Press Release: President Buhari Greets Femi Okunnu on 85th Birthday

President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates elder statesman and Nigeria’s former Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, on his 85th birthday.

President Buhari felicitates with all the family, friends and professional colleagues of the elder statesman for the grace of living a long and fulfilled life, looking back at his foundational contributions to the infrastructural growth of the nation, and its developmental strides.

President Buhari affirms that Alhaji Okunnu was among the first administrators to set Nigeria on the path of physical growth by patriotically ensuring a plan and implementation of network of roads for the country in the 60’s, that have become the landmark routes after more than half of a century.

The President extols Okunnu for his nationalistic position and views at critical moments in the nation’s existence, especially the legendary role he played during the mediatory meetings after the Nigerian civil war and his contributions to structuring the nation’s legal architecture as the country continues to develop.

President Buhari prays that the almighty God will grant the elder statesman longer life, more strength and wisdom to continue serving the nation he loves so much.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
February 21, 2018

Press Release: President Buhari Approves Retirement, Dismissal of Justices

Following recommendations from the National Judicial Council (NJC), President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the compulsory retirement of Honourable Justice A. F. A Ademola of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court and the dismissal from office of Honourable Justice O.O Tokode of the Benin Division of the Federal High Court.

The disciplinary actions on the two Justices are in pursuance of section 292 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Justice O.O. Tokode is also to refund all salaries and allowances earned illegally from 2nd December, 2015 when he was sworn-in as a Judge of the Federal High Court to date.

The President urges judicial officers to be alive to their responsibilities and eschew corruption in the discharge of their duties.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
Media & Publicity
February 9, 2018

Press Release: VP was in Kano to Attend Aide’s Wedding, Not To Meet Political Groups

The attention of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has been drawn to a TV news report suggesting that he was in Kano State on Saturday, 3rd of February, 2018 to meet with some political groups. This is completely false and misleading.

On the contrary, the Vice President was in Kano to attend the wedding ceremony of his Personal Assistant, Hafiz Ibrahim Kawu, which was well publicized over the weekend.

On arrival, he was met by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje at the airport, and went straight to the mosque, venue of the Wedding Nikhai. After that, he paid the traditional courtesy call on the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and proceeded back to the airport.

At no time during the visit did he meet with any political group or groups. Any attempt to give the impression that he was in Kano for a political purpose is mischievous and should be disregarded.

Indeed, the Vice President has in the past few weeks met in Abuja with the Kano APC leadership to ensure unity and full cooperation among party leaders, and this has also been well reported in the media.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
05 February, 2018

Press Release: FG’S Collaboration With Private Sector Will Facilitate Take Off Of Special Economic Zones, Says Osinbajo in Davos Day Two

The Federal Government and Private Sector will collaborate in creating Special Economic Zones, starting first with the Textile and Garment industry in the hope of spurring the nation’s economic development, according to Vice President Osinbajo, SAN.

Speaking today at an interaction with selected investors in Davos, at the ongoing World Economic Forum, the Vice President noted that “having the right mind-set and understanding where we want to go”, will affect the implementation process whilst ensuring things get done in the nation’s business environment.

He stressed that the collaboration between private sector and the government ensures consistency in the implementation of economic policies.

The Vice President added that one of the reasons he is optimistic about the forthcoming SEZ for garment manufacturing is because it is “specific and is something we can measure very quickly; working with investors and allowing them to tell us what they want to achieve. This will help us attain set objectives.”

Furthermore, Prof Osinbajo stated that having labs, where issues around effective implementation plans would be intensely discussed with expert participants drawn from the private sector and public sector, will also help ensure “that we achieve our objectives” as those labs will set up the implementation agenda and see it through to the end.

Both the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, and Minister for Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Okey Enelamah were also at the interaction.

Speaking earlier, Senator Udoma mentioned that there were many advantages for Nigeria to create the SEZ for Textile manufacturing, citing the use of English as our official language, our political stable environment and the provision of an enabling environment for the private sector.

He further went on to say that confidence is being restored in the hearts of people regarding economic policies.

In his own remarks, the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Okey Enelamah noted that 2018 is a year of implementation regardless of the consequences. Enelamah went on to stress the need for a continuous active implementation of the ERGP based on three legs; investment, trade and industrialisation with an enabling environment as the thrust that runs through all three legs.

Former World Bank Chief Economist, Professor Justin Lin who was also in attendance mentioned that the Garment and Textile industry in Nigeria has huge potential because Nigeria produces cotton, as well as the availability of good locations around the country, including the large markets both domestically and internationally.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
January 24, 2018

Press Release: VP Osinbajo To Speak At Harvard As US Ivy School Starts Business Lecture Titled “Africa Rising”

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, on the invitation of Harvard University, Boston, United States, would be delivering the inaugural, keynote lecture on “Africa Rising” at Harvard Business School on Tuesday, January 16, 2018.

