PRESS RELEASE

S’WEST GOVERNORS MEET IN LAGOS, DISCUSS ISSUES OF INTEREST

Members of Southwest Governors Forum, on Tuesday, met in Lagos State to discuss issues of interest to the region.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu hosted his colleagues at the State House.

Five Governors of member States were present at the meeting, which started at 4:30pm and held behind closed doors. Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, was represented by his deputy, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan.

After 90 minutes, the Governors rose from the meeting and offered no detailed information on matters discussed.

Addressing journalists, chairman of the Forum and Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, gave a brief statement on their discussion, disclosing that part of their deliberations bordered on security situation in the region.

Akeredolu revealed there was also discussion on Oodua Group, a company owned by all six Southwest States, but declined to give further details. He pointed out that the Forum was not willing to share full information on the meeting.

He said: “We, the six Governors of the Southwest under the Southwest Governors’ Forum met today. We deliberated on a number of common and personal issues. We also deliberated on our common heritage, which is the Oodua Group of Companies.

“At the end, we agreed on a few things; a number of them, which have to do with security, are not what we can discuss in the open. This short address is just to let you (pressmen) know we met today but we don’t want our decisions discussed in the open.”

The Governors departed the Lagos House, Marina after the short briefing.

SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
OCTOBER 26, 2021

PRESS RELEASE
NATION BUILDING: SANWO-OLU, AKEREDOLU, AISHA BUHARI HARP ON ROLE OF WOMEN
…Women Participation In Politics Must Go Beyond Singing At Rallies, Says Ondo Gov
…As 21st COWLSO National Women’s Conference Opens

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his counterpart from Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu; and Nigeria’s First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Aisha Buhari on Tuesday harped on the role of women in national development, saying women must be accorded their rightful recognition in the scheme of affairs.

They all spoke at the opening ceremony of the 21st Annual National Women’s Conference of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) with the theme: “Awake,” held at the Convention Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Sanwo-Olu acknowledged the fact that men can do virtually nothing without women, saying it was important for women to be awake and alive to their responsibilities, especially the emerging realities of the 21st century.

According to him, “There is nothing we men can do without women beside us. And so the charge before us today is to look at the changes and the emerging realities of our time. I believe the word awake is appropriate and it is meant for our women to be a lot more resilient; to be aware of the environment; to have a new approach to doing things; to ensure that you have a sustainable mindset at everything you find yourselves doing as individuals, as organizations, as corporate entities, and so on.

“I think it is important for us to know that all of you, working collaboratively as partners with the government, we can achieve a lot together working in unity.”

He said since inception, the policy direction of his administration had focused on empowering women, just as he paid a glowing tribute to the contributions of women towards actualization of the THEMES Agenda.

“In our Themes Agenda, all of the processes and the programmes we have, in one form or the other, are targeted at ensuring that we can put our women in the drivers’ seat. If you talk about health, education, infrastructure, and so on, the strongest engineers that are leading our infrastructure in Lagos are all women.

“For us as government, we have actually awakened; we have said to ourselves that we need women to take their rightful position and it is not just by mouth that they said our government is “HeForShe”, because you can see our cabinet members; they are the reasons for all of the great things that we are doing. We believe that when we have women leading the conversations, we will achieve a lot more. So, you can take it to the bank that our administration will ensure that women take the rightful leadership positions and that you are an integral part of our greater Lagos agenda,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The Governor specially appreciated COWLSO for the various humanitarian initiatives in critical sectors, especially the donation of 5000 transistor radios to support continuous learning by students during the lock down occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic, as well as various interventions in health, sexual and gender-based violence, among others.

On his part, Akeredolu, who was the special guest of honour, said history was replete with heroic acts of women, and that no reasonable society would confine women to the background, just as he said it was no longer acceptable for women’s participation in politics to be limited to singing at rallies.

“There is a need for women to start taking the issue of participating in politics seriously. Your role cannot be just jamboree – singing at political rallies. We must train the girl child in a way that she has a role to play in the future,” Akeredolu said.

Also, Nigeria’s First Lady, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women Affairs and Administration, Dr. Rukayyatu Gurin, commended the initiative of COWLSO, and called on other first ladies across the country to embrace it, with the view to empowering women and girls.

