President Muhammadu Buhari sends warm felicitations to former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), on the occasion of his 88th birthday, October 19, 2022, celebrating with the elder statesman, whose words of wisdom, prayers and sacrifices continue to bring goodwill to the country.
President Buhari notes the dedication of the former Head of State to pursuing unity, peace and progress of Nigeria, West Africa and the African continent, playing a major role in the structural, economic and social growth of the country, and paving way for a regional bloc, Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).
The President rejoices with Gen. Gowon on his 88th birthday, knowing that most of his years, which include working as a military officer and Head of State, were committed to building the nation, with policies like the creation of states, National Youth Service Corps and Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reintegration (3Rs) forming the core for inclusive development.
President Buhari joins family and friends in thanking God for His mercies and favour upon the life of the former Head of State, who is the youngest to lead the country at 32 years and has consistently championed a movement to always pray for Nigeria.
The President prays for good health, strength and longer life for Gen. Gowon and his family.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 18, 2022

DON’T ABANDON GOVERNANCE FOR ELECTIONEERING, PRESIDENT BUHARI WARNS MINISTERS, TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
• DIRECTS SGF, MINISTERS TO START PREPARING TRANSITION DOCUMENTS
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja warned Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Government Agencies not to abandon the business of governance for electioneering, saying ”any infraction will be viewed seriously.”
The President issued the directive at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Ministerial Performance Review Retreat, preceded by his signing of Executive Order 012 on Improving Performance Management, Coordination and Implementation of Presidential Priorities.
The President told participants at the Retreat that with the commencement of campaigns towards the 2023 general elections, the business of governance must continue to receive the needed attention during this period.
”Consequently, all Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Agencies must remain focused in the discharge of their duties, as any infraction will be viewed seriously.
”Our collective goal is to map out a transition plan for the incoming Administration to ensure proper documentation of all the Policies, Programmes and Projects of Government with up-to-date status of implementation,” he said.
President Buhari noted that the lessons learned in the last three years of implementing the administration’s policies, programmes and projects would serve as the needed tool to propel every Ministry to remain committed, towards the achievement of developmental objectives.
He, therefore, charged all ministers, permanent secretaries and heads of government agencies to step-up, double their efforts and work in synergy toward total delivery of the Administration’s set targets.
On Executive Order 12, the President explained that it would institutionalize a culture of accountability and transparency in the pursuit of good governance.
President Buhari also directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to continue with the quarterly review process and assessment of ministries for the third and fourth Quarters of 2022, saying the reports will form part of transition documents of his administration to the incoming government.
To achieve this objective, the President ordered all Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to ensure that the performance reports of their Ministries are submitted on a quarterly basis to the Office of the SGF for review by the Central Delivery Coordination Unit.
”The outcome of these reviews would be made available for my consideration,” the President said.
The President also declared that following discussion and recommendations, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been directed to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure the completion of all large-scale integrated Rice Processing Mills before the end of this Administration.
”This will help our country to maintain sufficiency in the local production of rice as the ban on the importation of foreign rice will be sustained, ” he said.
On electricity, President Buhari directed that all hands must be on deck to ensure timely realization of the increase in electricity generation to 25,000 Megawatts in six years.
He recounted that the plan on electricity generation, through the partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria and German Siemens AG, is on course as the first batch of the transformers has arrived Nigeria already.
Considering the huge investment made in the rail sector, the President directed the Ministry of Transportation and relevant security Agencies to ensure the provision of maximum security along the railway corridors.
”We must ensure the safety of our rail users and strive to achieve the intended economic goals. We must at the same time ensure realizable schedules and first-class maintenance.
”Following the milestones recorded in the road sector, coupled with the innovative ways of funding road infrastructure, the Ministry of Works and Housing has been directed to compile a list of all completed roads, bridges and other infrastructure for commissioning before the end of this Administration, ” he said.
Furthermore, the President directed that the Federal Government’s investment in the reconstruction of 21 selected on-going Federal Roads totaling 1,804.6km, under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Policy must be closely monitored and tracked to ensure the roads are completed on schedule.
”In line with the outcome of the Panel session on Priority 4 (Improve Transportation and Other Infrastructure), the Ministry of Aviation is hereby directed to conclude and ensure the take-off of the National Carrier Project before the end of the year.’’
In order to expand the fiscal space and improve the nation’s revenue generation efforts, President Buhari directed the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to ensure effective implementation of the Strategic Revenue and Growth Initiative.
”In the same vein, we must also build synergy between the fiscal and monetary authorities in order to avoid unnecessary drawbacks in our economic planning and performance, ” he said.
On the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, the President directed that a monitoring and evaluation framework be put in place by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with relevant agencies and partners to track the disbursement and utilization of the Fund.
On humanitarian issues, the President noted that in the three years of existence of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, the ministry has provided substantial support and assistance to vulnerable citizens through various programmes.
He, therefore, directed the Minister to facilitate and work with the Attorney General of the Federation in transmitting the Federal Executive Council’s approved National Social Investment Programme Establishment Bill (2022) to the National Assembly.
This, he said, would ensure the sustainability of this important programme which leaves a lasting legacy for the vulnerable Nigerians by this Administration.
On industry, trade and investment, the President directed the Ministry to engage relevant stakeholders to secure privatization of the six Special Economic Zones as approved by the Bureau of Public Enterprise.
To complement the current efforts in the Oil and Gas Sector, the President announced that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has been mandated to ensure the completion of the reorganization of the new Agencies unbundled from the defunct Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation in line with their mandates.
”This should be completed by the end of the 1st Quarter of 2023, ” he said.
President Buhari also used the occasion to appeal to the National Assembly to fast-track the consideration and passage of key legislative bills as agreed during the Panel Session at the Retreat.
According to him ”this will serve as our collective legacy towards entrenching key reforms that will serve as a springboard for the next Administration.”
President Buhari, who described the two-day retreat as time well-spent, said it has provided an opportunity for ‘‘reflection and lesson learning aimed at reviewing progress and agreeing on key actions that will ensure we finish well by the end of our Administration come May 29th, 2023.’’
”We have used the opportunity provided by this Retreat to carry out an objective assessment of our commitments in line with the contract we signed with the Nigerian people at the inception of this Administration in 2019.
”I am glad to note that we have sustained this yearly stock-taking innovative initiatives introduced in 2019 by holding three consecutive Performance Review Retreats in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. This has helped us to clearly identify what we have done, what needs to be done and how best to get it done.
”From the assessment report and discussions at this Retreat, it is evident that we have made appreciable progress through collective efforts in setting the Nation on the path of sustainable development while improving the well-being of our people.
”Notwithstanding these achievements, there are still unfinished businesses that we must speedily complete to ensure we finish well. We must, therefore, endeavour to close every gap in our implementation efforts to ensure the attainment of set targets by 2023, ” he said.
The Nigerian leader thanked former President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, the Keynote speaker at the Retreat, for sharing his wealth of experience during his tenure in Office.
He wished the former President a productive retirement and expressed the hope that he would continue to serve his people and the African continent in every way possible.
He further thanked the Kenyan delegation led by the former President for their support and contributions during the Retreat.
Commending the efforts of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and his team for successfully organizing four Retreats in the life of this Administration, the President acknowledged the support of the technical partners and resource persons for adding immense value to the process.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 18, 2022

