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Tag: Osinbajo

  • Osinbajo presides over NEC meeting

    Abuja, March 19, 2020 Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday presided over the monthly National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Constitutionally, the vice president is the chairman of NEC.

    The council meeting is held monthly to deliberate on the coordination of economic planning and programmes of various levels of government.

    NEC comprises the 36 state governors, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Minister of Finance, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and other relevant government officials whose duties hinged on the economy.

  • Birthday: Buhari calls Osinbajo, salutes his loyalty, intellectual capacity

    Birthday: Buhari calls Osinbajo, salutes his loyalty, intellectual capacity

    President Muhammadu Buhari has originated a phone call to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday afternoon to congratulate him as he celebrates his 63rd birthday.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu in Abuja, quoted the President as commending Osinbajo’s loyalty and dedication to the administration.

    Buhari told the vice president that his intellectual capacity had impacted positively on the overall accomplishments of Federal Government, notably the economic and social intervention programmes.

    The President wished Osinbajo’s family members, friends and associates a joyous birthday celebration.

    He prayed almighty God to endow the Vice-President with greater wisdom and long life to continue to serve the nation and humanity. (NAN)

  • Speak up on national unity: Osinbajo tells Nigeria’s policy elite

    Speak up on national unity: Osinbajo tells Nigeria’s policy elite

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says there is need for Nigeria’s policy elite to contribute to matters of national concern and public discourse, especially on issues of national unity.

    Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Wednesday, said that the vice president, made the appeal when he received the executive council of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Osinbajo said that while politicians would be in office for a time, the policy and intellectual elite would always be around and therefore should not leave public discourse to politicians.

    The vice president, who is also the Chairman of the NIPSS Governing Council, harped on the need for the nation’s policy elite to contribute to the debates on national development.

    “I think that this question of national unity is one that we must look at very carefully and must proffer ideas and solutions to issues.

    “Even if we are not in government, we as intellectual elite are supposed to ensure that, in terms of direction, we are heard; it is up to us to advise and to be as vocal as possible, and we have so many channels to give advice.

    “If you look at the quality of debates or sometimes the acrimony with which debates on national unity are proffered, you will find that unless something is done, a time will come when it will be impossible to have any kind of decent debate.

    “Those who are extremists, will take over the public space, because those who have a stake in ensuring that the country is united are not saying anything.

    “So, I think it is very important that we, as policy elite, develop a position; there is no question at all that if we keep quiet and nothing is said, the space will be taken over by those who have not had the chance of seriously considering the issues.”

    Osinbajo lauded NIPSS’s contribution to reforms across sectors of the economy.

    He said the absence of enlightened contributions to important public debates about what government had done and should do was worrisome.

    Osinbajo said that a look at some of the works that had been done in NIPSS showed that a lot of thinking had been done.

    “You know all the contours, all the problems, the issues and all that, so you are able to approach issues from a much more nuanced and seasoned point of view.

    “So, I think the institute especially the alumni association has a very crucial role to play in moderating public discourse and also in proffering ideas to solving problems,’’ he said.

    The vice president also spoke on efforts made by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to address poverty, insecurity and other issues confronting Nigerians.

    He said a lot of the initiatives undertaken by the administration especially under the Social Investment Programmes– the school feeding, the cash transfers, and others, were geared towards addressing the issue of poverty in the country.

    Earlier in his remarks, Mohammed Abubakar, President of the NIPSS Alumni Association, and former Inspector General of Police, commended the vice president’s interest in the progress of the institute.

    He appealed for more support to enable the institute to proffer more solutions to the nation’s challenges.

  • Buhari, I, Security chiefs, others in government are handling security well – Osinbajo

    Buhari, I, Security chiefs, others in government are handling security well – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that President Muhammadu Buhari, himself, security chiefs and those in government are doing everything within their powers to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians. He said that security is being handled well by President Buhari and noted that personnel’s are recruited into the army and resources are being provided for them to fight Boko Haram, Bandits, Kidnappers and other groups threatening the peace of the country.