In her opening remarks, COWLSO Chairman and Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu paid glowing tributes to the founding mothers of COWLSO, especially the late Dame Obafunmilayo Johnson, wife of the first Military Governor of the State, who founded the Committee in 1974, and Senator Oluremi Tinubu who initiated the National Women’s Conference in the year 2000 during the tenure of her husband, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Governor of the State, as well as her predecessors.

She said aside from the theme, other sub-topics would be thoroughly examined in the next two days, adding: “This conference will not just be a talk shop. At the end of the conference, we shall issue a Communiqué that will appropriately articulate the deliberations at this conference, and proffer insightful recommendations that will result in actionable initiatives. It is hoped that this will translate to significant improvement in the way participants address the highlighted topics, going forward.”

The event was attended by dignitaries including the Wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hajia Salamutu Gbajabiamila; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Governors’ Wives from Ogun, Ekiti, Kwara, Osun, Ondo, Kebbi, among others.

Special inspirational women awards were also presented to Nigeria’s first female Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Muheeba Wonuola Folami; first female Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State and first female Vice Chairman of Transcorp Plc, Mrs Foluke Abdul-Rasaq; the Iyalode of Lagos, Chief (Mrs.) Bintu Fatima Tinubu; and Super Falcons captain, Asisat Oshoala, who was honoured as inspirational youth of the year.

SIGNED
OLUBUKONLA NWONAH
ASST DIRECTOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS
OFFICE OF LAGOS STATE FIRST LADY
OCTOBER 26, 2021

OPPORTUNITIES IN LAGOS CRITICAL TO S’WEST ECONOMIC ASPIRATIONS – SANWO-OLU

•As Ekiti State Government Opens Liaison Office in Ikeja

•‘Lagos is Our Window to the World’ – Gov. Fayemi

Lagos State is strategically important to the Southwest’s regional economic aspirations, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Monday.

Sanwo-Olu said Lagos, as the nation’s hub of commerce and industrial activities, would continue to strengthen partnerships and raise the economic status of States in the Southwest region, stressing that his administration would always be open to collaborations that would spread socio-economic prosperity across the region.

The Governor spoke at the commissioning of a new Ekiti State Government’s liaison office and Governor’s Lodge built on Oduduwa Crescent in Ikeja GRA, Lagos. The edifice was developed and delivered by the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration.

Sanwo-Olu said the location of the Ekiti State’s liaison office in Lagos offered a suitable ambience to remotely conduct business of Government and host investors.

There are also liaison offices of Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Oyo states, and the proposed secretariat of the Southern Governors’ Forum in the area.

Sanwo-Olu said the decision of his colleague Governors to open liaison offices in Lagos was an indication of the strength Lagos could bring to bear for shared growth and prosperity. He said collaboration remained the key to development.

“This is an honour and privilege to have my brother Governors see the strength Lagos can bring to bear for our shared prosperity. When we all work together, with the understanding that we all have different skills and strengths, we can organically develop every State’s unique strength and address our weaknesses, so that our region and the country can be on the path of growth, development and economic sustainability.

“Ikeja is a capital city and it will continue to be home to all strategic developments. Just as Government houses are springing from here, new businesses in hospitality and healthcare are coming here. GRA is a short distance to the airports. This means people can drive in here and conduct businesses without having to get into other parts of Lagos. Governors can quietly come in and run the business of Government from this wonderful territory.”

The influx of public buildings and private businesses into GRA, Sanwo-Olu said, necessitated his administration’s response to ramp up infrastructure within the area. The Governor disclosed that the State Government would be commissioning network of roads in GRA and other ancillary infrastructure in the coming months.

Sanwo-Olu praised Governor Fayemi for deeming it fit to build the lodge, stressing that the development would further drive the growth of Ekiti’s GDP.

Fayemi described Lagos as “key factor” in Ekiti State’s investment strategy, noting that Lagos was not only a key market for Ekiti products, but also its window to the outside world.

He said the liaison office edifice, which has conference facilities and accommodation for the Governor and aides, would save Ekiti State avoidable expenses in hotel accommodation each time its officials visit Lagos for meetings and official duties. He added that Ekiti State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (EKDIPA) would use the edifice for expansion of commerce and investment.