In extending its invitation to the Vice President, the university noted that it deeply admired the immense progress that Nigeria has made by the Buhari presidency including the work of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

“It would be the highest honour for us were you to accept our invitation as we deeply admire the immense progress that Nigeria has made,” the Harvard invitation noted, commending in particular the work of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council.

Nigeria’s rise in world economic rankings and the vast range of business initiatives in the country were also noted.

The top US university further describes the lecture as “a historic moment” as it would be the first time that an Africa-focused course will be offered at Harvard Business School.

During the lecture, Prof. Osinbajo would highlight the progress made by the Buhari administration in the area of improving the country’s economy and investment climate.

In the latest World Bank Doing Business index, Nigeria climbed up 24 places and was placed on the list of 10 most reformed economies globally.

Alongside the President, the VP has been a strong advocate in the future of a greater Africa, and has proffered solutions on how to make the continent work better for its people and the rest of the world.

In a keynote address at the Financial Times Summit in London recently, the Vice President emphasised the depth of talent and innovation across Agriculture, ICT, Hospitality, Fashion, Energy, Manufacturing, Entertainment, and many other fields.

The Vice President, who will leave for Boston today, is expected back in Abuja later on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Prof. Osinbajo had, alongside President Muhammadu Buhari, laid wreaths in honour of fallen heroes of the Nigerian Army at the National Arcade, Abuja to mark the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
15 January, 2017

Press Release: All Those Found Guilty in Osborne Towers Scandal Will Be Sanctioned – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja said all those found culpable in the Osborne Towers scandal will be made to account and appropriately sanctioned.

Receiving a report of the panel established to review the operational, technical and administrative structure of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), President Buhari described the discovery of monies in the flat at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April this year, as an ‘‘unfortunate incident which rightly aroused public interest and outcry.’’

‘‘All the circumstances surrounding the obtaining, keeping custody and disbursement of the funds have been examined by the Vice President’s Committee and all those found to be culpable will be made to account and appropriately sanctioned.

‘‘However, it must be understood that this cannot be done in a manner that jeopardises national security or exposes the operations of any intelligence Agency, which must, by nature be conducted in secrecy.

‘‘Suffice it for me to assure all that justice will be done consistent with our anti-corruption policies,’’ the President said.

President Buhari, while commending the Presidential Review Panel on NIA led by Amb. Babagana Kingibe, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, for completing their assignment expeditiously, expressed the hope that the recommendations of the panel and that of an earlier Committee headed by the Vice President to look into the Osborne matter will assist Government in improving the operations of the NIA and the overall National Security architecture.

‘‘Your Panel’s recommendation, informed as they are by your collective experience and expertise in this field, should in particular help to reposition the NIA to better perform its vital functions with greater professionalism.

‘‘The Osborne Tower incident and its aftermath has also brought to the fore the need to review the entire National Security Architecture, which has now been in operation as established 31 years ago.

‘‘Once again, I thank you very much for undertaking this national assignment, ’’ he said.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was present at the presentation of the report by the panel which has Chief Albert Horsfall, Amb. Zakari Ibrahim and Amb. Ezekiel Oladeji, as members.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
December 19, 2017

Press Release: Working Together Will Boost Economic, Technological Growth, VP Osinbajo Tells Young Innovators

Nigeria’s youths will achieve more if they collaborate more on projects that will benefit them and also boost the nation’s capacity in innovation and technology, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo said this when he received a delegation of young Nigerian innovators and beneficiaries of grants from the Growth and Employment (GEM) Project, an initiative of the Federal Government under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, which is supported by the World Bank and the DFID.

In furtherance of the Buhari administration’s economic empowerment initiatives, the project empowers young Nigerian innovators and entrepreneurs with sustainable and innovative business models that will create more jobs for Nigerians and contribute to the nation’s economic growth.

“I am happy that everyone is a co-founder; it speaks to what we say about collaboration and working together, and also with international players,” the Vice President said.

At the meeting, the young entrepreneurs showcased their business models during short presentations to Vice President, who commended them for their efforts and engaged them with questions on the sustainability of their laudable projects.

It will be recalled that the innovators were selected following the Aso Villa Demo Day (AVDD), a technological innovation competition organised by the Presidency earlier in the year.

Also, at the meeting was the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.

In his remarks, the Project Coordinator of the GEM Project, Mr. Ugo Ikemba, thanked the Vice President for all the support the Buhari administration has given to the project since its inception. He said the project will continue to find platforms to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by enabling them get more access to funding.

