shettima and Saidu Nasamu Usman Dakingari of Kebbi State have expressed support for the Federal Governments’ Great Green Wall Project aimed at foresting eleven front-line states that are being ravaged by desertification. The Governors affirmed their support from their respective state capitals lately when the Environment Minister, Laurentia Laraba Mallam visited them in Gusau and Kebbi respetitively. During the visit, four first-class traditional rulers from the two states – the Emir of Gusau, Kabir Muhammad Danbaba (Alhaji);…
Abuja (State House Report) – The Federal Executive Council at its fortnightly meeting held on June 4, 2014 at the Presidential Villa, Asokoro, Abuja has assented to the award of contract for consultancy services on the Shore Protection and Rehabilitation of Escravos Breakwaters and Greenfield Port Development. While briefing State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council Meeting, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku told reporters that the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala tabled a memorandum seeking the Council’s approval to obtain an International Development Association (IDA) credit in the sum of USD42.3 million (Forty-two Million, Three Hundred Thousand…
LAGOS (Ministry of Communication Technology Report) The Broadband Council in its 4th Broadband Council Meeting held in Lagos has affirmed increased 3G coverage to 50% of the Nigerian population by 2015. Report on the proceedings of the meeting from the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Communication Technology lately indicates that the meeting which coincided with the first year anniversary of the approval of the Broadband Plan by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan observed that the progress in the review of the broadband plan has been slower than expected; adding that broadband penetration has however gone up from 6 to…
ABUJA (RMAFC News) The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has pledged more funding for the development of the solid minerals sub-sector of the Nigerian economy to make it more viable and serve as alternative source of revenue for the nation. The Chairman of the Commission, Elias Mbam made this pledge recently in Abuja when he received a high-powered delegation from the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development led by the Minister, Musa Mohammed Sada. Elias Mbam observed that for the sector to perform optimally in line with global best practices, it requires more funding windows in form…