“The strategic importance of having this edifice in Lagos is enormous. This liaison office will serve as a go-to place not only for Ekiti indigenes in Lagos, who require official services and information from Ekiti State Government, but also to non-Ekiti indigenes desirous of engaging the State. It will also serve as a communication and contact Centre of our State with Federal and State Government Offices, Embassies, offices of international organisations here in Lagos as well as private sector players headquartered in Lagos,” Fayemi said.

SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
OCTOBER 25, 2021

PRESIDENT BUHARI ARRIVES RIYADH FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT INITIATIVE INSTITUTE SUMMIT
President Muhammadu Buhari arrived Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday at about 11.50pm for the Future Investment Initiative Institute conference.
The President was received at King Khalid International Airport by the Deputy Governor of Riyadh, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Abdulaziz.
President Buhari, alongside other world leaders, will participate in the opening ceremony of the event on Tuesday and the three-day plenary sessions focused on the theme for the 5th edition of the summit, “Invest in Humanity”.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 26, 2019

PRESIDENT BUHARI SWEARS IN TWO INEC COMMISSIONERS
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday swore in two National Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The two are part of the six cleared by the Senate in July this year.
Recall that President Buhari had on September 15, 2021, sworn in three of the cleared National Commissioners.
The swearing-in took place before the official launch of the eNaira and 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day emblem.
The new National Commissioners are Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (Katsina State) and Professor Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (Ekiti State).
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 25, 2021