In the same vein, the Director-General of Nigerian Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Jelani Aliyu, thanked the Presidency for providing leadership that supports and empowers young Nigerians to dream and innovate.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
18 December, 2017

Speech: VP Osinbajo’s Address at the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea in Abuja

It is my pleasure and privilege to express the warm felicitations of the Government and people of Nigeria to you all on this occasion of the Tenth Conference of Ministers and the Tenth Anniversary of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC). Please accept also, our congratulations on the occasion of your tenth anniversary.

Let me also extend the gratitude of the Government and people of Nigeria, to the FCWC for giving us the opportunity to host this anniversary, I’m told this is the second time Nigeria is hosting this yearly meeting and I hope we will be given the chance to host it frequently.

It is important to remind ourselves of the objectives of this regional body, which includes the strengthening of sub-regional cooperation in fisheries management, monitoring, surveillance and enforcement operations; and the development of the capacity of small-scale fishing operators in member countries, to create sustainable livelihoods.

On the matter of small-scale fishing operators, a point that we cannot overlook, is that most of our national economies thrive largely on the combined energy of multitudes of individual entrepreneurs and small businesses – farmers, fishermen, artisans, traders. Our policies and programmes as governments must therefore, be directed towards supporting the aspirations and ambitions of these small-scale-but-big-energy entrepreneurs.

All six member-countries also need to deepen strategic cooperation, to harness the enormous fisheries potentials in the Gulf of Guinea for the benefit of our people. I implore the secretariat of the FCWC to prioritize the speedy sharing of information between member states, in order to more effectively checkmate the activities of foreign vessels fishing illegally within our territorial waters.

Your Excellencies, it is in the common and vital interest of our nations that we continue to give the FCWC our full support for the sustainable management of our fisheries resources.

On the part of Nigeria, we will continue to play our role in the support of FCWC. In line with this, I am happy to inform you that we have paid almost about $200,000 of our debt to the FCWC this year. I say the figure just to encourage everyone else, to toe the line of repaying debts as quickly as possible.

The safety of Nigeria’s maritime waters is also of principal concern to us. To this end, President Buhari has approved the purchase of some patrol vessels for the Department of Fisheries, which will be managed in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy.

These vessels will boost the search and rescue capacities of the relevant security agencies, deter illegal fishing, prevent illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, and help secure our vessels at sea.

In the Northeast of Nigeria, terrorist activities of Boko Haram have devastated a fishing industry that has historically supplied much of West Africa. President Buhari earlier this year, approved the establishment of a Lake Chad Naval Base, to boost security, and fast-track the restoration of deprived livelihoods in that zone.

The theme of this conference which is: “Investing for Growth and Sustainability for Fisheries in West Africa” is an important one, both in terms of sharing experiences and laying out our aspirations for the economic well-being of our people.

Perhaps I might ask that you indulge me for a minute to share some of our success in agriculture and investments generally. Agriculture and aquaculture in particular, is easily one of the most critical of the multiple engines that will help diversify our economies, and create jobs and prosperity, especially for our young people.

We have focused on agriculture as being the pathway for sustainable growth for our people, and providing much needed jobs for the hundreds of thousands of young people graduating from various levels of our educational institutions. We think that fisheries and the whole aquaculture economy, will supply what we need in terms of opportunities for several of these young people and there are several initiatives we are proffering which the Ministry of Agriculture has been leading in the past few months.

I’m pleased to note that our efforts to reduce fish imports and increase local fish production, by encouraging the private sector to invest in aquaculture, is yielding positive results. Our domestic fish production in the last two years has increased from 450,000 metric tons to 1.1million metric tons.

This is no doubt regarding the result of the work we’re doing to encourage and enable investment in Nigeria. Our conviction is that Nigeria’s economic revolution must be led by private capital, and that government’s primary role is to create the enabling environment for commerce to thrive unhindered and this has greatly assisted our work in this respect.

We have worked quite hard, to ensure that we create the environment for investments; small, medium-sized and large investments.

We have worked at this especially in the last one year, by implementing a series of reforms that have earned us a place on the World Bank’s list of top ten most improved economies in 2017, from a business climate improvement perspective.

These reforms range from simplifying registration processes for new businesses, to making it easier for investors and entrepreneurs to access credit, to implementing a visa on arrival scheme that takes just about 48 hours to process. We are also effecting reforms aimed at easing bottlenecks in our seaports, for the benefit of importers and exporters.

Many of these reforms are in nascent stages, we are working daily to improve and fine-tune them. We have realized that we need to have an enabling environment, not just for foreign investments, but in particular for local investments to thrive. It is when local investments thrive that foreign investors may then feel enabled and inspired to come in to invest. Our focus is ensuring local investments thrive through several of the initiatives we have introduced.

I would like to reiterate the philosophy behind these reforms; Nigeria is open for business and investment. We would like to see investors take us up on this pledge. You’re very likely aware that there is a great deal of opportunity in Nigeria’s aquaculture industry – the size of our domestic market and our status as a gateway to West Africa together constitute a compelling business case.