    Disclosing this in a statement signed by his media aide, Laolu Akande, TheCable quoted Osinbajo to have said that the federal government would recruit more troops and officers to increase the personnel of security agencies so as to curb security threats in the country. His words, “We are doing everything that needs to be done. We are handling security well, and as you know, we are deploying military personnel in diverse fields, to fight insecurity, like the Boko Haram in the Northeast.

    In fact, we have to now recruit more into the Army, and much faster than we ever did because we need men on the ground; resources also – to buy more arms, to buy more platforms. “At the last meeting of the National Security Council that was held on Thursday, we had discussions on how to beef up the military’s platforms. How do we beef up the numbers?’ How do we recruit more men and women into the Army? How do we collaborate more with local vigilante, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and all that? So, there is a lot going on in terms of trying to beef up security. The security situation is one that is very challenging. “We are also looking at aspects of surveillance – how we can do more aerial surveillance using drones and electronic devices to improve surveillance.”

  • Osinbajo, LCCI discuss economy, Apapa gridlock, others

    Osinbajo, LCCI discuss economy, Apapa gridlock, others

    The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Friday received a delegation of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), led by its President, Mrs Toki Mabogunje at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    Mabogunje, who spoke with State House correspondents after the meeting, said the delegation and the vice-president discussed issues bordering on the economy, infrastructure deficit and the perennial gridlock in Apapa, Lagos.

    She said there was need for the government to strengthen Public Private Partnership initiatives in infrastructure development.

    “We are looking at the state of the economy. We are looking at the progress government has made so far. What is still left to be done and the idea the private sector has on how we can move this country forward.

    “Some of the things we spoke on centered on the problem of infrastructure deficit. We already know there is the PPP partnership on the building and fixing of roads.

    “We have said that we should encourage more private sector participation.

    “We were informed that there is an infrastructure fund that has been set up for this purpose.’’

    Mabogunje said the private sector and LCCI could work with government to attract more investors and put more money into the infrastructure fund.

    “Secondly, we talked about Apapa gridlock. We were updated on progress so far. We have been told that the rail link to the port should be ready by the middle of this year.

    “We are very happy to hear that. We talked about other things that could be happening around port operations and relieving of the stress on the road for commuters.’’

    The LCCI said the discussion also covered private sector activities with the Federal Government–the presidential dialogue and the quarterly business policy briefings.

    According to her, the quarterly business forum has died a bit over the years.

    She said that the vice-president had promised that the quarterly presidential dialogue would be revived.

    Mabogunje described dialogue as a good platform for the business community to deliberate with the vice-president on issues of the economy.

    She said the LCCI was planning to host the vice-president in the third quarter of the year.

    Mabogunje also spoke about the Federal Government’s policy of Value Added Tax (VAT).

    “What we are saying about policy issue is that we recognise that government has revenue constraints and that the VAT issue that has just come is an attempt by the government to raise more capital for itself.

    “However, we feel that money should be directed towards filling the infrastructure gap, the infrastructure deficit.

    “That if that money is now taken and applied towards addressing infrastructure deficit, it would bring some relief to tax payers in terms of having better infrastructure to run their businesses and improve the country’s rating on the ease of doing business.’’(NAN)

  • Nigeria open to more foreign investments on construction, manufacturing, others–Osinbajo

    Nigeria open to more foreign investments on construction, manufacturing, others–Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says Nigeria is open to more Investments from foreign companies, including those from Turkey in the areas of construction, manufacturing, technology and other sectors.

    Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande,  in a statement on Tuesday said the vice president  received at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, a Turkish business delegation led by Turkey’s Minister of Trade, Ruhsar Pekcan.

    Osinbajo said that  Nigeria and Turkey had existing bilateral relations for decades, and maintained close cooperation in international organisations.

    The vice president said  he looked forward to greater cooperation between the two countries exploring other areas to deepen economic ties.

    “I think also that more opportunities will come for further interactions with Turkey, especially in the light of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement we just signed.

    “I believe very strongly that this is an opportunity also for Turkey to participate fully in the African economies, in particular Nigeria’s economy.

    “As you are well aware, several Turkish companies are already operating in Nigeria in construction, manufacturing and other areas.”

    In her remarks, Peckan said the Turkish Government was looking forward to improving the bilateral trade volume between Nigeria and Turkey and deepening economic ties. 

