Federal Government, states to join forces in mining.

Federal Government, states to join forces in mining.

Federal Government and states have agreed to collaborate on mining, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr. Dele Alake said yesterday.

The two tiers of government also agreed to sanitise mining operations across the 36 states and resolve the challenges arising from issuances of cadastral licences. 

Also, there was an agreement that firms should revalidate their licenses at the Solid Affairs Ministry and register with the host governments.

According to them, mining activities should be organised for mutually beneficial gains.

The agreements were made at a two-hour meeting hosted by the minister in his office. 

At the meeting were Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara State); Seyi Makinde (Oyo), who is the NGF Deputy Chairman and Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger).

The highlights of the discussion was the friction between the Federal Government and states over mining activities by the companies franchised by the Federal Government.

Some states have shut down mining sites and served the operators quit notices, following security breaches and other infractions.  

The minister and the governors told reporters that they had resolved to work together and remove obstacles to industrial peace in the mining sector.

The Federal Government is relying on the development of solid minerals (mining) and agriculture, among others, to diversify the economy from oil, which is its mainstay.  

On the ban imposed on mining activities in their domains, Bago said that states, as sub-national governments, took such decisions for security purposes.

The Niger governor said: “We are referring them back to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development. For instance, a Chinese company was given license to mine Zuma rock, a national monument. Can any company in Nigeria or anywhere in the world go and mine the wall of China? It is not possible. So, this is our monument.

“We have come to consult with the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake, to solicit collaboration. Let them (mining companies) go back to the ministry for revalidation. Then, come back to the states to register their presence.”

Alake reiterated his ministry’s commitment to sanity and provision of adequate security in the sector.

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He said: “As I have told the governors, we are re-jigging our security architecture nationally with the active collaboration of the states. And we will ensure that the objective is achieved at the end of the day.”

Also last night, the minister said the mandate given to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is to make solid minerals a cash cow.

He unfolded plan to make the critical sector a significant contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Alake said the value of oil has fallen in the international market, adding that there is need for the government to seek alternative.

He spoke at a reception hosted in his honour by members of the Abuja chapter of Ikoro Progressive Association (IPA).

Alake said: “Oil is falling in the international market. So, we have no alternative but to diversify the economy. So, primarily, that is my duty to everybody in Nigeria. But we all come from somewhere anyway.

“And they say charity also begins at home. So, as much as the entire Nigeria is a carpet for which I’m responsible, I also must not forget my roots.”

Thanking the organisers of the crecrption, Alake added: “I am so excited because it is a momentous occasion for me. My kinsmen from Ikoro Ekiti, where I come from, are here gathered honouring and congratulating me for my appointment as minister by the president.

“So, when you are honoured at home, it is something that goes straight into your court, and it sticks very deeply to your heart. I’m very grateful to the community, the Oba, Kabiyesi, the chiefs and the IPA, Abuja branch that has put this together.

“It’s something of pride for me to be a member of this body. I’m very proud of Ekiti State, I’m proud of Nigeria in general. So, I’m very happy for what has happened here today.”

IPA Chairman Ayodele Adeyemi said a good road network is the major need of Ikoro-Ekiti.

Credit: The Nation Newspaper.

Federal Government to pay N500m fine on 4,000 inmates’ freedom.

Federal Government to pay N500m fine on 4,000 inmates’ freedom.

The Federal Government yesterday said it would settle their N500 million fines to regain their freedom.

Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who dropped the hint, said 4000 inmates would, in the next four weeks, be released from correctional facilities across the country.

The fines, the minister assured, would be cleared within the next four weeks.

The minister, who spoke on a monitored television programme, lamented that many inmates remained in custodial facilities because of their inability to pay the fines and penalties awarded against them.

Tunji-Ojo said: “The ministry, as well as other stakeholders are working round the clock to raise the money. Within in the next four weeks, the fines would be cleared and the inmates would be released.

“Immediately I resumed, I set up a committee to review the situation at our correctional centres. We discovered that over 4,000 inmates are in custody due to their inability to pay fines, which is about N500 million. We have gone far with private organisations to put this money together.

“I am sure that within the next four weeks, we will be able to pay these fines for the 4,000 inmates. This will help us in decongesting our custodial centres.”

The minister said the decongestion of the correctional facilities is not the sole responsibility of the ministry.

Tunji Ojo also said he had been discussing with the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) to address the challenge of awaiting trial inmates.

He added:  “The decongestion of our custodial centres is not the sole responsibility of the ministry. We are in talks with the AGF to see how cases can be expedited.  We have also activated the non-custodial centres to decongest the custodial centres.”

Credit: The Nation Newspaper.

Chinese firms, Fed Govt sign $6b pact on power, automobile.

Chinese firms, Fed Govt sign $6b pact on power, automobile.