PRESS RELEASE
IT’S A WASTE OF TIME CONTESTING AGAINST SANWO-OLU IN LAGOS – WIKE
•Rivers Governor hails Lagos for lifting women

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike may have set a new precedent in the nation’s political culture with his open endorsement of an opposition Governor in an electoral contest in which his political party has a candidate.

Wike, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governor, on Tuesday, openly pitched his tent with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, endorsing the Lagos Governor for second term.

It was at the 22nd National Women’s Conference organised by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO). The event with theme: “Spring Forth, Stand Out”, was held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Another PDP leader and former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose accompanied Wike to the event.

The Rivers helmsman rated Sanwo-Olu high in performance, noting that the Lagos Governor had raised the standard of governance with quality of projects being delivered across Lagos.

Wike said any political party contesting against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos would be wasting time, as Sanwo-Olu’s performance would outshine anyone campaigning against him.

The Rivers State Governor said he had no regrets for openly endorsing Sanwo-Olu, stressing that his endorsement of his Lagos colleague was borne out of his personal conviction about good governance.

Wike said: “If Sanwo-Olu is not doing (well), even if he belongs to my party, I will not come here. If you belong to my party and you are not doing well in governance, you won’t see me. If you don’t belong to my party and you are doing well, you will see me. Good governance is what I stand for. I will not regret to say that I am in support of you (Sanwo-Olu) for second term. Others should not waste their time.

“Look at the kind of project coming from this women’s group. Why would any reasonable person not support the Government that is encouraging this. Let’s also look at the kind of physical infrastructure being delivered in Lagos. This confirms Lagos as a State of excellence. There are some people who will come here; instead of them to continue to make Lagos improve, they will bring Lagos down. For me, I’m satisfied with what Sanwo-Olu has done and it doesn’t matter the party he belongs.”

Sanwo-Olu responded to Wike’s endorsement, describing it as another example of “politics without bitterness”. He said Lagos and Rivers states had learnt from each other in terms of projects and development, adding that both states would continue to cooperate on shared interest.