    She said  that there were several Turkish companies already in Nigeria, and that Turkish investors willing to invest in different sectors in the country.

    Pekcan also thanked the Nigerian government for its continued support in tackling the global threat of terrorism.

    Senior government officials at the meeting included the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Niyi Adebayo, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada, and the Executive Director,  Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mr Segun Awolowo.

    Earlier, the vice president had received a delegation from the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN), the umbrella body of all law students in the country.

    During the meeting, Osinbajo said that young Nigerians played very important roles in building the Nigerian enterprise and urged them to embrace opportunities to make those contributions.

    Describing the Association’s innovative campaign, “LAWSAN Goes to School”, as laudable, Osinbajo said he was impressed by the quality, scope of work and thoughtfulness behind initiatives being driven by the association.

    LAWSAN Goes to School is an outreach for creating awareness among Secondary School students on certain important aspects of the Law in the society. 

    “You are concerned with not just law students, but students in secondary schools, that is really commendable.

    “We need more instructions in our primary and secondary schools on civic responsibilities which is very important.” Young people need to understand the part that they have to play in the whole Nigerian enterprise.

    “More volunteers on the ground will be needed; perhaps using more existing resources like members of N-Power programmes who are graduates of Nigerian universities,” he said.

    In his remarks, LAWSAN’s President, Mr Emmanuel Nwobodo, said the campaign was part of the association’s drive to give back to society.

    “We strongly believe in corporate social responsibility because it is vital in achieving the kind of future we want to build for ourselves and Nigeria.”

    He praised the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for its transparency and the vice president for his exemplary leadership style and for bringing the Federal Government down to the people.

    “An average Nigerian is aware of how much you have brought the Federal Government to the grassroots.

     “As your administration speaks in respect to transparency, we have been accountable to our own people by organising the Peoples’ Congress wherein we give account of what we have been doing at the apex body to law students.

    “Because we believe that to succeed, integrity and conscience must form the government pack of our nation and leadership and we have learnt so far from the precedence you have laid over time in leadership,” he said.

    He said during a recent campaign by the association in the South East, students were also taught their rights, limitations to the rights as well as their responsibilities as citizens of Nigeria.(NAN)

  • We will not take armed forces for granted –Osinbajo

    We will not take armed forces for granted –Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would continue to recognise the sacrifices of the men and women of the nation’s armed forces.

    Osinbajo gave the assurance during an interdenominational Church service organised by the Ministry of Defence to commemorate the 2020 Armed Force Remembrance Day Celbration AFRDC) on Sunday in Abuja.

    He said that the government would continue to prioritise their welfare and the wellbeing of the families of the fallen heroes.

    According to the Vice President, we do not and will not take our men and women of the armed forces for granted.

    “We will do better for our veterans and the families of our fallen heroes and to improve the conditions of those in service and we shall do so incrementally.

    “And so, today, we came together to thank the men and women of our armed forces for their sterling and selfless service to our nation.

    “You have shown uncommon resilience, you have shown courage and commitment to the defence of our country.

    “On behalf of government and people of Nigeria, I thank you veterans and serving officers for your faith and your services to our nation and we thank the families of the fallen heroes for your fortitude,” he said.

    Osinbajo stated that the sacrifices of the men and women of the armed forces both dead and living was responsible for the existence of Nigeria as a nation today.

    He added that the country noted that many veterans of various conflicts over time, made the supreme sacrifice including their families who also paid and continued to pay a heavy price.

    According to him, wives or husbands in some cases deprived of their spouses, children growing up without the mentor and counsel of their parents and of course the economic deprivations when only one parent bears the responsibility of bringing up and caring for the family.

    “It may not always be evident but it is true that men and women of the armed forces are not just fighting to preserve the Nigeria of today.

    “Their efforts are in part dedicated to preserving the future for safer, more secured, more confident, more united nation for our children and grand children.

    “Every victory won through your immense courage and your toil in the face of mortal dangers are the inevitable labour pains of the new Nigeria. Your labours will not be in vein,” he said.

    The National Chairman, Nigerian Legion, retired Brig.-Gen. Adakole Akpa, urged the government to continue to improve the welfare and wellbeing of the veterans and their families.