AT OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF eNAIRA, PRESIDENT BUHARI SAYS DIGITAL CURRENCY WILL BOOST NIGERIA’S GDP BY $29BILLION IN 10 YEARS
The adoption of the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) and its underlying technology, called block chain, can increase Nigeria’s GDP by $29billion over the next 10 years, President Muhammadu Buhari said Monday in Abuja at the official launch of the eNaira.
The President also declared that the introduction of the eNaira would enable the government to send direct payments to citizens eligible for specific welfare programmes as well as foster cross border trade.
President Buhari said that alongside digital innovations, CBDCs can foster economic growth through better economic activities, increase remittances, improve financial inclusion and make monetary policy more effective.
”Let me note that aside from the global trend to create Digital Currencies, we believe that there are Nigeria-specific benefits that cut across different sectors of, and concerns of the economy.
”The use of CBDCs can help move many more people and businesses from the informal into the formal sector, thereby increasing the tax base of the country,” he said.
The President said with the launch of eNaira, Nigeria has become the first country in Africa, and one of the first in the world to introduce a Digital Currency to her citizens.
He commended the Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, his deputies and the entire team of staff who worked tirelessly to make the launch of Africa’s first digital currency a reality.
The President, who assured Nigerians of the safety and scalability of the CBDC system, said the journey to create a digital currency for Nigeria began sometime in 2017.
”Work intensified over the past several months with several brainstorming exercises, deployment of technical partners and advisers, collaboration with the Ministries of Communication and Digital Economy and its sister agencies like the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), integration of banking software across the country and painstaking tests to ensure the robustness, safety and scalability of the CBDC System, ” he said.
The President also used the occasion of the unveiling of the eNaira to painstakingly explain to Nigerians why he approved the use of the digital currency.
”In recent times, the use of physical cash in conducting business and making payments has been on the decline. This trend has been exacerbated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resurgence of a new Digital Economy.
”Alongside these developments, businesses, households, and other economic agents have sought for new means of making payments in the new circumstances.
”The absence of a swift and effective solution to these requirements, as well as fears that Central Banks’ actions sometimes lead to hyperinflation created the space for non-government entities to establish new forms of “private currencies” that seemed to have gained popularity and acceptance across the world, including here in Nigeria.
”In response to these developments, an overwhelming majority of Central Banks across the world have started to consider issuing digital currencies in order to cater for businesses and households seeking faster, safer, easier and cheaper means of payments.
”A handful of countries including China, Bahamas, and Cambodia have already issued their own CBDCs.
”A 2021 survey of Central Banks around the world by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) found that almost 90 per cent are actively researching the potential for CBDCs, 60 percent were experimenting with the technology and 14 per cent were deploying pilot projects.
”Needless to add, close monitoring and close supervision will be necessary in the early stages of implementation to study the effect of eNaira on the economy as a whole.
”It is on the basis of this that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sought and received my approval to explore issuing Nigeria’s own Central Bank Digital Currency, named the eNaira,’’ he said.
Equally, the Nigerian leader noted that his approval was also underpinned by the fact that the CBN has been a leading innovator ‘‘in the form of money they produce, and in the payment services they deploy for efficient transactions.’’
He noted that Nigeria’s apex bank has invested heavily in creating a Payment System that is ranked in the top ten in the world and certainly the best in Africa.
”This payment system now provides high‐value and time‐critical payment services to financial institutions, and ultimately serves as the backbone for every electronic payment in Nigeria.
”They have also supported several private‐sector initiatives to improve the existing payments landscape, and in turn, have created some of the world’s leading payment service providers today,’’ he said.
In his remarks, the CBN Governor explained that eNaira is Nigeria’s CBDC and it is the digital equivalent of the physical Naira.
”As the tagline simply encapsulates, the eNaira is the same Naira with far more possibilities. The eNaira – like the physical Naira – is a legal tender in Nigeria and a liability of the CBN. The eNaira and Naira will have the same value and will always be exchanged at 1 naira to 1 eNaira,” he said.
Emefiele added that the CBN has given careful consideration to the entire payments and financial architecture and has designed the eNaira to complement and strengthen these ecosystems and has implemented secure safeguards and policies to maintain the integrity of the financial system.
He pledged that there would be strict adherence to the anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) standards in order to preserve the integrity and stability of Nigeria’s payment system.
According to Emefiele, since the eNaira platform went live, there has been overwhelming interest and encouraging response from Nigerians and other parties across the world with over 2.5 million daily visits to the website.
He listed the following milestones:
”33 banks are fully integrated and live on the platform, 500 million has been successfully minted by the Bank, N200 million has been issued to financial institutions, over 2,000 customers have been onboarded and over 120 merchants have successfully registered on the eNaira platform”.
The CBN governor also used the occasion to commend President Buhari for making history, yet again, with the launch of the eNaira – the first in Africa and one of the earliest around the world.
He also dispelled fears on the nation’s foreign reserves, saying the reserves are strong and getting stronger by the day.
”Mr. President, as you make ground breaking reforms, there have been continuing debate on the true value of the Naira. Rather than worry today on the direction of the exchange rate, let us take a step back and analyze how we got here in the first place.
”Please recall that since the advent of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1986, and the introduction of the Second Tier Foreign Exchange (SFEM) market, the Naira has been on a one-way free fall from parity to the US Dollar in 1984 to over N410/USD today.
”Some 35 years later, we have not been able to achieve the many promises and objectives of that programme.
”Instead, what we have seen is widespread import dependency, which has wiped out most of our production and manufacturing bases and exported all our jobs in the process.
”What has happened to the massive textile factories across our nation such that we import almost all cotton products when we are rich in cotton?
”What has happened to our vehicle assembly plants across the nation such that we import most vehicles and have become a massive dumping ground for dying second-hand vehicles?
”What has happened to our rubber plantations through which we made the best tyres and rubber products in the world? What has happened to our groundnut pyramids? What has happened to our Cocoa farms? What has happened to our palm oil mills?
”Under your leadership, Mr. President, we must stop this decline for good! We must return to massive homemade production; we must get our people working again. We must create the economic environment for massive domestic production and significant non-oil exports.
”As custodians of your national reserves, let me first assure you that there is no cause for alarm. Our FX reserves are strong and indeed getting stronger by the day, crossing the 40 billion USD mark, and is one of the highest in Africa – and growing.
”But we cannot fritter our reserves away on cheap imports and currency speculators. We must return to an employment-led growth anchored on productivity and rewarding producers of local goods, services, innovation and new technologies.
”If you consume cheap imports and export our jobs, we will make you pay dearly; but if you produce locally – with little or no foreign inputs beyond machinery, we will support you, and the markets will reward you abundantly,” he said.
In addition to all policies and actions of the CBN to support the economy especially through the trying times of COVID-19, Emefiele announced a new financial instrument titled “The 100 for 100 PPP – Policy on Production and Productivity”, which will be anchored in the Development Finance Department under his direct supervision.
He explained that under this policy the CBN would advertise, screen, scrutinize and financially support 100 targeted private sector companies in 100 days, beginning from 01 November 2021, and rolling over every 100 days with new set of 100 companies, whose names will be published in National Dailies for Nigerians to verify and confirm.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 25, 2021