Barely 24 hours after President Xi Jinping pledged his government’s commitment to funding more projects in Nigeria, some Chinese firms yesterday moved to pump $6 billion into Africa’s largest economy.

Three of the companies signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria to invest $2 billion in vehicle and technology while the others presented letters of intent to embark on $4 billion projects in the country.

The pacts and pledges took place on the sidelines of the ongoing 3rd Belt And Road Initiative (BRI), in Beijing, China.   

Vice President Kashim Shettima led the Federal Government team that comprised some ministers and other top government officials.

A statement yesterday by Shettima’s spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, also said that Nigeria’s Ministry of Works signed an MoU with China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd for the construction of the Lekki Blue Seaport contract at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos.  

Nkwocha said that the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) signed the pacts with the three Chinese firms – Shangai Launch Automotive Technical Company Limited, China Great Wall Industry Corporation and Newway Power Technology Limited.

Shanghai Launch is to establish a new energy automobile facility in Nigeria “for the production of new energy electric vehicles” while China Great Wall will be into “turnkey delivery of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) assembly line projects.”

Newway will be involved in “the transfer of technology on Lithium batteries, electric vehicles and allied technologies.”

The Chinese firms that presented Letters of Intent to pull together $4 billion in investments include TBEA (solar products); DongFeng Vehicles Co. (vehicle design and production) and HiLong Energy (CNG, LNG, methanol)

Others are Space Star Technology (drone technology transfer); ENRIC (clean energy utilisation technology); Hidier Group (development of new industrial park), China State Construction Company (building technology and materials); CIMC (natural gas infrastructure delivery); Value Platform International Services Ltd (vocational training) and Acadia Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. (smart grids and microgrids).

Another segment of the event was a meeting the Vice President had with many communications, tech, railway, power and construction giants based in China.

The companies are: China National Electric Engineering Co. Ltd, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), China Railway Construction Corporation ( CRCC), China Communications Construction Co. Ltd (CCCC), HUAWEI Technologies, Senteng International Company Nigeria Limited, China National Electric Engineering Co. Ltd and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co. Ltd.

Soon after the ceremonies, Shettima commended all stakeholders, saying that Nigeria has never been this ripe and ready for businesses to thrive.

He said with the “meticulous efforts” by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to ensure a level playing field for all investors, the coast was now clear for deepened economic and trade collaborations.

NASENI’s Executive Vice Chairman Khalil Halilu, said the manifestation of the agreements was a fulfillment of the agency’s commitments to boosting the Foreign Direct Investment drive of the Tinubu administration.

“This is a very important day for us at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure because it is a day to show the results of some of the work that we have been doing in the last six weeks since I assumed the leadership of NASENI,” Halilu stated.

During the signing of the MoU on the construction of the Deep Blue Sea Port at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, said the massive project was another indication that Nigeria still remained an industrial haven for many investors.China’s President Jinping at a meeting with Shettima on Wednesday, pledged that apart from refinancing two main rail projects, his country would invest in Nigeria’s power sector and digital economy.  

Credit: The Nation Newspaper.

Tinubu appoints Olusi as Bank of Industry CEO.

Tinubu appoints Olusi as Bank of Industry CEO.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr Olasupo Olusi as the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry (BOI) for an initial term of four years.

According to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, Olusi’s appointment followed the voluntary retirement of BOI’s immediate past Managing Director, Mr. Olukayode Pitan.

The President tasked the new BOI Boss to ensure fair and equitable access to all Nigerians operating in the industrial sector for it to be able to generate adequate jobs and wealth for Nigerians.

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“President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Olasupo Olusi to serve as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Industry (BOI) for a term of four (4) years in the first instance.

“The President’s approval of Dr. Olusi’s appointment follows the voluntary resignation of former BOI Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Olukayode Pitan.

“Dr. Olasupo Olusi has served as a World Bank economist and development finance expert over the past 20 years. Between 2011 and 2015, Dr. Olusi served as the economic adviser to then Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance. He is an alumnus of Hull University, United Kingdom. He also obtained a Masters degree in International Money, Finance, and Investment, as well as a Doctorate in Finance & Economics from Durham University, United Kingdom, in 2005.

“The President tasks the new BOI Chief Executive to ensure that Nigerians, who are operating all sizes of enterprises across sectors, are given fair and equitable access to much needed support in order to bolster employment generation and wealth creation amongst income groups in the country with special regard for lower and middle income enterprise operators,” the statement reads.

Olukoyede Resumes, Charts New Course for EFCC.

Olukoyede Resumes, Charts New Course for EFCC.

Newly appointed Executive Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede  assumed office on Thursday, October 19, 2023 with clear-cut  agenda of re-positioning and re-focusing the Commission for optimal effectiveness.