    Akpa said that President Muhammadu Buhari had shown commitment that he understood the plight of the legionnaires, adding that the government had assured of its continuous support.

    He however called on the veterans who are still living to identity with the body to enable them benefit from the effort of the legion.

    According to him, everyone who has served this country as a war veteran should identify so that the body can plan for them and make them useful citizens.

    “Legion has a lot of programmes prepared for everybody including agriculture, agro-allied industry, manufacturing, architecture and estate development.

    “These are things that we have in place and the legion is the main platform established by act of the National Assembly to take care of all ex-service men both pensioners and those not pensionable,” he said.

    News Agency of Nigeria reports that the interdenominational service is part of the series of events lined up to commemorate the AFRDC 2020.

    It is an annual event organised by the Ministry of Defence to honour fallen heroes who laid down their lives during the First and Second World Wars, Nigerian Civil War and Peace Support.

    It is to also celebrate those who lost their lives in various Internal Security Operations particularly the current war against terrorism.

    The event is celebrated globally on Nov. 11 every year but Nigeria decided to celebrate the day on Jan. 15 to mark the end of the civil war.

  • I am ready to waive immunity to clear my name – Osinbajo

    I am ready to waive immunity to clear my name – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says he is ready to waive his constitutional immunity to enable the “most robust adjudication” of several baseless allegations, insinuation and falsehoods against his person and office.

    Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement in Abuja, said that the vice president made the declaration in a tweet he personally authored on Wednesday.

    “In the past few days, a spate of reckless and malicious falsehoods have been peddled in the media against me by a group of malicious individuals.

    “The defamatory and misleading assertions invented by this clique had mostly been making the social media rounds anonymously.

    “I have today instructed the commencement of legal action against two individuals, one Timi Frank and another Katch Ononuju, who have put their names to these odious falsehoods.

    “I will waive my constitutional immunity to enable the most robust adjudication of these claims of libel and malicious falsehood,” he tweeted.

  • Tinubu, Osinbajo face smear crusade ahead of 2023 presidential race

    Tinubu, Osinbajo face smear crusade ahead of 2023 presidential race

    By Jennifer Y Omiloli

    A report by The Nation has explained how an anonymous Kaduna-based politician has initiated an awful crusade against Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the national head of the All progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2023 presidential race.

    As indicated by the report, the point is stop power move toward the south in 2023 by defaming some political heavyweights.

    It was assembled that a motivation for a drawn out smear crusade has been set up starting with the printing of posters in Dubai against Tinubu and the restoration of a petition against Alpha Beta Consulting Limited.

    Tinubu is said to be the proprietor of the organization, which is apparently a tax advisor for the Lagos state government.

    The VP on his part, had his first sanctification with the probe of the exercises of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) by the eighth House of Representatives in 2018.

    The “war” against the VP and Tinubu will soon expect a media strike which may spread for a long time.

    A source familiar with the alleged plot said: “The overall objective of this grand plot by some politicians, including a mix of some APC governors, ex-governors and PDP elements, is to demystify the democratic credentials and integrity of Osinbajo and Tinubu.

    “It is also about permutations for 2023 ahead of a planned alliance by some APC and PDP elements to frustrate the suspected presidential ambition of Osinbajo and Tinubu.

    “They are out to paint Osinbajo and Tinubu as corrupt persons who should not be trusted by the political class, especially the power oligarchy in the country.

    “Apart from creating a wedge between President Muhammadu Buhari and the VP and Asiwaju, some of these schemers do not want power shift to the south in 2023 because of their secret presidential ambition.

    “They actually intend to provoke Buhari to move against Tinubu and Osinbajo under the guise of anti-corruption fight.”

    The source also said the assault on the VP and Tinubu was in connection with plans to decimate APC before 2023.

    “They see Osinbajo and Tinubu as stumbling blocks to their ambition. They have concluded plans to cause crisis in APC, destroy the party and use a new alliance to form a new party for their presidential aspiration.

    “Why will they go to Dubai to print 2023 posters to paint Tinubu as anti-Buhari? They are desperate to finish these two leaders. It is a crooked plot,” the source said.