2023 ELECTIONS: BE GUIDED BY DIPLOMATIC PRACTICES, PRESIDENT BUHARI URGES FOREIGN ENVOYS
In the build-up to the 2023 general elections, President Muhammadu Buhari Monday in Abuja urged foreign envoys in Nigeria to be guided by diplomatic practices to ensure that their activities remain within the limits of their profession.
Receiving Letters of Credence at State House from the Ambassadors of Japan, European Union, Burundi, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Cape Verde, France, Qatar; and High Commissioners of Sierra Leone and Ghana, the President told them that they were assuming diplomatic responsibilities in Nigeria at a very interesting political period.
‘‘Nigeria’s national elections are due in early 2023. The momentum for enhanced political activities is therefore expected to commence soon.
‘‘The nature of our politicking often gives the impression of very rancorous engagements. It is the nature of politics here. Besides, democracy and related democratic activities in the build-up to elections are necessarily rowdy and very argumentative, but very much within the limits of freedom of action that the art of democracy permits.
‘‘As you settle down in the face of these developments, it is my hope that you will also be guided by diplomatic practices, to ensure that your activities remain within the limits of your profession,’’ President Buhari said.
The President told the newly accredited envoys that he looked forward to a more robust relationship with each of their countries.
He declared that Nigeria is open to more foreign direct investments in the Education, Health, Transportation and Agricultural sectors, and would welcome improved bilateral relations, especially in wider trading and cultural contacts.
The President acknowledged that while Nigeria enjoys very cordial bilateral relations with the aforementioned countries, their diplomatic representatives must work harder to enhance this level of relationship in the interest of the peoples of our countries.
‘‘It is my hope that, as you settle down to your responsibilities of promoting unity, amity, enhanced understanding, better economic opportunities and the pursuit of peace between your respective countries and the Federal Government of Nigeria, you will make it a point of duty to appreciate our country’s diversity as a source of not only pride but advantage as we are definitely stronger together.
‘‘You will find in us as people, the level of vibrancy that defines us, as uniquely Nigerian, eager to make friends, learn other people’s way of living and imbued with great appetite for adaptation.
‘‘Excellencies, the world will definitely be a better place and much easier place to live in if all cultivate the culture of patience and tolerance in order to appreciate the values of each of us and the contributions that we all can make, for sustainable peace and development, globally,’’ he said.
On security, President Buhari told the ambassadors that more partnerships were needed to fully overcome daunting challenges in the country.
‘‘As a Government and as a nation, we continue to make steady progress despite daunting challenges, notably in the area of security.
‘‘Different factors accounted for this, amongst which are, first, that insecurity linked to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrimes, and maritime issues, are transborder acts that go beyond the abilities of any single country to effectively contain.
‘‘That is why, matters of security have become the business of all the nations of the world to work together to overcome. Second, our borders are very long and porous, and their effective policing has become a daunting challenge.
‘‘Third, easy circulation of small arms and light weapons, from the Sahel-Libya axis and the Central African region, have made access to these weapons readily available which inevitably compounds our national and regional security.
‘‘Despite these huge challenges, concerted efforts by Government and our Armed Forces have accounted for the largely degraded capacities of terrorists across the country,’’ he said.
The newly accredited Ambassadors are Matsunaga Kazuyoshi (Japan), Leena Pylvanainen (Finland), Samuela Isopi (European Union), Maria Jeanne Ntakirutimana (Burundi) Monsieur Sune Krogstrup (Denmark), Sile Maguire (Ireland), Belarmino Silva (Cape Verde), Ali Ghanem Ali Alfahed Alhajri (Qatar) and Emmanuella Blatmann (France).
The High Commissioners are Sydney Dowu Davies (Sierra Leone) and Alhaji Rashid Bawa (Ghana).
Speaking on behalf of the Ambassadors, the Japanese Ambassador pledged that they are willing to strengthen existing bilateral relations with Nigeria, assuring that they would work together and explore ways to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.
He wished the President good health and prosperity for Nigeria.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 25, 2021