He said: “There is no better person that is fit as a guest speaker at the conference other than the hardworking Governor Wike of Rivers State. We brought him here to share in his experience and also for him to see what we are doing in Lagos.

“We are encouraging collaboration without bitterness and without talking about our parties or political differences. If you are doing well, it doesn’t matter where you belong. We should encourage peer review across parties. Gov. Wike had invited me to Rivers for projects commissioning in the past. We have challenged ourselves in a positive way; this is good for the growth of our politics and the nation.

Gov. Wike also spoke about the qualities that the next president must bring forward, saying the nation deserved a president that would have the interest of Nigerians at heart.

He urged Nigerians to queue behind someone with vast experience in governance, who has the capacity to turn around the economy and confront insecurity.

Wike said: “We are looking for a president that has the capacity and experience in governance, who can put food on the table for everyone and fight insecurity. That’s the person we are looking for; not some people who are talking about ethnicity.”

The Rivers Governor said he would be going back home with lessons of the Lagos’ National Women’s Conference, stressing that Lagos had set the standards on how to empower women for growth and development. He promised to replicate the idea in his State to further empower women in Rivers State.

SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
18 OCTOBER 2022

Flood: Build dams, desilt major rivers, Okowa urges FG

Delta Governor and Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, on Tuesday, called on the Federal Government to build new dams and desilt major rivers in the country to check flooding, especially when neighbouring countries open their dams.

He also urged the government to make efforts at desilting River Niger and River Benue to deepen the depths of the rivers to accommodate high volume of flood water.

Okowa made the call when he visited flood victims at some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the state.

Camps visited by the governor included those at Ogbe-Afor Primary School and Oneh Primary School in Asaba and Ewulu Mixed Grammar School, Ewulu in Aniocha South Local Government Area.

He told journalists in an interview at the end of the visit that the best way to end the loss of lives and valuables to flood was for the government to take proactive steps towards stalling perennial flooding each time neighbouring countries opened their dams.

While commiserating with families that lost persons and property to the flood, Okowa disclosed that five persons died in various communities, adding that 11 holding camps had been established to take care of those displaced by the flood.

To make the camps comfortable, he said that daily feeding of the IDPs was a priority, and that medical facilities and personnel were in various camps to take care of medical needs of the inmates to avoid possible outbreak of diseases.

“I was informed by the SSG when the team briefed me yesterday that as a result of the flood, five deaths were recorded, although not inside the camps but across the state, and that is very unfortunate.

“We have 11 camps that are currently in place and some of them are in schools and some others are in high places in some locations where the schools have been overrun by the flood water.

“Climate change, obviously, is becoming very impactful globally and it is beginning to affect a lot of issues. The sea levels are rising and so is the water level.

“Another issue is the dam in Cameroon. It always causes a major overflow in our river. From the preliminary information I have, what could be done is to build our own holding dams here in Nigeria and a regular desilting of our rivers.

“And, that is not going to be the state government’s function. It is that of the Federal Government because of the type of dam that will be built across the river. So, it is going to be a major dam.

“So, I believe that it is important that the Federal Government will look into it very quickly and begin to start the process,” he stated.

Okowa affirmed that the PDP government that would, by the grace of God, be headed by Atiku Abubakar from 2023, would spare no effort in ensuring that the construction of dams and desilting of Rivers Niger and Benue got the desired attention because of the sufferings of Nigerians occasioned by flood.

“When we look at the pains that come to our people cumulatively as a result of the flood and the destruction it brings, it is so huge and runs into several billions.

“So, I think that it is something that the Federal Government would consider building a dam across River Niger to prevent this from happening and I believe that the PDP government under the watch of Atiku will truly take that as a priority.

“We are immediately taking care of the people in the camp, which is the first thing to do by providing food, security and healthcare for them here.

“They have been organised into groups and they are cooking for themselves and we ensure that there is regular supply of food items to cook. So, we are sure that they are not suffering from any form of hunger.

“We can see doctors and nurses here, living under the same conditions as the IDPs just to provide health care. In two of the camps, some pregnant women have already been delivered by the medical personnel.

“You can see that they are well taken care of. In previous years, after their return to their homes, we have always provided some form of assistance and we will also do so this year. We are always compassionate,” the governor said.

He called on donor agencies and well-spirited individuals to partner government in alleviating the plights of those affected by the flood, adding that his administration would give assistance to those in IDPs’ camps as soon as the flood was over.

Ogbe-Afor Primary School camp has 1,548 IDPs, Oneh Primary School,1,684 IDPs and 1,475 in the camp at Ewulu.

Highpoint of the visit were primary school children among the IDPs seen receiving lesions from teachers in an improvised classroom at Ogbe-Afor Primary School camp in Asaba.