On this note, let me once again express the sincere gratitude of the Nigerian government and people of Nigeria to the FCWC for giving Nigeria the opportunity to host you all. I hope that all the visiting Ministers and delegates have in the last few days, found the time between the busy sessions to experience and enjoy the beautiful scenery and warm hospitality of Abuja. If you have not, there is still a bit of time to catch up on that.

I trust that you have had successful and result-oriented deliberations so far, and that this Ministerial Conference will be ending on a fulfilling and productive note.

Thank you very much and God bless you all.

Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
December 15, 2017

Press Release: President Buhari Stresses Accountability, Good Neighbourliness In Meetings With ECOWAS and AU Commission

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday met with the President of ECOWAS Commission and Chairperson of the African Union Commission, at State House, Abuja, during which he emphasized the need for accountability and good neighbourliness in both the sub-region, and on the African continent.

Receiving first His Excellency Marcel A. de Souza, president of the ECOWAS Commission, President Buhari said it was gladdening that the organization was demanding accountability from its headquarters staff, which made it recently invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from Nigeria, to look into its books.

“Thanks for being firm, and for insisting on transparency and accountability at the ECOWAS headquarters,” President Buhari said, adding that Nigeria would continue to fulfill its obligations to the sub-regional body.

Nigeria hosts the 52nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government Saturday, December 16, 2017, in Abuja.

President Buhari said he expected a formal report on the situation in Guinea Bissau at the meeting, noting: “We need our troops back home, and I hope the President of that country will accept a constitutional way to resolve the situation there.”

The ECOWAS Commission boss thanked Nigeria for agreeing to host the 52nd Ordinary Session at short notice, adding that the impact of Nigeria was quite strong in the organization.

“We are under financial pressure due to terrorist attacks in the sub-region, but Nigeria being out of recession will have an impact on the entire region,” de Souza said.

He noted that Nigeria was the highest contributor of troops to Guinea Bissau, but admitted that “the troops can’t be there endlessly.”

At the meeting with His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat of the African Union Commission, President Buhari said good neighbourliness and relationship were important for security and economic development.

“That was why I visited all our neighbours. Such relationship is crucial for security, and economic development, so that our youths can get jobs,” the President noted.

On the situation in Libya, President Buhari reiterated that not every Black man was a Nigerian, and it was, therefore, important to authenticate the origin of the people in distress, before they were evacuated.

“We are trying to bring as many as possible from Libya. But not every Black man is a Nigerian. Others claim to be Nigerian, when they are not, and because they have destroyed their travel papers, we can’t claim them, except there is proper documentation,” the President said.

On recharging of the Lake Chad, which he has been in the vanguard of across the world, the President submitted: “The earlier we get it done, the better, so that our youths don’t continue to dare the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea.”

The AU Commission boss congratulated President Buhari for what he was doing for Nigeria, and for Africa. His words:

“Without President Buhari, and without Nigeria, many things would not have been possible. I appreciate the role you played in my election, and all that you do in ECOWAS, Lake Chad Basin Commission, and the entire continent.

“We follow your battle against corruption, and it is not by chance that you have been chosen by other African leaders to champion the battle in 2018.

“Your commitment is notable, and I seek your support for reforms that we intend to introduce in AU. Your guidance is vital. We need Africa to speak with one voice, and the voice of Nigeria is preponderant.”

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity)
December 15, 2017

Factcheck: Programme To Provide Uninterrupted Power Supply For University Students, Not A Mere ‘Streetlighting’ Project – Ministry

Contrary to a report by Punch Newspaper, the misrepresentation of the Energizing Education Programme (EEP) as merely a “solar-powered streetlight project” is false.

Serving as a critical investment in the education sector, the EEP seeks to reinvigorate the system through electrifying 37 federal universities and 7 university teaching hospitals, with the Independent Power Plants (IPPS).

In addition to providing rural electrification- areas where these institutions are located, the EEP will partner with world- class schools in facilitating training on renewable energy; and provide security on campus through the installation of streetlights.

The installation of streetlights is only a small component of the Energizing Education Programme (EEP).

Other components of the program include: provision of off grid captive power plants for these institutions and rehabilitation, strengthening and extension of the existing electricity distribution networks.

The EEP will provide access to power in Phase I to a population of 224,800 people in 9 Federal Universities and one Teaching Hospital across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria- Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University–Gubi Campus, Bauchi State; Bayero University–New Campus, Kano State; Usman Danfodiyo University–Main Campus, Sokoto State; Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State; Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State; Nnamdi Azikiwe University-Awka Campus, Anambra State; Federal University of Petroleum, Delta; Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State; Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Osun State; University of Lagos, Lagos State.

Signed:
Ministry of Power, Works And Housing
15th December, 2017