The EFCC’s boss, who stepped into the corporate headquarters of the Commission at 10:45a.m, inspected a guard of honours and immediately went into a meeting with the management staff of the EFCC. At the meeting, where hand over notes were delivered to him by the former Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Abdulkarim Chukkol, Olukoyede warmed up to the staff and unfolded his agenda of reform and rejuvenation of the works of the Commission. 

The agenda revolves around clearer and robust pursuit of the mandate of the EFCC, creating atmosphere for transparency and accountability in governance, emphasizing preventive strategies in fighting corruption, total adherence to the rule of law and better welfare packages for staff of the Commission.

“We need to address the focus of our mandate. We should use the Commission to drive economic development. Why are we fighting crimes? It is for the system to thrive, for the economy to grow, for the society to get better. Therefore, our focus should be geared towards developing the nation for greater benefits”, he said.

On professionalism, the EFCC’s boss says that, “we are going to drive professionalism in discharging our duties in line with the rule of law. The rule of law is going to be our guiding light. We are going to drive EFCC to a place that when you see EFCC personnel, you will see a touch of professionalism. We are also going to be involved more in prevention, because it is better to save money for the government than to spend money in prosecution”.  

He particularly stressed the supremacy of the rule of law in the works of the Commission, pointing out that “the EFCC is a creation of the law. Its Act is a legal instrument.  This means that, all our activities should be in line with the rule of law. There is nothing we are going to do that will be at variance with the law”.

 He called on staff of the Commission to eschew dichotomies, narrowness and disloyalty to themselves, the EFCC and the nation, stressing that, the Commission is legally equipped to be at the forefront of fighting all shades of economic and financial crimes. He assured of a level playing field, equal opportunities for career progression and more rewarding welfare package. 

“My priority is to enhance staff welfare.  We will build on what we have done before and there are prospects that we will do better things for every staff of the Commission”. 

The Chairman also called for greater commitment to integrity, diligence, industry and visionary drives in the course of professionalism, promising that staff will be treated according to their level of resourcefulness.

Earlier, in his handover speech, former Acting Chairman, Abdulkareem Chukkol, appreciated members of staff and management for their support during his time in office, while congratulating the Chairman on his “well-deserved appointment”.

“Indeed, I found myself privileged to witness history as it unfolds into the new leadership that takes up the affairs of our great institution”, he said.  He particularly thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for trusting him with the leadership of the EFCC in the four months he held sway as an Acting Chairman. “We are grateful to the President for picking one of us, someone who has invested time and intellect in building the Commission to lead us at this time. Being not new to the system, I have no doubt the Executive Chairman will do well”, he said. He urged Olukoyede “to strive to preserve and strengthen the reform and processes of the past few years that has brought some professional satisfaction to personnel of the Commission”.

The Chairman later took a facility tour of the corporate headquarters of the Commission.

Ekiti State House of Assembly Receives New Toyota Bus, Courtesy of Governor Biodun Oyebanji Abayomi.

Ekiti State House of Assembly Receives New Toyota Bus, Courtesy of Governor Biodun Oyebanji Abayomi.

By: Comr. Olamide Akinwumi J. 

The Ekiti State House of Assembly expressed gratitude to His Excellency, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji Abayomi, the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, for the official handover of a new Toyota bus. The bus was presented by the Rt. Hon. Stephen Adeoye Aribasoye, the Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, to Hon. Fasakin Kayode Ajayi, the Executive Chairman of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Service Commission.

The handover ceremony took place today, October 19, 2023, at the Ekiti State House of Assembly complex. The newly acquired Toyota bus will be utilized by the commission for official purposes.

This gesture highlights the commitment of Governor Biodun Oyebanji Abayomi and the collaborative efforts between the executive and legislative branches in Ekiti State, ensuring that the Assembly Service Commission has the necessary resources to carry out its functions effectively.

President Tinubu Withdraws Nomination of 24-year-old Engineer Kashim for FERMA Board.

President Tinubu Withdraws Nomination of 24-year-old Engineer Kashim for FERMA Board.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate withdrawal of the nomination of Engr Imam Kashim Imam, who was earlier appointed to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) .

The surprise move was announced on Thursday by Ajuri Ngelale, Media Aide to the President, in a statement.

Engr Imam Kashim Imam, believed to be 24 years old, had faced backlash from some quarters for his appointment to the board of FERMA, a federal agency responsible for maintaining and repairing federal roads in Nigeria.

Some critics had questioned his qualification and experience for the position, while others had accused the President of nepotism and favouritism .

The statement by Ajuri Ngelale did not give any specific reasons for the withdrawal of Imam’s nomination, but said that it was done with immediate effect .

The statement also said that all other appointments to the board and executive management team of FERMA were not affected by this directive.

The withdrawal of Imam’s nomination has sparked mixed reactions from Nigerians, with some commending the President for listening to public opinion, while others expressing disappointment and suspicion over the decision . Some have also called for more transparency and accountability in the appointment process for public offices.